fetish
Passersby were shocked to see the man surrounded by women with cameras at the side of the street.
“Why did you come to Japan?”
It’s a simple question, and if you spend enough time here, you’re sure to be asked it countless times by Japanese people. In fact, Japan has a whole television show dedicated to asking foreigners this very question, called YOU wa Nani shi ni Nippon e?
For those of us who came for to learn a specific trade or study the language, or who are married to a Japanese spouse and/or have family in Japan, it usually isn’t a hard question to answer honestly. However, for those foreigners that were drawn to Japan’s shores through things like anime or manga, cosplay, robots, or schoolgirls, it can be a question that’s difficult to come up with a socially acceptable answer to.
Still, not all foreigners are ashamed of coming clean about some of the strange hobbies that brought them here, like one Polish Twitter user who is proud to be living out his some of his wildest dreams in good ol’ Nihon. After arriving in Japan, he was presented with the chance to act out one of his many perverted fantasies, leaving otaku on Twitter both amused and green with envy.
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When it comes to competition swimwear, most of us immediately think of is the kind of gear we see worn by professional swimmers. Trends have shifted over the years as technology improved and demands have changed; swimsuits with racerbacks and varying leg lengths to cater to different needs, preferences and races are most commonly seen on female professional swimmers today.
Last week, Japanese “fetish swimsuit” maker REALISE released a new “competition swimsuit” that changed everyone’s perspective on racing swimwear. Instead of having an open back like many Speedo or TYR suits do, REALISE’s revolutionary design has an open front, allowing its wearers to show off their bosoms, just because. As always, the trend-sensitive Twitter users of Japan were quick to respond to the new fashion statement and… well, just see for yourselves after the break! (Needless to say, some of these illustrations are NSFW.)
When I left England for Japan in 2011, I received a card from four schoolfriends of mine. “Keep in touch!” the girls had written. “Have a great time!” The one guy in the group had a slightly different message for me: “Enjoy the tentacle rape porn!”
While for many, Japan evokes imagery of ancient temples, plates of sushi, and Shinkansen, it is also known as the land of crazy weird sex stuff. (Tentacle erotica, by the way, is much older and, I might add, much rarer than you might think). So when we stumbled across (I know, right! I can’t remember what we were looking for in the first place, either!) a Japanese blog post about surprising sexual fetishes, we knew it was worth sharing.
“What’s your fetish? An introduction to the fetishes you won’t believe exist” runs the title of the list, compiled by 26-year-old Japanese NEET Nura Hikaru. We bring you our top three, plus a few bonus ideas for good measure.
Just when you thought it was safe to delve into the back of your boyfriend’s closet, the hizamakura is back!
Literally translated as “lap pillow,” hizamakura — cushions designed to look like the tender thighs of a woman – were a huge hit about 10 years ago and were splashed all over Western websites and magazines alongside phrases such as “weird Japan”, with many articles asking whether the country’s men were really so lacking in social skills that they were forced to buy such products. In truth, many were purchased as gag items as the trend grew, but as their popularity faded hizamakura soon became associated more with otaku nerd culture and became a much less common sight.
Reports suggest, however, that a new line of lap pillows going on sale at Tokyo’s Narita Airport are bringing the trend back and they’re selling better than ever.
Perhaps in response to the severe lack of used-panty vending machines (declared illegal in 1993), a new and convenient alternative product has been born to cater to those panty fetish needs: soft, stripy and cute panties with a tiny spray bottle full of “girl scent”.