In few weeks here, I have been trying everyday to encounter the culture of Japan in as many ways as I can. This blogpost has been in the works for a while as every time I think I am ready to post, I speak with some more people and modify a bit more. While I can make any number of generalizations, even within the city of Tokyo, perceptions, standards, and even clothing has such a wide array of diversity for such a homogenous country.
To speak of my own preconceptions of Japan, I had done months of reading and watching content about Japan in preparation to be here. Some of the expectations I had was that people would be very quiet and reserved compared to what I am used to. Seeing as Japan is around 98% ethnically Japanese, I thought that I would receive stares or otherwise.
While it may be true that, on average, the Japanese people I have encountered are less rowdy than many Americans that I know, one trip to Shinjuku, Roppongi, or Harajuku will quickly make you realize that the stereotype of the quiet, reserved, and overly serious Japanese person definitely is not the rule. On my first night in Japan, I went to an underground rock club with live performers, and the entire audience was up on their feet dancing, clapping, and singing along to Wham’s “Wake me up before you go-go” near Roppongi. In Harajuku, I saw all different types of crazy clothes, blasting pop music, along with trendy shops and bakeries. In Shinjuku, I was accosted by promoters for lively (but sketchy) clubs and bars. In Nakano, a friendly stranger leaned over to me in the izakaya and started chatting with me, and we ended up seeing a jazz performance together and split a platter of food. In my time so far, I have come to understand that these stereotypes fail to recognize the diversity of people that you will come across and people of all types of interests, professions, and dispositions can be found anywhere.
Stereotypes about Americans
Now recently, I have also asked some of the people around me about their perspectives on Americans. I have talked to a few strangers and friends, and I have many coworkers with whom I can ask their thoughts. These coworkers work at an American company’s Japan office, so they all can speak at least a bit of English, and the majority are extremely proficient and have even spent time abroad.
When asked what their thoughts were on how they would describe the typical American, I got many similar answers. Among one group I had asked, the answer was that Americans were generally loud, decently unhealthy in their drinking and food, were polite, enjoyed partying, and were often large, whether it be in height, muscles, or fat.
I asked a Japanese friend of mine, and he said that they were loud, overweight, but generally kind people. I also asked a few strangers in addition, and I received much the same. One group I had spoken with for a while actually described Americans as conscientious and more accommodating than the other Japanese people they knew, which surprised me.
About America as a whole, a typical theme I heard is that America makes a lot of movies and popular music, is huge geographically, and has had a significant impact on the world. I have heard the term “occupiers” used once or twice, specifically referring to the military presence in Okinawa and around Yokohama.
I have heard a wide array of opinions and stereotypes about Americans and America, but they have been generally pretty positive as a whole. The people I have met have been very accommodating, and I can only mention a handful of times where I can say otherwise. Like I stated before, I have received stares, and I have been to restaurants that have signs outside that state that if you cannot speak Japanese, then you probably should not enter, but these are so far and few between I cannot call it the norm. I have found that when you are sitting at the counter in a hole-in-the-wall izakaya and chatting with some locals, you will find some of the most genuinely interested and talkative people around, and I am always looking for an opportunity to practice speaking Japanese.
Recent Activity
This post is already long, so I will keep it short. Since the last post, I have done a lot more sightseeing and traveling. For example, one day, I hopped on the train and went to Kamakura, a small town by the ocean that used to be the nation’s capital many centuries ago. There, you will find an 11 meter tall, bronze statue of Buddha from the 1200s. There are many beautiful temples and shrines. Just a few minutes away on train is the island of Enoshima, which can be reached by bridge. More beautiful shrines, great views of the ocean and Mt. Fuji, and a sacred cave system are some of the highlights. Another day, I went to one of the most famous areas of Tokyo, Asakusa. I saw Tokyo’s oldest temple, Senso-ji, walked around the Ueno Park, and went up the Tokyo Skytree, one of the tallest towers in the world. And of course, everyday I have been seeing more and more of Tokyo, which I will likely explain more about in my following posts.
