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My New Favorite Yankee

Or rather, my only favorite Yankee, is Hideki Matsui. At least, assuming that the translation is accurate from this Time Magazine (Asian edition) story. (Via Aaron Gleeman):

His only eccentricity, if it can be called that, is his extensive private library of adult videos. His refreshing ability to laugh self-deprecatingly about his porno collection, reporters say, is one reason why fans and even nonfans have taken to him so much.
[...]
He likes to watch his much vaunted porno collection, tapes that he often trades with Japanese reporters. As one Japanese journalist put it, describing Matsui's affinity for such unique Japanese cultural institutions like the no-panties shabu-shabu in Japan, "Matsui is a horny guy. All of us are horny, more or less. But Matsui doesn't attempt to hide the fact."

The "no panties shabu shabu," alas, is not an establishment that has made the migration to the States along with Matsui. Which is unfortunate. Maybe in the old, pre-Giuliani New York, but not now.

UPDATE: Here's some background on that, in a news story from 1998:

Official Denies Going To No-Panty Restaurant

TOKYO (Reuters) - The prestige of Japan's Ministry of Finance (MOF) took yet another hit on Monday when a senior official was forced to discuss in parliament whether he had visited a restaurant featuring panty-less waitresses.

Atushi Nagano, the head of MOF's Banking Bureau, was reported by a magazine to be a regular at the restaurant, which serves traditional "shabu-shabu" boiled beef by the not-so-traditionally clad waitresses.

"I would like to take this opportunity to clear myself of all the allegations aimed at hurting my dignity. I have never been to that restaurant," Nagano told a committee of the Upper House of parliament.

The restaurant, which has come to be known as "no-panties shabu-shabu" is located in a Tokyo entertainment district.

1998 really was The Year of Politicians Having to Lie About Sex, wasn't it?

Posted by Stephen Silver at November 4, 2005 03:19 PM