TravelJanuary 7, 2007 12:53 pm
Home in Kabul’s "Politics of Kissing" got me thinking about cross-cultural kisses.
Kisses were not part of everyday life in Japan. Even hugs went AWOL. Japan is a country of public restraint. No PDAs*, as Iggy might put it.
I remember when my mother hugged the Japanese fisherwoman whose family had adopted me as a mascot. It was shocking. But Yasuko accepted it in the spirit of warmth in which it was given.
During three years in Japan, I was never hugged or kissed by anyone other than my boyfriend. Did I miss those expressions of affection? I’m not a demonstrative person. The formality of Japan reinforced my restraint.
To read more about kisses, see "Kisses, Part One" and Sunday Scribblings.
* PDA=public display of affection.
I would find it hard in an environment with that much restraint!
Comment by Paris Parfait — January 7, 2007 @ 3:40 pm
Ditto, Paris. I would not do well in such an environment.
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Comment by JHS — January 7, 2007 @ 5:42 pm
The Japanese are a closed society, with lots of restraints. But we must not go thinking that they’re loveless. Give you an example.
My spouse simply has to talk to her parents/siblings two or three times a week. Lots of time on the phone. Well and good.
I simply have to talk to my parents/siblings two or three times a year.
To wifey it seems like we don’t love each other, but that’s where many people go wrong. love is expressed differently by different people.
When I talk to someone of my family, it’s like I’d just seen them a few days ago.
I suspect the Japanese just express it differently.
What do you think?
Comment by Rethabile — January 8, 2007 @ 5:35 am
Yes, there’s less overt expression of all emotions in Japan.
Comment by Administrator — January 8, 2007 @ 8:58 am