Millennials, Gen Y, Snowflakes—these are all names for the generation who were born between 1980 and 1994 – and the butt of so many jokes. In Japan they are called “Yutori” and they have just as many critics. They are the first generation who grew up with a more relaxed style of education and now as adults, find themselves pushing against the old ways of their ultra-disciplined parents—with mixed results.

10 Ways Young Generations Are Better Than Their Parents

10 Valentine’s Day is a chore

Valentine’s Day in Japan has turned into a social minefield. In the 1950s, a chocolate company dreamed up “giri choco” meaning “obligatory chocolates” to boost sales on February 14th. They suggested women should spoil all the men in their life with chocolate gifts, but for some the list would stretch beyond male relatives to co-workers and bosses. Giri choco caught on and Japanese women—raised not to offend or appear impolite—would dutifully present their male colleagues with chocolate on the big day. To redress the balance, White Day was created in 1978 and every year on March 14th, men reciprocate with gifts of white sweets and candy.

An uneasy feeling about the custom has crept into society, with it being seen as outdated and sexist. Some workplaces are banning giri choco and without it, there is no White Day.

In February 2018, luxury chocolatier Godiva took out a full- page newspaper advert urging Japan to put the fun back into Valentine’s Day by dumping giri choco. It was a bold marketing move but it worked, and the holiday is evolving into a quirky emoji-filled occasion. Restaurants are cashing in by offering chocolate themed menus and women are buying gifts for themselves – with no pressure.^[1]

9 New Rules of Dating

Japan is now “mikon shakai” – an unmarried society. For centuries, Japanese parents arranged “omiai”—a formal introduction leading to marriage, while these are now seen as old fashioned, most parents still encourage their children to marry. In a society where women over 25 are charmingly referred to as “Christmas cake” ie, left over, and adults still living with their parents are called “parasite singles” the pressure is intense. Now Yutoris are taking control of their own futures and entering the dating game without their parents’ looming influence.

The term “konkatsu” was created by a sociology professor in 2007, roughly translated it means “searching for a potential partner with the purpose of marriage”. Essentially, a more modern form of omiai, it gives the power of choice back to those looking for love.

The dating game is complicated. A “gokon” party is a singles meet up, either casually arranged by friends or by professional matchmakers. You could try your luck at “shumikon” – where you learn a skill such as cookery alongside a potential partner, or “asakon” – an early morning dating event for professionals to squeeze in before their working day starts. The largest gokon comprised of 10,000 hopeful singles at a Tokyo stadium in 2015.^[2]

8 Men for hire

Traditional ideas of masculinity may be changing in Japan but there is still a market for old fashioned fatherly advice. This is why you need “ossan” meaning “old man” and they’re available for hire.

Once seen as a figure of fun, these friendly “uncles” are now charging around 1,000 yen ($10) an hour to listen and offer comfort to troubled Yutori, who may be too proud to confide in their own parents.

Stressed women not in need of ossan have another option – a handsome young man to wipe away their tears. A company called Ikemeso – a combination of the words “hot guy” and “crying” offer a choice of men to appeal to all tastes. They will arrive at your office and put on a sad film designed to get everyone sobbing in a group bonding exercise.

Other services available include partners for non-sexual cuddling and fake friends and relatives for special occasions.^[3]

7 Exam Scam

In 2019 for the first time ever, women out-performed men in entrance exams for Japanese medical schools. The reason? The schools stopped rigging test scores to give male applicants an unfair advantage. The scandal was uncovered by a newspaper who found that universities had been tweaking the results for over 10 years. The dean of Juntendo university in Tokyo explained:

“Women mature faster mentally than men…in some ways this was a measure to help male applicants.”

Most saw it as another example of gender discrimination. In 2016, just 21% of all doctors in Japan were women, compared with the UK at 47.2%.^[4]

6 Sneakerheads

American branded sneakers have reached cult status among Yutoris. In the early 1990s, the popularity of Michael Jordan together with Nike’s launch of the AirMax 95 sneaker created a fascination with the footwear and its fans became known as “Sneakerheads”. The district of Shibuya in Tokyo is where fanatics gather to buy rare brands to collect or sell on, for huge profit. The market is so lucrative, that some fans have been targeted by thieves and robbed of their valuable sneakers in the street.

Collaborations with celebrities and designers are the most sought after by Sneakerheads, causing huge queues on the day they land in store. Staff now insist on ID and enforce a dress code to check the style credentials of customers as Sneakerheads have been known to pay homeless people to queue for hours in their place. Some take their love of brands so seriously that there is now a small industry in sneaker authentication where you can pay an expert to check if you have bought the real thing. The business is shrouded in secrecy to protect staff from bribery and violent threats in a cut-throat industry.^[5]

10 Reasons Millennials Are No Different From Any Other Generation

5 Halloween

Halloween arrived in Japan courtesy of Walt Disney in 2000 when Tokyo Disneyland launched its first celebration. Japan has embraced Halloween and all its traditions – except for trick or treating which is a step too far for the polite society and instead, it’s all about the costumes. For a generation hooked on cosplay – dressing up as a character from film, TV or manga—it is the perfect holiday. Every year since 2011, crowds of costumed revellers gather at Tokyo’s iconic Shibuya “Scramble” Crossing to drink and party amid the traffic chaos. Record numbers flocked to Shibuya in 2018 and the night ended with multiple arrests and an overturned truck. Public drinking is now banned in Tokyo.^[6]

4 Falling birth rate

In 2019, the birth rate in Japan fell to its’ lowest since 1899. A survey by the Japan Family Planning Association found that 45% of women were either not interested or “despised” sexual contact. There is a growing number of young men with dwindling sex drives named “herbivore men” due to their lack of interest in “flesh”. These “soushoku danshi” or “grass eaters” also despise the punishing work life the older generation, preferring a more passive existence.

Shinzo Abe, the prime minister has described the birth rate as a national crisis, but the reason for the drop could be simple economics. Long gone are the “salarymen” who dedicated their lives to one corporation, instead many Yutoris are employed on short-term contracts with little job security. Some Japanese parents will still oppose a marriage if the groom is not a high earning professional. More women are rejecting the traditional role of homemaker, preferring instead to have a career—the media has labelled ambitious female workers “carnivore girls”.

By 2065, the population is set to shrink from 127 million to 88 million, fuelled by the attitude of “mendokusai” meaning “can’t be bothered.”^[7]

3 Hidden Hãfu

As an island nation, Japan is often regarded as a closed society. Japanese people of mixed race are known as “hãfu” from the English word “half” and have struggled to find acceptance. They are not officially recognised as a social group and are banned from holding dual citizenship. The government records no data on people with only one Japanese parent, and there is no acknowledgement of any discrimination they may face.

Slowly, some young Japanese of mixed heritage are gaining recognition. Ariana Miyamoto was born in 1994 to a Japanese mother and an African-American father and won the Miss Japan contest in 2015. She was inspired to enter the pageant after the suicide of a mixed race schoolfriend but faced criticism for not being “pure” Japanese.

The Ministry of Health has predicted that 1 in 30 babies born in Japan today are of dual heritage, the majority to parents from neighbouring Asian countries such as China and Korea. A new word “mikkusu” based on the English term “mixed race” is beginning to be widely used and “hãfu” is now seen as belonging to Japan’s past.^[8]

2 #KuToo

Wearing high heels to work may be a personal choice for most women but in Japan, they are compulsory.

After spending a long shift in crippling 3-inch heels, Yumi Ishikawa tweeted about the unfair rule and kicked off a social media campaign. Women began sharing photos of their swollen and blistered feet tagged #KuToo – a combination of the words “kutsu” meaning shoes and pain “kutsuu”, plus a nod to the #MeToo movement.

Yumi started a petition in June 2019, proposing a law to stop businesses imposing women only dress codes and forcing them to wear the dreaded heels.
#KuToo has opened up a debate on gender discrimination and given a voice to women in a culture that disapproves of public emotion. Some companies have since relaxed their rules on footwear and Yumi has published a book about #KuToo where she writes: “It’s super-fun to be angry.”^[9]

1 The Lonely Princesses

The Imperial Throne of Japan is the oldest monarchy in the world. Emperor Naruhito ascended the Chrysanthemum Throne in 2019 and has one child, Princess Aiko. Also known as “Toshi”, as a female she can never rule Japan – that honour will go to the nearest male heir—her cousin Prince Hisahito. 18-year-old Toshi has more teenage angst than most because ancient rules state she must marry a nobleman – of which there are none left in modern day Japan. Marriage to a commoner means she will lose her title, status and money, cut off with a one-time payment and facing life as a private citizen.

Toshi’s aunt, Princess Sayako did just that when she married a government official and had to take a crash course in driving and supermarket shopping before her wedding. Toshi’s cousin, Princess Mako aged 28, became engaged to fellow student Komuro Kei in 2017 – followed by months of royal silence. The Imperial Family announced a postponement in 2018, and Mako stated: “It is because of our immaturity, and we just regret it.”

There are now six unmarried Princesses who will all have to choose between a life of independence or royal duty. Unless the laws of succession are changed, the future of the monarchy currently lies with a 14-year-old boy.^[10]

Top 10 Reasons Generation X Is Generation Best

About The Author: I am a true crime enthusiast and lover of words.

Time has this weird habit of marching forward, constantly and without end. Despite that, people have spent all of human history fighting its effects. Sometimes that means great strides in medicine, genetics, and hygiene. Sometimes, though, it means rubbing bull semen on your forehead and setting your back on fire.

There is a disgusting or dangerous counterpart for every anti-aging treatment you’ve ever heard of, and a shocking amount of them involve rubbing bodily fluids on your face. People with abundant time and money have tried just about every substance under the sun to fight the signs of aging—with predictably mixed results.

As a small sampling of those trials, here are ten of the most bizarre things people do to look younger. This list kicks off with a classic trilogy of substances whose anti-aging properties are as dubious as they are popular. Up first: urine.

10 Urine Baths

Some people claim it’s safe to drink your own urine because it’s sterile. You might want to only consider doing that if you find yourself dying of thirst in the desert. But what about urine baths? Can they provide a more youthful-looking you?

It turns out that urine contains some medicinal properties. Ninety-five percent of urine is water, while the remaining five percent, known as urea, contains some useful things like penicillin and stem cells. Urea is also found to be good for exfoliating your skin because its natural properties can soften skin as well as break down the top layer of your body’s skin cells. Urea acts like glycolic acid, salicylic acid, and lactic acid, which by the way, are safer to use than your own urine.

Some people say that the urine should be left to dry on the body before rinsing it off. Bathing in urine may give you fresher-looking skin, but you might lose friends and family in the process.

9 Fecal Facials

Bird poo facials were introduced into the United States about five years ago. However, these facials have been around in Japan since the 1600s. Because of the heavy lead-based makeup that geishas and Kabuki actors wore, it took a toll on their skin. Enter nightingale excrement, used as an exfoliating agent. It turns out bird poo is loaded with enzymes that are good for the skin. The end result of these poop facials is the skin is left luminous.

A bird poop facial consists of powered and sterilized nightingale poop that’s been mixed with powdered rice bran. They add water and brush the concoction onto the face before massaging it into the skin. The facial supposedly smells pretty good, like toasted rice.

Is bird poo safe to apply to your skin? “Yes, it’s 100% safe,” says dermatologist Dr. Joshua Zeicher of Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.

If you’re thinking of doing your own bird poop facial at home, be sure to gather poo only from birds of the nightingale species. It turns out the enzymes in the poo come from the seeds they feed on. And it must be passed under a UV light to sterilize it before using it.

8 Semen Scrub

Helen Gurley Brown, the renowned editor of Cosmopolitan, brought the topic of applying semen to the face to our attention in her 2000 memoir I’m Wild Again. Some call it man moisturizer. Today spas are charging hundreds of dollars for semen facials. However, there is no scientific evidence that semen is good for the skin. In fact, you might have an allergy to semen and not know it until you look in the mirror after a semen facial and find your skin looking dry and irritated instead of luminous.

Most importantly, these semen facials may be a health hazard because semen can carry sexually transmitted diseases like herpes and chlamydia. Your eyes are particularly vulnerable to getting infected. Buyer beware—speak to your health care professional before proceeding.

7 Snake Massages

If you have a fear of snakes, this massage therapy is not for you despite the fact that the snakes used for these massages are non-venomous. Snake massage started in India and then spread to other parts of Asia. Indonesia took to it fast. It’s popular in Brazil and Russia and has now come to the United States.

The movement of snakes over the bare skin of the body is said to improve blood circulation and releases endorphins which translate into healthier-looking skin. It also stimulates the person mentally.

Not everyone is in favor of snake massages. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) do not support snakes being used in this manner, saying that it stresses the poor creatures out.

6 Plastic Surgeries…Fifty-Two of Them

Cindy Jackson, now in her mid-fifties, wasn’t born beautiful. At least that’s what she believed from age fourteen when a guy made an insulting observation about her face. Fifty-two surgeries later, Cindy feels not only vindicated but beautiful.

Born and raised in a small town in the United States, Cindy started going in for the plastic surgeries when her father died and left her some money. Since then, she has had five facelifts, multiple injections of Botox, liposuction, and her eyes have been done twice. She admits to having fourteen full-blown surgeries.

Because of plastic surgery, she says she looks the way she wants to look and not the way she was born. Cindy says that she always felt like she was born with the wrong face and in the wrong body.

All the work Cindy Jackson has done on herself has paid off. Today she lives in London and works as a plastic surgery consultant on anti-aging.

5 Gold Rollers

If you are a James Bond fan, you’ve heard about the actress covered in gold in the film Goldfinger. Well, in the world of high-end beauty spas, we now have the 24-carat gold plated facial. For $540 for each 90-minute treatment, you can have your face covered with gold leaf. The treatment will target either the fat in your face or the cellulite. For an additional $200, you can be treated for both during the same appointment.

Doctor of Chinese Medicine John Tsagaris first introduced this golden facial, claiming that it reverses skin damage to facial skin caused by pollutants in the air, sun damage, and smoking.

The consensus on this facial is that doctors can’t guarantee cellulite and fat reduction in the face unless you include healthy eating and exercise as part of your regular beauty practice.

4 Kitty Litter Face Masks

This is a form of mud mask, but it could damage your skin if you don’t know all the facts. Proponents of kitty litter facial masks recommend buying a cheap bag of unscented kitty litter, mixing it with water to make mud, and applying it to the face. You can expect your skin to be moisturized and cleansed once you wipe the mask off.

On the other hand, you may end up with skin tears because facial skin is more sensitive and thinner than the skin on other parts of the body. What causes the skin to be irritated? Some kitty litter contains aluminum silicate, the same thing found in fiberglass house insulation. In addition, because the granules of clay kitty litter have sharp edges, rather than being rounded, they can damage the skin.

Some people who try a kitty litter mask can even expect to find their face breaking out along with the development of fine lines.

3 Mercury Scrubs

People during the Victorian Era were no different than today. They were in search of anti-aging beauty products, and one of the products used in scrubs was mercury. The claim was that it got rid of acne, wrinkles, and scars. And it did precisely that because mercury is so corrosive to the skin. Since then, we’ve learned how dangerous mercury is to human beings. You can still find mercury in some cosmetics, especially those manufactured abroad.

Pregnant women should be extra careful not to come in contact with mercury. Here are a few of the symptoms that come with mercury poisoning:

• Hands, feet, and mouth feeling tingly or numb
• Depression
• Loss of memory
• Irritability

The Victorians might not have known about the dangers of mercury, but we do today. Stay away from anything with mercury in it.

2 Lighting Wrinkles on Fire

We’ve been told that China is the new world leader. Well, it’s certainly leading the way with a hot new spa service called the “fire facial,” and this is how it works:

The spa practitioner soaks a towel in alcohol along with a secret elixir. Then they place the towel on the various parts of the body, even the face. Once the soaked towel is in place, the attendant lights the alcohol, which starts burning off. After a while, they put out the flame with another towel.

The theory behind this spa treatment is the fire is stimulating and thus counteracts sagging and wrinkled skin. Also, your skin feels revitalized.

Let’s hope the spa practitioner knows when it’s the right time to put out the fire… And that there’s a fire extinguisher close by.

1 Injecting Snake Venom

Humankind has a never-ending thirst for beauty and the fountain of youth. Could that fountain be snake venom? A fifty-year-old proponent of injecting yourself with snake venom has been doing it for the past twenty-eight years. He claims that about an hour after giving himself an injection, he feels like he has the energy of a twenty-three-year-old.

Of course, snake venom injections aren’t for the faint of heart. Before you reap any of the benefits of feeling younger, stronger, and more energized, you have to go through, possibly, years of building up your immunity to the venom. While you are going through that, you can expect bruising and excruciating pain. It seems that injecting yourself with snake venom for temporary spurts of youthful energy requires tremendous sacrifice.

And if you’re not careful… let’s just say I hope you have life insurance.