Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

The photography of Ogawa Kazumasa provides a glimpse into the late nineteenth and early twentieth century in Japan.  He, and other photographers during the same period, enable people to grasp aspects of Japanese culture and history in this important era. Also, Ogawa Kazumasa shows part of the struggle between tradition and modernization.

Nobuyoshi Araki, on the other hand, shows aspects of the sexual revolution which erupted in cities throughout the world. However, the images of Nobuyoshi Araki have a distinctive Tokyo feel.  The subject theme may be a million miles apart but both photographers are responding to a world which is changing.

Irrespective of the motives behind Ogawa Kazumasa and Nobuyoshi Araki, they both provide glimpses into the world they saw/see around them.  Neither are passive bystanders and their images show rich detail and labels are easy to put on individuals but the images have no labels because people will look at them for different reasons and draw their own conclusions.

Indeed, while most emphasis about Nobuyoshi Araki focuses on the sexual nature of his images this is also an illusion. After all, Nobuyoshi Araki is a very broad photographer and his themes are varied.

Turning back to the world of Ogawa Kazumasa then clearly events were changing quickly and the same applies to society and thought patterns.

Ironically it wasn’t old Japan and the samurai which was a threat to regional nations. Instead it was the modernized and Western influenced Japan which began the darkside of Japan’s militarization and colonial period.  It appears that a duality appeared within the psyche of military and political leaders in Japan and this applies to the threat of being the victim of Western encroachment and at the same time to join the Western club and taking over nations just like Western powers had done.

Ogawa Kazumasa witnessed this changing Japan (above image of the Ainu) and the liberal tendencies which also came about because of contact with the outside world.  Therefore, this world provided many opportunities for Ogawa Kazumasa who was born in 1860 and died in 1929.

The power of Ogawa Kazumasa can be witnessed within his images because often it is like looking into a mirror of a different world.  Therefore, his images, even when the theme is simplistic, are powerful and time and motion appears to have stopped in order to capture the moment.

In my article called Ogawa Kazumasa: a photographer of style and panache, I comment that “His images remain vivid today and like Nobuyoshi Araki, but for very different reasons, both photographers provide images of a real Japan.  Ogawa Kazumasa provides images of a Japan which is caught between tradition and the onset of Western influence. “

“However, Nobuyoshi Araki focuses on the sexual nature of Tokyo in modern times but he does this with a rare quality and unlike the blandness of Kishin Shinoyama who lacks individuality or genuine creativity; Nobuyoshi Araki provides images which enlighten people to the changing nature of aspects of Tokyo culture and he does this with a rare talent.” 

“It is obvious that Ogawa Kazumasa and Nobuyoshi Araki are like chalk and cheese but in one way both are similar despite the huge differences of composition, style, time in history, techniques, different technology, art forms, and so forth; but both provide a style which opens up the subject matter that they enter and for Nobuyoshi Araki this applies to Tokyo and for Ogawa Kazumasa it applies to Japan.”

Therefore, I think the analogy with Nobuyoshi Araki is true despite the complexity of both individuals and the images that they have given the world.  In the soul of Nobuyoshi Araki you can witness the hidden and sexual side of Tokyo in modern times but irrespective if this is hidden from most people it is part of reality.

The same reality was being shown by Ogawa Kazumasa but in a more natural form despite this the images of both individuals are powerful for contrasting reasons.  Ogawa Kazumasa shows a world in change but with many people clinging to the old world and others being victims of this changing world. This applies to modern concepts which challenged traditional crafts and obliterated many traditional based companies.

Like all societies in change you had many winners and losers and big business and modernization destroyed many. Also, more intensive labor markets uprooted people and when economic depression took route in Germany and Japan it gave the twin forces of fascism and communism a chance.

Ogawa Kazumasa was on the fringe of the real struggle between democrats, militarists, and communists in Japan and at the heart for many you had traditionalists in Japan who wanted to preserve the best of Japanese culture.

In a way, but based on other factors, Nobuyoshi Araki, shows glimpses into a world where social morality, female emancipation, modern technology, greater freedom, sexual revolution of the 1960s, movement of people from the countryside to Tokyo, and a host of other factors, all merge together within negative criminal forces who saw an opening to exploit once more.

Of course, for many images by Nobuyoshi Araki the theme also provides glimpses into genuine sexual urges and emancipation from conservatism and freeing the soul from all constraints.

In my article called Nobuyoshi Araki shows the cultural side of Tokyo in the flesh, I comment that “…Nobuyoshi Araki goes much further because this famous photographer opens up a Tokyo which is often neglected or not imagined.  He also fuses his photography with the landscape of Tokyo amidst naked bodies or ladies being tied up and his imagery is clearly powerful.”

“Therefore, Nobuyoshi Araki is also focusing on the emptiness of entertainment districts and the sex industry; albeit from an erotic human form and the energy and visual nature of his photography expresses many emotions.”

“Like any artist; people will see different things within his photography and while some people will gain from his works others may reject him on various grounds.  However, if you look deeper into his work then Nobuyoshi Araki is providing a real glimpse into a Tokyo which exists and not only this, he does this by creating a rare energy within simplistic and complex themes.”

Ogawa Kazumasa was a founding member of Nihon Sashinkai (Japan Photographic Society) and his images show glimpses of the Meiji era and Taisho period. Therefore, Ogawa Kazumasa, Enami Nobukuni, Tamamura Kosaburo, and others in the same period, have provided images of high quality and more important, they have left a legacy whereby individuals can see aspects of old Japan and the changes which were taking place.

Ogawa Kazumasa and Nobuyoshi Araki also provide nostalgia despite their themes being very different.  Nobuyoshi Araki commented about nostalgia that “In a way, I guess so. People say photography should try to avoid being nostalgic, but I simply say photographs are nostalgic. The meaning of nostalgia for me is not sad memories or something that has disappeared; not just memories. For me nostalgia is like the warmth in a mother’s belly.”

Therefore, if you want to witness aspects of both worlds then Ogawa Kazumasa and Nobuyoshi Araki do this with great artistic skill. Irrespective of the motives or themes and the time difference between both individuals, they were blessed with rare skills. Also, they have shared their world and the world around them with vast numbers of people all over the globe and Nobuyoshi Araki continues to express aspects of Tokyo.

In life (Nobuyoshi Araki) and death (Ogawa Kazumasa) both artists have connected with the world and when Nobuyoshi Araki passes away in the future he, just like Ogawa Kazumasa, will leave a valuable legacy.

http://oldphoto.lb.nagasaki-u.ac.jp/unive/  (Photo gallery and very high quality)

http://www.baxleystamps.com/litho/ogawa.shtml  

(Fantastic information about Ogawa Kazumasa)

http://www.artnet.com/artists/nobuyoshi-araki/ Nobuyoshi Araki

http://www.arakinobuyoshi.com/ Nobuyoshi Araki

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com

http://moderntokyotimes.com

Please note that Ogawa Kazumasa was born in Saitama prefecture which is near Tokyo but I have entered him under Tokyo because he was based on Tokyo and this is where his career began in the field of photography, printing, and publishing.

Ontoshiki is a stunning photographer in Tokyo: spiritual, panache & individualism

Michel Lebon and Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

Ontoshiki (http://ontoshiki.com/) is an amazing Australian photographer who is based in Tokyo and clearly Eastern and Western ways run throughout his veins. His ethnic and cultural background fused with the many philosophies which flow between East and West enables Ontoshiki to see beyond mere creativity, instead he fuses creativity with the richness of culture. Therefore, Ontoshiki is a photographer who can freshen up new images by searching for new angles and treating each assignment with complete professionalism and care.

The name Ontoshiki is a pseudonym for Justin Vun who was born in Malaysia but with roots from China alongside the influence of the cultures that he witnessed in other nations. The impact of Eastern and Western culture within his psyche can be felt within his unique vision. Ontoshiki also understands the need to express the “true spirit” of each assignment based on the individual, company, events that he is covering, and so forth.

Ontoshiki specializes in many areas and the diversity of his skills is a rich blessing for his client base. His specialism applies to customized portrait, events, bands, street photography, documentary, erotica, urban elements, current affairs, and other important areas. Therefore, Ontoshiki is in demand based on the richness of his photography which can be viewed at his elegant and stylish website.

Tokyo is clearly a natural match for Ontoshiki because this mega-city is ultra-modern, extremely fashionable, blessed with amazing architecture and the old world still survives. This applies especially to the richness of Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines which can be found throughout Tokyo. Also, the lore of East and West alongside the uniqueness of Tokyo culture means that you have so many fusions and new ways of thinking.

This environment for a talented photographer like Ontoshiki provides many opportunities, irrespective of the angle he needs to cover and highlight.  After all, the vibes of kawaii culture in Harajuku; poverty areas of Minami-Senju; business world and high fashion of Ginza; the Meiji Shinto shrine; the hidden world of erotica; stunning gardens throughout Tokyo; the fast pace of daily life; deep meditation and tranquility; and a host of other areas means that Ontoshiki can utilize all this diversity and creativity.

On his (http://ontoshiki.photoshelter.com/about/index) website he states that “His main themes for his personal work focus on life, death, alienation, lust and love and the exploration of the urban environment, elements and the human psyche and body.”

Ontoshiki further comments that “He admires the Japanese aesthetics of Yūgen (a profound, mysterious sense of the beauty of the universe… and the sad beauty of human suffering) and Wabi-sabi(transience i.e. imperfect, incomplete, impermanent) such as fading autumn leaves, falling sakura petals and flawed beauty.”

Individuals who have influenced Ontoshiki include Nobuyoshi Araki, Kishin Shinoyama, Christopher Doyle, Wong Kar Wai, Akira Kurosawa, Daido Moriyama, Goyo Hashiguchi, Wing Shya, D.Arbus, Seamus Murphy, H.Cartier Bresson, R.Doisneau,R.Cappa, Irving Penn, E.Munch, Van Gogh, L.Davinci, Vilhelm Hammershoi, J.Nachtwey, Kaoru Izima, Ridley Scott, Shoji Ueda, Tim Burton, Miike Takashi, Helmut Newton, and Miyamoto Musashi.

It is clear that the diverse influences on this unique photographer are indeed rich and varied. When this fact is fused with the aesthetics of Yugen and Wabi-sabi then clearly you have an individual who is rich in culture.

Ontoshiki quotes that “The mysterious allure of a person in urban architecture and landscape is a metaphor for social environment and sense of community. It may conjure thoughts and feelings of relationships manifesting in the form of intimacy, alienation, decay, deterioration or rejection”

“Sensualism in photography is tantamount to having an intimate dance with a woman; timing, technique, intricate body movements and forming a connection between you and your partner.”

If you check (http://ontoshiki.photoshelter.com/) the website of Ontoshiki then immediately you can view many amazing images.  It is clear that his diversity shines through and if individuals and companies want to hire a sublime photographer who can cover a complete array of areas – then Ontoshiki is the individual to contact.

Images 3 and 8:

Victoria Deleske in photo images 3 and 8 of Maya Murofushi was the “hair, makeup and fashion stylist.”  Full credit to Victoria Deleske for helping to produce these two stunning images.

Please visit the following websites:

http://ontoshiki.photoshelter.com/

http://www.ontoshikivun.com/blog/

https://twitter.com/#!/ontoshikivun – contact Ontoshiki by twitter

IMAGES HIGHLIGHTED IN THIS ARTICLE

http://www.ontoshikivun.com/blog/2012/01/30/photoshoot-with-saki/ontoshiki-sakikobayashi- Saki Kobayashi

http://www.ontoshikivun.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Ontoshiki-TakakoHotta_0096logo1k.jpg Takako Hotta

http://www.ontoshikivun.com/blog/2012/02/05/shutter-rewind-the-sacred-kingdom/www-flickr-comphotosvunnyvun-7/ Angkor Wat in Cambodia

http://www.ontoshikivun.com/blog/2011/12/24/photoshoot-actress-supermodel-maya-murofushi/Maya Murofushi

http://www.ontoshikivun.com/blog/2011/12/31/best-photos-of-2011-color-120-format/

http://www.ontoshikivun.com/blog/2011/12/31/best-photos-of-2011-black-and-white-35mm-format-2/

All images belong to Ontoshiki

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com

http://moderntokyotimes.com

Michel Lebon

Modern Tokyo Times

Chouzuki Maryou is a gorgeous and full bodied ero-cosplayer and in a land where so many females are thin then her body and sexuality shines right through.  It is obvious in Japan that maid café, elements of cosplay, ero-cosplay, explicit manga, love hotels, and chican on trains and selling on video, that sexuality is everywhere and the sex trade is enormous and a growing sector.

One only needs to look at young lady groups strutting around in thigh high boots and other sexy forms of style, to understand the reality of what sells.  Why not?  In my beloved France we have the Moulin Rouge and famous cancan dance and the history of this astounding place is so rich and even today La Goulue (Louise Weber – 1865-1929) remains a legend.

Therefore, I marvel at the natural beauty of Chouzuki Maryou because she is busty, natural and curvy. The fashion model type ladies on Japanese television and dancers at the Moulin Rouge often look so perfect and flexible in movement. However, what about more buxom ladies who don’t fill the bill in the glamour industry……is their beauty not wanted?

Cosplay is about escapism and dreaming about a different world but if you go to any major convention it is obvious that the sexual side is important.  With Chouzuki Maryou, she goes one step further because she is proud to be an adorable ero-cosplayer and to feel the sexual side of her nature.

Chouzuki Maryou says “I originally liked 18+ ero-doujinshi, so I’m trying to do something like that, but in the photographic medium – it’s great fun!”

It is apparent that Chouzuki Maryou is happy and proud of what she does and her radiant smile is evidence of this and clearly she is in control of her destiny.  Her photo shoots and dress style is very far from the Moulin Rouge but sexuality links them but in different ways.

If anything, the old photos of naked French ladies which are exhibited in art museums relate to Chouzuki Maryou.  This applies to innocence despite the sexuality of old naked images of French ladies and the photo shoots of Chouzuki Maryou.

Of course, you have much hypocrisy in the world because if a famous artist of the past painted a naked lady it was deemed to be culture and art. Therefore, I see the artistic nature of Chouzuki Maryou and old images of French ladies who seem so delectable and pure.

Chouzuki Maryou may not be your usual sexual pin-up but her natural body, within the slimness of the majority of Tokyo ladies, stands out. Also, her buxom figure and ero-cosplay images show innocence despite the subject matter being based on sexuality.

The old sexual photos of France are the same because despite the subject matter you have a gracefulness about the images.  Maybe it is nostalgia and this could also be the connection with Chouzuki Maryou because in Japan it is easy to have nostalgia for buxom ladies because you don’t see so many.

Irrespective of the reason, dreaming about Chouzuki Maryou and old Paris is not so bad because in both I can escape.  In this sense, maybe the real cosplayer is my mind?

http://moderntokyotimes.com

Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

Katsushika Hokusai was born in 1760 and Nobuyoshi Araki was born in 1940 and today Araki still continues to take photo images. Hokusai is famously known throughout the world for The Great Wave off Kanagawa and his Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji. However, Araki is known for his sexual images and the unique erotic styles that he often takes but Araki is much more diverse than this because his work involves many different forms of photography.

Hokusai and Araki were born in different Japan’s but sexual artistic flair can be witnessed by both individuals because sexual images and erotic art forms belong to aspects of their respective work. 

Both individuals were born in Tokyo and while Hokusai is famous for non-erotic forms of art to most lay people the same can’t be said about Araki because Tokyo Lucky Hole is either extremely erotic or pornographic depending on your viewpoint. 

Irrespective if we use the word “erotic” or “pornographic” because people have different sensibilities the fact remains that Araki is extremely gifted and creative.  Like all photographers the artist will either appeal or not appeal. However, Araki is clearly showing a sexual and seedy side of Tokyo which not only exists but is quite prevalent in many main areas in modern day Tokyo.

Their different art forms can’t be compared because both were born in very different societies and technology, thought patterns, environmental differences and countless other factors, means that it is unfair to compare and counterproductive.

However, it is abundantly clear that the “erotic” side of aspects of their work is a uniting factor and both are famous sons of Tokyo. Yet, in the image of most art lovers both clearly have a distinctive connotation and mystery and while the “erotic” and seedy side of Tokyo creates image of Araki in the mind; it is clear that for most people Hokusai is deemed to be “a classical artist” and one of the most famous artists that graced the soil of Japan. 

Indeed the word “artist” and “contemporary artist” is also subjective because while Hokusai will smoothly fit into the word “artist” you will have different opinions towards Araki.  This applies to stating that Araki is a “contemporary artist” but for conservative individuals Araki will be tainted by the word “pornography.” Also, the vagueness of “contemporary artist” means that it is difficult to define in the absolute sense because different thought patterns view the world differently.  

The first time I ever saw work by Araki was in Manchester, England, when I viewed Tokyo Lucky Hole when I was around 19 years old.  My first impression, and coming from a non-artist background at the time, was “wow” and these ladies look “so hot” therefore for myself I viewed this to be pornographic when I was young but I did find it in the art section.

However, the more you view aspects of Araki’s work then it does become abundantly clear that in his field he is extremely talented and not everything is what it seems. 

In my article called “Nobuyoshi Araki shows the cultural side of Tokyo in the flesh” I state that Araki “…goes much further because this famous photographer opens up a Tokyo which is often neglected or not imagined.  He also fuses his photography with the landscape of Tokyo amidst naked bodies or ladies being tied up and his imagery is clearly powerful.”

“Therefore, Nobuyoshi Araki is also focusing on the emptiness of entertainment districts and the sex industry; albeit from an erotic human form and the energy and visual nature of his photography expresses many emotions.”

“Like any artist; people will see different things within his photography and while some people will gain from his works others may reject him on various grounds.  However, if you look deeper into his work then Nobuyoshi Araki is providing a real glimpse into a Tokyo which exists and not only this, he does this by creating a rare energy within simplistic and complex themes.”

Hokusai is in reverse because my first contact with the work of Hokusai was when I viewed The Great Wave off Kanagawa and Fuji in Clear Weather and this was followed by the Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji. Immediately I liked Hokusai because the sheer power of The Great Wave off Kanagawa was striking.  I therefore believed that Hokusai was similar to John Constable (a classical artist from England who was born in 1776) who painted The Hay Wain and Dedham Vale and many other classic paintings.

Yet, many years later I viewed the The Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife by Hokusai and other images from Kinoe No Komatsu which is a collection of shunga.  I was shocked because I never understood this side of Hokusai and The Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife is not only erotic but it mind boggling because of the perverse nature of what is happening.  

In my article called “Katsushika Hokusai and erotic art: The Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife (Part 2 of Hokusai)” I comment that “The image shows a lady who was deemed to be a shell diver (ama) with her legs wide apart while the fully grown octopus performs cunnilingus.  She is fully naked and her breasts and hairy pussy are clearly visible and her body is clearly welcoming both the fully grown octopus and the small and younger octopus.”

“The eyes of the fully grown octopus are really striking because while performing cunnilingus on the lady it is clear that the eyes are fully focused on her face and pleasure and satisfaction belong to both.”

“It is suggested that the small octopus may be the son and if so then this makes the sexual experience even more erotic to some or alternatively “on the edge” for others.  Either way, only Hokusai really knows the role of the small octopus but it is clear that the lady is enjoying the power of the fully grown octopus and the magical touch of the younger octopus which is fondling her nipple and mouth.”

“Her face depicts complete sexual bliss and in the image it appears that nature and humans are one and the same.  Yes, visually different; however, enjoying the sexual experience together.”                                                                                  

“The image which is graphic is also based on consent, pleasure, joy, and bliss.”

Other images by Hokusai are also extremely sexual and graphic between people having sex and maybe just like Araki showing the seedy side of modern Tokyo it could be said that Hokusai was also doing the same.  However, the image where a woman is happily spreading her pussy so that she can feel the pleasure of an octopus and clearly feeling orgasmic; then for myself this image is not only mind boggling it is mysterious, perverse, erotic and showing images of pleasure all into one image. 

The scholar Danielle Talerico desires to put this image into the context of the Princess Tamatori story which was well-known in the Edo period. However, Hokusai may have played on this in order to create something else because in the Princess Tamatori story she dies from her wounds.  However, in Hokusai’s work it is clear that sexual pleasure and mutual gratification is taking place and the image does not show fear.

This is getting away from the point of Hokusai and Araki and the question of who is the more erotic.  Of course, people will have different opinions and again time, environment and other factors will make the judgment difficult.

Also, because of the very nature of art and different thought patterns then some may deem Hokusai to be “a master artist” or “a perverted artist” when it came to shunga. The same applies to Araki because to some people his work is “erotic art” but to others it is “pornography” and not artistic. Therefore, can aspects of pornography be deemed to be artistic?

This minefield does not belong to this article and despite all the sexual images by Araki I believe that Hokusai’s work was more erotic and this applies to many images from his Kinoe No Komatsu collection.  More to the point, the image of The Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife is in a different dimension to anything that Araki created.

Obviously both individuals have created their work within themselves and their respective work is not based on competition with anyone.  However, the point is that while Hokusai remains within the fold of “classical artist” it is clear that Araki “is on the edge” and either he is well liked or disregarded. 

Yet, if Araki is disregarded based on his subject matter then clearly the same does not apply to Hokusai.  Both individual have opened up a door to “a hidden Japan” which is “not so hidden” for people who reside in major cities like Tokyo and Osaka. 

However, when it comes to erotic images then The Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife by Hokusai takes some beating and the power of this image remains today.

http://www.asia.si.edu/exhibitions/online/hokusai/launch.htm   (Hokusai)

http://www.hokusai-kan.com/treasure01.htm  (Hokusai)

http://moderntokyotimes.com/2011/05/31/katsushika-hokusai-japanese-artist-with-a-rich-legacy-part-one/  

http://moderntokyotimes.com/2011/06/03/katsushika-hokusai-and-erotic-art-the-dream-of-the-fisherman%e2%80%99s-wife-part-2-of-hokusai/

http://moderntokyotimes.com/2011/04/02/nobuyoshi-araki-shows-the-cultural-side-of-tokyo-in-the-flesh/

http://fantomatik75.blogspot.com/2010/02/les-cordes-nobuyashi-araki.html (images taken from this website when applies to Araki but photos remain within the search engine but problems with modern website)

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com

http://moderntokyotimes.com

Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

Manchester – innovation and criminality

Manchester is located in north-west England and this vibrant city is where the Industrial Revolution came alive and Manchester was deemed the first modern industrial city in the world.  At its height the city claimed many notable firsts and this applies to the site of the first railway station in the world; where scientists first split the atom; the development of the first programmable computer; and where the first Trade Union Congress took place.

Not only this, Manchester was internationalist in outlook and Marxism and free trade were theories that run through the veins of the city despite the competing thought patterns of both theories.  Friedrich Engels spent much of his life in Manchester and the surrounding region and Karl Marx visited.  

Alternatively, the Manchester School was focused on economics from the angle of limited government and anti imperialistic in nature.  The Manchester School focused on free trade and laissez faire and the 19th century witnessed many revolutionary changes.

The majority of the 20th century would witness the decline of Manchester but by the end of this century the phoenix was gradually rising from the ashes.  Despite this, the city will never reach the heights of the middle 18th century to the late 19^th century but a new spirit began to emerge in the last few decades of the 20th century. 

Yet just like the era of power Manchester was always blighted by areas of poverty and today social deprivation and powerful subcultures have emerged.  Therefore, gangs have fought over the drug trade and other areas of crime in Manchester. 

This notably applies to Cheetham Hill (I went to school in Cheetham Hill), Longsight, Moss Side and Salford gangs.  In recent times new ethnic gangs have moved in and Pakistani gangs have a clear advantage because of the links to heroin in Afghanistan and Pakistan. 

Gangs in Moss Side came from the Afro-Caribbean community or were mixed blood but Salford gangs were mainly white.  However, ethnicity was not an issue but protecting areas was and in Salford famous families were also instrumental and the set up was different.

Crime statistics in Manchester are well above the national average and areas like Ardwick, Ancoats, Benchill, Collyhurst, Harpurhey, Moston, Wythenshawe, and others; all have social deprivation issues alongside the areas of high gang activity which have already been mentioned.

Tokyo and the sex trade

Therefore, when I moved to Tokyo it was a welcome change to reside in a city which was free from high crime rates.  Of course the Japanese yakuza is based in many areas of Tokyo and you have Chinese gangs and others but overall the gang culture is structured.

Also, other factors behind crime or criminality in Manchester appear to be missing in Tokyo and most violence in Manchester takes place outside gang issues.  Petty violence and random attacks is the real cause for concern and the same applies to muggings or people breaking into your property. 

Tokyo was a million miles away in this area and despite having several cultural mishaps during my first stay in Tokyo I soon adapted to the changed environment. 

I remember walking around Harajuku and Shinjuku at night and not batting an eyelid about worrying about crime and being attacked.  I watched in amazement when so many young adults could go home at night without any fears and the same applied to when people accidently walked into each other.

Yes, you have pockets of deprivation in Tokyo and this applies to parts of Minami Senju, Sanya, and other areas; however, crime figures in Tokyo are very low and the fear of being mugged or a random attack of violence does not enter the radar.

However, one area which is different is the sex trade because the sex trade is very big in Tokyo and the choices available are vast.  More worrying, you have places where young girls, some aged 15, and I dare say sometimes younger; enter places whereby Japanese men watch them getting changed or they flash their panties and so forth.

The one reality of Tokyo is that amongst the neon lights and highly developed areas you have a budding sex trade which caters for chican (groping), normal prostitution, and a plethora of other options which are all connected to the sex trade.

In Manchester the sex trade also exists but not to the extent of Tokyo and the perverse nature of elements of the sex trade in Tokyo would not be tolerated in Manchester or throughout the United Kingdom in general because of legal factors.

Indeed, the sex trade in Manchester is often linked with drug addiction and it is a dangerous game to play.  I often walked home along Cheetham Hill Road at night and you have a red-light area close to the city centre and along this road until the shopping areas starts in full.

Ladies of the night in Cheetham Hill are involved in a dangerous trade and pimps control them.  This form of prostitution will exist to an extent in Tokyo but this is the main way in Manchester and ladies will be picked up and paid in cars and this clearly leaves them vulnerable and in danger.

This does not apply to Tokyo because the sex trade can be found in many parts of Tokyo and it is set amongst high quality buildings, wealthy areas and located within shopping districts and entertainment areas. 

In my article called Tokyo and the booming sex trade: the mirage of reality; I comment that “It is reported that the sex trade generates $15 billion dollars a year in Japan but it is not just the enormous money that it generates which is astonishing; it is the diversity on offer.  This applies to brothels which come under so many different names and this applies to image rooms, soaplands, pink salons, delivery health, and a vast number of names and services are provided.”

“Therefore, you can easily visit a fake train carriage and grope ladies in your “chikan heaven” or you can buy used panties at vending machines or visit a place and pick married women and so much more.”

Also, it is clear that young females are in demand and once more Tokyo caters for young girls who range from being around 15 or a little younger and they will be paid to sit or talk amongst themselves while flashing their panties to the paying adult males.

This type of vice would not be tolerated in Manchester but the nature of Tokyo, and Japan, appears to be “anything goes” providing the money is not visibly being given for sexual favors openly. 

Anti-prostitution laws are vague in Japan and the same applies to the sex trade because while distribution of child pornography is a criminal offence the same does not apply to watching videos of children being abused in the comfort of your own home. 

The seedy side of Tokyo is one issue but when it involves minors then you would think that the police would be pro-active.  However, while the police may want to do more the legal system ties their hands and it is the political leadership and the legal system which is to be blamed for allowing this in Japan.

Sarah Noorbakhsh states that “Girls in uniform, some as young as 15, sit sprawled out on the floor of a small room, chatting or reading books. Skirts are rolled high, some have their legs folded up against their chest, and none the girls give much notice to the fact that their colorful panties are on display–to the paying customers in the next room.”

It is clear that the police are having trouble in stopping this because the legal system is so vague and open to many loopholes.  Therefore, the main hope is the breaking of labour laws because child protection laws appear to be ineffectual.

Sarah Noorbakhsh continues by stating that the“Police are attempting to target the clubs to curtail this new expansion into the fuzokuindustry. Club “Yokohama Mambo” was investigated by police last month in an attempt to press child welfare laws against the venue, but because the girls are free to come and go as they please, the law wasn’t applicable. Authorities finally landed upon the Labor Standards Act, as it stipulates youth may not work in places that are hazardous from a hygienic or social welfare standpoint. They hope to investigate similar premises under the same law.”

The seedy side of Tokyo was unknown to my childhood in Manchester because the sex trade and images of young teenagers is potent within Japanese culture and this certainly applies to the booming sex trade of Tokyo.  

This thought pattern did not exist in my native Manchester and while the sex trade exists it is not prominent and based in every major district of Manchester.  However, in Tokyo the sex trade is visible in parts of Ikebukuro, Shinjuku, Ueno, and recently it is increasing in Shibuya and you also have other areas outside of the major areas of Tokyo where the sex trade flourishes.

Of course different cultures and laws throughout the world will have different thought patterns and in Islamic nations like Saudi Arabia old men can marry young girls of eight and nine years of age. This also happens in Yemen and other Islamic nations where Sharia Islamic law is powerful.

Despite the violent side of Manchester being a reality I can at least understand this but why men are allowed to watch young girls or you can view child images in your own home without fear; even when the images are extreme; then I can’t fathom why this is allowed. The same applies to Islamic nations like Saudi Arabia allowing old men to marry children and all in the name of Islam.

Elements of the seedy side of Tokyo are meeting a high demand and prostitution and the sex trade is thousands of years old and Tokyo will not be unique.  However, it is a clash of culture to seeing it so prevalent within the culture and the plethora of options is mind boggling to my upbringing in inner-city Manchester.

However, for Tokyoites the violence of inner-city Manchester and drug related issues will also be mind boggling. 

Of course, Manchester is also a great city and you have many areas which make me proud and this applies to past history, the recent music scene and the richness of sport in my hometown.

Similarly, Tokyo is an amazing city which is ultra modern and the fashion scene is amongst the best in the world.  Also, Tokyo is an economic powerhouse and this city is rich in culture. 

Yet the one side that I fail to understand is the seedy nature of this city which caters for groping women on “fantasy trains” or watching young girls showing their panties and so forth.

Sarah Noorbakhsh – “Fuzoku lite: “Aquarium of girls” offers thrills for herbivore men 

http://www.japansubculture.com/2011/05/fuzoku-lite-aquarium-of-girls-offers-thrills-for-herbivore-men/

Please visit http://www.japansubculture.com for more articles.

http://factsanddetails.com/japan.php?itemid=672&catid=19&subcatid=127

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com

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Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

image room

If you reside in Tokyo or visit this highly developed city then on the surface it appears that peacefulness abounds and that Tokyo is conservative.  However, the truth could not be further because the sex trade is flourishing and it is either in the open or hidden from sight.

Buzzing parts of Tokyo like Ikebukuro are full of seedy love hotels and you have so many diverse places to visit within the vast compass of the sex trade.  Now Shibuya is becoming engulfed by the sex trade and you have countless websites, sexual matching services, and so forth; which is mainly aimed at the domestic market.

What is more surprising is that many buildings may look normal from the outside and it appears that only trade is happening or only usual companies exist.  However, this is not the case and so much remains hidden and is discreet.

Of course you get “red light areas” and open images of sexy ladies in parts of Ikebukuro, Ueno, Shinjuku, and other parts of Tokyo; however, many other parts of the sex trade looks highly respectable and it would be difficult to imagine the reality of what is really happening.

In up market Ginza you have the legendary “Ginza ladies” and you will see enjo kosai because many bankers and financial workers with high salaries work in Ginza, Nihonbashi, and Yurakcho.  Therefore, money is awash and given the availability of so many beautiful ladies and high rolling businessmen; then obviously a powerful market exists.

I have lived in Manchester and London, and other major cities. However, while you have pockets of the sex trade in both cities is does not compare with Tokyo.  Indeed, you have “used panty” vending machines in some areas of the sex trade in Tokyo and it is difficult to image such a thing in England.

It is reported that the sex trade generates $15 billion dollars a year in Japan but it is not just the enormous money that it generates which is astonishing; it is the diversity on offer.  This applies to brothels which come under so many different names and this applies to image rooms, soaplands, pink salons, delivery health, and a vast number of names and services are provided.

Therefore, you can easily visit a fake train carriage and grope ladies in your “chikan heaven” or you can buy used panties at vending machines or visit a place and pick married women and so much more.

Not only this, you have seedy love hotels all over Tokyo and throughout Japan.  Not all love hotels are seedy and many are used by lovers or married couples who have problems with meeting.  This applies to living with parents for the younger generation or couples who have children and little privacy.

Yet in places like Ikebukuro you can meet a lady for sex outside either the local police station or wherever you want.  After all, the police tend to leave people alone and then you can visit an abundance of seedy love hotels.

Not only this, many love hotels on the west side of Ikebukuro are within the residential area and clearly shame is not an issue.  Therefore, I often see ladies dressed in long black leggings, short skirts and looking very sexy and it is abundantly clear that the older male or similar aged male is neither a boyfriend or their marriage partner.

Everything seems so natural and nobody appears to care therefore you can rent places for a few hours and then leave.  Everything is tailor made for the sex industry to flourish and enjo kosai is also powerful.

Some pink establishments cater to the whims of their clients and are open 24 hours a day. Also, some pink establishments provide alibis to wives who provide a sexual service and the same applies to mothers and girlfriends.   

Despite anti-prostitutions laws in Japan the police have adopted a relaxed approach and they rarely intervene.  Also, it is clear that language manipulation is allowed and even illegal sexual joints are left alone in the main.

Japanese female sex trade workers are a little unique because the underclass is very small in Japan and drug abuse is still minor when compared to nations like America or Iran.  Therefore, most ladies come from middle class backgrounds and you have many housewives involved in the sex trade or very young adult teens are involved in enjo kosai.

In places like Kabukicho in Tokyo it is clear that Chinese gangs have become involved in the sex trade and the Japanese yakuza appear to have separate zones of influence within the sex trade.

Foreign women sex workers often face brutal conditions because they were either tricked into prostitution and many have been forced into the sex trade.  Many reside in terrible conditions and Japanese immigration appears to care little about this fact and if they run away to the police in Japan then they face deportation.

Turning back to internal sex trade workers in Tokyo then the Yoshiwara district is famous for soapland workers and the same applies to pink salons and delivery health services. 

Pink salons applies to ladies dressed with little on and performing oral sex in areas where the lights are low; and this business is flourishing.  Health applies to places where you partake in nude bathing with a sexy lady or sexual services are provided but not full intercourse.  Therefore, “health” denotes being a place where sexual diseases can be prevented and this is aimed at reassuring the client.

Image rooms is what it sounds like and Japanese men in Tokyo can visit fake crowded subways in order to grope and touch ladies or they can be in a specially designed car and fulfill their dream. 

Some ladies in image rooms will dress up like nurses, school girls, waitresses, manga characters, and so forth.  You also have “baby play” whereby willing customers fulfill their desire to be in a diaper and treated like a baby and of course given the sexual nature, then breast feeding is an added cost.

S and M clubs are also popular amongst salarymen, company bigwigs, bureaucrats and other types of employment and you can also find dominatrix clubs.

Sexual cabaret clubs are based in many parts of Tokyo and you have “no-pan shabu restaurants” where waitresses have no panties on and very short skirts and for a strong tip they will bend over for the client or clients.

Indeed, Japanese men have a thing about food and women because you have “kaitzenzushi kuabakura” which is a combination of fast food and a sex club.  This applies to young ladies being dressed like chiefs and they will expose their breasts and let you fondle them.

Sex is main-stream and Japan’s largest video rental chain, Tsutaya, provides vast numbers of new releases each month of new porn films.  Of course, in the same shop you will find children buying Mickey Mouse films.

If you want to compare the sex trade with America then remember that in America you have around 300 million people compared to 127 million people in Japan.  However, despite this, in America they produce 2,500 new porn videos a year but in Japan it is roughly 14,000 videos. 

If you maximize this with the population then the ratio would be 2,500 in America to well over 30,000 a year in Japan.

In truth, you have an abundance of areas where the sex trade flourishes and you also have only women sex shops whereby they can pick sexual aides or videos to suit their needs.

Tokyo may seem like a gentle and tranquil city where crime is very low and everything looks rather conservative.  However, in Tokyo, and throughout Japan, the sex trade business is thriving and the array of services is huge and this is all backed up by a police force which cares little and laws which have little meaning.

Yet, true to the nature of Tokyo it happens without the feel of danger or that it is upsetting the balance within this highly developed and beautiful city.

Therefore, the Japanese way of “compromise” is working because nearly every area of Tokyo is highly developed, very clean and drug issues are minor and the crime rate is very low.

In truth, you will not find a more highly developed city than Tokyo in the world which is buzzing with energy and where the infrastructure works. Also, negative social issues like crime and drugs are very low and the quality of life is very high.

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com

http://moderntokyotimes.com

Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

chikan and imekura – image clubs

The problem of Chikan (female groping on a train) in Tokyo is nothing new and the same applies to other areas in Japan which are highly populated and where the train system is jam pact.  However, the amount of cases in Tokyo is famously high because the train system is full to capacity in the rush hour period and from 5pm onwards.  Therefore, men who do chikan have ample opportunities in order to molest and touch females discreetly.

Every year thousands of men are arrested for groping ladies on public trains in Japan and in Tokyo many high school young girls also state that they have been groped.  Therefore, the problem of chikan is mainly an issue for young female teenagers, ladies in their twenties and thirties and occasionally towards ladies who are a little older.

The chikan situation is very complex because some men also claim to be victims and this applies to women who may be gang affiliated or have individual money motives.  Therefore, extortion rackets can happen but this is a minority issue within the thousands of men who have been caught.

More seriously, some men claim to be victims because in recent times the police and judiciary are clamping down on chikan but this means that some innocents will be caught amongst the majority who are guilty.

After all, sometimes it could be an innocent mistake because of sudden movements on the train.  Also, because trains are so busy then bodies will naturally bump into one another and nothing is black and white in every case.

This is not to underestimate this serious issue because you will have thousands of victims every year and the psychological impact will vary for each female. Also, groping is a serious crime when proven against the defendant and something needs to be done in order to protect female passengers.

However, chikan is also part and parcel of the sex trade and you will have many women making money from sexual videos, photos, and sex clubs whereby you have a false train carriage (imekura – image clubs). Therefore, men can look or touch ladies in order to fulfill a sexual fantasy and this is done with the aid of ladies who earn money from the sex trade. 

Depending on your view about sex and the sex trade then these individuals will either be deemed perverts or a sad reality about aspects of human nature which exists throughout the world.

It must be remembered that drug issues are minor in Japan and the unemployment rate is very low.  Also, while poverty exists in pockets, Japan is relatively rich and the majority of ladies who are being paid in order to fill the image of “the sexual molester” have chosen freely to make money from this type of work.

For example, many ladies who have entered the sex trade in the United Kingdom and America have done so because of drug addiction issues and other factors related to abuse, poverty, and other related issues.

Therefore, on the one hand you have female victims who have been abused on trains and this is a serious issue.  Yet, on the other hand you have women making money and fulfilling the sexual fantasy of men who are chikan.  However, while some men may be satisfied by touching ladies while paying money via false train carriages; it is apparent that for other men then this will not be enough because chikan is based on being discreet and not knowing the victim.

Given this fact, then some ladies in the sex trade will be adding to the problem of women on trains because some men will still not be satisfied by fake rail carriages and their urge may increase further.

It must be stated that for some people they will blame men either way because if men did not have these sexual impulses then chikan nor the sex trade would be an issue in society.

However, history tells us that the sex trade is part and parcel of aspects of human nature.  This does not imply everyone but it is obvious that the sex trade is a powerful factor within many nations; the degree may vary but it will be somewhere.

Also, the reasons why men do chikan will be complex and for some men it may be a stress mechanism from the stress of work.  For others it will be sexual impulses which have happened on the spur of the moment or it might be part of their criminal nature when it comes to molesting women.

The factors will be complex and the same applies to some women making money from this well known reality in Tokyo. 

You also have more dangerous cases of groups of men who are involved in chikan and for these individuals it is important to increase the prison sentence because this is magnifying the problem and the fear factor to extremes.  Therefore, all group cases should face a severe prison sentence.

In Tokyo and other cities you have all female carriages during the early morning rush hour but at night then the majority of train companies do not provide this service.  This system needs to be changed because drunkenness is also another factor and it seems strange to have a one carriage system in the morning but not between 5pm and the early hours of the morning.

Busy trains - all female carriages

After all, nearly all train lines are full in central Tokyo and the same applies to leaving Tokyo and going to other prefectures like Chiba, Saitama, and Kanagawa.  Therefore, you need more female carriages in Tokyo that cover a wide part of the day.

Installations of camera’s on trains, a police crackdown, greater awareness campaigns, and viewing chikan to be a serious crime is now factual in Tokyo and throughout Japan.

However, imekura (image clubs) is also factual and the same applies to groups of men meeting and paying ladies to practice their sexual desires and to enhance their techniques.

Also, the clampdown against chikan will also lead to male victims because of zealous police officers and train staff; and you will have false allegations where women are involved in trying to embezzle money out of a hapless victim. Or some females may have overacted to what really happened and you will have other grounds.

This may be a minor problem to the overall issue of Chikan in Tokyo and throughout Japan; however, innocents also need to be protected from scams and false allegations.

Also, many women who work at imekura clubs or who are pandering to male fantasies are also part of the problem.  Yes, it may be men who are paying to visit imekura clubs and if it wasn’t for men paying for sex or buying videos of chikan role play, and so forth; then you would have no sex trade.

However, some women also exploit their bodies in order to make money out of men and in Japan poverty, drug addiction, and other social negatives; are minor factors in the sex trade.

Criminality of yakuza gangs is a different story because some women are trapped into joining the sex trade and foreign workers also suffer greatly because their rights in Japan do not exist because they don’t have citizenship rights.

Chikan will continue to exist in Tokyo for the foreseeable future and the same applies to other parts of Japan.

In truth, chikan is complex and even the all female train carriage can lead to other problems because for men who do chikan; then they may view other ladies who do not enter these carriages to be “fair game.”

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com

http://moderntokyotimes.com

Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

nobuyoshi araki

All major cities will have a seedy side because it appears to be laden within many people and since time and memorial sex simply sells. I have resided in big cities like London, Paris, Manchester, Brno, and many more, however, it is noticeable that Tokyo does provide many places, both seen and unseen, where the sex trade flourishes.

In fact, I would view myself to be prudish when compared with certain subcultures in Tokyo or given the prevalence; then I could add that it is cultural or at least it is tolerated within the culture. 

I am no liberal but some things simply amaze me and embarrassment, shame, hiding reality, and so forth; does not enter the equation.  Therefore, it is not rare to see a young female leaving a seedy love hotel in the afternoon alongside her elderly client  (sometimes the client may not be so old) and things like enjo kosai (compensated dating) are visible.

Not all enjo kosai is based on sex but it often leads to this and just like the complex nature of love hotels, whereby some are used by the sex trade but others are used by lovers; then it is important not to generalize and many Tokyoites will be very conservative.

However, Nobuyoshi Araki goes much further because this famous photographer opens up a Tokyo which is often neglected or not imagined.  He also fuses his photography with the landscape of Tokyo amidst naked bodies or ladies being tied up and his imagery is clearly powerful.

nobuyoshi araki

Therefore, Nobuyoshi Araki is also focusing on the emptiness of entertainment districts and the sex industry; albeit from an erotic human form and the energy and visual nature of his photography expresses many emotions.

Like any artist; people will see different things within his photography and while some people will gain from his works others may reject him on various grounds.  However, if you look deeper into his work then Nobuyoshi Araki is providing a real glimpse into a Tokyo which exists and not only this, he does this by creating a rare energy within simplistic and complex themes.

In the 1980s Nobuyoshi Araki brought to light the reality of Kabukicho to the whole world and this district of Shinjuku did have a genuine seedy side to it.  He published a book titled “Tokyo Lucky Hole” and I myself came across this book in a famous bookshop in Manchester, England.

At the time I had never been to Tokyo and the photos that he produced in this book were amazing in my eyes because it was something that I had not expected.  It could have been that I was naïve or that traditional Japanese culture was embedded in my head from the images that I had seen on television in England.

However, after looking at religious art in Japan and then viewing his book, “Tokyo Lucky Hole;” then I can certainly say that his photography represents a Tokyo culture which is factual and exists; but the religious art imagery in the other book did not represent the Tokyo that I know.

In American culture Andy Warhol challenged many individuals with both his art and thinking.  However, when I think about Nobuyoshi Araki then his work seems much more real and I can learn something because he makes many images seem natural despite the sexual nature of the pose by the individual in the photograph.

nobuyoshi araki

Nobuyoshi Araki also provides nostalgia and he commented about this by stating that “In a way, I guess so. People say photography should try to avoid being nostalgic, but I simply say photographs are nostalgic. The meaning of nostalgia for me is not sad memories or something that has disappeared; not just memories. For me nostalgia is like the warmth in a mother’s belly.”

Irrespective of your thinking about his work or if you desire to trivialize Nobuyoshi Araki or lump him with negative statements; I firmly believe that just like the Beatles remind you of the swinging sixties then Nobuyoshi Araki does the same for aspects of Tokyo culture.

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com

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