Stephanie in Japan: March 2015

Throughout my childhood, I have been fortunate enough to visit Disney World with my family many times. It’s my happy place where everything is perfect, and I feel nothing but pure joy. Disney is the child inside me. Once I became a college student, my opportunities to go became fewer. Now it has been years since I’ve gone. I long to go back, but I just try to remember how lucky I was to have been able to go so many times. Perhaps once I have my own kid, I can go again.

Maybe you are wondering why the heck I’m talking about Disney World. Well last weekend, I felt the closest I have ever felt to being in Disney World without actually being there. The child in me was alive, I felt elated, and there was no other place in the world I would’ve rather been than there in that moment. This feeling took place at the Nipponbashi district of Osaka during the Cosplay Street Festival.

If you already read my post about maid cafes, then you know about Nipponbashi, but basically it’s the Akihabara of Osaka, in other words, the anime/game/electronic district of the city. This event takes place every year. I didn’t know about it really my first two years in Japan, although my second year I think I heard of it, but I was busy or something and didn’t really know what it was all about.

This year my friend told me about it weeks in advance, and I learned what it was. Basically, many people gather in one place at one time dressed in costumes from their favorite games, anime, movies, etc. Since it is Japan, the cosplay culture is very strong, and people put a lot of effort into their costumes. Thousands of spectators come to see the people dressed up and take pictures. It’s free to watch, but if you want to participate by dressing up and taking part in the parade, you must pay 1,500 yen. The really serious people usually pay the fee.

I have loved anime since I was a junior high school student, so I was super excited to see what characters people would be dressed as. There were so many people, it was hard to move. As you got deeper and deeper into the Nipponbashi district, cosplay clad people were everywhere. Bubbles of people taking pictures would form around the most impressive cosplayers (or really scantily clad girls).

There was one thing that was kind of disturbing and is one aspect of Japanese culture that I don’t like. This was the girls wearing basically nothing with their tiny panties on and their boobs hanging out. There were some girls who had on sexy cosplay outfits which didn’t bother me because that’s what the characters really look like, or they did it in a tasteful way, but when it was a girl wearing a tiny school uniform or basically dressed as a Japanese porn star, it made me feel upset; not so much because of her outfit, but because of the massive crowd of old men who literally sat down on the street just to stare at her like creeps and take countless pictures as she did her poses. It was so pervy. The way women are objectified here and the whole weird sex culture (and when these girls condone it) is still something that upsets me about Japan. Having a Japanese boyfriend, it makes me uneasy to think that he could look at women like this, and think it’s sexy, normal, and not wrong in any way. Porn stars in Japan are proud of what they do, enjoy publicity, and are seen as idols whereas in America, porn stars are seen as slutty, trashy, and should feel ashamed of their job. I’m not sure really which is right, but I can’t help but feel agitated because women are often seen as sexual objects in Japan and aren't always treated as equals. Them spreading their legs open on the street for people to watch and take pictures doesn’t help the issue.

Tasteful, sexy Pilachu.

Sorry, I got off track a bit (a lot)… Ignoring that last bit, I was in anime paradise! I quickly sought out all my favorite characters. I was with 4 other friends, so I had them take pictures of me with some of my favorites. One thing kind of surprised me though. When I saw my childhood favorite anime character, Inuyasha, a strange squeal came out of me, and I started freaking out like a fan girl. It was so weird! I couldn’t even control myself! My eyes started watering, and I’m pretty sure a tear fell out.

Inuyasha!!!!! <3

Between the perfect warm sunny weather, the exciting atmosphere, seeing all the cool costumes, being with my friends, and getting delicious level-up kaiten-zushi for lunch after the event, I felt on top of the world! Now that I know about this event, I am going to try to actually participate in it next year and dress up as Misa Amane from Death Note. Seriously though, this day rejuvenated my love for Japan, and I am so happy to be living here. There is never a dull moment.

Now, enjoy some pictures!