Whoever said “chivalry is dead” must have experienced Shibuya at midnight, dodging the men coming at them like they’re in the last level of a zombie shooting game. Nanpa refers to the act of picking up women — or, more accurately, attempting to pick them up often randomly on the street and almost always unsolicited. It’s a big part of Japanese dating culture (the reverse, when a woman picks up a man, is referred to as gyakunan .
) If you’re visiting Japan for the first time, you’ll probably be taken aback by how forward these advances are. Though rarely dangerous, being on the receiving end of nanpa can be alarming if you’re not expecting it. I’m here to give you the rundown on what the hell nanpa is, and how you can slay the streets of Tokyo while making sure you’re safe from the grips of desperate men trying to hang out with girls.
Understanding Nanpa Culture The term nanpa written in kanji (軟派) actually means moderate, or someone who doesn’t have very strong opinions. When written in katakana (ナンパ), though, it’s a slang term for hitting on people. In Japan, catcalling is quite rare —In the 7 years I’ve lived here, it’s never happened to me once.
Nanpa is sort of the Japanese version, though it’s different from catcalling in that these people often are asking you out with the intent of actually hanging out. In a weird way, it’s more pragmatic than just shouting across the street for a reaction. Nanpa doesn’t exclusively refer .
