Strange Japanese beliefs & urban myths

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I'd like to add some observations just to help keep perspective in this thread; firstly, I think it is important to remember who one is talking to, when hearing these outrageous statements (eg. only Japan has certain fruits or four seasons). The first conclusion I would draw from comments of this nature is that Japan has, like other countries, a significant number of naive, misinformed and badly educated buffoons. Is the cross-section of society that is giving these opinions representative of Japanese? Have you spoken about these issues with people from other social, professional, or educational backgrounds?

Some would argue that they have a lot of contact with Japanese of all sorts through their work, at places like Nova, Berlitz or any of the other big language schools. These schools, however, also attract only a certain cross section of society, and it could be suggested that the students which are attracted are the ones who know least about foreign countries (hence their desire to learn something at these schools), are the most naive and unexperienced (and so are partial to being manipulated into attending these pseudo-schools by advertising, and paying their ridiculously high tuition fees), and are the ones who have nothing else better to do than learn English as a hobby (which could be associated with not having a job or better options in life, both of which are factors related to education).

I am not implying of course that anyone who has opinions in this thread is an English teacher at Nova, but rather, that it is important to recognize the relative weight and value of one's observations.

As an aside, I sometimes wonder whether Japanese people are somewhat more likely to admit to their ignorance in certain matters much more readily than the corresponding 'dimwit' of a western country....I had this feeling a number of times whilst in Japan. It's possible that this is a phenomenon found in interactions between a Japanese person and a foreigner, since the Japanese person may feel like he suddenly has an opportunity to get some information from a 'genuine' foreigner, and/or is speaking to 'only' a foreigner so he is safe in revealing the extent of his ignorance.

I'd also like to point out the concept of humble language, which exits in Japanese. It's purpose is to honor your interlocutor by humbling yourself and in essence putting yourself down. Since this idea exists in language (which, it can be argued, is thought), it could also conceivably be observable in other aspects of verbal behaviour such as the topic of conversation, and one's (presented) attitudes and beliefs. This does not seem too outrageous in light of what is said about the fluidity of morals and ethics (in relation to context) of Japanese thinking. If this were the case, then it would not be unthinkable that a Japanese speaker would be humbling himself (through humbling of his opinions, education, views etc) in order to put you (as represented by your culture and country) in a better light.

[Maciamo]

Is the cross-section of society that is giving these opinions representative of Japanese? Have you spoken about these issues with people from other social, professional, or educational backgrounds?

I mostly frequent university-educated business people working in central Tokyo (mosty in finance, banking, IT, etc.). Id say that once we get to more ordinary people, the percentage of "bufoons" as uou called them, rises to astronomical proportions. But even among these well-educated elite, I have heard many very gross misconceptions. My job involves meeting lot's of people, and talking about many things, and the most deeply-ingrained misconceptions in all socio-economic classes (again rising as the social level decreases) were about the 4 seasons, food, blood groups and all the hings I cared to mentioned in this article (note that this thread is almost 2 years old).

These schools, however, also attract only a certain cross section of society, and it could be suggested that the students which are attracted are the ones who know least about foreign countries

I don't teach at a school (I go directly to companies), and I'd say that most of the people I meet have already been either to Europe or America or both (in addition to Asian countries). I'd say the ignorance is even worse (the type "Do you have melons in Europe") once we talk to people who haven't travelled at all (eg. some of my wife's friends). I have actually been asked the 4 season question by people who had studied a year abroad and travelled extensively ! So far, nobody who I asked me about blood groups didn't believe that the higher O-type rate among Westerners was due to the fact that the Japanese were "farmers" and Europeans were "hunters".

As an aside, I sometimes wonder whether Japanese people are somewhat more likely to admit to their ignorance in certain matters much more readily than the corresponding 'dimwit' of a western country....

It's not even that they admit it, they start asking dumb questions and display their ignorance, just out of the blue. Who else would do that ? Very often, they don't even ask because they want to know, but they are persuaded that most countries don't have 4 seasons and that the Japanese were farming earlier than the Europeans and that it has influenced blood groups, or other nonsense.

I'd also like to point out the concept of humble language, which exits in Japanese. It's purpose is to honor your interlocutor by humbling yourself and in essence putting yourself down. Since this idea exists in language (which, it can be argued, is thought), it could also conceivably be observable in other aspects of verbal behaviour such as the topic of conversation, and one's (presented) attitudes and beliefs. This does not seem too outrageous in light of what is said about the fluidity of morals and ethics (in relation to context) of Japanese thinking. If this were the case, then it would not be unthinkable that a Japanese speaker would be humbling himself (through humbling of his opinions, education, views etc) in order to put you (as represented by your culture and country) in a better light.

So far, the questions I was asked almost always indirectly put Japan above the West (since the connection to the nihonjinron), and I have rarely (if ever, outside a shop) been addressed in keigo (humble/honorific language) by Japanese people when we discuss in Japanese.

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I wasn't directing what I wrote at you Maciamo, specifically, but you brought up some interesting points.

The education/development system, or maybe I should say tradition, in Japan is peculiar to say the least. Firstly there is the total freedom of youth before starting school, followed by the hard slog of school and cram schools, which is again followed by the relaxed and laisser faire environment of university, once again followed by the strictness of work. But anyway, most university students really seem to have an easy time. Most work part time (sometimes full time), and there is not much insisitence on academic affairs on behalf of the lecturers and staff. I had a friend who had not written her graduation thesis on time and so was told by her superviser that she should write one page, photocopy it one or two hundred times and subimit that. Of course that is just one case, but it is interesting. My point is that a university education in Japan doesn't guarantee much, just as a secondary education in western countries doesn't guarantee much.

So far, the questions I was asked almost always indirectly put Japan above the West (since the connection to the nihonjinron), and I have rarely (if ever, outside a shop) been addressed in keigo (humble/honorific language) by Japanese people when we discuss in Japanese.

I wasn't suggesting being addressed in keigo per se, but being addressed with the attitude of keigo. I have rarely met non-native English speakers in Japan who speak English well enough to be able to operate in a way reminiscent of Japanese keigo in English. On the other hand, I wouldn't feel comfortable having a Japanese conversation in keigo either (frankly, I don't know keigo well at all), but I have been spoken to with that mood.