Interviews
The Image of Japan: Expectations versus Reality (Spanish)
(Spanish) Um, I had quite a bit of information about Japan, or at least I felt like I did. What impressed me the most when I presented my credentials was the Emperor’s simplicity. The Imperial family is very unpretentious. The Imperial castle is very austere. And I had the impression that [UI]. It impressed me quite a bit. Um, the feeling, the image I had of Japan, was of a more traditional Japan, which I did not find. So I was a bit disappointed in that sense. Another subject I learned about here, which I now understand is: “Honne to tatamae.” I*: “tatemae” Honne to tatemae. Apparently that is common practice among the Japanese. And for us Latinos, the “honne” and the “tatemae” are practically parallel, right? [Laughs] *"I" indicates an interviewer (Alberto J. Matsumoto)
Date: March 24, 2009
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Interviewer: Alberto Matsumoto
Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum
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