Japanese who don't know about Japan

When I was in Canada, I had many chances to appeal Japan. However, I couldn't talk about Japan although I am Japanese. Other countries people often wanted to know details. For example, I asked about "samurai" and "ninja". Of course I know them, but I couldn't explain them including historical problems. Even if I know it, I don't have enough skill and vocabularies to tell it. Sometimes, I asked my opinion, not knowledge, like "What do you think about Ainu?"

I feel Japanese people don't know about Japan. We try to study about other countries because of "internationalization" which is really important polity nowadays. What is "internationalization"? If we just can speak English very well, can we be an international person? I don't think so. Of course, it is important to know other countries and bring them in to our business. However, we might lose our identities as Japanese if we don't see ourselves at all. Japan also has great cultures and technologies which we have to keep in the future. In fact, one of great minority group and their culture, Ainu, is losing now. However, we don't have any education about them in the school at all. Maybe most people don't know what is happening to them at all. I doubt that it is good.

I think we have to learn about Japan more, to keep our cultures and identities and to let other countries people know about Japan more.