Pokemon butt at beer vendor in Tokyo Pride Parade

I had a fantastic time at the Tokyo Pride Parade on Saturday. Despite the August heat and humidity, the atmosphere, costumes, and Okinawan music were joyous. The hubb and two good friends joined me and about 10,000 people in Yoyogi and then marching through Shibuya and Meiji Jingu Mae.

I don’t have time to sort through all the photos (and several videos), but I want to post my favorite photo today. There were about eight middle-aged Pokemon wearing furry but revealing outfits.

I hope that these adult Pokemon prompted some awkward child-parent questions during the parade! Here they are lined up for canned beer.

If you’re in Tokyo, you can check out the “gay matsuri” festival from 4 pm to 7 pm on Sunday in Ni-chome. It’s a street fair organized by the bar owners, with promises of a portable shrine carried by lesbians, music and performances.

Pokemon says no

Pokemon says “no” to bottle of booze, green tea, congratulatory and funeral flowers, school children’s backpacks, incense, expensive fruit baskets, and gifts of rice. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry seeing this government poster. Is it patronizing, funny or just ridiculous?

Given widespread corruption, not so different in Japan as in the United States– including dead people voting, illegal corporate contributions and staggering levels of distrust– do citizens need a children’s cartoon to tell them about the dangers and illegality of accepting small gifts from politicians?

Are small gifts the reason why Japanese politics are so dismal?