Why do the Japanese make so much fuss about "gaijin" ?

[PopCulturePooka]

Actually I have hear that Gaijin in country towns or rural areas do get treated with even more fuss than city gaijin.

Especially by younger people who may never have ventured out of town before.

[mad pierrot]

This is a great topic; I've enjoyed hearing what members think about this.
But let's be careful not to make this a fight about who's country is more or less ingnorant. I only say this because national pride can be a touchy subject for many people. Personally, I think idiodicy has free reign all over the globe. People will gawk everywhere. That, and circumstances count alot. I mean, if a farmer in Kansas saw a guy running down the street in a kimono and waving a samurai sword, he'd obviously take notice. If it was just an Asian guy, he'd probably barely notice. Again, I think much of this is situational.

I can tell you, living in the countryside here in Japan, I draw ALOT of attention. Hell, when I go jogging people actually will slow down to look at me. Then again, I don't think this area gets many joggers. Certainly not joggers in sleeveless Metallica T-shirts and cut off sweats. So maybe it's not just that I'm a gaijin. On the other hand, there are just way too many odd things that I get asked. Yesterday, while I was eating kimchi nabe, I was asked if I was "surprised" when I first ate it. (Because it's a red broth, like the color of blood.) Uh..... What? We don't have red food in America? Jesus.

Very Very interesting subject. I've seen people more often glorify a country that I've grown to be very despicable of... I don't imagine the grass is greener some place else, yet still I think sometimes younger people I've met from Japan have an image of the United States just like I have an image of Japan... we're both probably half right and half wrong, and would be surprised at what we didn't know about the other.

Right on.