Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on July 2010

Giving As Good As You Get

Regarding “Orei… Oy!” (The Last Word, June 23): I’ve never quite wrapped my head around the “giri” (obligation) thing. I was headed back home last winter and my supervisor presented me with a gift, and then flat-out requested something specific from my home country. I was a bit floored and more than a little put out, because I was going with the baby and I had planned on traveling very light since I was carrying about 40 pounds of baby stuff (plus 20 pounds of baby!). I felt like I was being “guilted” into getting him what he wanted. If he’d just asked, “Would you mind getting me X when you’re back home,” I would have felt much more comfortable about it.—Frungy**

Sometimes I think people, Japanese and foreign alike, really overblow the “mystery” of Japanese tradition. Gift giving may be formalized in Japan, but in reality it works out just about the same as anywhere. If someone gives you a gift in the United States, no matter what the occasion, you are typically expected to give something in return. People sure would consider you an A-hole if they gave you a birthday gift and you didn’t get something for them on their birthday. And if you return someone’s wallet or other lost valuables, there’s no specific system in place, but a finder’s fee or some token of gratitude is appreciated and at least half-expected.

In fact, it kind of burns me when Japanese people and Japanophiles talk down to Westerners about traditions like they’re something completely foreign to us. Accepting someone’s business card with two hands is common sense when the person giving it is using two hands too. And keeping it on the table till the end of the meeting is something I would do out of politeness without being told. What do they expect me to do with it? Crumple it up and throw it over my shoulder?—HumanTarget**

In Support of J-Rock

Regarding “Summer Festival Guide ’10” (Feature, July 2): Rock in Japan, seventh on the list? Rising Sun Rock Festival, generally considered to be one of the “Big Four” summer festivals (along with FRF, SS, and RIJ), shoved into “Also of Note”? I know you gotta preach to the choir and pander a little, but it’d be nice to see Metropolis make a bit more of an effort to expand its readers’ awareness of the domestic indie/rock scene.

There are a ton of new festivals popping up this year, and many of them are getting mixed reviews at best (GO!Fes was a complete failure, and Rocks Tokyo was plagued by bathroom and taxi shortages, to name a couple of local ones), but the strong ones will continue on.

Fuji Rock isn’t going anywhere, but Summer Sonic is so desperate that they had to book Big Bang, and anyone with two functioning eardrums can compare this year’s lineup to the last five-six years and see that Something Ain’t Right. When they put My Chemical Romance as a headliner over Nine Inch Nails last year, it was pretty clear that they just have no idea what they want to accomplish as a festival anymore except to sell tickets.

Anyone going to RIJ, SS or one of a number of other domestic festivals would be wise to check out pop-rock legends Beat Crusaders, who have announced that they’ll be breaking up in early September. One of the most genuinely energetic live shows anywhere, and their absence will weigh heavily on next year’s festival lineups.—dokool*

* taken from the Metropolis online comment threads
** taken from the Japan Today online comment threads