Comments on: Being the same with majority is good?

By: kirin

kirin — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 12:37:36 +0000

It's very interesting when you use the example of prison where people are dressed with uniforms to be easily controlled. Japanese society is sometimes like an army or something. Our working atiitude should be very strict, regardless of army or not. I like more laid back and free style. This society is too rigid to feel easy for living.

By: Emily

Emily — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 18:40:16 +0000

That's really interesting Your culture preaches conformity because it makes people easier to control-hence the reason why prison inmates wear uniforms. There's certainly not anything bad about people choosing to be like everyone else but I don't choose to! There's a reason why I shop at thrift stores! lol

By: kirin

kirin — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 12:44:27 +0000

To be exact, there are people as you mentioned, but as for me, I've never had anyone who belong to any of what you mentioned around me or in my class, at the office, neighbors, etc. Or there might be someone but no one treated that person any differently from us, and so I didn't even notice that. They may have different culture, and yes, in that sense "homogeneous" was not appropriate. Group-oriented, this is right. Somehow we like to classify any things into some groups or categories. Blood types are good example, which we like to talk about so much. (http://tokyokawaiietc.com/archives/2640)

By: Becca

Becca — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 02:32:58 +0000

you say that the Japanese race is homogenous but I don't think this is the case.. how do you explain the discrimination against burakumin, ainu, resident koreans and nikkei? it is just something we learned that is problematic, and the group orientation explained from your long history of rice-farming and cooperation within a mura. I am also quite surprised by the way japanese culture is so group-oriented, as the fashion styles can be so unique yet grouped into various set "styles" like gyaru, visual kei, gothic lolita etc.

By: kirin

kirin — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 13:56:35 +0000

Hi Shayna,
I hope I could explain things well…you know sometimes it's not easy to explain cultural things. :p
I like you enjoy your style. BTW 70 more Japanese people at a time? Wow! So many…. I've heard there are many Japanese living in Malaysia. I have had a manner training course in Japan and too strict one just made me sick again…Strict dress code, strict manner, strict way of speech…too many strict things surround our working environment in Japan, and I was sick of them. I like to relax and be myself with appropriate politeness and common sense, which I believe is enough.

By: Shayna

Shayna — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:09:51 +0000

Hi Kirin!
thank you so much for the post. Really helps alot for me to understand the Japanese. Haha.
I was curious when I had the chance to join a training with 70++ Japanese few months ago and it stumbled me and left me a huge curiosity “why is everyone dressing up like each other??” Haha.. You are right, girls tend to have the will to differ a little bit, but the guys… erm, imagine every guy is wearing white shirt with black coat, same style of belt and shoes, and same style of bag. Every guy looks almost the same. Haha.. To be honest, I was having a pretty hard time remembering who was who back then.
Kirin, I think u’re one of the unique ones and is really brave too chosing to be who u are and not following the others just for the sake of having a sense of belonging in a group. As for myself, I chose to have my own style. Eventhough the people in my office don’t really dress up and put make up, I strived to be different and be myself! I don’t care if they look at me in another way or talk about me. I dress up for myself and to please myself too. In fact, I feel happy knowing that I look good!
=)

Thanks alot again!

By: kirin

kirin — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:00:48 +0000

Thank you Lisa for your comment that adds color to my post, as I cannot express everything exactly as I wanted in English. ^ ^; I always have the same feelings that you had against your students who usually enjoyed casual fashion suddenly changed to black and white safest but boring looks only to be safe at company interviews.

It's cool you can make whatever you want by yourself soon! If only I had more time, I want to learn how to sew to make clothing, and how to do DIY work to make a small rack or a shelf at hand. :p

OMG there sounds such an unspoken rule in Sweden!? That reminds me of the story from my friend who once lived in France, saying "Everyone dresses black coat in cold freezing winter! I thought people in Paris are more fashionable!"

By: kirin

kirin — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:47:52 +0000

Funny … "idol-chan 502" XD I like your comments, thank you!

By: kirin

kirin — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:26:29 +0000

Hmmm….Taiwan sounds very similar to Japan. I can find many common points in Taiwan culture that we have in Japan.

By: kirin

kirin — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:25:01 +0000

MUJI! Good choice, if you like simple/ casual/ natural style! I like to watch people dressing fashionably or in a unique way but as for myself, I cannot spend much time searching and buying clothes any more. When I was a teenager and had more free time, I spent a whole day to look for what I wanted to wear.