Sex and Violence in Japan?

Recently I have been thinking about the relation between sexual repression, expressions of violent sexual acts within subculture comics, and the manifestation of extreme violent sex crimes in Japan. Does society cause people to produce such perverse creations, or is it the incredible comics themselves that affect the increasing trend of violent sex crimes? I think there is a a lot not yot understood about this topic, possibly due to its taboo perception. After talking to a couple classmates from Japanese class today, one of them sent me this. Of course it is satire, but isn't every joke based on reality?

Kyoto Day 2

March 2008

After the aquarium excursion we headed back to Kyoto. We reserve a hotel and relax for a moment as I plan out the adventure for the upcoming night. We followed the sakura guide book I picked up and headed to various locations famous for their lit up flowers. We came to a bridge crossing the kamogawa river where the banks are lined many trees. I managed to get a few good shots. To do so I set up my portable tripod on the bridge railing. When I let go to drink from the can I was holding the camera tumbled from the railing, fortunately onto the bridge and not in the river. A plastic ring surrounding the lens broke off yet overall the camera seemed alright.

We went to the next spot shirakawa river in the Gion district, the most famous geisha district in Japan, and when I turned on the camera again the lens just fell out. I managed to piece it together with tape, but it often refuses to take pictures due to some percieved lens error. Theres nothing wrong with the camera, I swear! We managed to get along enough for me to get most of the pictures I wanted, nevertheless this was upsetting.

Alongside shirakawa was a row of several small restaurants. Each one had bridge to cross as an entryway. The canopy of flowers from the short trees along the river was fantastic. This was a very crowded location. From here we walked without knowing where we were headed, and we came across an area like such a place we searched for the first night in Kyoto. This was an entertainment district with lots of shops that were still open at night. At the end of the the street we noticed a large gateway beckoning us to see what was inside. It turned out to be a huge park with, surprise! more flowers. There were lots of people having parties in the park, but it was a Sunday night. There were plenty of the ubiquitous  food and drink stalls, as well as carnival type games. There was even a stall selling Nintendo games. We passed a small dance party, but it was puny compared to the one I saw in Yoyogi Park during the day.

I must point out that the most amazing sakura tree I have ever seen resides in this park, It is massive and simply breathtaking. 

Eventually we sat down and had a bit to eat and drink. I was talking to an older couple who were sitting next to us. Our conversation wasn't too significant. They left before we did and Dave was considering returning to the hotel at this point. Just then, where the old couple was previously sitting two girls came and sat down. They were dressed in the Japanese 'gyaru' fashion: expensive designer clothes, bleached hair, and tanned skin. What would eventually unfold demonstrates that these girls were quite skilled in getting what they want. They whispered to each other and giggled. Clearly they sat down right in front of us in order to get our attention. It worked. After a few minutes of talking to them I found myself buying them each a drink and split some grilled chicken skewers with them. They were rather attractive and exactly the type of girl I had been avoiding in Japan up until this point. Although part of me felt as though I was being deceived somehow, I couldn't bring myself to see through the trickery. I got one of their numbers and decided to call her the next day.

Osaka

Early March, 2008

Surprisingly, it only takes 25 by train to get to Osaka from Kyoto. Once there we headed to Osaka castle. There were food stalls set up in the surrounding areas as well as many street performers. Lots of people gather among the many sakura blooming. Dave bought some okonomiyaki and I bought a biscuit filled with red bean paste. A little girl, about 10, was working with her mother. The girl sold me the food. She was so cute. We sat down to eat and a small boy passing by with his family pointed at us and shouted “gaikokujin yo!” Dave and I just laughed.

Among the performers we saw were puppet dancers, a monkey trainer, and two old guys who played traditional Japanese songs on the guitar. he had on a list and we asked him to play a few.They were surprised by our ability to read and speak Japanese and I feel as if our presence actually drew a larger crowd.

The castle museum itself was ok. The view from the top was hands down the best part. After exiting the castle we saw a clown would shut down until someone gave him money. There was the 10 yen version, 50 yen version, and the 100 yen version. One guy paid 500 yen for quite a silly performance. He was a clown after all.

After this we went to find a hotel. Dave’s guide book listed two information centers, one being located right next to the center of Osaka’s nightlife. We decided to go there and took the train to Namba station.

We walked around so much inside of Nanba eki, and when we finally found the spot where the information center was supposed to be, it turned out it no longer existed in that spot. We asked about it at another information desk and the girl who gave us directions did not even know what she was talking about. We asked again at another location and we finally learned of the proper place. In the middle of this search we were approached by a Jehovah’s Witness, Japanese mind you, and we also came across a spot in the station where people liked to dance.

When we asked about the hotel information, the closest available cheap hotel only had a triple left, and it was $140. We said that was too expensive so we got a discount of $40. It turns out that was the last available room at the hotel. After relaxing in the room for a bit we decided to hit the town.

On the way to find a place for dinner we stumbled upon a woman selling drawings on the street. They were very interesting, and only $1 for a small postcard. Dave and I both bought one. We ate dinner at an unagi restaurant, the service was great, as well as the food. We had glasses of passion fruit liquor, fantastic. The restaurant also offered a good view of the streets below.

After the restaurant we went to find a place for a drink. We saw the performance of two girls playing guitar and singing. I almost bought a cd. As we walked down the popular night area, we came across the Elvis bar called usagi. Dave decided we had to go in, so we did. The owner was a man who seemed to be in his 50s or 60s. We had some whiskey, sandwiches, watermelon, chips, and salami. We listened to Elvis and Duke Ellington vinyl, and saw a video performance of Candies, a famous Japanese girl band from back in the day. When it came time to pay the check we only spent $10. Dave tried to give the bartender more money but he said it was ok. If you go somewhere else they are going to steal your money so think of this as a safety zone. What a great deal.

We headed out to find another bar, and what happened there was rather shocking. We entered the bar Queue, and played various games including darts, all for free. The most interesting was a 3D tic tac toe of 3x3x3. Me and Dave played the bartender and lost. Next we challenged the guy next to us. We lost again. Bet $1, lose again. Bet $10, lose again. But he never took our money. After beating us three times, Yu said he wanted to take us out to eat. We went to eat shabu-shabu, and met his friends there. He bought us meat, rice, and sake. Afterwards he said we were going to get sushi. I was really full and said I couldn’t eat anymore. This offended him because he really wanted to take us so I changed my mind and said I would go.

At the sushi restaurant Dave and I got four pieces of onigiri each: tuna, salmon, squid, and eel. He also bought more sake and drank with us. Once again he paid for it all. He was a great guy, funny, and so generous. He said he was a regular customer there, and it was actually probably the best sushi I’ve had in Japan so far. He left before Dave and I did, I think he had to work the next day. We got back to the hotel around 2 am and somehow managed to checkout for the first time on time. That is, before 10 am. I don’t know how we did it.

We were planning to go back to Kyoto after this, but that morning I wanted to go to the aquarium. It wasn’t as hard to get to as I thought it would be because the train system in Osaka was better organized than in Kyoto. There is a huge ferris wheel in Osaka. to the Osaka aquarium and it was amazing. It wasn’t the biggest aquarium I’ve been to, but definitely the best.

They had the seals, dolphins, sea lions, otters, freshwater crabs, a two toed sloth, an egret and a heron. Supposedly there were monkeys also, but we didn’t see them. Once you pass this entryway is when it becomes great. The whole place is set up based on location in the ocean, specifically the ring of life, only areas bordering the ring of fire. They had the barrier reef, Monterey bay, Pacific Ocean, and more. The main reason I decided to go was for the pacific. They had a whale shark, but it wasn’t as big as I expected. I think it was still young. They also had a manta ray, and the giant pacific octopus. It was the best view of this mollusk I’ve ever seen. But in the end the best was the Japanese deep ocean and the jellyfish. These areas were the hardest to take picture but I still managed to get some decent shots.

Kiyomizudera

Early March, 2008

The trip to Kansai remains one of my best experiences in Japan. The 8 hour bus ride from Shinjuku to Kyoto was a bit taxing considering I had only slept for two hours the night before we left. I did sleep a bit on the bus, but not very well. The scenery was great, with some spectacular views of the Japanese Alps. I realized I don’t like taking pictures from moving vehicles much so I only took one during the ride. Despite the length the bus ride was quite pleasant, yet altogether insignificant compared to what was waiting for us.

Upon arrival in Kyoto Dave and I stopped at the tourism information center in order to find a place to stay. This is always something very easy to do in Japan and allows mystery travel to be quite manageable if you don’t overextend your energy. I doubt that you will find English speakers at all these travel centers, so this is a time when Japanese is useful. Simply tell them how many people you have, the area you would like to stay, and how much you want to pay. They will make phonecalls to the necessary places to determine if a room is a available. I have always managed to find a place to stay in this manner.

The first night we stayed at a ryokan with a shared bath and toilet. The woman who explained the detailed information regarding the lodging asked if information given in English was ok. Dave told her Japanese is ok too. She thanked us breathed an obvious sigh of relief upon realizing that she wouldn’t have to struggle through an English explanation. She was quite cute.

After settling in we went to go eat and ended up at a Chinese restaurant. The food was unremarkable, but the best part was the drunken Japanese guy sitting at the table behind us whose face had turned an unbelievable shade of red. Here is a undeniable proof to the existence of the stereotypical drunken Japanese businessman. The color of his face was truly unlike anything I have ever seen. Imagine a plump tomato and think of what a tomato would sound like if it could talk. Then take that tomato and give it beer. Lots of beer. The end result is something so inebriated I doubt even his friends could understand much of what he spoke of. Hopefully they made sure he got home alright.

From here we went back to the ryokan because I wanted to take a bath. Then we ventured out to find the night life of Kyoto; however, ultimately we failed to do so. What we did find was uphill climb past many traditional crafts, food, and souvenir shops. This street was packed with tourists, mostly Japanese, but we continued on in search of something greater. At the top of the hill we discovered what seemed to be an old temple with a large great welcoming us. In the background were blazing spotlights of glory. Little did I know that Kyoto really likes to light things up at night. This over-the-top display of Japanese culture turns out to be Kiyomizudera, one of the more famous temples in Kyoto.

The lights were spread all throughout temple grounds providing for some amazing night viewing of sakura. We also saw a superb panoramic view of the city; In the words of a passing gaijin, this place will definately go into my list of top ten sights, if such an obnoxious claim can be objectively, or even subjectively made. Either way around lists can be so so obsequious (yes I do mean to use this word).

We came upon something that was exclaimed to be lacking of people presently, so it was a good time to enter. We paid a few dollars without having any idea what this attraction was, but when I noticed we would enter an underground passageway I knew it had to be good. It turned out to be a twisting tunnel that was so dark you could not see your own hand in front of your face. There was a handrail to hold which was the only thing preventing you from walking right into a wall. After several twists and turns a faint light began to radiate from ahead and when you rounded the next corner a rock about 3.5 feet tall and maybe 2 feet across sat powerfully beneath a single dim lamp. The energy emanating from this slab of earth was awesome. On top a single Sanskrit character issued forth meaning. What could this be? This here possibly stands as number one on my list of cheap things you pay for before you even know what you get. Life is full of these gambles. Take the risk.

From here we continued to tour the temple grounds and on the way out I saw the most illusory thing. There was a small pond with sakura trees dangling lazily down on the water. The water seemed completely still with some flower petals drifting aimlessly on the surface. Above and beyond stood the buildings of the temple. People were everywhere. The scene was unlike anything I knew that actually existed. It becomes apparent how little I know. The world awaits my discovery. I will take part in its extravagence. This moment of time is surreal. It inhabits a place in my memories alongside my bizarrest of dreams. I often wonder about the difference between dreams and reality. Is there any? This was definately the climax of Kiyomizudera. From here it was all downhill.

We bought some beer on the way back to the hotel. I was disappointed to find out that the liquor store had already closed. We settled for the convience beer. Back at the hotel we played some bomberman on the Nintendo DS. Dave took his sleeping medication, and despite his increasing delirium and general incomprehensibality I lost every game. How does he do it?

The next morning we walked around town and tried to find a place for the night on our own. We checked a few places but they were all booked. The final ryokan we inquired at we met .a nice old lady. The way she spoke was so interesting with her kyoto dialect. The Japanese she spoke was furthest from hyojungo(standard japanese) than probably anyone else i met in Japan. She told us that just about all the hotels are full because it is a Saturday in the middle of sakura season. She gave us her card and told us to come back again, but more importantly, suggested that we go to Osaka instead and stay there for the night. So that’s what we did.

Back in Santa Cruz

Well its been a long time since I've posted to this thing so I figured I'd give it another shot. I have been living in Santa Cruz since September of last year and well into the winter quarter of school. This time around I have three intriguing classes that interestingly all manage to relate to each other. One of the greatest joys in my public education is the realization that so much of what I learn is interconnected with everything else. Unfortunately I only figured this out recently in my short yet wonderful life so far.

The classes I am now taking are Japanese sociolinguistics, world societies, and ways of waying. Out of the three ways of knowing has turned out to be the most interesting. It is unlike any class I have ever taken before because it does not specifically fall into one discipline of study. This presents problems when people ask me what department its in. They've already been conditioned to explicitly seperate their education into to different categories. From a young age people learn to seperate everything into different types and compartmentalize their lives.

Ways of knowing is a class about understanding the world we live in. Although we all have varied and complex brains capable of amazing feats, Western society greatly favors the left brain over the right. The right brain is our analyzer. It deals with mathematics, details, storytelling, rational thought, logic, reasoning, and verbal language. The right side is much more abstract, focusing on the big picture, art, irrational thought, emotions, and body language. This obvious when you look at different types of jobs and the amount of pay received. A scientist will almost always make much more money than the humble artist. Additionally, the emphasis placed on sight is incredible. The other senses are shunned in favor of vision which we have grown to be so dependant on. Those who lose their sight often realize how much stuff going on they missed because they were always so engrossed in their sight.

This is not to say that we should neglect the left brain in favor of the right for both sides are equally important. The left brain allows us to understand ourselves as indivuals, without it we forget were we end and everything else begins. During a class discussion it was decided that people cannot delve to deeply into the right brain because they lose their ability to function as a member of society. One student suggested if everyone was tuned into the right brain entirely and we all functioned on a higher level, living in the spiritual and energetic realm we could function as a society, but in a different way. I disagree, because to exist solely as a spiritual being of swirling energy inevitably leads to disposal of a physical body. At this point there is no reason to continue living within your body, because all your physical senses and physical knowledge cease to be of any use. Therefore we would all die as a result of this physical liberation.

On the other hand, many people are so far removed from their right brain due to the propaganda of society unconditionally swallowed throughout life. Over time we have become so disconnected from this other part of ourselves that profound right brain experiences become greatly sought after, yet upon reaching these point a deep-rooted fear emerges as people begin to forget who they are.

Thanks to youtube I have viewed two interesting videos this month. I will present these to you.