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Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsSubstitute Farters
NHK is my favorite TV channel. It is from Japan and in English or subtitled, and it covers all aspects of Japanese culture. Many of its shows are only five minutes long! No commercials.
There's a series called Time Scoop Hunters which I sometimes watch--its format is cutesy-poo--but when I saw the title of the latest episode, Substitute Farters of Edo Japan, well, that was a must-see. You can watch the episode at https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/tv/timetide/20221203/3022019/
In 18th century Japan, a fart could ruin a young lady's chance of marriage, if one happened to slip out when she was introduced to potential in-laws (arranged marriages), humiliating her and her family by her poor manners. So a new occupation emerged, that of the substitute farter. This was a woman who dressed like a nun (so she could go anywhere unnoticed, I guess) who accompanied the young farting lady to all social occasions. If her employer farted, the substitute farter became embarrassed and fell all over herself apologizing for her behavior, saving the young lady's reputation.
I bet everyone knew who had really farted, but the substitute farter provided a socially acceptable way to overlook her slip in etiquette.
Faux pas
(14,644 posts)I'm farting all over myself
Diamond_Dog
(31,910 posts)We just blame it on the dog