Nakiya are professional criers, in Japan. You pay, they cry. At a funeral, a TV soap, whatever and wherever you need 'em. Aberrations of the modern age are evident everywhere, but Japan often strikes me as especially peculiar. On the one hand, you have beautiful, graceful, centuries-old artisitic traditions expressed in painting, drawing, ceramics, wood carving, gardening and theatre. Japanese cuisine is another expression of balance, harmony, grace and beauty. Then on the other hand you've English-language T-shirts with completely non-sensical word combinations; plus the commercialization of phony grief by nakiya and their clients; and clubs of men known as "chikan," devoted to the fine art of groping women on subways. Coming soon to the East and West: iPod porn.

TECHNORATI TAGS: JAPAN, NAKIYA, CHIKAN, iPOD PORN

TO COMMENT: The regular "comment" feature is not in operation. E-mail comments to address under "Contact" on main page masthead, and I'll add them, here.

Nathan Azinger e-mails to say, "I should point out that mourning is an old profession in both Eastern and Western traditions." Good reminder, Nathan, thanks. Yet I wonder where else, now, besides Japan, is the tradition prevalent in the modern day?

Posted by Matt Rosenberg at October 31, 2005 11:06 AM