“It is impossible to remain indifferent to Japanese Culture.”
-Alain Ducasse
Definition
Nanpa is a unique type of flirting and seduction that is popular in Japan right now. It mainly refers to when men pursue women, but when the opposite happens it is called gyakunan. The term basically means “girl hunting” and it refers to when guys don’t feel like talking about work or scholarly pursuits, but would rather focus on the lighter things in life like girls who giggle and look cute all the time. It comes in the form of groups of guys gathering in person and approaching live Japanese girls in the hopes of scoring a date.
Does it Work?
Well, outside of Japan, and especially in the US, approaching a woman as a group of guys might seem kind of scary to the girl involved, but it can be done, if you do it with respect and have a genuine appreciation for her. Don’t make it about how hot she is, make it about how you’re looking to meet someone new and she seems interesting, and no matter how attractive you think she is – always start with a simple and non-threatening line of introduction. If you find yourself in Japan, you will see that there are mixed feeling about Nanpa from girls who are approached often. The strange part of this freaky behavior is that prior to the Internet this was considered the normal way to meet a mate, but now that everyone is using their phone or computer to match make, just walking up to a girl with your friends is starting to be seen as abnormal by some ladies.
Nanpa Fun or Sexual Harassment?
In Japan, Nanpa is often banned from certain places because ladies want to be able to move through the world without being asked out all the time. They hope to be seen as more than just datable or sexual creatures, and they want to be taken seriously. However, other women love the attention that nanpa brings to them and they think it is a whole lot of fun. You’ll have to try it yourself to determine if you think it is all in good fun, or if it is something that crosses a line and makes people mad.