So you want to marry Japanese?

Ever in search of facts and information about Japan, I recently dredged up an interesting article warning against marrying a Japanese 'girl'. What makes this article interesting is the era: it was written in 1966 and circulated in the U.S. Navy between 1966 and 1968. 

The United States Navy still unofficially occupies Japan, or at least certain areas of it, and has continued to since the close of the Second World War. Not surprisingly, many U.S. servicemen were keen to take Japanese wives back then--as they are today.  

But this Navy communication warns against just that--because, according to the document, many Japanese women worked as prostitutes, were non-Christian (and therefore difficult to 'yoke')', and would not be accepted back home in American towns and villages. 

I'm not sure if the U.S. Navy's stance has changed much--but it would be interesting to read the updated version. 

Here's the original.

Japanese Branding, Cradle to Grave

As one of the most well known and successful brands in the world, Sanrio's Hello Kitty has few equals (though Miffy may disagree). 

The subjectively-cute Hello Kitty icon blinks out at the world from products as diverse as vibrators to land mowers, so it should come as no surprise that a hospital in Taiwan has completely branded its maternity ward with Sanrio's iconic feline. 

After all, what warmer welcome can there be for the journey into life than the loving embrace of a global brand? 

While this certainly covers cradle side of things, Sanrio has yet to brand urns, coffins, or embalming fluids, but it's probably only a matter of time. For Japanese designers and marketers have effectively monopolized, packaged, and exported cute--and like all large companies and brands, they're never content to stop at the cradle. 

  

Obama Japan just keeps dancing

It's been said that the Japanese have a word for everything. They just might have a city name for just about everything as well. Lately, the city of Obama, Japan has been in the news for, ahem, obvious reasons. 

Even though the city's name has nothing to do with a recently sworn-in U.S. president, that hasn't stopped the city from capitalizing on the...hype. Obama mania has swept much of the non-US world (I still don't really understand why: in 3 months it will be more of the same!) but perhaps nowhere as much as Obama, Japan.

They sang. They danced. And the sold--plenty of Obama souvenirs and trinkets. Far be it from Japanese city planners to miss an opportunity to exploit when it comes to blatant self promotion, And why not? There will no doubt be plenty of United Statesians in Japan who add Obama, Japan to their Japanese travel itinerary. 

Japan through Nihonjin Eyes

Sometimes that which is muddied in translation becomes something more than something lost; it becomes poetry; the essence of an even deeper meaning.

Case in point: Miko's chikyu-biyori... style JAPAN blog. Miko is a Japanese housewife in her early thirties living in Hamamatsu with her husband and two young children. From her profile:

I live with my husband, one girl, and one boy.
I enjoy washing, Sunday carpentry, gardening, and photography.

I studied French for school days and I have taken a trip to the
Europe sometimes.
The dream from my childhood is to "maji-talk" with the people in
the world freely.

My daily life is like this. I take kids to pre-school and pick them up
after school and do stand talking with a neighbors.
But I recently found out that my daily life is filled with lots of small
happiness episodes.

There are tens of thousands of blogs written and published by Japanese bloggers in Japan and around the world, and most of them are forgettable (in any language).

But there are relatively few Japanese blogs published in English that portray--intentionally or not--the deep love and affection many Japanese have for the nature, geography, and culture of Japan--with a quaint innocence and enthusiasm.

I can't quite put my finger on it, but there's something about Miko's blog that makes it stand out from other Japanese blogs I've read. Somehow, Miko's blog translates beautifully--even if the English is a little off. For a glimpse through Japanese eyes, check out some of the happiness episodes on Miko's blog.

And decide for yourself: is Miko a simple homemaker blogging for a hobby, or a shrewd Internet marketer hawking Japanese goods on eBay (every one of her pages does link to an eBay auction)?

Information for foreigners living in Japan

The Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR) in Japan provides (as the name suggests) information for foreigners living in Japan--a great deal of useful information you might not even know you need.

Information like arranging child care, registering for a pension, paying taxes, obtaining a personalized seal, getting a divorce, moving, or preparing for a disaster or other emergency--along with the 'rules' of daily Japanese life.

Japan can be a complicated country to live in, especially if your kanji isn't up to snuff. Fortunately, CLAIR's Multilingual Living Information covers just about everything you need to know to make daily life in Japan a little more...navigable.

They've even included an easily downloadable Japanese living Orientation Guidebook--available in seven languages. Definately worth a look if you're in--or interested in living in--Japan.

Remaking Japan, one affront at a time

It's always tough to watch movies about Japan made by American producers. The cringe factor for those who know anything at all about Japan is usually off the meter. Stereotypes. Ethnic jokes. Blatant misrepresentations. Offensive caricatures. Superfluous Second World War and/or Kamikaze references. Height jokes.

Hollywood movies about Japan tend to ignite the J-Blogosphere like wildfire. Take the latest American cringe-inducing remake of the classic Japanese film Tanpopo, "The Ramen Girl": American girl in Tokyo gets dumped by boyfriend, somehow 'stuck' in Tokyo, and finds solace in a ramen bowl rather than a hostess bar. No doubt the Japanese cliches will be thick enough to cut with hashi.

We all know (or should) that Hollywood is pretty much out of ideas and has been for almost two decades. Plenty of explosions and killing, not too many fresh plot lines. But mining for gold by exploiting wonderful Japanese stories and bastardizing them to suit the palate of North American moviegoers should be considered a form of cultural rape.

I'm not saying Japan's culture is perfect, ideal, or untouchable, or that America's culture is less important or worthy of movie making. I'm saying that blending the two almost never works and usually results in grotesque miscombinations like, say 'The Last Samurai' or 'Memoirs of a Geisha'. Shudder.

Sadly, American films about Japan must be seen to be believed so expect a little more on "The Ramen Girl" after I've paid my eight bucks and lost another two hours of my life in a movie theatre. Who knows, I might like it.

Questions about Japan?

Over at Inside-Japan.com, they've recently added a Japan Q&A feature where anyone can post a question about Japan, and they'll answer it for you. It seems like a good idea, but only time will tell how well and accurately they answer questions about Japan. After all, there are so many that seem unanswerable...

Anyway, if you have a question about Japan that isn't answered here give Inside-Japan's Japan Q&A a try and see if they can answer it for you. Can't hurt, and hey: it's free.