This may be of interest to those readers who are like fashion.
“You’ve been to Japan right Dick?” asks Oscar one evening.
“Oh yes.” I reply
“Any idea why Japanese girls have knock knees and pigeon toes? And what’s all that school uniform stuff about?”
I admit to having been somewhat intrigued by Japanese fashions myself at one point. I’m not talking about things like sushi, Hokusai prints and cherry blossom. It's a question most visitors to Japan ask themselves at some time or other. Oscar is certainly not the first Western male to be distracted by Japanese school girls and their mysterious ways.
“Well, as I understand it Oscar it has to do with something called kawaii. I will elaborate if you like.”
“Please do.”
“Kawaii can be loosely translated as ‘cuteness’,” I say, “Another word for it is harajuku. Anyway, knock knees, crooked teeth and pigeon toes seem to be all the rage in Japan among a certain subsection of the population. Research suggests that the reasons are less genetic than cultural, though there may be something called o-legs at work. A treatable condition.”
“And do you personally find it attractive Dick?” Oscar asks.
I am reluctant to answer not wanting to risk my sensitive modern male credentials. So I refer him to the contented traveller…..
Nor do I mention another Japanese fashion, yamamba, or hags from the mountain. It might upset him.
“You’ve been to Japan right Dick?” asks Oscar one evening.
“Oh yes.” I reply
“Any idea why Japanese girls have knock knees and pigeon toes? And what’s all that school uniform stuff about?”
I admit to having been somewhat intrigued by Japanese fashions myself at one point. I’m not talking about things like sushi, Hokusai prints and cherry blossom. It's a question most visitors to Japan ask themselves at some time or other. Oscar is certainly not the first Western male to be distracted by Japanese school girls and their mysterious ways.
“Well, as I understand it Oscar it has to do with something called kawaii. I will elaborate if you like.”
“Please do.”
“Kawaii can be loosely translated as ‘cuteness’,” I say, “Another word for it is harajuku. Anyway, knock knees, crooked teeth and pigeon toes seem to be all the rage in Japan among a certain subsection of the population. Research suggests that the reasons are less genetic than cultural, though there may be something called o-legs at work. A treatable condition.”
“And do you personally find it attractive Dick?” Oscar asks.
I am reluctant to answer not wanting to risk my sensitive modern male credentials. So I refer him to the contented traveller…..
Nor do I mention another Japanese fashion, yamamba, or hags from the mountain. It might upset him.
It is true however that Japanese children are introduced to cuteness at an early age.
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