So, Why I Like Japan

J Sensei — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 16:02:26 +0000

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.

like – Together With Japan

So, Why I Like Japan