CAFE NECOS

FOTH Cacturne!

Me: you will not earn what you desire by banging the cabinet door.

My cat: This is a test of wills, is it not? We shall see if your ability to put up with my incessant banging outlasts my eternal lust for snackie treats. Years of conditioning have hardened me for this purpose. bang bang bang

Me: ksst!

My cat, throwing herself to the ground like she’s been shot: Oh! Oh I have been assailed in my own home! Have mercy, have pity! Surely in the cruel darkness of your heart there is some mote of goodness that might stay your hand! Do not strike me, I pray you!

Me: ok

A vast majority of Japanese people actually enjoy other people making an effort to spread and enjoy japanese culture, and encourage it. Many make businesses in deliberately taking pictures of people in kimono. A common omiage (gift) for foreigners from japanese people is traditional japanese things such as kimonos, tea seats, shisa dog statues, ect.

And to top it off, basically 80 percent of japanese customs, traditions, and food, came from other countries. Japanese is an integration of different cultures, like america. Japan takes influences from places like korea, china, russia, and europe. If japan stuck to itself, there would be no tempura, japanese tea, tea ceremonies, kabuki, japanese bread, japanese curry, j- pop, anime, cars, or modern fishing techniques. The picture is not “yellow face” they are not making fun of asians. In fact, it looks like they put extra care and research into their work.

Recently a museum in Boston came under a lot of fire for allowing visitors to wear a ‘kimono’ (it was featuring a painting my Monet of a girl – a white girl – in a kimono, and the museum had replicas made that guests of ANY RACE could wear to mimic the painting, Pageant-of-the-Masters style). After protests and heated debate, the museum closed the event.

I was living in Japan at the time, and out of all the *actual* Japanese people I asked, not a single one was offended by the event. Rather, they were excited that people half a world away were showing interest in their culture, and were sad that visitors could no longer enjoy the event.

This party, though somewhat silly in application, is an attempt at experiencing and appreciating another culture. The mom who put this together is not an expert on Japan, but she did her best. She got a lot of things right: there are few things Japan loves more than tea, Pocky, and sakura. 

Where do you draw the line for who is “allowed” to learn about Japan? If the girl were of Japanese descent, would that make it ok (even though her citizenship would be the same as the girl from the photo)? If one of the girl’s parents were from Japan, then would it be ok? 

Are you only allowed to make pizza if you live in Italy? If you’re an Italian immigrant? How do we decide these things??

You can’t say you want to dismantle racism and then in the next breath make rules – based on race – for who people can wear, try, or eat, especially when the intent is obviously to have fun experiencing a culture (as opposed to having fun by making fun of a race or culture, like blackface does). 

I freaking love this. And if you think a few Japanese people saying it’s alright isn’t enough to justify it, LOOK. IT. UP! For the love of God, Japan is just one of those countries that loves American culture and incorporating it into their own style (J-Pop anyone?). No American should feel guilty about doing the same back. They enjoy watching people spread their art and culture all over the world and having fun with it in their own way because it’s a fun culture to play with. There’s no harm in it. We’re not “stealing” anything!

I get so freaking excited when people from all over the world speak of our culture (from food to traditions) and see how much love and appreciation they feel. I don’t mean it like we’re oppressed or anything like that, lol we absolutely aren’t ( I don’t think at least??) , but our culture is rich and I like seeing that represented. Also I’ve seen before some people represent typical italians as white™️ when in reality, while we’re not black, we come with a skin range that American people would describe as “latinx”. Not everyone is like that, for example I am paler than milk and so are many others but there are also Italians that are Asian, Black, Tan, Brown and they’re beautiful, I’d love for them to be better represented in media.

MONSTER HUNTER WORLD MODDING COMMUNITY IS BY FAR THE BEST

112 DAYS UNTIL PADORU PADORU 

Face to face with a 90 year old turtle