Publicly Sleeping Salarymen
Salarymen are the Japanese corporate livestock. They are the thousands of faceless, suited, white collar office-workers. Dutiful conformists whose lives revolve entirely around work. They work long hours and when their day is over, they are often found spending their evenings in a local izakaya or karaoke bar plying themselves full of sake or beer or shōchū until the last train.
The following collection features 10 of the best publicly sleeping salarymen photos. Those who made the last train, and those who didn’t.
1. The Suicide Pact
The man in the foreground lies on the yellow navigation stripe used by blind people probably not realising it is for the vision impaired, not the blind drunk. Taken by jhtham in Shibuya at 5.00am on a Saturday morning.
2. The Contortionist
Dislocating a shoulder and a hip in the search for a comfortable sleeping position. Thanks to jsleeuw for this one. As Michael from emuu.net points out, ‘Gravity Defying Man and Ignore Anything Girl’.
3. The Flower Bed Man
First there was the British children’s programme the Flower Pot Men, now comes the Japanese version the ‘Flower Bed Salaryman’. This episode is a Friday night in Shinjuku.
Image source: Tokyo Green Space
4. The Vulnerable Superhero
The legendary Man of Steel assuming a secret identity as a mild-mannered salaryman shows his vulnerability as he is compromised by the kryptonite-laced arrows on the tiles on the platform floor.
Image source: flickr
5. The Pass Out
In the words of Meatloaf ‘Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad’. Taken at Shinagawa Station around 8.00am in June, the height of nomikai/bonus season. Thanks to Michael at emuu.net.
6. The Obama Escalator Bow
Bowing in his sleep this salaryman’s bow is fit for a president. Thanks to nateola for Yoroshiku O-Negai Shimathhhh.
7. The Backbender
Executing the Camel Pose (a.k.a. Ustrasana), this salaryman employs a yoga technique to improve spinal flexibility. Funny thing is though, as a salaryman, you would think that he would be wanting to improve flexibility of the spine the other way.
Image source: flickr
8. The Knockout
This salaryman has hit the canvas and is down for the count. He must be riding on the KO line. *Insert rim shot here*
Image source: flickr
9. The Stairmaster
New out from Nautilus – the Salaryman Stairmaster. It’s easy! Just lay on the stairs and hold on to the rails to stop the station from spinning.
Image source: flickr
10. The Sideshow Clown
So, step right up and try your luck! It’s the Laughing Clown game in sideshow alley. We have great prizes on offer. First prize… a shoe.
Image source: g-mixer
For more on the drunken antics of salarymen don’t forget to check out Japanese Barf Bins.
Publicly Sleeping Stormtrooper
Tokyo Metro Manners – FAILED – Again!
Japanese Barf Bins
Shūkan Asahi and the Mankini
The HunterTrackbacks & Pingbacks
- Japanese Barf Bins | loneleeplanet
- How To Sleep On A Train In Japan | loneleeplanet
- Series of drunken salary men photos « Tokyo Moe
- The Clown Car – Issue 2 | WalterShumate.net
- Shūkan Asahi and the Mankini | loneleeplanet
- Fancy a drink? After work drinking around the world | The learn2lingo blog
- Tokyo Metro Manners – FAILED! | loneleeplanet
- Publicly Sleeping Stormtrooper | loneleeplanet
- 10 Free (or Cheap) Accommodations in Japan » wandertokyo
- Japan’s Weirdest, Coolest… « Jap-Yah
- Its OK to Sleep on Trains in Japan… | The Journey of My Feet
Comments are closed.
I’ll looking forward to seeing a couple sleeping salarymen when I get to Japan, prolly find some way to prank them
Why not become the sleeping Jamaican salaryman? You could save on the cost of accommodation and get to Japan quicker.
Proof!
The culture of a high work ethic is insane.
They need to watch promotional videos from NSW State rail!
Live hard play hard, Daniel-san.
Hahaha…Nautilus and Laughing Clown are my favorite captions. When I showed this link to some of my workmates, the reaction I got was one of disbelief, some suggested that these pics, especially No.4, are superimposed using Photoshop
thanks for the comment ben. one trip to japan will quickly show them that each of these shots are a day in the life.
Ben;
Believe me, it’s all very real. Each payday brings a crop of guys like this. And the Summer bonus season sees them sleeping on the sidewalks on weekday mornings.
The Japanese business men drink to maintain social standing (not that they’re alone in this) but it promotes excess. You’ll see a group of oyajis being manly and diving into the whiskey at breakfast time in Japanese-style hotels (communal breakfast).
This also happened at the get-together when my wife and I announced our engagement. All the men got stumbling drunk. One of the uncles threw off his reserved countryside Japanese demeanor, got up, staggered over, and gave me a big kiss and hug.
You made my day Leeさん
Awesome Ady様. Thanks for dropping by! ^_^
Fantastic!
No. 7: I’m sure this was a dance move in the video for Beyonce’s “Single Ladies”. I think the girl on the right must be his choreographer.
Good observation @Andy. Now that you mention it he must be on his way to an audition.
LOL I love the look on some of the girls faces
Some priceless expressions. I like #2. The girls are just sitting there as if it is just a regular commute.
Lol!! good stuff and so real!
Thanks for dropping by. ^_^
Hilarious. Thanks for posting! I’m inspired to stay out late this weekend and find some!
It looks EXACTLY like the ones in Korea!
So there’s http://blackoutkorea.blogspot.com and there should also be “Blackout Japan”…
OMG, they’re everywhere!
behold the clark kent of japan.
oh no watch out luther
yes, but affectionately referred to as ku-ra-a-ku-san in japan.
Wow. This is the best one I’d ever seen in person myself: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nekobus/49655007/in/set-72057594076859296/
But now I realize it’s relatively tame compared to the ones above. To be fair, my picture was right in the middle of the busiest part of the Gion Festival in Kyoto.
sheesh, what happened to his shoes? good find! thanks for sharing isra.
the superhero in battle and out of it.
lets not forget my own personal favorite
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucidcommunication/4547670742/
thanks for dropping by jacob. that certainly is a great shot. love how the mint ad man is looking down on him with contempt.
Dude….absofuckinglutely CLASSIC!!
This is before I caught your blog cuz I woulda remembered this. Very cool..and culturaly unique. They’s ALL be beaten and robbed back home.
Cheers for dropping in on this one Chris. Glad you liked it. You get drunken salarymen like this in your neck of the woods or is this just a big city thing?
One I saw a few months back
http://bit.ly/nPrOhd
these are the acton sleepers
Hey, Great post and great collection of shots!
I hope you don’t mind, but I have linked to you on my new post in my blog:
http://www.thejapanrants.com/blog/japanese-public-sleeping/
Thanks for the post!