My Tokyo Blog (well, sort of)

[MilSpex]

Another interesting convo I had with a Japanese yesterday:

Her: I`m going to Papua New Guinea

Me: Did you know Australia (my country) and Japan fought during World War II there 60 years ago?

Her: Really? Who won?

Me: Australia of course. (huge rolling eyes)

Her: oh

[prima]

Another interesting convo I had with a Japanese yesterday:

Her: I`m going to Papua New Guinea

Me: Did you know Australia (my country) and Japan fought during World War II there 60 years ago?

Her: Really? Who won?

Me: Australia of course. (huge rolling eyes)

Her: oh

oh milspex, always the charmer

[MilSpex]

oh milspex, always the charmer

I wasnt trying to pick her up or anything. It was my 40 year old housemate.

[poly800rock]

hahaha, thats actually what a lot of deluded, brainwashed, Japanese I met believe. Do you seriously believe that Matsu or are you just stirring shit up?

A lot of Japanese go around fully believing their not Asian, they`re JAPANESE with some kind of super senses and super empathy to appreciate seasons and shit better and feel shit more than other people.

Some of my students wanted to travel to Asia and I told em I had good news, they were already there. They just looked at me like I was the biggest moron. They just couldnt get it around their brains that they were Asians.

having met and hung out with tons of japanese people in asia outside of japan, i completely agree here.

[Guest jmatsu]

hahaha, thats actually what a lot of deluded, brainwashed, Japanese I met believe. Do you seriously believe that Matsu or are you just stirring shit up?

A lot of Japanese go around fully believing their not Asian, they`re JAPANESE with some kind of super senses and super empathy to appreciate seasons and shit better and feel shit more than other people.

yeah man. i'm totally serious. i can also shoot fireballs from my palms and have shinobi-kage esp. i was born with the ability to distinguish between highgrade and lowgrade grains of rice/foreing vs. domestic. i am impervious to hiv too.

[MilSpex]

having met and hung out with tons of japanese people in asia outside of japan, i completely agree here.

Yep, a lot of Japanese have no concept that they are an ethnicity not a race.

[backinthetrees]

i can also shoot fireballs from my palms and have shinobi-kage esp. i was born with the ability to distinguish between highgrade and lowgrade grains of rice/foreing vs. domestic. i am impervious to hiv too.

that's dope.. no wonder you think you're a direct descendant of god.

you can distinguish between high and low grade grains, but can you distinguish your "R"s from your "L"s?

[Guest jmatsu]

you can distinguish between high and low grade grains, but can you distinguish your "R"s from your "L"s?

duh, all japanese can. just don't ask them to say various words with them.

i guess you had to use "distinguish" to make shit sound better...

[djrajio]

I think the same could be said about Americans though. Sometimes when I go out w/ my European collegues, I always tend to refer to cultural issues as an American vs. Japanese phenomenon.

[wEstSidE]

the only people i've met who think their race is "american" are stupid rednecks...

[poly800rock]

I think the same could be said about Americans though. Sometimes when I go out w/ my European collegues, I always tend to refer to cultural issues as an American vs. Japanese phenomenon.

personally, i find a huge difference in americans i meet in japan and those i see elsewhere in asia. I don't mind associating myself with americans in the rest of asia, as it's usually a breath of fresh air of the european/canadian/aussie/nz complete condescending attitude. in japan, it's usually homegrown japanese vs. everyone else.

[xcoldricex]

i don't really like americans in the rest of asia either.

[so-so]

A lot of Japanese go around fully believing their not Asian, they`re JAPANESE with some kind of super senses and super empathy to appreciate seasons and shit better and feel shit more than other people.

The seasons thing is my favorite. So many older japanese people quite literally believe that only Japan has 4 seasons. It's kind of shocking actually to have people say this with a straight face.

Also, I don't know if you've heard, but I had a teacher try to pass off some bullshit that Japanese people could appreciate sound differently than other people. Same with color too. They are just more "in tune" to the world I guess-----BULLLLSHIIITTTT.

Another "what the hell" moment was when, in one of my classes, we had a girl say that non japanese are unable to fully appreciate things like "haiku" and other traditional Japanese art forms. She doesn't mean like, your typical american who can't read or speak Japanese, but more of even if you've lived you're whole life in japan, if you're not ethnic Japanese, it wont make sense to you.

[DaBestSpoona]

Sounds like you guys encounter alot of people who just simply never left the country, their hometown even . There are plenty of people like that everywhere besides Japan.

[lacquered]

There are a few versions of Japanese histories, and where they originated from. But heres a version that i got from a Japanese friend of mine who grew up in Taiwan.

He believed that during the construction of the great wall of China, the chinese emperor wanted to find the elixir of life, so he can live forever. Thus he asked all of his ministers, advisors, imperial doctors etc to go and look for the elixir any where in the world.

As time passes by, the emperor grew impatient, and excute those who return in failure to present him the elixir. He beheaded everyone of them.

There was one royal advisor close to the emperor whos worried that soon, the emperor is going to kill all the talented people in China. So he asked for the emperor to give him 100 boys and 100 girls in the quest to find the elixir. These 100 boys and girls are of age 13 to 17 years old, and must be special and talented.

The royal advisor then bring them out of China, to an island (later called Japan) where they all settle down, and later become the land of the rising sun. This is why Japanese people are very smart (because they are the descendends of geniuses, as my friend said) and they are shorter than other asians (because their ancestors were only in their teenage/puberty stage when they got together).

[lacquered]

i don't totally agree with milspex. it all depends on the situation and target. i never do that "nice guy" facade-shit. i think if sex is what you're after, then you should take a "going all out-totally over the top/ arrogant over-confident badboy-asshole" approach. less complicated. you won't get lumped in the "friends" category. either you're "in" or "out."

True, you both are right, it all depends on the situation.

What milspex and my experience was the same because we get to see the jgirl quite often in schools. Where we can slowly show the "nice, quiet guy" shit.

While in clubs, you got to have that hit and run approach, otherwise, theyd be long gone. so both ways are good, it all just depends on the situation.

[mizanation]

milspex, why do you live in japan when you hate the japanese, the country of japan, and japanese culture so much?

btw, i do agree with some of the things you said. but, not everyone is like that. also, i feel it's far worse in the rural united states. the ignorance can be overwhelming.

[duofold]

Keeping in mind that Japan & Korea are two of the most homogenous countries in the world. But miz is right...go to some rural back twenty in the US & it can get frightening real quick if they don't like the cut of your jib.

Usually, when in Japan, I was looked upon with amazement (not necessarily in the positive vibe, more shock) and annoyance. Contrast this with the US, where in some rural areas, the farmer teds occasionally wanted to kill me.

Had a colleague whose friend was an asiaphile (spec. japan) in the worst. Colleague thought it would be 'good' as in mutually beneficial for us to meet. Yay for me...almost as good as when I was the only non-white at a pollack wedding in Tomahawk, WI. Had nearly half of the wedding party approach me (as strangers) and tell me that a friend of his/her friend was Vietnamese (I'm not). They all waited for me to bestow approval as if they deserved the golden pass into an elite, club benetton.

Anyway, the conversations instantly accelerated to his experience/expertise in all that is Japan. And how he's got a command of the Japanese tongue, both literally & figuratively.

When I inquired about his travels, the bulk focused on Japanese women. He would always quickly caution that I'd have a hard time getting laid (this before I told him that I married Japanese). For a variety of reasons...apparently, because I'm not white, don't speak Japanese 'fluently' like him, etc.

It didn't take too much more time to measure this guy as a major fat fuck douche. He'd proudly whip out photos of his conquests - 40+ somethings, overweight, teeth askew, disillusioned & finding solace in this effortless lay from America. He was their 2 bagger slut & wasn't even aware.

Further visits to tanpopo's scattered throughout the city further cemented his status as stereotypical asiaphile loser - stalking the japanese wait staff with incessant efforts to impress upon them his expertise of the language, how to run their business (he knew better wholesale channels for seafood) & how he was going on his annual pilgrimage to Tokyo for the umpteenth time.

In all cases, I've never seen someone go from reserved to digust in 10 seconds flat. And even funnier, that he could never recognize the unanimous contempt.

My wife was never amused. After a short while, she told me to stop picking up the phone.

Anyway, usually hate McDonalds. But the one (of many?) in Narita surprised me. Had a teriyaki & a shrimp burger. Both much better than any offerings here. But Mosburger is even better.

And the apple juices/drinks in Japan. My god, from any brand, the elixir of gods, ambrosia compared to the Mott's shit. I cannot find any like that here.

[cuddlysheep]

im a pocari sweat fan and cc lemon. i think it was.

[duofold]

I've always been curious, but the name alone throws me off.

[mizanation]

Keeping in mind that Japan & Korea are two of the most homogenous countries in the world. But miz is right...go to some rural back twenty in the US & it can get frightening real quick if they don't like the cut of your jib.

Usually, when in Japan, I was looked upon with amazement (not necessarily in the positive vibe, more shock) and annoyance. Contrast this with the US, where in some rural areas, the farmer teds occasionally wanted to kill me.

Had a colleague whose friend was an asiaphile (spec. japan) in the worst. Colleague thought it would be 'good' as in mutually beneficial for us to meet. Yay for me...almost as good as when I was the only non-white at a pollack wedding in Tomahawk, WI. Had nearly half of the wedding party approach me (as strangers) and tell me that a friend of his/her friend was Vietnamese (I'm not). They all waited for me to bestow approval as if they deserved the golden pass into an elite, club benetton.

Anyway, the conversations instantly accelerated to his experience/expertise in all that is Japan. And how he's got a command of the Japanese tongue, both literally & figuratively.

When I inquired about his travels, the bulk focused on Japanese women. He would always quickly caution that I'd have a hard time getting laid (this before I told him that I married Japanese). For a variety of reasons...apparently, because I'm not white, don't speak Japanese 'fluently' like him, etc.

It didn't take too much more time to measure this guy as a major fat fuck douche. He'd proudly whip out photos of his conquests - 40+ somethings, overweight, teeth askew, disillusioned & finding solace in this effortless lay from America. He was their 2 bagger slut & wasn't even aware.

Further visits to tanpopo's scattered throughout the city further cemented his status as stereotypical asiaphile loser - stalking the japanese wait staff with incessant efforts to impress upon them his expertise of the language, how to run their business (he knew better wholesale channels for seafood) & how he was going on his annual pilgrimage to Tokyo for the umpteenth time.

In all cases, I've never seen someone go from reserved to digust in 10 seconds flat. And even funnier, that he could never recognize the unanimous contempt.

My wife was never amused. After a short while, she told me to stop picking up the phone.

Anyway, usually hate McDonalds. But the one (of many?) in Narita surprised me. Had a teriyaki & a shrimp burger. Both much better than any offerings here. But Mosburger is even better.

And the apple juices/drinks in Japan. My god, from any brand, the elixir of gods, ambrosia compared to the Mott's shit. I cannot find any like that here.

great fucking post, man.

[duofold]

Well, I tried but not sure whether I was able to convey the cringeworthiness of it all.

And truly, almost every moment made me cringe.

[MilSpex]

milspex, why do you live in japan when you hate the japanese, the country of japan, and japanese culture so much?

Gear of course. I`d do anything for a retail pair of BDUs and a a Supreme store within bike distance I guess.

[LanceP]

But Mosburger is even better.

Mmmmmmm. It was non-stop Mosburger, Yoshinoya, and 7 & i Holdings when I was over there.

[cuddlysheep]

for me it was all about coco ichibanya curry shop. beef bowl spots. ramen

[djrajio]

great fucking post, man.

Agreed.This is why the only cities I'll ever consider living in are NYC, L.A., London, and Tokyo.

[djrajio]

Mmmmmmm. It was non-stop Mosburger, Yoshinoya, and 7 & i Holdings when I was over there.

Mosburger is quite good, I agree. But recently I've become a Matsuya fanatic and I'm not even sure why. Every other day I hit the gym and right after I always get a Gyuu-meshi icchou 牛めし一丁. It's not even good for me. I have no idea why, but I'm strangely into to it...

[coleslawyum]

And the apple juices/drinks in Japan. My god, from any brand, the elixir of gods, ambrosia compared to the Mott's shit. I cannot find any like that here.

Awww Mott's aint that bad. The Natural Press is pretty good. But you're right, the drinks are pretty dope, even the ones from the vending machines in the middle of nowhere. Great post.

I had someone from work ask me if I was a Japan-o-phile. I just told him I just liked quality goods, especially clothes. Like guitars from US or wine from France etc. etc.

Anyway, thought that was pretty ignorant of him to ask, but then again he's said many things ignorant in the past.

[herpsky]

matsuya ham-egg-tororo breakfast set is heaven

its like buying heaven for 360 yen...

[cd1]

Growing up and living in the US midwest, and having spent time in more rural and lower income areas, I can knowingly say that alot of these previously posted stereotypical understandings of rural america are way off base.

Farmer ted may have a radical hickabilly sense of patriotism/nationalism, but he doesnt think his is the country of the gods and that only the US has four seasons, etc.

and in regards to living in only the most major world cities for that completely incorrectly assumed reason, that is horribly short sighted