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I think the whole cute 'kawaii' thing originated in Japan. Everything and every place in Japan seems to have its own character or mascot and there are speciality shops all over the place. There a Character Street inside Tokyo Station. And the emphasis is solely on cuteness. I think the attraction to miniature things comes from the small houses people live in.

This reminds me of the time, many years ago, when I had to stay in a hostel in Venice, as all the accommodation was booked out. In the morning I went to the common bathroom where there was a long line of sinks. I heard a bit of a commotion. I looked to my left and saw a guy who had flopped out a HUGE uncut cock, which he proceeded to wash in the sink. Having no shame, I immediately moved over to the sink next to him and enjoyed the view. I have a feeling he was just showing off. Unfortunately, I never saw him again. However, I saw hostels in a new light and when I went to Copenhagen I sought out a hostel not far from the station with a shared bathroom. Suffice to say, I had a wonderful time in the shower, watching as heaps of naked guys milled around, waiting for a shower to become available. Thanks to the guy washing his cock in Venice, I became a huge fan of hostels in Europe. As for mood killers, for me it's poor hygiene (uncommon in Asia) and mooks/cock beads and silicone. But as I grab guys from bars I can check those things beforehand.

Not 'wildcat'?

Years ago Louis Vuitton in Paris banned Japanese women from lining up outside their store on the Champs Elysées. They called them cockroaches and said they were cheapening the brand - it was no longer seen as being exclusive. Recently the truth has come out. Louis Vuitton products are made in China and then sent to France where they just apply the label.

Not odd at all. In Japan people believe that you get what you pay for. The thinking is, if it's cheap the quality is poor. It's why brands like Louis Vuitton and Gucci sell so well in Japan. Alcohol is ridiculously cheap in Japan. Suntory Old (daruma) whisky costs 1900 yen (A$16.50) in Japan. In Australia the same whisky is A$109.

Back in the early 1970s 1 Australian dollar was worth around 450 yen! Today it's 114 yen. Mind you, back then the cost of living in Japan was very high. Prices for many things haven't really changed all that much over the years. Compared to prices here in Australia, Japan is ridiculously cheap - especially food and drink. Walking around Ueno earlier this month I saw a sign offering 2 hours all-you -can -drink for 900 yen (183 baht, A$ 7.90). A medium sized beer in a pub here costs around A12. Sadly, I'm not a drinker!

I find it easier to read, too! Especially if the post is long.

I'm not yelling intentionality. If you look at previous posts of mine, you'll see the front is normal size. I have no idea why my post here appeared in such a large font, but it does sometimes happen. I'm posting on an ipad, so maybe that has something to do with it. It certainly has nothing to do with me.

The survey posted above is not accurate. Where's Japan? All my married straight friends fucked around, and their wives knew exactly what was going on. Afterall, they used to settle the monthly bills from the bars. After 6pm big cities become brothels. Sex is available everywhere. Workers go out every night with their colleagues, starting off in a bar, then heading over to a massage parlour for sex. My gay friends who had partners also fucked around every night. And there are host clubs catering mainly to middle-aged women who offer sexual services. Being faithful is not in the Japanese DNA. I guess those who conducted this survey never made it to Japan.

Skip Bangkok and Pattaya and head straight to Isaan!

Yep, spot on. Most places remain hidden from foreigners. You need to know someone.

For the French speakers amongst us, here's a great French putdown : - on se tutoie? - Si vous voulez.

A lot of Japanese enterprises make the decision not to deal with foreigners at all. This is often construed to be racism, but by and large, it's due to the language barrier. You see this quite often in restaurants, and particularly in 'izakaya' pubs, where the staff are unable to translate the menu or explain what the various dishes are. It's just too much trouble. Japanese is my second language, yet I am sometimes refused entry at first. Once I speak to them, I am welcomed in. When it comes to gay saunas, where language isn't really required, their refusal to deal with foreigners is, IMHO, purely racist. Foreigners are seen as the transmitters of all kinds of sexual diseases, whereas if you have sex with a fellow Japanese, you are considered safe. Friends of mine joined a sex club in Ueno when we were at university. When I turned up with them to also join the club a few weeks later, I was met with a very polite, but very firm, refusal. I eventually got in, but I had to jump through all kinds of hoops. I'll leave that story for another time. I'm off to tokyo tonight for a couple of weeks to see the cherry blossoms. Unfortunately, I'm going with some straight friends, so I won't be able to check out some of the gay establishments. However, I'm thinking of shunting them off to Kyoto for a few days to give myself a bit of space. My problem is convincing them go travel by themselves, as none of them speaks Japanese and are somewhat nervous.

He still dances, only these days it's horizontally.

Spot on, Peter! This basically goes for any Japanese enterprise. Rules in Japan are meant to be followed, not questioned.