The Art Of Konkatsu
Say that word out loud: konkatsu. It may remind of you a delicious Japanese dish made of pork (tonkatsu!), but it cannot be farther from that. In fact, konkatsu is the Japanese term for marriage hunting. Yes, while the western world is suffering from astronomical divorce rates, singles in Japan – young and old – are actively looking for marriage.
In the past years, statistics have consistently shown that marriage rates have been experiencing a downward spiral. Ever since the equal employment opportunity act was established in 1986, more and more Japanese women entered the corporate world. As a result, the marrying age became higher and fewer women were getting married.
Today, for some reason, people are looking for ways to find love – the kind that will end up in holy matrimony. With their busy schedules, however, singles have to engage in activities that are more aggressive in a sense. Hence the practice of konkatsu.
What happens is that those who are looking for marriage go to special hotspots throughout the country, wherein they can meet likeminded people. In konkatsu classes, singles partner up to engage in cooking lessons and food sampling, among other things. The idea is to get to know potential spouses in an intimate setting.
The term konkatsu is actually a spin off from the Japanese term meaning “job hunting.” In this new trend, it is marriage that is being sought after. Japanese businesses are quick to respond to the trend, with more konkatsu bars being established to cater to those who are looking for a lifelong relationship.
Posted March 31st, 2011 by Maki | Comments (6)
Japan’s “love hotels” now target women
One of the quirky establishments that are part of contemporary Japanese culture are the so called love hotels. These small hotels are used as a clandestine meeting place for lovers and those who have a secret relationship. But over the years, love hotels have begun to diversify and are now trying to market themselves not as a secret rendezvous for illicit affairs but as a place where people can have fun.
One surprising trend is that these hotels are now beginning to cater to women. Different facilities and services are being incorporated the specifically target what women want. Among the new services include the addition of luxurious baths, amenities that cater and pamper women, mimicking the feel of a resort, and entertainment options like DVD players and widescreen TVs. One other service/facility that seems to be a hit among women are sex toys. More and more Japanese women are becoming enamored with sex toys and they usually incorporate it when they have sex with their lovers. There are even some love hotels that provide uniforms for costume play.
Love hotels are definitely one more landmark that a tourist should visit when in Japan.
Posted March 8th, 2008 by Maki | Comments (4)
