Questions about Japan

[The Phoenix]

No. Nor “sake bombs”. In fact “sake” just means alcohol. What American call Sake is actually Japanese spirits brewer with rice. 日本酒 “nihonshu” which literally translated means Japan-alcohol

So the island of Honshu means partially Japanese alchi?

 

[Flyingdragon]

Will you be working as a bodyguard or security during the upcoming Olympics?

 

[DEADlifter]

Hideki Matsuyama became the first Japanese male to win a major yesterday. On the Masters telecast yesterday the announcers were saying how it would be a very big deal in Japan making him a national hero of sorts.

Are people all hyped up about it? I wondered if what they were saying would be true or if the announcers were just being dramatic.

 

[BrotherIron]

Do they have strength training facilities over there? I don't mean commercial gyms. I'm talking more about facilities for SM, PLing, etc?

Are the cleaner over there than here in the US? In terms of litter and such? I would imagine they don't litter, take better care of the environment, and don't have graffiti all over.

Is it greener over there (more parks). Do they treat animals well (not abused like over here)?

 

[Jin]

Hideki Matsuyama became the first Japanese male to win a major yesterday. On the Masters telecast yesterday the announcers were saying how it would be a very big deal in Japan making him a national hero of sorts.

Are people all hyped up about it? I wondered if what they were saying would be true or if the announcers were just being dramatic.

No clue. Where people hyped when Tiger came on the scene? Probably. I wouldn’t have noticed expect for newspapers and TV. Same here I’d assume. I’m sure the people that are into golf are psyched!

 

[Jin]

Do they have strength training facilities over there? I don't mean commercial gyms. I'm talking more about facilities for SM, PLing, etc?

Are the cleaner over there than here in the US? In terms of litter and such? I would imagine they don't litter, take better care of the environment, and don't have graffiti all over.

Is it greener over there (more parks). Do they treat animals well (not abused like over here)?

Maybe a handful of strength training facilities. The SM one I know if is very much a group of guys that gets together and trains. Nothing like in the states. Basically, no we don’t.

Tokyo is bigger than New York and you’ll be hard pressed to find liter there. There are also no public waste bins and everybody is used to either taking their garbage home or throwing it out at a convenience store. Very little graffiti.

The cities can be really lacking in green. The country as a whole, geographically is very limitedly populated because most of the islands are mountains. All in all it’s a very nature rich country. But concrete dominates the cities. There are exceptions to the rule.

Here’s been my experience with stray animals in different countries:

Venezuela- strays everywhere. Nobody gives a shit, the animals are unafraid but aloof.

China- no strays because they eat them all (not a joke).

Spain- occasional strays. Very friendly affectionate.

Japan- some strays (mostly cats). Fearful of humans.

I have never witnessed any behavior towards the strays but I have drawn some conclusions based on my observations.

 

[ComeBacKid85]

Japan is frickin awesome. Watching a nat geo on wildlife their right now. It’s soooooo beautiful and the people seem awesome too. From what I can tell there pretty much Asian Viking without the rage. Is this an accurate assessment? Third best place in the world? After USA, Scandinavia?

 

[ComeBacKid85]

The Sami people look to have about a 10% mix of asianic blood. Are they ancient Japanese? Sami are the Arctic Scandinavian.

 

[Jin]

Japan is frickin awesome. Watching a nat geo on wildlife their right now. It’s soooooo beautiful and the people seem awesome too. From what I can tell there pretty much Asian Viking without the rage. Is this an accurate assessment? Third best place in the world? After USA, Scandinavia?

The country is beautiful. Mountains and seascapes. The culture is unique and has many elements of beauty. The people are extremely hospitable and polite. But every society has its bad points and Japan is no exception.

I can see samurai culture being similar to Viking culture, but more disciplined and without the rage, yes.

I cannot rank Japan. I love the USA but quite frankly I’ve been very fortunate not to have to endure the last 18 months there. It’s a good country to live in.

The Sami people look to have about a 10% mix of asianic blood. Are they ancient Japanese? Sami are the Arctic Scandinavian.

No clue

 

[The Phoenix]

The Sami people look to have about a 10% mix of asianic blood. Are they ancient Japanese? Sami are the Arctic Scandinavian.

You mean is it an Altaic language (Kereilian, Suomi, Magyar, tunguskan)?

 

[Jin]

Fun fact: all Japanese kids learn how to ride a unicycle in first grade elementary school.

My daughter is currently learning.

Schools are required by the government to have unicycles on hand among other core-strength items such as hula hoops and stilts.

Japanese people have a high threshold for tough times, frustrations and suffering. The schools actively promote “grit” so that when the going gets tough the kids have the fortitude to endure.

 

[Skullcrusher]

How difficult is it for an American who does not speak Japanese to earn a living in Japan?

 

[Jin]

How difficult is it for an American who does not speak Japanese to earn a living in Japan?

Extremely easy if you’re willing to teach English.

99.9% of jobs require Japanese, which is a very hard language to learn.

People always assume I’m an English teacher because many westerners are. I am not

 

[The Phoenix]

Extremely easy if you’re willing to teach English.

99.9% of jobs require Japanese, which is a very hard language to learn.

People always assume I’m an English teacher because many westerners are. I am not

Do they call them “white monkey jobs” there too?

 

[Jin]

Do they call them “white monkey jobs” there too?

No. Is that a Chinese thing?

 

[The Phoenix]

No. Is that a Chinese thing?

Yes. It’s when they pay these non-Chinese to travel and stay at hotels and visit only the “Potemkin villages” that are only fascade type impression on those watching, giving the impression that is what China is like.

 

[tinymk]

The wife and I hope to make it over and see/ experience Japan!!! It is on our wish list.

Be nice to meet you guys and shake your hand brother.

 

[Mhenshaw]

Obscure question... do you find the average Japanese person more, or less believing in ghosts/paranormal than the average American?

 

[Jin]

Obscure question... do you find the average Japanese person more, or less believing in ghosts/paranormal than the average American?

More so. The Japanese aren’t very spiritual. They don’t contemplate (what I consider to be) the important existential questions: why is there something instead of nothing? How’d we get here? What’s the point? Like most westerners have considered, to one degree or another.

Neither are they particularly religious. But the religious traditions are woven into the culture. The dead have small memorials which must be visited and honored on certain days, lest the dead be displeased and bring wrath from the spirit realm.

I think many folks here think “obake” “ohh-bah-key” do exist, but there aren’t kooky ghost hunters and paranormal culture here.

Hope that answers your question.

 

[Mhenshaw]

Thanks Jin. It answers the question. I enjoy a lot of subtitled horror films, and just have always wondered about how they are recieved in their native country. Enjoyed Ju-on and Ringu long before they became Americanized. Oldboy was Korean, so doesnt count.