Interest

Hot Spring Tour for Cross-Dressing Boys in Japan Planned

The Japanese travel agency HIS has announced that it is launching a two-day, one-night hot spring tour designed for cross-dressers — specifically those identifying themselves as otokonoko (literally, "male maidens"). Both the staff and tourists will be otokonoko, allowing participants to enjoy the trip without embarassment. The tour originates in Tokyo and travels by bus to the Hotel Shinko and hot spring. The trip costs 27,800 to 32,800 yen (about US$344 to $405) and will take place on August 6 and 7.

The otokonoko phenomenon has been on the rise in Japan. Last summer, publisher Ichijinsha announced an original anime DVD titled Mayo elle Otokonoko, and Million Publishing launched a manga magazine titled Oto☆Nyan, which features a variety of manga about "two-dimensional boys in girls' clothing," in October. Another Japanese publisher, Ichijinsha, had already launched its WAaI! boys in skirts magazine earlier last year. Nanami Igarashi, a former Johnny's Jr. male idol and the son of Candy Candy shōjo manga artist Yumiko Igarashi, published an essay manga book titled Wagahai wa "Otokonoko" dearu! ("I Am Otokonoko!") last November.

[Via Hachima Kikō]

Update: The term for the phenomenon is "男の娘" (otokonoko or literally, "male maiden"). There is a different term for "boy" with the same pronunciation, "男の子" or literally, "male child."

This is similar to how the term for a boys-love otaku ("fujoshi" or 腐女子) happens to be pronounced the same way as the term that has a very different meaning: 婦女子, which means a wife or family woman.