What do you think is best to protect Japan Culture, or any culture?

[Sapphire]

Agreed with above.

[Ryllharu]

All they have to do is preserve their cultural identity with landmarks and maintain traditions like the festivals.

Korea (South anyway) does much of the same, though some asshole who didn't think his welfare check was large enough burned down their oldest building (maintained with the original wood from the 1300s). Despite being saddened by the gate's loss, Korea planned to rebuild it just as it was. Korea has also kept up with there traditional clothing in formal settings, and their dining etiquette remains extreme.

Similarly, Japan just has to ensure it doesn't lose it's own cultural identity in their constant modernization. Yes, they are losing some shrines and temples, and maybe the younger generation doesn't care that much anymore about some of their landmarks, but as long as they try, they can maintain their own identity.

It's well documented that American firebomb squadrons were specifically told not to drop upon Kyoto to preserve the historical significance of the city. So we burned Tokyo to the ground instead.


It's not like it doesn't work both ways either. Despite the influx of Western ideals or ways of life, Japan has its own exports. Hawaii celebrates Obon.


As a natural born of one of the "younger" nations in the world, there are many times I envy countries with deep pasts in history, where your cultural history isn't turned into a tourist trap.

[rockmanj]

All they have to do is preserve their cultural identity with landmarks and maintain traditions like the festivals.

Korea (South anyway) does much of the same, though some asshole who didn't think his welfare check was large enough burned down their oldest building (maintained with the original wood from the 1300s). Despite being saddened by the gate's loss, Korea planned to rebuild it just as it was. Korea has also kept up with there traditional clothing in formal settings, and their dining etiquette remains extreme.

[/URL]

Yea, the whole Namdaemun incident was pretty sad, the guy that did it tried to burn some other buildings down before; but then again, the social welfare system here doesnt offer many benefits to the older generations here. Hmm...and as for the traditional dress, that's mainly for ceremonies and special holidays, which is still pretty impressive. (I mean, the culture I was born into...sadly most of us don't really have a true 'culture', but I digress). And I'm not sure if its a good thing or not, but there seems to be a lot of things changing here, especially in business practices in the large corporations. Before, there was no way that a junior (in age) could argue any point to a senior, but now that trend is changing, as long as the junior has the evidence to back it up(lots of other tidbits too).

But another thing that I'd like to bring up is...what about other countries besides Japan and Korea. For example, Brasil and the Philippines. There are a surprising number of Japanese there, and even though its a small enclave, we could talk about that. Or actually Ive noticed things in the Philippines in the form of Korean companies (American too) polluting extremely heavily and also treating the people there like shit. I almost got into a fight with some Koreans there over the way they were badmouthing people, and causing random trouble. So, I'm just saying, Wherever anyone goes, just treat the people with the respect you should give to any other person on the planet.

[Animeniax]

One big step to preserving culture is to remove American bases from foreign countries, specifically Japan and Korea, but also Italy, Germany, etc. There's no more need to maintain a military presence there, and the soldiers run amok on the local populace. I'm ashamed to say that the Japanese authorities look the other way to the crimes and bad influence that soldiers perpetrate on their people, in order to protect their political and economic interests. In today's international climate, countries have allies to augment their own national defense forces, so it's not like the US needs to be there to protect them.

I've met a Japanese born in Brazil. Supposedly there's a decent-sized population in Sao Paolo, and they emigrated there after WW2. Beyond being quiet and somewhat reserved, he was not outwardly Japanese at all. He had a Spanish first name, didn't speak Japanese, and as far as I knew he didn't observe any of their culture. He was basically a Brazilian guy of Japanese descent.

[Buffalobiian]

Tourists or not, I think the thing that impacts on culture the most is the media and upbringing of the new generation. Australia for example, is following the global "Americanism" trend not because we have lots of American tourists, or that they come spreading their culture whilst on trip. It's things like television, radio and the sense of nationalism that the government promotes. All of these are, (or were, we just got a new Prime Minister, he's much more heavily influenced by Chinese culture, so we'll see how things turn out) following the US trend. The only thing I can really call Australian here are probably our sport preference, but even that's changing. If the young aren't educated enough about their own culture, that too is lost in them. We learn jack here about Auzzie history for example, until we reach middle high school, and that's if we choose to study history. Sense of cultural identity is lost. Same with the Japanese. Education, not just sheer knowledge, but teaching them early what it IS to be Japanese. Perhaps Australia was a bad example since we don't have such a deep history like many other countries, but that's all I know really.

For an extreme example of cultural identity crises, see Stolen Generation.