[ This entry was also posted one of my other blogs: Kelly's Second Life and on my Tribe and JustUsBoys blogs.]


Some of these photos of Japanese men emerge from a hot springs (mineral baths) or 'onsen' were highlighted on QueerClick not long ago. I can't resist showing them again. It's just THE Japanese thing to do - and seems to be especially popular with groups of male college friends, intramural sports teams, or company excursions. They usually spend a night or two at the hot spring resort - one of the most famous - as well as accessible to Tokyo - is Hakone (near the Mt. Fuji Lakes area). Invariably, they have a nice meal - (that's a whole other story) and gulped down lots of beer, sake, and even whiskey or strong imported Chinese liquor.

They're all wearing the traditional 'yukata' - thin, cotton kimono-like coat - with (hopefully) nothing on underneath. When the alcohol, good food and camaraderie take effect, they start dancing sometimes in the buff or provocatively draped, they sing (karaoke) or do stunts (handstands, etc), and then everybody heads down to the communal baths in the resorts - usually downstairs and many
times facing outdoors - a river, wooded stream or even the ocean. Those who can no longer stand - due to the alcohol- might be helped by to their rooms, and fondled or groped or even much more (I only know what I would be doing if my buddy had passed out half naked). Back in the baths, the antics usually escalate - naked men are scrubbing each other's back, and there's the relentless teasing about the size of somebody's dick (often teased that he's too big), and sooner of later somebody passes out from heat exhaustion and too much liquor. A few erections may emerge from under the suds or hidden while squatting in the thigh-deeper hot pools of volcanic mineral waters.

All in all.. it's a great time for everyone.

Japanese men are horny a whole lot of the time and - in my opinion - the repressive nature of their society actually only deepens and heightens the sexual tensions for the average company worker. The stress of so many social and work responsibilities is sometimes almost too much to bear: 'fetch this' and 'do this now' is the only thing workers hear all day and half the night since they almost always work overtime for NO (or little) pay.

Without much recourse or with little leeway for arguing back, they submissively accept what they have to do, and go about it quietly (or at least only mutter out of earshot) or complain to their 'real'

friends later. All this comes bubbling to the surface when the drinks and relaxation reach the max at big group parties out in the country. The months of repressed desire also come bubbling to their consciousness - well.. at least it would in mind. Japanese men are generally dissuaded from 'flirting' in public - especially in an office situation. In fact, it use to be true that inter-office affairs and romantic relationships were so frowned upon that a worker risked getting transferred or - in the worse case - fired for dating a co-worker. It really is much less true nowadays because of the changes occurring in the society and in the economy. However, to some extent interoffice romance is discouraged. In that kind of environment, young men (ages 22- 35) before marriage didn't have many avenues for sexual or romantic release -except Japanese anime and pornography, and the nightly jerk-off once they crawled in to bed after midnight when they got home from a couple of 'mandatory' rounds a the local pub with the office gang - that often included their immediate superior (who was bucking for promotion or for leverage to support his pet projects).

The trips to the onsen (hot spring resorts) and the pub crawls after working later are rather like R & R for the troops in an army that's on dangerous duty. This was (and still is in some cases) the Civilian Military - (Japan Incorportated) because that was exactly how the typical Japanese factory or company used to operate. The new ones were the recruits -- called upon to have to endure all kinds of hardships (workign 12-16 hour days for example was expected), so these 'trips' were probably a natural way to help relieve a lot of stress.. some of it under the belt line - so to speak.


There is no doubt in my mind that many a young company employee (male or perhaps more so the females) was 'defrocked' while on one of these onsen excursions organized by his (her) company or social group.
The situation has ameliorated to some extent. It is not easy to determine how much though. Japan still has the highest rates of suicide of any industrialized (first world) nation, and the numbers continue to swell. Over 30,000 per year end their lives and by estimates, nearly 4 times as many try to do so.

Japanese has a massive social networking infrastructure long, long before the days of the Internet - or Facebook. I could write a book on this and related topics... but - in reality - much of it is coming to an end. Today's young people do not want to participate to the same degree as before. The number of 'freeters' - young people who refuse to get a full-time job, who often still live at home on their parents' dime, and are content with having little money - but lots of freedom and tons of free time to work part-time at as many as 3 jobs, quit when they get tired of one, go out with friends to sing karaoke or drink or just hang out, and play PS3 games or windowshop all night long.

More to follow (eventually.....)

The above first 3 amateur photos were forwarded in a group message from: atitlan [ymna2] Yahoo group, the last one was sent in my Erik on his [cmnm] google group. Note: Queerclick displays their logo on the photo but they no more own the copyright (c) to that photo that Richard Nixon does!

 

(As posted on Freeballing.com) I did skinny dipping for the first time this summer, and it was awesome... being in the water and at the beach nude. Most everyone else was nude also so it was no big deal.

It may not be a big deal as far as flashing goes, but it's still a great thing to be nude and enjoying the Skinny dipping at San Onofre (see pic at right) -- that's the whole point of skinny dipping. I try to do that all summer long and whenever I can any time. I love getting out to Black's Beach in San Diego, Baker Beach in San Francisco, Russian River at Guerneville (CA) and San Onofre State Beach (just south of Orange County (CA) on I-5 (one hour north of San Diego). I had fun there in Feb-March and met up at Black's Beach with one of my flasher buddies from the Net. (See his photo at left below).surf and sand -

Of course, it's more thrilling to try to get naked (with or without the swimming) at the pool, or jacuzzi, or the beach or anywhere that nudity isn't expected.

I used to teach at a school (K-12) that had a pool. Since I had a key to the locker room (with access to the pool), I would sometimes go late at night and swim naked in the pool. I found out later on that one of male teacher had done the same but got caught and in trouble. Eventually, they beefed up security and put a stop to all late night swimming (changed locks).

Sometimes, it's possible to get naked in a hotel pool or jacuzzi when not many people are around. At other times, I've tried going completely naked from my tent to the campground toilet / shower - at night of course - while camping. Have stripped and gone skinny dipping at many places - public parks, state and national parks - Yosemite has some (cold water freezes your balls!) great places for that. The Big Island (actually part of all the islands of Hawaii) have many beaches where it's possible to skinnydip without offending others. Waipio Valley - out from Honokaa in the northeastern area of the Big Island has a great place where can just see tiny figures bobbing around from their lookout point at the time.

People frequently (spontaneously - not a regular practice and probably frowned on since there are tourists (from the US mainland - Bible-belters) but once you descend the steep road down the valley entrance (on foot - of course), you can cross the fresh water river that flows into the ocean, and go to the northern (deserted) stretch of the beach. I've seen many people get naked there (including me and friends) for skinny dipping.


Deserted stretch at Waipio Valley Kehena Black Sand Beach (Puna Coast, Big Island)

Of course, my all-time favorite place to skinnydip is Kehena Black Sand's Beach on Hawaii's Puna coast. It's not just about showing your goodies on a nude beach. It's a marvelous place where nature's splendor, the chance to swim with dolphins and see whales, mix with the convivial atmosphere of the local tradition of a hippie holiday romp on the beach - complete with all sorts of naked and semi-clothed characters - all of whom are welcoming, tolerant, and often buzzed.

 

  

  

When guys are doing sports or physical activities outdoors, they are many times that they need to change into and then back out of their sports uniforms and exercise clothes. This gives then plenty of opportunity to naked in front of others (especially other males). The experience might often lead to interested glances, long gazes, and even to physical intimacy between them. This may be particularly true at nude and clothing-optional beaches. 

In England and elsewhere in Europe, it is totally natural and happens so often, it's 'hard' to keep track of. In America, the story is very different. In most of the US (except the right and left coasts), public nudity of any sort - whether rather innocent or flagrant -- is treated as a misdemeanor - a violation of civic laws. 

Damn, that puritan ethic (smile). But then again, absence of permission or of simply overlooking the obvious, sometimes makes the 'act' all that more exciting - I suppose. In Japan, where I spend most of my time currently, this kind of things happens as well. However, the main difference is the guys do try to conceal their privates while changing. Buttocks are not considered 'private' parts of the anatomy - especially for males. 

Well, it's not OK to exposed your butt in public walking down the street, but a little harmless arse-flashing happens amazing regularly on beaches, sports fields, parks, and in other public areas when the necessity of changing in public calls for it. I wrote a lot about one such experience of watching a group of Japanese twinks who regularly meet to play frisbee soccer in a previous post here and elsewhere. 

Atitlan (David; admin for YMNA, a Google Goup) wrote this short comment to accompany the above candid pics.

 Frisbee soccer lads getting dressed / undressed before / after playing.

This Looks like Brighton beach to me - lads down from London for 

the day. It is the sort of thing that happens at the British seaside. 
 
I remember as an impressionable 14 year-old glancing up from a book I was reading on the beach, to notice something that stayed in the memory. A lad a few feet away from me, a couple of years older, was trying to remove his swimsuit under his towel, only for the towel to drop and reveal a horizontal erection. His look was one of shock, mine must have been

of admiration.

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