Japanese Society in Cameo: Guys emerging from a hot spring bath

[ This entry was also posted one of my other blogs: Kelly's Second Life and on my Tribe and JustUsBoys blogs.]


Some of these photos of Japanese men emerge from a hot springs (mineral baths) or 'onsen' were highlighted on QueerClick not long ago. I can't resist showing them again. It's just THE Japanese thing to do - and seems to be especially popular with groups of male college friends, intramural sports teams, or company excursions. They usually spend a night or two at the hot spring resort - one of the most famous - as well as accessible to Tokyo - is Hakone (near the Mt. Fuji Lakes area). Invariably, they have a nice meal - (that's a whole other story) and gulped down lots of beer, sake, and even whiskey or strong imported Chinese liquor.

They're all wearing the traditional 'yukata' - thin, cotton kimono-like coat - with (hopefully) nothing on underneath. When the alcohol, good food and camaraderie take effect, they start dancing sometimes in the buff or provocatively draped, they sing (karaoke) or do stunts (handstands, etc), and then everybody heads down to the communal baths in the resorts - usually downstairs and many
times facing outdoors - a river, wooded stream or even the ocean. Those who can no longer stand - due to the alcohol- might be helped by to their rooms, and fondled or groped or even much more (I only know what I would be doing if my buddy had passed out half naked). Back in the baths, the antics usually escalate - naked men are scrubbing each other's back, and there's the relentless teasing about the size of somebody's dick (often teased that he's too big), and sooner of later somebody passes out from heat exhaustion and too much liquor. A few erections may emerge from under the suds or hidden while squatting in the thigh-deeper hot pools of volcanic mineral waters.

 

All in all.. it's a great time for everyone.

Japanese men are horny a whole lot of the time and - in my opinion - the repressive nature of their society actually only deepens and heightens the sexual tensions for the average company worker. The stress of so many social and work responsibilities is sometimes almost too much to bear: 'fetch this' and 'do this now' is the only thing workers hear all day and half the night since they almost always work overtime for NO (or little) pay.

Without much recourse or with little leeway for arguing back, they submissively accept what they have to do, and go about it quietly (or at least only mutter out of earshot) or complain to their 'real'

friends later. All this comes bubbling to the surface when the drinks and relaxation reach the max at big group parties out in the country. The months of repressed desire also come bubbling to their consciousness - well.. at least it would in mind. Japanese men are generally dissuaded from 'flirting' in public - especially in an office situation. In fact, it use to be true that inter-office affairs and romantic relationships were so frowned upon that a worker risked getting transferred or - in the worse case - fired for dating a co-worker. It really is much less true nowadays because of the changes occurring in the society and in the economy. However, to some extent interoffice romance is discouraged. In that kind of environment, young men (ages 22- 35) before marriage didn't have many avenues for sexual or romantic release -except Japanese anime and pornography, and the nightly jerk-off once they crawled in to bed after midnight when they got home from a couple of 'mandatory' rounds a the local pub with the office gang - that often included their immediate superior (who was bucking for promotion or for leverage to support his pet projects).

 

The trips to the onsen (hot spring resorts) and the pub crawls after working later are rather like R & R for the troops in an army that's on dangerous duty. This was (and still is in some cases) the Civilian Military - (Japan Incorportated) because that was exactly how the typical Japanese factory or company used to operate. The new ones were the recruits -- called upon to have to endure all kinds of hardships (workign 12-16 hour days for example was expected), so these 'trips' were probably a natural way to help relieve a lot of stress.. some of it under the belt line - so to speak.


There is no doubt in my mind that many a young company employee (male or perhaps more so the females) was 'defrocked' while on one of these onsen excursions organized by his (her) company or social group.
The situation has ameliorated to some extent. It is not easy to determine how much though. Japan still has the highest rates of suicide of any industrialized (first world) nation, and the numbers continue to swell. Over 30,000 per year end their lives and by estimates, nearly 4 times as many try to do so.

Japanese has a massive social networking infrastructure long, long before the days of the Internet - or Facebook. I could write a book on this and related topics... but - in reality - much of it is coming to an end. Today's young people do not want to participate to the same degree as before. The number of 'freeters' - young people who refuse to get a full-time job, who often still live at home on their parents' dime, and are content with having little money - but lots of freedom and tons of free time to work part-time at as many as 3 jobs, quit when they get tired of one, go out with friends to sing karaoke or drink or just hang out, and play PS3 games or windowshop all night long.

More to follow (eventually.....)

The above first 3 amateur photos were forwarded in a group message from: atitlan [ymna2] Yahoo group, the last one was sent in my Erik on his [cmnm] google group. Note: Queerclick displays their logo on the photo but they no more own the copyright (c) to that photo that Richard Nixon does!

 

Gay Life in Japan: a personal explanation

seanolan

Expert on Something
 Posts: 166
Location: Shirakawa, Fukushima, Japan

 As a gay man in Japan, I have some experience in this, so let me give my 2 yen. First, there is no religious bias from most Japanese. Historically, many Japanese have been homosexual (some buddhist temples in Japan actually kept young men {even young boys at time, sadly} specifically because they were beautiful and the monks would have regular sexual encounters with them, and samurai often had relationships with their "squires" or "apprentices" {not sure what the Japanese word for that is} )according to some of the gay literature I have read here. That said, there is a strong bias, not against same sex acts, but against a homosexual lifestyle, because it is not within the traditional Japanese lifestyle.

A youth is expected to go to school, get a job, get married, have kids, and support the family by doing so. Someone who falls outside of that pattern is instantly regarded with suspicion and even contempt by many traditional Japanese. Obviously, a homosexual relationship and lifestyle falls well outside that pattern. I would liken Japanese homosexual culture to that of America in the early 70's, without the active persecution or violence of that time. Most people don't even consider it (you'd be AMAZED how many Japanese have told me that there are no gay Japanese...hand to god!) Those that do, often consider it a choice (and not a good one) and somehow deficient, although many women do consider it hip and cool to have a gay male friend.

There is a lot of confusion, incidentally, even in the language, about the difference between being gay, trangendered and transvestite. In fact, most words in the Japanese language make no distinction between the different identities. Ironically, while homosexuality as a lifestyle is looked at askance, entertainers who break the gender boundaries are incredibly popular, both as objects of amusement and as legitimate entertainers. This leads to many Japanese having confusion about or denial of their orientation. The Japanese closet is deep. Almost all the gay Japanese men I have met over 30 are also married with children. Many of their wives even know that they are gay. It seems that as long as they have fulfilled the obligation to the community of a wife and children, it is tolerated.

Some just look at it as a physical thing (and the stereotype is that this sort of Japanese man is very unaffectionate with their partners in gay sex; no kissing or any form of emotional attachment is formed); that they simply want sex with a man as an urge to be satisfied. This attitude is also held by many heterosexual Japanese about homosexuals, that it is simply a physical urge, not a life-altering orientation. Many other gay Japanese men go the far opposite extreme, becoming extremely effeminate in all their behavior; sometimes even dressing and appearing as women (although not quite to the degree of transvestism).

 Rather than hiding it, they embrace the stereotype that Japanese culture places on them and in fact seem to be throwing it back in that culture's face. Gay bars and gay-oriented businesses are few and far between outside of the metropolises (such as Tokyo's Shinjuku Nichome) and compared to the America, even those venues are small. For instance, Nichome has approximately 200 gay bars (according to Fodor's) in the neighborhood, but from personal experience I can tell you that aside from a very few, these bars have a seating capacity of 6-15 people...they are bars, not clubs. There are also occasionally places in the most out-of-the-way towns that would shock you...my small town does not have a gay bar (or in fact any night clubs) but it does have a transexual snack/hostess bar! HOW it stays open in this town, I couldn't even tell you...

 There are quite a few small gay newspapers and magazines published in Japan, and they tend to be

very discrete in delivery. In the larger cities, there are gay encounter/social groups as well. Now, a bit of good news for foreigners coming to Japan...usually, Japanese have NO problem with homosexual foreigners. Remember, we are expected to not conform to Japanese culture (which can work for and against us in many situations) and so without any religious bias against homosexuality, we slip unscathed under the "conformity" radar...it's just one more weird thing about you, like eating raw vegetables, hating natto and wearing non-white shirts to work. However, there seems to be a bit of mild prejudice about us working with kids (or maybe not...I'll explain).

A few of the teachers I work/have worked with who know my orientation have told me it would be better for me not to talk about it, as some parents might be uncomfortable with me being in charge of their kids. On the other hand, several of my gay JET friends are not only out at the schools they teach at, but they have even taught lessons on homosexuality in other countries and how it is received there, without any negative fallout. So it could be that the teachers who spoke to me were simply being extra cautious, or my friends could have been lucky. I hope this is useful to you, or at least informative.

 Smile,  Sean

Japanese Society in Cameo: Guys emerging from a hot spring bath

[ This entry was also posted one of my other blogs: Otoko - The Japanese Male and on my Tribe and JustUsBoys blogs. The reason for that is because nowadays I never know when my blog and my user id will be deleted without warning. Yahoo! is infamous for doing so, but I've recognized recently that Google may being trying to 'clean up' its own house - soto speak. Dozens (that I know) of amateur 'monetized' blogs with explicit sexual gay content have disappeared from Blogspot in the last few weeks.]

Some of these photos of Japanese men emerge from a hot springs (mineral baths) or 'onsen' were highlighted on QueerClick not long ago. I can't resist showing them again. It's just THE Japanese thing to do - and seems to be especially popular with groups of male college friends, intramural sports teams, or company excursions.

They usually spend a night or two at the hot spring resort - one of the most famous - as well as accessible to Tokyo - is Hakone (near the Mt. Fuji Lakes area). Invariably, they have a nice meal - (that's a whole other story) and gulped down lots of beer, sake, and even whiskey or strong imported Chinese liquor.




They're all wearing the traditional 'yukata' - thin, cotton kimono-like coat - with (hopefully) nothing on underneath. When the alcohol, good food and camaraderie take effect, they start dancing (handstands, etc), and then everybody heads down to the communal baths in the resorts - usually

downstairs and many times facing outdoors - a river, wooded stream or even the ocean. Those who can no longer stand - due to the alcohol- might be helped by to their rooms, and fondled or groped or even much more (I only know what I would be doing if my buddy had passed out half naked). Back in the baths, the antics usually escalate - naked men are scrubbing each other's back, and there's the relentless teasing about the size of somebody's dick (often teased that he's too big), and sooner of later somebody passes out from heat exhaustion and too much liquor. A few erections may emerge from under the suds or hidden while squatting in the thigh-deeper hot pools of volcanic mineral waters.

sometimes in the buff or provocatively draped, they sing (karaoke) or do stunts

All in all.. it's a great time for everyone.

Japanese men are horny a whole lot of the time and - in my opinion - the repressive nature of their society actually only deepens and heightens the sexual tensions for the average company worker. The stress of so many social and work responsibilities is sometimes almost too much to bear: 'fetch this' and 'do this now' is the only thing workers hear all day and half the night since they almost always work overtime for NO (or little) pay.

Without much recourse or with little leeway for arguing back, they submissively accept what they have to do, and go about it quietly (or at least only mutter out of earshot) or complain to their 'real' friends later. All this comes bubbling to the surface when the drinks and relaxation reach the max at big group parties out in the country. The months of repressed desire also come bubbling to their consciousness - well.. at least it would in mind. Japanese men are generally dissuaded from 'flirting' in public - especially in an office situation. In fact, it use to be true that inter-office affairs and romantic relationships were so frowned upon that a worker risked getting transferred or - in the worse case - fired for dating a co-worker. It really is much less true nowadays because of the changes occurring in the society and in the economy. However, to some extent interoffice romance is discouraged. In that kind of environment, young men (ages 22- 35) before marriage didn't have many avenues for sexual or romantic release -except Japanese anime and pornography, and the nightly jerk-off once they crawled in to bed after midnight when they got home from a couple of 'mandatory' rounds a the local pub with the office gang - that often included their immediate superior (who was bucking for promotion or for leverage to support his pet projects).

The trips to the onsen (hot spring resorts) and the pub crawls after working later are rather like R & R for the troops in an army that's on dangerous duty. This was (and still is in some cases) the Civilian Military - (Japan Incorportated) because that was exactly how the typical Japanese factory or company used to operate. The new ones were the recruits -- called upon to have to endure all kinds of hardships (workign 12-16 hour days for example was expected), so these 'trips' were probably a natural way to help relieve a lot of stress.. some of it under the belt line - so to speak.
There is no doubt in my mind that many a young company employee (male or perhaps more so the females) was 'defrocked' while on one of these onsen (hot springs) excursions organized by his (her) company or social group.

The situation has ameliorated to some extent. It is not easy to determine how much though. Japan still has the highest rates of suicide of any industrialized (first world) nation, and the numbers continue to swell. Over 30,000 per year end their lives and by estimates, nearly 4 times as many try to do so.

Japan has a massive social networking infrastructure long, long before the days of the Internet - or Facebook. I could write a book on this and related topics... but - in reality - much of it is coming to an end. Today's young people do not want to participate to the same degree as before. The number of 'freeters' - young people who refuse to get a full-time job, who often still live at home on their parents' dime, and are content with having little money - but lots of freedom and tons of free time to work part-time at as many as 3 jobs, quit when they get tired of one, go out with friends to sing karaoke or drink or just hang out, and play PS3 games or windowshop all night long.

More to follow (eventually.....)

The above first 3 amateur photos were forwarded in a group message from: atitlan [ymna2] Yahoo group, the last one was sent in my Erik on his [cmnm] google group. Note: Queerclick displays their logo on the photo but they no more own the copyright (c) to that photo that Richard Nixon does!