Japanese Culture

[RRW]

Fumino Sugiyama will finally be able to marry his girlfriend of four years. He couldn't before, because same sex marriages weren't recognized in Japan, and he is legally a woman.

With a landmark vote Tuesday by the assembly of Tokyo's Shibuya ward, the district famous as a mecca for trendy youngsters became the first locale in Japan to recognize same sex partnerships as the "equivalent of a marriage," guaranteeing the identical rights of married couples, including hospital visitations and apartment rentals.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/...-ward-30022811

[aohige]

It's a baby step, but better than nothing.

Japan's problem isn't government recognition of LGBT issues, it's more deep than that.
Our issue is very similar to Russia, in that the general populace is intolerant to legal changes in favor of what is seen as "abnormal" preferences.

However the difference between the Japanese issue and Russian is, since there's no religious background to it, only in the realm of "eew weird".
It'll take time, but I think it may be a little more optimistic than cultures with zealous belief in the center of its problem.

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by aohige

It's a baby step, but better than nothing.

Japan's problem isn't government recognition of LGBT issues, it's more deep than that.
Our issue is very similar to Russia, in that the general populace is intolerant to legal changes in favor of what is seen as "abnormal" preferences.

However the difference between the Japanese issue and Russian is, since there's no religious background to it, only in the realm of "eew weird".
It'll take time, but I think it may be a little more optimistic than cultures with zealous belief in the center of its problem.

From a country that popularised BL, yaoi and yuri, they are intolerant?

Japan sure is bipolar.

[FunnyGuy]

Originally Posted by SaintessHeart

From a country that popularised BL, yaoi and yuri, they are intolerant?

Japan sure is bipolar.

Maybe yuri and yaoi in anime is not as cute as IRL for them.

Imagine yourself an big fan of yuri and yaoi and here you see an average Japanese gay couple doing "stuffs" in a corner. Will you cheer "KAWAII"?

[Marcus H.]

From a country that popularised BL, yaoi and yuri, they are intolerant?

The world of 2D and 3D are two distinct worlds.

[SeijiSensei]

I saw an interview with the two young ladies who famously "wed" at Tokyo Disneyland in 2013. They were apparently among the first couples to apply for a certificate in Shibuya.

Images

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[Jagger]

That IRL yuri couple is pretty kawaii if you ask me.

[FunnyGuy]

Originally Posted by Jagger

That IRL yuri couple is pretty kawaii if you ask me.

Or rather HOT, HOT , HOT

[Dopplegeist]

How far can some students in Japan commute (via train) to attend school? In the United States sometimes people will commute ten miles to go to a school, but that is still rather rare. In many animes I see students going to possibly even more distant places.

[Psyco Diver]

Originally Posted by Dopplegeist

How far can some students in Japan commute (via train) to attend school? In the United States sometimes people will commute ten miles to go to a school, but that is still rather rare. In many animes I see students going to possibly even more distant places.

Really, maybe only in urban areas because my commute for school was like 15 miles give or take and I lived in a pretty big town and that was pretty normal for most towns in my home state (NJ btw), my son will have to drive 10+ miles easily to high school when he gets old enough and I live in a pretty populated area also (south of Raleigh in NC)

[RRW]

YouTube

https://youtu.be/wt__lHCuH5g

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[SeijiSensei]

This particular episode of AKBingo has apparently gone viral. It was even the subject of discussion on yesterday's instalment of the ESPN sports show, Highly Questionable.

Those of you who, like me, have a gag reflex may want to avert your eyes.

YouTube

https://youtu.be/T-gfMKOE_MA

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[AnimeFan188]

John Oliver Features Japan's Mascot Obsession:

"Japan has a mascot obsession.

Each mascot is like an anime character come to life.

The Japanese have a long-lasting, deep emotional bond to "non-human" characters,
with roots buried deep in an ancient polytheism.

The most popular Japanese mascot holds press conferences."

See:

http://nextbigfuture.com/2015/05/off...es-japans.html

[SaintessHeart]

Female prison guards form dance group to improve profession’s image

You mean if I get arrested and imprisoned, I get cute prison guards to reform me?

NOW I HAVE THE INCENTIVE TO KIDNAP JAPANESE LOLIS.

[Lord of Fire]

Originally Posted by SaintessHeart

Female prison guards form dance group to improve profession’s image

You mean if I get arrested and imprisoned, I get cute prison guards to reform me?

NOW I HAVE THE INCENTIVE TO KIDNAP JAPANESE LOLIS.

Implying you didn't have this incentive before, which would make you a terrible liar.

[AnimeFan188]

Japan's aging population has already abandoned 8 million houses and
could abandon 21 million by 2033:

"Population decline in Japan is so serious that parts of the country may be ghost
towns in less than 20 years.

More than 8 million homes are already empty, and that number may reach 21.5
million by 2033, or about one-third of the nation's housing stock, Nomura Research
Institute forecasts.

Wooden houses account for more than 50 percent of the market and are worthless
after 22 years, according to the National Tax Administration Agency. Concrete
apartments depreciate to nothing after 47 years."

See:

http://nextbigfuture.com/2015/07/jap...s-already.html

[sneaker]

At least wood houses are easy to burn for energy.

[Marcus H.]

Has anyone watched the NHK Documentary about Comiket broadcast earlier today?
Kenjiro Hata was featured, as well as Semimaru-P, a Vocaloid producer who is a Shinto head priest in real life.
The docu was shot during the 2014 Winter Comiket, and there's Kancolle merch EVERYWHERE.

Overall, the docu is SFW, revealing some of the inner workings of Comiket, like volunteers arranging thousands of tables in a single hour, and a team that reviews works to be modified or tagged forbidden for sale. It only focuses on a handful of people though, which is no surprise since the docu is only half an hour long only. (I guess the cosplay part that happens outside of the main halls wasn't covered because some professionals often control the amount of people taking pictures due to reasons.)

One thing that really shocked me was that a Shinto head priest was able to use Vocaloid to spread the teachings of Buddha. Another detail are people holding signs that point out to "reality" after the final day of Comiket is over.

By the way, does anyone know the new schedule of imagine-nation? I have been watching it every start of every anime season, but a change in timeslot makes it difficult to catch up on it. To be fair, though, the show feels like it's on a decline since it only covers some series and some of the featured anime are uninteresting to the hosts.

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by Marcus H.

Has anyone watched the NHK Documentary about Comiket broadcast earlier today?
Kenjiro Hata was featured, as well as Semimaru-P, a Vocaloid producer who is a Shinto head priest in real life.
The docu was shot during the 2014 Winter Comiket, and there's Kancolle merch EVERYWHERE.

Overall, the docu is SFW, revealing some of the inner workings of Comiket, like volunteers arranging thousands of tables in a single hour, and a team that reviews works to be modified or tagged forbidden for sale. It only focuses on a handful of people though, which is no surprise since the docu is only half an hour long only. (I guess the cosplay part that happens outside of the main halls wasn't covered because some professionals often control the amount of people taking pictures due to reasons.)

One thing that really shocked me was that a Shinto head priest was able to use Vocaloid to spread the teachings of Buddha. Another detail are people holding signs that point out to "reality" after the final day of Comiket is over.

By the way, does anyone know the new schedule of imagine-nation? I have been watching it every start of every anime season, but a change in timeslot makes it difficult to catch up on it. To be fair, though, the show feels like it's on a decline since it only covers some series and some of the featured anime are uninteresting to the hosts.

He is not the only one. There is another group of Shinto Priests known as Tariki Echo who use REGGAE and TRANCE to spread Buddhist teachings. Talk about synchronised timings.

[SeijiSensei]

Watch out, AKB48, these grannies in KBG84 have your number!

The "84" is the minimum age required to qualify to join.

When I watched this, it made me think about the people copying the "Enoshima dance" in Tsuritama.