Japanese Erotic Art: Shunga!

India has the Kama Sutra, the US has the Playboy (an odd analogy, I think) and Japan has shunga! I just learned about shunga today while browsing Japan Today. It's a traditional Japanese art on woodblock that depicts sex.

Here's how Wikipedia explained shunga:

Shunga (春画^?) is a Japanese term for erotic art. Most shunga are a type of ukiyo-e, usually executed in woodblock print format. While rare, there are extant erotic painted handscrolls which predate the Ukiyo-e movement.^[1] Translated literally, the Japanese word shunga means picture of spring; "spring" is a common euphemism for sex.

Following the aesthetics of everyday life, Edo period shunga varied widely in its depictions of sexuality. As a subset of ukiyo-e it was enjoyed by all social groups in the Edo period, despite being out of favour with the shogunate. Almost all ukiyo-e artists made shunga at some point in their careers, and it did not detract from their prestige as artists.^[1] Classifying shunga as a kind of medieval pornography can be misleading in this respect.^[2

I haven't seen a shunga art yet in person. I got curious so I look for images related to shunga. Here are some of the "milder"ones which means the genitalia is not shown. The others that I saw may not be appropriate for this blog. ^_^

photo credit: http://www.morra-japaneseart.com/img/prints/detail/E%2035.htm

photo credit: http://www.1st-art-gallery.com/Kitagawa-Utamaro/Two-Shunga-From-'ehon-Komachi-Biki'.html

photo credit: http://www.morra-japaneseart.com/img/prints/detail/E%2070.htm

I find it noteworthy how the people in the shunga prints are still clothed in Japanese traditional clothes. Then reading  further on Wikipedia's article, there was actually an explanation why the people are fully-clothed.

It was stated there that Japanese don't find nudity erotic in those times since communal bathing is common. It was also a way to emphasize the genitalia- which is the only part that is fully shown. It was further implied that shunga artists clothed people in their works to distinguish them from foreign erotic art. By this I presume that Japanese views foreign erotic art shows nude bodies.

(More on Japanese Art, here) 

Shunga, like some images in Kama Sutra, also show couples in impossible sexual positions which can only happen in art. I haven't learned yet why they are shown that way. (Maybe I'll add it when I have researched more on it.)

Personally, I found the existence of shunga revealing. Now I'm not surprised why henti versions of animes and mangas are surprised. Although shunga is not considered porn, as stated in Wiikipedia, I guess it shows how Japan's fascination with sex evolved culturally and historically. (But this is just my opinion, I would like to hear more sound research on this.)

And just in case you're curious, there's a Shunga Exhibition at Vermeer Center Ginza until the end of this month.

Links for more of Shunga Art:

http://www.nipponlugano.ch/en/shunga-multimedia/
http://www.morra-japaneseart.com/gallery/prints/05.htm

AEON Malls in Hamamatsu

AEON Mall is a popular chain of malls in Japan. It's a convenient place for one-stop shopping although a lot of them are located in inconvenient locations. In Hamamatsu, there are three AEON Malls- AEON Irino, Ichino and Shitoro.

This is AEON Mall Hineno. I'll update this with AEON Ichino's and Shitoro's pictures.
photo credit: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AEON_MALL_Hineno4.JPG

AEON Ichino has the most number of shops. It's also nearer from Hamamatsu Station than the other big one- AEON Shitoro. This is the best AEON Mall (in Hamamatsu) to shop during New Year's Sale for it has a wide selection of goods- shoes, bags, food, cosmetics, etc. If you're also shopping for home furniture and appliances, AEON Ichino has Nittori on the second floor. It has cheaper products than AEON's own home depot. Also, more big shops are located just outside AEON Ichino so you'll have more choices just in case you have not found anything you like at the mal 

How to Get to AEON Ichino from Hamamatsu Station: 

There's a bus from Hamamatsu Station that takes you directly on the doors of AEON Ichino. It takes about 30 to 40 minutes because of the traffic. 

(I forgot the Bus Number, will be updating this once I checked.)

(More on places in Hamamatsu here)

AEON Shitoro is deceptively large. From the outside, it looks like a really big mall but half of it seems to be just parking space. Also, it is quite far from the station, almost an hour bus ride. It has a Gap store which Ichino does not have. 

How to Get to AEON Shitoro from Hamamatsu Station: 

Take the Number 20 bus from terminal Number 6 at the Hamamatsu Station. Some buses stop at AEON Shitoro's doors. Some would just stop at the nearest bus stop then you have to walk for 5 to 7 minutes. 

AEON Irino is the closest to Hamamatsu Station but it is also the smallest with no individual shops. Grocery section on the first floor, department on the second and some other goods on the third. Even if it's small, they have a good selection of ladies's shoes and clothes so it's still worth a visit.  (Not sure for men!) 

How to Get to AEON Irino from Hamamatsu Station: 

Take the Number 20 bus from terminal Number 6 at the Hamamatsu Station. (The same bus going to Shitoro.) Get off at the second bus stop just after Tsutaya and Mister Donut. Follow the AEON sign. It's a 3-minute walk. 

If you would also shop regularly at AEON, get an AEON card where you can discounts. 

Kawaii Fashion: Women in Girls' Clothing

Japan has a romance with anything cute. And it's okay, really. Cute things are nice to look at but the Japanese just don't know when to stop being cute. One of this please-stop-being-cute instance is when grown-up women dressed so cutely in ruffles, pastel colors, ribbons and laces. This is called "kawaii fashion." Kawaii means cute in Japan.

(For more of Japanese Culture, click here)

Kawaii fashion is so rampant in Japan. Women in their 20's and 30's clothed with ribbons, laces with matching ruffled parasols acting like a cute little girl are a common sight here. Even for almost a year of being here, I still want to choke everytime I see women in kawaii fashion. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate kawaii fashion as long as it it's for girls- younger girls.

photo credit: http://kerli.buzznet.com/photos/kawaiifashion/?id=68443099

I can't understand why would grown-up women wanted to look ridiculous in clothes so out of their age. What's more, the kawaii fashionistas are not contented with keeping their style in Japan. They are planning to make a kawaii fashion world invasion.

Here's an article from Japan Today:

Japanese Lolitas plan world domination

By Cara Clegg

ARTS & CULTURE MAY. 17, 2013 - 07:05AM JST ( 57 )

TOKYO —

Disconcerting news from the world of Japanese fashion: adherents to the cutesy subculture of Lolita fashion are organizing themselves into an official group. Their target: the whole world.

The Japan Lolita Association was formed in February to spread Japan’s special brand of “kawaii fashion” to the world. Aoki Misako, a well-known Lolita model who in 2009 was appointed “Kawaii Ambassador” by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (an absolutely real, and possibly even serious, position), will serve as chairperson, and the society’s office will be established at Fukuoka’s Omura Beauty College.

The association’s main activities will be to report lolita news, recruit and appoint Kawaii Ambassadors to support the global lolita network, host events such as tea parties and get-togethers for association members, and encourage and nominate lolita fashion-related schools and educational institutions. It all sounds perfectly innocent, but who knows what’s really going on behind those frilly petticoats and lacy parasols.

Becoming a member gets you perks such as subscription to their email newsletter and notifications of tea-parties and events. You can sign up here at their homepage. If you sign up with your smartphone, you even get a super-extra-kawaii membership image. 

The association is also seeking information on Lolita-related events, so event promoters who want their event shared with Lolita fans should submit their information to the ‘Events & Tea parties’ page.

(More about Japanese Society, here. )

I seriously don't know whether I'll laugh or cry when I read this. However, it's their life. They're happy with being cute. I just have to look away and stop myself from howling when I see them.