The Ask Josiah About Japan Thread

[Giga-Gar]

So...How much does meat cost over there compared to over here. i.e. steak, ribs, bacon(dont have to answer that one), ham, (or that), or basicly something that dosn't come out of the sea. I know you can't have lobster, but is that cheaper there, or more expensive.

[Josiah]

So...How much does meat cost over there compared to over here. i.e. steak, ribs, bacon(dont have to answer that one), ham, (or that), or basicly something that dosn't come out of the sea. I know you can't have lobster, but is that cheaper there, or more expensive.

Seafood in general is usually cheaper (since Japan is an island and all). Chicken, pork, and beef tend to be a bit more expensive than they are in the US (although prices aren't that bad). Beef is the most expensive (they don't raise a lot of cattle around here) and you don't actually see that much of it in gorcery stores, the pork selection kinda dwarfs the beef selection.

[Giga-Gar]

how well behaved are the kids in japan compaired to the kids in the USA? although I probably know the awnser.

oh, and how many japanese products are "made in China?"

[Doodleshark]

In Japan, do people generally address other people (other than their own families) by their first names or last names?

[Giga-Gar]

related to doodle's question.

In china, everyone's surname is there first name. Like Fa Mulan. Is this the same in japan with all names?

oh wait. Monkey D. Luffy, Nico Robin. I think I know the answer.

[Silver]

You may THINK you know the answer, but since One Piece isn't set in Japan...

Name orders are opposite of the English order. The family name comes first; Luffy didn't just have cruel parents that named him 'Monkey'. His father is Monkey D Dr...Spoiler. Monkey D Spoiler. Coincedentally, his grandfather is also Monkey D Spoiler.

And it's much more common to use the family name to adress someone. Like in DNAngel, Niwa Daisuke was 'Niwa-san'. And the Harada Twins? Since they both have the same family name, you'd immagine they'd use the first names... but they were Elder Harada and Younger Harada.

I really love being an otaku.

[Kaida]

Really the only times they address eachother by their first names are cases of parents>children and close friends and other family members, even then they'll usually as chan or san onto the end.

It's fun being an otaku. ^_^

[Josiah]

In Japan, do people generally address other people (other than their own families) by their first names or last names?

Silver and Kiada more or less explained this already and I also talked about it in my Random Japan Comment on names (which you can find on the PV Old News page or a couple pages back in this topic since Silver pasted it in response to a question about san and chan.

[Josiah]

how well behaved are the kids in japan compaired to the kids in the USA? although I probably know the awnser.

oh, and how many japanese products are "made in China?"

Keep in mind I've mostly been hanging out with Elementary and preschool kids, two groups which I didn't spend a whole lot of time with in the US. But, overall I'd say that Japanese kids are much better behaved (and far more obedient) than US ones. Naturally there are exceptions but you don't see a bunch of twelve year olds cussing everyone out, which pretty much gives Japan an instant win all by itself.

As for the made in China question, I haven't been counting but there's a decent amount of stuff.

[NabMaster]

What's the spiciest food in Japan? (The japanese style food I mean, not the international stands)

[Josiah]

What's the spiciest food in Japan? (The japanese style food I mean, not the international stands)

Do you consider wasabi spicy? It's certainly hot but I suppose I wouldn't call it spicey... Anyway, ignoring wasabi, traditional Japanese food really isn't very spicey. Nowadays, you do have Japanese curry, which is moderately spicey (though less so than most Thai and Indian curries). Japanese curry isn't completely native though as it's basically a Japanification of Indian curry, although if you know your curries the two are actually quite different.

[Giga-Gar]

What is the Japanese equivilant of the middle finger?

Oh, have you told the kids about Engrish yet?

[Josiah]

What is the Japanese equivilant of the middle finger?

Oh, have you told the kids about Engrish yet?

1. I've got no idea. If it exists it's probably the same thing (no doubt learned from foreign TV shows and movies). BUT, Japanese society and culture is a heck of a lot more polite than, well, just about anywhere else. Even Japanese swear words (such as they are) are rather mild compared to English. So I totally wouldn't be surprised if there's no middle finger or equivalent here.

2. It's hard enough getting the kids to speak decent English so I don't want to confuse them. Also, I'm stuck following a set curriculum which, unfortunately, doesn't deal with grammar, which is what quite a lot of Engrish is, so no. Although if one of them showed up with a shirt or something with really blatent Engrish on it I might point that out...

[shauni]

What is the strangest thing you have seen in a vending machine?

http://hellsing.comicgenesis.com/

I swar this comic is telling the truth

[Josiah]

What is the strangest thing you have seen in a vending machine?

I've heard of some pretty weird stuff but the strangest thing I've seen is bags of rice.