Lemme set the scene. I’m 2 weeks shy of 49, even though I don’t look like most almost-50 year olds. Walking alone in Osaka today at 2:30pm, wearing a very loose/baggy summer dress, but my shoulders were exposed, and showing lots of tattoos- NOT THAT DRESS MATTERS, but it could be relevant here.
A Japanese man starts talking to me, asking me if I know where a good restaurant is in the area. I’m American, not a local, and there are many other locals around. Being the clueless person I can sometimes be, I thought it was just a nice guy wanting to practice English, whatever. He says he has “free time” and asks if I want to get lunch, says he’ll pay. I politely decline, but he keeps walking in the same direction, asking where I’m from, telling me where he’s lived abroad (this checked out based on my detective skills), etc. He asks my age, tells me he’s 35, then later keeps saying what I thought was “you’re sixty” because he has an accent and we’re on a busy street and I can barely hear him. He keeps saying it and it dawns on me he’s saying s3xy. He then says he’ll PAY me to… he doesn’t say it directly, but he busts out Google translate and types away. He propositioned me. He pulls out his wallet and again says he’ll pay, but when I probably look like I’m going to yeet him into traffic, he then says not for s3x, but “to look” and reiterates the payment bit.
Is this common here?? Not even the paying for services because no judgement here. You do you. But is it common for Japanse men to approach strange women on the street and just offer to pay them for whatever?! Maybe I’m just more confused as to what made him come up to me 😂
Is there a common look for one who takes money for these services? I know the culture is different for covering up, and my dress went to below mid-calf and up to above my collar bone so no chest was exposed, only my arms and shoulders, but I’m dying in this heat because I’m menopausal AF, which brings me back to why did this dude proposition me?? And was it because of showing too much skin compared to Japanese women? He said he lived in Germany (that also checks out) so I would think he’s used to different dress standards, as well. Other than being sleeveless and non-Asian, I looked like any other local.
I’ve just never had anything remotely like this happen before, not in the US or in any of my travels.
And I’m not even really approachable! I wouldn’t say I have RBF, but I definitely exude “don’t talk to me”.
Trying to figure out if this was just a random, rare encounter or what. It was an unpleasant experience, to say the least.
by acrafty19