As (probably) most people here, I tend to have some kind of interest in japanese culture, and I like to learn little facts and trivia about it, specific or general knowledge. There is, of course, a truckload of sources about it, so no problem.
But one thing that I would find just as interesting would be to see not just "Japan for Westerners", but also "the West for Japaneses". I find it just as insightful about a culture to see how it views others (the inferred information coming from what they think deserving of explaining, how they explain it and the comparisons they draw themselves), and I'm also avidly curious of learning other perspectives from an "inside" point of view.
The big problem being, of course, that by essence such sources tend to be in the native language of the culture - Japanese here - and I can't read it at all.
The long-term solution is of course to learn Japanese. But I'm afraid it's about to take some time, and I'm not sure I've got the patience nor the talent (I'm pretty bad at languages, took years of practice to just write english - still can't speak it properly - , and it's probably the easiest to learn in the whole West).
So the other solution would be, and that's what I'm doing, to ask people about links and sources and material which are relevant : translated data from a Japanese's view on Western culture.
Things like "Western Etiquette" guide, advices to Japanese nationals undergoing a trip in a western country, essay or description about western culture, the inverted equivalent of the "japanese etiquette" wikipedia article, etc.
I'm pretty sure that it's something that can be very fun, especially if we get the whole array of opinions and texts that may come from it - not just the neutered "official" versions that tend to remove any sticking or sore point, but also the personal, raw and spontaneous opinions. I don't really care if some of them end up offensive, unpolitically correct, biased or derogatory, as long as they are authentic and heartfelt and/or reflect an actual common point of view : I find it fun and instructive if it's real, period ^^
But one thing that I would find just as interesting would be to see not just "Japan for Westerners", but also "the West for Japaneses". I find it just as insightful about a culture to see how it views others (the inferred information coming from what they think deserving of explaining, how they explain it and the comparisons they draw themselves), and I'm also avidly curious of learning other perspectives from an "inside" point of view.
The big problem being, of course, that by essence such sources tend to be in the native language of the culture - Japanese here - and I can't read it at all.
The long-term solution is of course to learn Japanese. But I'm afraid it's about to take some time, and I'm not sure I've got the patience nor the talent (I'm pretty bad at languages, took years of practice to just write english - still can't speak it properly - , and it's probably the easiest to learn in the whole West).
So the other solution would be, and that's what I'm doing, to ask people about links and sources and material which are relevant : translated data from a Japanese's view on Western culture.
Things like "Western Etiquette" guide, advices to Japanese nationals undergoing a trip in a western country, essay or description about western culture, the inverted equivalent of the "japanese etiquette" wikipedia article, etc.
I'm pretty sure that it's something that can be very fun, especially if we get the whole array of opinions and texts that may come from it - not just the neutered "official" versions that tend to remove any sticking or sore point, but also the personal, raw and spontaneous opinions. I don't really care if some of them end up offensive, unpolitically correct, biased or derogatory, as long as they are authentic and heartfelt and/or reflect an actual common point of view : I find it fun and instructive if it's real, period ^^