Who is this Loony?
Below are some pictures of an eccentric oddball who can often be spotted roaming the streets of Yokohama. Whenever there’s a big event in Kanagawa prefecture, such as a summer festival or a fireworks display, this colourful character appears, riding a bicycle and wearing long white robes, comedy spectacles and an enormous hat that looks like Salvador Dali’s wedding cake. More often than not, he’s also wearing a pair of fake boobies. I wonder if he wears this outfit every day?
Despite this man’s larger-than-life appearance, nobody seems to have any idea who he is. Is he a genuinely insane fruitcake, a daring outsider artist, or just a guy who likes dressing-up for fun? Most Yokohama residents know him only as “that crazy Oji-san.” I once had a brief opportunity to speak to him when he stopped his bicycle next to me at a traffic light, but I was left feeling none the wiser. he simply said “Yokohama! Yokohama!” gleefully, then sped off on his bike.
Whoever this mysterious nutter is, I wholeheartedly approve of his bonkers dress-sense. He certainly serves as a good antidote to the stereotypical Japanese traits of reserve and uniformity.
June 24, 2007 at 8:59 am
[...] Who is this Loony? Below are some pictures of an eccentric oddball who can often be spotted roaming the streets of Yokohama. Whenever […] [...]
June 24, 2007 at 11:45 am
Hilarious!
June 25, 2007 at 3:24 am
What is he, like…four feet tall?
June 25, 2007 at 3:56 am
Not really. He’s sitting on a bike in two of the pictures. But he’s no giant!
June 25, 2007 at 7:52 am
The Madame Tussaud’s statue has been ordered and a Bronze statue will be erected soon in name of “that crazy oji-san” … or it should be … here we don’t have people like that … we do have a sexy girl (really sexy) that dress like a playmate with cat-ears and do pole dance on the subways pole after midnight …
June 25, 2007 at 11:36 am
Wow- that sounds better!
June 25, 2007 at 3:41 pm
Definitely an artist, I would say!
I would welcome more!
June 27, 2007 at 9:38 pm
[...] to roaf’s site, Gaijin Tonic, and find [...]
July 1, 2007 at 2:43 am
Yep I like loonies
A LOT! Loonies are usually honest LOL!
July 1, 2007 at 11:29 pm
Yeah, you know where you stand with a nutter!
July 8, 2007 at 1:24 pm
Dang! You would never see someone dressed like that in Korea. That said, people here are stuck in the 80s when it comes to ‘fashion’ (the quotes are there for a reason. Go figure).
There is someone similar to him in Bangkok. Always a crowd puller. However, he clearly does it to make coin from the tourists (and he makes a fair whack on all accounts).
July 8, 2007 at 9:33 pm
I don’t think this guy actually gets any money for his troubles. But he’s not alone- Japan has a big culture of dressing up in crazy costumes.
July 9, 2007 at 2:01 am
Jesus. I thought he was dressing up as a way to attract tourists. (Note to self: get your sorry arse to JAPAN!)
October 2, 2007 at 2:46 am
OMG! My wife saw him at an art show about a month back! He was wearing the pine cone things from cookoo clocks and fishbowls with live goldfish as earrings.
October 2, 2007 at 7:43 am
Live goldfish? Wow, sounds like he’s getting more crazy with his accessorizing.