People ask me this from time to time as I had lived in Japan for 6.5 years. I wrote on a message board on Facebook explaining why, but I’m going to do so here as well.
Let me first just say that Japan, like any other country in the world, has its flaws. But I don’t want to discuss those here. While I was living over there, I noticed the flaws, but the good always made up for the bad. And this is why Japan is my all time favorite country in the world.
Here are the reasons I am in love with Japan (in no particular order):
—> Japanese people don’t bring politics (they are generally not political people) into the mix when meeting foreigners and welcome them with an open heart. So long as you’re good to them, they will embrace you. So feel free as a bird in Japan as an American as you’ll never be asked, “Why did you vote for Bush?” and the like. Also in Japan, there is no need to wear T-Shirts saying that you’re not American or even submit to wearing that damned maple leaf on your backpack. 
Japanese people are generally politically apathetic and too busy with their own lives to worry about all of America’s problems. They are also a nation of genuine pride. With that said, there is no “short man syndrome” to be found – if so, it is rare – at least from my personal experience there.
—> The Japanese are anything BUT Americanophobic. As a matter of fact, I received reverse discrimination in Japan. I am sure it helped a lot that I spoke their language. But even if you’re not 100% fluent, they treat Americans very well, generally. You’d think they’d be harsh considering the bad feelings that have regarding WWII, but that harshness is ironically only found in Western countries.
—> My Japanese friend told me this and it’s so very true: “A Japanese friend is a friend for LIFE.”
—> I love the scenery in Japan whether it be Tokyo or the country side. It’s absolutely breathtakingly beautiful and refreshing. The air feels thinner and nicer over there too!
—> I love Japanese food to death!
Some of my favorites are Ozoni, Eel over rice, Japanese style Curry Rice, Sushi and Sashimi dipped in soy sauce with Wasabi, Onsen Tamago (Hot Spring Eggs), Oden, Japanese meat is superior to any other country because they treat their cows better (i.e. Shabu Shabu, Sukiyaki, Matsuzaka Gyu, Kobe Gyu, Korean Barbeque, etc), Kaiseki Ryori (Japanese gourmet), all things Japanese New Year’s food, and last but not least, Japanese veggies are the tastiest in the world. Or how about, Japanese food in general is the tastiest? There are not many Japanese foods that I don’t like, actually.
—> I’m obsessed with the Japanese language and it’s characters (yes, I know Kanji was borrowed from China, but there also exists Hiragana and Katagana).
—> I love Japanese public baths and spas. When I was living in Japan, I was at the public bath house at least 3x a month, and I miss that immensely! It’s also ridiculously cheap to go to a spa over there!
—> Karaoke is AWESOME in Japan, (yes, I know it was invented by Koreans) and I MISS TO DEATH IZAKAYAS (a kinda restaurant-bar-like scene that is very unique where the main purpose is to party, drink, and hang out) and drinking hot sake and UMESYU (a plum sour) with all my friends. We used to always go out to an Izakaya first (getting some food and alcohol in us) and then head off to Karaoke, and sometimes we were out until 5am. On one occasion we were out until 9am. 
Oh, the good old days…. (The photo on the left is simply my welcome party as I had started my first job there in a language school).
—> The Japanese people are VERY helpful if you get lost and ask a stranger for directions.
—> “Okyakusama ha Kamisama” is an expression over there which means “The Customer is God”. I like this. We have close to *zero* customer service in the US. People attending to customers are RUDE, lazy and apathetic. But that’s because management sucks over here. Rude and lazy people aren’t fired – generally speaking. People who really care about taking their time and helping customers are becoming an endangered species in the US. In Japan, you will be axed if you act like an idiot to a customer! We tolerate poor customer service in the US because the customer wants off the phone as soon as possible and cares less about customer service as opposed to their time being wasted. In Japan, it’s the reverse: Good quality service, but you need to wait and be patient as not everything will be fixed or done that fast.
I find the Japanese to be a more patient people because their main concern is getting the job done right. In America, you are chastised for being a slow poke even though you rarely make errors and have an excellent rapport with the public. A good example of Japanese style slow but serious customer service would be the banks over there. However, slow service isn’t always the case. Sometimes you’ll get excellent and FAST customer service in Japan. But the Japanese are METICULOUS and would rather take their time instead of messing up. Japanese (fast food) Moss Burger comes to mind. If you don’t mind waiting 7-10 minutes for your meal, it is better than any other kind of fast food in Japan. The Japanese very rarely make mistakes and put forth an incredible amount of pride in their work. The same applies to the way Japanese treat their food. In the US, people like cheap and fast especially because of our crumbling family structure over here where mom and dad are overworked and too exhausted to think about real food. In Japan, the people prefer QUALITY and NATURAL INGREDIENTS as opposed to the triple processed crapola you can find in the states. Thank goodness for whole food stores and Japanese markets where I live.
American companies also save loads of money by getting the agent (customer service) off the phone as soon as possible thereby suppressing quality service. This makes overhead expenses decrease. It’s sad. It really is. That’s one of the reasons why people overseas and/or in third world countries are answering our calls. Americans really don’t care because they’re in a rush…….. I do care, but I believe I’m in the minority here. Companies are getting greedier and greedier, and it’s not like you can go to their competitor because they’re all the same with a very few exceptions i.e. Trader Joe’s! 
—> Japan is a convenient country to live in. You can just walk right outside your house and buy a can of hot Royal Milk tea from the vending machine. Everything that you need is either walking or bike distance even if you’re living in the suburbs. I mean, where else can you buy batteries, stockings, or a can of beer from a vending machine?
—> I love Japanese TV, J-Pop, and dramas!!!!!!!!!!
—> Japanese Culture is alive, well, rich and strong. (This is why there is no “short man syndrome” over there.) I am moved to tears when I go to a Japanese festival. I love just about everything about their culture.
- I love Japanese trains. I didn’t even mind when I had to commute 2 hrs. each way to work everyday.
—> You can make pretty good money in Japan if you’re a foreigner – especially if you can teach English. I had two jobs and worked 6.5 days a week in my last year there, and I loved what I did too. My Japanese students were amazing people! Here is a collage that I made of my Japanese students and I at my first job there. You can enlarge it in Flickr.
I’m sure there’s more, but that’s the basics for me. Feel free to check out the rest of my pictures from Japan here. I still have about 1,000 more to upload, but at least that is my work in progress. A shortened slide show view can be found here.
I think Japan sets a good example for the rest of the world to live by. While Japan doesn’t have any enforced discrimination laws at the time being, they (in my experience compared to other foreign countries) are the least discriminative and racist. Unfortunately, it’s not always the experience for other Asian groups such as Koreans and the Chinese, but still……..
Anyway, this is just MY personal experience. Yours may have been different, so please spare any knee-jerk incoherencies in my comment section.
I agree with all of your points above, especially the one about customer service. It is true that customer service is crap in the United States. I wish I could visit Japan even more.
Just stumbled upon your blog and have clicked on the box before posting here. I find your statement regarding the Japanese being a mature group and don’t hold grudges over past wars a little bit odd, By saying this, would you mean that; Native Americans asking for an apology for the genocide perpetrated against them, Jews asking the Germans for an apology, Armenians angry with the Turks, Palestinians with the Israelis, Republican Spaniards with the fascists, Kosovans with the Serbs, Algerians with the French etc all immature grudge holders who should forget about the past? Asking for apologies and recognition is whining?
The mere fact that two of the world’s biggest war crimes in history were committed against the Japanese by the Americans would lead one to wonder why the Japanese don’t “hold a grudge”. Maybe they haven’t heard the tapes of American leaders rubbing their hands together saying that they were going to burn the people of Tokyo like little ants?
But perhaps they are able to differentiate between governments and people, something we should all do. You are 100% right in fighting a war against irrational hatred against someone simply because they are American, but at the same time it should be said that anger against a bullying, warmongering government is perfectly valid. In your profile you state,”I don’t like Hitler, Kim Jong II, Hussein, or Gaddafi, but you don’t see me, or others, bashing the Koreans, Germans, Iraqi’s or Lybians.”
This would be obvious because the countries you mention were/are dictatorships were the people have absolutely no say in how their governments are run, nor how they interact with other nations. America on the other hand is perceived as a democracy where the people elect their government and therefore it somehow represents their wishes. When said government tramples human rights around the world and violates international law as they see fit, well the perception could be created that a government for the people, by the people is acting in accordance with the wishes of its citizens.
I think it’s cause for reflection for the average American to wonder just why there is so much anger in the world against them (or really their government). Do you really think it is a case of penis envy, or is there some substance to the matter?
And as for, “That’s why it’s so easy to be Anti-American. We Americans don’t fight back.” We should ask the Cubans, Venezualans, Bolivians, El Salvadorans, Laos, Iraqis, Vientnamese, etc how they feel about that.
Wow, there are a few people that come here every once in a while that misunderstand my posts, but you have completely rearranged things, have misconstrued and spun my words to mean things that I wasn’t saying, and have gone on an unrelated Anti-American piss rant about me and my people that is showing your ignorance of America, American people, and American history and politics. Congratulations.
First of all, you don’t even know what Anti-Americanism means because based on YOUR definition, I am Anti-American too, you dip. Read about it here. That was in my disclaimer that you claimed to have read.
Dearest Hitler Sympathizing Wartime Propagandist: For starters, what I had meant by the Japanese not holding grudges is that they don’t treat Americans badly because of WWII. You think that they should? Even me? Even though I wasn’t even born yet? Lovely. See, this is why I love Japanese people. They are more mature. I don’t know where in the world you get that I was saying they should forget it ever happened and not demand an apology. Where you get apologies out of all this, I don’t understand.
By the way, where did you study about WWII? Were you not aware that Japan was a part of Hitler’s axis of evil? Have you ever, my friend, heard of Pearl Harbor or were you sleeping during that part of History class? If you had been awake, you would have known that America took a diplomatic initiative to the war. We were bombed and then told Japan that if they hadn’t surrendered that we would bomb them back. They didn’t listen. We bombed them. We gave them a 2nd chance to surrender, they didn’t listen. We bombed them a second time. We gave them another chance to surrender, and the third time, they had finally given up. Did we bomb them proportionately? No. Was it equal? No. We have already apologized to each other. We were both wrong. What the fuck do you want me to do about it now? I am sick and tired of you little Anti-American weasels throwing guilt trips at Americans over wars that happened before we were born and accusing even those who fucking voted for Kerry for the deaths in Iraq. Grow the fuck up, already. Seriously. YOU are a perfect example of why the Japanese are superior to you.
And where or where did you learn Geography? America is (for the 58900267th time) NOT a continent. Here’s a little Geography for you to catch up on. You probably never had time to learn that there are 7 continents being so wrapped up in wars that happened beyond my control. I also understand being a bigot and blindly following Anti-American propaganda can be quite time consuming as well.
And for the record, Americans have no more control over their government than you and your people have over yours. Last time I checked, you lived in a DEMOCRACY as well. So, for you to blame all 300 million Americans for Iraqi deaths and the deaths of all by the hands of Americans is just plain ignorant. FYI, it was Al Gore that won the 2000 election – not GWB, you idiot. We have an electoral voting system in the US that is very unfair and where the POPULAR VOTE DOESN’T ALWAYS WIN. You are an imbecile.
Did you forget you how Spaniards used to be imperialists? Hmm… Easy to forget, eh? Do you learn about the world around you only selectively? Hmm… Do you not have any idea at all what your people did in the past as rulers? Do you need an American (no, sorry, I refuse to call myself a Unitedstatesian for you) to tell you your own “pretty” History. Even if you’re not from Spain, you are still an ignorant imp.
Your comment reminds me of this quote:
“As someone who takes human rights seriously, I’m appalled by the lack of sympathy the left feels toward the victims of any regime other than the Bush administration. Let’s shout it to prisoners everywhere: If you’re not harmed by an American, your suffering doesn’t count.“ –written by Erik Svane
And where did I say that Anti-Americans are Anti-Americans due to penis envy? Selective reading, once again? I said short man syndrome which doesn’t involve envy, but feelings of insecurity about oneself and their nation so they use Americans as their scapegoat to avoid looking inward at themselves. It’s not like we expect you pseudo-intellectual narcissists to admit that.
You may be looking while you are hear, but you surely have shown no evidence that you’ve actually comprehended what you’ve claimed to have “read”.
Re-read, ask questions, take a breath next time, hon. And stop harassing all the Hispanics that hail from my country when they visit your castle. They are coming back time and time again from your imagined “place of perfection” complaining that you treat them like shit because they aren’t “true Spaniards” or have skin too dark for your taste. You racist pig. Now, how’s that for sweeping statements about an entire nation’s people?
Loved the post. I agree with all your points for the most part. I’m not sure I agree entirely about not holding grudges over the past… It is true, they don’t treat us any differently because of it, but whenever I bring the issue up, I find many Japanese think very strongly about ww2 and do have a lot of hard feelings there.
Wow, was karaoke really invented by koreans? I’ve always heard it was the Japanese. Not that that would surprise me, mind you–they like to take credit for things. I had an older student claim to me that “Lord of the Rings” was really written by a Japanese person. Wow, realllly. That’s awesome, buddy, thanks for informing me of that.
Trader Joes… best place ever.
Some Japanese ELDERS do feel bad about the war. And in no way whatsoever was I trying to imply that pain wasn’t felt about it. No where. Now how.
Holding a grudge means to carry it on your shoulder with you everywhere that you go. Hypothetically speaking, when they would meet an American, they would greet them with hostility and either directly or indirectly give them a guilt trip. The Japanese never put me through that. Was I just lucky? I would honestly doubt that. In any event, I was treated better in Japan than I’ve been treated in my own country.
But just like the Americans, the Japanese don’t have such a clean past themselves. Ask any Chinese or Korean. The stories are more than what you can find in any old history book, actually. However, as with Anti-American propaganda, people need to listen to the stories of all at all angles and with an open and accepting mind.
At the end of the day, I’d say that there are many nations out there with blood on their hands over something. Some more than others, but that is entirely debatable. And what sense does it make to make another war over those already dead who’ve fought it. And it pisses me off to no end that I keep getting accused of WWII. I wasn’t even an egg or a sperm yet.
I read this on Youtube today and it really fits into this discussion.
Why the necessity to lift all those tombs out there? What I was trying to say in my blog post is that the Japanese have the “Let’s be friends” mentality whereas in other parts of the world I am going to be lambasted just because of the place where I was born.
It’s frustrating because I am just as liberal and angry at American politics as some of the Anti-Americans, yet I am continuously labeled as a war-mongering gun-toting hick. But this is what Anti-Americanism is all about. It’s mindless bigotry. It doesn’t listen. Facts scare the Anti-Americans. They are hypocritical and see the world with a black and white overly-simplistic view. But what form of xenophobia doesn’t do that?
I had no idea that this post would cause such controversy. LOL
I thought that this was an American phenomenon.
*sarcasm*
Greetings Earthlings! (except idiot Troy)
Zontar was somewhat puzzled over Mr. Troy’s rant against Miss Virgo Monkey. Zontar took it as a nostaligic remembrance of a country which she loves. Mr. Troy used that as a spark to carve Ms. Monkey a new rectum.
Excuse me sir, if I am not mistaken it was the Japanese who started the war with America. I must be wrong, as you, from your pompous and convoluted writing style, are evidently a supreme intellect. For your information the United States warned Japan before unleashing the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Japan paid no attention. After the first bomb went off the United States gave Japan another chance to surrender to avoid further carnage. Again they refused and Nagasaki was turned into dust. The dropping of the atomic bombs was not a war crime you cretinous moron. It was an act of war against an enemy.
Your rants against Miss Monkey over all the ills of the world in the twentieth century being caused by America still has Zontar in awe of your supreme knowledge and insight.
I see from your profile that you reside in Spain, but Zontar is not clear where you were actually born. You are so vague. All I can garner is that you are quite a world traveler, a marvelous raconteur and a sophisticated man of the world.
It is obvious, now that I think about it, that you cannot be from Spain. The country that produced Goya, Cervantes and Picasso surely could not have produced such a pretentious egomaniac such as yourself.
Hail Zontar!
あんたアホちゃう？
Mr. Nippon Blogger: Would you like to kindly elaborate as to why you think I’m a “dumbass” as you said so eloquently in Japanese?
It’s no wonder the Japanese treat you so badly over there considering the type of language you use so randomly. And if you get so offended by my writing, I think you have more things to worry about than how some stranger views Japan on a blog.
To live in one of the best countries in the world as Japan and have no other source of entertainment than calling random people assholes on the internet says much more about you than me.
Tell me your whereabouts in Japan. If so, I’d be happy to tell you some places to go or hang out that will relax you and give you some enjoyment to get your mind out of its whiny and miserable state.
You talk about nation-states as if they were singular entities with personalities and traits. ‘Japanese’ do this, ‘Americans’ are like this, all the ‘anti-Americans’ say this. You even talk about anti-Americanism as an object that does things
“But this is what Anti-Americanism is all about. It’s mindless bigotry. It doesn’t listen.”
Anti-Americanism is an it?
Perhaps you should think a bit more critically about your own black and white thinking before accusing others ‘out there’ of it.
Actually, love, if you’ve been reading my blog and even this post you’re responding to, you’d see quite clearly that I mention what I dislike about Japan, what I like about Japan, what I dislike about America, what I like about America and so on. So, I am clueless as to where or how you get that I am seeing the world or issues with a black and white view?
Anti-Americanism is bigotry the way I see it. Anti-Americanism is not a person. So, if it is not an “it”, than what pronoun do you suggest?
Mr. Expert on Complex Subjects, like I had mentioned in my disclaimer, I define Anti-Americanism MY WAY (subjectively). Can I not be subjective in my blog? Or do my views have to represent yours? Are you offended by views that differ from your own?
I see Anti-Americanism as having prejudicial feelings about the American people as a whole. Perhaps you see it differently. And I respect that. But how I SEE Anti-Americanism has nothing to do with seeing the world with a black and white view.
Don’t you think if someone were to talk about [insert noun or adjective], they would define it first so that there wouldn’t be any confusion? And if you were to read the literature written by other NON-AMERICANS, you will see that most people see AA as a form of bigotry and not simply criticizing a government.
Additionally, the Anti-Americans use the term “black and white” and “overly-simplistic” to define Americans. Can I not point out where their hypocrisy lies? Seriously, if you want to go after those that mindlessly label and look at things with a “black and white” perspective, you’ve got your work cut out for you regarding (since the term Anti-American offends you) those that blindly hate all Americans.
Or do you just go after only those people who counteract their arguments and defend themselves?
The Japanese, generally, they ARE nice people and ARE nice to foreigners. That is truth. That is not an opinion. If they treat you like shit, it is well-deserved.
You mean these people?
Anti-American Groups and Topics on Facebook
AMERICA SUCKS!
Americans Against the American Way of Life
Bitch please… i’m from Canada <3: for people who hate Bush and everything having to do with Americans
Canada Should Annex America
Canadians Rock! Americans Suck!
For everyone who is sick and tired of americanism and the arrogance of a hated government.
Fuck America I am Canadian Bitches
FUCK AMERICA!!!!Who is sick of all the american cunts!!
Fuck the USA, CANADA IS THE BEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD!
I don’t hate America, I only hate Americans
I Hate Americans! :] ♥Canda <3
i hate it when americans claim to speak english but spell everything wrong!
The “We hate stupid Americans club of America”
The British are infinitely superior to the Americans
The Real Canadains That Hate Americans
Turks who hate America
Why Canadians Hate Americans
Anti-Americanism (not just Bush’s fault)
‘Death to the US’: Anti-Americanism examined
A Canadian Forum primarily focused on Anti-Americanism
A Close Look at Anti-Americanism (an in-depth interview)
A cornucopia of anti-Americanism
American Unpopularity Abroad: What It Really Means
Latin America Claims to Hate the American People
Anti-Americanism in North America: Canada and Mexico (50 pages long!)
Americans Offerred ‘Canadian Disguise Kit’ for Traveling (What is the necessity of this site if Anti-Americanism only consists of a few individuals?))
I AM NOT AMERICAN.COM (What is the necessity of this site if Anti-Americanism only consists of a few individuals?)
In love with an American: How Anti-Americanism is Racism according to a New Zealander
How Canadian Anti-Americanism constantly goes unnoticed and more
An American’s Experience Traveling throughout Europe
Anti-Americanism ‘feels like racism’
ANTI-AMERICANISM IN THE EUROPEAN MEDIA PART I (Video)
ANTI-AMERICANISM IN THE EUROPEAN MEDIA PART II (Video)
Anti-Americanism Sells in Canada
Anti-Americanism spoonfed to Canadian grade school kids
Anti-Anti-Americanism: Will the U.S. tell the world to take this job and shove it?
Before You Flee to Canada, Can We Talk?
British and French Staunch Anti-Americanism (our new and old enemies)
Canada’s Anti-Americanism (A Canadian Blogger’s Perspective)
Canadian Anti-Americanism according to the Vancouver Sun
Canadian Green Party candidate applauding 9-11
CBC fans flames of anti-Americanism
CBC television news guilty of anti-American bias says new study
Dissecting Chomsky and Anti-Americanism
Don’t Buy American
Hating America – by Bruce Bawer
Have Canadians taken anti-Americanism too far?
Islamic Terrorist Supporter and past Canadian Green Party Candidate shows his support for Osama bin Laden
More Canadian Anti-Americanism
Myth-busting and the hypocrisies of Anti-Americanism
Poll: over 40% of Canadian teens think America is “evil”
The Difference between Canada and the US (um… nothing… hardly)
The many stripes of anti-Americanism
The misconceptions Canadians have about America (a Canadian perspective)
The New Anti-Americanism – A British Perspective
The Sickness of Canadian Anti-Americanism
Top Pet Issues for German Media Coverage of the United States
Ugly sentiments sting American tourists
Un-Happy Birthday, Canada
Understanding Anti-Americanism (since 1867)
We (Canadians) share common cause with the Islamist terrorists
Why anti-Americanism is as Canadian as maple syrup
Anti-Anti-Americanism
A 12-step Guide for Americans Traveling to Europe!
A Closer Look at American Generosity
A German immigrant shares what makes America great (video)
A Singaporean Living in America
Anti-Americanism Rant
Anti-Anti-Americanism.com (the blog) by Karin Quade
Anti-Anti-Americanism.com (the website) by Karin Quade
BritainAndAmerica.com
Anti-Anti-Americanism: Dealing with the Crazy World after Iraq
Canadians Against Anti-Americanism (on Facebook)
Dave Hatton’s Blog: Exploration of Issues, Views and Reviews: The finer things in life!
David’s Medienkritik-Online
Giving America Credit where Credit is Due
How to hate America (A MUST SEE!)
How to Observe Memorial Day (A Canadian Tribute to America)
O Canada! Can We Stop the Hate?
On Hating America (An American living in Europe’s perspective)
Robin Hood im Schwarzwald (Trying to find sense in a world that has lost its way)
The Average American
The Black Kettle
To hate America is to hate mankind
What’s so Great about America
Why is Anti-Americanism Racism Too? (an Englishman’s perspective)
Info from Search Engines:
Anti-Americanism
Anti-Americanism on Youtube:
Click me.
Books written on Anti-Americanism: (5,567 results)
Click me.
Do you really feel that you should have an opinion on a topic (Anti-Americanism) that you know nothing about?
I do, however, apologize for offending the Anti-Americans and stereotyping them. Shame on me. I would also like to take this golden opportunity to also apologize to the Westboro baptist church, the KKK, homophobics, the extreme right wingers, and Christian fundamentalists whom I have also labels as “bad” in my blog.
If it weren’t for you, I would have never realized the simple-minded racist I really am.
Thanks for being so kind as to give me a heads up on my current status of morality.
P.S. You guys should read “Nippon Blogger”’s blog. He stereotypes the Japanese all over the place. Kettle…pot…kettle…pot…
Greetings Earthlings!
This is in response to the delightful Nippon Blogger. I thought your response to Ms. Monkey of “あんたアホちゃう ” was most insightful and happily articulated. It proves that you are not a black and white thinker.
Zontar, all knowing and all seeing also knows all languages. For those unfortunates who don’t know Japanese あんたアホちゃう translates roughly as stupid asshole. Mr. Nippon, I’m glad you don’t engage in black and white thinking as Ms. Monkey does. You are evidently a great thinker, certainly even greater than Zontar the Magnificent!!!
Where else could one find a gentle person such as yourself get so worked up over a pronoun! I also am confused over what pronoun one would use in referring to “anti-Americanism”. Zontar defers to your magnificent command of grammar.
Speaking of grammar, gentle Nippon Blogger, Zontar is a little rusty on his Japanese. Could you please give me the kanji for pretentious, moronic, pseudo-intellectual, pea-brained, maggot on dogshit fuckface? Thank you so much.
Hail Zontar!
People, how really hard is it for you to read my disclaimer before (not after) you post a comment?
First thanks for the comment on my blog! I happened to stumble upon your blog one night while surfing and found it rather interesting, in a positive sense, especially being a fellow expat.
I went to Yokohama 8 years ago to visit a good friend of mine who’s originally from there. She’s now in the ‘burbs of Dallas. During the ten days in Japan I really enjoyed it. The Japanese where ever so polite and friendly. Even at McD’s!!! Had the pleasure/honor of being there for New Year’s. What a feast! My friend’s mom, sister & sister-in-law cooked for a day and a half beforehand! If I have the opportunity to go back and visit, of course I’d jump at the chance. The only negative thing, the LONG flight.
Yes Italy is a beautiful country, wonderful scenery (but way outside of industrial Milan and ‘burbs) and the cuisine is excellent. In the little over six years I’ve been here, have never encountered any Anti-Americanism, minus one ignorant rude shop owner. Other than that Italians are usually curious why I would choose Italy over the United States. Then the usual questions about the elections, which do get old after awhile. I don’t hate my fellow Americans, unless they are rude, arrogant and “stereotypical” tourists. But with the current government and the “potential” new gov’t, if McCain wins, I’m glad I’m not there. It is so sad to see corporations and politicians ruin the country. Have not heard a single negative word about Denmark, except for maybe the weather.
Yes, I do have an iMac with intel processor, “converted” about a year ago and will not even consider going back to windows…
Ann, politically we’re on the same plane.
Me thinks the Italians are having too much fun to worry about what the Americans are doing – hence the lack of Anti-Americanism. Ha!
Ug. I hear you. Obama/Biden 2008 FTW!
now how can you write an article about japan and make no mention of eating cats?
The Japanese don’t eat cats or dogs. Other Asian countries DO, but not Japan.
*chuckles*
This was so old it never popped up on my feed! I have to add Sumo, and Iaido to the list about things that I like about Japan in addition to those that you listed.
As for Troy and Nippon Blogger..? What Zontar said!