Photographs from a small group of islands
Although Japanese youngsters already have a considerable choice of kids’ beer to choose from, the majority of it, while relatively convincing, does lack a little in the looks department.
However, for the child (kodomo) intent on imbibing a beverage that at least bears a passing resemblance to a brew possibly popular with its parents, this cleverly converted but copyright infringing concoction could well be ideal.
Farming in the far reaches of Tokyo is a lot like the city itself — sort of.
A relatively relaxed mix of tradition and technology, combined with the conveniently close proximity of all the comforts one could care for.
While the sidle towards summer in Japan means a heightening of the season’s horrible humidity, at least some of the uncomfortableness is luckily countered by the phenomenal amount of flesh that will be flaunted; like this previously posted picture for example.
Yet before Tokyo Times can be accused (heaven forbid) of lazily using lewd pictures of ladies, it should be added that such feisty fashion is now being favoured by fitness focused fellas too. So, to even up the balance somewhat, here’s a shot of a particularly brazen young man boldly baring his bottom before even the climate, at least, has become clammy.
(click image for a less pixelated posterior)
Japanese vending machines may well number in the millions, with almost one for every twenty-three people, but with competition cutthroat to say the least, there’s little room for those left behind.
So, while the latest units offer a whole gamut of goodies,
and sometimes even surreptitiously swap cigarettes for slimming snacks,
their smaller, beverage-only brethren, are sadly left to rust by the roadside.
The odd discarded can their only crumb of comfort.
The Japanese media’s somewhat excessive coverage of Metabolic Syndrome — the phenomenon formerly known as getting fat — has presumably played a huge part in pharmacies being full of suspiciously effective fat-fighting supplements, big companies bullying their staff into battling the bulge and even government ministers bravely baring their midriffs. Plus, anyone carrying even the most meagre amount of extra meat is now rather meanly marked as ‘metabo’.
However, for those not embarrassed about their bulging bellies, and at the same time brazenly prepared to say bollocks to such badgering, what better way to embrace the fact than by having it beautifully emblazoned?
