Konnichiwa, world travelers! Get ready for an adventure into life of an ordinary guy in Japan, where the ink of tradition blends seamlessly with the vibrant hues of the modern age. Today we’re dipping our toe into what it’s like to be a foreigner.
Living in “The Island Country”
Life in Japan! A glorious blend of cherry blossoms, skyscrapers, and rustic ramen shops. Japan, with its ancient temples sandwiched between the sleek silhouettes of high-rises, is a fantastic blend of serene beauty and everyday chaos. It’s something that has to be experienced to be understood.
And the people, oh, the people! Politeness is their superpower, and they wield it like seasoned samurais. Shop clerks will flash a smile and assist you before you even finish blinking. Lost? Not to worry! Good Samaritans are like stars in the Tokyo night, guiding you to your destination with a friendly nod and a few helpful words (sometimes even in English!).
If you’re not a local, you are, and you forever shall be, a gaijin.
Life as a “Gaijin”
But, (there’s always a but) there is a twist in the Land of the Rising Sun. If you’re not a local, you are, and you forever shall be, a gaijin. Gaijin literally means, “outside person.” It’s short for the word “gaikokujin” which means “outside country person”, but really just means “foreigner.” And while in American people are generally grouped into where their family descended from, Japan pretty much just has two groups: Japanese and foreigners. And no matter if you’ve been here 10 hours or 10 years, children will stare at you on the train, people will assume you can’t speak Japanese, and you will be a gaijin.
It’s not always as bad as it sounds. Some folks will welcome you with open arms, excited to practice their English with a living, breathing gaijin. It’s like you’re a celebrity and will sometimes be treated like one. But others might do the opposite. I don’t know how many times I’ve been greeted with a blank stare, even when I’m speaking Japanese to someone. It’s as if I’m some complex kanji they can’t quite decipher. While it’s not usually overt racism at the core of this issue, most of the time, people don’t have any experience dealing with someone non-Japanese and freeze up.
All Systems (No) Go
There’s another big hitch with being a gaijin: the systems in Japan aren’t exactly rolling out the red carpet for us non-Japanese folks. Laws and regulations? Sure, they exist, but sometimes it feels like they were penned in an alternate universe where people who aren’t Japanese don’t exist.
Take IDs, for example. For Japanese people, middle names are as rare as a phoenix sighting (aka they don’t exist). But, lo and behold, I’m forced to parade mine around in a bizarre fusion of my first and middle name. In some systems my first and middle name must be used as a single word as a first name. My name is NOT Darrylrobert.
And credit cards? Brace yourself for this rollercoaster. Since my name is in good ol’ English, some websites and places out right reject it because they exclusively use Japanese (hiragana, to be precise). It’s like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole – entertaining for onlookers, but a tad frustrating for yours truly.
And don’t even get me started on banking in Japan. The use of hanko (“family name stamps”) as signatures, which can be bought at 100 yen shops, is somehow seen as more secure than a personal signature (which banks are then extreme sticklers about). So we won’t even go there.
Alone Together
And while we aren’t going to just focus on the negatives, there’s one more hurdle in the road to Japan: friends. Making pals in Japan is like crafting a delicate origami crane – beautiful but sometimes a bit fragile.
Sure, I’ve managed to weave some solid connections with locals. But, and here’s the plot twist, many friendships start fading like the sun after happy hour. Why, you ask? Well, as the novelty of practicing English wears off, so does the interest in keeping the conversation flowing. Or sometimes it’s the shoe on the other foot — because my Japanese is rather limited, friendships usually can’t progress very far. Basically it comes down to: it’s not as easy to communicate as with a normal friend, and when push comes to shove, those friendships fall by the wayside.
And it’s not just with the locals. Fellow foreigners often swoop into Japan like shooting stars – bright, exciting, but gone too soon. A revolving door of people coming and going, turn friendships into fleeting moments. Those buddies you bonded with at work or the expat meet-ups? They tend to flutter away with the changing seasons, leaving you with a mix of memories and a touch of nostalgia.
The Bright Side of Gaijin Life
I’ve developed a newfound appreciation (well, maybe not so new since I found it two decades) for the challenges immigrants face not just in America, but all over the world. ‘Cuz now I’m the immigrant! And what I’ve realized from being on both sides of the coin – people are just trying their best to navigate the waters in a place they want to live. A little kindness would make everyone’s life so much better.
But enough of the negatives. Because, sure, there are those extra stresses that make life here a unique adventure, but at the core, life in Japan is your typical ride through life – work, groceries, dental check-ups, and buying socks.
And while life here is just like life everywhere, I find many systems in Japan much better than in the States. First off, public transportation – it’s like teleporting, minus the sci-fi effects. It’s so efficient, always on time, super safe and you can get (almost) anywhere you need to go on it. In Los Angeles, I used to be a road warrior, but here, I haven’t touched a steering wheel in two decades! On top of that, riding the train can be a peaceful contemplative meditation, a headbanging 30 minutes with some tunes, or a romp with some Angry Birds.
Another perk to Japan? Japan’s got ‘safety’ down pat. No random violence, no gun drama, it’s a place you can lose your wallet and actually have a chance of getting it back. It’s a place where you can forget your umbrella somewhere and it’ll still be there, days, even weeks later.
Japan is also a place where courtesy and respect aren’t endangered species. You’ll witness a ‘yankee’ (it means ‘punk’) standing up to offer his seat to an old lady on the train. Cue the heartwarming soundtrack!
Despite the occasional gripe or two, I’m still in Japan. 20 years later. That’s got to say something. Because after all those years, I wholeheartedly recommend that everyone, and I mean everyone, pack their bags and experience the magic of Japan.
Sure, there are bumps in the road, but trust me, the positives far outweigh the negatives. And, my dear readers, fear not because I’m gearing up to spill all the beans – the good, the bad, and the utterly quirky – in upcoming episodes. The life of a gaijin, with all its quirks and charms, is a tale worth telling!
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*I don’t use AI for my artwork. These filler images are just for fun and aren’t meant to represent my art so they have been labeled “AI GENERATED.” I want my blog to be enjoyable for you but I don’t have 2-6 hours to draw each image (this blog is done in my free time). If you’re against AI in art, please direct your criticism elsewhere (maybe someone trying to pass off AI generated images as their art). I am not doing that.
Fun, interesting and informative — I’ll be back for more!