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Cherry boys clamor for instruction manual

"Health Education and Physical Education for Men in Their 30s"
“Health Education and Physical Education for Men in Their 30s”

TOKYO (TR) – Years ago, a man who had attained age 20 without having had sex was contemptuously referred to as “yarahata,” a composite of yaranai (not to do) and hatachi (20 years old). But these days, Nikkan Gendai (Jan. 21) reports, plenty of fellows have already hit 30 and still never gone all the way.

Maybe these fellows should bone up on the 105-page comic book from Ichijinsha titled “Sanjissai no Hoken Taiiku” (Health Education and Physical Education for Men in Their 30s). Since going on sale last December, the title has been enjoying strong sales, making it to the bestseller list (No. 25) of the Japanese subsidiary of Amazon.com.

While the Internet is crammed with free sex sites, the tabloid reports, it is interesting that a book priced at 1,500 yen has already managed to sell over 50,000 copies.

“The erotic stuff on the Internet isn’t that useful for a man who wants to lose his virginity,” says the editor at Ichijinsha in charge of the project. “That’s because virtual women and real women aren’t the same thing. I myself attended an all-boys school and as I didn’t have many opportunities to talk to females outside of my own family, I had no idea of how to ask a girl out, let alone have sex with her.

“If you’re past a certain age and your lack of sex experience is exposed, it’s regarded as shameful, and you can’t even ask questions to other people,” the editor continues. “So we wanted to make a ‘how-to’ book that would help men with the same problem learn basic communication skills with women.”

Rather than photographs the book contains illustrations of moe-kei (“budding,” i.e., wholesome girls in the bloom of youth). Included are methods for asking a girl out, and then getting down to such nitty-gritty items as seduction, popping the question, undressing her and so on.

“Some men may be shocked at their first sight of female genitalia, and how grotesque it appears,” encourages the aforementioned editor. “But if you consider that it’s something that belongs to a woman you like, then it’s okay. So go for it.”

While some might chuckle at the naiveté of the contents, and how they cater to otaku (geeks), Nikkan Gendai says the book contains plenty of practical pointers and can be readily put to use as a hands-on learning tool. The publisher has received feedback from readers ranging from teenage boys to men in their 50s.

Source: “Sanjuudai no dotei muke shinansho ga baka-ure,” Nikkan Gendai (Jan. 21, page 9)

Note: Brief extracts from Japanese vernacular media in the public domain that appear here were translated and summarized under the principle of “fair use.” Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy of the translations. However, we are not responsible for the veracity of their contents. The activities of individuals described herein should not be construed as “typical” behavior of Japanese people nor reflect the intention to portray the country in a negative manner. Our sole aim is to provide examples of various types of reading matter enjoyed by Japanese.