ジャパン命

I love Japan for it's high social morale.

I guess i'm pretty strong about the issues of simple manners and social conduct that i rarely see in the western world and it just really pings me off to live in one.

I've only clocked 7 days in Japan so far, but even that little amount of time spent there has shown me that society still is strong somewhere in the world.

I really envy Japan for this.

what i love about Japan
-Akihabara (undisputed)
-Go Go No Koucha
-Easy to pick up girls
-doing live shows
-Cars

What i hate about Japan
-too controlled
-everybody behave like robots
-too polite that it sickens my stomach
-girls too skinny

-KAZU

I first encountered Japanese culture studying Aikido when I was a boy, and it's been with me ever since. (Never thought I'd get so into Gundam though.) As Danny noted, I think that honest responsibility and diligence are admirably strong characteristics of the Japanese mentality. Additionally, the emphasis on politeness and respect was perhaps the most important thing I picked up from studying Japanese (the language) in high school.

Those very qualities may have a tendency to be carried to sometimes harmful extremes, however. I marvel at how hard it sounds like Japanese people work, in terms of long hours and few vacations, both as students and thereafter. (Danny's accounts of his long days are a little worrisome, though it seems he gets along as well as anybody, and probably better.) Similarly, while respect is important, sometimes hierarchy needs to be overridden to address harmful situations, and I'm under the impression that Japanese are reluctant to do this. The existence of stories like Gurren Lagann, which so strongly emphasize breaking through restriction, are a testament that the people who tell such stories probably know all too well what it is to be restricted, and to want to break through.

Then again, as long as structure is balanced with a little healthy de-struction, as it were, things tend to be alright.

Sorry for being so long-winded...

Good reasons why I want to visit japan, I do want to see what real japanese people/life is like & not just in anime or manga.

I'd probably say... the otaku culture. Pretty much it.

My first poisonous effect from japan was from L'Arc~en~Ciel, didn't know why , me just like the music they played....

And the other side effects would be the politeness and culture they have....me have no proud to my country culture

shame on me!!! hell yeah....who cares ^^

I gained interest for Japan after watching Haruhi (I watched Naruto first, but after seeing it I didn't go nuts about Japan, a month later I watched Haruhi and instantly tried to find out more). As I learned more and more about various anime and the otaku culture itself I also begun to think about getting to know rest of the country. That's how I became a Japanophile.

However, I still spend 90% of my free time watching anime, playing eroge and get to know more new stuff about otaku and their world from this site (Thank you, Danny!)^^

Strangely enough one of the main reasons why I love Japan is it's mythological culture and it's performance/literary history e.g. Noh, Kabuki, tanka poetry. Hahaha, quite odd for someone who's predominantly an anime/manga otaku. :D()

Maybe it can be even better described like this, I like Japan for the fact that it is everything that my country isn't! I mean, if Japan was totally the same, then it wouldn't be so fun to love it like this!

Well, more or less, my reasons are the same as yours, Danny.

Otaku culture, high standard of living, low crime rate, ~100 mbps internet.

Well, if there is one thing I dislike about Japan, it's their continuous decline in GDP per capita. That's going to hurt me later when I start looking for job there. >_<

The Japanese government really need to do something about it.

i don't like japan...I LOVE IT!!! *insert McDo "i'm lovin' it" theme here*

the first time that i've encountered japan was through anime, manga and video games and falling in love with the japanese pop-culture (mainly the otaku culture) ^___^

but that's not the only thing that made me to love japan. just like Danny, i also like the diligence, honesty and politeness of the japanese ^________^

another thing that i love about japan is the innovation and creativity of the japanese not only in terms of technology and fashion but also in everyday life ^_______^. weird is cool in japan ^^

the only obvious thing i dislike about Japan is the absurdly high cost of living. but someday i will definitely see myself permenantly staying put in Japan, hopefully in the near future.

things i like about japan (not in order of preference)
1) animes
2) gundams
3) figures
4) moe
5) AV
6) kipi
7) idols
8) hard gay

Good things:

- Vending machines.
- Cleanliness.
- Abundance of anime and game merchandises.
- Polite attitude.
- Excellent public transport.
- Insane connection speed.
- Good food, great restaurant service.
- Tengas.
- Related to above, Japan's open views towards sex.

Bad things:

- Small, cramped living conditions.
- Houses and apartments are expensive.
- Long working hours; may be depressing to work there.
- It's expensive to maintain a car. Oil ain't cheap.

Yep, the only thing I dislike about Japan is probably the high living cost ^^;

I wanted to visit Japan atleast once in my whole life XD Tour or anything I don't care!!!

I could come up with a list of thing including Japan's high social morale, low crime,Japanese mythology and various other things but I think the most important thing for me is an accepted otaku culture. Something that's not the case where I live.

Got quite a few reasons on why I would love to live in Japan.
1. The fact that there's 4 seasons. (Not just one burning season for the whole year like SG)
2. The people are alot more gracious and courteous.
3. Anime! Akiba! Moe!
4. Japan is one of the leading countries in Robotics Research Development (besides US, but sadly I don't enjoy US culture), which I would love to work on when I move over.
5. Cultural History and Traditions.
6. There's something about the Japanese Language which I like, about able to express emotions more readily? OR either I've been watching too many anime and Jdramas.

Sadly every country got their cons.
1. The government is weak. (But at least it's not a dictatorship like here)
2. The economy of the country is on the decline, which bad for me as I intend to work stay there in the future.
3. More places to run around and nicer scenery to see (Love Hokkaido ^^), rather than being constraint to a small island.

Got quite a few more to add for both but that will be too long a comment, but that's more or less the gist of it. Can't wait to move over!!

Well, to say that I am not a Japanophile would be a lie, seeing I am living here now. I must say, it was anime and manga that first got me interested in Japan but now it has turned into a passion for Japanese Culture on a whole. Just the juxtaposition of ancient rituals and high-tech things in this country alone makes it quite remarkable and interesting. My friend once told me that to have a quick snapshot of Japan is to look at its toilets. You have the ancient squat toilet placed right next to an ultra-modern toilet with built in seat warmer and bidet.

Cost of living isn^t too high. Living in Australia has become quite expensive, and I have found things in Japan to be usually around the same price and sometimes even cheaper (like eating out).

Things like transport however is much more expensive, but then again, the service is so much higher. Trains actually run on time.... (unless there is a blizzard or something as experienced when getting home from Wonderfest recently). Another wonder is the takkyubin serivce - the price is so reasonable and its so convenient! Saves you from dragging all your loot from akiba all the way back home :)

I got interested in Japan via its art (historical) and film. This then progressed to finding manga and anime, among other things.

I like the the food culture and personal responsibility the best. There are a lot more but I'll leave it at that. I don't like the sluggishness of decision making, especially if there's a time-constraint, and I hate katakana English (not the loan words but the method of teaching).

There are so many things i luv bout Japan. Of cos there's anime otherwise i wouldn't be here in the first place! hah

I also absolutely luv Japanese food! everything from the taste to the beautiful presentation. i luv spending time at the shopping mall basements with all the food.

there r so many other things that i like, from vending machines to the bullet trains. my only regret is i'm just too lazy to learn the language. I try to visit Japan at least once a year. Last year was lucky cos i had a chance to work for a week in Tokyo on a photo shoot and then go on vacation a few months later in Osaka. Most of my japan photos are on my blog too.

Interessting topic!
I personaly love Japan, the landscapes which vary from the rural areas to the high tech city of Tokio.
The culture from anime up to tea ceremonies, not to forget all the wonderfull festivals - matsuri etc.
The awesome language, i imagine if i would have grown up with Japanese i would imagine to be smarter by 10 times then with lazy 26 signs german.
The school system, even though it is a lot of stress on some kids, it seems still to be one of the best around, not because the Sailor Fuku, only part wise. Compared to germany you have really to work in Japan to archive something in school, in germany it's a cakewalk. (It did bore me to death.)
The art which is behind anime and exspecialy how anime seems to be around everywere in Japan, in the behaviour of some people and... oh my, seriously i gona start to cry if i go on - i miss Japan tons and i need to go there again asap.
The only thing i dislike is the whaling, seriously i don't understand the japanese in that way... of course it's not much better to slaugther tons of cows or pigs. But why do they kill whale mothers and their kids... the pictures i have seen of that did seriously shock me. Though pictures of tons of chicken babys threatened like a product in a TV docu about a german factory i accidentaly zapped in burned into my brain too.
Non the less i really want to work and live in Japan, though my past is messed up pretty much and in case of WebDesign it seems rather bad to get a Job in Japan if your a gaijin + not living there right now.
I'm trying to change my job field to System Integration starting from second June... once that's done i should be around 30y old :( and then i gona see what i can get over there... educate educate educate i say, only for one goal... living and working in the land of my dreams were everything (almost) is how i love it. Oh, and i have been there 7 times, it's not like i imagine it to be like in animes. ;)

Bueno mi admiracion por japon se inicio por los años 80 cuando vi y jugue street fighter las artes marciales me llamaron la atencion es por ello que me intereso Japon años despues Robotech y alli comenzo mi busqueda por mas anime.

En resumen lo que me fasino son las artes marciales el anime, y la cultura japonesa, y como todo fanatico conocer japon es el sueño lejano.

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Well my admiration for Japanese started by the 80 when I saw toys street fighter and martial arts called me the attention that is why I am interested Japan Robotech years later and there began my search for more anime.

To sum up what I fasino are martial arts anime and Japanese culture, and like any Japanese fanatico know is the distant dream.

I love Japan because it never fails to surprise or even shock me. Like just when you think you've seen the absolute weirdest thing ever, you'd be surprised that they'd come up with something waaaaaay more weird than that.

Though at first that's the only thing I like about Japan, but eversince I've read your blog, I'm beginning to think of moving there just so I can enjoy going out, leaving my stuff anywhere, or sleeping on the street when I'm too tired without worrying that I'd wake up naked and mugged.

Ah! The Ai madonna group! I remember doing a post on them when I was in Japan last Sept.

There's a thing I dislike about Japan is probably 社交辞令 【しゃこうじれい】where one uses a polite or diplomatic way of putting things. Prefer if they were more straightforward ^^;

If I can live in Japan I can get frozen, baked, soaked and wither as well XD.

Ok, than was a joke. Some of the reasons I want to move to Japan is because then I can get fresh anime; it's annoying to rely on companies that hand out kid's stuff like Machine Robo Rescue, and ignore potential hits like Gurren Langann. Secondly I won't need to fear being tarred and feathered for buying eroge, and finally, I want to get a chance to work with a manga artist. I don't care as his assistant, his servant or whatever. As long as I can learn the art of manga, I am happy. :)

My wish is to go to japan for being a tourist guy in short "i am a Lakwatsero boy".Because the first thing that i mentioned is the technologies and the environment an especially i am a Otaku fan like myself..

I've never been to Japan, but would love to visit sometime. As far as things in Japan I don't like, I'd say the cost of living. From what I heard its pretty expensive, especially in cities Tokyo. That and some of the more perverted perversions.

As for what I really love about Japan, the Japanese people to be exact, is their attitude of being the best they can be. Maybe Danny can comment on this since he's living there, but I get the impression that the Japanese have a drive to be the best at whatever it is their profession, be it Swordmaster, painter or simple janitor.

Likes:
Games
Anime
Culture - Festivals seem really interesting too. I heard there is one where they make a giant wooden phallus or something and worship it.
Girls all wear skirts :O
All the things that make you think only in japan: H-games, candy girls, candy man, maid cafes, girl drinking your feet tub water (ok I was lying about the last one....) Too many to list.

Anime got me into Japan, and I soon found out that there was way more to discover. The culture fascinates me a lot and the people seem to be so much more friendly,polite and honest over there. Another thing I love about Japan is the criminal rate, I already had enough problems with violence in my town and I'm tired of it, living almost completely without it sounds amazing. Of course I love anime and manga too and how it's used almost everywhere in Japan.

Can't say too much about things I dislike because I haven't been to Japan yet, but things that definitely annoy me are:

-Whaling
-People living like robots (working all day without any social contacs)
I'm sure there are more pros and cons but they won't come to my mind right now ^^"

@Martin Wandering:
I agree with you about the working part.

@Tami:
I think it depends on the school you attend, I wouldn't say it's that easy. I don't have big problems with things we do at school but some of my friends do, and I wouldn't call them stupid :0

Japan offers a lot of opportunity from what I understand, and the culture is is much more attractive than American culture. Japanese culture has deep, deep roots and lots of historical background. To me it truly genuine, unlike American culture which has very little roots. American culture isn't even one of its own when I think about it. It's basically all the cultures of the world all smashed together, where it takes the bad and the good. It looks nice on top and to the outside world, but when you've lived in it you learn it has a bad aftertaste. Most people are also extremely rude,grouchy, dishonest, selfish and sneaky here. I've heard many stories of people being robbed and mugged in front of a crowd of people, where they do absolutely nothing to help. Playstation 3 launch day had a few of these. IMO there is no true American culture. The Japanese tend to take only the best things from different cultures of the world and then modify them to fit their needs. If I had another choice of places to go other than Japan, then it would be Australia or New Zealand because they're both islands secluded from the crap in the world.

So... Do we get arrested for being Japandophiles?

I love Japan most for the otaku culture (must visit holy ground of Akiba still), the gadgets and the overal get-things-done-the-best-you-can mentality, the latter of which I think has been present even before the dawn of society here in Europe.

On the other hand, what puts me off is the work-so-hard-you-have-to-sleep-in-public mentality and I guess the sometimes closed society in which you only get by if you know the rules of the game. As a gaijin who has never been there I don't really know anything of course, but it's especially the latter that makes me doubt about trying to do my year-long master's thesis in Japan or not.

BTW @ number1guy: I really agree with you on the last bit, if I had to choose anywhere else to live, it'd be Japan, Australia or New Zealand. Islands who mostly watch the crap of the world float by XD

the very thing that I liked about Japan is gotta be Gundam. Have been a fan since young. Like the anime and model kits that comes from it.

I have also loved the great scenery of all the mountains, be it snowy or rocky. I have always like to picture myself in those nice scenery photographs. It would really be so cool if I personally could go and really experience both the climate and see how mother nature represents herself there, in Japan.

And lastly, its gotta be the food. Ramen and Sushi are my favorites. I would really loved to go into one of the sushi and ramen shops in Japan, whereby all the food you ordered are made instantly in front of you by the chef. Can't imagine the freshness. Damn, I am salivating now..XD

Great question. I always thought I was a little different than most because I am not a Japanophile born out of anime and manga. Most people in my Japanese classes are, and it is really annoying. But that could be another topic.

I visited back in '89 for a few days and always have had a special place in my heart for Japan since then. I love the traditional culture, the temples, the food, the electronics and how futuristic the place is. Yet, you don't have to look far to find a quiet temple or shrine to escape the overload of the senses.

Japanese people, besides being firmly intolerant regarding peoples of other origins than Honshu, are very polite when they find out that one is a German. On my ten day trip Japanese've been kind and polite, but doors only opened whide when they found out where one is from (speaking english perfectly can cause serious troubles, though).

The country is clean, structured, people are productive and friendly, just as one is used to if he/she is from Germany.

Japanese businessmen show great respect for a European. And the best: Japanese girls admire "tall" white guys.

Hmmmm. Japan is a very nice place, from what I see in pictures. They move to the future without forgeting the past (big cities, yet there are multiple shrines). Electronics capitol of the world. They seem lighthearted, some of the stuff they do to there people for comedic purposes will get you sued over here. For some reason or another, at this time in my life, I have a asian fetish. hmmmmmm. Japan is the only place I know if you were to dress up as a star wars character, walk around in the street, meet hot chicks, and people would take pictures. Just seems lieka fun place to be.

I LOVE RAMEN NOODLEN. I cant wait till I have a real bowl of the stuff. Oh well I guess its back to the packaged.

I wrote such a big paragraph, but I hit the home button on my browser (DAMMIT). Anyway, I'm not writing it again. Long story short, nice people(once you get to know them of course), B-e-a-utiful place, from the big cities to the rural landscape. The food. The Electronics. Everything. Oh, and Matsushima Hatsune (read the profile).
Wow, I still wrote a paragraph, not as big though. XD

WoW it still showed up. LOL

My interest in Japanese culture sprouted from Pokemon in the late 90's. I then moved on to more monster-based anime(Monster Rancher, Digimon etc) I hunted down any and all anime I could watch on tv, and I was thankful for CNX(the brief time it existed and showed ALOT of anime(Big O, Tenchi, DBZ(ack) Gundam to name a few))
After Pokemon I moved onto more Japanese games(hadn't played many games before then anyway) Klonoa was one of my favourites. Googling Klonoa led me to furries, which eventually led other Japanese-related discoveries. After using Virtual pet sites for a couple of years, someone told me about something called Tokyo Mew Mew. Which I was lucky enough to get ordered from amazon right away. This was 2003. Ever since then, I've been learning more and more about anime, manga the the culture of Japan. Admitidly alot of it is through anime or manga, but after finding out about it, I can find out more online.

One of the many reasons I love anime and manga is that is has an insight into Japanese culture that British animations never really have had. Not to the extent Anime does anyway.
I just love the vibrance of part of the Japanese culture, and the traditionalness of another part. It's got everything, brilliant cities, beautiful countryside, gorgeous temples and so much more.
Japan has flaws, but everywhere does, its just Japan's have been made more apparant recently(the whaling issues for instance).

My original reasons for liking anime and manga were purely aesthetic, but now I've aged a bit, I have grown to appriciate the difference in stories and content. I've just grown to love the culture so much.

What's there not to dislike about Japan. Maybe the only thing is that people there would call you Gaigin(foreigner). They can tell that you are and will or maybe treat you differently. Well, that's what I hear anyway.

I forgot to mention the music!
There are lots of japanese bands with a unique and innovative style(And I don't mean Visual Kei, which is quite boring imo).

Been trying to figure out my Japan obsession for a long time... still not quite sure. Superficially... I love the language (especially all the dialects!), the manga, the anime, the figures, the food, the temples, the onsen, the relative safety, the kanji...

Whenever I go I feel so at home... struggling to figure out whether that feeling would wear off in a couple months, or if i should just move there now ^_^;

Well, in the meantime... two weeks and I'll be in Tokyo!

I played arcade and read manga when I was little back when I was in Korea. Then I moved to USA and one of my friends showed me raw Japanese anime such as Bubblegum Crisis and Macross: Do You Remember Love, Gun Buster and that's when it slowly started. Then eventually, anime got officially brought into USA starting popular titles such as Tenchi Muyo and Ah! My Goddess and now here we are.

What really got me into Japanese subculture was the introduction of Mandarake in USA. They happen to open the USA branch right at my area and so I was exposed to many things such as figures, doujinshi and everything else they had to offer. And I even visited Japan few times so it's pretty much game over for me ^_^

I like Japan mostly same reasons as Danny mentioned above, I even concur about smoking, that's really bad in Japan! I learned to read and write Japanese from playing Japanese RPGs like Fire Emblem and Dragon Quest so it all starts from something of similar.

I sense a HUEG list comming....

Likes:
- Animu/Manga
- Culture
- Politeness
- History
- Sights and Seeings
- Open Mindness on some subjects
- Food
- How they treat tourists
- Diligency
- Cleaniness
- Security, and sense of security

Dislikes (though mainly, those are not my complaints):
- Extremely rigid working hours
- Prejudice with foreigners who lives there (I heard this is becoming less of a problem nowadays)

I already said this once here... one of my dreams is moving to Japan... defnitely. The only things that I need are:
- Convince my mom to go with me
- Find a way of living in Japan without having to kill myself working
- Learn Japanese

That's it. Unfortunately, that's a whole lot.

Oh, and all this considering I've already been on US and Europe.

Japan is LOVE
:P I love their cute culture, and shopping -- everything is so thoughtfully done and nicely packaged, many choices, pretty convenient to get around, want to go back again ^^!

ETA: don't like the passive smoking either ^^;

#1 reason I like Japan ( Tokyo ) -

- Lawson's 3am. I'm in my bathrobe / pajamas and slippers heating up a ready made meal while reading manga / hentai and there's three other guys doing the exact same thing.

The massive amounts of smoking drives me nuts...The last 2 states I've lived in banned smoking in restaurantes and bars.

I love just about everything else.
-public transportation
-Akihabara
-trying/learning to love the food
-very safe
-The beauty of the parks and festivals
-the history
-the fact that my wife is easy to find at the Tokyo anime fest or akihabara because she's practically the only blond around
-The politeness of nearly everyone we met.
-I feel tall/big in Japan. Which is a nice change...people kinda just move out of my way.

I love the Japanese games and anime and manga. American shows by comparison are all so boring and melodramatic. I also noticed that all of my friends who are "proud to be an American" are extremely lazy. I hope that Japan is different because I hate lazy-ness.

I haven't been to Japan yet but by what I've heard the smoking would probably drive me nuts. I also don't like the insistance on whale hunting. But I could totally live with both of those things.

Is Japanese hard to learn? I think English is much easier.

Japan is hyper about anime...That's what I like...

Loved Japan and its culture since childhood, but didn't talked too much with people about it (it was considered strange) and kept it rather for myself...but since 2 or3 years ago I let it burst out and live it up.... I do not know what to dislike....maybe the coldness against gajin ?????But in less then 8 weeks from now I'll be in Tokyo and Kyoto for a whole month....;)( yattaaa)I'll tell you then.

XSportSeeker i agree with you completely but learning japanese (read /write) will be a pain in the A**, but hey at least itts where all the good stuff is!

Started off watching DBZ fan subs in Brooklyn. I decided to study Japanese in college for no particular reason. I just wanted to know what the anime characters were saying.

I don't like how anal Japan is and how most people can't think out the box. Japanese people are highly stressed out all day. They are ready to pop if they reach the end of their rope. I don't like dealing with ticking time bombs all day. That's why I deal with the good looking females and stay away from anyone else.

I read this post title as "WHY JAPAN???" and thought you were going to post this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36w-CyqCO1A

Incidentally, that video is why I love Japan.

It started with I found out that most of the cartoons I watched in Hong Kong when I was little was anime from Japan. Like, Doraemon, Chibi Maruko, Sailor Moon (!) and I really got back into anime when my cousin showed me Full Moon wo Sagashite. I loved it and I still do.

Reason why I don't like Japan seems to be the hostility against foreigners esp. towards Koreans and Chinese (which I am) I have pride being Chinese so sometimes I have to ask myself why I am so interested in their culture when they did such things in the war towards my people. But then I think that I'm not my ancestors, I am the new generation and I choose to make peace and not discriminate because of things that happened before.

i luv japan but cant learn enough of language to get my mom to let me be foreign exchange student! i wanna go to japan!

It all started with Akira and Dragon Ball for me. I even took two years of Japanese in high school but it doesn't stay in my head.

Where do I begin...I like the culture, and the simplistic way of living. I like their history and architecture style of buildings. I like the Otaku culture and most all it includes, mostly anime, not so much gundams or idols though. I like the food and all the cool technology that we never see here in the states. I love the language even though I can't speak it yet. Oh, and I like Dannychoo.com.
The thing I don't like about Japan is that its so far away.

Thats an easy question to answer.
- Anime
- Manga
- Games
and their adult versions.

Im not into the idol thing, culture is something i only care about if it has to do something with the three things mentioned above.

What i dislike... hmmm...
That i have to learn that complicated language because of some Games and Mange i really want to play/read but it seems that noone else cares to translate. I started by buying Heisig's book to memorize Kana's, and i was astonished... took me ~2 days to learn them. But i read that Heisig divided the Kanji part in two books, first you learn would the meanings are and then how you read them. Did someone test this? I loved how easy it was to memorize the Kana's but im not sure about what to do know :/ ...

I went Off-Topic sry...
to summarize:

- language is to difficult xD

Pretty much everything that Danny listed. I kind of look Japanese, even though I'm not, so I don't have to worry about the prejudice against gaijins.

I've actually tried to think of what I didn't like about Japan before and I couldn't think of anything. :S

Even some of the things that people consider a minor annoyance like putting salt and pepper in a dish seem cool to me. They often seem to avoid making simple things simpler to defer laziness. I think it's a good idea and it certainly seems to work well with how hard everyone works over there.

I hate laziness. I'm guilty of it myself just because everything is too easy here.

anime
manga
games
otaku subculture: cosplay, figures
kawaiiness
electronics
cars
girls
crazy stuff (breaking the norm)

the samurai!

I guess my story's kinda unique..
Long story short though, it started with a plane crash. xD I was on my way to America at that time and ended up staying in Japan for awhile. I fell in love with Japanese culture from there.

Besides loving anime and all that, I love how a lot of things are allowed in Japan that would never be allowed in America.

However, I would hate to go to school there. A lot of my friends in Japan really aren't enjoying the piles of homework they're getting.

My reasons?
- The contrast between ancient traditions that have been kept untouched and the otaku culture;
- History, including samurai and ninja;
(fan of anything medieval-themed)
- The hard work spirit (but sometimes they go too far)
- Japanese people's sense of hospitality and respect, typical of the Asian culture;
- Very particular ways of life (cosplay, ganguro, loli, etc.) that always pique my interest;
- Yokai and other spirits (this began with a Chinese Ghost story -I know, it's HK- then stuff about kitsune, tanuki, kappa and tengu found in many references) -Would love a post on that one day, btw.-
- I have been immersed in anime (series that came even before Dragonball and City Hunter) and videogames (NES era, when it just began) since I was a kid.

And so on, and on and on...

I guess it started with AV idols for me ^^;

Then I became fasinated with culture both modern and traditional as well as language. It then evolved into a interst in all asian culture.

I like cities, and when I came upon Tokyo, the king of all cities I fell in love, and I like the way tokyo is designed just a giant megalopolis. Plus the countryside is beautiful with tons of greenery and mountains, So the country has the best of both worlds, giant safe cities and awesome countryside.

I like the cleanliness of the country. Hate having to FINALLY find a rubbish "bin" and than having to stand in front of it for what seemed like the longest time ever, before I can throw my crap away. LOL!

I don't remember how it started anymore. But right now, about half the stuff in my room is imported from Japan. I think I like japan even more because of the restricted smoking (although you may be right about the restaurant sections). Here, every old and middle aged man smokes. I'm the all healthy active athlete so smoking will never work for me. I'm hoping to make a visit next year or 2010(whichever I end up graduating in).

Japan is such an easy place to live, the public transport is tremendous. The people are extremely accomodating and interested in foreigners. There are many places to go on the weekends.

All round Japan is just easy, all i have to do is feed and cloth myself, there's very few other things i have to do to keep my life running here.

What I love about Japanese culture is the openness, and acceptance to alot of things, and their willingness to adapt to the constant changes. Now if only the US was like that. *sigh*

I like that it is so different in contrast to where I live now. This is what I have loved about all of the countries I have visited, including loving how different my own country is. The otaku culture in Japan is fantastic, but I also like the fact that a majority of the people work so hard, and dont complain every two seconds (like here, sigh). I know that if you work hard anywhere you can make something of yourself, but some places respect it more.

Quite simply they make all my favorite stuff from Monster Hunter series to Gunpla. About the only thing they don't have over in Japan that I'm obsessive about is NBA Basketball. Growing up with Dr. Slump, Dragonball, Godzilla, Kamen Rider, Ultraman and a Nintendo probably has everything to do with the interest I have in the nation.

I wouldn't say it is how I am fully living my life, but to a degree I can be a Japanophile ^^. I like stuff from Japan, Japan produces good stuff (model kits) and I am fascinated by the culture there. I am also fascinated by the Otaku sub-culture.

Unfortunatly for me, it is hard to uproot out of my traditional upbringing- for the past 7 years I have lived in the farmlands and I love it too. Living and adopting ways of life from Japanese culture has allowed me to enrich my life- for example anime (no explanation needed), an appreciation of eastern swords and a way to relax (I am still looking for some type of onsen spring in the USA! May have to settle for a jacuzzi).

One of my ultimate goals later on in life is to drop myself (with a friend) into a completely different culture zone (IE Japan). I am hoping to visit in 2009!

I love the fact that as a someone from a different culture (and this can apply to any other country), there will always be things that make me smile and raise an eyebrow. It's like just when I think things can't get any more weirder or bizarre, they do.
The japanese religious mindview also interests me. The syncretic non-restrictive attitude they have towards matters of the spirit. They visit Buddhist temples, have Shinto shrines at their homes and as of modern times, many couples opt for a western/Catholic style wedding.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, I find it amusing how much their views on sexuality are so open. I just finished reading one of Horihone Saizous works and I feel so dirty, like nothing in this world and beyond can cleanse my soul.

@ japan girls

I have heard that Japanese is one of the easier languages to learn, and in truth English is a much harder language for many people worldwide to wrap their heads around. I am learnign Japanese right now, albeit VERY slowly! =) (coursework, major, etc)

The reason i choose japan is:
- otaku
- stay living at japan (that's my ambition dream)
- unique
- placement
- event
- lifestyle
- etc.

PS: i'm really wan't to stay it please somebody give me some advice to be japan civillation

This is a good question that made me think for a while, and I'm going to be honest with my answer.

Since I was about 6-7 years old, me and my older brother watched shows like Dr. Slump and DragonBall. I grew up in Mexico and the shows were basically spanish, I used to watch other shows like Kamen Rider and some Ultra man. I loved the Power Rangers, and other shows like that. My older brother was the one who got me into anime, now that I've noticed. He doesn't really watch any anime anymore, but he's old-school with it.

Enough of the shows, when I was small I was into robots/mechas too. I had action figures and mecha figures to play with, and I loved anything that was about robots and things like that.

Their was one period when I totally forgot about all those things, of all those things I loved when I was small, and at the time I was busy with who knows what. But, when I was 12 years old, I noticed an anime show on television and rememberd my love for it.

What do I love about Japan? Well, that's an easy one. Like you mentioned, Danny, it would be the Otaku subculture(manga,anime,figures,etc.), Japan is the most safe place I've even known, the people are extremly respectful, and sooo many things that I would love to mention too.

Right now, I'm at a time that I think and ask myself, "Do I see myself in Japan?". My dream, my crazy little dream, is to visit one day Japan and its beautiful atmosphere from electronic to nature. Or maybe even have a life over there and work at a good company and have a peaceful life, like you Danny.

Danny, did you know you inspire me everyday? I'm serious, every day I check your site and think of you and your accomplishments, and I tell myself I should be like you and get to places, you know?

That's all I gotta say, I would of say more but don't have time, I gotta go and thanks for asking that question, Danny!

cons.. japan invaded many countries to prove they're worth better then others

weird that no one brought it up and i didn't think of it until now
earthquakes
that is definitely a con of living in japan

I know I am going to be stoned to death for this, but what I don't like about Japan is foreigners attitudes. Not the foreigners themselves, I mean, *I* am a foreigner to Japan. It is the attitudes they sometimes bring with them, such as Amerikan arrogance. My roomate and I were talking about this the other day. When we were in Otaru one of the guys with us couldn't figure out something [don't remember what it was] and instead of realizing he needed help, he stood up and said "I can't believe they don't speak american!"

It is sad, but more importantly we should listen to what he said. It wasn't "...speak English," but "...speak American." *sigh* And this attitude I find is very common with the americans I have talked to over there.

I am a US citizen BTW, so I am not bashing another country, but you get my point. I would like to think that people who visit other countries, then decide to *LIVE THERE* should realize that they are the ones who should learn the local language and abide, because they are visiting!

I like the FOOD!~ probably will eat all day before burning a hole in my pocket at akihabara. That includes the otaku culture and Japan's very own culture(kind of similar to the chinese in a way to me ^^)

I won't know what I dislike now until I get there.. someday.. T^T

personally, i believe the japanese had pioneered and perfected the science of 'cute' (seriously, no other country is known for such vast quanities of cute things) and they are nearly that good on 'cool' things. and i love the food, one of the few cuisines that works with my no-meat/yes-fish type of vegetarianism.
on anime/manga, the story telling is so much more compelling than western comics (but american animation does have a few bright spots).
but i can't really say as a country/culture on the whole they are 'better' than any other. but japan (culture, country) doesn't really appeal to me as a way of life, it's foriegn to me and seems a bit stifling (like many other places).

Pro: Japanese Girls

Con: Japanese Girls

ebihara yuri.

Okay, my first comment here (and I guess this topic has already been "killed" by all the comments).

But anyway - reasons for liking Japan:

The culture is totally different from my home country Sweden which makes in very interesting. I like almost everything from the history, mythology and religion (buddhism and shinto is so much more colourful than Christianity imo) via kabuki, noh, litterature to anime, manga, idols, jpop, TV-shows, dorama, etc etc.

The way everyone goes out of ones way to not impose trouble on others.

The polite and helpful people.

The weather is nice apart from the somewhat too hot summer. Also the weather forecast is almost always correct (in Sweden they are wrong more than right).

Trains come on time.

The girls... (^^;

What I don't like (may be mostly applied to big cities, not "inaka"):

Can be crowded sometimes with all the people (but I actually don't care that much).

The racism - like the way they divide people into japanese and not-japanese (gaijins) with seemingly not realizing that all people are different.
It is very hard (or impossible) as a foreigner to be totally accepted as a member of the Japanese society.
(the "no foreginer"-apartments, etc)

Sorry, got a bit long. Guess I'll stop there.

Q: WHY JAPAN?
A: WHY NOT?

I love...
- the music
- that it's completely acceptable for salary men in business suits to fall asleep on the train.
- ordering your meal by vending machine before entering a restaurant
- strawberry milk
- canned coffee
- the otaku subculture
- that the tokyo girls always look like their ready for the runway and that the japanese boys are even prettier than the girls.
- that Italian food here tastes better than anywhere else haha
- that life revolves around vending machines
- that no matter what part of town im in I can find a fancy cake store.

I dislike
- most of the "traditional" japanese food
- the smoking public places and restaurants
- that i cant try on clothes at stores

Love that first photo in the post is there a larger version anywhere?

reasons are actually quite cynical but they are my reasons.

-the underground gumi, and shakin collectors who give bad debts to dumbasspeople desperate for money.
-the absolute disregard for life, where abortions and suicides are more common than having children.
-the blanket racism and isolationist behavior by nearly all its citizens to any outsider.
-rampant perversities from loli-to s&m play so vividly displayed all throughout the cities.
-the love hotels designed specifically for having an affair while your beloved is waiting at home.
-the huge sex trade that people turns a blind eye to.
-the police discrimination
-the weak and defenseless who are treated nothing more than trash.
-the extreme government beaurocratic atmosphere.
-the jealousy and openly abusive nature of every person against another.

To the average eyes, they see kawaii, efficiency, girls, and happiness.

I only see the truth and the methods to conceal this truth. Thats why Japan is so fun, they are evil yet no one ever really notices (or maybe cares) : ) LOL.

tsa004... I'm from New York and those sound more like Long Island, New York, and the rest of America's problems

tsa004 : Looks like you have a limited experience in Japan - or maybe an unusually negative one... I couldnt say half those things bothered me...

I love Japan, but for different reasons than Danny (except a couple similar interests).

* The GENERAL sub-culture, (I.E. - Artists, Club VJs, DJs, Musicians,Poets, Writers, Design, Graffiti, Electronic Music Festivals)

*Japan has some of best 3D graphics manipulators such as Ryoichi Kurokawa, and amazing "I.D.M." producers such as Aoki Takamasa. Check them out. They are excellent.

* Very polite people in general (EVEN if some may be faking it..)

*Safe. True. The safety is nice, for example if you leave your wallet on the train and get off, chances are you will get it back from Lost & Found.

* Motivated young people. SO many of my friends are so un-motivated because they never see anyone of their own age having great success in life, as such they put little effort into their chosen art.

* Organized public facilities. That I agree with too, EVERY COUNTRY should have public facilities like Japan. (Germany, Norway and Switzerland - you already have these....)

* Beautiful, beautiful girls almost everywhere. Almost all the time.

* Japan's traditional culture is sort of vibrant , colorful and interesting. The older (grand-parent) generation celebrate & drink with the younger generations. That's cool.

"weird that no one brought it up and i didn't think of it until now
earthquakes
that is definitely a con of living in japan"

Hah, having lived in California for most of my 26 years, don't quite understand why people get so worked about earthquakes. In all that time, I've been through 1 quake that had even the remotest possibility of harming me.

I've yet to personally meet anyone injured by an earthquake.

I said I was a cynic....Besides ive lived in New York (bronx then moved to brooklyn) for half my life, I actually feel safer in NYC than in Nihon. Oh did i forget to mention im not white, but rather asian?

My reasons for enjoying japan is because of the negatives....i truely love the hidden world no one really wants to see.

From the burakumin (ETA) social class who are discriminated against even though they are japanese by blood for centuries. The hikikimori, NEETS, sad sacks of wasted space. All the way to the perverted Gi Gi drunkenly walking down the streets of kabuki-cho going to hostess clubs all night.

Its the bad things that makes it feel like good. If I ever liked Japan for the cuteness id of shot myself, give me death carnage and hell. I like the evil that permeates through the streets, consider it selective perception. The underworld is so much more AUTHENTIC than this mask placed over the adoring population. I prize the authentic vibe it does give off.

tsa: It sounds like a couple of things here.... *GASP* You're Asian and not Caucasian?! Because everyone knows that only Caucasoids are bigots, and no Asians, oh wait -- no Asians except the Japanese. Perhaps, due to your purposefully tossing in your Asian ethnicity, you have bad blood from relatives having bad experiences they related to you growing up, regarding Japan. Second, all societies have ills. Don't cast aspersions on a whole society of people unless you live in a perfect society yourself, which is impossible. It sounds like you have a limited experience with Japanese culture, because you basically mentioned everything that someone that's READ about Japan would mention. Surface issues, nothing someone that's spent any real time there would go after. I won't even bother mentioning that your blanket statements regarding xenophobia, racism and isolationalism are deeply hypocritical. (Oh, btw, when exactly did Japan say it was "the land of the free and the home of the brave"? No one there ever invited everyone in and promised acceptance.) Every place in the world has "good" people and "bad" people, how small-minded and immature you must be to just presume things about an entire race of people. But then again, someone who decries Japan so much and then trolls forums on a site about the positives of the same country and proudly displays their own racism and hypocrisy is probably to ignorant, short-sighted and pathetic to notice that they are in fact all of the above. I grew up around people like you, Caucasian not Asian, the qualities -- or lack thereof -- of what an awful person you are oozes through no matter what color or ethnicity you are. Oh, and if you want a blanket statement about things, some of the modern organized crime is definitely due in part to other Pacific Rim organized crime groups like Triads. So I guess it's ironic that "cultural exchange" and "international business" in that respect resulted in perpetuating the social ills that you blame on the "evil Japanese LOL" (to paraphrase you). Guess it must be that "evil Japanese" influence on those good boys in the boyscout Triads, ne?

What I like about Japan:
Manga, games, food, and funny tv shows etc.

What I don't like about Japan:
Stupid politics, teachers, parents, and all other adults who have decent jobs and yet commit crimes like "Chikan", abusing a child, and food scandles.

I love my country, but thats why I can find many things I don't like about.TT

From what I know, I do love the japanese culture. However, there is always pro and anti-japanese people around so we can't really do much about it, I guess.

Its their own choice afterall.

I really, love the subcultures of japan, and even i'm study animation (ok, is more in 3D, but is the same felling to create animation)

But, I can say crearly than i don't look to live in japan, cause the life style is just TOO diferent for me,

That's why i think i don't enter in the first category, maybe in the second.

I love gaming, anime, manga, technology, Asian cinema, japanese pop culture, 91 people doing Hare Hare Yukai in the middle of the road, beer vending machines, free tissues, onigiri. All this, and more is why I (and lots of other people I'm sure) love Japan.
But after my holiday in 2005 I found so much more:- the safety, the politeness, the willingness to carry out a job or task to the best of one's ability regardless of how mundane it is, the way that everyone doesn't pile into each other at busy road crossings (they just seem to filter...somehow), free gifts you don't expect when buying stuff, the customized cheesecake, singing and round of applause I received in a restaurant in Hiroshima just because it was my birthday, being given a towel to dry my umbrella at the Ghibli museum, and.... I could go on forever.
Of course, these are just my own perceptions, but it's such a different culture from what I'm used to and I just happen to really like it.
Also, I'm lucky enough to be going again at the end of March for four weeks, and if I don't spot a stormtrooper throwing a few shapes I'll feel most let down....

@Karasu-kun: If you think you are any better than him, state your point and don't grief.

Touchy subject. I'll leave it as "wanna go there, but not live there". Being overly Japanophile isn't really healthy for me, as so many of my countrymen suffered greatly at the hands of the Japanese army during the second world war. Admittedly, the Japan of today is much different from the Empire that once terrorized most of Asia. I wish that their government had not tried to cover up what they had done.

Karasu-kun in Right coast, usa: im not a troll just expressing a personal viewpoint, which i feel i must defend.

if you read carefully, ive never said i hated japan, I truely do love japan. and its doubtful that id have limited experience living there either, since ive lived there for two years during college as an exchange student in chiba-ku, and plan on moving there permanently when i get a transfer notice from my job.

To clarify further I come from a small country called bangladesh, a country the size of Iowa with a 157 million people right next to India. I come from hell...where people walk into the streets and wait for trucks to crush them in broad daylight because they dont want to feel hungry anymore. where families must make their children 10 and up work for less than a dollar a day. where the elite are corrupt and the world does not care. I am an embodiment of chaos, and because of this I prefer living in hell than some uptopian image you seem to think i would actually enjoy.

There are two faces to everything in this world, like said before I prefer to live in the world no one wants to see, than some idealistic vision of what perfection is suppose to be. Looks can be quite deceiving こぞ、I am not EMO if thats what you think, nor am i aｎ angst ridden troll.

I just prefer seeing the real world than a mask. I feel more at home when gunshots and police sirens are going off all day long, its the chaos that I enjoy, and Japan has it, its just that people dont wish to notice the problems.

Trying to think of what I don't like about Japan, but nothing comes to mind at the moment. With this cold I surprised my mind is on and working...

Yes I don't care for the all the cigarette smoke as well. Probably could think of many small items given time. No place is perfect however, I do enjoy Japan much better than I do my native United States.

My interest in Japan came from contact with Japanese and their culture. In time I found a love for things otaku...

I'm sure it's no secret that my fiancee and I plan to return after I finish my second degree. We plan to stay and make our future in Japan. Japan is filed with so much more opportunity than here in the states.

Most Japanese I know work hard and are enthusiastic about what they do. If they are not, they are working to get somewhere they can be enthusiastic. I meet young, old and people my age trying to excel in life and push the boundaries in their chose field. Doesn't matter if they are artist or business people. I keep meeting people who are trying to get the best, do the best and be they best they can be for both themselves and those around them.

It's all about working smart not harder. It's all about never resting on your laurels, but trying to be original and innovative everyday.

Sure there are bums. We get those in every society. In the end I see in Japan the concepts and determination that made the U.S. a great country. Those very concepts and determination that many Americans have thrown away.

Japan, eh....

If I remember correctly, the first thing that made me love Japan is the otaku subculture. Especially the anime & manga.

Love their imagination of visual arts and storyline ^^

From the anime, I started to like their musics, well.. not all of them. For me, Japanese musics have their own uniqueness. Eventhough the lyrics sometimes are not coherent each other ^^'

I love their philosophy too... (in this case mostly about their martial arts, like Karate, Samurai, Ninja, etc.)

hard work, diligent, and discipline. That's what makes them very advanced in almost all things.

Love their advanced technologies and inventions too.. especially their automotives :)

Maybe the only thing I don't like is their today's morality...

Speaking about Japanese people, plenty of them love to stay in my country :) They said that they can live comfortably here.. (I heard that the living cost in Japan is very expensive).

Me and Japan have a love-hate relationship really. A lot of my friends have the misconception that I love Japan so much that I would prefer to live their and what not. But really, I wouldn't. As much as there are things that compel me to the culture of Japan, there are things that do not. I'll go into detail.

From an enjoyable standpoint, what I love about Japan is the fact that first and foremost; It is a highly polite society. I mean, just browsing through the many articles on this site alone, you can see examples of how orderly/organized it is, and how polite some people seem to be (I guess its part of the culture). I mean, who doesn't dream of being in a place that is at the least, great in atmosphere?

But that's not all; besides that, Japan's got history. I mean, shrines and everything; the country itself has a history, and its one of the many reasons why I'd like to visit Japan at least aside from all the other European countries I'd like to see. It's nothing like here in Canada/US. Ugh, even the architecture of it all; North America runs solely on functionality, and everything is so bland and blah. It's functionality first, and possibly a bit of aesthetics on the side. There's no sense of overall grandeur. Honestly, if I had to choose a place to visit in Japan, it wouldn't be tokyo primarily, that's for sure. Me likes the country side :).

And last but not least for the positives, the love of the Anime Culture. Man, bet you were wondering when I'd bring that up. Yup, Anime and Manga (the latter being the more preferred media to be honest). I'm not just a fan of anime, but of anything comic related. I really love story, and it's the most compelling thing to me in terms of leisure. People can go around and do all sorts of things, but some of my greatest past times are just picking up a good novel/manga/comic/history book, and just sitting back and whipping through the thing like a kid in a Candy Store. Japan is the Mecca of anime (obviously), and to have the opportunity to be in such close proximity to the materials I spend most of my leisure time on, is like a dream come true.

However, and sadly, there are things that would prevent me from ever living in Japan. The biggest being the fact that it seems sex is a big thing in the culture.

Don't get me wrong, sex is good. I mean, I don't have a problem with it. But take for example perversion. Can't stand it. I mean, sure it's funny when you read it in Manga or see it in an anime. Heck, even on TV I don't mind, but it really is depraving in reality when you think about it, and I could never stand for something like that. I know I'm probably speaking against a lot of people here that come to Danny Choo, but I think all the "low angler" and other little perv-y (for lack of better words) things could be done better without. And to clarify, yes I am a guy. Perhaps I'm too much of a gentlemen :/

Anyways, that alone isn't it. Look at the work habits. Yes, Japan is VERY diligent in the work place; I would even dare to say their up their at the top in terms of diligence around the world. But that diligence almost translates into long work hours. Look at yourself Danny. You're having a blast, doing all the fun things you love. But how much time to get every day just to relax and sit around? Your life is hectic, and I could never see myself doing that for the next 30-40 years of my life. Honestly, I want to have those moments where I can go home, and just nap on the couch and not have to give a care in the world for at least one evening. I doubt I'd have that opportunity in Japan.

People often dream too big, but never think seriously about what they're committing themselves to. Whenever I hear "I wanna live in Japan and do ______ (insert job here)" I often shake my head. It's one thing to dream, but it's another to be realistic and to think things through first, and see if that dreaming can become a reality.

The Smoking thing would be enough to prevent me to live in Japan. Even though I am obviously a japan fan as mostly everybody here...

You have no idea how much i dream of going to japan. Am hoping that i might finish university there.

Went to Japan for first time last October.

In general I loved it. These I liked:

Otaku stores.
Bookshops.
Seeing well dressed people, hurrah for a nation that doesn't resort to track suits suits and flip flops.
Bizzaro world food (whoever would have thought of serving curry topped with a hamburger or grated cheese).
Transportation.
Just wondering around the back streets of places like Kawasaki-Daishi and Asakusa.

But these I did not like:

Pavement cyclists.
Customs officials.
Queues at immigration at Narita.
Harajuku commercialisation of Cosplay.
Mens in Kabuchiko thinking I is sex tourist.
Kawaii tourist attractions with oversized gift shops.
Overpriced KitKats.
Suica didn't always work, leading to complex interactions with station staff.
Feeling that I was missing out on a lot by not being able to read language.
Salarymen in office block opposite my hotel having board meetings at 10pm.

Hmm.... Japan because, of its culture. Japan has such an amazing past and present as well as a promising future, there's so much it has to offer. Everything about Japan just makes me jittery and excited, for some reason. ^^

I first started to like/know about Japan due to my dad's various trips to Okinawa-ken. Later on, as I was meeting friends who liked the otaku subculture, I got sucked in. Now I am taking language classes and will be over in Japan in a few months. Now only if I had the balls to talk to Japanese girls.

Same as Nedete!! X3

For a while, I too wanted to brave the great unknown and live and work in Japan, but your blog opened my eyes(I love reality checks). I still love London, thank you very much.

As for being polite people, most cultures south and east of the US and UK are in most cases very disciplined and polite people, I am not a Londoner by birth or upbringing, I still find it uncomfortable to call people older than me by their name. An in my true language, elders are referred to in plural, whether you were talking to them or about them. And if you were going to speak English, make sure you add sir/ma or you'd get a beating. I also think we are friendlier.
I like Japan, its bright, its colourful, its cool, wonderful culture and thats nice for a 2wk holiday not a long haul. But I love me 8 to 4/9 to 5/8 to 8 life, chilling out with my computer or hanging out with friends after work for fun not work is fun, so long hours; heck no. And I am worried and wary of a society that has let its fantasies out into reality so blatantly, its not really a good thing in the long run. And most importantly, it looks lonely.

Hello danny,I registered in your website just right now,but its almost half a year when I start reading article,news,others here.its 5 times i visited Japan since 2006 and right now im also here in japan,this are the things that i like japan.
1. Technology
2. Honest,Diligent(just what you said)
3. Its really safe
4. Clean
5. Anime figures
6. Idols

@tsa004: I'm sure this link is up your alley then.
http://www.japanfortheuninvited.com/

And for the rest of you:
http://www.npointercos.jp/Kyoto.html

One reason to love Japan....?

Akiyama Nana!

I saw this group when I was in Akihabara in November! I thought it was actually one artist with a bunch of cute models. Anyway she works really fast and can crank out neat pieces in minutes.

For me it's kinda like the attitude of Chinese men to foot binding (when it was still around). I'm content to observe from a distance, cause if I actually take the shoes off (i.e. go to Japan), I'm afraid that the illusion will be dispelled, and it may not be what I wished it to be.

Well, what I like the most in Japan…that's tough, considering that I DO like all of it...but leaving romance aside and thinking in a more practical way, I would say…the reason is the way that Japanese people was able to merge and live together in harmony with the maximum of the economy/technology that I society can have, without losing the most humble, sensible and simple way a person can live with…damn!! that’s still pretty romantic, isn’t it!?! anyway…that’s what I think!

I think part of my response is on my Profile Page.
Essentially, it seems to me that, if and when I topple the language recognition barriers, I get it.
I have always felt that I am a team player, not necessarily the _star_ of the team.
I am self-effacing. I am not perfect. But when I mess up, I realize (or am told) that I messed up, and I correct it.
There are some things in my life which seem *cosmic*.
On the back porch here at the domicile, I have a pachinko machine. A wooden one with no electricity or electronics. I've had it since 1979. I have no scanner (and no digital camera), so I can't take a picture of it to show you what is its face. As far as I know, this machine was in service somewhere in Japan in the late 1970s. How did I obtain it? I won the gridiron pool one week. The amount I won was just about the cost of this. I hauled it back here on the *bus* from Niles (a suburb of Chicago). (The shop's sticker is still attached.)
Why did I buy that? Ummmm; I cannot answer that. I just did.
Go to the 1980s, and the stand-alone video game market boomed. I was entranced by the *silly* and *strange* games being released. Of course, Donkey Kong was so humorous it steamrollered the market.
Burgertime is still one of the most surrealistic games I have ever seen and played.
Move into the mid-1980s, and the era of the first generation of home videogaming. Discover more games which did not do so well in arcades, but were good. Begin noticing the _attention to detail_ in the games.
In this span, I wound up buying the ColecoVision, then buying its *controversial* Atari game adapter. Then, when Intellivision gave up, I pounced on a remaindered Intellivision II and scarfed up many of its games for pennies on the dollar. (Truckin by IMagic is an incredible game - especially game 2 [cargo].) As far as I know, the consoles still work. They are sitting in the basement downstairs. I bought the ColecoVision SuperAction Controller and its Roller Controller also. The regular ColecoVision controller got a second life in the late 1980s when I bought my first micro-computer, the Commmodore 64. It worked on the C=64. I worked with that computer until 1996.
In March 1996, I finally discovered the Internet and the World-Wide Web. What you could find back then was amazing. I somehow wound up on a W-WW site where someone (I never espied a name. There was no E-Mail address anywhere to be found.) had cataloged a huge number of Japanese photobooks. He knew when they were published. There was something slightly off-kilter, however, about these photobooks. They were the underground, uncensored photobooks which were (and still are) illegally in Japan. [As it turns out, _that_ is the name of the W-WW site. {It is still extant at http://www2.kinghost.com/asian/urabon/}] [NSFW] From there, I wound up making a circuit of other W-WW sites with Japanese content.
It was like peeling off another layer of a fruit. I kept going.
There are some qualities to me which set me apart from other males. I love cuteness. I care not if somebody thinks this makes me effeminate. Japanese females *are all cute*.
From such an introduction, I picked up on other erotic Japanese websites. Here is another key indiciae: In Japan, people who view, study, and comment about *ero* in any media _are not instantly and permanently relegated to the uncouth pool_. If you have not noticed (I have.), erotica is under assault in North America. Maybe you just noticed this now due to the UNICEF campaign to criminalize and prohibit lolicon manga and anime (and put those who even merely possess it on their countrys sex offender list).
Japanese Adult Videos can still include content which would get a U.S.A. director who even thought about incorporating it in his | her shoot busted on the set (forced sex, incest).
Most cities are expensive in which to live. Where many visitors to Tokyo falter is: They never learn where are the lower-cost, non-touristy shops, restaurants, and bars in the area. They never venture anywhere which is not served by the JR (and dare I blaspheme by proposing that the JR Rail Pass *is not a great deal*, especially if you remain mostly within the Tokyo | Kawasaki | Yokohama area?). The top-flight business hotels, the JR, the shops which heavily advertise in English-language magazines, et al... _they do not want_ people to learn about these other venues.
So that is why you need to go there. And you need to get off the beaten path. Yes, go to Akiba. Go to Shibuya. Go to Shinjuku. But when you obtain your Tokyo map book, look at the other private rail lines in the area. See where they run. Pick a station on one of them. Go *there*. (Browse Hyperdia [http://grace.hyperdia.com/cgi-english/htm/readme.htm] to compute your train route and its cost.)
Have I gotten sidetracked? Maybe I did. I guess what I was trying to emphasize is that the more familiar you become with Japan, both in the virtual world, and in the flesh, the more I believe you will love it.

I love Japan because it attracted me with its 80's pop culture, anime and video games. After having a chance to live in Japan and becoming a game producer myself I am now way beyond the honeymoon phase.

I have two kids and I worry about how they will deal with the racism in the Japanese school system. I am pondering whether to buy a house in Tokyo. I am wondering how I will retire. Paying double tax to Japan and the US has really hurt my income.

Japan is fun when you are young and exploring, but starting a family in Japan has many challenges.

Everything.... *twitches*

Haha. No, seriously. I love the food, the people, their work ethic (of which I am lacking), their country, houses, designs, innovativeness, entrepreneurship, and above all.....THE ANIME!!!!! omg.... X3

me too i like japan despite of having sexy girls but in there moral atittude plus their culture too..

In my next live I would like to be born as a Japaneses. I like their culture and their moral attitude.I never go to Japan yet but I hope I can go there as soon I finish my study and hopefully can find a job there. I understand that working there is tough that is why I really like their working attitude. At my previous collage I have the chance to meet some of japanese instructor. I ask them various question about Japan and the answer they give me is they do not like Japan. I think that it might be the work pressure. I also heard that now days young japanese is becoming more lazy is that true?

I like Japan for its tireless urge to invent new in all spheres of life, whether it's cosmic or sex toys industry, it'll always be geeky and mega-ultra-super-new!

Aww, Ai Madonna's site is gone ;(

I love the culture, both new and old.
Everything about Japan fascinates me, especially the general worth ethic of the people.
I would love to live in Japan, however I am always paranoid about the anti-foreigners feeling
Though I can observe the culture from a third person perspective, as a Chinese-American, I don't know if I could be generally accepted by the people I would meet.