Visual kei is a style movement in Japanese music. KISS would be proud of their heavy makeup. Although the hair styles might be a bit too much work for the old school rockers. Visual kei is also full of flamboyant costumes and often makes you wonder what sex the musician really is. Some people consider…
Category: Social Customs
Japan’s Forest of Ghosts–Aokigahara
Aokigahara lies at the foot of holy Mount Fuji in Japan. Also known as the Sea of Trees, it is a dense, dark forest, a place that has long been the focus of myth and legend. It is said that great deposits of iron lay underneath the Earth there, and that they play havoc with…
Kawaii
Kawaii literally means lovable, cute, or adorable. Kawaiasa is the noun ( love-ability, cuteness, or adorableness). Kawaii refers to the cuteness that appears throughout Japanese pop culture. Both men and women are expected to look and act kawaii. Interestingly, when cute seems fake it is looked down upon. Women who try to be kawaii and…
Japanese Gestures
Japanese have many gestures that come off as strange to us Westerners. When we see ’em in anime and movies they can leave us scratching our heads. I couldn’t find some of the odder gestures, but I did manage a collection of the more common conversation gestures. Here is a low down on some of…
Selling Dreams
Host clubs are a common element to Japanese night life. Host clubs are bars ladies go to hire a guy for an evening of drinking, conversation, flirting, and (on rare occasions) more. Hosts are guys aged between 18 – mid 20. They are expected to be “hot” with silver jewelry, tans, and charm. Basically they…