窶堋?窶堙娯?堋ｳﾂーﾆ蛋ﾆ停?愴池窶堙ｰﾂ静倪?堙≫?堋ｽ

Ok, this is probably going to be one of my weirdest posts here, but I want to stress this is a serious question despite what it might sound like.

Recently in the last few weeks I went to Hakone and an onsen. As you know, you are completely naked in them. However, I had brought my glasses so I took them off before entering so I couldn't really see much.

Now to my weird question; what is the practice of circumcision in Japan? I haven't exactly had much opportunity to check first hand (by sight, hand probably isn't the word to use here), but I do want to know the answer. I don't have any chances to ask about this here. This isn't exactly a subject for my host family, or the fairly new friends I have here. I can't just mention at dinner ﾂ"Hey, could you pass the Ajipon? Oh ya, do you slice the foreskin off your penis when you're born here?ﾂ" I'm not really even sure if the term translate, I don't want to have to explain the whole process if a language disaster occurs when asking about it.

So, I know this is weird, but what is the situation here in Japan?

I have a feeling that I'm most qualified to speak about this, being a mother of two grown kids...

Circumcision is not common practice in Japan. Reports say that 60% of Japanese men are not circumcised. The medical technology is there, but Japanese doctors and obstetricians do not believe it is necessary unless it is a serious health impediment for the person. There are foreign-trained doctors who urge it is necessary for sanitation, etc., but the general population remains unconvinced, because serious medical cases have not developed (in significant numbers) from non-circumcision.

When my son was born (twenty-some years ago), the doctor didn't even ask me if I wanted him circumcised. Not doing it was a given. As far as I know, he doesn't have any problems because of this.

When my brother was born, however, my mother gave birth with a US-trained doctor and was advised that the baby should be circumcised. The times were that most Japanese blindly believed everything American is good, so she agreed, convinced that it was state-of-art medicine. So, he's one of the small number of Japanese men who have been circumcised. My mother and my brother tell me now that it was probably not necessary.

FYI, that type of surgery is called 窶｢ﾃｯﾅ痴ﾅｽﾃｨﾂ術ﾂ（窶堙吮?堋､窶堋ｯ窶堋｢窶堋ｵ窶堙｣窶堋ｶ窶堙｣窶堙つ）
Circumcision as ritual is called ﾅ?窶樞?氾ｧﾂ（窶堋ｩ窶堙や?堙ｪ窶堋｢ﾂ）

HTH!

Epigene is right.

I had to explain to my husband what it was when my first son was born, because they asked if we wanted to get it done. When I explained it to him, he looked absolutely horrified, and asked "why do they do that?!". So, that is one of the few things I can say my husband and I agree on.

I think there was a thread on this very subject a long time ago. I'll see if I can dig it up.

Problem in onsen

Circumcision as ritual is called 割礼（かつれい）

Click to expand...

Yes, and the cultural practice behind it I once heard my b-friend talk about as below as well as some reasoning about pleasing the gods, but never quite understood this in modern Japan.

儀式だからもし断ると、そのコミュニティーからはみ出してしまいます

If you want to do it by yourself, I guess it's good time when you take a bath and relax youself well.
I'm afraid it would hurt at first couples of night, but get over it!

I don't care about it from a religious aspect but I have read surveys in the past that did show that most Japanese men are uncircumcised. Here in America we also have a very large number, being as that is, I hardly ever do see an uncircumcised male here.

Personally I just like the look of a circumcised one better, for me it could be something dependant on a relationship. Like if a woman had really ugly breasts for example.

Thanks guys for the info. Was curious, thanks for the serious replies