I've been working on this project for quite some time now, but I finally feel it's ready for prime-time!
Here's the thing - I absolutely love talking about all things Japan! I've written extensive academic texts and research papers about a wide host of things over my bachelors and masters years. So I figured, why not start putting my interests out there for all to see? Why not put my opinions and feelings on what I've written and experienced down somewhere where they can be accessed and shared, and hopefully inspire others?
Well, it's daunting, right? We all know how the internet has just become a horrible mishmash of opinions and arguing, what good could another opinionated voice really add to the mix?
In reality, that's precisely the reason to do so! The world of all things Japan has long been one of misunderstandings, misinterpretation, and utter misrepresentation. Yes, Japan is weird, but is it really that weird? Yes it's cool and advanced, but to what extent, and most importantly, at what cost?
My academic journey has long been driven by a desire to use my passion for Japanese culture, along with my own personal perspectives and the amazing opportunities I've had over the years to spend time on the ground in Japan, to cut through the fog and present the country in as objective and balanced way as possible. It was the topic of my Masters (more on that in a future post 👀), and is something I (perhaps annoyingly) bring into my daily life whenever it becomes relevant.
I firmly believe that in order to change the expansive, overarching perceptions that can influence populations and policy, and have tangible impacts on the world around us, we first need to start out at the bottom. By correcting the small misconceptions, the inaccuracies, the "I heard that..." or "but, I thought..." conversations that pepper our lives.
I used to roll my eyes when people would come up to me to ask about blatantly untrue stuff about Japan, or to share something they'd seen in popular media or online. But, then I realised that these people are only doing so because they didn't have the same access or understanding of Japan as I did, so of course they'd come to the person who's made the most noise about going to and studying in the place! Disinformation, quirky silly anecdotes and flashily presented half-truths travel so much further than reality, but I don't think there's ever a wrong time to try and set the record straight, and have people think a bit more critically about the world around them.
Despite all this rambling, I don't have lofty ambitions about this blog! I know it's likely not going to get me an audience with Emperor Naruhito, and I don't think the Japanese Government will name a new immigration policy after me. But, I'm hoping that by sharing my experiences, my opinions, and by discussing Japan in a more frank, honest, yet deeply passionate way, maybe someone out there might think differently about a culture and country that's been portrayed in an objectively weird way in its own right. Maybe...
My intention of this blog is to update semi-regularly, about my views on contemporary Japanese news and goings-on, to share some of my older works reformatted in a less academic (i.e. more readable!) format, and to share some deep dives about some of what I've fallen in love with about the country and culture.
I hope you'll stick around and be inspired! ☺️