Japan Road Trip (a pictorial)

[ninjainspandex]

I always found it fascinating that even after losing world war 2, and the atomic bombings, and being occupied by the US after the war that there was no real ill feelings towards the USA. In fact the opposite seemed to happen, american soldiers brought american culture with them, such as rock and roll and country music and american fashion and it was seen as cool and embraced by the Japanese people. Now Japan is one of our greatest allies, the Japanese really are some of the worlds nicest people I wish one day I can visit there.

[hashiriya1]

I always found it fascinating that even after losing world war 2, and the atomic bombings, and being occupied by the US after the war that there was no real ill feelings towards the USA. In fact the opposite seemed to happen, american soldiers brought american culture with them, such as rock and roll and country music and american fashion and it was seen as cool and embraced by the Japanese people. Now Japan is one of our greatest allies, the Japanese really are some of the worlds nicest people I wish one day I can visit there.

You reminded me of something I observed in Japan and Hawaii. I have been to Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona memorial, and I have also been to both Hiroshima and Nagasaki and visited both of the atomic bomb memorials. The biggest difference I saw at Pearl Harbor was you were constantly reminded "The Japanese did this, never forget, look what they did to us". At Hiroshima and Nagasaki, there really is no mention of America. They have a life-sized model of the bombs, but they are kind of out-of-the-way and not put center stage. They look at the bombings like "We, as humans, must never let this happen again."

[hashiriya1]

Americans are also the butt of many jokes on nightly comedy shows. It's like how on American TV you sometimes see clips of strange Japanese TV shows. They do the same thing. They show some American TV show or YouTube video and all the comedians afterward make fun of Americans.

Is that show with Beat Takeshi and the retired sumo wrestler still on? The one where they discuss various talk-show-ish social issues and whatnot in front of a foreigner audience? They take non-fluent Japanese language comments from the audience seemingly just to reveal the ignorance of non-Japanese.

Yes, it is on from time to time. Funny, since Beat Takeshi claims to be half Korean.

[Luke]

The biggest difference I saw at Pearl Harbor was you were constantly reminded "The Japanese did this, never forget, look what they did to us". At Hiroshima and Nagasaki, there really is no mention of America. They have a life-sized model of the bombs, but they are kind of out-of-the-way and not put center stage. They look at the bombings like "We, as humans, must never let this happen again."

That's most likely due to the fact that America wanted to justify their retaliation at the time they built the memorial.

Haven't googled it, but I believe Fat Man killed around 40K and Little Boy killed nearly 80K human beings, immediately.

[BoringSupreez]

The biggest difference I saw at Pearl Harbor was you were constantly reminded "The Japanese did this, never forget, look what they did to us". At Hiroshima and Nagasaki, there really is no mention of America. They have a life-sized model of the bombs, but they are kind of out-of-the-way and not put center stage. They look at the bombings like "We, as humans, must never let this happen again."

That's most likely due to the fact that America wanted to justify their retaliation at the time they built the memorial.

Haven't googled it, but I believe Fat Man killed around 40K and Little Boy killed nearly 80K human beings, immediately.

I think comparing the projected casualties of Operation Downfall to what the atom bombs ended up killing is justification enough for using them. They saved lives on both sides.

That's all off-topic though. I really do enjoy those pictures, and like an earlier poster said if I were to visit Japan I'd want to visit the less-traveled areas away from Tokyo.

[Cronson]

Such an awesome thread. I loved looking at all the pictures. Now I really want to visit Japan.

[Nyukki]

Cool pics, thanks for sharing, hope grandma gets well soon. We have Yoshinoya and Kirin tea in Beijing too, love that stuff!

[hashiriya1]

Cool pics, thanks for sharing, hope grandma gets well soon. We have Yoshinoya and Kirin tea in Beijing too, love that stuff!

I have been to Yoshinoya in Beijing. The portions are a lot bigger and you get a salad!

[hashiriya1]

That's all off-topic though. I really do enjoy those pictures, and like an earlier poster said if I were to visit Japan I'd want to visit the less-traveled areas away from Tokyo.

That is the real Japan, IMO. Tokyo is too westernized and the people are stuck-up.

[Nyukki]

Cool pics, thanks for sharing, hope grandma gets well soon. We have Yoshinoya and Kirin tea in Beijing too, love that stuff!

I have been to Yoshinoya in Beijing. The portions are a lot bigger and you get a salad!

Really? Didn't know that. I usually go for whatever's on offer with a side of 'Dragon Balls' (deep fried McNugget-esque chicken balls). So good! There's one next to where i get my haircut, might go there later today.