Centuries of isolation have given birth to a homogenous national identity in Japan. It is a culture steeped in tradition, where ancient customs coexist with modern amenities. The Japanese have a lot of pride, and want to hold on to their identity. At first glance, they could appear to be a very racist society. However, there is a difference between racism and xenophobia, but the question is where one draws the line.( Read more... )

Today is a holiday in Japan. "Doyo ushi no hi" or national eel day.
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Wow. Either Babel Fish sucks even more than I thought, or my Japanese sucks even more than I thought. Here's an English translation of my thank-you letter courtesy of Babel Fish:


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There's a lot of stuff only to be experienced in Japan. Here's some stuff I wanna do.

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You ever notice how all old ladies smell the same? It's like they've dipped themselves in a vat of musky old perfume they bought in 1942 and forgot to shower ever again. I call it the Grandma Scent.

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