Yeah, these are supposed to be like an agreed upon rating between all my direct supervisors. But I call shenanigans. There’s no way I got Exceeds Expectations on Customer Satisfaction. Yeah, I’ll go above and beyond to help one, but I also give absolutely no quarter if their questions/requests turn absolutely inane, or they pop an attitude.
I only have 31ish hours left on my account and if I don’t come back I have to say that it was fun lurking and then posting on this forum. Thanks to everyone for making my stay enjoyable.
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The kimono shop I visited in Kyoto asked if they could take my picture for their website:
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I hope I get to go to Kyoto one day.
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I never got the appeal of Japan. It just seems like a tourist trap designed for weebs, no offense. Maybe there’s more to it than that I don’t know.
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Does Japan have Bamboo Forests?
In any case the visitors may desire to influence Video Games, Manga and Anime… Of course managing to get the developers over to your home country will influence them just as much. It’s a shame no one properly interviews Aonuma or Miyamoto about Locals and Enemies in Zelda. Talking about the Enemies and Locations would be way more effective than anything else.
Eh, I feel most of that stuff would be in Tokyo. Which has nothing for me. Except the Pokémon store, and Eorzea Café.
Kyoto’s like the old cultural and religious center. I mostly just really like kitsune, and Kyoto has quite a few shrines to them 
Plus there’s natural sites around Japan. Mt. Fuji is really pretty. And there’s Aokigahara Forest, if you’re into dark tourism.
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You look great in that! No wonder they asked you to appear on their site, it’s very stylish : )
Well I mean, it’s a whole entire country! There’s lots of reason to visit, just as there are for Italy or Mexico. So much history, and a wealth of culture. Countless beautiful forests, shrines, and wild animal habitats. There’s cutting edge fashion in Harajuku, amazing shopping in Ginza, sun-touched paradises in Okinawa. Tons of museums for religion, history, art. Culinary delights on both the low end and high end. Performing arts theaters, too! Plus skiing, sailing, hiking, and all that adventurous stuff. Heck, even just the trains and bridges are worth a visit, especially for enthusiasts.
And sure, there’s definitely a lot of appeal for the pop-culturally-minded. From Disney to Akihabara, cat cafes to ramen bars… they’re a modern country. Pop culture’s a big deal, same as it would be in NYC or Atlanta. And it’s super okay if that’s why someone would want to visit! No shame in a fun, indulgently geeky vacation. But there’s lots more beyond that, and it’s all very interesting!
I have a pen pal in Japan, and the things they tell me about day-to-day life or what’s in the news is fascinating. Their holidays have so much historical context, and they walk past centuries-old structures daily. The sheer density of history just electrifies me, makes me want to know every detail! It’s the same way I feel about Rome, or France, and why I’d love to have the time and means to travel the world and take it all in~
For sure! There’s some really pretty pictures of them online. Practically other-worldly!
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I’m surprised they even let people go there to gawk.
Tbf, it’s first and foremost supposed to be like a national park. It just happened to be where people started congregating for other purposes, later.
But yeah, seems like they would try to limit access, or up ranger presence, or something.
Their primary method of warding away the victims is to put up signs warning them to not do what they are planning to do and to think of their families.
By the way: Do any similar deaths happen at Mount Fuji itself? It is said to be formed from the Emperor of Princess Kaguya burned the Elixir of Youth with some stories saying he burned along with the Elixir… With that in mind one would think the entire Mountain would be possessed by an Evil Spirit seeking to make people end their lives not just the Forest.
I’m guessing this is a cultural thing? Telling a suicidal person to think of the effect it would have on others isn’t exactly the best approach.
Of course you do.
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That I don’t know for sure. I usually don’t tend to actively research the morbid, so much as passively stumble across it.
But I do know that for Aokigahara proper, some do believe there are supernatural shenanigans at play that draw people to the forest.
I feel like the more obvious explanation is that people just think it’s the done thing to go there and off yourself. Like the Westgate Bridge. Only you can’t put a safety fence around a forest.
More than likely. But you can’t tell spooky stories about obvious explanations.
Though, I suppose in some ways, the tragedy of the human condition, and the combined futility and stress of the modern lifestyle are worse than vengeful spirits.
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Real talk: the kind of things you’re dealing with when you consider suicide, self harm or are also dealing with some kind of depression and anxiety they are horrible experiences. You’re at war with yourself and some days or weeks you’ll find yourself losing that battle. I’m an adult so it’s not even some moody teenager thing despite what some people think.
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Yeah, absolutely. I’ve been there a lot, both as a teenager and lately with my long medical battle. Stuff just adds up, mentally. Especially after giving in to darker urges, then staring at yourself afterward in sheer guilt and disbelief. “There I go again, making things worse.” Frustration with my situation leading to frustration with my body leading to frustration with my mind. It’s suffocating.
Never be afraid to reach out for help, even if indirectly. A good conversation is like springtime for the mind! Very refreshing. It’s why I value discussions so, so much. Not only is it a fun, thought provoking exchange of personalities and ideas, but it helps me a lot and could very well be helping someone else, suffering silently. Always be ready with a kind word and a smile! We’re all on the same team ^.^
It’s all thanks to the Internet! I’m glad social media lets me keep in touch with people worldwide. Nothing helps warm up to people, places, and ideas better than being exposed to them. Passion is contagious~
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Suicide also has a different connotation in Japan. They haven’t had centuries of Judeo-Christian religions condemning it.
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It’s been a few years, but I’ve been in that war before. I still occassionally wrestle with anxiety, but through a combination of things, I’ve come to an exceptional point in my life, all things considered.
I was going to ask if it was through email, or some such. I would have been pleasantly surprised if a genuine pen pal thing had lasted into the digital age.
Yeah, I meant to point out that they’ve had centuries of no hard taboo on suicide, as long as it was properly ritualized, and can be construed as being for the right reasons.
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