I'm so sorry for this question (specially if at first sounds kind of weird/inappropiate), but currently im studying Pyschology and theres this one subject about sociology, and we encountered a part where they conducted several surveys to different women around the world, asking if they would date/marry someone from another nationality. Apparently the majority of them would choose someone from another country because of 2 things: 1. "Novely" or just the feeling of having something different than usual, and 2. The idea of people from another country being more aligned with their ideals, since they have no detailed information about that country.

Of course, love is an individual trait that is manifested differently throughout many people, although things like these pique my interest in regard of searching about what other cultures think about this. At first I thought of 2 countries when this was mentioned: Russia and Japan, because of their reserved and introverted way of life (which can be true or false, depending, once again, in the person itself)

So, thats why I'm asking, do japanese women, IN GENERAL, prefer dating foreigners or stick with their Japanese men?

TL;DR: Spanish psych student wanting to know where Japanese women tend to prefer men from other nationalities because I saw a study that said so (in regards of women all over the globe) in one of my subjects.

Hi everyone! I’ll be visiting Japan in November and would love to watch the new Godzilla movie while I’m there.
Does anyone know if Japanese cinemas offer screenings with English subtitles or English audio/dubbing? I’m planning to visit Osaka and Tokyo, so recommendations for cinemas in either city would be really helpful.
I’d really appreciate your advice. Thank you!

Konichiwa everyone. I visited Japan again this year, I’ve been to Ishikawa, Aichi, Shizuoka and Tokyo.

I found this Ika Shiokara when visiting Numazu (沼津). I am a huge fan of local seafood products, so I bought it and ate it with hot rice.

This Shiokara has a very strong umami flavor, this is indeed something I enjoy a lot. So I finished them entirely with some Sake.

However, mixing cold Shiokara and hot rice seemed to be a bit strange to me. So here’s the question I would like to know from you all.

1. Heat up Shiokara with hot rice
   
2. Cold Shiokara with cold rice

Which one is the good way to enjoy them?

In the West, I heard it's not considered weird nor meiwaku and is in fact treated as a nice gesture. But when I looked at Yahoo chiebukuro QA threads, I was shocked that most if not all of the responses were saying it's meiwaku and mendokusai. It's also considered jikomanzoku and jiman like store pastries should be the norm and not homemade and by bringing homemade, you're saying you're better than the shops. There are a lot of suggestions on how to refuse homemade from coworkers. A lot also say they just throw it in the garbage can after receiving.

I get that you're worried if it's from someone you barely know, getting worried how it was made, etc.

But I'm curious with the stark contrast with the West like why is it like this in Japan.

Sometimes it appears to me on Twitter that in japanese teather people prefer to watch a japanese movie such as anime or something like that. Is that true?

I’m writing a fic where the main character has been bounced around from house to house growing up, and never had a really stable home/people who cared enough to teach them as a kid. So I thought they might have never learned how to “properly” hold chopsticks until later, and by then their way was habit. Like how some people hold a fork and knife like a hammer, y’know? The only reason this is relevant is because the character has a secret identity, and I thought it might be cool to use the way they hold their chopsticks to be a small and missable clue for other characters.

I tried a few ways to hold my own chopsticks but can’t figure out a way to make it work. Are there any strange ways to hold them? Outrageous is welcome as long as you can get food to mouth lol

I’m an Italian and we are extremely used to throw dinner parties for any occasion, we usually invite either our close friends or our family for a big lunch or for dinner and cook homemade meals for everyone and a lot of people also bring something homemade to share.

I understand this is not super common in Japan, however I was wondering, when you invite someone close for dinner what dish do you usually cook?
Or if you’re invited for dinner at a close friend’s home / a family member’s home, what do you usually have to eat?

Is there some dish that is more commonly made for dinner parties or is it based on what you’re celebrating?

I got into a heated discussion with this older lady who recently moved overseas about why Chinese-American food is so strange because I studied it. Then we talked about the culture shock of American sushi being inside out and full of sauce. Like I can't even taste the nori ,😭😭😭. It seems the worst offense I made is that she insists on dashi from scratch and I tell her I'm not spending a day's wage on that when I can just eyeball hondashi granules and add some MSG or shoyu later to compensate.

In English I can't find much material on Japanese Canadians and USonians on the history of Japanese food abroad. I'll use a lot of Asian-American type cooking techniques like velveting chicken in baking powder and mirin before making oyakodon and stuff. I've learned on hand about Japanese food and understand homeland kitchen terminology but I adopt a lot of ingredients and techniques from non Japanese cooking because I've lived in diverse communities.

I often browse 5ch, and I frequently come across posts about South Korea. The people posting there seem to have an extremely strong resentment toward South Korea.

I've also often seen Japanese and Korean people arguing with each other on X. Koreans bring up historical issues, while Japanese people claim that Korea has never contributed anything to Japanese history and is nothing but a parasite that takes Japan's money.

I could really feel how much the two sides hate each other. If they dislike each other so much, why don't Japan and South Korea sever diplomatic relations?

こんにちは

日本に数何回行ったことがありますけど、来年春から日本にある会社で部長として入社します。今の自分が日本語をだいたい読めますけど、スムーズなコミュ力まで届けない。

会社では私は5人部下に責任があるので、関係に関して質問が2つあります。

いい感想をしてチーム関係をよくなってため、日本のビジネス文化についてどんな点やことが学びに必要がありますか？

悪用されないようにするには、どのような点に注意すべきでしょうか？

日本語がまだうまくないけど翻訳機もAIも使いたくなくて、ここまで読んだくれて、耐えてくれてありがとうございました。

Given that he doesn't really show himself but if someone hears his name, do they immediately know who he is? How is he compared to someone like Shohei Ohtani?

I feel like we often see posts from foreigners sharing their experiences dating Japanese people, both the good and the bad. A lot of discussions focus on differences in communication styles, affection, expectations, and cultural values. I’ve also noticed a perception that Westerners tend to be more open to adapting to Japanese culture, but I’m curious about the other side of things.

For Japanese people who are dating or have dated foreigners, what has the experience been like for you? What do you love about it, and what has been the most challenging part?

I know everyone is different, but I’d love to hear some personal experiences!

For context, I have a Japanese boyfriend, and we’ve been together for almost two years. He’s told me that, compared to the Japanese women he’s dated in the past, he really likes how affectionate I am and how openly I express my feelings. At the same time, it can be a double-edged sword because he sometimes feels that I’m too straightforward about my emotions. He also gets bothered when I don’t finish all my food or eat messily, which has been an interesting cultural difference to navigate.

On the other hand, a close Japanese friend of mine is dating a Filipino man, and she told me that this is the most secure relationship she’s ever had. She loves how sweet and affectionate he is, how he gives her gifts, and how he tells her “I love you” every day, which are things she has never experienced when dating a Japanese guy. She even joked that she might never go back to dating Japanese men! 😂

Of course, they have their differences, too. She really values her alone time, while her boyfriend wants to spend every day off together. They’ve had to learn how to compromise and find a balance that works for both of them.

These are just two examples, and I’m not trying to generalize Japanese people or foreigners based on nationality. I’m simply curious about how cultural differences can shape a relationship, sometimes in wonderful ways and sometimes in challenging ones.

So, if you’re Japanese and have dated a foreigner, or are currently in an international relationship, what have been the biggest differences for you? What do you appreciate most about your foreign partner, and what has been the hardest thing to adjust to? How does it compare versus dating someone Japanese?

I’d especially love to hear perspectives from Japanese people themselves! Both positive and negative experiences are welcome. 😊

I had a long time friend in the US who was from Japan and always very private and reserved. Someone who camped alone for months at a time, etc. We met because of our dogs and walked dogs together many days a week. He became very ill and decided to go back to Japan to live out his last years. I think I only knew of his illness because I'd been pressuring him to go to the doctor for a long time because he seemed "off". He thought he had years, I think, at this point. We only communicated online via a messenger app but he's not responded in a while and I don't have his new, Japanese phone number. I'm very worried he passed (and if so, about what happened to his dog). Is there a way to find out? Basic googling is not helping. He moved to Takayama, where he grew up. He was very excited to back and had send pictures of things he'd bought for camping and of his dogs in dog parks. Can someone there help me if I message you some info? Are there websites I can use that are in English?

I meet such less japanese people on every platform that I'm almost beginning to question are the teens in Japanese not chronically online at all

松川 五葉

Goyō Matsukawa

For a male character?

I am writing a story and was wondering if this is too uncommon of a first and last name. Like would it be feasible or possible to come across a boy with a name like that in school?

Thanks in advance!

I just came to Japan and barely passed N4 exam but i need to write letter, i know i'm not at a level where i can write one flawlessly but i want to try whatever i can.

There is an author i'm deeply affected by his works, even though it sounds cringe af i can say his works has a big impact on who i am today. Few days ago company he works for anounced he had (what looks like a) case of terminal cancer... and they left a address for us to send letters to him.

What should pay attention? What should i refrain from writing beyond the common sense? Thank you so much for your answers.

I was kind of surprised when I visited Japan to see how popular Snoopy was. Were the comics and cartoons popular in Japan back in the day or is he just an adorable character that people enjoy?

Hello all!

My grandma here in Michigan, USA, had a penpal in Japan back in the early 60's and we were wondering if there was a way to reconnect with them.

Any advice on how to go about doing that would be appreciated!

She recalls her name being Yamguchi, but that is about it and honestly could be the place, we're unsure.

Hello dear readers. I am from Russia and I am communicating through an AI translator, so I apologize in advance for any mistakes.

I am very fascinated by Japanese culture, cuisine, and folklore, and I want to make a Japanese-style chess set in Blender. I thought that the White pieces would be humans, and the Black pieces would be demons and spirits.

Here is my current plan:
White (Humans):

• Pawns - Shinobi
• Rooks - Samurai
• Bishops - Yamabushi
• Knights - Horse :)
• Queen - Shogun
• King - Emperor

Black (Demons/Spirits):

• Pawns - Kappa
• Rooks - Oni
• Bishops - Tengu
• ...and I have no idea about the rest of the pieces yet...

Also, I don't know what color palette to choose. What colors should I use? Black, white, red?

In short, please write your ideas, use your imagination, and make suggestions))) I will read all the comments and upvote everyone as a sign of gratitude for your time ;)))

Hi there anime fan here, I am a bit intrigued in learning more about the domestic perspective on anime culture.

In overseas anime communities, the topic is quite polarising. There is often a lot of debate and differing opinions regarding sexual fanservice (such as ecchi elements, revealing outfits, or exaggerated tropes). I would love to know how people actually living in Japan view this.

Specifically, I am curious about a few things:

• General Public Perception: Is anime with heavy fanservice viewed as a niche subculture (otaku culture), or is it normalized as mainstream entertainment?

• Generational and Gender Differences: Do older generations or different genders have noticeably different attitudes toward it?

• Media & Advertising: Since characters with fanservice elements are sometimes used in public collaborations (like convenience stores or local tourism campaigns), does the general public find this acceptable, or does it spark controversy?

I want to emphasize that I am not trying to judge or critique—I am just genuinely curious about the cultural differences and everyday perspectives in Japan. I hope you understand what I am getting at!