Japan, a country with such a different culture, as we used to. After I came here, everyday brought a new surprise. While talking to people and making new friends, I tried to find the differences between Japanese and western way of thinking. But the time passed by and I recognized that there are actually a lot of similarities. Today Japanese people make some of western culture their own. For example they celebrate Halloween, Valentine day and Christmas. But after taking over those events they often change the meaning of them to adapt it in Japanese society. For example Halloween is not the scary day we used to. In Japan it is a dressing up day, so you may also wear cute or funny costumes or even cosplay. To the Valentine day Japanese add the tradition of girls giving boys self made chocolate. And Christmas is not the holy day to spend with the family. It is more the second Valentine day or actually I would say it is even more the “day of couples” then Valentine. Everyone who has a partner is going on a date. If in western countries everything is closed and everyone spend this evening at home, so in Japan it is the complete opposite, the Love Hotels are overbooked and places like amusement parks and restaurants are completely crowded. The reason for it is probably the way Japanese think about western culture, for them it is something romantic like old castles and middle age dresses, gentleman behavior and rendezvous in Paris. But if you as a foreigner walk on the streets with Christmas light decorations you start surprisingly fell like home.
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