I live in Japan. Ask me stuff!

[chuckman1]

Does anyone there smoke weed?
Have you encountered an slums or ghettos? I have heard Japan basically has no ghetto.
What topics are the music about? Does anyone miss imperial times?
How big is hip hop there? Is there any gangster rap?

Why is nobody there having sex?

OH and is it hard to get uncensored porn?

 

[Arnoxthe1]

Cool!

1. How does the English language compare to the Japanese language?

2. Most loved and most hated things about Japan?

 

[Beffudled Sheep_v1legacy]

Snip

How tall are you that you hit your head and stuff but aren't that tall?

 

[Jadedvet]

Thanks for the informative thread

You mention anime not being completely worthless as a learning tool. How close is the speech in anime to the average Japanese on the street? I ask because anyone learning English from american cartoons would sound like an idiot.

 

[Chewster]

Preface: Currently in the ROK teaching. Been to Japan twice now, both times for under a week. Have a few friends living there at the moment. Considering teaching there one day, though not sure exactly when and I often worry that I won't adapt well to the stringent social rules and mild xenophobia, though I imagine some of that depends on where you are teaching.

Questions: 1) Have you been to Japanese baseball? If so, what kind of atmosphere is there at live games?

2) What kind of music scene is there? Does where you live get a lot of big electronic or rock festivals? How are the prices? Is there much of a local music scene in the bigger cities?

3) What do you make of Abe and his (kind of) provocative chest-thumping? Does he have a lot of popular support from the people or is he generally disliked, or are people indifferent?

4) How do people feel about beards?

5) Where is it that you are living that public transit is cheap? What are the prices like? When I went, it seemed rather expensive (though it was efficient as you say, once you figure out how it all works).

Anyway, cool thread idea. Thanks for posting.

 

[FireAza]

Speaking of pachinko, FireAza have you played pachinko, if you have would you recommend it as a way to pass time for a tourist? Also I'm aware that gambling is illegal in Japan, and how pachinko parlors tend to evade the law, via loophole.That said, I've lived most of my adult life in Nevada, thus am rather well acquainted with games of chance. So a secondary question, are pachinko's odds as bad, when compared to slots even, as they say?

I haven't, but I've seen MANY of them before. They're incredibly noisy, smoke-filled venues designed to take your money. I get enough of the last point playing the UFO catchers, so I've never been into one. As I recall, there is a slight element of skill in pachinko since it's kinda like pinball, so at least you have some control. Unlike slots, in which the machine decides if you win or not.

Ok, thanks for responding to my posts, again sorry if the questions were a bit awkward, some of them have to do with a difference in culture, I think. Especially the whole "Moe" thing and how it can get a bit creepy by different standards.

If I may, can I post a few more questions:

1. Are Japanese games/TV/Commercials really that weird as some people say?
2. What do they really think of Hentai and Ecchi?
3. What's your favorite Japanese food/drink/snack/sweet you've had while over there?

1) Most Japanese commercials, TV shows and games are terribly boring and mundane. There are games that simulate the exciting life of a train driver (complete with controller accessory) for God's sake! Since these aren't really interesting, people only tend to post the super wacky ones online, which is how we've ended up having the discussion we are now.

2) It seems to be tolerated. As I said before, most convenience stores carry porno magazines with anime girls in them as well the ones with real girls. Same with the porn section in any store that sells DVDs, there'll be hentai stuff in there too.

3) There's so many to choose from! On the proper food side of things, I'm a big fan of takoyaki (fried octopus dumplings):

And onigiri (filled rice balls):

But Japan also has an absurd number of delicious snack foods to choose from. What's really interesting is many of them are of non-Japanese origin, but I'll be damned if Japan hasn't taken the concept and run with it.

For example, breads. Considering the fact bread was only introduced to Japan quite recently (historically speaking), Japanese bread is fucking DELICIOUS. My local supermarket has awesome melon pan, choco cornets, chocolate danishes and apple rings. Potato chips are another thing that Japan has a million varieties of. There's a really nice pizza flavor one that actually has melted cheese on top! There's even takoyaki potato chips! There's also a lot of jerky too, and not just beef either! Octopus jerky is really good (it has a tasty smokey sauce) though squid jerky is WAY too dry. It's like chewing on a leather boot.

Overall, I'd say onigiri is my favorite Japanese food/drink/snack/sweet. It's cheap, available everywhere and comes in lots of flavors. Many of which use Japanese-style mayonnaise, which is incredible.

Does anyone there smoke weed?

Oh no no no no no no! Hard drugs are illegal as shit in Japan and possessing them is taken VERY seriously. Not to mention being caught with hard drugs will basically destroy your social reputation.

Have you encountered an slums or ghettos? I have heard Japan basically has no ghetto.

I think the closest Japan has to a slum are the small communities that the homeless setup.

What topics are the music about?

The usual kinds of things. Love, loss, that kind of thing.

Does anyone miss imperial times?

I'm sure there's people who miss the days when Japan had an powerful empire. But by FAR, the era people are most nostalgic for is the Showa era, which was the post World War II economic boom era up until the economic bubble burst at the end of the 80s. Dioramas depicting typical Showa era scenes are very popular on Yahoo Auctions:

How big is hip hop there? Is there any gangster rap?

Hip-hip is pretty popular! One of my favorite artists is Nujabes:

Why is nobody there having sex?

The pressure of schooling and work life in Japan. It kinda kills the mood and it's slowing turning the country into a nation of recluses.

OH and is it hard to get uncensored porn?

The law, as it currently stands, says all porn in Japan must censor the genitalia. This is actually a slight relaxation from previous versions of the law which were much stricter in the 80s and demanded that even pubic hair must be blurred. As a matter of interest, this is why tentacle rape anime became popular at the time, it was a way to skirt the law since a tentacle isn't a penis right?

In terms of uncensored porn, the law is a little challenging to enforce. Some manga artists use laughably half-assed censorship and some Japanese studios will produce uncensored material "intended" for the "overseas market" which is sold outside of Japan. This is pretty much limited to online distribution-only, you'd be pretty brave to try an sell uncensored porn on physical media.

Cool!

1. How does the English language compare to the Japanese language?

2. Most loved and most hated things about Japan?

1) English is a lot more complex than Japanese (Kanji aside). The English language uses a large number of sounds and it's constantly breaking it's own rules. Like changing the pronunciation of a word but not updating the spelling or the same letter having multiple pronunciations (like how "U" is sometimes an "ah" sound and sometimes an "u" sound).

In comparison, Japanese uses a small set of sounds and their pronunciation is always the same, with none of this "proceeding character's pronunciation is shifted because it appears after this character" malarkey. How it's written is how it sounds.

Aside from a few grammatical rules that is, like when an "う" ("u") falls after a character that ends in an "o" sound, it doesn't actually actually say "u" but elongates the "o". That's why English speakers usually mispronounce words like "bishoujo", the "u" isn't suppose to be spoken, it's suppose to elongate the "o" that comes before it.

2) Love: Safe country, amazing food, friendly people, excellent internet, excellent postal system, excellent train system, gas-heated water, gas stoves, lots of culture, washlet toilets, and lots of history and beautiful landscapes.

Hate: Cash-based society, Japanese websites are clunky and antiquated and professional culture is cold and and impersonal. Biggest hate is how so many things need to be done by hand when a computer and the internet would would get the job done much faster and with less ass pain.

Snip

How tall are you that you hit your head and stuff but aren't that tall?

I'm around 170cm tall (haven't measured myself in a long time). When I use my toilet at home, I need to face the corner when pulling up my pants so I don't slam my face into the wall. Also, standing on the step in the doorway into the bathroom instead of stepping from the hall directly into the bathroom will result in head pain.

Thanks for the informative thread

You mention anime not being completely worthless as a learning tool. How close is the speech in anime to the average Japanese on the street? I ask because anyone learning English from american cartoons would sound like an idiot.

Therein lies the problem. Sure, people talking with friends will use language similar to what you hear in anime, but when you're in a business environment or a store, people will be using Keigo Japanese, which rarely appears in anime. Like I said, it's not completely useless, it's still a good way to train your ear and you can also pick up a bunch of nouns and simple grammar structure.

Preface: Currently in the ROK teaching. Been to Japan twice now, both times for under a week. Have a few friends living there at the moment. Considering teaching there one day, though not sure exactly when and I often worry that I won't adapt well to the stringent social rules and mild xenophobia, though I imagine some of that depends on where you are teaching.

Questions: 1) Have you been to Japanese baseball? If so, what kind of atmosphere is there at live games?

2) What kind of music scene is there? Does where you live get a lot of big electronic or rock festivals? How are the prices? Is there much of a local music scene in the bigger cities?

3) What do you make of Abe and his (kind of) provocative chest-thumping? Does he have a lot of popular support from the people or is he generally disliked, or are people indifferent?

4) How do people feel about beards?

5) Where is it that you are living that public transit is cheap? What are the prices like? When I went, it seemed rather expensive (though it was efficient as you say, once you figure out how it all works).

Anyway, cool thread idea. Thanks for posting.

1) I haven't been yet, but I'd like to at some point. Surprisingly, baseball's popularity has dropped off heavily with younger Japanese, soccer is FAR more popular now.

2) I don't have much personal experience, but one of the other ALTs is big into the Japanese rock festival scene and spends days attending them. He usually has to travel for them though. There's a lot of indie bands, one of the teachers at my previous school played in a rock band called "Smelly Socks". One of the older guys in the town traditional dance club is in a cover band that does KISS and Beatles songs.

3) Eh, just the usual politician behavior if you ask me. Since Japan has been through a lot of prime ministers in such a short period, I get the impression that a lot of Japanese people have been soured on the political process and have lost faith in the politicians.

4) VERY unfavorable. "He looks like he hasn't bathed in a few days" is the impression bearded gentlemen give Japanese people.

5) I'm out in Saitama and a trip to Tokyo only costs me about ￥700. In comparison, that kinds price would only eight or stops in Australia.

Save for the gaijin hunters, but they probably come with a lot of baggage that would be best to avoid.

I just gotta ask... what the heck is a gaijin hunter?

Someone with a fetish for gaijin who looks for foreigners to either sleep with or take as a trophy boyfriend/girlfriend.

And for a slightly silly question, do they know Norway exists? =P

Some of my students who like geography know Norway, but I suspect the average Japanese person might have trouble with the Nordic area of the planet

 

[FireAza]

Though if the topic ever comes up, tell them to avoid refering to norwegians as swedes. That is some mortal sin level social faux pas(or however its spelled). (I am exaggarating a bit)

Really, this is your own damned fault for using the same cross design as as the Swedish flag

 

[Arnoxthe1]

1) English is a lot more complex than Japanese (Kanji aside). The English language uses a large number of sounds and it's constantly breaking it's own rules. Like changing the pronunciation of a word but not updating the spelling or the same letter having multiple pronunciations (like how "U" is sometimes an "ah" sound and sometimes an "u" sound).

In comparison, Japanese uses a small set of sounds and their pronunciation is always the same, with none of this "proceeding character's pronunciation is shifted because it appears after this character" malarkey. How it's written is how it sounds.

Aside from a few grammatical rules that is, like when an "う" ("u") falls after a character that ends in an "o" sound, it doesn't actually actually say "u" but elongates the "o". That's why English speakers usually mispronounce words like "bishoujo", the "u" isn't suppose to be spoken, it's suppose to elongate the "o" that comes before it.

Ah, I see. But overall, which language do you actually prefer and why?

 

[FireAza]

1) English is a lot more complex than Japanese (Kanji aside). The English language uses a large number of sounds and it's constantly breaking it's own rules. Like changing the pronunciation of a word but not updating the spelling or the same letter having multiple pronunciations (like how "U" is sometimes an "ah" sound and sometimes an "u" sound).

In comparison, Japanese uses a small set of sounds and their pronunciation is always the same, with none of this "proceeding character's pronunciation is shifted because it appears after this character" malarkey. How it's written is how it sounds.

Aside from a few grammatical rules that is, like when an "う" ("u") falls after a character that ends in an "o" sound, it doesn't actually actually say "u" but elongates the "o". That's why English speakers usually mispronounce words like "bishoujo", the "u" isn't suppose to be spoken, it's suppose to elongate the "o" that comes before it.

Ah, I see. But overall, which language do you actually prefer and why?

Well, English because that's my native language. I also feel that the greater pool of sounds in English makes it slightly more... "Auditorily expressive" than Japanese, which is a somewhat "flat" sounding language. But Japanese is far more neat and structured than English is.

 

[crimsonspear4D]

I had a relative who served in the army and was stationed near the mainland of japan during the'80s he said that rumors were spread by soldiers, his supposed comerades, that latinos and (especially) blacks were seen as... less than human and humane. I'll spare you the uncomfortable details but basically they considered those with dark skin to be unsavory and barbaric.

So I ask, how are people of color PORTRAYED in Japanese media and culture? I know times have changed for the better and tensions between our nations have simmered a lot since then, but were it not for my own experiences around japanese foreigners a few years back I'd assume some stereotypes and rumors still remained.

 

[FireAza]

In all honesty, when people of color are portrayed, the portrayal isn't much better than it is in America (i.e gangsta thugs).

 

[Vausch]

I wanted to study abroad in Japan next year. How expensive is it in general? Like for food or cost of living outside of housing?

 

[KyuubiNoKitsune-Hime]

How hard is it for a foreigner to find housing in Japan, both in apartments, and in houses/condos to actually own?

 

[chysamere]

Nice thread FireAza. I'm Aussie myself and have been living in Japan for 4 years now but I'd never have the patience for this.

I'm guessing on the Jet program they sent you off to the countryside somewhere? I live 5 minutes from Akihabara myself and work in Otemachi, basically the wall street of Japan (exposition for the thread!) - I'd not want to live out of a major city.

PS. I agree with FireAza on almost everything he's posted. Definitely has good knowledge of Japan.

 

[FireAza]

I wanted to study abroad in Japan next year. How expensive is it in general? Like for food or cost of living outside of housing?

Again, coming from Australia, Japan is really cheap. Stuff like meat (except chicken, which is weirdly cheap and it's breast meat to boot!) and produce is more expensive though. To give you some kind of ballpark figure, when I make a trip to the supermarket to get the basics (eggs, bacon, toast, bread, sweets, stuff I need to cook something etc) usually only costs just over ￥1000. Water is only about ￥4000 for two months. Electricity about ￥9000 every two months. Gas about ￥1000 a month.

How hard is it for a foreigner to find housing in Japan, both in apartments, and in houses/condos to actually own?

I've heard it's rather challenging for gaijin to get a Japanese landlord willing to rent to you without a native Japanese to vouch for your character. My dwellings were all sorted out by the BOE, so I don't really have much experience with this. I've met my landlord a few times though, he's a nice guy, he had me over for dinner with his family.

Nice thread FireAza. I'm Aussie myself and have been living in Japan for 4 years now but I'd never have the patience for this.

I'm guessing on the Jet program they sent you off to the countryside somewhere? I live 5 minutes from Akihabara myself and work in Otemachi, basically the wall street of Japan (exposition for the thread!) - I'd not want to live out of a major city.

PS. I agree with FireAza on almost everything he's posted. Definitely has good knowledge of Japan.

ありがとうございます！先輩！
*bow*

Yep, on JET, what about you? Yeah, it's classed as a city, but that's probably more due to landsize than actual urban density. It's not too bad, I've got 1000mbps fiber internet and internet shopping arrives promptly, so I'm not terribly inconvenienced. I can get to Akiba in just under an hour if I really feel the need to spend too much money on UFO catchers and buy things that I could probably get for a better price on Yahoo Auctions.

 

[LauriAJ]

Can you name the store nearest to where you live that sells videogames?

 

[FireAza]

There's a number of stores near me that sell video games! Tsutaya has a large video game section (I got my Majora's Mask 3DS XL from there, didn't need to pre-order or anything). There's also Donkihote, but their selection is pretty small, though they have the cheapest prices on Amiibos. There was also Yamada Denki, but they moved. Further down the road is HARD-OFF, who have a LOT of retro games stuff. I've gotten all kinds of treasures from there, like a gold edition N64 for ￥300 and The Last of Us Remastered for ￥3000.