Japanese view of france.

Hello,
I plan to build a little website about friendship and culture exchange between japan and france (I am french).

I would like to know for those of you which are interested in france, if there are some, what do you like in this country.
I work on the graphic design and I don't know wich picture to put. medieval Castel,cheese,
eiffel tower ? What do you find nice ? Thanks !

All men outside of France will say French women.

All women outside of France will say French men.

As long as you put attractive and sexy pics of both, your website will be OK.

Sex is the lingua franca off all cultures.

I would put the eiffel tower. Its internationally world wide known for France (Paris) , like how the Statue of Liberty is world wide known for New York (USA).

As for Japanese opinion of france? Hard to answer, I guess Paris is a nice place to visit. I don't think there is a negative view of France.

Thanks :)

I used to live close to Paris (Montmorency) for 12 years and my Japanese wife tells me that culture and art are the main attractions for Japanese people to come to France. And the Soldes, of course! The Japanese people we met who live in Paris are mostly young women on a study abroad tour and mixed couple like us. This is quite difference from Greater London where I live now where we mostly bump into salaryman and their wifes who have been sent abroad by their companies. It might be interesting the look into something called the Paris Syndrome; this is often misrepresented by people that it is the rudeness of the French locals that drives them to the young Japanese females to depression. This is bollocks, although certainly their isolation because they speak little French and English plays a role.

My message above got a bit garbled, this what I intended to write:
It might be interesting the look into something called the Paris Syndrome; it is often misrepresented by people that it is the rudeness of the French locals that drives the young Japanese females to depression. This is bollocks, the French people adore anything asian and anything Japanese in particular, although certainly their isolation because they speak little French and English plays a role.

I would call that the manga generation syndrome.

People like me that have groved with computers, technology, and that incredible attraction for manga are mad of japan.
I am sorry for the rudeness of some people :((
My idea in this website will be to show the other side of france to the foreigners. This side is that Paris is not france.It's it's most famous symbol but it would be short to say that it is really representative. There are a lot of other different places where all changes. That's what I want to show.
If I look from close, I can find some things that I don't really like in japan, like in all countries, but maybe as it's a kind of dream, we prefer to forget the bad things and only see what remains ^^

It's it's most famous symbol but it would be short to say that it is really representative.

You are looking for a graphic design to represent France correct?
Then the Eiffle tower is the best choice. It doesnt have to just stand for Paris, the Eiffile tower is world wide known for France. Like how the Statue of libertyis world wide knwon for USA, not just New York City.

Blue cheese

I have lived in France & travelled the country extensively. The French are the most polite, cultured and sincere people to be. This Paris Syndreome is just plain "Bull". A case of "Self-Identity Problems". Ever wonder how foreigners/tourists get treated in Japan ???

I think diversity represents france more effectively. i mean france is so similar to italy that it is really difficult to determine which one of the two were more influential in art, which of tow have better cuisine, etc. but france has many diverse peoples like arabs and blacks. this distinguishes it from italy.

if there is any symbol that represents france, that is the TGV. it symbolizes its influence in europe, the technolgical advancement of the country, closer connection with fellow europeans (EU) and modern cosmopolitism tha is often characterized by diveristy, liberal attitude, etc.

thank you for this, I never had thinked to the TGV !

If we compare France and Italy, we must compare it not nowadays but up to 2000 years ago and it's crystal clear that the roman empire was better and in almost all fields. Nowadays,the frenchs are influenced by this. First with the language but too with the taste for pleasure like food and maybe what people call rudness too ;-).

"TGV? Ah, you mean the French Shinkansen?" is the response you'd probably get from most Japanese natives. ;-)

Hi,

I think that shinkansen is far more impressive than the tvg ;-) but I'm not sure of the speed stats

just buy a japanese travel-guide about france. it will definetely inspire you with some pictures and topics. stick to the "normal" tourist stuff like eiffel-tower and arc de triumphe FIRST.
then involve some people who are in a way typical for france and the people living there.
And third: your own impression about your contry. Things YOU consider as worth showing it on the internet, things wich are in a way typical but not spectacular. And the things you love most on your country which is - i guess - not only the eiffel tower.
wish you good luck!

Eiffel tower and arc de triumph !!

I am a japanese girl. i have never been to france but i know them and I think they definitely best represent France.
a lot of people probably have never heard of TGV...

Thank you ACCO !

To make simple (because I cannot use a lot of symbols on my picture that will symbolise the country), I will use the eiffel tower.

To symbolize japan, I'm not sure but I have thinked to cherry blossoms (I really like them!) but I hesitate between them and fuji mountain.

I would like to develop the romantic side of our countries. for me the sakura tree is ok for that but eiffel tower...not sure.

Too I have heard that the rainbow mean friendship for japanese. I can use that too.

What do you think of that ?

Most of Japanese know about Paris 'cause we have many printed matters abt it.
I'd like to know typical french village in rural area, and
scenery by long coast in southwest in France very much.

I guess Citroen 2CV presents all thing France!

have a look at http://denshaotaku365.canalblog.com/ or just Google densha otaku 365 c'est un Francais qui est fou des trains Japonais and he also has photos of French trains and trams.. My best friend of many years is Japanese. He had never been to France before we met but knew so much about French culture, arts, movies, music etc. I am not sure about young French singers but not that long ago Aznavour, Greco, Patricia Kass etc. were well known in Japan.
Hubahop there are lots of French style restaurants, bakeries and pastry shops in Japan and of course fashion shops. I found a bakery with a sign in French and a list of breads etc. in French in a small town, Shijo, near Hiroshima. I found a French cafe and pastry shop in a residential area of Kobe where few tourists go. The list of drinks and pastries was in French,even the washroom taps had chaud et froid! You should focus more about France outside Paris as not enough Japanese are aware of the diversity of landscapes and regional cultures found in France, each one with their original style of houses, cuisine, folk music etc. I am sure that many Japanese would be fascinated by medieval villages (les bastides du Sud ouest), the Camargue, the Alps, la Bretagne, Alsace etc. and of course the numerous castles found all over the French countryside.
The TGV incidentally is as fast or even faster (at least the latests ones) than the shinkansen tough they are pretty much neck to neck.
instead of the Eiffel tower (or next to it) on you site you could have a photo changing regularly showing one different place everytime.
a rainbow by the way is more and more associated with the Gay culture..
Good luck!