EDIT:

Now I see the image. And I agree with the face-palmity, but he is trying to mount evidence that Japan isn't a cesspool of depravity, so I can support that.

Oh.. It's just the facepalm one...

It's no big deal.

I'll try and fix

OK fair enough.

I don't need to describe waht I am seeing as pornography or actually take photos of the relevant reading materials, do I!


I heard it was art from a lot of Japanese that admired Manga.


In the middle of a crowded train with full exposure.

Half naked most of the time.

Totally agree with naked or half naked women/girls as not being pornography, but no, the Japanese books I am describing, and I'm not sure if they are termed "etchy manga" as you quoted, or something else, is definitely pornography to my eyes. So much so, that when I vist my local Japanese restaurant a few times a week, we have to pull my son away from the bookshelves that adorn the walls with such reading material.


Absolutely nothing and I find them rather romantic;)

Maybe a way to summarize the difference between Japan and America when it comes to stuff like prostitution is that in America, it is certainly there to be had if you want it and if you do, you should be ashamed. In Japan, it is just there if you want.

Many people would also find mixed bathing found at some onsen to be absolutely scandalous and proof of Japanese "low morals". Nothing could be further from the truth.

I'm not advocating any particular "sexual propriety standard" here... just talking about the origianl poster's point. It is all about what your "measuring stick" is. If you come from a background that finds an open attitude about "things sexual" as wrong, then a culture that does not hold that same belief will likely seem very different and threatening to you.

best,

...................john

You know, after some thought and reading through some of the responses, I have realized that I am really not qualified to comment much more.
I`ve simply been here far too long - and entered adulthood in Japan - so am really not that good of a judge for what is "loose morality" outside the country.

I figure some of the stuff I think is perfectly normal and acceptable probably isn`t thought of as such elsewhere.

That's extremely interesting.

I feel exactly the same way.

Alright, for the few face-palmers and such, I really see no reason whatsoever as to why you would facepalm this? So, please explain yourself.

To everyone else that has commented with information that I was actually looking for....So, Japan is a place where, there is plenty of sexual...'stuff' (whatever you want to call it) but only if your looking for it? I mean in America, there are plenty of strip clubs and stuff out and about, but it's obvious that you aren't being forced to walk in and participate. So, in Japan, there is clubs/love hotels, and whatever else, but it's confined (not sure if that's the right word to use)? What I'm trying to ask is, it's easily avoided/neglected right? It's not like if I was just walking to the store there'd be naked women/pornography/whatever else everywhere?

Please, seriously, I'm not trying to say/assume that Japan is a horrible place, I just want to make sure I have things straight, especially since I want to move there (the reason for posting in Living in Japan). What MMM said about my reason for posting is pretty much exactly right

It's probably at least as unobtrusive as the US, if not more. The one possible exception might be some bookstores, which may have an "adult section" not hidden away in some back room, but on the shelves like other section of books. But in general, Japan is fairly conservative in many ways, especially outside of the big cities. Some cultural norms are a little different, as was said before (bathing in the nude with the same gender is not considered scandalous, and mixed bathing is relatively rare), but Japan is certainly not like, say, Amsterdam, with pot in the coffee shops and prostitutes in the windows.

Second, Japanese people usually take responsibility VERY seriously. Hosting an exchange student is deemed a great responsibility, and most Japanese people who take it would watch out for the host student at least as much as their own kids, maybe more! While I was teaching in Japan for 2 years, I got to know the exchange students at my school, and they all said that their host families were very protective and doting (sometimes so much so that it annoyed the kids, who were more used to lenient western standards).

I have to wonder if this is all just an excuse for your parents to say "we don't want you to go"... If they are ok with letting you go anywhere for a semester, I honestly couldn't think of a safer place to go than Japan. But maybe going anywhere at all is out of the question for them. If that's the case, you'll have other chances later in life to go to Japan, perhaps in university or teaching English after you get a degree. Moving to Japan at the age of 24 was my first time living outside of my parents' house, and I got by just fine in Japan (without a host family or anything).

Well, it's definately not an excuse for them to say no. My dad really wants me to go to Japan, we looks at it as a huge opportunity. I know that for sure