Saturday, December 05, 2009

Loinclothes

Now here's a good idea for a Christmas gift.

A fundoshi is a Japanese loincloth, sort of traditional underwear for men. However, nowadays they're mostly worn at festivals. You have a festival and you have every red-blooded male in the vicinity come out wearing his fundoshi.


Look, here are some happy fellows enjoying theirs. These are white ones, but you also see a lot of red fundoshis. Nothing fancy.



When J was in karate his teacher kept promising (threatening?) the boys that in the summer they were required to train in only a fundoshi. Boy, you should have seen J's face.
So a fundoshi is kind of a dude thing. Or so I thought. Today I discovered that about a year ago a company called Une Nana Cool decided to do something about that. They made Nanafun, a fundoshi just for women. With tops! For only something like $13 bucks you can get this:



Really cute.

I guess they're selling like crazy. Unfortunately, I can't think of anyone to buy for. Somehow I don't think my mother would be too impressed.

And just in case you aren't convinced...a little video about the new craze.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am not only impressed, I am amazed. I hope these loincloths don't catch on in Arkansas because I don't think your aunt would let me wear one. Ha!

Kappa no He said...

It's always a bit of a shock for people when they first see them. Now I'm so used to seeing men in their skivvies I don't even bat an eye. Ha ha!

Deidra said...

Very risque indeed!
The first Fundoshi you showed us is really awesome looking. :)

Kappa no He said...

Deidra, hello! The cloth is really neat. A town near me makes a style that is like handwoven, very cool.

Jim Melvin said...

I wear these all the time while I'm ironing and watching football.

Frank Baron said...

I know what a lot of Japanese women are going to find as birthday gifts this year....

Anonymous said...

This was one of the first gifts I got when I moved to Japan almost 30 years ago. A friend and I went to the naked man festival in Inuyama(?), and a local gave us each one. I think he was trying to get us to chase the naked guy around town. A little free advertising for his stall, I think. I still have mine. It's got a great dragon on the front. My friend's fundoshi had Tengu (the long-nosed demon) on it. They're pretty comfortable, but the cotton string stretches when I sweat and loosens up quite a bit.
imomomo

J.W. Nicklaus said...

Is the loose English translation "funderwear"?

Okay, that was weak, but I had to use it before someone else beat me to it ;^)

It would appear that one would need to have the body for one of these, which I don't. But I have to admit, they look pretty comfortable.

Hilary said...

I believe I could have some fun with that word "she wants to have fun, dos shi?" but I'll refrain. ;)

Kappa no He said...

Oh, Jim!

Frank, they were saying they can't keep them on the racks. Thinking of a bad pun, I'll stop.

Imomo, I'm giggling here, and blushing about the sweating image. They kept talking about how it felt like you were wearing nothing at all! Big selling point.

J.W. That's good! There is like almost no stigma on male nakedness here. I mean, even guys who probably shouldn't be naked, they're totally out there. It's surreal.

Hilary, that's my girl, I knew you'd have a great one!
I wonder if you could sell that catch copy to one of the companies. Big bucks!

Ello - Ellen Oh said...

These are butt napkins.

I've not been around much but had to stop by cause I missed you! How's it going?

Kappa no He said...

Ello, I really should know by now not to be taking a sip of my morning coffee while I read one of your comments. Butt Napkins. You are touched, and in a very good way.

I've been thinking about you of late, too. Edits done? Waiting agent's response? If so you sound just like me!

Mary Witzl said...

My neighbor in Beppu wore a fundoshi all the time in the summer. He wasn't all that young and it was pretty disconcerting, running into him.

But those girl fundoshis aren't really fundoshis, they're just ugly bikinis. Or am I just totally out of it?