Sumo wrestler riding a bicycle

These gentle giants have captured my heart. Photo by Paolo Patrizi.

Riding bicycle with no eyebrows

Is that safe cycling?

Bunny is crying because she’s pregnant with a baby bicycle!

This sign at the JR Nakano station really had me wondering what has happened to my beloved ward. This station, far more than the Seibu Shinjuku or Marunouchi lines, is the heartbeat that animates our local lives.

Poor Bunny is at once crying and carrying a big stick, while this bicycle is stuck in her transparent womb.

If Bunny can be violated, what could happen to us mere mortals? Should I be concerned about my safety, too?

Is bicycle mother drag the most moe moe?

Sorry dear readers, I cannot find an illustration. Thanks to the hubb for providing these excellent images!

Last week I re-met the lovely director and producer Charles Herman-Wurmfeld at the Tokyo Lesbian and Gay Film Festival talking about his latest film “Hollywood, J’Adore,” directed by his spouse Jason Bushman. As first time visitors to Japan, Charles and  Jason were astonished to see gardens, Shinto temples, and fashion. Charles pointed out the incredible construction worker drag (my favorite, in addition to the balloon pants, are the white rubber boots).

But truly his moe-est moe is his fascination with the summer anti-sun strategy of the Japanese bicycle mothers. Full gloves past the elbow for bike riding, sometimes attached directly to the handlebar for 100% compliance. And the enormous plastic UV shield that covers the face. It’s a mama-cheri look that rivals the burqa for full coverage.

Charles, being in his 40s, immediately realized how practical that would be for biking in Silver Lake and Los Angeles. I am very disappointed not to find a proper image of this everyday outfit that receives far less attention than construction worker, ramen chef, Tokyo Metro worker, and, of course, school girls.

Can anyone please send in a photo of this moe get-up?! Actually, now I am only missing the image of the front visor. You know, the one that goes from crown of the head to below the chin!

Skateboard on bicycle fashion

With the warmer weather, every trip out of the house brings surprise and wonder. I am loving this thrash metal woman and her special skateboard backpack. Nakano gives and gives, and I am supremely grateful. Rock on, Thrasher!

Double pants: already over, or worth grabbing?

Have you seen the double pants? At first you think, his pants are falling off. Then, you realize there’s a completely different pants below the outer pants. The husband says this is so 2008. But then so are “dropped crotch” pants (aka, adult diaper pants) and I still see them everywhere in Tokyo.

Back to double pants, K. says she she’s seen old ladies reaching out to pull up men’s pants. I say more power to the old ladies who are looking and grabbing men’s butts.

Opinions? Btw, here’s a context shot, at the busy Nakano Sakaue intersection. I like how the top of his boots are also folded over, echoing the action around the mid-section.

Meeting Pipo-kun (ピ-ポくん)

Only in Japan do the police have a super-cute mascot, Pipo-kun (ピ-ポくん). On my first day of my prestigous fellowship, outside of corporate headquarters in Marunouchi Tokyo, I had to go up and shake his hand.

In a city that most foreigners consider super safe, the mascot and his human companions were promoting safety by handing out mesh bags for bicycle baskets and paper tissues.