Goodbye summer and men in yukata

One of the best parts of summer in Japan is men in yukata, a light-weight summer kimono. The funniest thing is that when young guys wear them in Tokyo, typically they choose dark and understated ones like the one worn by Tamaki Hiroshi above.

It’s a rare moment for the Japanese peacocks to choose restraint, and the girls in summer wear the most garish colors and patterns on their yukata. At least, as you see in Tamaki-sama’s photo, he hasn’t eschewed the fancy hair-do and extraneous jewelry (including ankle bracelet?!).

Yakuza skin

Apropos of nothing, here’s some images of Yakuza showing off their tattoos. This is pure fanservice, a tribute to summer, and a needed break from all those manufactured barely-legal “tarentos.”

Summer street festival ass

Summer in Tokyo is hot and humid. Nothing like a street fair for unapologetic, nonchalant male nudity. This tubby guy’s butt cheeks obscured the fact he was wearing a fundoshi. I like how he parades around holding but never wearing his shorts. I was in heaven.

While other mens’ short jackets covered their junk, this guy made sure that nothing was hidden.

Although I was riveted by tubby cheeks, there were many distractions. Check out this bulge, accentuated by the traditional costume.

And finally this tall cop had me wishing for detention. What could have I done to get cuffed?

Magic Sento

In the summer heat, I have suspended my regular sento visits: enjoying gratuitous single-sex neighborly nudity and soaking in a large hot tub. Although I prefer going to the “yakuza sento” Hagaromo in Nishi-Shinjuku, where tattoos are allowed, the nearby “Magic Sento” is lovely, too. The owner’s son performs a weekly magic show in the lobby.

Orange summer outfit on Tokyo train

Mid-summer in Tokyo is a wall of heat and humidity. A long day of work was suddenly perked up by the site of this hyper-coordinated youth. Showing that style does not have to be expensive or formal, this fashion super-hero matches his cap, t-shirt, shorts and Crocs in shades of orange and yellow. I <3 Tokyo! おしゃれ！

Ikemen Alert: Teikyo University Rugby Players

It’s summer, hot, humid and sultry, but I am already dreaming of going back to university. Based on this brilliant Tokyo Metro ad campaign, I choose Teikyo University.

With all the summer male eye candy, I apologize for the previous post and my recent failure to show more alluring Tokyo men’s images. I’ll try to make it up to you dear readers in the next days.

The husband accused me of being more sympathetic to “air-heads” than otakus. And he also tried to tell me that Teikyo Uni is more famous for sports than academics. Unhh, so what? These guys are ikemen, and I am *not* imagining their brains.

Am I too old to try out for cheer leader squad? And which one should be team captain, and why?

Japanese cute or unnerving?

Nothing says summer quite like blushing doggie anti-mosquito incense holders. Japanese have a knack for finding the line between cute and unnerving.

Bring back the slatterns

Reading a 1960s literary book by last century’s most celebrated Japanese to English translator, I was struck by his use of charmingly out-dated English. Famous North American translator describes how famous Japanese Meiji writer turned his attention from geishas to “slatterns.” The setting was the start of the 20th century, and the fiction writer was making the impossible biological transition from young man to middle age.

The context made clear that the “slattern,” lacking the art of the geisha, was a barely obscured word for prostitute. What a now quaint word to denote lack of sophistication, slovenly hair and costume, and inadequate hygiene.

With this delicious new word in mind, what did I see in the JR Metro but white plastic heart-shaped high heels? Yes, the heel itself was in the shape of a valentine’s day heart with the point serving as the base of the heel. Below is the closest approximation I could find on Google images. And, trust me, somehow the white plastic was even more slattern-ish than the lucite model.

My only question is why, even in Tokyo on a hot evening, can men not signal slattern-iciousness the way ladies can and often do? Step it up, herbivores-ladies danshi-gyaruo-otomen!

Summer obon festival

The rainy season is officially over, and two nights ago we went to an Obon Festival in Tsukudajima. Summer is a time for wearing yukatas, which are light cotton, simpler kimonos. This dog’s yukata has a dragonfly pattern, and a big red belt.

The festival also features lanterns strung across the street, a senior citizen beating a huge drum, another singing on the loud speaker, and a third leading school children in a dance of twirling and clapping.

And an altar for prayers to the dead.

Afterwards we went with our friend Claudia for okonomiyaki, a Japanese pancake, and soba noodles, admired the many yankii boys with their small children, and left the restaurant too late to buy a flavored shaved ice on the street.

Early summer garden

For 100 yen ($1.05), I bought this morning glory a few days ago. It’s already twining itself to the balcony railing. The tomato I planted a few months ago is producing quite well. The husband doesn’t like the thick and hard skin, but I find them tasty.

I’ve also started a bitter melon vine. It’s supposed to be super rich in vitamin C and beta-carotine. It makes a good pickle, and also tastes good combined with ground pork (though what doesn’t?).

And the saipan lemon tree is budding. The flowers smell so good. So far it isn’t fruiting much. The husband insists it needs hand pollinating.