Has the woke brigade, as some disparagingly call it, finally caught up with Japan?
The gentrification of Kabukicho is still ongoing and a new commercial complex, imaginatively called Kabukicho Tower, recently opened in the Shinjuku nightlight and red-light district.
Many noted that though it has conventionally gendered toilets on the upper floors, its second-floor restrooms are designated "all genders." The only segregation, according to the pictographs, is by whether you want to stand or sit down in the unisex stalls. The restroom has a shared washing station.
Some have hailed this as a ...
Another day, another celebrity adultery scandal. Sometimes it feels like this.
But there's something a little different about the latest (minor) scandal to hit the news.
Yukie Joji is herself a reporter. The 48-year-old is currently seen doing live reports twice weekly for a show broadcast on CBC and TBS.
Since its employees apparently have little important journalism to do, scoop-hunters from Flash trailed Joji as she enjoyed a date in Yokohama's Chinatown in mid-April. She and a man lined up to enter a popular restaurant. They allegedly left the restaurant after their meal and held hands ...
The former AKB48 idol Haruna Kojima has returned to gravure with her first shoot in six years.
She appears in a cover shoot for Young Magazine's May 1 issue, which went on sale this week.
As you might expect, the return of the model -- now aged 34, well into luscious jukujo territory -- known for her pale skin and slinky body has generated reams of media coverage. The magazine shoot, which was done in Okinawa, features Kojiharu in alluring, summery swimwear.
We've included some highlights here.
Her last bikini gravure shoot was for Young Magazine in 2017. The comeback is ...
If Instagram is to be believed, everyone has a personal trainer these days and is obsessed with developing the perfect muscles.
In Korea, it's called geongangmi (healthy beauty) and here in Japan it's led by influencers who moonlight as models and trainers like Rose Melle or Kyoka, or female celebrities who show off their sporty bodies.
And if it's sheer muscles you're really into, Reika Saiki straddles the world of bodybuilding, gravure, and cosplay with serious aplomb.
But what about female otaku? Don't they also want to build up their muscles in between pursuing their oshi ...
We all love to watch female streamers on Twitch, YouTube, and the like. And let's be honest, we pay as much attention during their streams to them as their actual content -- if not more.
And if you love Japanese streamers, you'll love the Iyashino Mashumaro Pie Female Streamer Breasts.
Imagine a streamer as nerdy, cute, and busty as gravure idol (and keen gamer) Yuka Kuramochi and we reckon it's close to the beautiful woman imagined by the people behind the breasts toy.
With a mouthful of a name translating as something like "healing marshmallow pie," these breasts don't go down the easy ...
Ah, April. The glorious month of the cherry blossom (depending on where you are in Japan) and new starts, because both the academic and fiscal years begin.
During April, youngsters up and down the land enter school or college. It is also the time of year when the fresh intake of corporate hires kick off their careers at the company they chose. These people are typically in their early twenties and straight out of college. Many corporations hold an entrance ceremony of some sorts to welcome the newbies, who sit in formal suits looking forward to becoming corporate drones.
In the adult ...
Police in Tokyo have arrested a 40-year-old man for employing a 17-year-old high school student.
Takeshi Shikano runs a sex industry business in Ikebukuro. He has been arrested on suspicion of violating the child welfare law for employing the high schooler and either making her or allowing her to engage in sex work.
Media reports about the arrest do not specify what kind of sex work, which took place in a rented room in the neighborhood in November last year. The police, though, termed it JK rifure -- or high female high school student reflexology -- service, where cuddles and so on are ...
In March, we wrote about the former Self-Defense Force nurse and sex worker running for election for a local assembly in Tokyo this month.
Hasumin Yoshikawa has promised to debut in porn after the poll, whether she wins a seat or not.
Well, her party, the anti-NHK fringe right-wing populist Politician Girls 48 Party (aka Political Party Girls 48), has become mired in in-fighting among its leadership and accusations about misappropriate use of party funds, but Yoshikawa continues to campaign in Setagaya. In fact, we even received one of her pamphlets through our letterbox at the Tokyo ...
The media narratives about Japan typically conform to a handful of familiar tropes: Japan is a sexless, childless hellscape, or Japan is a kinky, weird land of bountiful sexual fetishes.
Of course, neither is true. Japan is just Japan, with all shades and colors.
But it is a fact that the population is declining and people are having fewer children. The number of babies born in Japan dropped below 800,000 last year, the first time this has happened since records began in 1899.
The reasons for this are manifold -- and we think they are primarily economic -- don't rush to assume it's because ...
Easter doesn't have much name recognition in Japan -- certainly compared to other Western holidays like Christmas and Halloween -- but that hasn't stopped our friends at Kanojo Toys from holding a generous sale over the period.
You can get 20% off any adult toy in-store during the sale. Use the promo code EGG at the online checkout.
The campaign started earlier this week and runs through April 11, which should give you plenty of time to find something you like in between munching on those Easter eggs or chasing after Easter bunnies.
Talking of bunnies, we are particularly smitten with ...
