When did you fall in love with Japanese culture?

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

For me (and yes I know how cheesey this is) was 2 weeks after my Stepfather got his big-screen TV (this was 93) and a friend of mine (Leo - if RandomKoolzip is watching) lent me a VHS copy of Akira. The hook was in.

You?

[Aristus]

1. When I saw Yoko Shimada as Buntaro-Mariko in "Shogun".

Most beautiful woman under Heaven.

[flamingyouth]

2. As a small child

I was enchanted by the great restaurants and stores here (Uwajimaya, king of them all) years ago. And I always take out-of-town guests there. I love the food especially.

One of my closest friends is Japanese-American and we immediately hit it off when we met in college.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

6. When I moved to NYC it became almost an obsession

The cuisine is the biggest draw for me.

[flamingyouth]

11. Actually, now that I think of it, it was in 6th grade

I did a report on Japan, and I totally went overboard, learning origami and calligraphy, and even constructing a salt&flour clay replica of the country on the cover. :D

I went down to the consulate here and they were so nice to me. It just made a favorable impression.

And did I mention the food? ;)

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

13. Hey - I just realized - udon is tasty!

As is squid ink, egg and hot-dog pizza

:)

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

3. When I almost married Nanette Fujimoto

...and she married another guy.

Buy my book. The whole story will be in there.

:toast:

[redqueen]

4. When I had the chance to speak to someone who travels there a lot.

Hearing him describe their customs and culture did more to make me appreciate it than art ever could.

[tigereye]

5. my husband is a big Kurosawa fan

he was a film student at the time. But there is something about the order and aesthetics of Japanese art and culture that is very compelling. For me it is the delicacy of the art (and haiku, as well) that is amazing. I wasn't sure when I became aware of it, probably in the 70s.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

7. didnt

:shrug:

[7th_Sephiroth]

37. can i take you to japan?

people are nice there and believe it or not tokyo's streets are deserted after 11 so there is wicked street racing

[ElectroPrincess]

8. Never been drawn to the Japanese culture ...

especially after living in Okinawa Japan for three years, I am confident of the second class status women continue to be forced into ... if it's fun and alluring for you - great - bless ya and drive on!

Me? I love the Hispanic culture, specifically Central America rules as a FAV place to visit.

To each his or her own. ;)

[RandomKoolzip]

16. I can relate:

I'm not a big Japanese culture fan, and I hate the food.

I DO like Peruvian/Chilean culture, especially the weird shit like Macchu Picchu, the Nazca lines, and those unique Peruvian bowler hats they all wear. Cool stuff (My mom was from Peru, so as a kid, there was a lot of that stuff about)

[redqueen]

I love a lot of things about a lot of cultures.

And each culture also has its own negative characteristics, too, I'm sure.

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

9. Um, never

Being in love with Pakistani culture, however, I can understand your obsession.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

10. The neighborhood I lived in in NYC was a Pakistani neighborhood

loved it!

[RandomKoolzip]

12. I remember seeing "Akira" for the first time with you and Leo.

Good stuff, but I've never been able to get into Anime....reminds me of "Voltron" or some shit.

I like Japanese noise bands, though. Ain't nobody like Fushitsusha or the Boredoms. Or Space Streakings: SCREAMING STOMACH! KARATE CONDOR!

[Rabrrrrrr]

18. or KING FUCKER CHICKEN!

The band that Dave Barry saw on his trip to Japan.

[RandomKoolzip]

26. Yamatsuka Eye (of the Boredoms) once had a solo project

where every song had the word "Cock" or "Anal" in the title. My favorite song was "Cock Victory."

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

27. You're a bitch

And you need to see some stuff - you of all will get it!

Seriously

[DrGonzoLives]

14. Turning Japanese I think I'm turning Japanese I really think so

No, I'm not. Never been drawn to Japanese culture.

[kitkatrose]

15. Ghost in the Shell. That did it for me.

And now, I'm hooked. I gotta get Akira though. Is it gonna scare the crap outta me? Cuz if it is, then I can't watch it at night. I already have enough nightmares.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

21. Have you seen Ghost in the Shell II: Innocence?

[kitkatrose]

23. Yeah, w/ my cousin.

He was pissed cuz it was only subtitled. Great music. I believe they're comming out with a soundtrack in March.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

25. Pissed cause it was subbed?

You have to hear it in the language it was made in - especially Japanese Animation because they use the opposite method of recording for anime.

[kitkatrose]

28. He likes dubs for some reason.

I think it's laziness, but eh, what do I know?

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

31. Meh - to each their own

[ElsewheresDaughter]

17. when i read Shogun

[EstimatedProphet]

19. When I started studying aikido

However, I have to say I'm not "in love" with Japanese culture. I still despise anime, and I hate getting into conversations with people that think that eastern martial arts are a way to become invulnerable and superhuman.

[Rabrrrrrr]

20. As a small child, watching the monster movies, and then later

Shogun, and a fascination with the martial arts.

Then, as I got older, and started learning more about the real culture of Japan. The fascination kept growing and growing and growing...loved the anime, the movies, the culture...

Then it was kicked into high gear when I moved to Hawaii, and was finally able to have Japanese food. WOW!!!

And then, I found my life mate, a Kyoto native, so now it's a given that I should be a Japanophile.

I miss Japan.

[oneighty]

22. Ah Japan

Where I arrived at the tender age of seventeen. I turned eighteen in Korea, nineteen, twenty and almost twenty one in Yokosuka, Japan.

It was a land of great mystery. It was a land of beautiful people hiding inside themselves, unsure. It was a sad land in those days as the occupation ended and things were changing.

Sometimes in the black of night I return to see if I can understand why.

It is because of her I know. She too remains a mystery. But I loved her.

I guess.

180

[swimmernsecretsea]

24. When I was in gradeschool

My mother had a close friend named Tamiko. She was lovely, fun and made my mother laugh a lot. When she'd visit she'd talk to me, a child. Her home was beautiful, but the gardens... Like the Japanese garden of Golden Gate Park in SF, complete with swept moss, raked gravel beds, feathery bronze Maples. I got a crush on things Japanese for a while.

Funny thing was, my mother is Filipino, and during WWII her farm was captured by the Japanese. She had some frightening experiences, which I read about after I found a scrapbook. She never let this on, and never seemed to be bothered by my admiration for Japanese culture.

I still love Japanese culture and art, along with many other forms of Asian art and culture.

[Quakerfriend]

29. While my son attended the International School at the

Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential outside of Phila. for 5th grade.

All of the children in the school learn Japanese (writing, reading, speaking and singing) and all play the Suzuki violin.

The Japanese people are so patient and polite!

[miss_kitty]

30. my best friend in grade school was Japanese -American

and her gramma made those beautiful dolls that live in gorgeous display cases. so maybe 2nd grade, if not sooner.

[TahitiNut]

32. When I fell in love with Yuko.

She was (is) from Hiroshima.

[CrownPrinceBandar]

33. When I first saw samurai armor in a book............................

It started a life-long fascination of things Japanese. I'd love to visit someday.

[Quetzal]

34. When I first saw Anime,

When I went to the Cherry Blossom festival here in Honolulu.

[sakabatou]

35. DBZ was my jumping off point

BTW, ChavezSpeakstheTruth, did you read the manga?

[Be Brave]

36. My Japanese colleague treats me like shit.

Why? Because I am female and he is male, and he expects me to walk ten paces behind him. Sorry, that kind of treatment does not make me fall in love with the culture.

[rug]

38. For me,

it was when the iron chef boiled a turkey inside a pig's bladder

[bloodyjack]

39. Around the same time I discovered tentacle rape porn

:D

[mitchum]

40. Never. I'm not that big on any culture that proves itself to be even more..

misogynist, racist, consumerist, and utterly besotted with moronic pop culture shit than the USA