Not a Strand of Orange Hair to be Found.

"Manly men" are a rarity in Japan. You know the sort, like Jeffrey Dean Morgan - buff, broad shouldered and muscular, but not in an Ah-nold sort of way. Just Jeffrey Dean Morgan (yeah, you know he was hot in that episode when Meredith was dead with the puppy dog look on his face). Or even the tall, lean and muscular types.

Instead of broad shoulders, you usually see skinny little twigs that look like I can break them in half. And I am a weakling. Or, you get blah "sarari-men" in their suits. Eh. Or, the most popular of all are the peacocks. Male peacocks are rather showy sort of bird - they pull out all the stops to get attention and show off all their plumage. Well, the male Japanese peacock has orange hair, orange skin, too much gel, maybe plucked brows, ripped jeans, strange t-shirts, the man purse hanging off the belt, chuncky chains, pointy shoes made out of "interesting" leather, and on and on and on. Seriously. Their girl counterparts are just as bad. And just like normal peacocks, they stick out.

My new friend Emi doesn't like these sorts of guys - the peacocks and the twigs. She likes "manly men" (many of which I think she had the opportunity to see back when she was in Cali studying abroad). This begs the question: in what sense can you find "manly men" in Japan?

The college rugby team. Or any sort of hardcore sport - American football (yes, they actually have "Ame-futo"), soccer, etc. etc. Even the traditional Japanese sports like kendo. But this Sunday it was rugby. When we first met, she told me about the game between her school (Kyoto Sangyo, aka Kyosan) and Doshisha Uni - well 2 of Doshisha Uni's rugby players were arrested in an abduction attempt, so the team was changed to Ryugoku Uni. It was the 36th Annual Kyoto Rugby Festival, with a match at the elementary, junior high, high school and college level.

Prior to that, I got my parasol. And thank got I got it that day because it was damn hot. So, the teams walk out in single file, each guy holding a little kids hand also in rugby uniform. I have seen this at professional rugby matches - the little kids with the players - on tv or on YouTube and I always wondered whats up with the little kids and rugby players. No matter, little kids are cute.

I know two facts about rugby: the scrum and a try. A "try" is the equivalent of "GOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLL" (to imitate the famous South American sportscaster) in soccer. The scrum is when the two teams sort of gang up on one anther, the ball is tossed in underneath and then the free-for-all for the ball begins. Mel explained it to me - he used to play rugby back when he was in PNG/Australia. And has a scar on his forehead from a rugby cleat to prove it. "It" being that rugby is downright dangerous, especially since the only sort of protection that the players wear is the standard stuff, the very sturdy rugby jersey (I love them, I want one in my size for myself) and tight shorts that they wear under their short-shorts. But like I was chatting with Emi's friend about "manly man" scars have character. Buff. And tough. Manly men. And not a strand of orange hair to be found. Thank god, no peacocks at least for 80 minutes.

Before the match began, the players on the two teams tossed rugby balls with their signatures into the stands. I protected myself with my parasol, but if I had known what they were going to do, I would have certainly tried to catch one, since one fell less than three feet away from me. Oh well.

The results? Kyoto Sangyo Daigaku kicked Ryugoku Daigaku's bum: 77 to 23. And a very enjoyable first rugby match; I told my classmate who is Australian that I went to a rugby match yesterday and he practically jumped for joy.