And the Hunky Jesus winner is . . . Baby Jesus

Like Folsom Street Fair, the Hunky Jesus and WTF Mary contest marks the SF spiritual calendar of fantasy, spectacle and the sublime. This was the 36th annual contest and my first HJ in many years since I’ve been living in Tokyo.

I like how each Jesus created their own storyline, often independent of the Christian chronology. A 9 month pregnant woman won WTF Mary. “Good timing on her part,” as my friend said. Baby Jesus, “I’m just a baby,” won the HJ category. His is probably the sexiest adult diaper I have ever seen, and he won a lot of attention by pouring milk from his baby bottle across his hairy chest.

Thanks, Sister Roma, and all the good nuns for an outstanding event that brought together freaks, families, and pure joy.

Snow did not stop the stretch Lincolns from delivering yankiis to Nakano’s Sun Plaza

Young men dressed in kimonos celebrate turning 20 at Nakano Sun Plaza’s Seiji No Hi coming of age ceremony. Overheard, 「お大人になちゃった。」Roughly translated, it means, “Oh shit, we’ve become adults.” As usual, the heavily inebriated youth were extremely friendly to the lone foreign lurker. Congratulations, everyone, and good luck!

Stop the presses! Pot helps fatherhood

Being stoned made a San Francisco man (not the one in photo above) a better father, as he writes in the New York Times. As a child-free adult with a not innocent interest in dads, I will take note of this revelation. Photo source: Things Stoners Like.

These boys are now legal. Coming of Age Day in Nakano

Crack open a beer. Dye your hair rainbow colors. Finally, I am posting photos from this year’s Nakano Sun Plaza’s celebration of the ward’s teenagers becoming adults.

Too cool for school

The mayor of Aso City stuns 20 year olds at Coming of Age Day (Seiji no Hi) by singing and pantomiming a hit from AKB48, the 4 dozen popular faux school girls who are Japan’s most popular band and advertising monster. The mayor’s singing and emoting strike a stern warning to the young things to never become adults. Poor 20 year olds of Aso City! (Source: Neojapanisme)

I had a much better time greeting and mingling with the 20 year olds celebrating today outside Nakano Sun Plaza. The girls were a riot of faux rabbit and pink/orange/red kimonos and complicated updoes. Many of the boys fried their hair and en-bigg-ed it, paired with shiny suits evocative of men’s host clubs and mid-tier salary men and occasionally traditional men’s kimonos, one in shocking pink. More pix soon. Here’s last years’ photos!

I also met a very handsome Korean photographer, and realized I wasn’t the only one who came to gawk!

South Koreans simulating a sea landing

Not sure how this group exercise simulates a sea landing, per the original account. To many, it may more readily evoke adult movies. I wonder if the South Korea military hires special position as sunblock applicator?

Via Savage Love’s blog, and originally the BBC’s Day in Pictures.