Compose tips

Allowed HTML tags: <a> <cite> <code> <ul> <ol> <li> <dl> <dt> <dd>

This site allows HTML content. While learning all of HTML may feel intimidating, learning how to use a very small number of the most basic HTML "tags" is very easy. This table provides examples for each tag that is enabled on this site.

For more information see W3C's HTML Specifications or use your favorite search engine to find other sites that explain HTML.

Tag Description	You Type	You Get
Anchors are used to make links to other pages.	`<a href="http://www.homejapan.com">Home Japan</a>`	Home Japan
Emphasized	`<em>Emphasized</em>`	Emphasized
Strong	`<strong>Strong</strong>`	Strong
Cited	`<cite>Cited</cite>`	Cited
Coded text used to show programming source code	`<code>Coded</code>`	`Coded`
Unordered list - use the <li> to begin each list item	`<ul> <li>First item</li> <li>Second item</li> </ul>`	First item Second item
Ordered list - use the <li> to begin each list item	`<ol> <li>First item</li> <li>Second item</li> </ol>`	First item Second item
Definition lists are similar to other HTML lists. <dl> begins the definition list, <dt> begins the definition term and <dd> begins the definition description.	`<dl> <dt>First term</dt> <dd>First definition</dd> <dt>Second term</dt> <dd>Second definition</dd> </dl>`	First term First definition Second term Second definition

Most unusual characters can be directly entered without any problems.

If you do encounter problems, try using HTML character entities. A common example looks like & for an ampersand & character. For a full list of entities see HTML's entities page. Some of the available characters include:

Character Description	You Type	You Get
Ampersand	`&`	&
Greater than	`>`	>
Less than	`<`	<
Quotation mark	`"`	"

Quoted content can be placed between [quote] tags in order to be displayed as an indented quote. Every [quote] tag must have a corresponding [/quote] tag. For example:
```
[quote]This is a simple quote.[/quote]
```
is displayed as:

Quote:
This is a simple quote.

Additionally, there is an optional attribute which allows quotes to specify the original author.
```
[quote=Mr. Drupal]This is a quote with an attribution line.[/quote]
```
is displayed as:

Mr. Drupal wrote:
This is a quote with an attribution line.

Finally, multiple [quote] tags can be nested within one another. Just remember that every [quote] tag must have a corresponding [/quote] tag.
```
[quote]I think she says it best...
[quote=Ms. Quotation]This is a quote nested within another quote.[/quote]
but you can't argue with
[quote=Ms. Reply]The more quotes, the merrier.
Just don't get too carried away.[/quote]
And I have nothing more to say.[/quote]
```
is displayed as:

Quote:
I think she says it best...
Ms. Quotation wrote:
This is a quote nested within another quote.
but you can't argue with
Ms. Reply wrote:
The more quotes, the merrier. Just don't get too carried away.
And I have nothing more to say.
Lines and paragraphs are automatically recognized. The line break, paragraph and close paragraph tags are inserted automatically. If paragraphs are not recognized simply add a couple blank lines.
Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically.

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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.

Learning Japanese?

Wisdom from a 25-year learner:

Home Japan