There’s a serious danger in trying to rant about something across cultural barriers. A Japanese native saw a re-post of my post yesterday on not hating Japan and thought that someone, either the poster or the writer (me), hates Japan and must have a reason why. If I’d written it in Japanese it’d have been crystal clear. Such are the dangers of the language barrier.
So why do I like Japan? （なぜ、日本を大好きですか)
It’s not complicated. Japan is a land of beautiful nature (美しい大自然), rich culture (豊か文化), an interesting history (面白い歴史), a resilient people (頼もしい人), and, in spite of a great deal of conformity (「出る釘は打たれる」のくせに、) there is a huge amount of creativity that emerges from Japan. (莫大な創作力がある).
One of the true reasons, and unfortunately, the one that I can least share, is that the intricacy of the Japanese language allows Japanese people to reveal a great deal about what they think and feel to others, with as much vagueness or specificity as they prefer. The language is truly a window into the soul.
That’s my reasons in a very short list.
I find it very interesting that, as an English native speaker, you seem to prefer expressing your thoughts in Japanese instead of English (“it would have been cristal clear in Japanese”). The truth is that languages are fascinating : your last paragraphs expresses it so well. Merci
Well, I think it’s easier expressing things to Japanese native speakers if I can use Japanese for it. I also find it a lot easier to understand them through reading their Japanese. It’s the small advantage of spending an inordinate amount of time working as a translator, but I learned to read the subtext and context, which is exactly what any native speaker needs for real comprehension. Languages are indeed fascinating! Thanks for commenting.