Today’s post, more random anime questions from readers!
In anime, I see people in Western-style weddings a lot. Why is this?
The Japanese are very laissez-faire when it comes to religion, and will “wear” different ones at different times in their lives. They generally turn to Shinto for life-affirming customs like wishing for good luck in the new year and baby naming ceremonies, Buddhism for funerals and remembering dead family members, and, often, Western ceremonies for weddings, complete with a gaijin pastor. (An American friend of mine makes good money doing marriages here in Gunma.) They generally mix religions without giving it a second thought.
I’ve known a few Japanese who were resistant to this casual approach to religion, including a Christian who refused to have a Shinto priest bless his land before building a house and a nearby Shinto family who holds all family ceremonies in that religion, including funerals.
How many people actually wore the Virgin Killer Sweater? Was it actually a big trend or just an internet meme?
I never saw any outside of an anime convention, so I think it was mostly a fun thing that exploded on the Internet, and hopefully found its way into some bedrooms during sexy time.
Have you tried nattou and did you hate it or not?
Sadly nattou, Japan’s famous fermented soybeans, is not to my taste. Which sucks, because it’s super high in fiber and protein. Anyone wanting to revolutionize their health in 2019 should give it a try.
I’ve always been curious about company policies/laws towards mandatory overtime by employees.
As the owner of a company in Japan, my sense is that labor laws in Japan are excellent and there are many guidelines in place to keep companies from abusing employees and making sure that overtime is reported and fair wages are paid. Sadly, there are some “black companies” that abuse the system in various ways. Also, often employees themselves sometimes get addicted to the intense work culture here, working more than is healthy. Here’s a post I made on work culture in Japan.
Is Japan an expensive place to live?
I’m often amazed at how inexpensive Japan is to live in, though what country and what currency you’re coming from would affect whether you agree with me. In Tokyo, the median cost for apartments is $900, though the average size is small compared to the West. In Gunma, things are even cheaper. My wife and I pay $2200 for our “mansion” (condo) in Shinjuku.
Most of this comes from the low inflationary period Japan has been in since the asset bubble burst in 1991. While living in a country with low inflation sounds awesome, getting an IT job and being paid a 1991-era salary isn’t so great.
Is root beer hard to find in Japan?
Yes, Japanese are culturally wired to hate root beer, which they believe tastes like Salonpas, as well as Mexican refried beans. There are no A&W restaurants in Japan proper, but oddly enough, they are everywhere in Okinawa.
How do Japanese feel about Russians?
They view Russians as magical beings like elves, who have white hair and beautiful features. Any Japanese with some Russian blood is automatically considered to be beautiful. I write a post about this recently.
Does Japan have social assistance programs like food stamps?
How does the food compare to America’s food? Is it healthier over there?
Do the Japanese hate Americans after Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and internment camps during WW2?
Interestingly, there’s no more pro-American country in the world than Japan. They use the all-purpose Japanese phrase 仕方がない shikata ga nai (“it can’t be helped”) when considering Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
As for the Japanese and U.S. citizens of Japanese descent interned in camps from 1942-1945, Japanese people inside Japan mostly don’t have a strong opinion on it. It was, I’ve been told, something that happened to other people, not the Japanese themselves. I consider this to be similar to the fact that I am of Irish descent through my grandmother but don’t feel a strong connection to the Irish potato famine from 1845- 1849.
Did you enjoy these random Japan questions? Got any more for us? Ask us on Twitter!
How are the preparations for the 2020 Olympics?
Coming along nicely I think. New taxis everywhere, new services going online in train stations, and lots of new construction
It’s the last two days of our EMS shipping sale, a great excuse for you to browse the site for cool products and make that purchase for yourself or someone else. If you’re the kind of person who appreciates gorgeous anime figures, we’ve got lots of new ones for you, browse them all here!
