This metal bin, which stands near my apartment, has always intrigued me. Placed in front of the local ward office, it is a receptacle for "magazines and other things that wouldn't be good for boys." In other words: a place to toss your porn rather than leaving it out on the curb for wandering schoolkids to stumble upon and "enrich" their learning experience.
I've often wondered what sorts of freaky things slumber within the sealed metal walls of this chamber. I've never seen anyone actually using it. The inherent uncertainty makes it a veritable Schrodinger's box of pornography. Whatever its actual contents, I like to think of it as a silent monument to the collective fantasies of this otherwise quiet suburban neighborhood.
Perhaps ask the office if you can see what is inside and do a posting or article on what you find.
Posted by: Gilles Poitras | July 10, 2009 at 10:31 PM
Good grief. REALLY? A Goodwill box for porn? That's just....that's just..amazing...I'm speechless..
Posted by: ChrisM | July 11, 2009 at 01:50 PM
>>ask the office
Yes, I'm sure they'd appreciate a random white guy showing up and asking them to show off their porn stash... :)
Posted by: MattAlt | July 13, 2009 at 07:36 PM
Need to pick up one of these:
http://www.gizmo-central.com/tool-gizmos/personal-snake-cam-lets-you-peek-in-small-places/
Posted by: Ryan | July 14, 2009 at 01:28 AM
Ha! I assume that's how SWAT teams read their porn.
Posted by: MattAlt | July 14, 2009 at 07:36 AM
They have them in Roppongi too, albeit for a slightly different purpose. I saw some of these in Chiba as well, also, Urayasu has some near the station. And, the name has a wider meaning than just boys I think, 青少年 implies both men and women, up to and including adolescents, i.e., under 20's.
http://tokyobling.wordpress.com/2009/02/24/indecency-trashcan/
I think they are amazing. Probably all the local homeless guys have found a way to jimmy the locks and then resell the loot.
Posted by: Robert | July 14, 2009 at 01:01 PM
Thanks for the info! I figured this couldn't possibly be an isolated thing. And lo and behold, it isn't:
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/モラルポスト
Apparently the Japanese call collection boxes like these "moral post" (i.e., "moral mailboxes"). They first gained popularity in the 1960s. According to the Wikipedia article, the vast majority of them have fallen into disuse.
Posted by: MattAlt | July 14, 2009 at 06:16 PM