Posted by Robert Dilley on March 04, 2004 at 04:08:28 from 216.211.5.19 user rdilley.
In Reply to: Re: UK Lit'rary Tourism (Sense of Place) posted by John Lambert on March 04, 2004 at 01:07:16:
It is a cultural phenomenon. Foreign travel is very prestigious in Japan; and the way to prove you have travelled is to come back with pictures of yourself in front of some recognisable foreign object. I have often been asked to take pictures of Japanese couples or families at Niagara Falls, but very rarely by people of other nationalities.
I have read that it is not unknown for Japanese who want to be thought of as having afforded exotic travel to have their pictures taken in front of backdrops of Niagara, the New York City skyline, the Eiffel Tower etc and then hiding out at home for a couple of weeks before announcing their "return" from this exotic trip.
Can any of our Japanese TarBoarders confirm this delightful story; or is it just another urban legend?