If you visit Japan you may be surprised at the different kinds of people you see. You may wonder who the heck some of these people are, and what they do. So, let’s me introduce some of the people you’re likely to see on a daily basis.
Gyaru (or Gal)
These are the girls that most foreigners picture when they think of young Japanese females; blonde hair; insane, clownish make-up and an extreme love of tanning. But calling them the average Japanese girl, would be like calling “Snooki” an All-American, Girl-Next-Door type. Very, very wrong. (Fun Fact: Jersey Shore is known as “The Macaroni Rascals” in Japanese.)
Gyaru-O (Gal-man!)
Not to be outdone, the ladies have their male counterparts, the Gyaru-Otoko, or Gyaru-O for short. They are almost indistinguishable from Gyaru, other than height, bigger hair, and male body parts. They spend more time on their hair than the girls, and get more girls than men who look much more…well…like men.
Rikishi (Sumo Cadets)
(A sumo trainee, presumably buying 5000 rice-balls at the shop near my apartment.)
You will see sumo out and about shopping, using payphones, or leisurely eating everything in their path. But in fact, these are just young sumo-cadets, lowly trainees out during their free time. Feel free you hide in their shadows on sunny days, or use them to set picks in crowded train stations.
Tobi (Construction Workers)
Hammer Pants (with actual hammers) and Tabi Boots (like a ninja, you know?) The construction workers in Japan are everywhere you look. They’re fashionable, but pretend not to care. Other than the major difference in style, they’re almost exactly like construction workers in America. Macho, simple, hard working guys, who may or may not be able to read at a 3rd grade level.
Obasan (Granny)
The Japanese live for a long time, longest in the world in fact. Women live longer still, and that means they live most of their lives as old ladies. They run around in gaggles doing whatever they please. In perm’d blue hair, backpacks, floppy hats, they push people around like linebackers in a scrum. Nothing can stand in their way--they are surely the most feared people in Japan.
Ojiisan (Gramps)
Sporting “Barcode Hair” (comb-over) and reeking of cigarettes, alcohol, and rotting dentures, the old men of Japan spend most of their time on trains picking their nose, sleeping, and drinking. Their breath has been known to clothesline people entering the train. They avoid Obasan at all costs, and enjoy a solitary existence.
Eki-in (Train Station Attendants)
Not even Japanese people understandwhat they are saying, but they are always yelling announcements over loud speakers, pointing trains in the direction they should go (straight!) and waving handkerchiefs at the departing passengers.
O.L. (Office Ladies)
(The nesting instinct is strong.)
The O.L. or Office Lady. Wears a black suit, has black hair, and hopefully works for a company in the black. Some want a promotion (which they won’t get) some want to bide their time until their boyfriend pops the question, and some are working to find a boyfriend. If they can’t find one in the office, they’ll take some foreign language courses and to “broaden their horizons.” If they are able to get married to a co-worker, they’ll soon quit to raise the kids. Just like Madmen, right?
Shogakusei (Elementary Students)
If you see a mass of colored hats in the distance, a sound like a freight train approaching, and the smell of candy in the air. RUN!
You’re about to be swept up in a swarm of elementary school students. While cute from a distance, once in the eye of the storm you’ll become confused, bludgeoned by rock hard rucksacks and off-balance 5 year-old elbows. Do not engage them in conversation! They will explode into a never-ending chorus of “HELLO! HELLO! HELLO!“ ((echo))
Rockabilly Dudes & Dudettes
After the war, the Japanese embraced American culture full on, it just happened to be the 50’s and Rock-a-Billy style was the cool thing. America long since forgot about Rock-a-Billy, but it lives on in Japan. Most of these guys and gals weren’t even born in the 50s! You can watch them have dance circles in parks (especially Yoyogi) all over Japan.
There you have it. If you come to Japan you are sure to run into all of these characters. Which one is your favorite?
Comments
Post a Comment