There’s no doubt there are an abundance of cute characters in Japan. Japanese people love cute things, and will buy mountains merchandise to show off in their homes, use as supplies, or hang them as keychains to dangle from their phones or bags. And because there are so many characters and fads that come in and out of style, one can pick their favorites to show off their interests and personality in an individuality-through-conformity based society like Japan’s.

You already know what I’m talking about: Hello Kitty, Pikachu, Rilakkuma, and Doraemon (to name a few). They are, after all, the characters that have made Japan the “Nation Of Cute.” While these characters are definitely “the mainstream” (so much so that even outside of Japan you probably will recognize them all), there is another group of “cute” characters out there that you probably have not heard of. Does Kobitodukan, Lerch-san, or Gloomy Bear ring any bells?

Kimochi Warui + Kawaii = KimoKawaii

When I was in Japan last summer, I noticed some really strange characters mixed in with the usual flurry of fluffy alpacas and Pokemon. These strange creatures had the outside skins of mushrooms, peaches, and plants, but on the inside they looked like old men in a perpetual state of shock. When I asked my friend about them, she replied that they were called Kobitodukan (こびとづかん) and were really popular, especially among high school girls who think that they’re cute

Cute? Cute?! How can something this strange be considered cute, I thought. “They’re supposed to be gross, and that’s what makes them cute. It’s called kimo-kawaii, or gross-cute,” my friend explained.

At first I was bewildered by the concept, but just as it took me three painful tries to go from hating the fermented soybean dish natto to loving it, the more that I saw Kobitodukan, the more I began to tolerate them. Before I knew it, I had a Kobitodukan pencil case, keychain, card game, guidebook, candy holder, and assorted stickers. Kimo-kawaii had won me over just like it had won over the rest of Japan.

Kobitodukan themselves were created by Toshitaka Nabata in his children’s picture book, Kobitodukan (which translates roughly to “dwarf encyclopedia”). These Kobito dwarves are explained in a poetic fashion, saying that:

“They are the ones who perform the actions that fill us with mystery. They are the ones that make the grass rustle when there is no wind and who fold the edges of toilet paper into triangles.”

But it’s not just the Kobitodukan that are considered kimo-kawaii. There’s a whole slurry of other characters out there that fall within this increasingly popular category.

Nameko – He’s A “Fun Guy!”

Have you ever heard of a mushroom acting as a detective’s assistant? Nameko (marketed in English as “Funghi”), a talking mushroom, started off in a video game and now embellishes many apps, keychains, and folders galore.
In fact, you can hardly walk a block in Japan without walking into a Nameko UFO catcher (most likely Viet will be cursing while putting in another 1000 yen into the machine… “last time… last time…” he’ll mutter under his breath).

Funghi’s official website says “His lovable expressions and unpredictable behavior make him super popular!” If a talking mushroom wasn’t kimochi warui enough, his skin is described as “slippery, soft, and shiny” and instead of talking, he can express emotions by saying “nnf nnf”

He even has a whole music video about him! There’s nothing like watching a mushroom sing and dance to a catchy tune!

Kimo-Kawaii City Mascots

If you’re traveling in Japan, you’ll see plenty of mascots, and not just for sports teams. In Japan, many cities have their own own mascots, or yuru kyara. There are so many (over a thousand) that they cover a wide spectrum of cute.  A while back, Hashi wrote an article about his favorite mascots, which includes some that are kimo-kawaii (or maybe just kimoi) enough to be mentioned here.

Manbe-kun

Manbe-kun is the mascot for the town of Oshamanbe located in Hokkaido. His physical mix of sea-creatures that make up his body and his silent disposition combine to make something that’s just plain weird.

Funasshi

Funashi represents Funabashi city and vaguely resembles a pear. Although he doesn’t seem very gross standing by himself, when he jumps around (which is very often) you can understand why he might fit into this category.

Sento-kun

Nara’s city mascot, Sento-kun represents his town through his Buddhist monk appearance, reindeer horns and “amiable disposition.” He has not been completely well-received throughout his life, but has continued to thrive due to that those who love him, really love him.

Lerch-san

Lerch-san (pronounced reruhi-san) represents the snowy areas of Niigata prefecture, and is in fact based off of  real-life guy Theodor Edler von Lerch, who supposedly first brought skiing to Japan. I had the pleasure of meeting the mascot at a shopping center a few years ago. (Kimo-)Kawaii!

Blood and Guts- Grotesque Kawaii

Although kimo-kawaii has been a recent fad, Japan has always had a relationship with creating strange things. Similar to the kimo-kawaii is the grotesque-cute or “guro-kawaii”, which is a step more extreme. Those who know Gloomy Bear know guro-kawaii. Gloomy Bear, which has had a surge of popularity overseas, is a teddy bear character who brutally murders his child owner- but he’s so cute while he does it! Although more than a little disturbing, I can see why it would be popular with kids going through a goth-phase. Gloomy bear seems like just the thing embrace if you want to be edgy, but still cute.

Speaking of edgy, if you “look” around Harajuku (and the rest of Japan) you may “see” something called “eyeball decorations.” Japanese girls are ripping out the eyeballs of their friends and are sewing them on their bags and jackets (just kidding.) But eyeballs are embellishing many fashion accessories, and are considered cute by many. Accompanying the eyeballs can be bones or other blood-splattered body parts parts. Adorable!

While this sort of fashion can be seen in Japan it also exists overseas, even in America, in fact! A lot of times it seems like there’s some inspiration going on, one way or another.

Guro-Kawaii Outside Of Japan?

Take for example the American animation Happy Tree Friends, which if you do not know, is a cartoon where cute fluffy animals inflict horrifying levels of violence and gore upon each other. It’s not Japanese, but I have heard various Japanese high school girls tell me that they love the show. Why? I honestly do not know. Personally, I can’t watch a whole video without cringing and looking away. Seriously, watch at your own discretion. Meccha kawaii~!

The idea of something being both aesthetically unpleasing yet cute at the same time is being accepted both in Japan and outside of it, whether it is for shock factor or for remembrance, and shows around the English-speaking world have also used bursts of gross and grotesque in the mainstream. (Spongebob or Ren and Stimpy, anyone?)

Guro and Kimo Kawaii in the flesh

If we’re going to talk about guro-kawaii, we have to talk about her. Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, the supreme overlord of Harajuku, is responsible for earworms such as PONPONPON, Candy Candy, and Tsukematsukeru, definitely embraces the concepts of kimo-kawaii and guro-kawaii.

Kyary is responsible for many strange (often kimo/guro-kawaii) fads, the perpetuation of eyeball fashions (“see” above), as well as a recent fashion idea of using makeup to emphasize the bags under your eyes to make them look bigger- which is strange to some and cute to others.

Kyary herself states that her image is one of the main focuses of her musical career. She said in an interview once that “I love grotesque things. My concept is scary things that become traumatic with their cuteness. There are so many “just cute” things in the world, so I add grotesque, scary and even shocking materials like eyeballs and brains to balance out the cuteness.”

Almost Zen like with that balance. Wash on… wash off… Ommmmm.

But… Why?

So why are Kobitodukan, eyeball accessories, and Kyary so popular? Is it  the Japanese love of the strange in a society where most are not strange? Are people getting bored of the traditional soft vanilla-type Sanrio cute? The strange is what initially shocks the consumer, and is more interesting than the plain cute. And once they get past the initial shock, they become more open to the idea of it being “cute”, especially when the media and their peers are also calling these things cute. Japanese society is what gives these things the names “kimo-kawaii” and “guro-kawaii”, and once a name is given, the concept comes along with it.

So go forth, Japanese schoolgirls! Bring more kimo-guro-kawaii into the world for the rest of us to enjoy! We will continue your legend by calling these things cute as well, though maybe it’ll take a little getting used to. Although guro-kawaii has been accepted more outside of Japan with things such as Happy Tree Friends, kimo-kawaii still has a ways to go, I think, as I am reminded almost daily when people see my Kobito keychain. “What the hell is that?” or “That’s kind of creepy,” are things I hear a lot. I’m sure the more that I tell people that my kakuremomojiri Kobitodukan keychain is cute, the more it will rub off on someone at some point.

So let’s see, did it work? Let me know how you’re feeling about all of this in the comments. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder? (That is, unless said eye is on your handbag)

Time To Coloring Book!

For those of you who still love coloring books (or have kids) our (not) kimo-kawaii artist Aya made you a coloring book page out of the header. How fun is that? Just click the image below to get to a full size.

Also, if you want this image as your very own desktop background, you can do so by clicking below:

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The toys of the future are here and boy are they creepy. A Japanese start-up company known as Clone Factory has stirred up a storm on the internet with their 3D printed human faces on doll bodies. Whether the creepiness comes from the hyper realistic faces or just the disparity between the realism of the printed faces and the primitiveness of the doll bodies, these things are weird. Really weird.

How It’s Made

Making these abominations is actually quite simple. The model sits themselves down in a chair, has some coordinates projected onto their head, and then pictures are taken. These pictures are then processed by a computer and the model’s lovely mug is printed out in doll sized plaster by a 3D printer. From there, they airbrush on any fine details as needed.

I’m not sure how long the total process is, but the final result is pretty astounding. Now everyone can have their own little miniature version of themselves. For a price of course, but more on that later.

When ordering your doll, you get a choice of body. Some choices are creepier than others. The more out of proportion everything is, the weirder the doll ends up looking I think. I’ve heard of companies that make plushies in your likeness, but this is definitely next level right here.

Wait, They Cost How Much??

Yeah, these things aren’t cheap. They’re about $1,300. Now, why would someone want to spend so much money on a doll? Well, some people just have too much money. Other than that, these dolls have become popular with women who want to have creepy custom mementos of special events in their lives, such as a wedding.

Women can have their face, just as it looked on their wedding day with makeup and everything, plastered on a doll with their wedding hairstyle and their wedding dress and all. It’s almost like having a 3D picture to remember the event by. To some people, the $1,300 is worth it.

I don’t think I’d be willing to spend more than $100 for something like this, but then again I can’t really think of any reason other than novelty for wanting one myself.

Perhaps if there’s a strong demand for these sort of things, and 3D printing continues to become cheaper, these goofy dolls will fall in price as well. For now though, I think I’ll stick with regular action figures.

Oh yeah, they’ll also clone your pets too.

So tell me, how much would you spend for one of these custom dolls? Would you even want one? Do you think they’re as creepy as the rest of the internet does? Let us know in the comments!

When the Tofugu team visited Japan earlier this year, we went through the process of trading our dollars for yen (at a great exchange rate, thank you Mr. Abe), a typical step in visiting a foreign country. But recently I’ve been wondering about whether or not that step is even necessary anymore. With everything so digitized and globalized, what’s the point of temporarily trading one currency for another?

American credit and debit cards are laughably primitive compared to the rest of the world. While America is the birthplace of the bank card, the country has fallen behind as the rest of the world has leapfrogged on American technology. Many other countries in the world have bank cards with much more sophisticated security mechanisms than the simple magnetic strip that’s on all of America’s credit and debit cards.

Most Americans couldn’t care less about how people in other countries spend and secure their money, but it’s funny how actually being in one of those other countries changes your mind.

Like most places in the world, you use cash for pretty much everything in Japan—because in the words of RZA, GZA, et al, “cash rules everything around me”—it’s not always convenient. You have to keep your cash reserves topped off by constantly withdrawing from ATMs, and that can be difficult because not all Japanese ATMs accept American bank cards.

Plus, keeping cash around can be a huge pain. You’ll find those flimsy ¥1 coins piling up over time with no good way to get rid of them (if only vending machines accepted them!), and you have to be rather precise when spending your cash, lest you end up with an extra ¥20,000 burning a hole in your pockets at the end of your trip.

You Have Options

I’ve been thinking a lot about alternatives to cash recently (mostly because I just finished David Wolman’s book The End of Money) and, fortunately Japan has a lot of options.

Despite not being able to use the growingly-popular and supposedly Japanese-created Bitcoin, there is still a diverse patchwork of payment options for both those just visiting Japan and those in it for the long haul.

Prepaid Cards

One of the most common alternative payment methods you’ll see in Japan is prepaid IC (integrated circuit) cards.

These things are veritable Swiss army knives. You pay a refundable deposit to get your card, put some money on it and you can use them at conbini, vending machines, pay for train tickets, as keys for coin lockers, for taxis; hell, the only thing that don’t seem to pay for is your plane ticket back home. Typically, you can buy these prepaid IC cards in train stations around Japan, so they’re easy to purchase.

There are a ton of different kinds of IC cards, but probably the most recognizable is the Suica card, with its cute penguin mascot and the incredible amount of wordplay in its name and marketing. (Read the “etymology” section of the Wikipedia article on Suica and be awed.)

There are some downsides to prepaid IC cards, though. While a lot of the major cards recently became interoperable with each other, they’re still not as universally accepted as cash and other payment methods, and all of the different types of cards can be really confusing. (Does my Pasmo card work in Hokkaido? Do I want to buy a SUGOCA or Hayakaken card?)

Phones

While Japanese phones don’t seem as advanced and cool to Westerners as they used to, they have some features that aren’t available on Western phones; or, at least, aren’t used often on Western phones.

There are lots of different ways that you can use a mobile device to make payments in Japan. Not only do some of the prepaid cards I mentioned above have corresponding mobile apps, but there are other mobile wallet applications that have been in use in Japan for years.

Using your phone to pay for things seems nice and convenient. You always have your phone on you, transacations happen quickly, and you can keep an electronic trail of your spending.

Here’s the downside: Galapagos syndrome.

Galapagos syndrome is a term people use to talk about things that have evolved to meet the unique needs of their particular environment. Most people use the phrase to talk about Japanese cell phones, which developed very differently from phones in other places of the world.

In the case of making mobile payments, Galapagos syndrome kicks in when it comes to the underlying technology. Japanese phones and Western phones have historically used different technologies to make payments (FeliCa vs NFC), so if you’re visiting Japan and you have a fancy Western phone, don’t count on it working. While Tofugu was in Japan earlier this year our own Viet was unable to use his NFC-enabled Galaxy S III phone to make payments.

Unless you have a Japanese phone, it’s doubtful that you’ll be able to make mobile payments.

Fortunately, the Japanese have been making an effort to change that in recent years, producing phones with both payment technologies or just the more universally accepted standard (NFC). It’s very possible that, in the near future, your phone will be able to make payments in Japan and you won’t have to worry one bit about the technology behind it.

For better or worse, it’s hard to go completely cashless in Japan right now. As much as we might want to avoid the hassle of moving exchange rates, compatibility with foreign banks, and just keeping track of physical yen, the time just isn’t right yet to forgo cash altogether.

Still, I think that it’s very feasible that in the next decade or so, it might be possible for you walk right on by the currency exchange window in the airport on your way to Japan armed only with your trusty phone.

Only time will tell how phone charms will factor into the equation.

Wallpapers/GIFs

Once again, our incredible illustrator Aya has provided some full-sized desktop background images and animated GIFs for your enjoyment!

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There are the places that everyone recommends you visit… the temples of Kyoto… Nara’s giant Buddha statue… the cement jungle that is Tokyo…

To those people I say “bah” and “pshhh, you don’t know what you’re missing out on,” because there’s a whole category of places you’d never think of visiting in Japan that aren’t on the radars of pretty much any Japan travel resources. Some of these areas are what’s known as Bkyuu (B級 = B-rank) spots. As in, where the “Akyuu” spots are the Golden Pavilions and the Todaijis and the Tokyo Towers of the world, the “Bkyuu” spots are the less touristy, weirder, and usually harder to get to. Luckily for you, these are the places I tend to spend most of my time in.

Some of these places we’ve written about – others we’ll be writing and doing video about in the future. All of them are Bkyuu and off the beaten track. The kinds of places people aren’t telling you about.

Okunoshima aka Rabbit Island

In WWII, Okunoshima had a big ol’ poison gas factory. Now, it’s an island covered in rabbits (and possibly some buried containers of poison gas, but that’s just in case the rabbits grow intelligent, I’m sure). One theory is that after the war they were going to kill all the rabbits to help hide the evidence, but local youngsters let them all free before anyone could do that. Today, with a lack of predators and 50+ years of breeding time, there’s a rabbit infestation. Thankfully, tourists seem to like rabbits. It’s also home to a government-run hotel (very nice, I’ve been there), a museum, and some haikyo (ruins) if the rabbits aren’t doing it for you. If you like to feed rabbits, hang out on islands, and walk/bike around a lot, Okunoshima’s your very own rabbit paradise. Be warned, it’s gotten pretty popular in the years since I’ve been there, so grab a reservation to the hotel a few weeks in advance.

Location: Map

Makomanai Takino (aka Easter Island, Japan)

You could go to see the the Moai statues over on Easter Island, or, you could just head on up to the Makomonai Takino Cemetary in Hokkaido, Japan for a somewhat less original experience. It’s a little ways outside of Sapporo, and hard to get to in the winter (all that snow!), but seems like a nice and relaxing (and bizarre) day trip to me. I’m hoping to make it here the next time I’m in Hokkaido when it’s not during blizzard season. If the Moai statues aren’t enough for you, there’s also a Stonehenge replication and daibutsu (giant Buddha) there as well and 1,800,473㎡ worth of land to explore. It’s also a cemetery too.

Location: Map

Meguro Parasite Museum

A half-day is all you need to visit the Meguro Parasite Museum in the Meguro district of Tokyo. Why would you want to visit a parasite museum, let alone this one? Well, first of all, this is the only parasite museum in the world. So, if you’re going to visit one, it’s going to be this one. Second, you’re never going to be able to see things like this in person unless you’re the proud host of said parasites. Come here to enjoy giant tape worms, parasitic turtle heads, educational maps, and more! We spent maybe an hour or so here, but it was very educational and interesting. So, if you’re into science, or if you’re just into weird things, head on over to the Meguro Parasite Museum. Give them a donation, though, they need your yens to do all that parasite-related research upstairs!

Location: Map

Jesus Christ’s Gravesite

We wrote about how Jesus trekked over to Japan (while letting his brother die on the cross) a couple thousands years ago, but it’s worth bringing up again for this Bkyuu list. Why? Well, I think it’s an interesting story. That being said, I wouldn’t make a pilgrimage out here (even for the Christ Matsuri), but if you are in Aomori already, perhaps traversing the distance between Hokkaido and Central Japan, it might be worth the trip. You may even meet one of Jesus’ Japanese ancestors, if you’re lucky!

Location: Map

Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum

I’m not super into Osaka, but there were times in my (younger) life where I was really into instant ramen. Of course, the king of instant ramen is Cup Noodle, and yes, there’s a Cup Noodle Museum. Not only can you learn about the history of Cup Noodle (pretty interesting, actually!) but you can also make your own Cup Noodle, which I think is the best part. I’m not going to be eating mine… that is until some future night where I’m really hungry and really desperate.

Oh, and if you haven’t eaten Japanese Cup Noodle, you’re in for a treat. It’s quite different from the non-Japanese version and actually tastes good, I think. You’d be surprised at the difference.

Location: Map

Yoro Park: The Site Of Reversible Destiny

Also known as the “Site of Reversible Destiny” (that should give you an idea), this park was made by Shusaku Arakawa and Madeline Gins, and is one of the most bizarre places I’ve ever been. It’s designed to be that way, though, so you can go there expecting upside down buildings, giant dangerous tree holes, and places scary for people who don’t like heights.

I also made a video about it a while back, when I visited with my friend Hiroyuki.

This was one of the most interesting places I’ve been to, I think. Every turn was a mini-adventure with something to explore and discover.

Location: Map

Tashirojima, aka Cat Island

A “bizarre places Japan” list wouldn’t be complete without Cat Island! I visited here a couple months before the Tohoku Earthquake. Then, we visited it again in February of this year (“Return To Cat Island” anyone?). If you’re into cats, this is your cat paradise. The island has had it rough with an aging population and damage from the Tohoku Earthquake, but you can get there again now and there are plenty of cats ready to try and murder you for sustenance the moment you turn around…

Here’s Part 1 of the Cat Island Trilogy…

Bonus: Did you know a group of cats is called a Clowder? There are many clowders here.

Location: Map

Robot Restaurant

While some of these places have been around a while, this one is fairly new. The Robot Restaurant in Tokyo is… uh… I don’t know how to describe it, to be honest. You pay your 4000ish yen, you go inside, you sit, and you eat your terrible bento (you’re not here for the food, that’s for sure). Then, the show begins. Scantily clad ladies do battle in giant robot / panda / Captain America suits. Then, they ride out on giant robot ladies. Then there are dinosaurs. Then, people fly around slowly and you give them high fives. Not sure how else to describe it, but it’s a weird experience leaving me scratching my head while smiling and laughing at the same time.

Location: Map

Jigokudani (aka Monkey Park)

I’ve been here a couple times now, and it’s verging on not being a Bkyuu spot anymore, but I’m going to include it anyways. You can do a day trip from Tokyo to here, but I recommend staying the night somewhere nearby so you can arrive early. There are other things to do here, but of course the main attraction is the macaques. They spend time warming themselves in the hot springs (uh oh, they’re leaaarrnninng). They’re also very tame, and will often let you get within inches of their face to take pictures. Don’t blame me if they tear off your face with their monkey strength. They’re still wild after all.

Mostly, though, I’d recommend you get there early. People will snag the best spots and never, ever leave (I’m looking at you Australian tourists). I’m thinking that they’re peeing into catheter or wearing Depends™. It’s the only way.

Location: Map

World’s Shortest Escalator

We found this gem thanks to hippikiller (his video below)… the world’s shortest escalator! This is like… ironic tourism at its best. You can go down this escalator hundreds of times if you want, and nobody will care, you included! Afterwards, I recommend going up one of the longer escalators so you can really feel the difference. Also, go to the game center in the building because you’ll probably be really bored by this point.

Still, it’s an easy day-trip out of Tokyo, so if you need to mark another check off your Guinness Book Of World Records checklist you can do it quite easily (and quickly).

Location: Map

More Bizarre Japanese Tourist Spots

So, I know there’s a lot more out there worth visiting, but these were my ten. I was thinking about throwing in Naoshima for the James Bond Museum or perhaps Zauo, the restaurant where you can catch your own fish (indoors!). What (odd/Bkyuu) places do you recommend in Japan? I know there’s a million more Bkyuu places in Japan worth (or not worth) visiting, so what are your tops?

Bonus Wallpapers!

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Most people know that Japanese culture generally frowns upon tattoos. Historically, tattoos have been a sign of the yakuza in Japan, so if you whip off your clothes to jump into an onsen and an “I ♥ Mom” tattoo is on your chest, you’ll probably get a few odd glances (or possibly kicked out altogether).

But that attitude is beginning to change very gradually. Not only are yakuza much, much more discrete nowadays about overt signs like tattoos and sliced pinkies, but more and more non-yakuza are getting inked in Japan.

A dying breed

I was curious if the same was true for piercings. Generally, I think that piercings aren’t viewed as harshly as tattoos. You can take them out in situations when they might be inappropriate, and in most cases if you leave them out for a while, they’ll heal up.

How do the Japanese view piercings? Is that view changing at all? Let’s find out!

The Numbers

A recent poll published on What Japan Thinks showed that the overwhelming majority of people polled have no piercings whatsoever. A whopping 85.3% of people polled indicated that they have no piercings at the moment, leaving only a measly 14.7% with piercings.

There are a few qualifications to those numbers: some of the people polled (9.7%) used to have a piercing, and others (8.9%) want to get one.

How does that stack up against people in other countries like say, the US? One report I found, Tattoos and body piercings in the United States: A national data set, claimed that 35% of people surveyed had a piercing of any kind, obviously a much higher number than you’ll find in Japan.

The Factors

Even if Japan lags behind the US in terms of piercings, it’s clear that piercings aren’t completely unheard of in Japan; but that’s not to say that all piercings are seen as acceptable all of the time. There are a lot of variables to this equation.

Unsurprisingly, more younger people have piercings than older people. I hesitate to make a blanket statement, but in almost every culture that I can think of, younger people embrace body modification much more than older generations.

Piercings are often forbidden in schools. Considering that most schools in Japan have all kinds of other restrictions on appearance (uniforms and the like), this shouldn’t be completely unexpected. And in the workplace, piercings are often seen as unprofessional.

Urban areas are usually more accepting of piercings than rural areas—it’s likely that nobody will bat an eye at your lip ring in Harajuku but out in the boonies, you run the risk of little old ladies throwing disapproving looks your way.

Where your piercing is on your body matters too. Ear lobe piercings, like in the West, are fairly normal for girls and women. Other locations on the body, however, generally aren’t as accepted. (Gender can matter too.)

Of course, being a foreigner as opposed to a native Japanese person changes the equation a bit too. I think it’s safe to say that most Japanese people have a slightly different set of expectations for expatriates than they do native Japanese people.

In short, there’s no one right answer to how people in Japan view body piercings; Japan isn’t as homogenous as you might think and, in the eyes of a lot of people, not all piercings were created equal.

Have your body piercings been an issue in Japan? Be sure to share your story with us!

Wallpapers!

Our amazing illustrator Aya has provided us with some desktop backgrounds of the header image. Enjoy!

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We’ve written about Japanese theme parks a few times before. I mean, Fuji-Q Highland is pretty cool and all, but it’s about time we gave another park some attention. Universal Studios Japan, or USJ as it’s affectionately known, is the second most visited park in Japan after Tokyo Disney. And that’s not without good reason. It’s the first Universal built in Asia and since I’ve been to USJ myself, I can tell you that it’s pretty awesome. If you enjoy the Universal Studios in your home country, you’ll love USJ.

About the Park

USJ opened in March of 2001. Located in the Osaka Bay Area, the park spans 39 hectares. If you’ve ever been to another Universal Studios before, you’ll feel right at home at USJ. The only other Universal Studios I’ve been to was the one in Orlando, Florida, but much of USJ was eerily similar (just in Japanese instead of English, sometimes resulting in mass hilarity).

Like other Universal Studios parks, USJ features tons of rides and attractions ranging from kid friendly rides to thrilling coasters. These attractions are all based on popular movies such as Spiderman, Back to the Future, Terminator, and Jurassic Park. USJ will also be getting a Harry Potter attraction come 2014.

There are plenty of mascots wandering around the park as well. From what I remember, I didn’t see Hello Kitty when I was at the one in Orlando, but you’ll see her everywhere at USJ. USJ is also much bigger on Sesame Street characters for some reason.

My Visit to USJ

I’ve written a bit before about my adventures in Japan, but going to USJ was definitely one of the more surreal experiences. Like I touched on a little before, it was really weird at times experiencing the exact same Universal Studios experiences I had in America, only in Japan. For example, rides like Jaws, Spiderman, and Terminator are so incredibly similar to the ones in Orlando, I would almost forget that I was outside my home country. And then they’d start speaking in Japanese.

I’d also be inclined to say that you’d get more out of the USJ experience if you’ve already been to a Universal Studios in your home country. It was just so entertaining for me to see things I’d already seen before but in a new language. I don’t know if everyone will think this sort of experience is as cool as I did, but I think it was awesome.

USJ also had a few things that the one in America didn’t. There was an indoor spinning roller coaster called Space Fantasy, and then there was a musical roller coaster called Hollywood Dream that let you choose which song you wanted playing out of your headrest speakers as you flew down the track. From what I remember, the choices were two Japanese songs, Eminem, or The Beatles.

Getting to USJ

Getting to USJ is pretty easy and you can get there one of three ways. You can get there by train on the JR Yumesaki/Sakurajima Line and then it’s just a five minute walk from Universal City Station. All the trains in this area are USJ themed. It’s pretty cool.

You can also get to the park by bus or ferry. USJ is connected with Kansai and Itami Airport, but some overnight buses from other cities in Japan make stops at USJ. There’s also a ferry service by the name of Captain Line that connects USJ with the Osaka Aquarium.

I don’t know if I’d recommend one service over the other, but when we went we took the train and it was super easy. You can always count on the Japanese train system and USJ is no exception.

Expenses and Hours and Such

USJ doesn’t have any closing days and is typically open from 10:00-17:00 during the slow season and 9:00-21:00 during the busy season. A one day pass is about $60 or so for an adult and around $40 for kids.

We went to USJ in the spring and the weather was gorgeous. Just like with any amusement park, it makes more sense to go during the nicer months as the park probably isn’t that much fun when the weather is really chilly.

The only lame part about USJ was that it didn’t have an Islands of Adventure like the Universal Studios in Orlando does. Islands of Adventure has a lot more thrill rides and coasters and stuff than the normal Universal. While USJ did have those two coasters I mentioned above, they definitely weren’t the caliber you’d expect from a traditional thrill ride.

All in all, USJ is pretty great and is a really cool experience especially if you’ve already been to another Universal before. But if you’ve already been to a Universal before and you didn’t like it, chances are USJ won’t treat you any better. I just hope it never turns into one of Japan’s creepy forgotten amusement parks. USJ’s too good for that.

So tell me, have you ever been to USJ or any other Universal Studios parks before? How did you like it? Do you think you’d enjoy going to USJ? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Sites Referenced:
Japan-Guide
USJ Wikipedia

I’m constantly being reminded that the comments section of Tofugu (or any site, for that matter) can really take on a life of its own. My post a few weeks ago about weird ramen took an unexpected turn in the comments as people began to discuss my usage of the word “gaijin.”

Gaijin (外人, short for 外国人), or “foreigner” in Japanese, is a complicated word that means a lot of different things to a lot of different people.

Some people take the word lightly; when the Tofugu team was in Japan and a roller coaster we were riding unexpectedly malfunctioned, we joked that it was because the ride wasn’t designed to hold the weight of our giant gaijin bodies.

But for some people in Japan, “gaijin” can be a hurtful and alienating word. It can mean refusal of service at businesses, a barrier to entry for housing, or even threats of harassment or violence.

I thought that I’d reach out to some bloggers living in Japan to see what their thoughts on the word “gaijin” were. I got a lot of great, varied, and nuanced responses.

Many people take no issue with the word and even embrace it to some extent. Lots of websites aimed at expatriates in Japan, like GaijinPot and countless other community sites and blogs, have absolutely no problem with using the word “gaijin.”

Hikosaemon, a man who’s lived and worked in Japan for over a decade, sometimes sees “gaijin” used in inappropriate contexts, but doesn’t believe that there’s necessarily anything wrong with the word itself:

To me, the word “gaijin” is slang for someone who looks like a non-Japanese. Because it is slang, it is not appropriate for formal contexts, but as slang, the appropriateness of its casual use is contextual—99% of the time, I think the way it is used is fine. It is the 1% of used with malice that causes most of the controversy. I do not subscribe to the view that its limited malicious use means the term should be made taboo. The term gets a lot of focus by people new to Japanese culture who become aware of the exclusivity of Japanese social circles and struggle with the feeling of isolation the culture can give new arrivals (just as it gives migrant Japanese within Japan).

The composition of the term as “outsider” and the feeling that this reinforces exclusion heightens sensitivity about the psychology behind the term and its use to many foreigners, as indeed it did myself in my early years in Japan. However, reactions to the term I think tend to show more about the person reacting than any psychology on the part of the speaker. Those with the greatest sensitivity to the term often seem to be bringing their own complexes to the table about perception of race in their home countries, and their own level of adjustment and language ability in Japan. It’s a convenient slang term that I use myself, and generally have no issue with others using unless the usage is in an inappropriate context—which is a problem you can’t fix by changing the word. We will just go from “Bloody gaijin” to “Bloody Gaikoku No Kata”, the term here is not the issue. It reminds me to periodic adjustments of politically correct terms for intellectually disabled people.

Hikosaemon touches on an the important issue of formality; for some, the informal 外人 is inappropriate in certain situations, but the more formal 外国人 or even the honorific 外国の方 are perfectly acceptable.

And while Hikosaemon wasn’t necessarily offended or alienated by the term, he and everybody I talked to recognized that “gaijin” is a word that can have a powerful effect on people.

I was lucky to talk with the Gakuranman who actually did a lengthy write-up about the word a few years back. He also thinks that the formality of the word makes a difference:

The word ‘gaijin’ (literally ‘foreigner’ or ‘outsider’) evokes a multitude of differing responses depending on who you ask. Although for most Japanese people the term is akin to saying ‘gaisha’ (foreign car) or ‘gaika’ (foreign currency) and no harm is meant, the word itself has picked up a lot of baggage over the years through repeated misinterpretation and reinforcement among foreigners who have visited Japan. Expats in Japan are often surprised and offended at being labelled as outsiders, especially if the term is used towards them despite their repeated efforts to assimilate. Some will even go as far as to think it a racist term because of the way it appears to ignore cultural diversity.

Those who have spent the better part of their life living in Japan generally come to accept the word and learn to distinguish between the negative, neutral and positive uses it can have in different contexts. Personally, I think it to be a clumsy expression to use within increasingly multicultural communities and feel it is better off avoided where possible because of the tendency to unwittingly alienate and offend people. If you absolutely must make the distinction between non-Japanese and Japanese when describing somebody in Japanese, use the word in full—‘gaikokujin.’ Otherwise I suggest sticking to personalized information about the individual.

Some people might not get personally get offended at “gaijin,” but are sympathetic to those that are. Eryk from This Japanese Life seems more or less indifferent to the word, but is understanding to those who attach negative connotation to “gaijin.”

Before I talk about the word “gaijin” I should mention that I am white. As a white American guy, my race has never been a liability. When Japanese natives on a train mutter “gaijin” to each other, I’m not offended.

White people have this superpower where we don’t think we’re actually a race, so we can laugh it off when we’re attacked for being white. But our Kryptonite is our corresponding need for victimization. When white, highly educated Americans from wealthy families spend a year abroad and get outraged by some overheard “gaijin” remark, I feel like it’s just the daily opportunity for outrage. I don’t care.

I have never been threatened by the kids with shaved eyebrows and pink tracksuits who call me “gaijin” just loud enough for their friends to hear it. There is no long, complicated history of shame that comes from being a white dude. The word “gaijin” does not register, for me, as a synonym for disgust and contempt.

“Gaijin,” though, is not like the words cast at minorities in English. Some expats seem to think that if they aren’t offended by it, they’re entitled to say mean, dumb things about other people. But there are words that are implicitly attached to threats of violence, words that carry the real resonance of hatred, words that tell a person, deliberately, that you think of them as nothing more than their race, or gender, or sexuality.

Someone reading this might have been traumatized by violence, or threats of violence, tied to being “gaijin.” If that’s happened to you, you have every right to hate that word. For foreigners who come to Japan with a history of oppression, “gaijin” on the lips of the nationalist parades marching through Osaka might be an ugly reminder of that kind of logic. But the word, perhaps stupidly, is nothing I’ve ever been afraid of.

I was happy that Ashley of Surviving in Japan had a bit of a unique perspective on the matter.

In our discussion, Ashley mentioned that her husband is a white American who was born and raised in Japan. It seemed clear to me that his situation influenced her opinion on the split between feeling Japanese and being considered as Japanese.

When I first arrived in Japan, I frequently heard that “gaijin” was a derogatory term—this is how some expats described it, anyway. But they also often referred to themselves as “gaijin” instead of “gaikokujin”. In my experience it’s often used this way in jest, as those of us who are unfamiliar with Japan repeatedly commit faux pas. There’s a steep learning curve to understanding Japan, its people and culture, and it’s difficult to ever truly fit into society. Even some Japanese who don’t meet social expectations are at risk of being ostracized.

I don’t believe “gaijin” in and of itself is derogatory, but it can be used that way. I didn’t experience this much other than kids stopping in their tracks, pointing at me and saying “gaijin!” I suppose one could say it would be equivalent to an American child who points at someone they “think” isn’t American and yelling “foreigner!” It’s rude.

That brings us to the point that anyone who doesn’t “look” Japanese in Japan is typically considered an outsider, which shows an underlying preference that being Japanese means that they have to “look it.” But what if you’re of another Asian ethnicity? What if you’re Japanese-American? Or what if you’re not Japanese at all, but were born and grew up in Japan? Depending on how you were raised, you might grow up feeling like you are “Japanese”, but then are constantly reminded that you won’t ever truly fit in because you don’t “look” the part. Bi-racial children (half-Japanese in particular) may, and often do, face similar obstacles.

So I don’t believe “gaijin” is always an issue, although it is attached to a set of stereotypes (which also vary, depending on your skin color and nationality). The main issue is this pervasive attitude of who can and can’t be truly accepted into society; and in many cases, gaijin can’t.

I would like to note that I’ve met many Japanese people who don’t have or agree with this attitude.

Other people I talked with had a staunchly negative view of the word. Jasmine of Zooming Japan is understanding of some of the contextual uses of “gaijin,” but on the whole feels that the word is very alienating, a constant reminder that complete assimiliation is next to impossible.

For the word “gaijin” it depends on who says it and in what context, but in general I consider it as rather negative.

Even though I know that most Japanese people don’t mean any harm, by using the word “gaijin” they make me feel like an outsider, like someone who doesn’t and will never belong here.

Based on my daily experience here in Japan the word “gaijin” is not equal to “foreigner”, but to “you ≠ we”. I often see that when Japanese people travel abroad and say: “Look! So many gaijin everywhere!”

They don’t even realize that they have become the gaijin for the time being.

That’s why the strongest association I have with the word “gaijin” is “outsider” or “somebody who is different.”

Being different can be something good or bad in the eyes of a Japanese person. For some, foreigners are beautiful, passionate and exotic, others think all foreigners are criminals. Based on that, the word “gaijin” can mean something good or bad.

Most of the time I hear people say “gaijin” and not “gaikokujin” or “gaikoku no kata” which I would prefer because it sounds more polite and doesn’t have such a strong connotation of “outsider”.

In the end it’s not the word itself, but the whole mindset that stands behind it:

If you live in Japan and people stare at you on a daily basis or kids point at you and scream “Gaijin!!!!”, then you will feel awkward.

You are not only different, but you also do not belong there. You are not Japanese. You are only a visitor, a tourist or a short-term resident. You will leave and go back to your own country. The idea that you might have been born in Japan and could be part of the “we” doesn’t even exist. And that’s very sad.

One of the most fascinating things I learned during this discussion was that Japanese use the word “gaijin” even in contexts where they’re the foreigner. And I thought it was especially interesting that not on did Jasmine point this out, but also Leah from The Lobster Dance.

Like Jasmine, Leah also has quite a strong opinion against “gaijin,” feeling that it’s a limiting, alienating word.

I used to be of the mindset that gaijin could only be used BY foreigners. I even wrote a cooking section of my blog that used to be called “The Gaijin Chef.” Yet in the past few years, I’ve begun to understand betters the social implications of linguistics.

Why does this word make me so uncomfortable now? Part of it is the lack of respect, especially toward people in my generation who were born and raised in Japan but are not ethnically Japanese. They are not foreigners. If your Japanese parents immigrated to the US and raised you there, you would probably consider yourself American or Japanese American, depending on your view of the terminology as it relates to your personal experience. However, a child born to two non-Japanese parents in Japan and who has lived their whole life in Japan will not be considered Japanese. There’s a very strong link between race and nationality in Japan, and one of the ways it is supported is linguistically. Gaijin lumps tourists, immigrants, permanent residents, and citizens all together that appear to be a very limited concept of “foreign,” both in terms of appearance (white, sometimes black) and of experience.

Likewise, part of the reason I hate that word is the cavalier manner it induces when used. For instance, when Japanese people go abroad, they continue to use gaijin to refer to the native population. “There are so many gaijin in America!” No, you are the foreigner in this situation, but the attitude is that “Japanese people can’t be gaijin/foreigners.” I feel that the term just encourages a xenophobic and rude mindset, and getting people to understand why it is linguistically problematic will be a step in the right direction.

As for those who use it to refer to themselves, I think a lot of people go through a phase where they think, “Well, I am an outsider and it doesn’t bother me.” I’m reminded of several incidents in which some acquaintances who did not speak Japanese well claimed that to have never experienced racism in Japan over the course of the 3-6 months they had lived here. In a short period of time, that might be true, and without listening skills, it’s quite easy to miss. But as with sexism, everyday racism is not usually blatant or violent; microaggressions are easier to ignore or excuse, especially by the perpetrators. When you are not The Other, it requires imagination and often experience to even understand a fraction of what it is like to live as The Other. I understand the line of thinking “I’m foreign, so I will use gaijin,” but there’s a lot of cultural baggage associated with the term, and I don’t think we can reclaim it.

I was surprised at the diversity of opinions on “gaijin,” and am grateful to everybody who shared their views on this sometimes divisive and controversial topic. It’s clear from the variety of responses I got that there’s a lot of thoughtful dialogue about this word, and that there’s no one clear position on it from the expat community living in Japan.

What do you think of the word “gaijin?” Please share your story about your experiences in the comments.