The Japanese health system caters to each and every sub-section of society; Akihabara maids, cos-players, otakus, and the naked. When the naked first arrived at the Doctor’s office it was quite uncomfortable, contributing to the ever-present Japanese angst about station and rank- factors which play into every strata of social behaviour, determining how to talk, how to stand, how deep to bow, etc… From this discomfort sprung a wide range of etiquette questions:
Did disrobement lower or raise the status? Was it gender specific, did naked women around naked men go up a few degrees, necessitating deeper bows and more teinei (polite form) speak, while men naked around women went down in stature, especially if it was a cold day? What about women around women, or men around men?
To solve these question once and for all, the doctors started getting naked when ‘the naked’ arrived. This led to a return to the standard levels of anxiety over rank and station, which came as a great relief. It also led to hugely increased sales of velcro quick-release Doctor’s gowns, to allow for quick changes.
That was all ‘humor’, btw.
In the picture, the lady is saying- ‘Ow my tummy hurts!’
The Doctor is saying- ‘Hmm well let me see.’
Why is he actually naked? I have no idea. I suppose to be cute. On a wall-board in a countryside train station.
TOKYO
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