I'd wear that T-shirt too. (^o^)　I wouldn't tattoo that though.

Yes, which perfectly explains why I criticize Americans wearing Japanese message T shirts (and tattoos) without knowing the message for sure, but I don't criticize Japanese for the same thing. Our mentality in America is to have a cool message. I have always thought Japanese used foreign languages more for aesthetics than for the message itself. Hence Engrish.

I mean, it's not for want of access to skilled English speakers that the richest pop stars in the country have erroneous English in their songs!

You summed up very accurately the phenomenon.

I have this horrible temptation to print up a t-shirt, "意味が分からん！かっこいいんだろう！" in as flashy a font as I can manage now. I bet it would sell. Especially if it had some random guy doing something outrageous on it.

A strange statement which seems almost inverted if you think about it.

A Japanese person wearing an incorrect English shirt, tattoo, etc would be far more likely to happen upon someone who would recognize the error as would an American with an incorrect Japanese shirt, tattoo, etc.

I bought a tea cup in Kyoto last year that is really neat and has Kanji all over it. I have no idea what it means and to be honest I'm afraid to post it because it might say something stupid and ruin the whole "mystique" of it. lol

lol. I purchased a bunch of shirts in Japan that had "half-right" English. They're a blast.

One is a Beach Shirt with a Sun and Waves and says:
"We keep riding the crest of wave even if there is a very painful thing."

One is a very cool (and great feeling) "racer" type shirt with a dragon/cool logos on the back and on the front:
"Two-wheeled motor vehicle powered by an engine."

They're cool looking shirts with a funny saying on it.

Depends on where in Kyoto you bought it. Tourist area or local area?


I own one that says "Hippopotamus Brother it takes care when playing YEAH THANKS!" and another that says REFLECT BABOON and one for my brother that says "This elephent, do not disturb he is under a meal"

It's a neat cup with a lot of kanji written on it. I am not going to wimp out and ask for a translation and besides I foresee a response like "try to decipher it first before asking us to translate it" and so I will!

lol @ hippopotamus brother. That's hilarious and I'm sure elicits a great response when worn out. I am going back to Japan in just a few weeks and hopefully will snag a few shirts as good as that one. They're great conversation starters in bars.