Japan anyone?

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Out of interest, anyone been to Japan?

I am very interested in Japan. Haven grown up doing martial arts, and haven done a few different styles,
including two or three which are quintessentially Japanese (Aikido, Judo... Trained in Bujinkan a little). I also grew up doing Karate, although I haven't included Karate in the list, firstly because Karate originated in Okinawa and was imported to Japan, but
also the Karate i trained in growing up was more like Cobra Kai i.e. One of the first American Karate Style. Ed Parker Snr's American Kenpo Karate, which is a lot different to Traditional Okinawan Karate styles.

Nonetheless, would be interested to hear about anyone's experiences if they have travelled to Japan.

beware of the chronically unfavorable exchange rate for americans there.

I lived there for 16 years. It is a wonderful country. Not sure what you are looking for as an answer.

I haven't been, but would love to go! I too would like to hear others stories if they've been. Great topic.

I also, did martial arts for a good portion of my life. And any place that has shrines/temples dedicated to dogs is a place I need to visit if I get the chance.

I live and work in Tokyo since 2015, speak (far from perfect) Japanese, and am married to a lovely Japanese woman.

My experience of martial arts extends no further than a few lessons of Jujutsu as a young teenager. I was trying to impress a girl who also took the same class.

I haven't travelled extensively around here. The short vacations are usually used for jetting home to see the family, or somewhere else exciting. A not-exhaustive list would be: Kyushuu (Fukuoka & Oita), Kansai (Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe), Hiroshima, Kanazawa, Karuizawa, and Ibaraki. Popular rumour has it that Japan is great for tourists and less great for residents. Dunno about that. I did some hard years but now everything is fine.

Will happily answer any questions. Jiheisho can likely fill in for the years before me.

I'd like to go there one day.

NHK recently showed a short documentary on the problems foreigners have in obtaining places to live in Japan.  According to the narrator, landlords are prejudiced against foreigners due to their "offensive" customs and the inherent language barrier.  Did you find this to be true?

Hello
Thanks for all your replies. All very interesting.
I am very seriously considering travelling to Japan primarily for training in martial arts but also to learn about the culture.

Although I am aware there are some problems for foreigners wanting to live and work in Japan, especially if they want to be accepted. From my understanding, a foreigner will always be a foreigner, even one that has tried their best to adopt their customs and fit in.

On the plus side however, i have read especially for Asperger Syndrome sufferers. Because Japanese culture and western culture is so different and that to Japanese natives, westerner behaviour is considered foreign or bizarre.
We stick out less than we do in our own countries, well, we stick out no less than any other westerner, as the Japanese see all westerner behaviours as different or alien to their culture.

I would have thought, as most people with Autism Spectrum Disorder tend to be on the polite introverted side of western behaviour, we may actually be considered nice westerners compared to some other westerners who may be more abusive or outrageous.

Interesting to hear one of WP members actually lives in Japan too! Awesome!
I like the idea, although am kind of getting on in age and don't have the best track record when it comes to employment.

You never know though.
Yes, going to train will be a big thrill I think.
Need to do it while i am not too old.

Sure, looks like a really interesting place. I love the Buddhist / Shinto / Toa-ist temples.
And interesting culture.

Sure re temples dedicated to dogs. I also believe they also revere cats too!
A friend of mine, her 17 year old son who also has severe ASD (who is really bright) is obsessed with cats and presently almost lives as a cat. His folks took him to Japan to visit the cat island, which has hundreds of wild cats living on it.
Perhaps he will grow out of the living like a cat thing, alternatively, i suggested she (his mum) could always put him in a very big cat travel box and send him to the island to live, send him food parcels...

Well, I have been living most of my life as an outsiders, so not being accepted as a Japanese in Japan is not problem for me. But not being accepted as a Japanese, does not mean they don't respect you. And yes, the Japanese cannot tell the difference between autism and being American, so it is actually easier to live in Japan than the US.

Living in Japan was one of the best experiences in my life. I was a walking pilgrim on the 88 Sacred Places of Shikoku Pilgrimage, I climbed the Japanese Alps, I learnt a great deal about their religion, and I met my wife there. While expensive, it is a great place to travel and learn.

Naturally, places like Tokyo and Osaka are easier for foreigners to live than a rural place. They have more experience with Westerners. In smaller places I would be asked if I could use chop sticks and they would be nervous about whether I could use a Japanese bath. Experiences of hostility was far and few between. I don't think I have met a person that did not value their experience of living in Japan.

Hi Jiheisho
thanks for sharing your opinion
very interesting

I hear that the Japanese are probably the most polite society on earth.
I really like good manners too. was brought up to be like that.
But perhaps also growing up making sense out of karate.
and tuning into Buddhism / Toa-ism and the nurturing spirit that often is found in good martial artists.

I am really interested in Buddhism. At one point I considered becoming a monk.
Although I think my ASD and other health problems would stop me from being a monk.
As monks have a tough simple life.

I am also really interested in the music scene in Japan.
As I have a background in music / diy producing music.

Some that I believe is big in Japan. Reggae/hip hop instrumental etc.

hello Spunge42
may I ask you what Martial Arts you practiced? If it isn't too personal. Don't answer if you do not want to share.
Thanks

Hi,

I have traveled once to Japan on business, several years ago. I spent several days in a small town about an hour outside of Tokyo, but also managed to check out Tokyo for an entire day too. I felt comfortable and safe while there and was able to make my way around, despite not knowing a single word of Japanese. Everyone was very polite and helpful. I would like to go back again sometime, if I get the chance.

Hi Mike_T
thanks for answering and sharing your experience

sure, i have heard that Tokyo, despite being one of the most populated big cities in the world.
is apparently well known to be one if not the safest big cities in the world.

I know that the Japanese Police are known to be very tough and highly skilled in handling people.
But not necessarily heavy handed.

I guess most the world has a lot to learn from Japan in terms of efficiency.
I hear that their train networks in particular are legendary.

Something anyone who has ever experienced extreme delays on British Rail can appreciate.
I remember when i was a student being forced to travel using British Rail a lot, and in some cases
the trains would be hours late, and other, they simply would not turn up at all.

So, the Japanese network efficiency sounds like a breath of fresh air.
The UK and Japan also have a new trade agreement which hopefully will improve UK - Japanese relationships.

Hopefully the UK will see some cool Japanese imports instead of exports all being one sided.
I am a big Japanese culture fan so would be interested in seeing this trend happen.

Personally, I haven't directly experienced housing discrimination. However, that might be because I haven't put myself in a situation where it was a clear risk. My brother-in-law acted as a guarantor when we moved into our current apartment, and it is possible the real estate agent had already removed the landlords that were not allowing foreign residents from the selection I was presented with. Impossible to know now.
I'm happy where I live and with my landlord. Never received a complaint or unfair notice so far. But, again, the fact that I have my wife by my side is akin to having a minor insurance against discrimination. Before we moved together, I was moving between sharehouses catering directly to foreigners, and Airbnb.

While that is my personal story, the government published its first-ever nationwide survey on the issue a few years ago. Here's a link to the housing part. As you can see, about 40% of the respondents had experienced some kind of discrimination.

https://resources.realestate.co.jp/livi ... ce-survey/


I think there are some landlords who would decline to rent to foreigners for these reasons, but the issue is complicated. One factor is that most foreigners here are from other Asian countries, and the relationship between these countries is troublesome. Lots of it goes back to the war, but even more even further so. Generally, Chinese, Koreans and Japanese are cordially polite to each other ... at best. A Western foreigner, who is less common, is generally seen in a more neutral light, and thus prejudice is a tad less widespread.
One concern from landlords has to do with behaviour. There are a lot of written and unwritten rules in this society, so landlords worry or just assume that foreigners can't follow them, and thus leave the apartment in a worse condition, or create a "nuisance" to the neighbours. Although often petty, some of it is true. Some worse foreigners are keen on using the "gaijin card" to get out of trouble, even if it's just because they're too lazy to figure out the garbage recycling schedule.


Very broadly speaking, this has some truth to it. The aggressive, extrovert go-getter generally score 0 points here, and if they're not nice to people, -99. Another facet is that foreigners are generally assumed to not be able to "read the air" (common name for picking up subtle, unspoken hints and body language). Since the very popular definition of people with ASD in Japan is the inability to "read the air", they have a hard time spotting the difference between foreigners with or without ASD.
Some ASD behaviour is also seen in a positive light, such as being serious and hard-working, following rules, keeping quiet in public transport, and following routine. I take the same carriage of the same train at the same time every morning, and haven't taken a sick day since 2019. The boss likes that kind of stuff, makes you seem reliable.


Sounds great, would love to do both. Climbing Mt. Fuji is definitely on my bucket list.


Well, it definitely is polite ... but don't confuse politeness for friendliness. Being polite is kind of a duty here, especially in business. It takes a long time and a lot of unwavering commitment to gain friendships and trust here.


Safest big city, but it is also considered one of the unsafest cities in Japan by the Japanese themselves. Still, by international standards, very safe. Never had anything stolen, but once had a mobile phone returned to me after I left it on the bus.


You definitely don't want to get interrogated by the police here. If you're apprehended, you're all but convicted already. The police generally don't arrest someone until they've either built a case solid enough to be a guaranteed conviction, or they know a way to get you to confess. Never had any trouble with them, not even stopped on the street to check my residence card. But again, that might be because I'm often out and about with Japanese people, so, again, a kind of insurance.


Trains are wonderful and very punctual as a whole. Regular office work is not very efficient though, that's one of the reasons for the long working hours. It's a culture that celebrates sweat rather than efficiency.

Haven't been, but I really wanna go. For a few years now I've had it on my things-to-do-before-I-turn-30 -list. I turned 26 in December. I plan to eventually take one of those few week language courses in Tokyo since I've also been studying the language and this way I'd have other people to go to places with there. I mean, I'd be perfectly happy on my own, but I get lost easily. I had planned to go at the age of 27, but I think that'll be pushed back a little due to Covid since I want to get a bit more experience on traveling on my own a bit closer to home before I go to Japan.

I'd love to see Osaka, Kyoto and Hiroshima too, eventually. Actually, I'd be happy with getting to anywhere in Japan, but those are the go to -places that come to mind along with Tokyo.

BTW, isn't this in the wrong section of the forum?