Friday 25 January 2013

Organized, ready and well protected at Kanda firestation.

Only in Akiba?  maybe? AKB-48 inspired?
 Morale boost for the firies?
In keeping with the maid cafe culture at least...
I wonder how long she's been around -
my guess ... about the same time as AKB48.
http://www.akb48.co.jp/
The other day I walked past the Kanda fire station just near Akihabara station.  

The invisible men -  ready to go... obviously no fear of redback 
spiders climbing in...

4 comments:

Rurousha said...

Does Japan have female firefighters?

Wait. Google.

Aha. Wikipedia says: "As of 2003 the Tokyo Fire Department had 666 female firefighters, 3.8% of the total. In 2009, as part of a recruitment drive it was stated that there were 17,000 female fire service staff, though it is not clear how many of these were operational, rather than providing support roles."

I would bet my entire book collection that women do mostly, if not entirely, office work; but if I had to be carried out of a burning building, I'd very most definitely prefer a brawny boy to do it!

Theresa said...

I hate those cartoon characters.The other day I was in the supermarket and saw a campaign ad with AKB-48 members, probably (I just assume everybody is from that group) and it was too sexy, made me uncomfortable. Then I turned around and a boy band on a poster was trying to seduce me into buying candy or gum or something with big sexy doe eyes. Felt like a middle-aged perv.

I recently saw a story about an American firefighter (Scott Ziegler) who used a helmet camera to film a year's worth of footage of firefighting, put on YouTube. Where there's a conservative local government, of course funds for police, firefighting, education, health care, arts, public transportation, etc., are gleefully slashed to the bone. He wanted to show people what they do, how important, and how short-staffed and under-funded they are.

Cecilia said...

666 - I wonder if that number was chosen intentionally...
I concur that there's a high chance of them being office ladies.

I don't like them either Theresa. I saw instant noodles the other day with AKB48 ... it made me wonder who the instant noodle demographic is... I find the concept quite icky.

Will take a look at Scott Ziegler. It sounds very interesting.

SomedaysSarah said...

I tend to just ignore things like that - like pinup calendars in gas stations in North America. Now calendars of topless firemen...

Ummmmm, sorry? Where was I?

The cute-ification of sex, and the sex-ification of cute, in this country is just far too deep-seated for me to do anything about, I figure, so I just try not to let it bother me... But on a firehall? That is a bit much.