Creteil becomes “Kureteiyu”, La Defense becoming “Ra Defanssu”… The fascination of those who idealize everything that comes from Japan is strongly mocked on social networks.
With the “effect Japan”, Generation Z turns in derision on social networks the trend of idealizing ordinary places by giving them a Japanese twist. On platforms like TikTok or X, posts present two almost identical images, but one has a Japanese-sounding name, an anime music, and some cherry blossoms… making a suburban city near Paris or the famous French business district more attractive, according to trend experts.
“The goal is to mock the ‘kawaii’ (cute) effect from Japan on the internet, with its stereotypes and clichés,” explains 25-year-old YouTuber Rocky Louzembi. The global fascination with Japanese pop culture has been encouraged for over a decade by the Japanese government’s “Cool Japan” strategy, fueled by manga, anime, gastronomy, and fashion.
To criticize this craze, some internet users use the term “Japan glazers”, originating from English “glazing”, referring to an excessively admired love for Japan. A Japan glazer is “someone who puts everything that comes from Japan on a pedestal while disregarding their own country,” explains Rocky Louzembi, who specializes in analyzing internet culture.
France especially enjoys this culture: in 2025, it was the second-largest consumer of manga globally after Japan, according to market analysis firm Statista. This interest has led many to travel: Japan welcomed a record number of 42.7 million visitors last year. According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, 389,000 French tourists visited the country in 2024, a record since 1992.
But this fascination comes with a disconnect from reality. “The Japan depicted in anime is often very different from Japanese society,” says Marika Sato, a 29-year-old marketing professional in Tokyo.
The phenomenon reaches travelers from all over the world. In Russia, it is very popular to excessively praise Japan. However, some visitors view the country with a very simplistic and stereotypical perspective, ignoring discrimination and inequalities. Part of Generation Z openly mocks these “Japan glazers,” but for many visitors, the fascination remains. “Japan is a culturally unique place,” says American Tessa Mason, 32.
*Context: The article discusses the trend of idealizing Japanese culture, known as the “effect Japan,” where ordinary places are transformed into Japanese-themed locations, and the phenomenon of “Japan glazers” who excessively admire Japanese culture while disregarding their own.
*Fact Check: The content talks about the popularity of Japanese culture globally and how some individuals criticize the excessive admiration for Japan, pointing out the stereotypes and disconnect from reality that can come with idealizing a culture.
