In August of 2023 I was driven around the countryside of Kagawa prefecture Japan. I was being taken to schools to introduce myself before I started work there in September. As I met the head teachers of these schools, one thing kept coming up in conversation.
Three of the five head teachers, and another teacher, commented on my appearance. Saying that I looked like either a) John Lennon or b) George Harrison. One of those two Beatles. My hair was brown & long, and thinking back, I believe I had a moustache too. They may have simply made the comparison because I was from the UK and they wanted share their interests, namely music.
The head teachers who made this observation on my resemblance to half of the Beatles were all men of middle age. Honestly, it was nice to hear. I am a fan of the group. I realise that sounds obvious, like saying I like The Godfather or something. My dad would occasionally tell me that I looked like George, even going so far as saying to Philip Norman, writer of many Beatles books, that I looked like the artist. Very kindly Norman went along with my dad's enthusiasm saying I have similar cheekbones or face structure or something - I can't remember the specifics now. I'm sure he's had many fathers say similar things to him about their sons.
Anyway this Beatles talk didn't continue so much after my introductions at these schools. I did not interact with the head teachers so much since some of them were not confident speaking English and they often stayed in their own office rather than the teachers' room.
On my last day at one of the schools, the headmaster there brought it up again. He expressed his love of British rock music. It was lovely to hear. Good to see Britain's soft power at work. Though I fear that the biggest interest in British culture is confined mostly to Japanese men over 40 and their love of music. What do younger generations think?
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