Every day, women from all over the globe make a conscious decision to put their best face forward, using cosmetics and clothing to show society how beautiful they are. In Japan, the effort to improve appearance remains the same but the desired result is somewhat different. It’s all about being ‘kawaii’ or in English, cute.

This look, while not widely promoted or respected in other countries, definitely has its fair share of devotees with Japanese men standing proudly at the forefront.

This slant on aesthetics was clearly identified when, in 2007, Riyo Mori (representing Japan) won the Miss Universe competition. However, was she acknowledged? Briefly. Was she a household name? Definitely not. Was she ever considered to be the common man’s dream girl? Astoundingly, no. In the days following the competition, Japanese reporters took to the streets and asked the ‘average man’ if Miss Universe was their type. The answer invariably was that she simply wasn’t cute enough. If the winner of a major beauty contest doesn’t get the nod (or glint in the eye) from the male population of her own country, something is amiss.

Understanding this obsession, most young Japanese women seeking the attention of the opposite sex are appealing to and often exploiting this ‘kawaii’ penchant. This is where things get interesting. When done simply, ‘the look’ often delivers the desired effect and gets the wearer noticed. When taken to the next level, with a touch of ’sexy’ added to the mix, the result can be devastating, often leaving the observer somewhat embarassed. This embarassment usually stems from the male observer trying to look cool while failing to recall his own name and undoubtedly made worse when he forgets how to correctly prevent drool from escaping the corner of his mouth.

However, this kind of influence over the opposite sex doesn’t come about easily, it takes training. ‘Kawaii’ training and the study of its accompanying doctrine is a long and arduous journey, starting early in life. It even has several militaristic similarities to it, namely the uniform of the season (currently very short skirts, thigh high stockings and ridiculously high heels) and the ‘cute salute’ (peace gesture), recognisable to anyone who has seen a photo of a Japanese female with her friends.

The training, while difficult, is nothing when compared to the level of commitment required for its real world application. At work, especially in the retail sector, women are encouraged to raise the pitch of their everyday speaking voices to that of Minnie Mouse after inhaling about a hundred balloons worth of helium. At work a deferential attitude to men is given, even to those of a lesser standing. Socially, women willfully feign ignorance, naivety and worse still stupidity. They will go to amusement parks and game centres, use the batting cages, play tennis, volleyball and basketball all while wearing 6 inch heels (this is hilarious to watch), all for the sake of ‘kawaii’.

In Japan, the idea of merely dabbling with beliefs, hobbies and interests is seen in a somewhat negative light. As such, people tend to be polarised in their level of dedication. They are either hardcore or no core. It is the same for ‘kawaii’. Whilst some of the elements of ‘kawaii’ aren’t exactly my cup of tea, I’m more than happy to encourage others to strive for their own goals. It’s just an added bonus that this time I get to enjoy the view.

Therefore I say:

Power be to the hardcore ‘kawaii’!

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Good vibes, happy faces, ringing ears, hangovers and a subconcious reminder that I need another haircut, all stemmed from an atypical source in Japan, an evening of live music.

Japan, unfortunately, isn’t well known abroad for its local music scene and as such, does nothing to inspire foreigners to check out the live performances available to them when they arrive here. So the usual way (If at all) for foreigners to find out about these performances is to be invited by Japanese friends that are ‘in the know’. I fall into this category as well. I have one man to thank for my enlightenment about Japanese live music and that is my friend and frontman for the metal band ‘Scarlet Garden’, Kazu. Without his inside knowledge and urging, I would never have even considered going to see a local act. This would have indeed been my loss.

The evening at Kinoto in Shibuya, consisted of several bands playing an array of ‘metal’ styles and admittedly I normally wouldn’t have listened to them even if I had the songs on my iPod. However, it was each band’s performance that made the evening a success. To see the effort put in by the musicians and their followers, you couldn’t help but feel the energy in the room. This is what makes live music so amazingly enjoyable.

I’m happy to acknowledge that my own experience in this area is extremely limited, but after witnessing live local music for the first time since I left Australia, I feel the need to satiate this longing for live performances. I need to see more. This brings about my greatest dilemma, what to see, where to go and how much do I need to shell out for it?

Where do you find the info about the smaller bands and venues in Tokyo or elsewhere in Japan?

What bands and venues have you visited recently?

Happiness is a fishbowl of beer. It almost sounds Zen. While I strongly doubt this one appears in the sacred texts and scriptures, I could imagine Salarymen chanting it religiously after work in the ritualistic event known as, ‘drink with your boss and colleagues in an izakaya until you pass out or the last train comes’. An event that is held nightly here in Japan.

The plight of the Salarymen has been a true source of fascination and disbelief for those looking from the outsde in. Most foreign observers (myself included) are frequently astounded by what is expected of and accepted by the many workers of this country. Ridiculously long hours, unnecessary meetings, strict adherence to the kohai/sempai (junior/senior) relationship, promotions based upon seniority as opposed to talent and ability and many other seemingly idiotic business practices are the norm here.

Many foreigners that have taken the leap into this world report that it is commonplace for them to be subjected to several morning meetings, usually a department level followed by a section level. In these meetings nothing is open for debate or discussion, as the meeting is solely used to make sure that everyone is ‘on the same page’ and aware of the decision that has been made prior to the meeting. Other points of noted frustration come from the ‘workers can’t leave before the boss’ ideology. This is where workers can be seen scurrying around the office well after business hours, frantically shuffling papers while in reality, they are simply putting on a song and dance trying to look busy until the boss ‘graciously’ decides to call it a night.

Once ‘time’ has been called on the office part of the working day, it is usually on to the next stage of obligated work, the ‘after hours drinking spectacular’. This peer group pressure congregation serves two major purposes and is a necessary and seemingly integral part of Japanese business. The first purpose is somewhat therapeutic as it allows workers to unwind from the pressures of the day by cleansing their souls (and weary bodies) with copious amounts of alcohol. The second provides a twisted and admittedly weak form of ‘checks and balances’ on superiors and management. Under the pretext of drunkeness, these events constitute the only real time a suboardinate can openly question or even criticise a superior. At such times, it is quite common to see some truly inspired acting. A previously paralytic individual that had been swaying from side to side and slurring his speech two seconds ago, will miraculously become clear eyed, poignant and direct about a specific topic of business. Once the point has been sufficiently fleshed out, they will return to their award winning performance as ‘about to park sushi lunch on my shoes’ guy. Fortunately for all involved, in the morning, behaviour from the previous night is forgiven and criticisms of management are conveniently forgotten.

This approach to work remains deeply entrenched in the culture but there are signs of change for the future. These winds of change are blowing from both abroad and within. To the chagrin of employers, the younger generations of workers are showing less ‘loyalty’ to their companies (Read: This job sucks, I’m going elsewhere) and less ‘team spirit’ (Read: I can’t stand those idiots in my office, I’m going drinking with my friends instead). Foreign businesses entering Japan also bring with them a differing corporate culture. A good example of this is Google. Their attitude toward flexible working hours and their aversion to the monkey suit (suit and tie), fly in the face of traditional corporate Japan.

Even though the revolution against the doctrine of old is in its infancy, the zealots for change are gaining momentum in their cause. This being said until the traditions of the old guard are thrown off, typical Japanese workers will have to practice Zen-like patience and chant sciptures in order to find true contentment with their lot in life. Repeat after me…,

‘Happiness is a fishbowl of beer’.

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Tokyo has a bad rap. Tokyo and its inhabitants are a blackhole of human sensitivity and interaction.

Yes, it’s over the top and overly simplified but it isn’t exactly miles from the kind of descriptions you often hear from both foreigners and fellow countrymen alike. Even fellow commentator Spartancus made the comparison between Niigata and Tokyo. Whilst I’d never say that Tokyo is going to be the launching pad for the next ‘hippyfest free-love uprising’, in my experience Tokyo has copped a raw deal.

Let’s face it, you are going to encounter at least a few knuckleheads wherever you go (a few extra if you go to my hometown), so by the simple law of averages Tokyo will of course have more than its fair share. However, it isn’t this type of person you should be concerning yourself with; it is the person that makes your experience richer and more enjoyable for the meeting. Tokyo has got them in abundance.

When a friend of mine from Australia came to visit, he didn’t want me to come get him from the airport. He wanted to ‘experience’ being a first-time traveller to Japan. So prior to his departure, I sent him an email with directions to my apartment. The ‘directions’ I gave him was the name of my local train station (written in kanji) and my phone number as a backup. To my surprise, he arrived in good time and relatively sober. To my immense amusement, the journey from Narita involved giggling schoolgirls almost pushing him off the train at the correct transfer point only to find further assistance from a salaryman that literally took him by the arm to the correct platform and pushed him onto the train, leaving my friend muttering bastardized “arigato’s” as the train left the helpful businessman behind.

Examples of these few among the many are everywhere but there is one group that truly deserves a special shout out, the volunteers. I go to a volunteer Japanese language class twice a week and have attended several different classes in different locations around Tokyo. The people that have made these opportunities for others to learn and experience new things are nothing short of fantastic. These predominantly retired men and women give up their free time to help make other people’s lives a little bit easier in Japan. They help them improve their language skills for daily life; they impart knowledge on society and often offer assistance to those needing it. These are the people that unfortunately don’t get a mention in the generalised description of Tokyo.

In short, don’t believe all the bad press, Tokyo’s good few go a long way in making up for the many.

What is your feeling toward Tokyo and its inhabitants? Leave a comment.

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