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Book Review: Pink Samurai

Author: Nicholas Bornoff

Reviewer: Mark Groenewold

Date: March, 2003

This book, dated though it may be, is the single most comprehensive title on the topic of Japanese sexuality. Bornoff takes readers on an historical romp through Japanese history and chronicles sexuality on the island of the gods from medieval times to the middle of the 20th century. Sadly, for those of you with means and desire to do more field work on your own, Bornoff does not include maps, phone numbers, or a list of contacts for you to verify any of his findings.

What makes this book interesting is that Bornoff's approach is largely clinical sounding, matter-of-fact, and quite informative in describing and explaining the way the Japanese view human sexuality. As a purely anthropological study, this is quite interesting and results in a fascinating cultural study. Yes, there are things that will shock and amaze you. There are things that make you go, “Ewww!”, and still others that may make you say, “Cool!”.

When looking at other cultures, particularly insulated cultures like that of Japan, learning about the social constructs of how a nation organizes itself is important. We study family structures, social customs, habits and hobbies, and community life. But unless we also learn about how a nation and people expresses themselves through poetry, passion, and sexuality, we are always missing part of the puzzle. Japan, as in many things, is a bewildering maze, but when it comes to sexuality in some constructs, they are surprisingly and refreshingly frank.

Bornoff's book is no pamphlet, it is a mammoth of a book, and will no takes many a day of concentrated reading to get through. Give yourself at least a month to tackle this beast of a book. It is not merely a book of titillating stories and accounts of sexual exploit, but rather, a very thorough exploration of the culture of human sexuality as it has related to the Japanese through the ages. It is an account of Japanese life on their futons and tatami, described and explored in ways which are unparalleled to date. Recommended reading for historians and cultural anthropologists.

Don't put this book under your mattress. You will get a hell of a crick in your back.

Mark Groenewold
Kanazawa, Japan
March, 2003.

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