A little nude statue has been sprinkling the far end of the Shibuya-bound platform at Hamamatsucho Station since 1952, when a local dentist donated this replica of Brussels’ “Mannekin Pis” in honor of his son. But The Peeing Boy* didn’t graduate to fashion icon until the year 2000, when volunteers began dressing the little guy in different outfits each month.
In the Year of the Tiger and the Year of the Rabbit he rocked these:
Over the years, he has dressed as Momotaro, the legendary Peach Boy…
impersonated Expo mascots…
made like a fireman…
and cosplayed as anime stars like Ultraman…
and manga favorite DragonballZ.
Sometimes someone gets creative and turns him into a mysteriously non-iconic figure, like this camouflage-clad warrior…
but usually his outfits reflect something timely and seasonal, like when he deramt of winning Olympic gold in 2020,
bringing a bouquet of cherry blossoms to his teacher on the first day of school…
or just kicking back to enjoy cherished Japanese seasonal pursuits. In the hot summer months he’s been known to chase bugs…
and grow sunflowers…
and he always channels his inner witch at Halloween, whether it’s Classic Witch…
or Alt Witch…!
Here are all his costumes from 2000-2015, by year
and here’s another selection showing his monthly togs from 2016-2026, plus a collection of his October Halloween costumes over the years.
If you’d like to see what the best-dressed nude statue in all of Japan is wearing when you’re in Tokyo, he’s at the far end of the Shibuya-bound platform of the Yamanote Line at Hamamatsucho Station.
*Oblivious online sharing has erroneously caused this statue to be identified as a little monk (even on Google maps!) which is 0% true. It’s a fine example of how misinformation can take on a life of its own when shared and reshared without checking whether it has any basis in fact or not.
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The last thing Birdie needs is to turn her life upside down solving a murder that was committed before she was born...
Birdie is a true daughter of the pleasure quarter. The number one apprentice to Yoshiwara’s number one courtesan, she’d rather do anything than derail her future life of wearing opulent robes and entertaining lords of the land. But when her search for the mother she never knew takes a dangerous turn, she faces an impossible choice: betray her own flesh and blood, or live the rest of her life being hunted by a powerful man who won’t stop until they’re both dead…
“…a complete immersion in a world of beauty, drama, secrets, and betrayals.”
—Kim Hays, author of the Polizei Bern series
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Jonelle Patrick writes novels set in Japan, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had
