For white boys these gaijin wear their fundoshi pretty well. So much nicer than the old flabby-assed guy we saw at the penis festival (see earlier post). Don't worry, there will be more Japanese nudity later today for anyone freaked out by the sudden shift to white booty!
Comments
If one goes to a local festival where there is a O'Mikoshi or traditional dance or any of a number of other forms of practicing local customs, more than likely someone will try to pull you in to get you to carry or dance or participate in some way at least for a while if the least bit of interest was shown.
I have the problem that while being Japanese, my physical features are more European than Asian so I am many times mistaken for Gaikokojin. Yet, when I do attend a festival with my group to carry the O'Mikoshi, around 35 times throughout the year from Hamamatsuri in Chigasaki to Sanjamatsuri in Asakusa, the leaders of the various O'Mikoshi always make it a point to invite my group back each year because no other O'Mikoshi in their local festival can boast having a "Gaikokojin" who can dance or carry as well as a Nihonjin.
I hear many around me who do not know me comment that they feel shamed that a Gaikokojin can know their customs sometimes better than they do. Contrary to popular belief while Japanese business may be somewhat closed to foreign participation, the society in general is often open and welcoming to those who show an interest and respect.
I know what you mean about comments about "rude Gaijin" and to be honest, I have made that comment myself but it always seemed warranted at the time. But, I have NEVER heard the comment made nor have made it myself when someone shows an interest in my heritage and "tries it on for size".
However, we don't know what the occasion for the wearing of Fundoshi was in the pictures of this article so we can't know how or why they wore them. One thing we can know is that they could not have learned how to wear the Fundoshi themselves so who would have taught them and why?
Anonymous - We have washing machines and detergent here in Japan. Even if they are not available to you for some reason, you must find some way to wash your clothes I would guess.
Beyond that, I have been to beaches and swimming pools in Europe and have seen Western men wearing speedos that cover less than a Fundoshi might. The guys in the pictures in this article actually look rather good in them compared to the whales on the beach I have seen trying to look what they are not.