How common is it to wear a fundoshi in Japan?

Answer 1

You mean as regular underwear?
Very uncommon. In fact never. I mean think about it, wearing jeans or khakis over a fundoshi is probably close to impossible.

I think the only people who wear fundoshi on a regular basis are the Sumo wrestlers. And I don't think they wear them underneath when they are wearing regular clothes. They only wear fundoshi during training and of course during their matches.

I do have a friend who was raised in the Kishiwada area in Osaka and since that area's famous for their Matsuri festivals, his family tradition was to wear a fundoshi and participate every year with his father. Other than him though, none of my friends have worn a fundoshi ever.
Probably older Japanese men have a higher fundoshi experience rate, but the younger generation I think the majority never have worn one or ever will.
People from rural areas of Japan will probably have a higher rate of wearing a fundoshi than people who live in the city, but again not on an everyday basis. Maybe once or twice a year for the festivals. And even then it's usually only when they carry the Mikoshi.

Mikoshi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikoshi

Answer 2

Not very common at all. A guy might wear a fundoshi for a festival, etc. Guys who are into subcultures like homosexuals, truckers or yakuza might wear fundoshi for their special events, or whatever. I have seen yakuza types at the beach playing mah-jong wearing only fundoshi.

Answer 3

Not all that common except at some festivals. If you're not Japanese, and you are thinking about wearing one... DON'T. It looks idiotic when some geeky white boy is walking around a festival in a fundoshi.

Answer 4

fundoshi ain't knickers, they are for festivals and traditional events.

Answer 5

People who like fundoshi are increasing nowadays. They call fundoshi classic pants.

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