Hello from Venice CA, and I'm from Tokyo Japan!

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Indietee

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3 Jul 2007

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• 4 Jul 2007

• #1

Hello!
I am just ordinary Japanese guy working in Vencie CA.
I am running webshopsite called IndieTee.There are so many great artist's designed Teeshirts ( of course, some Japanese designer!!).
Also, we are runninng website magazine called "Abbot Kinney"
it is showing american hot culture to Japanese people.
I would like to share what is hot in Japan, and what Non-japanese people think about Japanese fashion through this forum.
If you have question me regarding both Japanese fashion and LA fashion, I will answer it! Please feel free to ask me anything!

 

Last edited: 4 Jul 2007

frostyg02uk

先輩

28 Jun 2007

711

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• 4 Jul 2007

• #2

Why do many of the Japanese products have english on them that doesnt make sense? When this little girl was asking me what her shirt meant i didnt know what to tell her lol

 

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Indietee

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3 Jul 2007

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• 4 Jul 2007

• Thread starter
• #3

I think they use translator from internet, which sometimes translate English to Japanese that doesn't make sense. There are so many expressins which is hard to translate because English and Japanese are totaly different!

I think this is applyed to people who have tatoo in Kanji which doesn't make sense.


Is this good answer?

 

frostyg02uk

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28 Jun 2007

711

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• 4 Jul 2007

• #4

I agree haha especially on tatoos. Also i noticed that some online translations make NO sense even from english to Japanese. But i just wonder why dont they pay someone a small amount to make a sentence im sure an english teacher in Japan would make one for a small fee. Or if your company knew an english speak even on a intermediate stage that would help too. I think that both westerners and Japanese buy products without they dont understand but it still looks cool.

Another design that confuses me and is very popular in the UK or at least manchester is the T shirt that says Kyoto university or sometimes american ones too like Boston. I just wonder how they sell so well considering the people that wear them havnt even been to Kyoto never mind attended the uni lol. Of course the designers will make what sells so maybe its the consumer that i dont understand.

 

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Indietee

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3 Jul 2007

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• 4 Jul 2007

• Thread starter
• #5

I had English teacher in school in Japan, but they couldn't understand English.
I think many of English teachers in Japan cannot understand Japanese.

Well, I have been in LA almost for five years, so I can communicate with people here, but smotimes i need people who can fix my written English.

We also have clothing store in LA, and are selling imported Japanse brand, many of which has Kanji character like " Sake ", "kyoto". American people and Europian tourist seem to like those T-shirts. Even I explain to them what it means, they glad to buy them. I think most of people consider Kanji is very cool.

 

frostyg02uk

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28 Jun 2007

711

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• 4 Jul 2007

• #6

Yes i think Gaijins think that kanji is very cool just like Japanese people find english writing cool.
Do you ever design your own shirts? what kind of designs do you look making?

 

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Indietee

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3 Jul 2007

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• 4 Jul 2007

• Thread starter
• #7

I do not design myself, but have many great artists from USA and JAPAN design T-shirts for us. Please check my profile and go to our website!

You can question me anything at anytime!

 

roninjapan

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4 Jul 2007

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• 4 Jul 2007

• #8

Welcome

Hi..i am new here too..but anyway..welcome.
i always laughing with Japanese tshirts and english phrases that sometimes are really ofensive.the girls sometimes have no idea what is on their tshirts and that its fun.

 

Last edited: 4 Jul 2007

I

Indietee

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3 Jul 2007

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• 4 Jul 2007

• Thread starter
• #9

Hello, Thank you for messsage!
I saw in LA that guy wears T-shirts saying " 日本人の彼女 募集中 ( I wanna have japanese girlfriend )" Is it funny?

 

frostyg02uk

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28 Jun 2007

711

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• 4 Jul 2007

• #10

LOl thats funny yeah. haha
I remember seeing a photo with a young Japanese boy wearing a shirt that said "F uck" i wondered if that boys parents knew what he was wearing.

 

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Indietee

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3 Jul 2007

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• 4 Jul 2007

• Thread starter
• #11

We have sold hoodie saying 豊天高校卓球部 （Buden High School Ping-Pong Club). That hoodie was sold very well!

 

frostyg02uk

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28 Jun 2007

711

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• 4 Jul 2007

• #12

Hahahaha uso? I want one for my University or maybe Kouchi City. Even though that writing on its own looks cool i dont think that the meaning is too cool haha. I dont understand why people buy them without thinking of the meaning.

 

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Indietee

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3 Jul 2007

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• 4 Jul 2007

• Thread starter
• #13

I agree with you. In my opinion, People in Japan don't care what it says on T-shirts, but American people do care what it says on shirts. American people tend to look at T-shirts and read what it says when I wear message T-shirts,
but Japanese don't.

 

frostyg02uk

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28 Jun 2007

711

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• 4 Jul 2007

• #14

thats true. sometimes when i pass people in the street i try to read the messages on their shirts. Recently big designors use these kind of shirts too. Do you know FCUK? (french connection uk) I remember they made a shirt that said "possibly the best FCUK ever".
But i think its easier to read English then for us to read Japanese. so even if that writing says "love" then japanese people can understand even a little but if a shirt says 微笑 then we cant even try to understand it unless of course that person knows good Japanese.

 

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Indietee

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3 Jul 2007

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• 4 Jul 2007

• Thread starter
• #15

Yeah, I know FCUK! Everybody think "****" at the first sight.
I thought it's great marketing idea to be paid attention by many people!

 

frostyg02uk

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28 Jun 2007

711

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• 4 Jul 2007

• #16

Haha when i seen it i thought so too! My friend had that shirt so when i read it i was shocked but the next week many people in my college was wearing that or another kind of FCUK shirt. they use words to make it sound bad to get your attention. i agree its a good seller and marketing idea.