Are the Japanese interested in looking at your pretty blue eyes?Not really, unless they're sneaking looks without me noticing! Once a woman tried to make her toddler interested in my blue eyes, but the kid couldn't have cared less. I think maybe they are much more interested in blonde hair.
And, have you seen any cute guys lately?
I saw a really good-looking guy on the train on Sunday night! He had really pretty eyes - really light brown. He might have been yakuza though! I thought he was a businessman, but then I noticed his sleeve was rolled up just enough to show a glimpse of a big tattoo on his arm. Just because someone has a tattoo doesn't necessarily mean that they're part of the mafia, but tattoos are associated strongly enough with the yakuza that it's always a possibility. In general, tattoos are becoming more prevalent here, especially with younger generations, but there is still a stigma. And there are a lot of places you can't go if you have a tattoo - public baths, hot springs, water parks. My local amusement park has huge signs saying that you can't come in if you have a tattoo, even if it's just a fake one. Anyway, whatever he was, he was pretty hot (I don't really think he was yakuza, it just reminded me I'd been meaning to talk about the tattoo stigma here).
I also saw a lot of cute Brazilian guys earlier that day! I ended up checking out a Brazilian festival in Yoyogi Park for a little while. It was fun! I could enjoy good music and grilled pineapple and good-looking guys! And on my way out of the park, I could also enjoy watching the rockabilly tribe doing their thing. They are a dying breed; apparently they've been around for decades, but there are just a few of them left. But they still dance in Yoyogi Park every Sunday! An odd Tokyo subculture, but an entertaining one! Enjoy the vid. After I mentioned the tattoo thing, you'll probably notice a few here, especially on one dude. Probably not a yakuza thing in this case; tattoos are maybe more common on someone who has set themselves up as an outsider by participating in a subculture like this.
That grilled pineapple looks so yummy!! Those Tokyo Rockabilly guys are sure strange - no wonder they are a dying breed. It seems like lots of people watch them though, and several with cameras (just like you). And, why didn't you get any pics of those cute Brazilians? :-)
ReplyDeleteSorry, the cute Brazilians were just random dudes hanging around in the crowd, and I would have felt weird trying to surreptitiously snap pics of them.
ReplyDeleteThe rockabilly thing is strange, but I think interesting to watch. They do draw a crowd, but it really feels a lot of the time like they're in their own world, just doing their thing. And they look like they're enjoying themselves!
And the pineapple was so so delicious. It smelled so good when I walked by - you could smell it even over the meat smell! - that I had to get some.
Whoa! Rockabilly! I am a fan!!! They reminded me of the Thunderbirds in "Grease." :) A couple of those rockabilly dudes were anorexic-skinny, though - yikes. I appreciate their free-spiritedness to do this in the middle of the park - though I'd guess they do appreciate the attention, even if they are operating mainly in their own rockabilly world.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your mom - the pineapple looked amazing. YUM!
We were in Hawaii when Jacob was about 3 years old, and while waiting for a bus to come a group of Japanese people came and congregated around us. They couldn't stop looking at Jacob with his very blonde hair and blue eyes! One of the elderly ladies came over and stood right next to him and smiled and stayed there like he was a good luck charm! It was so funny!! :)
ReplyDeleteThe thing about the tattoos is very interesting, but I totally get it!
Brazilian men sound exotic...and that pineapple looks delicious!!
Your blog entries are very interesting and entertaining! Keep them coming!! :)