Is Japanese culture more different to Western culture than Chinese culture? (cost, speaking)

[OZpharmer]

Originally Posted by Kkakdugi

Japanese culture? They learn almost everything from Korea.

To be honest, it's actually the other way around. Just for the modern cultural aspect I mean.

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by Kkakdugi

Japanese culture? They learn almost everything from Korea.

I lived in both a long time. Korea has more similarities to China.

Japan has a connection too, but different.

[OZpharmer]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

I lived in both a long time. Korea has more similarities to China.

Japan has a connection too, but different.

Whoa, if you're in Kyoto at present, isn't it quite unsafe to be there as the atmospheric & soil radiation levels are going up? And the food..like meat products and fish contaminated with cesium or maybe even strontium..

What gave you the impression that Korea is more similar to China? I'd say Seoul is nothing like Hong Kong at all. Or is your comparison more like Seoul vs. Beijing?

I've only been to Hong Kong and Taiwan in the Chinese-language world, so the mainland part is a mystery to me.

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by OZpharmer

Whoa, if you're in Kyoto at present, isn't it quite unsafe to be there as the atmospheric & soil radiation levels are going up? And the food..like meat products and fish contaminated with cesium or maybe even strontium..

What gave you the impression that Korea is more similar to China? I'd say Seoul is nothing like Hong Kong at all. Or is your comparison more like Seoul vs. Beijing?

I've only been to Hong Kong and Taiwan in the Chinese-language world, so the mainland part is a mystery to me.

Hong kong is nothing like China. 150 years as a British city permanently changed it. Filled with British laws, contracts, etc. It's part of china now, but absolutely nothing like China.

I was thinking more like All the other areas of china except hong kong.

[dunno what to put here]

Japan as a country is more Western in the way they work, the way the people live, the social liberties etc

[OZpharmer]

Which of these do you think is the least westernized among the northeast asian countries then?

China
South Korea
Japan
Taiwan

(excluding North Korea and Mongolia)

[dunno what to put here]

China.

South Korea, Japan and Taiwan are all very similar to the West, high quality of life, good education, health care, long life expectancy, very high tech, freedom of speech etc.

[eskercurve]

It's a multifaceted question, this one is.

Many aspects of both Chinese and Japanese culture are similar. The religious / social outlook of Confucian philosophy is very similar between the two.

Both have adopted the automated / industrialized world norm of being, and both have to varying degrees embraced capitalism free market economics.

IMO China is more alien because their government is a reflection of the people, who really don't care about an oppressive and propoganda driven machine so long as it benefits them. And who can blame them? The average city dweller in China is far better off than even 20 years ago.

Japan's experiment with government is sorta interesting, and reflects the risk-adverse culture. The same party formed the government for more than 45 years, with their main rival only recently having unseated them. So I think in terms of taking risks I think China is more like the US.

And for all intents and purposes, I think China is MUCH more like the US when the US was new too ... mercantilism. It's funny because European firms were pushing for a ban on American goods because of patent and trademark infringements and "dumping." This was especially true after our civil war through the 1910's. Sound familiar?

And individual Chinese are very VERY entrepreneurial, perhaps more so than Americans.

[Woof]

Originally Posted by Thomas R.

Cool, I didn't know if traveling to them was doable. It wouldn't be accessible for me, obviously, I doubt I'd make it in rural China. To be honest I get the sense Asia isn't very handicapped accessible. I kind of fell in love with a region I may never be able to see

...

Why? You might not be able to comfortably access the rural areas for days on end, but you can do the major cities like Beijing, and then make little excursions for a half day or so into the countryside. Of course it depends on your handicap .... I guess if you need oxygen it would be risky, but if it's just being in a wheelchair it shouldn't be a problem, if you have the money. Beijing Disability Tours, Travel Tips for Wheelchair Accessible Travel and Slow Walkers Beijing China - Beijing Travel Service

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by OZpharmer

Which of these do you think is the least westernized among the northeast asian countries then?

China
South Korea
Japan
Taiwan

(excluding North Korea and Mongolia)

Definitely China.

They are all definitely Asian, but China is just so massive, and such a world to their own.