Older women go gaga over young 'princes'

By Ayako Hirayama
Publisher:The Daily Yomiuri - Publication Date: 22-11-2007

Waiting outside for the doors to open at the Chiba Prefectural Culture Hall this week, Mizue Asakura knew her dream of seeing her favorite star was about to come true.

Asakura of Ichihara, Chiba Prefecture, says she's captivated by 16-year-old rising stage star Taichi Saotome, whose elegant dancing in popularized kabuki-like performances, where he is typically clad in kimono and heavily made up, have earned him the nickname, 'Prince of the Nagashime'. Nagashime means sidelong glance.

"Off stage, he looks like an ordinary boy," Asakura, 67, says. "But once he takes the stage, he becomes someone completely different. It's great to see young people so dedicated to something. I feel rejuvenated."

One of her neighbours, Tama Okada, 76, who came along to watch the show, goes even further. "I feel like he's my grandson," she says.

The spectacle of mature female fans, dubbed auntie fans, flocking to theatres is nothing new--these traveling troupes of actors have been popular among women in this age group for many years. But Saotome, who is now on a 40-city tour, has scaled new heights of popularity among mature women.

The craze for teenage 'princes' was ignited last year with the emergence of Yuki Saito, the then star pitcher for Waseda Jitsugyo High School, which won last summer's National High School Baseball Tournament.

The buzz around Saito, known affectionately as the 'Handkerchief Prince' because of his habit of mopping his brow with a blue handkerchief that his mother had given him, shows no signs of abating, with female fans crowding Tokyo's Jingu Stadium to watch him pitch for Waseda University.

The fascination among mature women with these handsome--and polite--teenagers has continued to grow, and has added a new dimension to the phenomenon of grown-up groupies that has been so in evidence with the craze for South Korean stars.

The rise this year of teenage golf sensation Ryo Ishikawa has added still more fuel to the fire.

Ishikawa entered the spotlight in May, when the amateur player became the youngest-ever person to win on the nation's men's professional golf tour. Since then, crowds of housewives have been flocking to watch him play.

In mid-October, one group of five women in their 50s and 60s traveled from Sakura, Chiba Prefecture, to the Sodegaura Country Club, in the same prefecture, to see Ishikawa, who has been dubbed the 'Prince of Bashfulness' on account of his shy smile.

The women made sure to arrive at the course several hours before the Bridgestone Open tournament started so they could see the 16-year-old prodigy practicing at close range.

"Despite his age, he's mature, polite and personable," said Sachiko Fukushima, 57, one of the five who watched him in Chiba. "He's always thoughtful to his fans...If I'd had a son like him, I would be so proud of him."

Filling a space

The attention lavished by mature women on this latest crop of teenagers is not based on romantic yearnings as is often the case in the craze over South Korean heartthrobs such as Winter Sonata star Bae Yong Joon.

Instead, according to Noriko Mizuta, president of Josai International University who specialises in women's studies, these teenagers fulfill a yearning for what middle-aged and senior women have lost in their lives, or failed to attain in the first place.

"I think these teenagers are icons to these women, and arouse their maternal instincts," Mizuta says. "Many women are willing to sacrifice their own ambitions when raising their children. But there comes a point where they think, 'I should've done this or that with my children,' or 'I wish I'd brought my children up differently.'"

Mizuta says the attraction to these teenagers in part may stem from dissatisfaction with their own lives and uncertainty about their status in society.

Gender equality is supposed to be guaranteed by law. But in reality, many older women growing up were expected to stay at home and raise children, despite an increasing tendency for them to have studied at university themselves.

This has led to frustration among many women, but they have often lacked an outlet for such feelings.

"I think many women are deeply disillusioned with their husbands, who are supposed to be their partners for life," Mizuta said. "When they were busy raising children, they couldn't afford to have fun for themselves. But now, they feel like they want to enjoy their lives."

Regardless of what they are seeking--whether it be an ideal son or the perfect partner--the fascination with celebrities seems to be a way for many women to relieve their stress and rejuvenate them.

Keiko Ito, 49, of Edogawa Ward, Tokyo, says she has enjoyed following around South Korean entertainer Ryu Siwon, known as 'The Prince' by his fans. Early last month, Ito was among about 3,000 people who took part in an event in South Korea to celebrate Ryu's birthday.

"It was good for a change," Ito said of the event, which started at about 6:30pm and lasted until 2am the next day. "I feel refreshed every time I go to one of his concerts or events, so I'll definitely be going to next year's birthday event, too."

Japanese phenomenon

Yet many non-Japanese observers are bewildered by Japanese women's infatuation with teenage and South Korean heartthrobs.

"These women might feel that their lives are empty, but it's still hard to understand where they've gotten this idea of chasing people young enough to be their sons," says Sophia University Prof. Muriel Jolivet, a gender studies specialist.

Jolivet, who hails from France but has lived in Japan for 30 years, said such a phenomenon is unlikely to occur in the couple-oriented West. "In Western countries, if you have leisure time and money, you would probably want to travel somewhere, set off on a cruise ship, or go out with your husband more often," she said.

However, the tradition of Japanese women going out without their husbands is nothing new. In fact, it is centuries old.

As far back as the 16th century, Portuguese missionary Luis Frois, who stayed in Japan for more than 30 years, noted this trend in his account Europa e Esta Provincia de Japao.

Writing in 1585, Frois wrote: "In Europe, a wife does not leave the home without permission from her husband, while Japanese women enjoy freedom to go anywhere without telling their husbands," according to a Japanese translation of the account.

The celebrity-chasing phenomenon is also often a group activity, and the sight of big groups of middle-aged Japanese women traveling to events can seem odd to Westerners.

Kazuyo Kakiuchi, 54, of Katsushika Ward, Tokyo, says her circle of friends continues to grow as she travels to watch her favourite Korean pop artists perform, and she knows that even if she travels somewhere on her own that she will make new friends at the venues.

The Internet has undoubtedly made it easier for women like Kakiuchi to form networks of like-minded people, who can share the latest information and exchange thoughts about the particular star they have a crush on.

Economic sense

Keio University Prof Takanobu Nakajima, author of the book Obasan no Keizaigaku (Economics of Aunties), which analyses the behaviour of middle-aged women from an economic perspective, said joining a group is a rational and cost-effective choice.

"Acting in a group allows them to share information and enjoyment more easily while keeping costs down," he said. "Finding a fun activity on their own would take up valuable time and money as they'd have to try their hands at many different things."

In Japan, it is the woman that typically controls the family purse strings, and many find themselves with an abundance of free time, especially once their children are fully grown.

"Japan is unusual because it is the wife who has the final say over household spending," Nakajima says. "So wives not only have control over the finances, but they've got a lot more free time with the increased use of domestic appliances."

And though some husbands may grumble at the prospect of working long hours while their wives travel around indulging their crush, some of them are just happy their spouse has a hobby.

"It's a good change for her to get away from work and the home and to be getting into something she likes," says Ito's husband, Keizo, 58. He said he has no problem with her traveling to South Korea as their son is old enough to take care of himself.

He adds: "I think doing all this energizes her and it makes family life happier as well."

foto

Attached Images

13992.jpg (11.7 KB, 14 views)

[YT]owOSnJEq3Bk&feature=dir[/YT]

Here is a news report with some of his dancing he is really talented and he isnt only in kabuki costume which is fem but also samurai