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Sun, 2010-08-29 15:07 — Traveler

Kaizen = "repent"??

Kaizen as a translation for "repent(ance)"? Hmm, sounds odd to me; looking at possible words for repent(ance), there's kaigo 悔悟, but that's a completely different kai- from that of kaizen. Same with kaikon 悔恨. I'm stumped for another possibility.

Possible explanation for the shopkeeper's odd response:

1. She was simply wrong (perhaps not terribly literate w/ the kanji, or nearsighted, or just having an odd mental lapse?)

2. The poster was wrong, with kanji saying something other than kaizen 改善.

3. Going out on a limb here a bit, but: Various Buddhist sects (and other religions) commonly repurpose words for their own use; perhaps she held to some sect that uses kaizen in a unique sense related to repentance? Or, as you suggest, perhaps she intentionally skewed the word toward your theological interests?

I don't know the answer, but thanks for the interesting story!

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Home Japan Glossary

New words, and new uses of old words, appearing on this site:

Culturology

For lack of a better word, "culturology" is what I label a particular brand of fascination with, and practice of, "cross-cultural comparison". (Suggestions for a better name are welcome!)

Not cultural comparison as it can be in theory: an objective, even interesting, examination of different cultures. Rather, I use "culturology" to mean cultural comparison as it too often appears in practice: subjective and unscientific nonsense, with a good story taking precedence over facts.

Or, for a pithier definition: Culturology is the dogged effort to dig up and exhibit "cultural differences" whether they exist or not.

Culturologists

The uncritical practitioners of culturology, whether academics, writers, or just general fans of "cultural difference" tales not hampered by critical examination.

Japanology

This has a general meaning of "the study of things Japanese"; here I use it to mean culturology as applied to Japan. It's closely tied to Nihonjinron, with all negative connotations intact.

Japanologist

The uncritical believers – Japanese or otherwise – of elements of Japanology.

Japander

With a friendly nod to Japander.com, which has long applied the word to the commercial appearances of Hollywood stars in Japan, I use the verb in a way closer to the original "pander": to Japander is to tell the Japanologists the silliness they love to hear. "I think Japanese developed as the world's most complex language, thanks to Japan's unique four seasons" – that's Japandering.

Traveler's Law #1

"Any exposition pointing out 'cultural contrasts' must contain at least one bit of unsupported silliness."

Traveler's Law #2

"Any statement beginning with 'the Japanese' (or 'the French', 'Ghanaians', 'Asians', 'Westerners', whatever) is 99% certain to be a dumb statement."

words in quotes

Words like "Westerner" and "the East" may appear in quotes to emphasize their inherent silliness. A claim that "the Japanese" are baffled by some "Western mindset" regarding a "cultural difference" that doesn't even exist, is deserving of all those mocking quotes.

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