You see?! Japanese cross-dressing is so rampant that even mainstream corporations sing its praises in their marketing campaigns.
Showing how the otoko no ko "male daughter" subculture is something to admire rather than be repelled by, cosmetics maker Shiseido has released a video promoting the benefits of the brand's make-up.
In fact, Shiseido's cosmetics are so good, they can convince others that you are a different gender.
These "schoolgirls" are not what they seem.
They're guys!
This video of behind-the-scenes footage shows how they did it.
So if you have some ...
It's almost time for Halloween and the streets of Tokyo -- especially Shibuya -- are guaranteed to be packed with a zillion slinky girls donning slinky costumes (despite the rapidly dropping temperatures).
Well, if you want an original costume, we recommend you check out some of the Japanese outfits available for overseas delivery on Kanojo Toys.
Tenga onacup-inspired outfits are regularly spotted at cosplay and costume events.
Last year in Tokyo during Halloween, three guys were dressed up as Tenga onacups, while a guy in the States seemed ahead of the curve in 2009 with his ...
The start of the shunga exhibition in Tokyo, the first major public event of historical erotic prints, has, not surprisingly, tested the boundaries of what is legally permitted and what is "morally" acceptable.
While the September issue of venerable art magazine Bijutsu Techo featured shunga, as well as a dialogue between two women who really know about sex and censorship ("vagina artist" Rokudenashiko/Megumi Igarashi and former porn star turned manga-ka Nayuka Mine), not to mention some mildly sexy Edo-era-inspired photos of Mitsu Dan by Mika Ninagawa, it stopped short of printing the ...
Cross-dressing in Japan is different to cross-dressing in other countries.
The rise of the otoko no ko cross-dressing male cosplayer, who may or may not be attracted to other men, has created a great broadening of acceptance of dressing up and gender-bending.
Bibi Lab, who specialize in making some wacky clothes and other household items, are latching onto this boom with the Boku Sera ("I am Sailor") Male Sailor School Uniform.
It's not just a Japanese schoolgirl sailor costume -- but one for guys. It's make of fleece, so it's actually warm in the winter.
Plus it's designed to ...
Chara Tea may well be the strangest beverage you never drink -- because it seems to be a parody or extreme fantasy.
The Chara Tea Bishojo T-bag ("beautiful young girl tea bag") is meant to be a "product born out of the pure feeling of wanting to drink the juice of a beautiful young girl". Huh?
Even Tama Toys don't go this far!
It's being proposed by muku corporation, a Niigata-based whose regular wares seem much more mundane.
What is this "juice"? The Japanese is oshiru or otsuyu but the word usually carries only an innocent meaning related to food liquid. Of course, here it's ...
It seems whenever the western media wants something saucy, they make an article or video about Japanese hostesses.
Vice did a 24-hours-in-the-life-of video of a "high-class hostess" last year.
Now the BBC has jumped in with this interview with a Kabukicho hostess.
As a hostess at a club in Shinjuku Kabuki-cho, Emiri Aizawa, 27, pours drinks, lights cigarettes and listens to men.
"My main job is let them have fun," she says.
"Of course, there have been customers who asked for more, because we are men and women, but I politely say, 'No.' "I don't think you can do this job ...
What could be more of a dream-come-true for a horny college student than a chance to meet a real porn star?
Well, Gifu University seemed to be offering just that.
The ubiquitous Japanese adult film star Mana Sakura was scheduled to appear at Gifu University School of Medicine festival on October 31st. There was to be "free talk" with Mana, followed by a two-shot and then a "kiss endurance" session -- where Mana would snuggle up to you and be all over you, but you aren't allowed to respond with a kiss.
And the theme of her talk? "Sex that girls really want." A subject close to our ...
Dekopin Bijo: flicking the forehead of a hot girl.
While that may not be top of the list of priorities for most people, it's a big enough "thing" in Japan for it to have its own website.
There are a choice of four cuties to choose from.
Which lady do you want to attack on their forehead?
You can tap them on the forehead with your cursor and they will respond, visually and vocally.
What is this for? And who has made it?
We have no idea. All we know is that Dekopin Bijo launched on October 9th. What happens next is anyone's guess. Maybe it will inspire a whole movement ...
Rie Miyazawa's photo book Santa Fe came out in 1991, making the hair nude photo-book genre very famous. Santa Fe was a huge hit for Rie Miyazawa and photographer Kishin Shinoyama.
It then became popular for young stars to announce their maturity through hair nude shoots -- plus a way to relaunch their career, as Miyazawa very successfully did.
Compared to other "hair nude" photo books, though, Sante Fe is relatively tame. You only get a glimpse of Rie's bush. (Compare it, say, to Saki Takaoka's hair nude shoot.)
In a curious detail that has only been revealed recently, Miyazawa ...
Every year lots of wacky and sometimes awesome tech gets showcased at CEATEC, the Combined Exhibition of Advanced Technologies, at Makuhari Messe.
This year we had laundry-folding robots, among other projects.
ROHM Semiconductor and Techmac presented the Tokimeki Sensor, which can apparently identify the exact moment someone falls in love.
Optical sensors are able to pinpoint the way you respond to someone to show that moment when you apparently change inside and think, THIS is the one for me.
Well, that sounds more like it means the spark of attraction than anything, but ...
