Real resort attracts men honeymooning with virtual girlfriends

Is this truly “only in Japan” or does Western media love stories about “weird” Japanese men? Funny how these weird men are always cast as dysfunctional straights.

So here’s the latest story in the Wall Street Journal: a resort town suffering from the collapse of rural Japan and the terrible economy promotes itself as a destination for LovePlus+ dating gamers. This story produces the sensationalist title, “Only in Japan, Real Men Go to a Hotel with their Virtual Girlfriends,” the sad subtitle, “Dating Game Simulation a Last Resort for Holiday Town and Its Lonely Guests,” and the innuendo rich description of a town seeking to “attract single men– and their hand-held devices.”

The game is at once demanding of its users’ time, and also regressive. Men in their 20s and 30s enact a high school romance. The summer fun at the seaside resort ends in late August when the virtual girlfriends must go back to school.

I’ve reported other geek love stories, like the dakimakura or huggable pillow girlfriends. It seems foreigners enjoy hearing about how dysfunctional Japanese men can be. Perhaps I also get an added chuckle out of the spectacle of improbable hetero desire. But I also agree with the many critics of this news genre that this is hardly representative of Japanese masculinity.

My favorite new blog in Japan

OMG. I discovered perhaps the most delicious, exhibitionist blog in Japan, Satellite of Love by a part-Japanese Swedish model. She is frank about her abundant sex life and her opinions about Japanese men, marriage, and girlish fun. Did I mention that she illustrates her stories with images of Japanese male idols? Plus, she posts almost daily! I am in heaven.

Yesterday’s post had some priceless advice for foreign ladies in Japan:

“Here’s a note for any girl interested in dating in Japan: Date a hairdresser. hairdressers in Japan are usually straight, usually not shy, usually really fun, and you can get your hair done for free if you guys start dating. That, and they’re interested in different kinds of hair, so if you’re not Japanese, your hair is sort of a bonus for them. 🙂 Funny, but true. I’ve dated 3 Japanese hairdressers and they’ve all been great.”

I am hooked!