Do you think tourism to Japan will ever become huge?

[Polar]

Profile would be the big one.

I have never seen an ad promoting Japan, seen tons of other ads for places but never Japan.

I also think it doesn't appeal to the average person or rather it's just not on their radar.

Then again, I'm amazed tourists come here to Toronto, sure it's the largest city in Canada but it doesn't have that much to offer in terms of "sights" our museums and art galleries are a joke compared to New York or Chicago etc...

But they do advertise the crap out of the city and it seems to work.

[Umihito]

I've read everyone's posts here, and it seems to be money, location and lack of information is the causes.

But when you look at, for example Facebook, the Visit Japan page on that has close to 40,000 fans, meanwhile the German one has barely 500. I mean, it doesn't make sense. In essence, Japan should have many many times more tourists than Germany. The Visit Japan Facebook page always pumps out tonnes of info and deals.

Money I agree with. Flights can be a silly amount of money most of the time to Japan.

I didn't think location would matter so much. I mean, if you like the look of somewhere, it shouldn't matter how far it is.

Is it just the internet lying to me? Am I only finding these things because I'm looking too hard? :L
I guess there are way more average Joes than Japan-happy internet users.

Originally Posted by JBaymore

Spoken with a true Eurocentric world view. As one who teaches a course on Japanese art history at the college level........ I beg to differ. Asia and Japan have an INCREDIBLE artistic history, and amazing cultures. It is just that the Western world does not typically TEACH much of anything about Eastern history, geography, religion, culture, or art in the public education system.

I wouldn't call Evanny's views Eurocentric. I mean, Japan is just one country. Bear in mind Evanny said 'Europe,' which is a vast collection of countries. So all of those together are bound to have a more colourful artistic history than the one country of Japan.

[JohnBraden]

Originally Posted by Umihito

I've read everyone's posts here, and it seems to be money, location and lack of information is the causes.

But when you look at, for example Facebook, the Visit Japan page on that has close to 40,000 fans, meanwhile the German one has barely 500. I mean, it doesn't make sense. In essence, Japan should have many many times more tourists than Germany. The Visit Japan Facebook page always pumps out tonnes of info and deals.

Money I agree with. Flights can be a silly amount of money most of the time to Japan.

I didn't think location would matter so much. I mean, if you like the look of somewhere, it shouldn't matter how far it is.

Is it just the internet lying to me? Am I only finding these things because I'm looking too hard? :L
I guess there are way more average Joes than Japan-happy internet users.



I wouldn't call Evanny's views Eurocentric. I mean, Japan is just one country. Bear in mind Evanny said 'Europe,' which is a vast collection of countries. So all of those together are bound to have a more colourful artistic history than the one country of Japan.

Anyone can click "like" on a page on Facebook, especially since the earthquake, tsunami, and Fukushima Daichi. (Wonder what's happening at Fukushima Daini). Japan is more in the spotlight and so people are going to be aware of their plight.

The soccer match yesterday was another example. The announcers kept harping on the fact that Japan needs this to boost their morale due to the tragedy. I understand they can mention it once or twice. It seems some of the players are from that area and have lost friends or family. But they kept talking about it as if that's the only thing happening in the country.

Japan is a great place to go, but it doesn't seem like it's the place for everyone. Language, distance, food, cost seem to be factors involved....

[OHayou]

[quote=evanny;872153]Jbaymore. nice to meet. you. as it happens my major is also asian culture and japanese language. so don't think you have the longest cock.

LOL - That is hilarious!

I love the fights on here!


I think <this>. Oh yeah? I think <that>! Oh yeah? Well, you're an idiot. Oh yeah? Well, i have THIS degree! Oh yeah? I do THIS for a living. OH YEAH!!!!!!!!

So :strokes long goatee: this is .. what *I* think: (Speaking from American viewpoint)

I think people in America think that Japan is as foreign as the Middle East. Europe's culture doesn't *seem* THAT different from American "culture" as compared to how Japan's culture compares to America's.

Take a look at Hollywood Movies (which is where most of us Americans get our "history" from! lol) and you'll see more movies depicting Europeans lives in modern times than Japanese. What are the first images you get when you think of Japanese movies...Samurais..Geishas? What are popular movies that the average American might know...the Last Samurai? Lost in translation? Departures? Kill Bill? Red Sun? Seven Samurai? and...Robo Geisha. Even some of those are a stretch. What do most of the "popular" movies from Japan have in common...Samurais or Geishas! (Please keep in mind that I left out Japanese animation. Japanese animation probably is more well known to the typical American than live acting films i.e. pokemon, DragonballZ, Sailor Moon (a mainstream musical group "Bare Naked Ladies" even mention this animation in a song.)

Also, a lot of Americans identify with Europe because...of our heritage! A lot of people's ancestors come from some part of Europe therefore may have had previous conversations about where they are from, thought about where they are from, researched where they are from, etc.

Point: People already have an inherent "feel" for European settings as opposed to Japan.

In my opinion (and we're all going by opinions it seems in THIS thread at least,) most Americans aren't jumping at the idea to visit temples, and sacred mountain tops, and quiet, pristine rivers.

I should....get back to work.

[Umihito]

Originally Posted by JohnBraden

Anyone can click "like" on a page on Facebook, especially since the earthquake, tsunami, and Fukushima Daichi. (Wonder what's happening at Fukushima Daini). Japan is more in the spotlight and so people are going to be aware of their plight.

The soccer match yesterday was another example. The announcers kept harping on the fact that Japan needs this to boost their morale due to the tragedy. I understand they can mention it once or twice. It seems some of the players are from that area and have lost friends or family. But they kept talking about it as if that's the only thing happening in the country.

Japan is a great place to go, but it doesn't seem like it's the place for everyone. Language, distance, food, cost seem to be factors involved....

Yeah I see what you mean, and I agree. But even so, my point was that their FB page has tens of thousands more 'likes' than any other tourism Facebook page I know of. The disaster surely will bring more attention to Japan, but why the Visit Japan page in particular? I guess that's a rhetorical question seems as it'd be impossible to guess an answer :L

As for your last paragraph, I guess that sums it up as good as any. As someone who likes Japan, I guess it's kinda hard to realize sometimes that it really is not for everyone, and that some people may really hate the idea of coming here...
And as I would consider myself a pretty open minded traveller, it's hard to remember that things like the things you said really do stop people from wanting to go places, lol

[Umihito]

Originally Posted by Polar

Profile would be the big one.

I have never seen an ad promoting Japan, seen tons of other ads for places but never Japan.

I also think it doesn't appeal to the average person or rather it's just not on their radar.

Then again, I'm amazed tourists come here to Toronto, sure it's the largest city in Canada but it doesn't have that much to offer in terms of "sights" our museums and art galleries are a joke compared to New York or Chicago etc...

But they do advertise the crap out of the city and it seems to work.

(Sorry for seperate reply)

You mean on the TV right? If so, then yeah, it's the same here in the UK. But apparently Finnair had a big advertisement for Japan in the London Underground... don't think it helped terribly though, but who knows lol

I'd say it does! My mum has been determined to go to Canada for a long time, so probably to Toronto too! Maybe people go on excursions and only spend a day or two in the city? That's what I do a lot of the time anyway lol

[JohnBraden]

Originally Posted by Umihito

Yeah I see what you mean, and I agree. But even so, my point was that their FB page has tens of thousands more 'likes' than any other tourism Facebook page I know of. The disaster surely will bring more attention to Japan, but why the Visit Japan page in particular? I guess that's a rhetorical question seems as it'd be impossible to guess an answer :L

As for your last paragraph, I guess that sums it up as good as any. As someone who likes Japan, I guess it's kinda hard to realize sometimes that it really is not for everyone, and that some people may really hate the idea of coming here...
And as I would consider myself a pretty open minded traveller, it's hard to remember that things like the things you said really do stop people from wanting to go places, lol

My mother won't go to Japan. She has been to China and loved it, as well as India.... But when I mention Japan, she doesn't seem a bit interested. She knows I've been there three times already and likes the fact I'm going back in March. She won't say what exactly it is that makes her feel that way, though I feel the fact that a very important part of her formative years, four through nine were under harsh Japanese imperial rule. She says it's not so, but I feel she does hold some resentment for that, even if it's tiny....

[Kayci]

Originally Posted by JohnBraden

My mother won't go to Japan. She has been to China and loved it, as well as India.... But when I mention Japan, she doesn't seem a bit interested. She knows I've been there three times already and likes the fact I'm going back in March. She won't say what exactly it is that makes her feel that way, though I feel the fact that a very important part of her formative years, four through nine were under harsh Japanese imperial rule. She says it's not so, but I feel she does hold some resentment for that, even if it's tiny....

Wait, I am so sorry to ask this so late and in such a foolish fashion; Where is your mother from?

[BobbyCooper]

Originally Posted by Kayci

Wait, I am so sorry to ask this so late and in such a foolish fashion; Where is your mother from?

USA of course.

The only country with the biggest prejudice in this World.

[Kayci]

She won't say what exactly it is that makes her feel that way, though I feel the fact that a very important part of her formative years, four through nine were under harsh Japanese imperial rule. She says it's not so, but I feel she does hold some resentment for that, even if it's tiny....

You obviously did not pay attention to what he said. America was never under Imperial Rule of Japan, so I doubt she is American-born if that is her background ;]

Korean, Filipino, Chinese/Taiwanese...those and others were under Japanese control at one point. So hmmm.

Also, I am American. Watch who you degrade, you never see me calling Germans useless ;]