Quote from tazman0208

2. Do public bathouses/hot springs exist in Japan with the same image that is portrayed in anime and manga?

Well, aside from peeping toms (it's not really a big problem in bath houses/onsens), it's pretty much spot on. First, people rinse in this sort of communal area (the place you see in anime where people sit in small stools and scrub each other's backs), then everyone goes to the springs itself. There's a small towel you can take with you, but other than that---and I'm sure people are wondering---YES, you're 100% nude. Though it's not such a big deal in a Japanese onsen because, well, everyone else is. 😀
I actually thought I wouldn't be able to do it (while I was on the bus I had this endless litany of "never, never, NEVER!!), but when you're there you'd feel so stupid cause...it's not such a big deal. It's only embarrassing if people think it's embarrassing, and clearly they don't.

[img]http://img.userbars.pl/69/13603.gif[/img]

Quote from Razril

Quote from tazman0208

2. Do public bathouses/hot springs exist in Japan with the same image that is portrayed in anime and manga?

Well, aside from peeping toms (it's not really a big problem in bath houses/onsens), it's pretty much spot on. First, people rinse in this sort of communal area (the place you see in anime where people sit in small stools and scrub each other's backs), then everyone goes to the springs itself. There's a small towel you can take with you, but other than that---and I'm sure people are wondering---YES, you're 100% nude. Though it's not such a big deal in a Japanese onsen because, well, everyone else is. 😀
I actually thought I wouldn't be able to do it (while I was on the bus I had this endless litany of "never, never, NEVER!!), but when you're there you'd feel so stupid cause...it's not such a big deal. It's only embarrassing if people think it's embarrassing, and clearly they don't.

wiki knows all

Quote from x0mbiec0rp

Quote from tazman0208

Ok two more questions coming up:

1. What is skinship really? does it exist in Japan?
2. Do public bathouses/hot springs exist in Japan with the same image that is portrayed in anime and manga?

I can answer number one. Skinship is the combination of the words skin and kinship, and is bonding with children through a close relationship with physical contact by their family. This sort of bonding is most prevalent during the infancy and toddler stages, and typically begins to decline as the child reaches adolescence. It has nothing to do with incest or child molestation. However, sometimes the word is misused to represent that sort of relationship. I imagine in Japan it's just as common a practice as anywhere else.

Yeah what I mean is in anime and manga it always seems that people who are close (in Japan) bathe together and scrub each others back and what not. Now I know that there are limits but where is the line drawn? within a family or is among close friends OK? Or is all this purely a fictional manga and anime phenomenon.

[img]http://dragcave.net/image/HbYb.gif[/img] [img]http://dragcave.net/image/PpOf.gif[/img]

Very interesting topic...
Ive been wanting to go to japan for a long time now, so ive looked up most of the things
mentioned here, but i`m still very intersted in hearing
them. 😀

Ok, here is a question too.
I`ve heard from a friend of mine that japanese people
are so overconsuming that they actually throw things
like a tv or stereo away just to buy a newer model.
So you can find stuff almost new in garbage.
Is this true??

B.T.W
Yuna cosplay is a masterpiece, thx for uploading the photos
Razril.
(P.S. Is the haruhi cosplay a guy or is it my idea??)
Edit:
Wow the floor statue of sephiroth is epic !!!

Edit2:
Oh almost forgot, i ve read a long time ago in a game magazine, that Dragon Warrior(/Quest) games arent
allowed to be released on work days because
many people left their works to go buy it!
Has anyone ever heard of this? i wonder...

Mittsu no kokoro ga hitotsu ni nareba...
Hitotsu no seigi wa hyakuman pawaa.

• Getter Robo -

I think that's only the well off people. Most of the families I know try to economize as much as possible, even going so far as to reuse rubber band from things they buy.

[img]http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj56/Spanky858/Avis/1226195917014-1.jpg[/img]

Quote from Razril

As promised, here's a few pictures I took of Akihabara during my most recent visit to Japan (around 6 months ago). Look at the hordes of geeks. XD Especially the ones around the girl in the Yuna cosplay. XD Most of the girls in cosplay are working (promoting stores, products, etc.)

[url]http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v31/shuro/Akihabara/[/url]

The ugh 40+ year old men taking pictures of these hot babes is kinda scary.... Is it true that people actually cosplay in order to get customers to their stores? And are there really cosplay cafes around (ie. NHK and Lucky Star).

Yes. Cosplay is a common lure to attempt to get people to enter your stores, although it's significantly more common in Akihabara than anywhere else. Cosplay and maid cafes do exist.

The 40+ year old men that stand in convenience stores and read porn magazines are more scary, I think.

[img]http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt122/Wthuh/CrenshiSig.jpg[/img]
Reviews of my Work:
You are kind of boring - Blackorion
Congratulations! Ur an asshole! - tokyo_homi
**Your awesome!!! **- Cherelle_Ashley
NightSwan also said that she wanted to peg me, once, but I'm not sure whether to take that as a compliment or a threat...

Quote from Crenshinibon

Yes. Cosplay is a common lure to attempt to get people to enter your stores, although it's significantly more common in Akihabara than anywhere else. Cosplay and maid cafes do exist.

The 40+ year old men that stand in convenience stores and read porn magazines are more scary, I think.

U mean they dont have the decency to read it in the private of their own home?

Quote from funkmu1

Quote from Crenshinibon

Yes. Cosplay is a common lure to attempt to get people to enter your stores, although it's significantly more common in Akihabara than anywhere else. Cosplay and maid cafes do exist.

The 40+ year old men that stand in convenience stores and read porn magazines are more scary, I think.

U mean they dont have the decency to read it in the private of their own home?

Well, we got the term "perverted old man" from japan and master roshi from DB

[img]http://i29.tinypic.com/sliolf.gif[/img]
Gizdiću, ne čitaj mi postove, degenu jedan!!

Quote from funkmu1

Quote from Crenshinibon

Yes. Cosplay is a common lure to attempt to get people to enter your stores, although it's significantly more common in Akihabara than anywhere else. Cosplay and maid cafes do exist.

The 40+ year old men that stand in convenience stores and read porn magazines are more scary, I think.

U mean they dont have the decency to read it in the private of their own home?

Well, I'm exaggerating a little, it's not exactly the most common thing in the world, but I have seen several people do that, and not just old men. It's like the people that read manga in the store, you just don't pay. There's a sort of slang word for it in Japanese, but I've forgotten it at the moment.

[img]http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt122/Wthuh/CrenshiSig.jpg[/img]
Reviews of my Work:
You are kind of boring - Blackorion
Congratulations! Ur an asshole! - tokyo_homi
**Your awesome!!! **- Cherelle_Ashley
NightSwan also said that she wanted to peg me, once, but I'm not sure whether to take that as a compliment or a threat...

I have one. In alot of anime I see the kids wearing gym uniforms. For the guys, its pretty much the same as it is in America: t-shirt and gym shorts. However for the girls its almost always a t-shirt what looks like a bikini bottom. Is that really the case? At first I thought it was fan service but I've seen it so much that now I wonder if its really like that. But it seems so wild that its hard for me to believe it.

sickvisionz.tumblr.com

Quote from Mr. sickVisionz

I have one. In alot of anime I see the kids wearing gym uniforms. For the guys, its pretty much the same as it is in America: t-shirt and gym shorts. However for the girls its almost always a t-shirt what looks like a bikini bottom. Is that really the case? At first I thought it was fan service but I've seen it so much that now I wonder if its really like that. But it seems so wild that its hard for me to believe it.

Brits wear them too i think.... uhh knickers? Dunno. Anyway no real diff from the american girl gym shorts. The americna girl gymshorts just have slight, ever so slight legs and are just as tight.

Cosplay cafe's exist, and not just in Japan. I heard there's atleast one in New York. And what the girl's are often seen wearing in anime and manga are called bloomers. Don't know how often they are used nowadays in Japan though, but I can tell you I've never seen anyone in America use them. Ever.

Sarcasm just doesn't work over the internet.

I've never seen any outfit like that being the official uniform over here in the states. But, I did only goto black schools and if you made black girls dress like that gym class would be like a rap video with booty everywhere.

I saw a cosplay picture of someone in an outfit like that and the bottoms were more like biker shorts and not bikini bottoms. That one makes more sense. Thanks for the reply.

sickvisionz.tumblr.com

Quote from tazman0208

Now I know that there are limits but where is the line drawn? within a family or is among close friends OK? Or is all this purely a fictional manga and anime phenomenon.

The thing is, when you're inside an onsen it doesn't really matter. Like I said, no one makes a big deal out of it. It's not like people are thinking: "oh, I wonder if it's okay if I ask her to scrub my back? Would she find it offensive?"
Even normal friends can scrub each other's backs (as long as you feel comfortable with them), doesn't matter if you've known each other for a month or for a year, just as family members (of the same sex) can. There's really no clear line drawn. Unless, of course, it's a stranger. XD

Quote from smichal

I`ve heard from a friend of mine that japanese people are so overconsuming that they actually throw things like a tv or stereo away just to buy a newer model.

I'd say it's somewhat true, just not as exaggerated as people think. Of course they just don't throw away their TV sets right after they see a new model coming out. But yes, some (not all) people do throw sofas and TV sets away (even if it's still working), when it's like 5 years old and they want to buy a new model already.
This comes from the fact that in Japan, if you're throwing out something big (like a bike or a tv), you'd actually have to PAY for its disposal. Since that's such a hassle, some people would just rather put their old wares out in front of their houses hoping that someone else will find a good use for them and take them.
I'm sure next year, this is going to get more prevalent, cause beginning 2009 (or was it 2010?!), Japanese broadcasting stations will switch from analog to digital programming---so everyone has to buy new TVs.

Quote from smichal

Wow the floor statue of sephiroth is epic !!!

Yeah!! Isn't it?! XD And you're welcome. 😛 I can't believe you actually browsed through the other albums. ^^

Quote from funkmu1

Is it true that people actually cosplay in order to get customers to their stores? And are there really cosplay cafes around

Yes, they do. But it's more prevalent in Akihabara than anything---cause that's where all the major manga/anime stores are. The only cosplay cafe I've seen was also in Akihabara. Girls dressed in maid attire and greet you with "okaeri, goshujin-sama!" (welcome home, master!)

Harajuku, just because I said I would: [url]http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v31/shuro/Harajuku/[/url]
Gosh...I almost blend in. XD

[img]http://img.userbars.pl/69/13603.gif[/img]