Well, I've gotten more questions than expected! It's nice to see people are genuinely curious about Japan!
N7KnightSabre said:
N7KnightSabre said:
Would being a tall woman in Japan be difficult?
"You're going to stand A LOT. People will want to gawk at you. Japanese men seem to favor petite girls, so they might see a really tall woman as intimidating. Which might result in guys with a masochistic fetish finding you appealing unfortunately
"
Thanks for the reply! This info is a bit... ugh.
It certainly seems to be not a favorable outcome for me if I was going there for romance. I think I'd stick out too much.
Not saying you wouldn't be able to find love, there's got to be some Japanese guys who are into tall women like some Western men are. But it seems overall the most popular type of girl is quite petite. Like I said though, a number of Japanese guys seems to find white women alluring, so maybe the guys who are into this but not really tall girls might be okay with overlooking the fact you're tall if you're also white?
N7KnightSabre said:
I was also curious how they found western games. Particularly Bioware games or something like Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines. Western RPGs were you are given a lot of choice. I've heard they don't really care for them. They prefer games with a set protagonist and story?
I've seen Mass Effect in used game stores before, so SOMEONE must by buying them! I'm getting 79 results when I search for "マスエフェクト" ("Mass Effect") on Yahoo Auctions, so that might give you a better idea. Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines is a PC title unfortunately. PC gaming is SUPER niche in Japan, unless it's a porno game. I think yeah, a lot of Japanese gamers seem to prefer Japanese-style games with a set protagonist. But there are a few who like Western RPGs like Skyrim.
sageoftruth said:
How has the general attitude towards China been recently, particularly regarding their new ruler, Xi Jinping?
I haven't really heard much about it personally. Again, Japanese people don't like to discuss uncomfortable issues. I imagine the the tensions between the two countries probably haven't changed much sadly. I suspect the average person doesn't really care though!
tm96 said:
1) How is the weather?
2)What has been your favourite food so far?
3) Hows the public transport?
4) How do the Japanese view Africa?
1) This is one thing I really like about Japan: the distinct seasons! In Australia, the only difference between the seasons is the temperature changes, everything looks the same. In Japan, not only are the seasons visually different, but there's something special associated with it. Like sakura in spring or hydrangeas during the summer rainy season. Being a tropical country, Japan is prone to sudden rainfall and high humidity and the winters are a bit colder than Australia (and it snows!)
2) There's so much! I like the supermarket boxed lunches though, and they usually get discounted at the end of the day, so there's a way to get some cheap dinner!
3) Like I said previously, Japan's train system is the best in the world. I haven't used the buses much, but I know they're available. Train just seems to be easier to me.
4) I suspect the average Japanese person doesn't know a whole lot about real Africa. Their image is probably men in grass skirts throwing spears at gazelles
The Almighty Aardvark said:
1) I've been told that in Japan a lot of things we'd consider superstitions are almost unanimously regarded as true in Japan. Notably a lot of traditions regarding luck. I've also heard that a lot of spiritual or religious beliefs are also like this. Is this at all true?
2) Do you have any idea what feminism like in Japan? I've heard the same that Fox12 did about career women avoiding marriage because they're expected to settle down afterwards, as well when one of my professors visited Japan he was doing the dishes when company was around and everyone was absolutely shocked and assumed that he must have done something to anger his wife. Namely I'm curious about what the general opinion is of it, and if there's any sort of actions being done in it.
1) Depends on the person. Japan does have things like blood type fortune-telling and things like the number 4 being seen as unlucky, but I don't think the average Japanese person takes this too seriously. A lot of Japanese women seem to really like blood type fortune-telling though!
2) I'm don't know a lot about that... I know traditionally, women were expected to make tea for their coworkers, regardless of her position. However two of the schools I've worked at have a man who does this. Both older guys too, the same generation who you think would expect a woman to be doing this job. So I think at some point there must have been some sort of equality movement. Like I said previously, the impression I get is the two genders seemed to be treated pretty equally, with women getting special treatment here and there.
On a side note, one of my schools did an English version play of the Urashima Taro folktale. One of the boys wanted to play princess Otohime, and no one seemed to have any issues with this.
The Almighty Aardvark said:
FireAza said:
Sorry to disappoint you, but the vast majority of vending machines in Japan sell drinks. Plus a few things like disposable umbrellas, batteries and hot food. Wacky things like used panties were more than likely only available in a tiny number of machines for a limited period before someone was arrested.
Ah, but the drinks themselves can be pretty odd! I've had everything from jelly soda (does what it says on the tin, it's soda with chunks of jelly), avocado flavor and corn soup. The machines are also capable of selling both hot and cold drinks, depending on the season, which is pretty cool I think.
On this note, I'd heard recently from a co-worker that visited Japan that they have vending machines selling alcoholic beverages there. There's no sort of ID or anything required to use them, and he was told that they pretty much rely on the honor system for underage people not to buy them.
Yeah, these vending machines do work on the honor system, which resulted in us minors buying a can of beer back in high school
But I have heard they're implementing some kind of ID card system.
LostGryphon said:
1. I'm actually debating a move, since I have no real idea what I'm doing over here, so...what sort of education would I need in order to be considered for a teaching job? I've only got an associates/partial English bachelors and am planning to hop back into college at some point in the very near future.
Assuming I'm not too damned old already. -.- I tell ya, the years fly by. And I'm past that 26-year-old "marriage limit" to boot! Not 30 yet, but...it's so close, m8! So close!
2. What was the moving process like? Quick, simple, here's your place, here's a moving truck if you have anything to move, enjoy your stay, etc?
3. Any jobs, outside of teaching, that a foreigner could do with relative ease, say, on a part-time basis?
And thanks for this thread, it's been an interesting read!
1) There are private teaching companies, they would probably want some kind of teaching certification. Like I said before, I'm on the JET program, this program just requires you have a degree in something from university.
2) How's a moving truck suppose to cross the ocean to get to Japan?
What they did for me was organize a plane ticket and somewhere to live. They also assign a supervisor to you, who can help you with things like getting your bank account and utilities setup. I was moving into a house that a previous ALT was living in, so it was fully furnished. Beyond that, I had to organize a shipping company to send my stuff over. Shipping a 37kg PC is rather expensive.
3) I'm not sure, teaching is by far the easiest for us to get into. If you had the right kind of working visa, you probably could get a job somewhere else, but you would need to be able to prove to your employer that you being foreign won't be an issue.
GreyDevil said:
Hey,
Just curious to know what the stereotype (if any) for South Africans
I am interested in visiting Japan at some point it would be nice to know the vibe that South Africans have. Also would being 1.88m (6ft2in) and blond haired with grey eyes make me stand out? XD
Like most countries, Japanese people probably aren't aware that white people live in South Africa
They'll probably wonder why you aren't black if you're from Africa. Being tall with blonde hair and grey/blue eyes means you will fit the foreigner stereotype to a tee. Have fun with that!
Superlative said:
This thread is awesome, thanks!
1.) I'm considering going out for the JET program myself. I so have a slight speech impediment (its not noticeable most times) but I also have both a BA and MA in English. Do i have a shot?
2.) What are the views of black people like in Japan? I'm 6'3 (~190cm) and built pretty solid, should I worry about intimidating people?
3.) Are Big&Tall clothing stores common?
4.) What size are the beds and showers?
1) I'm sure having degrees in actual English will be a big benefit (I actually studied games design, no English at all) but speaking is a BIG part of your job. Depending on how bad your speech impediment is, this might effect your chances of getting a job on JET. Is it possible for you to practice speaking? Like how King George VI did?
2) Unfortunately, from everything I've read, Japanese people do find black people intimidating. You also being physically intimidating to boot won't help matters either. I'm obviously no authority on the matter, but there's a book by Baye Mcneil called "Hi! My Name Is Loco and I Am A Racist" that talks about this very issue.
3) I don't think I've ever seen an specialty stores like that. I know a lot of Americans end up needing to import all their shoes and clothing.
4) They're Japan-sized
I've hit my head in toilets and showers more times than I care to count, and I'm not even that tall. One of the American ALTs had a hell of a time trying to find a bed that was long enough for him.
Fieldy409 said:
Is it true that Japanese women dont often get braces because they think crooked teeth are attractive? I heard that one but it seems far fetched.
Slightly crooked teeth is seen as charming, but fair few Japanese people get braces anyway. Japanese people tend not to have the greatest teeth, probably a combination of oral health (their toothpaste doesn't contain fluoride) and their small jaws.
Josh123914 said:
How much can the average Japanese person distinguish between the different European countries? Can they tell, say, England and Poland apart? Have they heard of Ireland?
How much can the average white guy tell the difference between the different south east Asian countries?
I'm sure they know the names, but as to guessing where someone is from... Well, I'll just say when someone tries to guess where I'm from, it's like taking a tour of Europe.
Josh123914 said:
Also, what is their opinions of people from other races? I don't mean Korean or Black though. I mean I have a friend whose uncle moved to Japan, and so has cousins that look just like him (only Japanese). Is the concept of foreigners settling down permanently in Japan frowned upon? Is it better or worse if they marry local Japanese people?
As I've said before, white people are seen as exotic, friendly and emotional, probably thanks to Hollywood putting out a positive image of us. Black people are usually seen as intimidating, probably thanks to Hollywood putting out a negative image of them. Countries like China and Korea have historical tension between them, so they're not well-liked by some generations. That's assuming they don't see someone from China and confuse them for native Japanese, which is what has happened to other ALTs who were actually born in Australia.
Josh123914 said:
Ooh, and what are the views on height there? What's the norm in height there, and would they almost expect a european to be taller than them?
Tallness is desired for men and petite-ness for girls. Japanese people do tend to be short, but changes in diet post-WWII has resulted in a LOT of tall young Japanese people.
FPLOON said:
On a scale from "what" to "why", how popular is School Days within it's respected genre?
The game or the anime? From what I can see, both enjoyed a bit of popularity when first released but they seem largely forgotten now.
FPLOON said:
On a scale from "tourist" to "residence", how uncommon are dark-skinned individuals around your area?
Aside from a few heavily-tanned Japanese (mostly elementary and junior high students who are in a sport club) there's an few Indian families. I've only seen African-Americans around the Tokyo area, so they're probably tourists. No ALT could afford to live in Tokyo!
FPLOON said:
Could Polar Bear, Panda, and Penguin actually be friends in real life from a Japan-based perspective?
In this example, it's probably Polar Bear who introduced Penguin to Panda.
CrazyGirl17 said:
I'm enjoying the thread, though the questions have are a bit on the heavy side. You don't have to answer, so here goes:
1. What is the age of consent? I heard it was 13, which strikes me as messed up. Maybe it's a traditional thing, but there's a difference between something being cultural and being just plain wrong.
2. Apparently there are people who get off molesting women on packed subways. Is that true, and if so, is there a way to respond? (Kicking the pervert, spraying them with mace, ect. Maybe Japanese people wouldn't do it, but a pissed-off tourist might. I would.)
3. Female on Male abuse is apparently funny there. Why is that?
Again, sorry for the weird questions, I was just a bit too curious... I'll see if I can come up with better questions.
Captcha: Ask a Citizen... weird.
1) Technically yes, but there's a vague, separate law that deals with "obscenity" when it comes to dealing with someone under 18. It's entirely possible that someone over 18 who does the nasty with someone under 18 might be busted under this law.
Keep in mind cultural differences though, as I've noticed Americans are EXTREMELY sensitive when it comes to the age of consent. In many countries (including Australia) the age of conceit is 16, while it's 18 in the US. If you think an 18 year old is attractive, no one in America cares, but if you think a 17 and a half year old is attractive, you're a vile monster and it's only a matter of time before you go around raping five year olds. The hell America?
Keep in mind physical differences too. I've got students in my elementary who are just as tall as the teachers. Japanese people really don't seem to do much growing beyond 16, compared to Caucasian people, so I can understand why they came to the number they did. 13 is a little on the young side if you ask me, but hell, 12 was the age people got married in European countries a few hundred years ago.
2) Yes, it happens sometimes. They usually rely on Japanese society preferring people to not raise a fuss to get away with it, so do exactly the opposite! Shout "CHIKAN!" ("molester!") and grab a hold of him. There's police at the station who will deal with him. No need to get violent, he's probably not dangerous, hence why he's being all sneaky and doing it on a packed train. Just don't be trigger-happy, on packed trains, inadvertent groping is kinda unavoidable.
3) There's a lot of stuff in manga that's considered funny but not really really funny in real life. Female on male violence is probably humorous because it's unexpected, females are usually more docile then men. Also because it's female on male, she probably won't be able to seriously hurt him, so it's okay.
Rosiv said:
Did the jet program cost you anything? Did they pay for your flight or housing? Or was that out of pocket? I tired looking onthe website, but it wasn't very helpful...
Nah, they paid for the flight and covered the housing costs. From there, I also get a discount on my rent. I did need to bring over money to buy things I needed though, the JET program recommends bringing over $1500 to be on the safe side. I made sure to being over enough money to buy a Tokyo-Marui red dot sight FN-P90 airsoft gun, since I was moving to a country where airsoft is legal
Nuuu said:
Seems like you're getting a bit bogged down by questions, but I'll just add in 3 nobody has mentioned yet; It may even let you vent a bit if you have any experiences.
- Have you encountered any bad/rude tourists in Japan? What were they like, and where were they (likely) from?
- Have you encountered tourists from a country you didn't expect to visit Japan?
- Does Japan have any stereotypical views on tourists?
1) A few, mostly breaking the social rule about no talking on the phone or drinking on the train. I've also seen people talking way too loudly on the train. They were pretty obviously American
I also had my dad do things like push through the gates at the train station when he didn't have enough credit on his IC pass. Even though I already told him before that if he doesn't have enough credit, he needs to top up at the machine! And then he threw some rubbish into a pamphlet holder at the station. Goddammit Dad! You're not in Australia anymore!
2) I saw a guy who was speaking German I think at Radio Kaikan one time. Americans are par for the course as tourists, but I wasn't expecting a German dude.
3) Mostly that they don't understand Japanese culture and customs. They expect that they won't know how to use chopsticks or speak a lick of Japanese. And that they will probably end up breaking a bunch of social rules.
