If you’re interested in learning more about the Japanese culture, check out the outstanding JAPAN SAQ (Seldom Asked Questions).

Q. My Japanese wife and friend both insist that Japanese babies have a blue spot on their butt when they’re born. Is this true? - Question submitted by Glen.

A. Most Asian babies have blue marks on their rear-ends and lower backs called moukohan. Known as Mongolian Spots in English, they are a dense collection of Melanin-containing cells called Melanocytes. Melanin is the chemical which gives our skin its colour, and if the melanocytes are deep under the skin, they appear blue. The spots generally fade within a few years and almost always disappear by puberty. These spots have given rise to an interesting Japanese idiom, “shiri ga aoi”. It means “his butt is blue” and is used to describe a person that is childish or inexperienced.