What's so cool about Japan?

[Che]

Why is it so cool? You know you wanna go there, we all do. As gamers and Final Fantasy fans you know you vision Japan as the place you would float off to if you died tomorrow. Your Heaven.

So why is it so cool? Is it because of the culture, the respect the people there have for all things? The games, the anime? The food? Cars? The women (definitely not the men!)?

For me I think it's pretty much all of the above. I love it all. Even their history is some of the most fascinating - and history is boring, right? The Samurai, ninjas...

My girlfriend only has a few years left before she gets her teaching license and suggested that we do the program where you go to Japan for a year and teach kindergarten children English. They pay you like it's a regular job, and pay for your food and living of course. But for me, it'd be about the experience you'd never forget.

Who else would love to visit Japan one day?

[Meigumi]

Maybe it's because one day I want to try out some of the ramen there, and buy some hats~!

I would die to visit japan, maybe going to 104 in Shibuya, Japan.

[Ryu-Kentoshii Hirokima]

I want to go visit the Square Enix Building, and do lots of other Cool stuff while I'm there...Japan is Just Awesome!!! Yeah

[Fluffy]

Eh. I can't say I want to go terribly badly, but I do want to go. It's one of the few places I'd like to check out.

I don't see it as any kind of heaven, though. I'm sure there are plenty of things I would not like if I went there. But I do want to check out a few things. Some friends of mine wants to go more than I do.

Though, I think I might be interested in their maid cafes...

[Rocky]

They have some cool stuff there, but all in all Japan is way overhyped as a country. They have some cool stuff they do with their architecture, like their oldschool Pagodas, gardens, buddhist temples, and other stuff that I don't really get a chance to experience. But in all reality, I don't like the whole attitude of Japan being such a xenophobic country. No diversity whatsoever, save for the business world that they have going on, other then that the country is very cultural, and in some aspects quite strange.

James D. from the forum went to Japan last year, maybe he can shed some light on how Japan really is.

[T.G. Oskar]

Allegory time!!!

If, supposing, you were (or are) a Muslim, would you go (or have you already gone) to Mecca?

If you, supposing, were an aspiring actor, wouldn't you desire to end up at least once in Hollywood?

If you were, supposing, an aspiring theater actor, wouldn't your natural choice be Broadway?

All three are, so to speak, "meccas" of their respective groups. Mecca for the Muslims is the most holy city, and it is not just a requirement, but a holy dictamination that ALL Muslims must travel to Mecca at least once in their lifetime. While not as religiously important, most aspiring actors wish to end up being recognized, or act, in at least one Hollywood movie or Broadway theatrical presentation, and are hailed as the places to go to reach the ultimate fame.

Japan, for most geeks, otaku, and to an extent gamers becomes a sort of "mecca" because of how it is presented to us. Their apparent disregard for decency or their bizarre rules. Japan, at its core, is quite unforgiving; we have the term "hikikomori"/NEET, after all, as something not all Japanese are proud of, and the competition for just an office job is brutal beyond belief. They are not only xenophobic, but also retain some of their old imperialist nature and think they're better than others, sometimes, what with their almost forced politeness which is quite unique around the world. And yet, it's the companies and the source of all of our favored music, games, and even animated series!

I'll be honest. Even as apparently as boring as it may seem, I'd love to go to Japan. There are only few places I'd go instead of Japan (Germany is one of them, to give an example), if only because it's less known than other places. I'd abhor having to accompany someone to France, Italy or Greece, just because they are the "pillars of Western civilization" (I say those places are quite overrated) Northern and Northwestern Europe seems distant in comparison, even though some of their people consider it boring (for example, how some people from Finland that I know consider their land boring)

To answer, blame it on the propaganda. Japan is a country that has sold itself well, despite their dark past as an enemy of the United States, their even darker past as an aggressive and expansionist country with little to no regard to their neighbors China and Korea, and the rigid structure of their modern civilization. Mostly, the Japanese youth have sold their country better than most people.

Now, my question would be: would a native Japanese suddenly ask "what's so cool about Engrish and America?" Because, if what we see and hear is right, they love to badly mangle English and they love to parody the US.

[Che]

The Japanese have one over on us. We were spending a ****ton of dollars on Atomic bombs to drop on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the war in general. The Japanese are now owning us economically, and we're wondering why. What's wrong with our system? Oh wait, yeah. That's right.

But that's not the point of the thread.

[Yesha]

I aLways have a thought/dream of coming to Japan.. maybe my greatest dream wouLd be is to be a manga creator/artist and to seLL it big in Japan.. :--) LoL!

A LittLe research and here is what I found about Japan, in my opinion..

NEGATIVE THINGS:

>MostLy the peopLe there, wouLd never speak with you in EngLish, some were just known the basics of EngLish, so it's hard to communicate there.. aLso.. if you want to go there for vacation or for good then you'LL need a 2 years or so to study their Language and I remember they have 4 styLes of writing or speaking Language, one is kanji and Romanji.. I think.. so.. it's reaLLy hard..

>Many are not Christians nor CathoLic.. they do not beLieve in Jesus nor heaven and heLL..

>Not many girLs/guys are good Looking.. not to be rude but.. I have so many experiences of having a cLassmate that are pure Japanese.. since.. 1st year highschooL up to now.. and they're aLways Looks weird.. aLso..
the first time I'm pLaying the FF games, I thought that the characters there were based on Japanese faces/peopLe.. but, it's not.. I think mostLy were based on Western faces/peopLe Like BaLthier, Cid of FFVIII and etc...

POSITIVE THINGS:

>The new eLectronic devices/gadgets are mostLy can be bought in Japan, especiaLLy in Tokyo since it's the centre of market..

>Many manga series or anime series CDs that are Limited in our countries can be seen or be bought in Japan.. Yey!

>The fresh fish or sushi, shrimps or tempura and different noodLes is reaLLy deLicious in Japan..

>You can visit the different popuLar anime studios and the company of Square Enix and other game companies..



So.. that's the things I couLd onLy think right now.. aLL in aLL.. visiting Japan is not a bad idea.. just respect them, the peopLe and their cuLture, and you won't be having any probLems.. :-)

[Xanatos]

There are many reasons I would like to visit Japan, but I'll just mention few. First of all I have always found Japanese women to be really sexy, and that's maybe the most important reason I would visit Japan. I have always been a great fan of anime and it wouldn't be bad to visit the motherland of anime series. Even tho Japanese cooking isn't my favorite there are some meals that I wish to try. Also to learn little their language wouldn't be bad. Well I think this might be enough although there are few more reasons.

[gothdra]

Japan, one of the places I wish to visit someday. the reason I want to go there is:

I love their culture, language, history and Japanese rock/ visiual key

but the real reason I want to go there is because of final fantasy and square enix

[Clint]

Japan's not so great. There's too many people jammed onto one little island, there has to be a higher cancer risk due to all the unnecessary electronic devices that they use over there giving off radiation, as well as the remaining radiation from the atomic bombs, and it's economy has been in a recession long before the recession was a big issue. If I had to choose a major Asian distributor of new technology to visit, I'd much rather go to South Korea. I, however, don't want to go to South Korea, either. Or any other Asian countries. I'm not a fan of Asia.

[Azuteor]

Japan? Well, I want to go there to experience their lifestyle and see what many of my friends went through as they lived or visited there. I also want to check out the food, music, anime, manga, and places like Akihabara and Shibuya.

Japan certainly has its dose of bizarre stuff. They are pretty neat. Well, not all of them. ><;;

@Clint: What's so bad about Asia?

[Pete]

I'd much rather visit Ireland or Italy. Japan doesn't really do it for me. I mean, I wouldn't mind going there, just because of the experience, but at the same time, I wouldn't be super hyped up for it either.

I'm actually way more excited to be traveling throughout the US. I'm a big fan of just hopping in my car with some buddies and doing the whole road trip thing. Especially to go and visit different baseball stadiums. It's living the dream.

[Maridia]

Japans a shithole....I mean they've got samurais running rampant committing sabuko, an alcoholic Tom cruise with a beard, cluster ****s of people i can't understand everywhere. Ninja warrior which I legitimately like. A shitty kill bill series with hatori hanzo, evil robocop 3 ninja cyborgs (not like the cool one from mgs). Everyone smokes which is great for an asthmatic like me, coffin size rooms to sleep in, tsunamis, earthquakes, Godzilla, mothtra, kamikaze pilots, anime which usually sucks the big one, a fabulous view of where we dropped the big one...TWICE! And victims kids who may look like Goro

yeah it's a ****ing paradise

[Walter Sobchak]

Japan sucks. First of all, the flight there is ****ing twenty hours. Then you land and you are treated like a freak show. They are nice to you, unlike the Europeans, but underneath there is a lot of hatred. If they didn't have all of those whales and dolphins to kill, who else would they take it out on?

It is an entire country based on kitsch. Also, my Lost in Translation moment never happened. I would tell you to go to France, but I would like to keep that to myself.

[RamesesII]

They are the country of some leading car companies including Toyota, They are the land of gizmo's and gadgets, but if ever i went to Japan i would like to immerse myself in the old culture of Tea ritual's and samurai and ninja maybe go to the Hojo or Fuma mountains or what ever they are called i love the scenery and landscape, and i want to see all the old festivals and for the love of god i so want to see a big walkway lined with flowering cherry blossoms.

[GFaith]

it would be amazing to go someday mostly cuz of final fantasy but i did a report about it in high school and i really want to go there first hand not just read about it on the web

[Midnight Panda]

i wouldlove to go there and vistin the square enix hq!!!!

[Dodie16]

Well, I think Japan is alright, but I would rather visit other countries first. I think that some European countries would be first on my list. I would also like to go to Peru, and I just may have that chance coming up pretty soon.

My older brother, who is in the U.S. Airforce, was stationed in Okinawa for about a year. He was glad for the opportunity, but he said that it really was a culture shock. I can't really go into details, because it's been a while since I've talked to him about it. However, I do remember him discussing about the geishas, and he said that he wasn't impressed.

If I had to say what the coolest thing about Japan is, it would have to be that they have great respect and admiration for thier elderly citizens. I think they even have a national holiday dedicated to repecting the elderly.

[Midnight Panda]

Well, I think Japan is alright, but I would rather visit other countries first. I think that some European countries would be first on my list. I would also like to go to Peru, and I just may have that chance coming up pretty soon.


My older brother, who is in the U.S. Airforce, was stationed in Okinawa for about a year. He was glad for the opportunity, but he said that it really was a culture shock. I can't really go into details, because it's been a while since I've talked to him about it. However, I do remember him discussing about the geishas, and he said that he wasn't impressed.

If I had to say what the coolest thing about Japan is, it would have to be that they have great respect and admiration for thier elderly citizens. I think they even have a national holiday dedicated to repecting the elderly.

sorry for the spam. but i agree. some of us treat our elders like poop. no offense

[SacredAngel13]

i love everything about Japan! from their language, culture anime and even game! we will find maaaaannnyy~ things that we won't find in other country, such as their "sakura", anime, etc.

for the video game, many games started from Japan. for example, all FF series must be released in Japan first before released in other country.
for the anime, no country has anime but Japan. it has a very different characteristic..

then the view..wow! GREAT dude!
i hope one day i can go there, but not in the near future, coz i need to finish my schools first..