Short Passion: Japanese Obsession's with Shorts

I came to Japan just before summertime when the weather was getting hot and humid. Thus, I wasn't surprised to see young and old Japanese women wearing shorts of unbelievable "shortness" in just about everywhere. I know men don't mind seeing all these women shorts with their fair and flawless legs. Then came the bone-chilling Japan winter. Puzzling me is that these women still wear shorts. With me wearing two layers of pants, I can't comprehend why these women still wear shorts. It doesn't matter even if they are shivering or even if their pores are screaming with the cold. They just have to wear shorts!

photo credit: http://sinowww.collected.info/ajax/showfeeds/sinowww/40//g

(For more on Japanese winter, click here)

Interestingly though is that I rarely- as in rarely, see women with revealing tops. Even during the summer when I wore sleeveless and low-neck tops, Japanese women wore layers of  tops. As I recall, I have never seen a Japanese woman wearing a lone sleeveless top last summer. It was only with revealing their legs that they are obsessed with and not the top portion of their bodies.

I thought that perhaps Japanese women wear shorts because they have great legs. Most women have unflabby and flawless legs. Even women with 2 or 3 kids have slim legs it's amazing how they maintain it after giving birth. I also thought that perhaps Japanese women don't wear revealing tops because they have nothing to reveal. Asians are not really gifted with enticingly-sized mammary glands.

I told my theories to a Japanese student and she just chuckled at me. I asked her why she personally like to wear shorts- even in winter. She said that aside from being fashionable, wearing shorts is the only socially acceptable way to look sexy. Revealing parts of the upper body such as too much arms, neck and cleavage is not really acceptable. She thinks it's too sexy. She explained further that both male and female have legs but male and female have different upper bodies. I think she has a good point there.

(More on Japanese society here)

As for why she still wear shorts in winter, she's also wondering why. She just thinks it's fashionable though not necessarily comfortable.   

How to Get "Certificate to Engage in Other Activities Other than that Permitted under the Status of Residency Previously Granted."

The name of the certificate is seriously long. I had to look it up on the net again just in case I miss a word. But anyway, this "Certificate to Engage in ...." is a permission from the Japanese government for foreigners who would like to do some other work not included in the scope of their visa. For foreign students, this certificate is necessary if you're planning to do some part-time work. For those who have working visas, this certificate is needed if the type of work you're planning to do some other work.

Certificate to Engage in Other Activities Other than that Permitted Under the Status of Residency Previously Granted

I had to apply for this long-named certificate because I only have an instructor visa. I can only teach students from elementary to high school. Thankfully, a company hired me to do some part-time work as a Business English instructor. This required me to obtain this certificate. Only private English classes can exempt you from getting this.

Applying for this certificate is not really difficult but it takes time. It took me almost a month before this certificate was granted. I think it would have been faster if I knew the documents needed. But anyway here's how to get one:

1. Go to the nearest regional immigration office in your area. Look for visa-related section. Ask for a form you have to fill out. In Hamamatsu, the regional office is a few minutes away from the station. It is just before the office of the Board of Education.

2. To speed the process, make sure you have permission from your visa sponsor. In my case, I had to request for a work certificate indicating my official work days and times. Also, request a work certificate or work contract from the company you're planning to work with. The other company I worked with gave me a document stating the work days and times. The immigration needed to these to make that whatever additional work you'll have won't be in conflict with your visa sponsor.

3. The immigration also asked me to submit salary slips for the last three months. Perhaps they want to know if having a part time job is necessary based on my salary.

4. After almost a month of waiting, I got a post from the immigration asking me to come the office on a certain day. Bring your passport and the immigration notice. Make sure to come 2 to 3 hours before closing time. If granted, it takes time to include the certificate in the passport. I arrived at 2:00 pm and left the office at around 5 pm. I just waited while the immigration officer did something with my passport.

I learned that you can actually download an application form for the Certificate to Engage.... then just post it to the immigration office. Also, the immigration office is gracious enough to correspond to applicants who lack documents. They don't decide just because you have no documents to show. In my case, they sent me a letter requesting for the work certificate and salary slips when I fail to bring them when I applied.

Also the certificate is not really a "certificate." It's more like an additional attachment in you passport.

So good luck in your application. Hope this helps.  :)

My First Onsen Experience

It took me sometime before I finally agreed to go with my aunt in an onsen. Onsen is the Japanese word for hot spring. Most onsens are public baths. Since it's a bathing place, people are naked as a newborn babe. I'm not comfortable being naked especially with Japanese women who have flawlessly fair skin. I just agreed to my aunt after she drove me to my new place. It was a four-hour drive and she was complaining of tired muscles, joints, ligaments, and every part and crevice of her body.

onsen at Bentenjima
photo credit: http://www.gamagorich.com/kts_en/to/pool.html

Even during the drive to the onsen, I was still hesitant. I keep telling my aunt that I would just wait for her no matter how long. I am still not ready to bare in public. She wouldn't budge and emotionally blackmailed me by pretending to agree but stayed silently sulking. I don't want to be an ungrateful wench so I finally, finally entered the onsen.

(More on Hamamatsu Hot Spring, here.)

If I were a guy, the women's onsen is a sight to behold. Slender and lithe bodies, flabby and plump ones; white and pink skins, wrinkled and smooth ones. Women of all ages and sizes comfortably roamed naked in the onsen. All of them are Japanese with their fair and flawless skins.  My aunt and I stand out in the midst of these lily-white bodies. I have never felt so insecure in my life. Why wouldn't I when even the old ladies have better-looking skins than I do.

As I shed my clothes, I kept an eye to the other people. I want to make sure no one's ogling. Ironically, I am actually the one who's doing that. I covertly looked at them. I wouldn't be surprised if somebody will scream "Pervert!" I tried my best not to look but it takes some effort. Besides, I am looking because I can't believe how women's body can be the same but yet totally different. I was actually fascinated without any hint of malice. No wonder artists do not get tired of immortalizing women's naked or semi-naked bodies in various art forms.

A funny scene also happened in the dressing area. Some Japanese women are laughing because a small girl was looking curiously at a young boy's body. Maybe she's thinking what is that tiny little thing dangling between the boy's legs.

I would have run the short distance between the dressing area to the bathing area if not for the danger of wet floors. As soon as I opened the doors to the bathing area, I could already feel the relaxing benefits of the water. I took a quick cold shower and dipped myself immediately in the hot pool. It felt initially scalding hot. It takes a few minutes for the body to adjust and when it does, the experience was zen. It was so relaxing I stopped looking at other women and just close my eyes.

After about 20 minutes, I complained to my aunt that I feel short of breath and my head feels heavy. It was the effect of the hot water. I should have gotten out every 10 to 15 minutes, pour some cold water then dip myself again. I did what she said including shampoo my hair for a lot of times, soap and scrub my body until my skin was red all over. There was a shampoo and soap bar that offers various hair and body products. I must tried half of it!

After more than an hour, my aunt got tired to bathing and decided to go home. I was so serenely happy that I went with her. I feel relaxed. I experience a very "Japanese thing." And next time, I know I won't stare anymore.