One of Mami’s favorite TV programs is the mystical and spiritual “Aura no Izumi”, featuring Hiroyuki Ehara and Akihiro Miwa. When I first started watching it, I was baffled by the old man dressed as a woman. Where I’m from, if a man grows his hair long, dresses in a skirt, and dons a load of make up, it’s usually in the name of comedy, for example Barry Humphries acting as Dame Edna Everage.
Aura no Izumi is actually a serious talk show. Ehara, who usually looks like he’s sleeping, uses his supernatural powers to connect with the deceased relatives of each special guest, and passes messages between them. Okay, I know it sounds funny, but it really is taken very seriously.
I actually find it quite disturbing that Mami can watch this program week in, week out, without noticing that the very blonde Mr. Miwa is dressed as a woman for absolutely no reason whatsoever!
Unlike Barry Humphries who is just acting, Akihiro Miwa is not. He has a man’s name, and people refer to him with masculine pronouns. In fact the only thing feminine about him is his appearance and crusty, old woman’s voice.
The subject of Miwa came up in class today after two of my students saw him perform as Empress Sisi in the play L’Aigle á Deux Tetes. They both talked about him as if nothing was even the slightest bit strange. I couldn’t resist and began voicing my opinions, asking if it would be okay if I came to class in a dress, or if Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, wore a wig and make-up.
Although seeing a grown man dressed as a woman is too much for me to take seriously, his cross-dressing antics are perfectly acceptable to the Japanese. Why?
In the words of one of my students:
It’s okay. He’s very beautiful.
