Let Me Be the One: Philippines vs. Japan

Wazzup Pilipinas!

If I were to ask you to choose between JAPAN and the PHILIPPINES, which country would you choose?

Your homeland? or the country you've been adoring ever since?

It's like you're choosing between the person you love because it's where your heart belongs and the person that loves you because you've been with that person for a long time.

Well, this question is related to the topic of this article that I will discuss later on. It's about the difference between the culture of both countries I mentioned earlier.

So what party would you choose? Is it the team Philippines or the team Japan? Cast your votes on the comment box after reading the article :)

Let's start..

First stop, GREETINGS.

Japanese people tend to greet with words accompanied by a bow, rarely a handshake. They also greet each other with these "honorifics" such as kun, sama, chan, san, etc. They address/call each other by last names unless they're close to that person.

image source: http://www.luxury.com.sg/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/bow.jpg

Now let's go to the Filipino way of greeting. Unlike the Japanese, Filipinos do not greet people with a bow. Most of the time, we just smile or wave to people that we meet. Sometimes, we also hug our friends and even kiss them on the cheeks or just beso-beso (cheek to cheek kiss). Aside from beso-beso, we also bless (pagmamano) to the elder ones. In addressing each other, we use our first name or even nicknames but in formal conversation, we add Ms., Mr. and Mrs. to the name of the person we greet accompanied by a handshake.

image sources: http://raine0211.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/cheek-kiss-1.jpg
http://img.ehowcdn.com/article-new/ehow/images/a08/23/5e/greet-people-tagalog-800x800.jpg

image source: http://www.veryinternational.net/verym/wp-content/uploads//2011/11/mano-actual.jpg

Next, EATING

I know that each one of us loves food. right?

But before discussing the difference between the eating habits of the two countries, let me show you first the utensils used by the Japanese and Filipinos in eating.

image source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chopstick.png

This is the utensil used by Japanese in eating, chopsticks. Chopsticks are short, frequently tapered sticks used in pairs of equal length usually made of wood, bamboo, plastic or metal.

image source: http://maarc.hu/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/ez%C3%BCst.jpg

The Filipinos like the other southeast asian people, uses spoon and fork in eating because we practiced using this ever since that's why it's easier for us to use it.

Let's proceed.

Like in the Philippines, Japan also consider rice as their staple food. Based from what I've observed, most of their meals have a lot of rice BUT did you know that Japanese people only eat until they're 80% full? Unlike us Filipinos that stuff ourselves so much because we want to eat every single dish presented to us. 

Speaking of presentation, Japanese people focus more on the appearance of their dishes. Everything looks attractive and mouth-watering but don't be deceived by the looks because for me, Filipino delicacies are much more delicious than the Japanese cuisine though I admit that their diet is much healthier than ours. 

image source:
 http://www.uncgcompanion.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DSC_0268e.jpg

image source: http://s1.hubimg.com/u/2542840_f496.jpg

Since I've already discussed the eating habits of the two countries, Let us now go to our next topic, DATING

There are differences between the point of view of Japanese people and Filipino people when it comes to dating with their love ones. 

First, the events.  Filipino and Japanese people both celebrates "Valentine's day" every 14th of the month February but the difference is that in Japan, girls are the one giving chocolates to the people they like while in the Philippines it's the opposite. Japan has another celebration which is the White day. White day is an event celebrated every March 14 wherein the men gives gift to those women that gave them something last valentine's day. 

Credits to the owner

image source: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3283/3137183006_2e9f16ca0a.jpg

Next, During Christmas and New Year, Filipino couples will visit the families of each other and eat with them,

image source: http://www.gojapango.com/culture/asakusa_temple_tu.jpg

While the Japanese couples celebrate it within themselves by visiting their shrines. 

Another, Japanese people date by group. They bring their love ones to amusement parks and the expenses for the date are equally distributed within the boys and girls.

image source: http://www.gojapango.com/japan_picture/albums/upload/osaka/universal_city/normal_IMG_2110.JPG

Unlike them, Filipinos date with their partner alone. Sometimes, double date. Couples usually date at malls and watch movies. All expenses are paid by the man.

image source: http://www.whereinmanila.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/SM-Mall-of-Asia.jpg

Finished with the greetings, food, eating habits, some events and dating difference between Japan and Philippines. Now, let us proceed to our last topic, MARRIAGE

Actually, Filipinos and Japanese people doesn't really have so much difference when it comes to marriage. It's just that they have their own versions.

credits to the owner

credits to the owner

In the Philippines, the bride wears a white gown while in Japan, the bride wears a kimono. The Filipino groom wears a barong tagalog or americana while the Japanese groom wears a hakama. 

Another, the wedding in the Philippines takes place in a church held by the catholic priest while in Japan it's in shrines and it's held by a shinto priest. Nevertheless, marriage is still a ceremony in which couples are considered as one in mind, soul and heart.

Before I end this article,I want to admit something. I know that I'm a little bias because I am a Filipino but I know that I've given justice to the culture of the Japanese people.

So now, which country captured your HEART? 

Who's the ONE?

Cast your votes in the comment box :)

Thanks for reading! xoxo

Contributed by: Shane Catherine G. Lopez