When I think of gay religious holidays, I naturally imagine Folsom Street Fair, the world’s largest leather and fetish outdoor event. Hundreds of thousands attend. All the spiritual uplifting and community without the tedious obligations and family fighting.
Above is this year’s censored poster (click to enbiggin). I couldn’t find the au natural version on the interwebs, alas. It’s this Sunday, September 23.
Identical black suit and leather briefcase uniforms, matching poufy hair, and all eating curry hot dogs. I am childish and find this scene sublime. Plus, they ate the last curry dogs. I wanted one, too, but could only enjoy it through watching them.
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!
In addition to endless thass, there was endless yankii fashion at the omatsuri. No doubt this festival was extra riche in eye candy because the shrine is almost equidistant from Kabukicho, Golden Gai, and Ni-chome. According to Donald Richie, this old shrine was famous in the post-war years for being a place where truckers met trannies.
The above photo captures the absolute best of yankii fashion. The boys with their teased, damaged, and plastered helmet hair, and boots-in. The girl with piled high hair, looking both 50s in her leather jacket, 60s and 80s in her curvaceous fishnets. The best part is that all are eating food on a stick: two are eating pickled cukes and one an ice-cream.
In the photo below, they seem to have realized they captured a new fan. And I love how the more traditional fellow does a double-take, perhaps more startled by the foreigner’s interest than the archetypical fashion participating in this thousands year old religion. You can also see the girl’s shoes and her amazing legs much better!
Trust me, there were more big-haired boys than I could possible capture with my simple camera. Here’s one more. I am looking forward to the start of summer.
Hard Gay, with his super-short leather pants and thrusting “hip radar,” is a controversial character. An exaggerated gay clown, as if his “hard” attitude makes him gayer than the average closeted gay person in Japan.
On the other hand, this clip shows him helping a ramen store, interacting with potential customers on the street and even clowning around with small children in a playground. Sort of Bruno-esque, but with none of the violent reaction you would expect in most parts of the US. (Credit: J-son, via his pal at Oracle).
What do you think of Hard Gay??
Visiting a major shrine in Tokyo, I decided to stop and read some of the wishes written on wooden placards. I had thought they would all be about love and world peace. Of course, many are, but some are hilarious. Not sure if it’s bad to read others’ wishes, but they are public and I could not help myself.
Here are some of the best ones in English. Above: “I want a BMW 3 Series with real leather seats and a Bose sounds system and a GPS nav. system with a cute Japanese girl voice and seat warmers so my butt stays warm in the winter.”
“Simon has clear direction in his life and is determined to be + stay debt free with a house that owns . . . . He understands that it is all down to him– go for it tree!!!”
“Wish my daughter Linting (?) come to her senses + break away from Dario completely and never see him again. Wish good health, safe . . . Heal me + let me live a long healthy happy life.”
Below is what all the cards called ema in Japanese look like underneath the giant tree.
More wish cards after the jump.
Tokyo Moe 