Group:__________
Group members: 49980136 蘇詠貞 499c0071 田佩勳
Target Culture: Japan
Interview questions
Background information:
1. What is your name? What is the meaning of your name?
2. Where do you come from?
3. For how long have you stayed in Taiwan?
4. What is your gender?
5. What subject do you study here
My name is Madoka Fujii. The meaning of my first name is “sweet one.” I came from
Japan and I have been staying in Taiwan for 3 years. I am a female. I am majoring in
Math.
a. Where is your country? What natural resources do you have? Who are the people
making up the population?
Japan’s main natural resource is Fish; small amounts of coal, iron, oil, and minerals.
b. What is the staple food in your country? Do you have any special table manners?
What agricultural produce do you have in your country?
The staple food in my country is rice. Japan does have some special table manners.
For example, we usually sit or kneel on the floor to have lunch or dinner. Our main
agricultural products rice, vegetables, sugar beets, eggs, fruit, milk, meat, fish.
c. How is the weather like in your country?
Sapporo, on the northernmost main island, has warm summers and long, cold winters
with heavy snowfall. Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe, in central and western
parts of the largest island of Honshu, experience relatively mild winters with little or
no snowfall and hot, humid summers. Fukuoka, on the island of Kyushu, has a climate
similar to that of Charleston, South Carolina, with mild winters and wet summers.
Okinawa is subtropical.
d. What kinds of clothes do people wear to work or to school? What do people wear at
home? What do people wear to formal events? Do you have any traditional costumes
in your country? When do you wear those traditional costumes?
Mostly students wear uniforms to school in elementary schools, junior high schools,
and high schools; but for working level people and university students, they don’t
have to wear uniforms unless the companies have own uniforms for their employees.
People wear casual clothes at home. We do have some traditional costumes in Japan
such as kimono which would be worn when Temple Fair is on.
e. What are the most famous landmarks, historical sites, tourist attractions, or
architectures tourists must visit?
The most famous landmarks, historical sites and places tourists usually go are 109
department store, Kyoto National Museum, Himeji Castle, Horyuji Temple, Kiyomize
Temple, and Fujii Mountain, etc.
f. What does the typical house look like? Is it expensive to buy a house or an
apartment? When do young people leave home? Do young adults live with their
parents?
The typical house looks like somewhere different than Taiwanese houses. For
example, we don’t usually sit on the chairs when we are having lunch and dinner at
home, or when we are in the living room. We usually sit on the floor. In addition, it is
expensive to buy a house or an apartment in Japan, so people do borrow money from
banks. Young people leave home when they are going to find a job or after they find a
job. Some young adults live with their parents, but some are not. It really depends on
where the workplace is located.
g. How do people get to work?
People get to work by subways such as JR.
h. What is the most popular sport in your country? Do you play it?
The most popular sport in Japan is baseball, but I have never played it before. I am a
watcher instead of a player.
i. Who are the most famous writers in your country? What stories have you read?
Murakami Haruki is the most famous writers in Japan. I have read Norwegian Wood
and A Wild Sheep Chase of his works.
j. Who is the most famous (your favorite) singer in your country? What is his/her
most famous song about?
Hamasaki Ayumi is the most famous singer in Japan and her most famous songs are
(GUILTY).
2. Regarding the items mentioned in question 1, what differences do you find
between your culture and Taiwanese culture?
The traffic tools in Taiwan are very different than Japan. We go to school by subways
but Taiwanese student usually riding motorcycle.
II. Subjective Culture
1. Could you tell us the subjective feature of your culture?
a. Time: Is it important to be punctual? Do people always arrive on time? Is it ok to
arrive late?
Yes, it is very important to be punctual. People always arrive on time when they
have meetings or interviews.
b. Invitation: Is it normal to invite a friend to have dinner at home? Or people meet
in the public places, like restaurants or cafés? Do you need to bring something if
you are invited?
Yes, it is normal to invite friends to have dinner at home; and if I am invited to
have dinner at my friend home, I will bring some food or snacks. But people also
meet in the public places like restaurants and cafes.
c. Greeting: How do people greet each other when they meet? Do you shake hands,
bow, hug, or kiss? What do you say to each other?
People usually shack hands and smile to each other when they meet. We also ask
each other “how have you been” or “how are you” usually.
d. Agreement and disagreement: How do you express agreement or disagreement?
Acceptance or refusal?
In japan we don’t really reject to others and say no directly even if our answer is
“no.” we will use a polite way to express.
e. Directness: Is it polite to be direct? Or do people tend to be indirect?
In our culture, people tend to be more indirect than other countries.
f. Do people use body language a lot? Is it polite to touch someone while speaking?
We do use some body languages but not a lot. And it is impolite to touch someone
while speaking.
g. Are there any taboos foreigners must know before visiting your countries? What
do you think are the underlying reasons of those taboos?
I think foreigners must know that being polite is very important before visiting
Japan. The main underlying reason is that being polite is the first thing we were
taught when we were a child.
2. Regarding the items mentioned in question 2, what differences do you find
between your culture and Taiwanese culture?
My friends in Taiwan are all polite and punctual, so I don’t think about this two
country are very different.
III. 就你自己的經驗，對這個訪談活動有何心得感想:
1. 我覺得這個訪談活動有何優點?
讓我們理解到外國學生的生活型態以及來台留學的各種想法
2. 我學到什麼新的文化知識?
我知道原來他們上下班或上下課基本上都是使用地下鐵或電車，這點就跟台
灣非常不一樣，我們的學生跟上班族通常都是騎機車通勤較多
3. 我學到什麼新的語言或單字?
我發現原來不是所有的建築都可以翻譯成英文，有些還是使用羅馬拼音直接
發音
4. 我在和外籍學生中運用什麼溝通技巧來理解和表達?
基本上都用英文，遇到不會的單字則比手劃腳使他理解
5. 我覺得訪談活動有什麼缺點?
有點麻煩，但過程有趣
6. 我在尋找國際學生訪談的過程是否有任何困難?
要跟她預約時間，找出雙方都合適的時間這點很困難