Japan: Retrospective into Identity

I think a large part of a person’s success in creative endeavours such as music or the arts stems from their identity. More than anything — skills or talents — identity is the single most defining factor that differentiates a good piece from a mediocre one. The creator is a culmination of their experiences, their failings, flaws, and fears as well as their successes, strengths, and stoutness. And most importantly, their cultural influences.

To be frank, I’ve never properly sat down and ruminated my cultural identity. As a so-called Japanese living in a multi-cultural country of Canada and United States for a majority of my life, I don’t have the gall to call myself a Japanese (as my trip to Japan has shown me). I can’t say I’m a Canadian or American either, which leaves me with a question: Who am I, and how does that influence me as a creator? As a person?

Well first off, I’m not really attached to any land or heritage, traditions, religions, or a singular dogma or anything like that. I don’t think I was ever raised with any of those as a main factor to my upbringing. I didn’t really have any opinions on any one subject, I chose to sit on the fence and hesitated to make any decisions that would have long-term consequences. This turned out to be a rotten model for what I were to become. If there were some sort of intervention back then, perhaps I wouldn’t be in a position where I would have to mull over every single detail and weigh all the differences in making a choice. Yes, yes. I am not a confident person. The more I look into it, it’s come clear that there are no specific solutions. I have to accept that I am not and probably will never be a confident individual. Despite this crucial flaw, I still have to function. Now, I have to shift my focus from becoming confident to function to function despite not being confident.

But I've digressed. What I was getting at was that I'm not going to focus on something I don't have and fruitlessly chase after it. Instead, I'm going to accept my shortcomings and work something around it. This is pretty much the same approach I'm going to take with my lack of cultural heritage.