Problem in onsen

coordinator · 28 Dec 2003

Hello. I' m new on this site. I am a 17 year old white guy. I' ve noticed a lot of stares from men and heard comments in onsen about my penis. When I was changing a women worker went by and saw me I was shocked and she had a disappointment look on her face. I though she would start laughing if she didn't leave.

Are Japanese women overly concerned with size? Or are the women just so surprised that the stereotype of big westerners isn' t always true? Women, any comments?

Ewok85 · 28 Dec 2003

Ive been to plenty of onsens, sentos and shared bathes and ive never heard of something like this happening. You might just be a little overly paranoid with it being your first time doing something like this.

neko_girl22 · 28 Dec 2003

Maybe they were just curious, rather than thinking anything negative.
I know I was really self conscious the first time I had a public onsen. Japanese people tend to have the image of a tall, blonde, big busted or well endowed gaijin... as I am short, brunette and have a small bust I guess I destroy that stereotype

I really think you shouldn't worry Coordinator next time you go to an onsen. but, I know getting used to standing out takes time.

Grandpa Frank · 28 Dec 2003

Body Hair !!

I never heard any comments on size, but they were always facinated by dark, heavy body hair. I heard muttered coments about looking like a gorilla quite often. Then again, if you got a hard-on they would probably all faint !!

Frank

kirei_na_me · 29 Dec 2003

Ummmm...okay...

Anyway, about body hair. All Japanese females that I know do not like lots of body hair. In fact, one of my friends didn't want to go to one of the doctors I went to because he had "too much hair on his arms". And what was funny is that my husband told me before she went to him that she wouldn't like him because of that.

I have heard different stories about onsen from foreigners. I've heard most people say that no one really pays attention, but then I've heard others say that they were gawked at. A couple of people even said that they'd had people attempt to photograph them. Aren't you given a towel to cover up the main parts, though?

neko_girl22 · 29 Dec 2003

that's right. you're given a *small* towel, that is useful for men to cover up, (but impossible for women to cover up everything...) As you can take this towel anywhere within the onsen (but not in the water of course) it is possible to get into the water without anyone seeing anything.

coordinator · 29 Dec 2003

I dunno what to say, but ive been there a couple of times at first it was pretty quite. But after a couple of times it got a little strange. I'm pretty sure they were not talking bout my body hair since I have almost none. Some guy even came up to me I said hello and he just looked down and staired at it then went back to he's buddies and laught he's *** off. I'm not sure what to make of it, I don't really look at the other guys, and some are there way longer then me so I really nerver get a chance to see if I'm that far off form them.

I dunno if its because I'm circumcised and thats weird to them, I'm not sure if that's rare in Japan or not. Or if its just the fact that when I'm not hard its about 3inch long and skinny.

Grandpa Frank · 29 Dec 2003

Photo Line-up !!!

OK, all the male members will take a photo of their privates and submit them to the "MEMBER" Photo Gallery and the ladies can act as judges.

Frank

kirei_na_me · 29 Dec 2003

And are you going to be first in line, Frank?!

Grandpa Frank · 29 Dec 2003

Sorry, No Panarama Mode !!!

My camera can't handle those Looooong shots !!

Frank

Iron Chef · 29 Dec 2003

"I dunno if its because I'm circumcised and thats weird to them, I'm not sure if that's rare in Japan or not. Or if its just the fact that when I'm not hard its about 3inch long and skinny."

Spare us the details please... Nobody wants to hear about your flacid wanker. If you are going to an onsen then are you not going to relax and enjoy yourself irregardless of what other people think? My advice to you is simple. Just like every other foreigner who has been in a similar situation, just take the stares and occasional comment in stride and you will have a much more enjoyable time imho.

jeisan · 29 Dec 2003

im just gonna say its the circumcised bit, can be quite odd to those who havent see that before.

as far as the posting a pic bit, my camera lacks enough digital zoom to take an decent shot, so im out.

budd · 30 Dec 2003

curiousity maybe

i remember going to a tokyofriends party and being introduced to this group of people
i held out my hand for a shake, and one of the guys reached up and squeezed my bicep, then let go and just looked at it like it was a dead fish or something
hahahahahahahahah
and yeah, i get stared @ in onsens, but i'm still gone get what i came there for

Elgin · 31 Dec 2003

Whats a onsen?

I'm guessing a public bath

budd · 1 Jan 2004

good guess

beluga · 1 Jan 2004

I've been to onsen a couple of times... It seems to me most "Japanese" are circumsized... is it true?

Earle · 1 Jan 2004

Please use "Japanese" instead of "Jap".

Thanks!

kirei_na_me · 1 Jan 2004

I would say that most Japanese are not circumcised. When my first son was born(in U.S. hospital), they asked me if I wanted to have it done, and my husband had no idea why they would want to do that. He thought that was insane and had never heard of it being done to a newborn baby.

budd · 1 Jan 2004

agrees

neko_girl22 · 1 Jan 2004

This is a famous photo though, seen often in ads for the surgery (even Robbie Williams copied this as a cover on one of his albums)
Maybe babies don't get circumcised, but the option is there for adult men. Haven't a clue how common it is though.

Eisuke · 1 Jan 2004

I think not circumcised is good, because it's more natural instead of taking something away that's supposed to be there. If you know how to keep yourself clean etc then having that is no problem.

TZed9 · 1 Jan 2004

I imagine circumcision must stop the trapping of the foreskin with rubbers. As Jews I imagine are unlikely to use them anyways like catholics, it's not likely to come any real benefit I suppose...

Damn those STD's! And the associated scaremongering.

Zentai · 1 Jan 2004

I dunno much about circumsicion, but I do know all my japanese relatives were circumsised. Atleast the more recent ones. Ive never
heard of japanese not being circumsised. That was probably a longer
time ago than now.

Look its me and my girlfriend! \/ \/ \/

Elizabeth · 1 Jan 2004

I have heard some Japanese parents are starting to have it done in the hospital, but that it largely remains optional for guys in their late teens or early 20's. And there is actually a long tradition in Japan of boys around 12 or so being shown how to manually retract their foreskin which is thought to make them appear more studly and "samurai-like." Why a surgical solution which can be done with lasers and local anesthesia wouldn't be more popular then is something of a mystery. It could come down in the end to the cost or psychological trauma involved at such a delicate developmental stage....

Elizabeth · 1 Jan 2004

Originally posted by Iron Chef
If you are going to an onsen then are you not going to relax and enjoy yourself irregardless of what other people think?

This just happens to be one of my minor irritatants, but "irregardless" (a double negative) isn't standard English according to any of my dictionaries. It is simply "regardless" and if you think about it there really isn't any kind of distinction that can be made between them.

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