Christiane Amanpour: Sex & Love Around the World

Tokyo.

Most know it's a place where men's desires are fully catered to

and well documented.

I want to know more about how the women here live and love.

Ladies, let's talk about sex.

- Yeah. -

Many are choosing to remain single, and the birth rate is falling.

- Twing, twing. -

In a city of contradictions, where do the women find their satisfaction?

I'm really curious to understand what makes Tokyo tick,

but something tells me this city doesn't give up its secrets easily.

Thank you for waiting. It's just about to start now.

It feels good. I don't want anyone to touch me but you.

Promise me, please touch me a lot.

Yura!

Japan has a legendary love of modern day graphic material

that smacks of a strong, sexual appetite.

Coming!

And hopefully, plenty of satisfaction.

Personally, I don't know much about manga comics,

cosplay, anime, or any of the other things I'm told are big in Tokyo.

So, I've reached out to someone who can give me

a crash course in popular culture.

- You're a university professor. - Yes.

Do you teach about sex? Do you teach about culture?

Well, I teach Japanese popular culture a lot in my classes.

I teach on anime, I teach on manga.

Professor Kukhee Choo teaches cultural studies

at Sophia University in Tokyo.

Before I dip into modern day Tokyo's sexual tendencies,

I want to go back.

Okay, so we have to stand back for this.

Way back to the 17th century, an erotic art known as Shunga.

We almost need a drum roll.

These works are still somewhat taboo and they are rarely exhibited.

- This is a very extravagant scroll... - Wow.

- ...from 1675. - That is truly beautiful.

But Kukhee has managed to get us a private look

at the pieces in Tokyo's Sumisho Gallery.

Crikey, look at that.

This was a common gift for daughters for the Samurai class

on their wedding night.

-To show them... -So, to show them... So, it's a sex educational manual.

Really? So, let's go through the story.

-Yes. -They're lying together on their wedding night.

- Oh, she's kinda looking bored. -

She's reading. And he's, like, "okay."

And would it be on public display?

Shunga was a very popular culture in Japan,

and people of various classes would go and purchase it for entertainment purposes.

-It was humorous, it induced giggles. -Mmm-hmm.

So, you can see how a couple could look at it together, while enjoying.

Could I just say that this looks really painful?

I mean, do Japanese men look like that?

-He's not aware of the men's anatomy... -Right.

- ...during this period. - During this period.

Ah, so there are two males.

And he's doing it to himself.

So... No, she's grabbing his...

Oh, my God. I'm so useless. I can't find whose hands are what.

And excuse me. What's happening here?

- These are Buddhist nuns. -What?

Because they could not have heterosexual relationships,

they're masturbating or pleasing themselves.

- Dildos? - Dildo, that's a foot dildo.

- Okay, that's interesting. -

-I mean, it's like... with a sling. -

I'm quite shocked. It's seriously explicit.

I mean, all these positions...

Do you think people actually did that at home?

They probably did.

According to historians, the Edo period,

from the 17th century to the 19th century, was known for its sexual liberation.

And then what happened?

In the mid-19th century, Japan opened its market

and its country to the Western world.

The new era was called Meiji Period,

and they actually banned this culture,

deeming it inappropriate according to Western standards.

- Hmm. - And let's not forget,

the mid-19th century was the Victorian era.

Right. And they thought, maybe...

Yeah, the Americans, or the Brits, or whatever would come here and get shocked.

And they were indeed shocked.

So, this suddenly disappeared.

If you actually had these shungas,

they would be confiscated by the government.

- She looks quite happy, this one. -That's his wife.

Even if she weren't, she had to fake it.

What were marriages like in that era?

During the Edo period, men could have multiple wives, uh, many mistresses.

And how did the wives take that?

They were taught jealousy was not a good virtue.

-So they had to bite the bullet? -Yes.

- As usual. - As usual.

There was more sexual liberation,

so I would assume that, probably, people were a little happier back then.

- Women or men? - Both.

-So, the wives could do this stuff, too? -Probably, secretly.

Really? So, who do we have here, then?

Just a regular lady, probably she's buying some kind of hair ornament

from this merchant, who came to visit her.

So, is this the milkman coming and having an affair with the housewife?

- Exactly. - Exactly!

God only knows what that weird sexual torture device is.

What is that?

- Shoes. Wooden heels. -

I got that one wrong.

In public, my husband and I

don't do much kissing,

holding hands, or putting an arm around a shoulder.

Almost never happens.

On very rare occasions, we hold hands.

But I don't like holding hands very much.

I kiss my husband only when we have sex.

"Do I like it?"

Um...

Not very much. In fact, I may not be very good at it.

On Love Hotel Hill, intimacy is a business,

where amorous couples seek respite

from the stresses and loneliness of life.

Rooms can be paid for by the hour.

And so can lovers.

My occupation is "Fuzoku-jyo," a hotel health worker.

I see about four customers per day.

Once a call comes...

I go to the designated hotels.

Many things motivated me to start this job...

As my husband is a strong, jealous type,

I thought, maybe this job could relieve stress

by enjoying other men.

The shop set up a fabricated company for an alibi.

My husband thinks I work as OL, office lady.

My regulars are working in corporate jobs,

married but sexless.

They don't get sexual intimacy at home...

so they probably come to me

to release sexual tension, from time to time.

Since I'm a married woman myself...

married customers request me.

I think, they look for the similar elements

as their wives.

Someone they can talk to.

With a married woman...

who understands the situation...

a secret can be shared.

For those who claim

they fall in love with me...

I would pretend

to be in love with them...

so they would come to see me more.

I've never heard my father say, "I love you," to my mother.

I think it'd be really weird for me to hear that in Japanese.

It sounds really, really corny.

Yeah, that's the thing, just linguistically, it's...

It just sounds corny.

We don't even say "I love you" in the text.

I think so.

Oh, yeah, in English, we always say...

Yeah, we say those sorts of things.

I love you is "Ai shiteru yo" in Japanese.

But it means more if you say "arigato," which means thank you.

So, I think a lot of Japanese people

say thank you instead of I love you.

I don't use "I love you."

I use "I like you" and "I like you so much."

In the public, we don't say much.

We don't hold hands.

At first, I didn't really kiss.

We kiss when he go work, you know.

When?

When you leave.

Oh, she just... But that's not kissing, though.

-Oh, yeah, not really... -Nobody wants to kiss me.

No!

Yeah, once in a while we do. But not in the public.

That would be the big rumor, "Maya-san is kissing her husband."

It's that kind of situation, you know, rumors can kill you.

Shining!

Yeah!

Ready!

Set, go!

Cheers!

Chug it!

Chug it!

Chug it!

Chug it!

Chug it!

Everybody chug it!

Everybody chug it!

- Chug it! - Chug it!

Here we go!

At last!

In the end!

Awesome!

Prince!

A comment!

Let's!

Ask!

Thank you for today.