A Review of Bijin Tokei

On the lighter side of things, I saw this article on Asahi Shinbun and thought the idea was amusing. The website they’re talking about, Bijin Tokei (美人時計). The word “bijin” means “beautiful person”, but has the nuance of women.

Sometimes, when I am flattering my wife and one of her friends, I might say something to them like bijin futari (美人二人) or “beautiful pair (of people)”. It’s a nice compliment, and good way to stay on your wife’s good side (and her friends). For men, you could said kakkō ii (格好いい) which means “cool” as in sharp or good-looking, or you can say ikemen (イケメン) which specifically means something like a sharp, good-looking (as in young, cool) kind of guy. Literally it means “a guy whose got it going on” or something like that.

But I digress. As for the Bijin Tokei site, I am not sure what to make of it. It’s a clean, tasteful site, just everyday women on the street posing with a specific minute of the day, and frankly some of them are quite beautiful. I also like the fact that they show regular women not just the aspiring model-types. I was also happy to see women more my age too, as it’s a reminder that girls aren’t just beautiful in their early 20′s.1

I noticed that in Japan there’s quite a bit of pressure to be both young and thin. That’s nothing new for women, but there because of the importance of image, I think the pressure is stronger than even here, so I certainly support any effort to celebrate “real women”.

Maybe I am being naive, but it’s a novel site, and worth checking out at least once just for curiosity.

1 I remind my wife of this frequently. I genuinely think she’s beautiful, and I feel fortunate to have married her, but like many women, she’s not confident about herself.


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6 Comments on “A Review of Bijin Tokei”

  1. ロバート says:

    Amusing slip in the end paragraph
    … I feel fortunate to have married her, but I like many women, she’s not confident about herself….

    Somehow I don’t think that “I” should be in there ! 笑
    changes the whole meaning.

  2. Stephen says:

    Because we are talking of light subjects, might I add one off my own?
    My wife was the first born, and with regard to local tradition, her grandfather gave her name – 美眞 Mima – which translated means I suppose “true beauty”. Although her Grandfather probably never predicted she would ordain (the job of the eldest son in the family) my wife undertook ordaination before I did. Instead of changing her name (which is a fight of paperwork) she kept her name but with the required change to Chinese pronounciation – Bijin.
    Although it doesn’t work in writing, I can say in Japanese that my wife has become beautiful thanks to her training as a priest.
    Note: monastic food really makes this comment not just a play on words…

  3. Doug says:

    Robert: Ouch, thanks for the catch! That has been fixed. Yes, that does change meaning a bit. :-p

    Stephen: That’s a funny story. I’ve heard vaguely before about the tradition of grandparents naming the child, but always good to hear it in practice. Having a name like “bijin” can’t be all bad either. I wasn’t aware you ate monastic food (shojin-ryori?) in Jodo Shu tradition. Mind telling us more?

  4. J says:

    Interesting site but if my wife catches me looking then I’m blaming you!

  5. Doug says:

    Hi J and welcome to the JLR! Yeah, I think I should put a disclaimer here somewhere retroactively, just in case. ;)

  6. Stephen says:

    Big subject you want me to add upon. The main Japanese Sects require a period of Monastism ranging dramatically as far as I am aware. The rules of this period and the time of this period ranges dramatically from sect to sect, and temple to temple. My wife’s training was over a two year period at the Nun training facility (no longer present) and compulsory ordination retreat, only possible at Chion-in and Zojo-ji. The Nun training facilty has many full-time monastics (opportunities for Nun’s are limited and the training is more strict). Apart from eggs occaisionally (and arguements about whether eggs are Shojin or not I have had enough of) the meals were apparently Shojin and small in size. Eating all that is before you is extemely important, some women can only cope with a little food, the opportunity to gain a refill is possible, but only as supplies last.
    Ordination procedures changed before I went and I visited four main temples: at each the style of food was different but, in general if you are not preparing the porridge like food offered in Zen prepared by accolytes, Shojin Ryori is much more expensive than regular meals and so in three of the temples meat was present, Zojo-ji in Tokyo being the exception, valuing highly it’s strictness, however pungent Herbs were present.
    Both my wife and I took the ordination Monastic period at Zojo-ji, not a fast eater I think it was about 2 weeks into the retreat I felt the need to get another bowl of rice, and I was not in time (ordination alone is taken with both males and females so the portions are small to start off with). The ordination retreat has prostrations as a base, and requires a great amount of exercise, not to mention the stairs are infamous at Zojo-ji (it is like going up and down a five storey building 6 times a day, after all those standing prostrations, while saying the Nenbutsu at the top of your voice, I don’t know how anyone older than me managed it, (the Eldest was 67 years old). I lost seven kilograms during ordination to finish up under 70kg: I am 185cm (six foot) so not a guy that had a needs to lose too much weight.
    Ordination at Chion is not as physically difficult in that respect as far as I am aware, about 2/3 the amount of prostrations, however it is much colder, During my preperations I spent two weeks in Chion-in and got frost-bite on my ears. I saw someone’s foot get frozen to the floor during morning cleaning of the hall floors.
    At Chion-in we were once dished up three kinds of fish tempura (deep fried food); the fattyness of the meal made me feel kind of sick especially during the long session that followed, but rules are rules and you cannot leave a trace on your plate.
    Hope that gives you an insight you were looking for,
    Anyone out there that wants to try a diet, why not become a Jodo Shu Priest (it all bounces back once you have finished though).
    Stephen
    BTW names… We decided that our first born would be named by their Grandparents, mainly because all of their three children were named for them. Our second child we asked for permission to name ourselves and were granted it on the condition it was approved. No1 was turned down, so was No2 then three: we eventually gave a list of thirty names of which two were percieved as OK. This is a Mega traditional area of Japan…


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