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Archive for the ‘Japanese Culture’ Category
If this were a video game like Civilization IV, I would seriously consider changing civics. Credits: Thanks Zen.
Do you think she’s pretty? Women’s lifespan longest for 22nd straight year in 2006 What are the best movies from Japan? Below is a list created from Amazon users can vote on. The links will take you to Amazon where you can purchase the movies. I’m including this and a few more pages on the left sidebar. Hope it helps you as much as it has helped me. I didn’t have a clue about Japanese movies until I started this web site. Here’s a post in the forum with a ton of movies I had never heard about. UPDATE: It was pointed out that some of the movies aren’t Japanese. That’s pretty stupid isn’t it. I wouldn’t know since I don’t watch Japanese movies, so we’ll have to make our own list here pretty soon. Feel free to post your favorites in the comments or on the forum or anywhere else for that matter.
The so-called Lost Generation has come of age. In fact, several candidates in Sunday’s election come from this very group that many older Japanese had written off as never being able to make a go of things. What makes the candidacy of Ryuhei Kawada, 31, so special is the fact that until now, few members of this vast segment of seemingly aimless young people had sought political office. This is the first election since the term “Lost Generation” was coined over a decade ago in which members of this demographic sector can make their voices heard. Not surprisingly, Kawada’s campaign has attracted like-minded sympathizers. Kaori Yagi and Ayumi Sakuda are two such people. Throughout the decade from the mid-1990s when disillusionment set in among the younger generation, Yagi and Sakuda–then in their 20s–traveled, drifted from job to job and tried to give meaning to their lives. The Lost Generation refers to some 20 million Japanese currently aged between 25 and 35 who found it difficult to land stable employment following the burst of the asset-inflated bubble economy in the early 1990s. What sets such people apart is that they reached adulthood just as social myths about lifetime employment and guaranteed prosperity were exploding. As a result, people in that generation were often viewed as selfish, absorbed in self-reflection and unwilling to make the sort of sacrifices that their parents had made. Yagi and Sakuda, both 31, have come to realize that holding down full-time employment is important. Without a steady income and related benefits, the future would always look bleak. Thus, Kawada’s election campaign shone like a beacon to them.
As a baptized evangelical Christian living in Japan and Berlin but coming from the “westest” corner of the world, Orange County, California, I have been able to look at religion in three of the most popular countries of the world. A vast majority of the world still keeps their religious values in a world which has evolved enough to explain the whys and why nots our ancestors didn’t have the pleasure to explain. A world in which science has proven our curiosities and given us the ability to take steps to improve our lives. Some facts: Well, if you’re interested, read the article then come back and read my ramble and possibly listen to my podcast coming soon. The “Wild” Zulus and The “Civilized” West From Wikipedia:
Is “gaijin” a bad word? NO! This is a response to an article I read dated back to 2004 in Japan Times entitled “Foreign Branding.” The full article plus the comments is located here or here. All right. So I have this site called “Gaijin-in-Japan.” Why would I have a site named so if I thought the word “gaijin” was bad? Let me end this petty debate right here and now. Foreign perspective is very clouded when it comes to eastern culture. It’s like mixing oil and water (or “mizu to abura” as a Japanese would say). Our thoughts of democracy, freedom and independence have encapsulated us giving a false sense of understanding. We as westerners believe categorization and meaning through scientific proof show, beyond any reasonable doubt, that which is true. In laymen’s terms…we’re ignorant. If you ask a Japanese to point out the gaijin at a party, they’ll point to the white people. But there are Chinese and Korean there too.
It’s pretty obvious to an American who is Jewish, Mexican, Black (”gaijin?”), Asian (”gaijin?”) or Indian. Japanese have not had enough exposure to foreigners to decipher the differences between facial types. Thus the use of “gaijin.” Until there is another word to describe someone they cannot determine blah blah blah, then the word “gaijin” will stick. Do you have a better idea? Ok ok. So you’re upset when the drunken salaryman sways in front of you on the train slurring what you think are gaijin insults. You take offense and feel you are being attacked. As has been said before: you’re a foreigner! Deal with it. If you don’t like it, then get off the boat. “Waiter, can I have another beer and an order of karaage?” |
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One of the greatest pleasures I have in Japan every day is to see beautiful people…ok..women. Don’t get get me wrong, my wife is beautiful, too. But every now and again I peek from behind her to see the flowers. I’m just wondering if now my eyes are changing. Could it be that my eyes are just getting older or is that I really do like older woman? I don’t know, maybe you can help me.
Yes and no.
No problem. Glad to hear from you. I hope you can join our little circle of friends who are curious about living in this country of mystery.
so uhm yeah, greetings from an half irish half arabic guy that lives in germany! ah and start making more podcasts, like 3 a week 
it was still good 
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I'm sorry. It was my fault.:
Meyer's Briggs...ENTJ:
The ride up slows down...lessons learned:
DJ and Shamisen:
World's oldest man turns 113:
Things are looking better...but:
I just get sick now - alcohol:
Is it worth it to go to Japan?:
Podcast Episode #89:
16 things it takes most of us 50 years to learn:
Sex doesn't sell in Japan?:
They treat me like a child...why?:
Podcast Episode #88:
Anki - Studying Japanese - Motivation:
What's goin' on....: