Portable backdrop shimmers in gold sequins

Attention caught! The giant gold disc seems unwieldy in crowds and totally worth it.

 

Cheerful gold promotion, of lesbianism?

These rowers won Britain’s first gold medals. They’re like some super wholesome promotion for lesbianism.

China’s Sun Yang wins 400 meter freestyle swim

Seems very happy!

Fashion warning: Another summer of Crocs

I have terrible news to share from inner west Tokyo. This will be yet another summer of Crocs. You thought this ugly fad would have long passed, no? Recently I spotted Crocs worn by a yanki with gold lame accented sweats, as well as a rather stylish senior gentleman. The horror!

Still, I love the way this yanki is staring down my camera.

Huge, older guy wins gold throwing hammers

Murofushi Koji became the oldest gold medalist in hammer throw. He looks very happy in action.

Congrats Kohei Uchimura

Few things are more moe than gymnastics. But if you add a daddy, a bandage, and some sick hair, well, you truly deserve the gold medal, Kohei Uchimura.

Lady Gaga: “Judas is the demon I cling to”

Wow! Lady Gaga creates video drama like no one since Madonna. I love how in the new Judas video she imagines herself as the Jesus leader of an LA bike gang. Big hair, leather, skin, and of course lots of dancing. Her hunky Judas, wearing a crown, is clearly irresistible. Given the ever increasing militarism in the US, it’s lovely to see her whip out a gold gun armed with lipstick. I feel the passion!

Senior rocks it in gold lame at awa odori

Koenji’s Awa Odori is one of my favorite Tokyo street festivals. The senior in gold lame really rocks his outfit with diagonal primary color stripes and a patterned head cloth. Wow! I think he should be giving the young people some fashion lessons.

Here’s another image to give you an idea of how much people-watching fun this street fair affords.

Japanese construction workers are best dressed!

There should be a global competition for construction worker fashion, and Japanese would definitely score gold. From the Yoji Yamamoto wide pants to the ever present small towels to the super plucked eyebrows, Japanese construction workers are always riveting. Plus, what’s with workers wearing white rubber boots?! I find that *very* hot.

All images from a website where you can order these fashions, called Tobi.jp.

New Year’s Fortunes at Shrine

On New Year’s day, beginning just after midnight, many Japanese visit shrines, provide a small contribution, pray for less than 30 seconds, and buy a fortune. My friend took me to Adachi in northern Tokyo to a famous shrine the evening of January 1. You can see above that if you don’t like the fortune you receive, you can fold it up and tie it on a special stand that contains all the bad and just mediocre fortunes.

I left my fortune. And, under the guise of being a foreigner observing local customs, I couldn’t help but take this image of a Tokyo yankii leaving his fortune at the shrine. His mane of distressed hair, the fake fur sweatshirt color, the glitter, lack of warm clothes on a cold evening, and exposed backside somehow all added up to a good omen for the new year and new decade.

Oh, and inside my fortune, I found a (fake) gold plated trinket. Mine is considered especially lucky, a rake that symbolizes I will be “raking in” the money this year. I hope so!