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"The English-speaking world must be colour-blind: its sexual manifestations are 'blue'. In Japan, where erotic horizons are unclouded by notions of sin, these things are 'pinkku'--pink." (xiii). So begins Bornoff's look into sex in Japan. Contrary to what the title suggests, this book is more accurately titled "Sex in Japan" as that is Bornoff's focus. However, Bornoff does manage to describe the situations very well in an easy to read manner though he has no qualms at all about using obscenities in the text. There are many interesting facts provided; a better understanding of certain aspects of Japanese culture can be obtained by reading this book. Without rewriting the book itself, as many interesting facts/situations, etc. will be added to this review as possible.
Hotels and Legends
For a significant portion of the book, it is not formally organised in any way, but rather drifts from topic to topic under the theme of each particular chapter. For instance, Bornoff begins his study right at the beginning with a look at the origins of Japan and provides an interesting interpretation of the creation myth (female is inferior to the male) followed by a comment on the significance of red and white. Red and white are the colours of Shinto with red being female and white male (which is what the annual Kohaku [The Red and White] is based on). As well, a dish of white rice and red beans is typically served to mark the beginning of a girl's menses; one example of the interesting cultural gems this book contains.
Bornoff spends some time talking about family life in general and how the salaryman routine impacts the family. Essentially, the salaryman is at the whim of the company. Often times, the company makes its decisions without considering the salaryman's family (such as transferring the salaryman to another district for a three year term). This saddening image is somewhat ironically followed by comments on bachelor life and how "Karou Kuroki...might be the salaryman's sexual heroin" (42). Often, the salaryman has no time to search for love (or a reasonable facsimile thereof). The section concludes with a brief mention about the OL (Office Lady) and how this figure is quite popular as a subject of sexual fantasy. [As a side note, there is mention of the Japanese custom of the ~women~ giving chocolate to the men (giri choco) on Valentine's Day; this might be reflective of the attitudes still held by elder members of society].
There is a fairly short section about marriage customs (10 pages) followed by the more interesting section entitled "High-School Confidential". Here, Bornoff discusses the differential education between males and females; females "are still versed in domestic sciences...to make them good wives" (59). This ideal is emulated by the "Kawaii-ko-chan, the cute little girl singing stars whose success lies in their very inability to sing" (59). There is discussion about bullying in the school system which Bornoff feels is touched with some aspects of sadism. He cites the example of how "[g]irl bullies have been known to order their hench women to strip victims, push their heads down the [toilet] bowl and flush the toilet, apply cigarettes to buttocks and genitals and finally leave them with their skirts tied up over their heads" (63). Interestingly enough, there is the concept of 'teen sex magazines' in Japan which do not have any equivalents in North America featuring 'panty shots' and cameras looking up skirts. These magazines can also be educational; there was a detailed article, with photographs, entitled "HOW TO SEX" in the magazine "Otanko High School Girls". Bornoff notes that relative to "adult porn", the teen sex magazines aren't too bad..."why should sex education be grim?" (71). A few miscellaneous sections, including one on vocabulary, that some might find useful, close out this chapter and in fact the first section of the book.
The Rites of Spring
This section deals with a more historical perspective as well as a more rural setting. The first chapter of the section talks about fertility rituals in early rural Japan as well as some of the beliefs behind them. Very closely linked to the fertility rituals is the idea of phallicism; this also gets some space for discussion. As well, there is a brief note about the legend of Kanamara-sama (Metal Phallus Deity) and the origin of the shrine.
An entire chapter is spent dealing with Heian Japan
(c.800-c.1100 AD) in which Japan was under the control of the
Fujiwara family. This period is also the period in which "The
Tale of Genji" and "Sei Shonagon's Pillow Book"
are based on. [A side note; apparently, Shonagon was better looking
than Murasaki and that the two hated each other intensely]. After
spending some time giving background about the life of people in
the period, Bornoff gets into the idea of "Courtly Love";
chastity was not a requirement of being a lady. There is a
description of the ideal Heian beauty:
"[the] sleek cascade of jet-black hair spilled over her
shoulders and reached the floor...she was plump and also wore
make-up. She powdered her face an immaculate full-moon white,
rouged her chubby cheeks and coloured her lips with a paste made
from the brilliant red safflower [w]ith two large round dots of
charcoal grey just above where her eyebrows [had been plucked
out]" (120).
This is significantly different than the ideal of today. Polygamy
was a sign of status in Heian Japan; if you had more than one wife,
you "were somebody". However, secondary, tertiary, etc.
wives were often mistreated by the primary wife. Some time is spent
commenting on various ways in which women lost their virginity
including the custom of yobai (night-creeping) in which
"girls...roamed the villages to offer themselves to local
youths" (125). Considerable time is also spent on the process
of courting. In a brief summary, there are three nights. The male
sneaks into the female's house, has sex and then leaves at
sunrise following an exchange of poems. If all is satisfactory, the
male sneaks in again; the Second Night. On the Third Night, the
relationship is official and the pair can stay together in the
morning for the Fourth Morning. The collapse of the Heian period
ends the chapter and section.
The Venereal Equinox
The third section starts with a discussion about the Edo period (Tokugawa) and eventually ends up somewhere around the Meiji restoration talking about cultural practices throughout. The shogun typically did have a well stocked harem, though not as well stocked as those that were in China. The Edo castle was divided into several parts: the omotte (front) and Oku (Indoors) which was further subdivided into the nakaoku (middle) and the O-oku (great). Those providing sexual services solely were in the O-oku contrary to the popular belief that the entire Shogun no Oku served this purpose as is sometimes suggested in soft core pornographic works. The shogun's sex life was controlled though; there was always someone in the room to report on the shogun's practices to ensure lineage. This section is followed by a short section on sexual aids including such things as higo zuiki [dried fibres that are soaked in warm water and applied to the penis] and rin-no-tama (bell-balls).
Considerable detail is spent describing the origins of kabuki and the floating world (ukiyo). Mention is given to several literary of the era including _Sonezaki Shinju_ by Chikamatsu Monzaemon although more emphasis is placed on the shunga (spring pictures), or sexually explicit artwork. The shunga ranged from themes of Lolita-complexes to rather clinical sketches of the female sex organs all the way to a reference from _The Peony Lantern_ in which the male "ejaculates between the empty ribs of a skeleton lying on top of him" (183).
This third section closes with a chapter entitled "Spring for Sale". The focus of this chapter is the origin of organised prostitution in Japan, or selling spring (baishun). The various prostitutes were ranked ranging from the tayu (highest) to the sancha (unsifted tea, indiscriminate) to the jikogu (hell prostitute--unlicensed). The tayu were often celebrated among the culture, such as Ko-Murasaki, Usugumo, etc.) There was often a lot of animosity between certain courtesans so fighting sometimes occurred. At regular intervals, the houses donned their finest and paraded down the streets; these were often impressive spectacles to see. The courtesans typically provided table-side entertainment before going 'upstairs' with the guest and typically got the guest to build up a large tab. It is interesting to note some of the games played by the hokan (female musicians, dancing girls, etc.) at a teahouse/brothel party. These include "Naked Islanders" where the courtesans simply stripped, "Chonkina" in which the women danced around and the last person to stop removed a piece of clothing and finally "Fukagawa-Asagawa (shallow river-deep river) in which the women gradually lifted the skirts of their kimonos higher and higher leading to an eventual genital display. The section concludes with more historical notes on the selling of spring leading to the occupation after World War II (pan-pan girls for instance).
Heatwaves in the Water Trade
As the title to this section suggests, the focus is on the mizu shobai, the water world. The first chapter is fairly brief discussing the taverns in the area and giving a bit of history to the area; the case study is Golden Gai. Taverns are typically run by women who the patrons call "Mama-san"; who are the final arbitrator and all mighty ruler of the tavern. Considerable more time is spent, in the second chapter, on the geisha, their tradition and their current situation. The term geisha literally means 'arts person' and originated during the 18th century, following some evolution. The first geisha had liberal ideas of what their duties entailed which led to the establishment of offices (kemban) who made the appointments for the geisha and the ordinance forbidding sex with the customers. Geisha are typically known for their artistic abilities and wit; the difference between geisha and prostitutes, in the minds of some, is that geisha are more educated. The geisha are also more expensive: "[w]hether it culminated in bed or not, an evening with a geisha was in all cases...more expensive than walking off the street into a Yoshiwara knocking shop" (238).
Geisha earn a fair amount in modern days; one geisha gets about 800 000 yen/month tips included. However, the geisha is required to pay for their expenses; for the elite, the kimono could range from 500 000 to 2 000 000 yen. There is of course some rivalry among the geisha although the fighting is typically not as violent as suggested in the Hideo Gosha's film _Yokiroh_ (1983). The chapter concludes with a section about the bar hostess and her role in Japan. Hostess bars essentially provide companionship for Japanese businessmen; as one hostess says "you...pour out the drinks and agree with everything they say" (260). A businessman often has his expenses paid for by the company; the hostess bar sends the company a bill every month which comes out of the company's "entertainment budget".
An entire chapter is spent on describing the ways of the bath
and massage parlours. These used to be known as Toruko-buro
(Turkish bath) although after a Turkish diplomat took offence, the
Japanese Bath Association selected Soapland as its new name. A
typical visit to a Soapland parlour is described in great detail.
The guest arrives, chooses an individual [if he's a regular,
he'll have a shimei (favourite girl) ] and then proceeds to be
bathed by the woman: "[the] guest is manifestly in the company
of a sort of nurse in a spa providing sexual physiotherapy"
(268). After the bath, there is the awa-ordri (lather dance) which
then culminates in coitus. The money earnt is reasonable; about 700
000 to 1 000 000 yen/month. A trip to Soapland typically costs
about 15 000 to 50 000 yen with the management of the establishment
usually taking 40% of the profit. A little bit of time is spent
talking about how the various girls are promoted; advertisements
appear in sports newspapers, weekly magazines, etc. The
advertisement copy seems to be quite candid; the mildest one
presented follows:
"This month's number one pikaichi [dazzler] girl, Michan
is a pichi-pichi [lively] new face not yet 18 years old. So very
kawaii...[a]nd in addition to being cute, she says she gets hot so
easily that when she's doing 69 she sometimes forgets it's
work" (276)
Bornoff notes the concept of pinkku bira (pink leaflets) decorating
phone booths around the amusement districts of Japan; these pinkku
bira advertise various establishments. Mention is also made of
lover banks which keep data on customers and 'girlfriends'.
There is some description about kyabare and pinsaro (cabaret and
pink salon) given including a detailed scenario of a trip to a
cabaret. After paying a large entrance fee, the man has the
services of a lady for a certain time. As soon as the time is up,
the man's number is shouted out, the man leaves and pays. Other
businesses described include the herusu and fashon massagi (massage
parlours) as well as the no-pan kisa (no panty bar). One no-pan
kisa had a glass floor above the main level for the men to
admire.
The next chapter focuses entirely on the ways of the nudo gekijo (the nude theatre). There is only one act that involves the traditional kimono; that is the 'kimono show' in which the woman essentially unwinds sashes and eventually contorts herself in the nude. Like other professions, there is a ranking system of the strippers; the top most rank is the aidoru sutorippa (idol stripper) who sometimes get entire books devoted to them. A full description of a nudo gekijo show is provided in explicit detail. The show usually begins with some dancing though the dancing skills are often lacking greatly, there is some 'bump and grind', and then, what the people are waiting for "open sutegi" (open stage) in which the stripper exposes her genitalia that is lit up by powerful spotlights. Another common practice is "honban manaita" in which a man has coitus on stage with the stripper; the stripper does this twice in a performance. There is some mention on the circus acts in which women open beer cans, play trumpets, etc. with their genitalia followed by comments on how the honban manaita is illegal in Japan but the companies just open up elsewhere after getting shut down.
Chapter 16, "On the Dark Side" concludes the section. There is discussion about STI (sexually transmitted infections); out of 100 Soap Ladies tested in the Senzoku area of Japan in 1988, 85 had type I herpes. There is discussion about girls being kidnapped historically for prostitution as well as the more modern phenomenon about Japayuki; girls who are Japanese bound after entering the sex trade and then sold to various individuals. The section finishes off discussing the increasing prevalence of men going to Bangkok, or other places in Eastern Asia on sex junkets. As one would expect, there is significant Japanese opposition to sex tourism.
A Quirk for All Seasons
[NB: The first chapter of this section was quite disturbing to me...discretion is very much advised]
This section's focus is with various fetishes. The first fetish described in detail is a scatological one in which guests watch a Japanese woman defecate into a tray following which the feces is divided out among the guests for consumption. Cruelty is the next theme discussed with references to books such as Dan's _Serpent and the Flower_ and manga such as _Rape Man_ (12 tankoubon) and _Utsukushiki Kossetsu_ by Hayami in 1985. Violence is fairly common in the popular culture; "Japanese officialdom sees fictional violence, sexual and otherwise, as a safety valve" (367). Masochism gets mention with SM clubs and the television game show "Za Gaman", perhaps the world's cruellest game show. Business hell camps, designed to inspire loyalty, also are included in this category of cruelty; an employee can be forced to scream out loud for 10 hours/day interspersed with marathons. Literary work also reflects these themes: Tanizaki's _Naomi_ as well as his story "Shunkin" are examples.
Following some description about sex museums in Japan (carrying little figurines often featuring detailed pictures of couples in coitus) and how they are banned in Japan, Bornoff looks at the idea of sexual art. One such example of note is the "bar girl wearing the Japanese flag as an apron with the blood-red sun just over her pubis; she is hanging up a sign: 'Today we're closed for a holiday' " (392). Another controversial example was the work X-Day which mocked the emperor system and was staged when Emperor Hirohito was on his death bed: a lady cavorted around a coffin losing her clothes in the process. The performance was raided by the police. Censorship is given a fair amount of space: pubic hair is not permitted. Various ways are described as to how people have tried to bypass the rule; _Penthouse_ tried to provide plaster casts of female genitalia in its magazine but the government was displeased. The chapter concludes with a look at the adult film industry and an interview with Karou Kuroki, an adult film star. Adult films often are 25% of a video store's collection and provide 33% of the income. An interesting note: "According to the manager of one...video outlet, pornographic cartoons are mostly popular with young women" (411). The videos are typically formula and feature the "[p]rotagonists, cameramen and directors talk[ing] throughout the proceedings even as they are taped" (412). Mention is given to Toru Muranishi, a adult film director mentioning some of his 'enhancements' to the industry.
"The Realm of the Sexless" begins with a look into
homosexuality as practised in Japan as well as providing a
historical look (Heian period in _Genji_, monks and novices, etc.)
though little space is devoted to lesbianism. The most interesting
section of the chapter looks at the interests of girls in Japan.
The following quote should be noted:
"some of today's manga comic-book illustrators cater to
both persuasions. Finding an accepted place in popular culture too,
more subtle homoeroticism often pervades more innocent fare and
sometimes quite unconsciously, above all in the incarnation of
bishonen and binan -beautiful boys and men. Nowhere are these
characters drawn with greater androgyny of effeminacy than in
comics for women and girls" (436).
Apparently, the Takarazuka Young Girls Opera has a large following
of young girls; the speculation is that these "offer all the
shades of romance without ever darkening them with the threatening
shadow of a penis" (440). The final point of interest of this
chapter and section is Ian Buruma's comment that
"[p]ossibly many young girls...feeling that their natural
inclinations are being slowly crushed by an adult world that forces
them to be calculating...find an outlet in homosexual fantasies too
remote from their own lives to be threatening...Bishounen,
homosexual or not, are treated in a similar way to vampires and
creatures from outer space' "(442).
A New Era
The final section of this book deals with the inequality that women are dealing with in Japan. Some discussion is given to the future of sexual relationships in Japan and the slow change in women's roles in Japan towards becoming more involved in the business world. Bornoff concludes with several anecdotes linked to individuals introduced earlier in the book.
Overall, this book was quite interesting, though it obviously is not for all readers. I hope that I have tried to keep this review objective and not too disturbing; however, I note that I diverged from my original focus of review and instead summarised the book instead. I wonder though how much research Bornoff actually did for this book; it is obvious that the book is well researched but his descriptions of having coitus with a prostitute seem very detailed.
Publishing Information Bornoff, Nicholas. Pink Samurai: Love, Marriage & Sex in Contemporary Japan New York: Pocket Books, 1991. 492p, 4 b/w plates. ISBN: 0-671-74265-5.
Copyright ©1999
Stephen Congly
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