slow sex

Monday, September 10, 2007

slow sex

Slow Life, Slow Sex: Key to combating breast cancer lies in early discovery

Dr. Kunio Kitamura was born in 1951. He graduated from Jichi Medical School and through his 30 years of research, is now the "voice of Japanese sexuality." Among his many books are "Shiawase no Sex (Happy Sex)," "Piru (The Pill)" and "Karada no Hon (The Body Book)."

It came as a great shock to learn my dear friend, TV celebrity Kuniko Yamada, was suffering from breast cancer.

Kuniko and I had come into contact because we were co-panelists on "Perfect H," a program on satellite channel LaLa TV that promised to thoroughly answer whatever questions viewers had about sex.

We spent close to three years recording the program together. Kuniko was voted Japan's favorite celebrity for eight years running and, as I learned when we filmed live in front of an Osaka audience on one occasion, loved by fans wherever she went.

Having worked together for so long, I was fortunate enough to become so close to Kuniko that I was free to get in touch with her any time, whether at home, or by e-mail or over a mobile phone.

So, I was stunned to hear she had breast cancer. Though, from the point of view of a physician, perhaps news of Kuniko's breast cancer shouldn't have been too astonishing. And the reason for that is the Westernization of the Japanese diet. Cancers typical of industrialized societies -- like breast, bowel and cervical cancer -- were once unthinkable in Japan, but have now become common.

In fact, since 1998, breast cancer has surpassed stomach cancer to become the most common carcinogen among Japanese women. Because breast cancer symptoms are often so hard to detect, the best way for women to ensure early detection is to have close contact with a breast cancer specialist who knows what to look for. Kuniko was fortunate in that she was working on a health program for TV and was interested in her breasts' health, which meant that she frequently checked them and discovered her cancer at an early stage.

In recent years, self-examination, which also carries the meaning of increasing women's awareness in their own health, has become widespread, while in the medical profession it is common sense that image diagnoses are vital for early detection.

Imaging equipment, such as the mammography or CT scanning, are effective ways to examine women and are capable of super-early detection that can pick up cancerous growths just a few millimeters long, and can overcome the limits of self-examination.

As a doctor supposed to be learned in these matters, the first thing I thought about when I heard my friend Kuniko had breast cancer was her husband, Shiro Goto.

"What the hell are you doing?" I wanted to ask him, only half-jokingly. "You should be helping your wife check her breasts all the time."

When I got home from work on the night I learned about Kuniko's condition, I immediately went straight to my wife.

"All right, put both your hands up in the air. OK! No tumors in the armpit's lymph nodes," I said as I examined her. Considering I hadn't been able to touch her much recently, my wife gave me a pretty dubious look. "What are you up to?" she said with a laugh. (By Dr. Kunio Kitamura, special to the Mainichi)

Click here for the original Japanese story

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'Slow sex' expert says no short cut to good love hotel hanky-panky

Tokyo Isshukan (Feb. 27)

Putting women first is the shortest step to success when it comes to having an enjoyable session of "slow sex" in a love hotel, Japan's foremost "slow sex" expert tells Tokyo Isshukan (2/27).

Adam Tokunaga, operator of Japan's first sex school and a self-proclaimed expert in "slow sex," urges women be given the upper hand when it comes to enjoying sensuous pleasures in the not-so-sensual surroundings of a love hotel.

Tokunaga says that the ideal place for exceptional love hotel slow sex will be of relatively recent construction, be roomy with a large bed and not be filled with gaudy decorations or accessories that make the room like part of an amusement park.

"It's important from the very start that the woman feels she is actually taking part in the process, so letting her select the room gives her a sense of involvement and makes an enormous difference when it comes to bedtime," Tokunaga tells Tokyo Isshukan.

Once entering a love hotel room, Tokunaga says it's important to cut out all electronic distractions like the TV, videogames or the karaoke machine.

"You've paid all that money to enter a fantasy world, so why turn on the TV, or play a game, or sing karaoke to go back into reality? Of course it's important to relax before sex, but playing a video game or singing karaoke take you into a different dimension from relaxation and can be really detrimental to creating a sexually charged atmosphere," Tokunaga says.

The "slow sexpert" argues that couples should maintain gentle contact even after entering the love hotel room (many couples will hold hands until getting inside, then abruptly break off upon entering), which reassures the woman that she's not being treated like a mere sex object. And, Tokunaga adds, treating a woman like a lady is an iron rule for enjoyable slow sex in a love hotel.

"Women must be looked after like princesses," he says. "These small steps tell the woman that she is loved and will help her to get into the mood."

Tokunaga argues that there needs to be a decent build-up and enjoyable slow sex should not be simply plowing into the action. He argues that sipping on some of the alcohol almost invariably sold in love hotel rooms helps couples relax. Love talk is also important, even if the partners have been together for years, as "there's not a woman on the planet who doesn't like to be reminded of why she's loved," Tokunaga says.

Lighting is also important, especially when it comes down to the business end of the night.

"There's not a man out there who hasn't fought the battle with himself over whether the light should be on or off. You shouldn't forget that it's really hard to caress effectively when it's completely dark. A sense of embarrassment means women nearly all have some qualms about the lights being on, but they'll accept a certain degree of light if it means that they're going to have a more enjoyable time," Tokunaga, the self-professed "slow sexpert" tells Tokyo Isshukan. "But while some light is good, for God's sake don't go anywhere near the flashing, colored lights that can be found in some love hotel rooms." (By Ryann Connell)

February 23, 2007

WaiWai stories are transcriptions of articles that originally appeared in Japanese language publications. The Mainichi Daily News cannot be held responsible for the contents of the original articles, nor does it guarantee their accuracy. Views expressed in the WaiWai column are not necessarily those held by the Mainichi Daily News or Mainichi Newspapers Co.