Do I know nothing about Japan?

What exactly was it you were left wondering in the end? I don't mean to imply that there's anything I'd be able to say about it that would somehow resolve it, but I'm curious as to how you were left feeling confused.

why do malta and creta kano suddenly disappear in the middle of the book, never to return? and to be replaced immediately by cinnamon and nutmeg?

what is so terribly evil about noboru wataya? what does he represent? what did he do to kumiko?

why the two little chapters about an eleven year old boy watching the men in his backyard? that's cinnamon, right? why isn't that resolved?

i dunno dude [that part isn't really germaine]

Help! I need to send an email to a Japanese chap called Sh1g3k1 M1y4j1m4. Do I address him as Sh1g3k1-san or M1y4j1m4-san?

He called me Lucy-san, which was very nice of him.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2271.html : The Japanese commonly address each other by last name.

(section: Titles)

er... "In Japan, like in China and Korea, the first name follows the family name." - does this mean his first name is M1y4j1m4?

just tell him that you don't know how you should address him and ask him to explain?

i got a letter from a japanese assoc that said 'dear lastname-san'. usually when this guy signs his name it is 'firstname lastname' though i don't know if that is because he is writing in english?

korean dude, however, always has name written out as LAST NAME, first name.

Agh, furreners. I think I'll call him M1y4j1m4-san and put in brackets that I hope I've got it right.

Whenever I have to correspond with any Japanese contacts I find they usually go for English naming conventions in correspondence with English speakers so I would just say "Hello Sh1g3k1" and not even bother with the -san stuff (I haven't found any Japanese people using that term in correspondence in ze English anyway)

the Japanese always follow English naming conventions in English, yeah (the Chinese, however, don't). I kind of think it's a little pedantic to use -san when conversing in English, but I am not Japanese so that's just a personal opinion.

Yeah, but I've noticed a lot of English speakers in Japan doing it. I thought I'd do the same, as I'd have know qualms about starting an email with "Ciao Mario" or "Bonjour Sylvie".

He's not going to be offended either way, but I have a vested interest in keeping him sweet so a little extra effort will be noticed.

shigeki is his first name

therefore

there are dinosaurs?

I avoid doing this. I would never say Dear Monsieur blabla. I think it sounds cutesy and just...well... wrong.

Nathalie-chan ist in Nihon BTW.

*waves*

*stops waving*

address him as Miyajima-san until he gives you an indication to address him otherwise.

He was being personable and polite at the same time.

How did he sign off his email? What's your relationship?

listen to herr shasta. he knows what he's talking about.

it depends on your relationship to him. I always think of it like this: if he is close enough to you for you to say "fuck" to him, no need to be polite. so call him Shigeki-san. If you wouldn't, call him Miyajima-san

i have heard it's patronizing to add the san (in english).

maybe some people might take it that way - probably depends on how good their English is or whether they are in Japan? it does get over that weird hump of calling someone by just their first name or - even worse - just last name when you don't know them that well.

and i really don't like calling people "Mr Suzuki" now we're all out of high school.