Episode 39 of Uncanny Japan is different, it’s special. Today I forgo my usual format and invite my friend, fellow long time expat, and Sound Dude, Rich Pav, to join me in answering some listener questions about advice when coming to Japan. Here we talk about just a few things we’ve gleaned from our living-in-Japan experience. A longer version is available for my $5 and up Patrons.
Since this is an experiment, tell us what you think. Would this kind of show every so often be of interest to listeners? And if so, what topics would you like us to discuss?
Credits
Intro and outro music by Julyan Ray Matsuura
The more I hear about Japanese sensibilities, the more it seems like something familiar to me. In this podcast, the tenets are observe those around you and don’t be loud, be respectful and mindful and don’t talk incessantly about yourself. No problem here!
You touched on the topic of “the reason things are the way they are” and it immediately reminded me of a book by Richard Nisbett (*Geography Of Thought*) about the variations in Eastern thought and Western thought, and touches on how; and this is right up your alley, mythology shapes thought!
I look forward to more like this because it lends another consideration into what constitutes the topics you regularly discuss.
I’m from the Upper Midwest of the US. A lot of this sounds familiar to me, though we refer to it as “Midwestern passive-aggressiveness.” (I wouldn’t call Japanese culture that, but have no problem being that blunt about the subculture I come from.)
I’ve discussed the podcast and this episode in a blog post – see https://hoodcp.wordpress.com/2022/10/18/the-uncanny-japan-podcast-and-culture-shock/