“Panchira,” the Japanese word for “panty-shot,” usually conjures up images of creepy guys on the train trying to angle their smartphone cameras under the skirts of schoolgirls. But to be fair, while that’s certainly an unfortunate part of panchira culture, that’s not all there is to it. When panchira is done tastefully, it can be considered art, just like any other form of photography.
To prove that point, “Panchira 2015,” a photography exhibition devoted exclusively to pictures of panty-shots, was held last week, and they recently announced that they had over 20,000 attendees. With the incredible enthusiasm of both the guests and the people running it, it’s not hard to see why.
Panchira 2015 was a week-long photography exhibition held in Asakusabashi in Tokyo between February 9-15. Even if you have no idea what the word panchira means, it’s not hard to guess when you look at their advertising:
▼ “Um, does it have something to do with pink? Or maybe-“
【パンチラ2015】来週より開催です!2/9(月)〜2/15(日)浅草橋フォントンズギャラリーにて http://t.co/F57yuoBQdg #パンチラ2015公式 pic.twitter.com/5LpnuXL5Yg
— パンチラ2015公式 (@pt20xx) February 5, 2015
▼”…wait, why are those girls’ butts showing?”
【明日まで】1時間半の行列ができるなど大盛況、「パンチラ」をテーマにした写真展「パンチラ2015」が浅草橋で開催 http://t.co/mejoWXX0rW pic.twitter.com/Ks7SMELUTT
— FASHIONSNAP.COM (@fashionsnap) February 14, 2015
▼ “Oh. Yes. Now I see.”
『スカートの中は、宇宙である 写真展パンチラ2015』そこそこの来場者ゎ来ると思ってたが…結果、 来場者数2万人だとwwチッ∑∑やっぱ行っておけばよかった∑∑∑と本気で思った今日この頃である pic.twitter.com/oSNffIQKuf
— YO-SUKE@178∽417 (@FUSEYOSUKE) February 19, 2015
The event was run by cosplayers/models Lewo Saito and namada, who can be seen happily escorting and entertaining the 20,000 attendees as they waited in the extremely long line to get inside.
▼ namada singing “the line to get in starts here!”
パンチラ2015
— (干)ナマダ(芋) (@namada00) February 14, 2015
本日の待機列は締め切らせて頂きます!
今日もたくさんのご来場ありがとうございましたー!!#パンチラ2015#パンチラ展 pic.twitter.com/R9xaLDPMtg
▼ And occasionally getting help telling people where to queue up.
17時前。
— パンチラ2015公式 (@pt20xx) February 11, 2015
縮まぬ待機列。
長時間お待ち頂き、たいへん申し訳ありません。#パンチラ2015#パンチラ展 pic.twitter.com/RyfSa7JHNS
▼ “Okay I’ll help you with the sign if you promise not to–Hey! Stop that!”
お並びのお客様のパンツをチラ見したい主催。
— パンチラ2015公式 (@pt20xx) February 15, 2015
待機1時間30分程です。
たいへん申し訳ありません。#パンチラ2015#パンチラ展 pic.twitter.com/TzPYsisbCp
▼ The halfway-point marker. You’re halfway there to seeing some (artistic!) panty-shots.
Senjiちゃん、りくちゃん、まさししくん、かしこくん(お客様)
— パンチラ2015公式 (@pt20xx) February 15, 2015
北風に晒されつつワクワクのパンチラ待機!! pic.twitter.com/hKcdS6QC5Z
▼ Unless you got in line too late. Sorry, sold out!
入れないかもしれないのに、無謀に並んでるお客様方。
— パンチラ2015公式 (@pt20xx) February 15, 2015
パンチラへの熱いパッションを感じます!!#パンチラ展#パンチラ2015 pic.twitter.com/ZmLD2ST2oL
▼ But no worries. There’s still plenty to do even if you don’t get in.
https://twitter.com/ydsnty/status/564912110690258945As for what was actually inside the exhibition, though, unfortunately no photos were allowed of the actual artwork. If you weren’t lucky enough to go there yourself, then the only way you’ll be able to see the pictures is by picking up a copy of the March edition of Photo Technic Digital magazine on February 20, which will feature the panchira photography that was on display.
For those of us who can’t do that either, here are a few items that were released:
▼ A photo encapsulating cosplay events in Japan, by yukky.
パンチラ2015出展作品(トリミング)
— ユッーキー[ノンアート] (@yukky_photo) February 16, 2015
カメコ魂を感じるジャンプ。モデル様の護衛。最前での望遠レンズ。ファインダーより肉眼を信じる男。
本気だからこそ見えてしまう、熱い男達のパンチラが私の精一杯の照れ隠しでした。#パンチラ展 pic.twitter.com/xzLujDwyvf
▼ A montage of schoolgirl just-barely-panchira by Yukkey (no relation to yukky above).
パンチラ2015出展作品
— ゆっkey@🍳 (@snowfairy88) February 16, 2015
小学生~社会人までのパンチラを…
model:ゆっき
(@_yukiusagi_ )
高解像度版https://t.co/pvl7CNlLyY#パンチラ展#パンチラ2015 pic.twitter.com/O3CgfbMfU9
▼ At the end of the exhibition guests were welcome to take pictures of themselves looking up the skirt of a cardboard namada as a souvenir.
本日のイケメンなお客さま! #パンチラ展 #パンチラ2015 pic.twitter.com/kILWreO4LB
— かいん☆みんなで乗り切ろーっ🎀 (@milkcrownkain) February 14, 2015
▼ Though if they weren’t careful, she peeked underneath their skirts too.
眼鏡たまらにだ#パンチラ2015@10choco_magic pic.twitter.com/Ym0RjuiR85
— (干)ナマダ(芋) (@namada00) February 9, 2015
If you’re a panchira fan and you missed out this year, don’t worry – all signs are pointing to there being a Panchira 2016 next year. While nothing official has been announced yet, the official Panchira 2015 Twitter account is loaded with people requesting it. Feel free to let your voice be heard too by sending them a tweet, and we’ll let you know as soon as we see more panties on the horizon.
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