An observation about sex

When it comes to sexuality Japan is somewhat odd. Japanese society, culture, and people seem very conservative about sex. People get very awkward when it comes to sex, or even simply members of the opposite sex. More then once I've had a few Japanese girls come to sit down with me, ask if I have a girlfriend, and then crack up giggling and flushing immensely. Similarly, a few of my male Japanese friends have gotten awkward around some of our female peers, Japanese and foreigner alike.

On the other end of the spectrum, however, there are things like love hotels that dot the landscape and pornographic magazines that sit out in connivance stores, or even something like this;

A CD case that would not be allowed for sale in a retail store anywhere in the U.S. sitting in the middle of a Tower Records where anyone can get their hands on it. And then there are the stores that sell just pornographic material. If you travel to Den Den Town, the electronics district in Osaka, after eight o'clock at night porn stores are the only things still open. And they have things in them that are... unique to say the least.