[Eorzea]

Do any of you have some random questions about Japan which you feel don't quite justify the creation of a new topic/thread? If so, you've come to the right place! Ask away and I will do my best to answer if/when able to do so.

I'm not the only one who can answer, though. If you happen to know the answer to someone's question, answer away!

:sleepy:

[Momotaru]

Are young people not getting married and starting families really a problem in Japan?
If so, can the blame be put on the anime/gaming culture?

I've seen that talked about online, which seems like it could be contrary to other headlines I've seen, like 'Japan's Game industry Dying'.. etc.

Any thoughts on the matter?

[Pacheco]

I got one.

Why do some people in Japan wear masks? I've seen it again and again on the TV.

[Eorzea]

Yes, Momotaru, it's a problem. I don't think it's due to gaming/anime/manga, though. I think it's largely due to the economy and the fact that unless the husband has a good enough job to support everything, money will become a problem. New mothers have a hard time getting employed in Japan because companies don't want to deal with them having to suddenly miss days of work/etc.

Many younger people worry about their pension in the future due to the fact that the elderly will continue to far outnumber the younger population and, as a result, there won't be enough tax money to cover all of the pensions (because there won't be enough young people in the work force). It's complicated.

---

Pacheco, people wear masks for two reasons:
1- to avoid getting sick.
2- to avoid spreading their sickness to others.

It's just a culture thing I guess.

[Eorzea]

Is that all you've got? How disappointing!

:msndistressed:

[Cid]

Are they as open about sex/sexuality in Japan as they appear to be to us conservative westerners?

[Eorzea]

Do you really think westerners are conservative when it comes to sex? Sex is everywhere!

In response to your question, yes and no. In Japan, sex can be found in/on many places/objects/people: magazines, toys, outfits/short skirts, schoolgirls, host(ess) clubs, love hotels, blow job bars, etc. It's all part of their culture and thus is accepted as such. However, while this may give the impression that Japan is very open about sex, I don't think that's the case. In general, I don't think people talk about it as much and couples generally tend to have sex less frequently than western couples.

Hopefully that answers your question a bit. It was a bit difficult trying to come up with an explanation.

:onion103:

[Eorzea]

Is there no one else? This is your chance! ;)

[Momotaru]

What are the youth currently interested in?

Monster Hunter and portable game systems? Is there some new Ultraman-esque hero the kids are fascinated with or are those things no longer cool?

What do housewives do in their free time? Pachinko?

[Rowan]

Are people in Japan as addicted to TV as people in the US are? Are there any shows in Japan like American Idol or Dancing With the Stars, etc.?

Also, are there many fast food restaurants in Japan and do the people there frequent them?

[Avonej]

I was purchasing some new pads for Taekwondo and I decided to look at the Kendo gear out of curiosity. I have been told second hand by several people that Kendo is a very popular sport in Japan but after reading the cost for the equipment I realized that Kendo is a very expensive sport if you own your own gear. So do people who participate in Kendo buy their own gear or are they owned by the dojos to which they pay a user fee.

[Eorzea]

@Momotaru:

I'm not entirely sure what the youth is currently interested in other than ????? (comedians on television), music, fashion, etc. Pretty much the normal I guess. Monster Hunter is definitely popular, yes. With younger kids, Pok�mon remains popular even still (very popular, actually). Anime and manga is popular as well, but I assume that's a given.

Housewives are usually taking care of their children I'd imagine. The people playing pachinko are usually middle-aged.


@Rowan:

No, I don't think most people watch near as much television as they do in America/etc. (other than housewives perhaps). Most dramas finish in three months over here, so even if someone's addicted to something that addiction will soon end. The dramas over here generally don't go beyond one season. American dramas are available on cable, but I really don't think people get into them the same way we do. Obviously there are exceptions, though. What I do know is that Japanese people love their comedy and karaoke, so those kinds of shows usually flood the television and are quite popular.

There are many fast food restaurants and yes, people frequent them. Perhaps that's why Japan's obesity rate is increasing?


@Avonej

I asked one of my nearby coworkers and she said that most students who participate in Kendo buy their own gear regardless of the price. I'm assuming most people who practice Kendo elsewhere also purchase their own gear, but I'm sure there are certain cases when gear can be borrowed/rented/etc.

Sorry I don't have a better answer for you.

[crevond]

hows the dating over there for a none jap