Thread: Japan's different culture

Originally Posted by Legend

Anyone know what that is?

bullshit?

If a coming of age half-nude cold-water ritual exists - it is obselete or incredibly uncommon. In four years of living here, I've never seen any men in loincloths jumping into lakes (well maybe one or two... but they were just idiots).

There are, however, local festivals (hadaka matsuri, or "naked festivals") that involve all-male groups dressing up in loincloths and fighting over tokens thrown into crowds, climbing greased poles, being doused with cold water, and other creative "fun" tortures. They're special events unique to certain areas and currently practiced for community bonding and as tourist draws, not necesarily standard rites of passage.

Maybe you saw a report on one of these and the newscaster misunderstood (or overstated) it's cultural significance.

Originally Posted by tsurara

bullshit?

If a coming of age half-nude cold-water ritual exists - it is obselete or incredibly uncommon. In four years of living here, I've never seen any men in loincloths jumping into lakes (well maybe one or two... but they were just idiots).

There are, however, local festivals (hadaka matsuri, or "naked festivals") that involve all-male groups dressing up in loincloths and fighting over tokens thrown into crowds, climbing greased poles, being doused with cold water, and other creative "fun" tortures. They're special events unique to certain areas and currently practiced for community bonding and as tourist draws, not necesarily standard rites of passage.

Maybe you saw a report on one of these and the newscaster misunderstood (or overstated) it's cultural significance.

No it was just one of the few things they did. I don't remember every part of it as I was saying I saw that little news story long ago when I was a kid. On top of that it wasn't really much of a deal considering that story was a filler at the end to roll the credits to.

OhH! I remember something.. I actually watched it in the TV news, it ses that men that is going to be adult men, has this ceremonies(I don't remember it,though) that they go in a certain open area(with other men). They have this canon like firing thing, and then they need to fire it to determine that they are now completely adult men.. Of course, its not that simple. They need to hold it upward and in the bottom, when they fire it, a forces and a massive(not actually massive, think of a word lower than that) fire will be blasted. Thats what I knew...

What news do you guys watch that you're seeing Japanese ceremonies that most Japanese people have never even heard of...?

Whatever it was -- it wasn't something that everyone or even most people do. I wouldn't even be completely sure that it was about Japan at all...

Seriously though... this shit is on the news??

^_^ if it's wierd, they call it culture over here...

anyways, what have i heard? oh, i learned from a video my Japanese teacher showed us that you ALWAYS present your business card if you talk business in Japan. so if you're on a business trip, it's important to carry a lot of business cards! also, they use a lot of hand gestures aparently, that can replace like full sentences! i even saw a book in Kinokunia all on Japanese hand gestures!


^_^ hope that stuff isn't total crap!

Originally Posted by Abu Dhabi

^_^ if it's wierd, they call it culture over here...

anyways, what have i heard? oh, i learned from a video my Japanese teacher showed us that you ALWAYS present your business card if you talk business in Japan. so if you're on a business trip, it's important to carry a lot of business cards! also, they use a lot of hand gestures aparently, that can replace like full sentences! i even saw a book in Kinokunia all on Japanese hand gestures!


^_^ hope that stuff isn't total crap!

The meishi (business card) exchange is correct. They are immensely important for businessmen.

I don't remember any canon firing, so don't look at me I don't know what he's talking about