Tokyo Times

Photographs from a small group of islands

Religion

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Meaningful Japanese manga?

The appearance of religious figures in manga isn’t all that uncommon, with Osamu Tezuka’s Buddha series in particular covering in comic form the story of Siddhartha.

The more recently released ‘Saint Young Men’ by Hikaru Nakamura on the other hand takes a somewhat less serious approach, with Buddha renting an apartment in present-day Tokyo.

japanese manga

A situation made all the more surreal by the fact that he shares the place with another famous fella, Jesus Christ.

japanese manga

Perhaps to allow them to blend in somewhat, they are a suitably stylish pair — with Jesus even boasting a T-shirt that boldly proclaims, “Dad, Me and the Holy Spirit” (父と私と精霊) — although it is nice to see them both bearing their customary coiffures.

japanese manga

Living in the capital’s western suburb of Tachikawa, heaven knows what situations they will find themselves in, but it would certainly be interesting to see their stance on the south of the station’s somewhat seedier side.

japanese manga

(via the FG Forums)

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Kit Kat comfort

With Japan now entering entrance exam season, students the length and breadth of the country are desperately tackling tests in an attempt to claim a spot at their school or university of choice. A good or bad score possibly prescribing what kind of career they can carve out, and therefore the kind of company they can conceivably work long hours for in return for little in the way of leisure time or leave.

So, with the stakes so high, many students opt for a bit of outside assistance by writing down their wishes at a suitable shrine. A practice that arguably puts the gods under even more pressure than the students, as apart from the odd regular rabbit-patterned request, the vast majority of entreaties at this time of year are test related.

Japanese shrine

With absolutely tons of them to take care of too.

Japanese shrine

However, to ease the deities drudgery somewhat, students can instead opt for the considerable capabilities of a Kit Kat, the wafer-based wonder’s similarity to the Japanese phrase ‘kitto katsu’ (definitely win) creating a chocolate covered charm of sorts.

Its combination of both comfort and convenience making it a match made in heaven.

Japanese kit kat

So to speak.

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Western Japan worship?

Whilst Tokyo’s convent-themed maid cafe St. Grace Court may — or indeed may not — allow its staff a peek into the cloistered and less commercial life of their real life counterparts, those who really take such kind of cosplay seriously can now do so at Kyoto’s Ryugenji Temple.

A far cry from more ‘conventional’ Japanese cosplay it has to be said, with the “one-day nun experience workshop” allowing its participants to experience a simplified and far less arduous version of Buddhist nun ascetic training — all for the suitably modest sum of only 8,000 yen (64 dollar).

Japanese cosplay

With Knee-length nylons deemed unnecessary.

Japanese cosplay