Blizzardboy | A Kiwi in Japan

If I had a thousand yen for every free paper out there, I think I could almost make the taxi fare to Narita airport. These giveaway magazines showcasing restaurants and massage parlours (of the kind ones mother might go to, not the kind you find down Manchester Street or in Shin-Okubo) can be found all over Tokyo in places like railway stations and supermarkets. We got another one in our letterbox yesterday – this one was called Gyutto (Japanese only) and covered our local Azabu / Tamachi area.

While I am not really that interested in getting a sunbed tan, or yet another Asian-fusion-noodle-barbecued-meat-and-sushi restaurant with stylish decour and soft mood lighting, I was interested to read an article about differences in love between guys and gals in Japan. They asked 50 men and women a range of questions about what they looked for in the opposite sex, what sort of language they liked and didn’t like as well as their favourite foods.

They had a listing for the places they dont want to go on a date:

For Japanese Women, the worst places were:

1. Akihabara
2. Shopping
3. Horse Racing
4. Pachinko (Horizontal pinball like gambling)
5. Manga Cafes

with chain pubs, haunted places and forests also listed.

The places Japanese guys most don’t want to go on dates to were:

1. Tokyo Disneyland
2. Shopping
3. Shibuya
4. The womans parents’ house
5. Sanrio Puroland (Kitty Chan theme park)

as well as Matsuya Department Store in Ginza and other places, dessert buffets and mountain climbing.

So there you go – it is perfectly safe to take your date to a strip club. Or even better – train spotting!