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Homosexuality in JapanHomosexuality, or same-gender romantic love or sexual desire, has been recorded from ancient times in Japan; indeed, love between men was viewed as the purest form of love. While homosexuality has never been viewed as a sin in Japanese society and religion, and there is no specific legal prohibition, western religious thought and a desire to appear "civilized" have historically influenced the way that homosexuality has been viewed both by the Japanese government and by the population at large.
Some considerationsHistorical sourcesAvailable sources on homosexual behaviour in ancient Japan, as in ancient China, are largely literary. Although a unified Japan existed from about the 4th century, Japan's written historical records really begin with the Kojiki (古事記), or Record of Ancient Matters[1], compiled in the early 7th century. While Chinese references from the 6th century B.C.E contain homosexual references, similar references in Japan begin to appear in about the 10th century. These references, at least initially, appear to follow the Chinese example. EtymologyOriginally, shudo, wakashudo and nanshoku were the preferred terms. Currently, dōseiaisha (同性愛者, literally same-sex-loving person) has become the only term available. The term gay is almost never used in discussing ancient and historical sources because of the modern, western, political connotations of the word and because the term suggests a particular identity, one with which homosexuals even in modern Japan may not identify. More recently the contraction "homo" has been used; somewhat confusingly this term was used both positively and pejoratively. Nowadays the terms gei (ゲイ, a transliteration of gay) and rezu or rezubian (レズ、レズビアン, transliterations of lesbian) are the most common in the gay community, while pejorative terms like okama (a word of obscure origin literally meaning a cooking pot) are sometimes used. Comparisons with the WestUnlike the west, in Japan sex was not viewed in terms of morality, but rather in terms of pleasure, social position and social responsibility. While modern attitudes to homosexuality have changed, this is largely true even today. Like the west, however, only sexual acts were seen as being homosexual or heterosexual, not the people performing such acts. Ancient JapanThe Japanese term nanshoku (男色) is the Japanese reading of the same characters in Chinese, which literally mean "male colours." The character 色 still has the meaning of sexual pleasure in both China and Japan. This term was widely used to refer to male-male sex in ancient Japan. According to Gary Leupp, the ancient Japanese associated nanshoku with China, a country from which borrowed ideas which became the basis for much of Japanese high culture, including their writing system (kanji, Chinese characters). The Japanese nanshoku tradition drew heavily on that of China (please see Homosexuality in China), and to a more limited extent, that of Korea. A variety of obscure literary references to same-sex love exist in ancient sources, but many of these are so subtle as to be unreliable; another consideration is that declarations of affection for friends of the same sex were also common. Nevertheless, references do exist, and they become more numerous in the Heian Period, roughly the 11th century. In Genji Monogatari (源氏物語, The Tale of Genji), written in the early 11th century, men are frequently moved by the beauty of youths. In one scene the hero is rejected by a lady and sleeps instead with her brother: Genji pulled the boy down beside him . . . Genji, for his part, or so
one is informed, found the boy more attractive than his chilly
sister.
The Tale of Genji is a novel (often considered the world's first), but there exist several Heian diaries which contain references to homosexual acts as well. Some of these also contain references to Emperors involved in homosexual relationships and to "handsome boys retained for sexual purposes" by Emperors.
In other literary works can be found references to what Leupp has called "problems of gender identity," such as the story of a youth falling in love with a girl who is actually a cross-dressing male. Monastic same-sex loveBuddhist monasteries appear to have been early centers of homosexual activity in ancient Japan. It was popularly said that Kukai, the founder of the Shingon Buddhist sect, introduced nanshoku into Japan after returning from Tang China in the 9th century. However he does not discuss this theme in any of his major works. It should also be noted that any sexual activity was expressly forbidden by the Vinaya or code of monastic discipline for Buddhist monks, and Kukai was an enthusiastic upholder of the Vinaya. At the same time, Mount Koya, the seat of Kukai's monastery, became a by-word for same-sex love. However neither Shinto or the Japanese interpretation of Confucianism contained any prohibitions. Enough monks seem to have felt their vows of chastity did not apply to same-sex relations so that stories of affairs between monks and young acolytes, known as Chigo Monogatari were quite popular, and such affairs were lightly joked about, when the passions did not rise to the level of violence, which was not uncommon. Jesuits reported aghast on the 'sodomy' that occurred among Buddhist clergy. Military same-sex loveFrom religious circles, same-sex love spread to the warrior class, where it was customary for a young samurai to apprentice to an older and more experienced man, whose lover he would then become for a number of years. The practice was known as shudo, the way of the young, and was held in high esteem by the warrior class.
Middle class same-sex loveAs Japanese society became pacified, the middle classes adopted many of the practices of the warrior class, in the case of shudo giving it a more mercantile interpretation. Young kabuki actors, known as kagema, became the rage, they were celebrated in much the same way as modern media stars are today, and were much sought after by wealthy patrons, who would vie with each other to purchase their favors[2]. Art of same-sex loveThese activities were the subject of countless literary works, most of which remain to be translated. Likewise, many of the greatest artists of the period, such as Hokusai and Hiroshige, prided themselves in documenting such loves in their prints, known as ukiyo-e, pictures of the floating world, and where they had an erotic tone, shunga, or pictures of spring[3]. Homosexuality in modern JapanAnime and MangaMany anime and manga contain gay male content, variously called shounen-ai, Boys Love, BL, or JUNE when it is more romantic and yaoi when more sexual. These are marketed primarily to women from schoolgirls to housewives and are commonplace in bookstores. Lesbian content is much less widespread, but does exist, and is known as shoujou-ai when romantic, or yuri when sexual. However, yuri is much more often a catch-all term than yaoi, respectively, possibly due to the distribution of each. Some manga, generally appealing more overtly to prurient interest, are directly aimed at the gay market. These, however, are uncommon and generally not found except in specialty shops. Related topicsFurther reading
Reference
External linksSexuality in ancient Japan
Sexuality in modern Japan
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