quirky japan (episode 1)

one of japan's big tourism catchphrases, or "catch copy" as they say here, is "cool japan" ...

yeah, WOW, give that guy a promotion for creativity, right?

i'm not saying that japan isn't cool, because it is. i mean, c'mon, cellphone service companies building talking robots for sale? frickkin' cool.

but i've got a better catchphrase that really captures japan's essence --

quirky japan

that's right my friends, japan is a quirky place. endearingly quirky, annoyingly quirky, maddeningly quirky -- it's got its quirky bases covered.

you could easily write an ENTIRE blog focused solely on japan's quirks -- but i'm just going to write them as i think of them. and today, i present to you one of the annoying quirks---

the four seasons quirk

if you're ever in japan for longer than say...a week...inevitably you're going to encounter the following phrase, be it on TV or someone on the street or passing conversation:

「日本には四季がある！」

nihon ni wa shiki ga aru!

translation: they have four seasons in japan!

...uh...

duh?

i dunno, i always thought that NOT having four seasons was more an exception than the rule. i mean, i know there are indeed countries that don't have four seasons, but... is it really so unique to have a spring, summer, fall, and winter?

you'll be told about japan's four seasons like it's some great enlightening secret.

DUDE, FOUR SEASONS. FOUR DIFFERENT SEASONS. IS YOUR MIND BLOWN?!

...nope. why do you think they have words for these mystical four seasons in (likely) most every language? 

*whispers* that's because most everyone has four seasons on the planet.

japan LOVES the seasons -- i don't blame them, i like them too! i'm not hating on the seasons, i'm just baffled as to why they feel the need to tell foreigners about them because we obviously don't know (even though most of us do).

japan does indeed have a long history of using seasonal icons in poetry, letters, art... like cherry blossoms in the spring, hydrangeas during the rainy season, maple leaves in the fall, etc, and that's all well and good. in fact, i think it's great to celebrate and appreciate the seasons (even if they have gotten a little weird in recent years). 

but it's just a little silly to go around with a figurative banner proclaiming to the masses that OMG JAPAN HAS FOUR SEASONS GUYZ~! 

it's okay, japan. you can put away the banner, go on. the secret's out.