Got me to thinking about another way to say "hello" in Swedish: "Hejsan!"And "hejsan" (pronounced kind of like "hay-son") has always made me think of Japan and the Japanese tradition of adding "san" to someone's name as a sign of respect.
And that reminds me of a couple of other (generalized) similarities between the two cultures. . .
Such as, both have traditions of removing outdoor shoes before entering someone's home.
Both countries are also known for producing quiet, reserved personalities.
I believe I had at one time noted other similarities, but I must've forgotten them. . .
Aha! Here's a link to a "presentation" of the similarities between the Swedish and Japanese cultures / national identity or mentality. It's based on (or taken directly from-- not sure which) a book I've read before-- Åke Daun's Swedish Mentality.
Note: Swedes may not agree with this calculation of their cultural characteristics. (g)
