• Content Assistant (1 position available)
• Summer Intern (1-2 positions available)
• Trial Writer (1-5 positions available)

Although it’s probably best if you just head on over to our Tofugu Jobs Page to learn more, here is a quick summary of the three positions:

Content Assistant

This is the biggest position available right now. Essentially it comes down to content and being able to produce a lot of it… without sacrificing quality. The content you will be assisting with includes but is not limited to: video, articles, guides, reviews, and social media. This means we are looking for someone who has experience in both writing and film, with an emphasis on writing.

We are currently looking for someone to fill this position on a part time basis with potential for full time down the road, should the shoe fit. Please take a look at the Content Assistant section on our jobs page for more information.

Application Due Date: March 23, 2014

Summer Intern(s)

Every summer Tofugu runs an internship with the sole purpose of giving all you poor Japanese Studies majors hope (just a little bit). A couple bits of good news for this summer in particular. First, we’re posting this announcement up nice and early. This time we’ll be catching all you early-summer colleges in time. Second, it’s going to be the first summer where we pay our interns hourly (in the past it was either a living/education stipend or nothing at all). So, you know, you might be able to eat food and get off the streets.

The internship will have a set curriculum to it with several goals from our end, but we’ll also be attempting to focus part of the internship on your own interests and future dreams as well. If you’re interested in learning the “Ways of the Fugu” in a mostly educational sort of way, please consider applying for the Tofugu Internship.

Application Due Date: May 1, 2014

Trial Blog Writer(s)

Occasionally we are looking for new writers to bring into the fold. But, there’s a trial period to find out whether or not you’re reliable and consistent enough. This position is that trial.

If you consider yourself a writer and would be interested in writing articles for Tofugu, please take a look at the Trial Writers section of our jobs page.

Application Due Date: March 23, 2014

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If you have any questions feel free to post them in the comments below and I’ll try to get back to them. Good luck to everyone who applies!

August is the month of the traditional Buddhist Obon festival. During this time, ancestral spirits return home for their annual visit from the netherworld to dance and celebrate, and families reunite in their hometowns to greet them and join in on the festivities.

But dancing with the ghost of great great grandma isn’t the only way the Japanese celebrate the season of spirits. Blood-curdling flicks flood the cinemas, Kabuki theaters revive traditional ghost plays, adrenaline-junkie teenagers test their courage with late-night trips to the local cemetery (I double-dog dare you!), and you can’t turn on the TV without catching a rerun of “The Haunting of Hanako-chan’s Toilet.”

Even though it’s still 2 months from Halloween, the ghost season has already started in Japan, and with so much paranormal activity going on, you’ve got to be ready. In this article, I’m gong to layout the basics of Japanese ghosts so you can be prepared for your next encounter with a supernatural (and possibly vengeful) spirit.

Ghosts Back in the Day

Kodama are harmless spirits who inhabit trees.

The word for ghost in Japanese, yuurei（幽霊), roughly translates into “dim spirit” or “faint soul.” It’s believed that stories of the supernatural were commonly shared in Japan even before documentation. The country is inundated with spine-chilling tales.

According to Haruo Suwa, a professor at Gakushiun Univeristy, the first recorded ghost stories date back to the Heian Period in the early eighth century. One of the first documented spirits appeared in the tenth century novel, “The Tale of Genji.” At this time, yuurei were considered to be harmless spirits. In fact, some believed that seeing one was a sign of good fortune (“Yes! I saw a wondering corpse! Today’s gonna be a good day.”)

While many Western religions believe in the existence of one, supreme deity, the ancient Japanese believed in omnipresent divinity. This included the idea that humans can transform into supernatural beings after death. So, while Western ghosts may be thought of as the shadow of one’s self, yuurei were believed to be like gods.

The humanoid form of a Kodama – a godlike spirit.

However, as the religious beliefs of Japan began to change, so did the ideas around the status of the human soul after death. With the spread of Buddhism, yuurei slowly became the manifestations of vengeful souls.

The Influence of Buddhism

The introduction of the concepts of heaven and hell, supernatural beasts, and reincarnation in Buddhism completely changed the face of the Japanese yuurei. Rumors of apparitions became more and more exaggerated and prevalent, inspiring a ghost story renaissance.

According to the Japanese beliefs of this era, every human possesses a reikon, or a soul. After a person dies, their soul goes through a form of purgatory where it waits to be released to its ancestors by means of a traditional Buddhist funeral ceremony. If all goes right, the person’s soul becomes a loving protector of the living family.

However, if the person dies in an sudden, unnatural manner, whether it be by suicide or murder, or if the proper burial ceremony is not preformed, the person is said to transform into a yuurei – a being which has the power to bridge the supernatural world and the physical world. A person may also become a yuurei if they are weighed down by overwhelming negative emotions such as hate, sorrow, or vengeance in their life, and that’s when things start to get scary.

While most yuurei don’t wander around, terrorizing every pet and small child in sight, they will haunt locations specifically tied to their negative emotions. In fact, there are several classifications of yuurei based upon the way they died and their reason for returning to Earth. They are:

Onryō: Vengeful ghosts who were wrong during their lifetimes and come back from purgatory for some pay back.

Ubume: The ghost of a mother who died in childbirth, or died leaving her children behind. Instead of bringing wrath, this yuurei brings sweets and longs to take care of her children.

Goryō: Ghosts of the aristocratic class, especially those who were martyred. Goryō are also mainly interested in vengeance.

Funayūrei: The ghosts of those who died at sea. These ghosts are said to have a scaly complexion – some might even resemble mermaids. Is the Little Mermaid a ghost? Must be.

Zashiki-warashi: The ghosts of children. These guys are often more mischievous than dangerous (like Peeves from Harry Potter).

Samurai Ghosts: The ghosts of soldiers who fell in battle, especially the Genpei war. Unlike most other yuurei, these ghosts usually have legs and are almost exclusively shown in Noh theater.

Seductress Ghosts: The ghost of a vengeful man or woman who comes back to start a post-death love affair with a human (as seen in Botan Dōrō).

One of the most famous ghost stories, or kaidan, in Japanese history is known as Yotsuya Kaidan. In this tale of revenge, a husband poisons his wife, Oiwa, out of longing to marry an affluent neighbor. Oiwa’s hair falls out, her face becomes disfigured, and she eventually dies, but not without coming back for revenge on her unsuspecting husband.

This eerie tale has been revived countless times in the theater and has become a timeless classic. Thanks to the magical powers of YouTube, you can watch the entire play here:

Now that you know the different kinds of yuurei, let’s take a look at how to identify them.

How to Identify a Yuurei

And it looks like we’ve got a ghost in the pitching position today.

The Japanese tradition of telling ghost stories hit its peak in the Edo era (1600-1868). Many ghost stories came from the Bunka-Bunsei period in the early 19th century, an era of creative decadence, as it became a traditional way to pass the hours on hot summer nights.

It was during this period that the image of a typical Japanese ghost was really solidified. Ghost-revelers and those in the arts alike started attributing certain physical characteristics to spirits, making it easier to distinguish humans from those of the next world. If you’re in a situation where you need to identify a ghost, look out for these features:

White clothing

Ghosts usually are depicted in white – a symbol of the white kimonos used in Edo era burial practices. White also happens to be the color of ritual purity in Shinto and was reserved for priests and the dead. Japanese ghosts might also have a white, triangular piece of fabric on their heads called a hitaikakushi.

Black hair

This is one of the most obvious trademarks of a Japanese ghost. A yuurei’s hair is usually long, black and disheveled. Traditionally Japanese women grew their hair out long and wore it up, but it was let down for a funeral ritual. Even in modern times ghosts are said to have this type of hair, and sometimes it even attacks!

Hands and Feet

Another feature of yuurei is that they have no feet. Instead of walking, they drift about supernaturally, arms extended and wrists limp (almost like a zombie). This image was first depict in Edo era Ukiyo-e prints and later adopted in kabuki theater. Actors would either wear long kimonos or be lifted into the air by a system of pulleys. I shouldn’t have to say this, but if someone is coming toward you in the dead of night and you notice they are lacking the appendages to do so with, you should be very skeptical.

Hitodama

Yuurei are often shown with a pair of floating flames or will o’ the wisps (hitodama) in colors such as blue, green, or purple. These flames look like little ghost friends, but they are actually separate parts of the spirit.

Ghosts in Modern Day

Although the concept of ghosts took a major turn with the introduction of Buddhism in Japan hundreds of years ago, most aspects of traditional ghost stories have stood the test of time. Even the ghost in “The Ring” looks like an accurate depiction of a traditional Japanese ghost.

Even so, the motivation for haunting and the appearance of ghosts has changed slightly at times as new issues have arisen with globalization and modernization. During World War II rumors of ghost soldiers could be heard about, and terrifying tales of radiated souls roaming the land weren’t uncommon.

These days ghost stories are often motivated by contemporary problems, such as violent incidents of suicide and murder in Japan. Another common theme is technology, as can be seen in “The Ring.” In general, ghosts have become more violent. The general rule of thumb these days is: the bloodier, the better. If buckets of blood aren’t involved, ghosts just aren’t scary it seems. More violence! Below is an example of a ghost story about suicide – a very real problem in contemporary Japan:

In short, ghosts keep getting scarier and scarier, and I don’t know about you, but that means I want them around less and less. This calls for an exorcism lesson.

Exorcism 101

So you’re in Japan and Hanako-chan won’t leave you alone in the toilet – what are you going to do? Call the Ghost Busters? I don’t think they fly internationally. Whip out the good ‘ol holy water and crucifix? Sorry, that doesn’t work in Japan.

Traditionally, the best way to keep a ghost at bay is with ofuda, or strips inscribed with Buddhist sutras, which are believed to chase evil spirits away. There are also some Shinto shrines that can perform purification rituals called ofurai that have the power to rid you of any bad omens.

But let’s be serious, people don’t believe in purification rituals anymore, and more effective methods have been discovered. A hot topic in Japan recently is the exorcising powers of Febreze. Yup, that’s right. You know that stuff your mom uses to keep the pizza roll odors fuming from your brother’s room at bay? That very same stuff can send a ghost straight into the netherworld, wishing it never decided to step foot back on Earth. No wonder it smells so fresh.

Febreze. Freshen the Air, Refresh Fabrics, Exorcise Linda Blair.

Don’t believe me? Try it out yourself. For only 1,980 yen, you can buy a Baketan 2, a ghost detector from Tokyo-based Solid Alliance Corp., find a ghost, and let them have it. No more worries about ghosts, spirits, or whatever you may call them.

Let me know if you’ve ever seen a ghost in Japan in comments section below. Or, share with us a scary story! I’m sure everyone would love to share in goose-bump inducing lore. If you’d like to check out some more ghost stories for yourself, you can do so here.

[hr]

Sources:
Japanese Ghosts: The Bloodier the Better
It’s Ghost Season in Japan – Who You Gonna Call?
Yūrei

Is This as Good as You Claim it is, John?

Why yes. Yes it is. A little while ago I had the strong desire to watch a Japanese drama. This happens every once in a while, but most of the time I check out a few shows and end up coming away disappointed. Recently though, I came across the drama Summer Nude.

In fact, just reading about Summer Nude got me all excited with anticipation to check it out. It stars two of my favorite J-drama names (Yamapi and Karina, both of which I featured in my Favorite J-Drama Actors post), it’s a rom-com drama (my favored drama genre by the numbers), and it’s getting decent viewership ratings from Japanese viewers as well.

Plus, I talked to my Japanese homestay sister and asked her what dramas she/her friends were watching. She told me that all of her friends were watching Summer Nude and were pretty excited about it. My suspicions had been confirmed. This was a show that I needed to check out.

But What’s it All About?

Okay, so we’ve got Yamapi playing the main dude, Asahi Mikuri‎ya. Asahi works at a photography studio by the ocean and is always hanging out with the same group of friends. They live in a small coastal town and live relatively comfortable, quaint, simple lives. When Asahi was little, he dreamed of becoming a famous photographer, though he currently spends his days photographing normal things like weddings and local events.

The issue with Asahi is that he was deeply infatuated with a woman, but this woman up and left the town without a trace, giving no reason for having left. Asahi is super hung up on her, even though it is now three years later. The girl was somewhat of a local celebrity because she did an ad campaign for a local brewery, and her face is plastered on a huge billboard in the middle of town.

Every day for the past three years, Asahi has said good morning and good night to this billboard, pathetically reminding himself of the girl he lost three years ago and can’t seem to move on from. He is still holding onto her in the hope that she will one day return.

And then there’s this other girl, Natsuki Chiyohara‎ (Karina), who works as a successful restaurant manager in Tokyo. But then she quits this job to start a new life with the man she’s going to marry. Asahi is hired on to photograph the wedding, but Natsuki’s husband ends up taking off and leaving her during the reception.

Through a series of events, Natsuki ends up working at the local restaurant in Asahi’s town and gets close with him and all his pals. Meanwhile, Hanae (Erika Toda) is crushing super hard on Asahi like she has been for the past ten years. And then there’s another guy crushing on her! And then there’s a model who comes to town and throws another wrench into the mix! Talk about your typical j-drama love pentagon, ammiright?

Who will Asahi end up with? Will his love ever return? Will he give Hanae a chance? Will he end up dating Natsuki? What about the other people? Everyone is crushing on everyone and there is just so many love chains and triangles going on in this show it’s insane.

So Many Feels!

Oh. My. God. Every episode of this drama is absolutely packed with feels. As you can tell from the summary, there are a lot of feelings happening in this show – I didn’t even cover them all! It starts off kind of complicated, and then it gets even more complicated from there. It’s awesome.

Most of the time I have difficulty explaining to someone the convoluted love relations that happen in dramas, but I think Summer Nude has taken the cake for me. But really, if you have a weakness for J-dramas, this one will pull at your heartstrings multiple times every single episode.

The music accompanying the scenes really fits well with everything, the beach scenery featured in the show is great, and there are great actors to be seen in the show. I know not everyone is a huge fan of Yamapi, but I really like him.

But Wait, This Can be Both Entertaining and Useful!?

Like all great recommendations that come from this fine site of ours, Summer Nude is both fun and educational. Well, it doesn’t have to be educational, but it can be. Koichi wrote a while ago about how to use dramas for studying up on your Japanese, and Summer Nude is no exception. You should probably also check out Jordan’s article on Going from Loving Japanese Media to Studying It. You can do it! Yeah!

In the show you get a healthy smattering of male and female dialogue to listen to and learn with. It’s mostly informal speech, but there’s some formal language thrown in here and there as well.

Or if Summer Nude isn’t really your kind of drama, you can always head over to DramaWiki and check out their entire list of currently airing summer dramas and find one you like. It’s a very enjoyable and potentially rewarding time consuming treasure hunt.

Yamapi Sings a Song

Also, Yamapi himself sings one of the main songs for this show. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him sing before (I knew he sang, I just never watched any of his stuff before), and he ain’t bad – but it feels weird to see him singing when I’m just so used to him being a stoic actor. It’s still an enjoyable song though – I think it fits well with the show.

So, have any of you seen Summer Nude yet? If you like the same kind of shows that I do (see my top ten here), then you should definitely check this one out.

Are you following any dramas this summer? I’m planning on checking out Yamada-kun to Nananin no Majo and Hanzawa Naoki at some point, but Summer Nude is more than enough for now. I’ll probably check those out once I get caught up with the Summer Nude episodes and have to start waiting a week to see the next one (the horror!).

Do you have any other recommendations for summer J-dramas this season? Share your picks in the comments!

Love Lab

This is a slice of life show about girls practicing romance with, on, and for each other. The show takes place at an all-girls school with most of them showing some amount of infatuation towards one another. The main character attempts to show a classmate how to act around boys. She shows her things like how to meet boys and how to hold hands by playing the part of a potential mate in practice.

This show is definitely a weird one. It’s entertaining enough, but it really doesn’t seem like my kind of show. I can see how other people would enjoy it though. Slice of life shows usually don’t do it for me, and Love Lab is no exception.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHtyjyJnRro']

Who should watch this show: People who like awkward high school girl-girl romance interactions.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Not good. I can’t see any reason I would want to continue this one.

Danganronpa

This show is based on a game of the same name. The game is sort of a Persona/Ace Attorney hybrid as I understand it. Like a murder mystery type thing with day/night cycles. Anyway, the main characters are all trapped in a high school and the only way they are allowed to leave is if they kill one of the others gathered there. There is no time limit, so they can all live together in the high school for the rest of their lives if they wish.

This show has some pretty interesting character designs. I like that. The premise is pretty interesting too. It reminds me of Battle Royale in a way, only it’s confined to a high school and there is no time limit. I have the feeling it’s going to be kind of like the drama Liar Game. Good, but a bit too drawn out for my liking. It’s hard to tell at this point. This first episode was basically just setting the scene for everything, so I feel like it deserves having another episode watched before I pass full judgment.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Al9e3NuNgi0']

Who should watch this show: People who like murder/survival/mystery shows and interesting, diverse characters.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Pretty good. The first episode definitely intrigued me.

Kamisama no Inai Nichiyoubi

God has forsaken humanity and the world he left behind is one without birth or death. There are beings called Gravekeepers who are tasked with laying people to rest once they have finished living their lives and the only way to attain eternal rest is through a Gravekeeper.

The premise of this show is pretty interesting. I like religious alternate-reality type things so this speaks to my interests. However, I’m not really a fan of the characters so far, at least not the main girl. The main guy might end up being kind of cool though. I feel like the show might eventually blossom into something worthwhile, but the first episode here isn’t very strong.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsl6wUiRXm8']

Who should watch this show: People who like religious alternate-reality type things.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Average. I feel like a lot was left unsaid in the first episode so this show probably deserves another episode or two.

Silver Spoon

The reason most people are excited about this one despite its premise is the fact that it’s based on a manga by the same person that did Fullmetal Alchemist. This is your standard high school anime setup, only the high school is a farm school. As far as I know, there aren’t many (if any) anime shows centering around livestock like this one.

The characters themselves are all okay enough, the premise of the show just doesn’t really interest me. If you have any interest in farming or livestock type stuff though, you’ll probably find this show more interesting than I did. I could never get into Fullmetal Alchemist, but this show has pretty much nothing in common with it from what I can tell.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eMOcbGRFPs']

Who should watch this show: People who like livestock. And farms and stuff.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Not good. If it starts getting a lot of attention later I might come back around to it but right now I have no desire to watch any more.

Free!

This show is probably the most anticipated one this season. At least it’s the one I’ve heard the most buzz about, anyway. It seems to be mostly geared towards girls as all the main characters are high school swim club pretty boys, and they can also at times be a bit too affectionate towards one another.

The animation and the sound effects and music are pretty great in this one. I usually don’t take much notice of the music in shows, but the soundtrack playing through most of this show was actually quite pleasant to listen to. The characters are all funny and likable, but I’m not entirely sure where to expect the story to go or develop. The show is definitely well done and I’ll probably watch another but I’m not too sure if I’ll want to see it all the way through. It’s really a very well done and polished anime.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuLQDwtBDgc']

Who should watch this show: People who like pretty boys, cool music, or swimming.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Pretty good. I know this show is geared towards girls, but the production values are just so good in this one that I might end up following it anyway.

Uchouten Kazoku

The main characters in this show are all shape shifting creatures (tengu and tanuki). They coexist with humans and occasionally eat one another. Compared to the other shows this season, this one seems to have a decent amount of uniqueness to it.

That being said, this show is a little odd. The animation is a little goofy and I don’t like how some of the character’s ears and noses look, but overall the show isn’t too terribly exciting. I highly doubt I’ll be watching any more of this one. I don’t know where the story is going but I also really don’t care. Some parts of this first episode were pretty amusing, but the in-between parts were pretty dull.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Zi12pqs7ok']

Who should watch this show: People who like tengus, tanukis, and transformation!
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Not so good. I might come back to it if people start gushing over it, but right now it’s not doing anything for me.

Servant x Service

This show is about civil service office workers and the show seems to take place almost exclusively there. The main character’s reason for working there is to seek revenge on the civil servant who allowed her parents to bestow such a ridiculously long name upon her.

Everything about the show seems pretty average and not all that interesting. The show wasn’t bad enough for me to want to shut it off, but I definitely do not plan on watching any more of it. Even though I work in an office, I felt like I couldn’t relate to this show at all. It’s not good.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WQzmAk6Zi4']

Who should watch this show: People who like sub-par office comedy involving civil servants.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Bad. This show interests me not.

Inu to Hasami wa Tsukaiyou

This show stars a domineering lady author and one of her obsessive fans who happened to be reincarnated as a dog. She abuses him with a pair of scissors. It’s unclear from the first episode where they plan on going with the story, but the show seems pretty shallow overall from my first impressions.

This show is about a dog that used to be a human. It’s also about books. The show is pretty goofy, but it has its amusing moments. The best parts probably are the ones involving the dog and his wacky expressions. His counterpart is a strange girl who is capable of reading his thoughts for whatever reason. The dog is kind of funny but I don’t really care about the show as a whole.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKqWbteqErA']

Who should watch this show: People who like abusive scissor wielding women and human souls trapped in wiener dogs.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Bad. One episode was enough for me, thanks.

Genei wo Kakeru Taiyou

The show centers around some tarot card fortune tellers. The main character is really into it but her cousin is not at all so they have kind of a strained relationship. It’s all about magical girls and the sort of stuff that magical girls find themselves getting into.

There’s a lot of supernatural stuff going on in this show. I feel like the show could be cool, but the way everything is executed is not that cool at all. Everything just seems kinda cheesy. I dunno, it’s just not for me. I don’t really care about any of the characters either.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxEhiSGKtkI']

Who should watch this show: People who like magical girls and tarot cards.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Bad. This show left no impression on me. Very forgettable.

Kiniro Mosaic

The first episode takes place mainly in London, so the main character speaks Japanese and the girl in the homestay family she is staying with hardly speaks any. This makes for some pretty entertaining situations. It looks like the rest of this show will be taking place exclusively in Japan, so the hilarious English situations will probably be much less from here on.

I like the music in this one. It’s very soothing and pleasant. The show is hilariously over dramatic at times and takes cutesy to the max. Also, the English dialogue in the show is not authentic sounding at all. It’s highly entertaining in the “so bad it’s good” kind of way. This is the kind of show I would watch with a friend to laugh at, but it’s not a show I would want to continue on my own. I also have no idea what to expect from the story. Probably not much.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHMqhcYnmQc']

Who should watch this show: People who like lolis and Brits in Japan.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Average. I would be willing to watch and laugh at this show with someone else, but I won’t be watching it solo.

Below Average Shows and a Recap

Hyperdimension Neptunia: Jiggly boob overload right here. This show seems a bit too juvenile for my tastes. I couldn’t find the strength to watch more than 5 minutes or so.

Gifuu Doudou!!: I’m not a fan of the art style at all in this one. It reminds me of older style animations. I gave up after about 5 minutes or so because nothing in the show appealed to me. Sorry.

And as usual, there were also a handful of shows that I just didn’t check out and a handful of sequels that I never watched the original for (sorry!).

Last Season’s Recap: As predicted, Suisei no Gargantia and Shingeki no Kyojin were the ones to watch for me. I’m not current on either one at the moment (mostly due to them not being quite as awesome as I was hoping for), but I do still plan on seeing them all the way through eventually.

This Season’s Bottom Line: Free! and Danganronpa stand out the most to me, I think. And then maybe Kamisama no Inai Nichiyoubi and Kiniro Mosaic. Free! is definitely the most polished and best looking anime out of the bunch in my opinion, but overall I feel like this season is pretty weak. Too bad.

So tell me, how do you think this season compares to the last one? Any new shows look good to you? What’s your favorite one so far? If you’re a guy, how do you feel about Free? Share your thoughts down in the comments!

Why Men Can’t Wear Shorts in Japan

In Japan, shorts are not really viewed as cultured or sophisticated wear for adult males. Unless you’re at the beach or lounging around the house or pool, people might be a bit surprised to see you sporting an excessive amount of calf.

On the whole, Japan is viewed as a pretty fashionable place, especially the high brow city areas and shopping districts. You might be able to get away with wearing shorts out in the country, but around the cities and classy areas, pretty much every respectable dude is going to be wearing pants. If you wear shorts in these areas, you might get noticed for it.

It’s not like anyone is going to call you out on it though. But if you want to “blend in” and not draw any more attention to yourself than you normally would for being a foreigner (if you are one) then wearing pants would be the way to go.

When it’s Okay to Wear Shorts

However, if you’re a woman, very young, or very old, then the no-shorts “rule” doesn’t really apply to you. Kids and old people can basically get away with anything, but that’s a pretty universal rule I feel. Women can wear shorts whenever they like, but it is a bit unusual for girls to show too much skin. That’s not to say their shorts aren’t short, they just tend to wear tights underneath them. Whenever I saw a girl with a whole lot of bare leg showing, it was definitely out of the ordinary.

I think this might be changing though. As I’m not over there currently, it’s a bit hard for me to tell, but I feel like fashion is moving towards bare leg showing being more of an okay thing for girls. Maybe someone living over there currently can help me out with this in the comments. It might also depend on the area of Japan as well.

And the shorts that young men do wear tend to be of the longer variety. It’s also not unusual for men to cuff their pants up into manpris, but this seems to be more acceptable than traditional shorts. Japanese fashion is always changing, so some of this can be a bit hard to keep up with.

Also, it’s okay for adult males to wear shorts around the house, at leisure time, or at the pool or beach. That makes sense. And like I said before, it’s not like anyone outside your friends and family is going to bug you about wearing shorts out and about in the world, but they’ll definitely notice. Unless you’re going to a place with a dress code, the most you’ll get is a confused look. And then they’ll notice you’re a foreigner and go, “Ohhh, I see.”

It’s Okay, You’re a Foreigner

From my personal experience, nobody really expects much from you when you’re a foreigner in Japan, especially if you’re a tourist. They’re always really surprised when you know how to speak Japanese, sit in seiza, use chopsticks, and all those other things that don’t really seem like a big deal to us students of Japan. Therefore, if you’re a foreigner in Japan wearing shorts everywhere you go, the Japanese will just brush it off because you’re a gaijin and you don’t know any better.

Now I’m not trying to say that you need to conform to every Japanese societal custom and everything when you’re over there, I’m just trying to inform you on what sort of fashion differences you might encounter. If you want to wear shorts over there, go right ahead! But if someone acts funny around you when you wear shorts out to Ginza for shopping or you get an odd look from a granny on the train home or something, now you’ll know why.

And all this is just my personal experience and observations. When I went over there in the spring, it got pretty warm, especially when we were all walking around so much. I wore pants every day, and a lot of my male American friends wore shorts. Nobody gave them any crap for it, but I did get told a lot that I was “very Japanese” with how I dressed.

That being said, I’m interested in what you guys have to say. Do you have any experience with the shorts/no-shorts issue in Japan? Did your experiences differ from my own? Share your stories down in the comments!

Before you started getting interested in Japan, maybe you never imagined eating raw fish or using kanji. But it can go deeper than that too. Take comfort, for instance.

You might think that comfort is a universal value — everybody everywhere likes to be comfortable, right? Apparently, what you might think is comfortable might be damn near insufferable to whole swaths of the world.

A recent article in the New York Times called What Does It Mean to Be Comfortable? takes a look at what it means to be comfortable in different cultures across the world. It turns out that “comfortable” is a concept with a lot of flexibility, and is much more culturally based than you might think.

What is Comfortable?

The Japanese idea of “comfortable” is on the move, so to speak. The Japanese have different ideas about comfort from other cultures – the articles uses the Norwegians and their love of koselighet, or coziness, as an example – but it’s nothing too radical.

As you might be able to tell from sometimes drafty Japanese houses, you’d correctly assume that the Japanese are, compared to other cultures, generally okay with being a little chilly.

What’s really interesting though is that as countries and cultures become more and more exposed to each other, they begin to change. According to the Times article, the Japanese once considered air conditioning not only unnecessary, but “unhealthful and unpleasant.”

Can you really blame them? New, foreign technology is usually met with a healthy dose of skepticism, no matter where you are in the world.

But that changed. Obviously, most Japanese are a-okay with air conditioning nowadays, preferring the artificial cold to the hot, humid Japanese summers. Japanese attitudes towards the frigid winters have started to change too. Space heaters and other methods of keeping warm have been on the rise in Japan for decades.

What it means to be comfortable in Japanese culture is a shared idea that’s never settled, and always up for debate. Even after the Japanese had adopted air conditioning, the pendulum started to swing in the other direction.

Cool Biz

Japan’s biz: the coolest.

In recent years, the Japanese government has promoted a “Cool Biz” program that encourages working people to ditch the suit and tie in the summer, crank down the AC and embrace the Hawaiian shirt. The government started Cool Biz with the goal of saving energy, but it might have farther reaching cultural effects than getting people to turn off the lights.

It’s incredible to see that cultural ideas like comfort adapt and evolve based on the here and the now. Does that mean that other, bigger concepts can change too? As long as I get to wear a Hawaiian shirt, I’m down.