Ye Olde Japan Thread

[shoggoth80]

As long as the opinion of Japan is not slanted BECAUSE of the cartoons and video games.
It is some place that I would like to visit sometime before I kick the bucket. BUT I grew up in a military family... travel was an accepted way of life. Kinda get a taste for it. However, I hold no illusions that it is the magic land of anime, games, and ninjas. I have seen MANY fanfreaks (this encompasses BOTH fangirls, and fanboys) that seemed to have this opinion. I do believe it would be an interesting experience, interacting with a very different culture... though from what I have seen/read, it is VERY urban, and when dealing with public transit, you MUST pay close attention, since different companies own various transit lines.

I think that anyplace that you can visit on this planet has its high points. Anywhere will also have places that you will not want to go if you are a tourist. Hate to say it, but sight seers are not appreciated everywhere in a given country. Though, if you are going to do the tourist thing, I would recommend sticking to the tourist hotspots, at least as a first trip through. As a general rule, you will have an easier time getting by, and being understood in those areas than you would in a non-tourist locale.

[manuel]

No country itsself rocks or sucks. It's the people.
And it always matters when and where you go.

Everybody interested in Japan should - if possible - visit Japan once. Have a look at the stores and stuff. Don't stay in the big cities, explore the country outside of Tokyo.
There may be things you don't like, there may be stuff you love.
But I agree it's a bit weird to praise something without having experienced it first hand.


I know several people who always were like "woohoo, Japan is great, I wanna live there". Some of those went there and didn't get along.
Then I know one guy who said he probably won't like Japan, because there's too many people, life there would be too much of a rush. Now that guy lives in Japan and loves it.

The moral is: Experience it yourself and THEN have an opinion about it.

[son_ov_hades]

All I have to say is AMERICA FUCK YEAH!

[FamicomFreak]

You know I've been to japan because my cousin lives there so that shows how much you people know about me....the trip was long ago but I had real fond memories about it. I have also studied their history and such. The anime and games is the least I think about. I hope this shut some of you up.

[shoggoth80]

Well, good for you Famicom Freak. Then at least you ARE speaking from experience, and that matters most. I have seen plenty of people in my general area who have that "fanboy/fangirl" mentality (including people older, and younger than myself)... who would make such a remark without ANY experience at all to back it up.

[manuel]

You know I've been to japan because my cousin lives there so that shows how much you people know about me....the trip was long ago but I had real fond memories about it. I have also studied their history and such. The anime and games is the least I think about. I hope this shut some of you up.

Yay!
Ever plan to visit again?

[japanfreak]

LOL, isnt this the 'Introduce yourself' topic? Anyway, I think Japan is just to expensive to go to. My father said he would bring me to New York when I was 12, but he never brought me XD

[JC]

LOL, isnt this the 'Introduce yourself' topic?

Not anymore.

And yeah, it's an expensive plane ticket, but the rest wasn't too bad -- stayed in a nice Tokyo hotel for about $96 a night and there was inexpensive food just about everywhere.

[manuel]

JC's right.
The only thing really expensive is the plane ticket. But that's also relative. You have to take into account how far you're travelling, and then it's actually quite cheap, especially when you see it on a per-mile basis. 

Accommodation and food can be found easily for relatively cheap money.
Japan isn't as unaffordable as many people still think.

[Drakon]

people thinking japan is like their anime and video games is probably the same thing as some people thinking all of canada is cold and full of igloos.  Just have to come out to the country and spend some time to form an opinion

[son_ov_hades]

people thinking japan is like their anime and video games is probably the same thing as some people thinking all of canada is cold and full of igloos.  Just have to come out to the country and spend some time to form an opinion

Canada is all hockey and maple syrup right?

[JC]

And mounties.

[manuel]

Yeah, maple syrup and mounties. That's my personal view of Canada.

[Drakon]

and the moose is our national animal.  Next to the beaver

[nintendodork]

BUMP

I wish I knew Japanese.

As Rogles said, learn it.
You're still young and should be able to learn quite fast. It's not as difficult as many might make you believe.

Yeah, I really want to learn it too. I mean, mostly so I can read games/websites or anything else I can't run through a web translator.

How many characters are in the Japanese language?  The smiley face one (I have no idea how to pronounce it) has like, 4 variations....
And there's Katakana, Hiragana, and Romanji....you could completely turn a written conversation around just by writing a different phrase that looked similar to what you meant to write.