The geisha is an icon of traditional Japanese culture, but CNN now points us to a shocking new phenomenon in Japan: Geisha guys. In a brazen reversal of strict and longstanding gender roles, wealthy Japanese women are now hiring out their own male escorts. For between $1000 and $50,000 a night, the guys accompany gals to the club, where they act every part the doting boyfriend till the clock strikes midnight (or thereabouts) – the industry insists that there’s no sex involved.
The above image is via CNN, and is a photo of Yunosuke, a 24-year-old Japanese male escort, who says:
I give women things that men normally don’t do, like complimenting their appearance. I make women happy…Women see us as one of their accessories. They like to wear nice things, so I try to look prettier for them all the time.
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This ‘news’ is maybe 5 years old, if not more. As anyone paying any attention to actual Japanese and Chinese culture would know. CNN is not necessarily the most ‘breaking’ on extra-US topics.
April 9th, 2008 at 8:54 am
If you are interested in this topic, there was a great documentary made about this trend in 2006 called The Great Happiness Space.
http://www.thegreathappinessspace.com/
April 9th, 2008 at 11:38 am
thanks for the feedback, guys! i had no idea this has been going on for so long. spy, i’ll have to figure out where i can check out that movie.
April 9th, 2008 at 9:42 pm