About this episode: Japan is a prime example of collectivist culture while western countries put emphasis on the individual – such polar opposite mindsets. Misunderstandings and confusions are bound to happen when these two perspectives collide. Every episode we unpack one controversial opinion about the Japanese mindset, culture, and custom through stories and interviews. Join host Kaho Koda as she dives into her own culture and attempts to make sense of the disconnect between the Japanese and Western point of view.
Listen to the Trailer
We encourage you to listen to the podcast rather than read the transcript if you can. Controversial Japan is written and produced for the ear. You can’t hear the music or pick up on the emotion it conveys in a written format. But of course we also want to be as accessible as possible.
Transcript
Kaho Koda: From Human Burrito Productions, this is your host Kaho Koda, and this is ‘Controversial Japan’.
When you think of Japan, what comes to mind? The Tech stuff, maybe. Samurais. Temples. Modern yet traditional urban landscaping. Conservative. Organized…But what is Japan actually like?
People who’ve lived in Japan have their own opinions. For example,
Erik: Over the past years, I went from being very interested in Japan, to really liking Japan, to absolutely loathing Japan. So I can’t wait to leave.
Kaho: And on the contrary, opinions like,
Michele: Yeah, I’m absolutely really happy with the experience I had in Japan.
Kaho: Such opposite opinions right?
Each episode we focus on one controversial opinion. We’ll be unpacking it from different angles, the Japanese understanding of things and the North American or Western way of interpreting things.
You might be thinking… What gives her the right to talk about Japan, from the Japanese and western perspective?
I’m Kaho Koda, a Japanese writer and now also a podcast host as I’m talking to you. I grew up in Japan, the US, and Canada – and I’d say it was like, a going back and forth kind of situation. I lived in Japan for 5 years, then in the US for 3 years, then went back to Japan and lived there for 10, then moved to Canada for 8… so you know back and forth, back and forth. You get the idea. I experienced culture shock and went through an adjustment period every time I moved to a new country – even when I moved back to Japan, I experienced it. Moving from a collectivist culture to an individualistic culture can be a bumpy ride.
Ironically, I continue to learn more about Japan by living in the western world. Living overseas gives me the opportunity to compare Japan to other countries. – Right now I live in the Netherlands where people can be quite blunt.. Which would be a huge taboo in Japan.
At this point, I’ve lived outside of Japan for more than half of my life. And I do acknowledge that when I interpret a situation, my western point of view comes out so naturally, almost by instinct, and then a few seconds later, my Japanese point of view kicks in. Sometimes when those views are such polar opposites, I get to see how the Japanese mindset can be so different from the Western perspective.
I want to explore these perspectives with you by listening to controversial opinions about Japan. We’ll talk about things like: feminism, race, tourism, love and affection, and so much more.
Examining my own country through a critical lense – it’s.. You know it’s exciting but also very very scary. It comes with huge responsibility. Of course I have my own opinions. But for this podcast, I’m gonna try and be critical as much as I can. It’s gonna be hard, but I want to try.
Some things to note here.
I interviewed many people to understand my country better.
Japanese people who currently live overseas. Expats who live in Japan. Tourists who’ve visited Japan. Japanese people who have never lived outside of Japan. I tried to diversify who I talked to as much as I could.
Let’s not forget that each of these people have lived very different lives and are in their own unique situations. And they’re entitled to their own opinions about life in Japan.
And of course, ultimately, you’re gonna hear great things about Japan. And the not so great things. Ugly truths will come out – It’s inevitable. After all, any country has its own flaws.
My hope is that by unpacking each controversial opinion, it helps us understand Japan a little bit better.
I’m Kaho Koda, and Controversial Japan is coming out this summer from Human Burrito Productions.