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WingsToDiscovery (Offline)
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Azabu-juban, Tokyo
05-20-2011, 11:04 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by MMM View Post
I think the issue is not only age, but more importantly context.

I don't know exactly how the question was asked, but if you said "Do you think it is odd to see non-Japanese wearing traditional Japanese clothing?" then it wouldn't surprise me that you had a high % of "yes" answers, because in most situations it is odd for ANYONE to be wearing traditional Japanese clothing.

For example, if you said "Do you think it would be odd for a non-Englishman to wear a suit of armor?", invariably, the answer would be "yes" from most people, British or otherwise.

However, if the question became "Do you think it would be odd for a non-Englishman to wear a suit of armor at a Renaissance Fair?" then I think you would see a dramatic shift in the answers.

I think the same is probably true if you asked "Do you think it is odd to see non-Japanese wearing traditional Japanese clothing at a summer festival?"... one of the only appropriate situations to wear yukata. You would find many more people saying "No, it's totally fine."
But once again, that's not what was asked.


I'm not a cynic; I just like to play Devil's Advocate once in a while.
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