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I was sitting on the floor today for a classroom activity with two of my primary school students. Haruki, a boy, is seven years old and Rina, a girl, is eight. I was sitting cross-legged, when Haruki leaned forward and attempted to hit me on the penis. Fortunately, I saw it coming, deflected the strike and told him not to do that again. There was no harm done, but it did remind me of the curious pastime enjoyed by young boys here in Japan of punching each other in the balls.
When I worked for a language school, I used to visit a local kindergarten once a week to teach a few English classes. In each class there were about forty boys and girls, and I frequently witnessed young boys finding it an absolute hoot to punch a friend in the nuts. The other disturbing hobby, enjoyed by boys and girls alike was to attempt to put their hands up my arse. It’s called a kanchou in Japanese and is practiced by children the length and breadth of the land. The kids put the fingertips of each hand together, in the manner of a small child praying, and then sneak up behind the unsuspecting victim and ram the fingers into their bum. Needless to say it is extremely annoying, but it is also, I think, equally puzzling that such an activity has gained such popularity. Who teaches children that punching each other in the genitals and trying to put fingers up unsuspecting people’s bottoms is acceptable behaviour? And why must each generation pass it on to the next?
Sadly, these forms of entertainment seem to still be quite popular and this is a very bad thing. One day, you see, a teacher is going to turn round and punch a six year-old as hard as he can in the face. And rather than feel remorseful and ashamed afterwards, he will shrug his shoulders and say, “Well, the little fucker deserved it!”
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