Tothisday,thesmallIslandcountryofJapanremainsamysteryformostAmericans,rendered

inaccessibleasmuchbythenationsvastculturaldifferencesastheoceanthatliesbetweenthe
twocountries.ThemostexposureJapanreceivesinAmericacomesfromdigitalmediaand
cinemaoftencreatedbywesternerswhichportraysJapanesecultureasvibrant,bizarre,and
sometimesdangerous:Orientalizedaccountsasinaccurateasthefirstdiscreditedreportssent
homebyearlyexplorers.ThislackofinformationexchangegivesAmericanslittletrueinsight
intoJapanspeopleandculture:anabsenceofunderstandingaugmentedbythenationsintrinsic
exclusivity,aneconomicandculturalpreferencetokeeptothemselves.
SteppingintoJapaneseculturewithanopenmindhowever,revealscharacteristicsmany
Americanscanrelateto,andmanyotherstobeadmired.Japansyouthisnotsodifferent:livelier
andmoreanimatedthantheirparents,youngJapaneseboysandgirlsdressinawidearrayof
flamboyantstyles,sportoddlyplacedpiercings,tan,dyetheirhair,andareseeminglymore
interestedinthelatestpopstarsthanstudyingthoughtheirreportcardswillultimatelyprove
otherwise.YeteveninthebusiestshoppingareasinTokyo,apersonwouldbehardpressedto
findaJapaneseyouthwhorefusestodefertoanassertiveadult:respectismorethanalesson
taughttochildren,butratheraculturalnormwithhistoricalsignificance.Nothinglessthanfear
canbeseeninthefaceofaJapanesecitizenifheorshethinkstheyhaveinconveniencedyou,no
mattertheirage.
OlderJapanesemenandwomenareequallysimilartotheirAmericancounterparts:more
reservedthantheirchildren,Japaneseparentsdressconservatively,gothroughtheirdaysina
seriousmanner,placingvalueintheirworkandhomelives.Japanesebusinessmen,orsalary
menastheJapaneseloanwordispronounced,workhoursunbelievabletoWesterners,some
optingtosleepovernightintrainstationsand24hourcafesinsteadofcommutinghomeinthe
latehours,onlytoturnaroundandheadbackintheearlymorning.Yetmissingfromtheir
behaviorisanykindofattitude,nosenseofentitlementorhubris:onlythedutytoprovidefor
theirfamilies.
Additionalsimilaritiescanalsobefoundinthegenders:inthemalepopulationthereisan
abundanceofotaku,theJapanesewordforfanaticorgeekmenobsessedwithcomics,
videogames,andimpossiblywellendowedwomen.Comicsarealsopopularamongwomenof
allagesaswell,butthestorieswrittenexplicitlyforwomenbyfemaleauthorsmoreoften
revolvearoundlovestoriesinsteadofaction.Japanesewomenalsospendlargeamountsoftime
andmoneyonfashionaccessoriesandmakeup,aswellashighheels:girlswearthemshopping,
toschool,eventothebeach!ItsoneofthesignsthatJapanesewomendonotpossessoryet
demandthesamelevelofequalitythatAmericanwomendo,butsitinonanyliberalarts
courseinaJapaneseUniversity,andyoullseethedesireandintentforchange.
ThesimilaritiesbetweenAmericaandJapanextendbeyondthepeopleaswell:amidstthemany
mysteriesinJapaneseculturelieafewfamiliarpastimes.Professionalbaseballwasadoptedin
JapanafterWorldWarII,andispossiblymorepopulartheretodaythanitisinAmerica.Many
ofthelogosofJapanstwelvemajorleagueteamsmaylookfamiliartoAmericans,astheyshare
thesamedesignsandnamesofMajorLeagueBaseballteams:Tokyosteam,theYomiuri
Giants,sharesthesamenameandcolorsastheSanFranciscoGiants,andtheHiroshimaCarps
logowastakendirectlyfromtheCincinnatiReds.Americancinemahasalsohadnoproblem

crossingover:gotoanymovietheaterinJapan,andhalfthemoviesonthemarqueewillbe
AmericanmoviesjustmakesureyoupickonewitheasilyignoredJapanesesubtitles,andnot
onethatsbeendubbed.
Butthisculturalinfluenceisbynomeansaonewaystreet:whenweintroducedbaseballgames
toJapan,theyintroducedvideogamestous,aculturalhobbyfewchildrengrowupwithoutnow.
AndforeveryAmericanmoviewesendacrosstheocean,ananimereturns:ifyoudontknow
whatNaruto,YuGiOh,orPokemonare,askanykidundertheageof15theyllbeable
totellyoumorethanyoueverwantedtoknow.Justdontexpectanyofittomakesense:some
thingsaboutJapaneseculturewillalwaysremainstrange.
Intheend,ourmanysimilaritiesmakeJapanastrongifalittleunexpectedally,andagreat
traveloptionforfamilies:nowhereonearthisthereasafer,moreaccommodatingdestination
thanthesmall,mountainousislandofJapan:manyJapaneseareableandeagertopracticetheir
Englishwithanativespeaker,andcrimeevenintheheartofTokyoisvirtuallynonexistent.
Evenapplyingforavisaisnotaproblem:allAmericancitizensareinvitedtotravelJapanforup
to90daysonavisitorsvisa,issuedatcustomsuponarrival:allthatsneededtoenjoyavacation
inJapanisavalidpassport,andanopenmind.