Q: If you have heard or had some funny stereotypical misunderstandings about Japan, please tell us.
Masaki SeikeShare
The Question is from: Popo-Marl
The answer from Daniel Eubanks (USA):
In my opinion there's no misunderstanding about Japan besides the county is beautiful and it's filled with cherry blossoms, scenery, food also the drinks are amazing!
私の意見では、国が美しく、桜、景色、食べ物でいっぱいで、飲み物も素晴らしいです！
The answer from Char350 (USA):
(Note: these "misunderstandings" are from my childhood before I grew up to learn & experience more of Japanese culture. I hope it does not offend anyone.) From my early years in Hong Kong watching Doraemon and Chibi Maruko-chan and other Showa-era slice of life anime, I used to think that Japanese families only slept on the floor and had no beds. I also used to think that Japanese ate a lot of carrots when it was actually daikon radish. The misunderstanding came from Cantonese dubs always calling daikon as just "蘿蔔/Carrot" rather than the full name name for daikon "白蘿蔔 (White Carrot)"
注：以下の「誤解」は、私が日本文化を学び、経験する前の子供の頃ころのものです。誰かも気分を悪くされなければいいのですが...。香港でドラえもんやちびまるこちゃん、その他の昭和のアニメを見ていた頃、日本では家族は床で寝て、ベッドがないのだと思っていました。それからアニメの字幕から、日本人はニンジンをたくさん食べるのだと思ってました。これは、字幕の表現が、大根のフルネーム「白蘿蔔(White Carrot)」のフルネームではなく、省略された名前「蘿蔔/（Carrot）」という広東語だったことがから生まれた誤解だったのです。
The Answer from VZ17 (USA/Mexico):
So this is more personal. My dad grew up in a city in Mexico that had a small Japanese community. When I was a kid my dad would tell me that Japanese for him always sounded like an angry language because of the strong tone it has sometimes, and also because he might have watched some period movies. So I thought of Japanese people as very disciplined. They never smiled, laughed, or even cried, and would get angry all the time. Another misunderstanding was with rice, not only for the Japanese but for other Asian cultures as well.I would always see them in tv, or somewhere else eating rice with chopsticks and think how difficult it would be for them. I never knew that the rice they ate was different from the one I ate. The only rice I used to know was not that sticky, and it would be more of a long-grain type of rice which is mostly eaten here. So I assume they ate that type of rice as well and wonder how they did it with chopsticks. Did they grab each grain one by one?! How long did it take for them to finish a meal?! Then my dad told me that the rice they ate was stickier and easier to pick up with chopsticks.
これはもっと個人的な経験ですが、私の父は小さな日本人コミュニティがあるメキシコの都市で育ちました。私が子供の頃、彼が見て育ったいくつかの時代劇映画の影響でしょうか、日本語はいつも怒っている言葉のように聞こえたと私に言っていました。ですから、日本人は決して微笑んだり、笑ったり、泣いたりせず、いつも険しい顔をしていて、とても厳しく規律ある国民なんだと思っていました。
もう1つの誤解は、日本だけでなく、他のアジア文化での「お米」でした。テレビで彼らが箸でお米を食べているのを見て、それがどれほど難しいかと思っていました。もちろん、その時は、テレビの中で彼らが食べていたお米が私が食べた米とは種類が違うとは知らなかったのです。私が当時知っていた唯一のお米はそれほど粘着性はなく、それは主に長粒タイプの米です。だから、彼らはその種の米も食べて、箸でどうやってやったのか疑問に思うと思います。『ね、日本人ってそれぞれの米粒を一つずつかんでるの？一体食事を終えるのにどれくらい時間がかかるの？』と父に尋ねたら、『大丈夫。食べてるお米はもっと粘着的で、お箸で掴むのはもっと簡単なんだよ」と教えてくれたのです。
This page is solely created for "Uwajima World Link," Office Seike's weekly FM radio program on Wednesdays, 1:00 PM- 1:55 PM JST, broadcasting from Uwajima City, located in the southern part of Ehime Prefecture, Japan.
The questions we present here are from students from Ehime Pref. Uwajima Minami Secondary School in Uwajima City. They are eager to learn English & various cultures out there in the world.
We, Office Seike, strongly believe learning other languages and cultures brings broader perspectives and hints to local cities like our hometown Uwajima. Also, it helps us discover and appreciate our unique traditions and rich local cultures. We sincerely hope your answers to these students' questions inspire them, guide them, and let them be interested in you and your cultures.
Please leave us your comments and answers from below.
このページは、愛媛県南部に位置する宇和島市から放送される、オフィス・セイケの週刊FMラジオ番組「宇和島ワールドリンク」用に作成されています。
ここで紹介する質問は、愛媛県立宇和島南中等教育学校の学生さんからのものです。彼らは世界中の英語と様々な文化を学ぶことを熱望しています。
私たちオフィス・セイケは、他の言語や文化を学ぶことは、故郷の宇和島のような地方都市により広い視点や発展のヒントをもたらすと強く信じています。また、私たちのユニークな伝統と豊かな地元の文化を自身が発見し、大切にすることに役立ちます。これらの学生の質問に対するあなたの答えが、彼らを鼓舞し、導き、彼らがあなたの文化にも興味を持ってもらうことを心から願っています。
以下からご意見や回答をお寄せください。
よろしくお願いします。
Thank you in advance.
Masaki Seike, Director.
3 comments
So this is more personal. My dad grew up in a city in Mexico that had a small Japanese community. When I was a kid my dad would tell me that Japanese for him always sounded like an angry language because of the strong tone it has sometimes, and also because he might have watched some period movies. So I thought of Japanese people as very disciplined. They never smiled, laughed, or even cried, and would get angry all the time.
Another misunderstanding was with rice, not only for the Japanese but for other Asian cultures as well.I would always see them in tv, or somewhere else eating rice with chopsticks and think how difficult it would be for them. I never knew that the rice they ate was different from the one I ate. The only rice I used to know was not that sticky, and it would be more of a long-grain type of rice which is mostly eaten here. So I assume they ate that type of rice as well and wonder how they did it with chopsticks. Did they grab each grain one by one?! How long did it take for them to finish a meal?! Then my dad told me that the rice they ate was stickier and easier to pick up with chopsticks.
In my opinion there’s no misunderstanding about Japan besides the county is beautiful and it’s filled with cherry blossoms, scenery, food also the drinks are amazing!-
Daniel Eubanks (USA)
(Note: these “misunderstandings” are from my childhood before I grew up to learn & experience more of Japanese culture. I hope it does not offend anyone.)
From my early years in Hong Kong watching Doraemon and Chibi Maruko-chan and other Showa-era slice of life anime, I used to think that Japanese families only slept on the floor and had no beds. I also used to think that Japanese ate a lot of carrots when it was actually daikon radish. The misunderstanding came from Cantonese dubs always calling daikon as just “蘿蔔/Carrot” rather than the full name name for daikon “白蘿蔔 (White Carrot)”