When I go back home I am often stumped by the question, what is it like to live in a different culture? ( Or something roughly on those lines) Of course I am experiencing different and interesting things everyday, but I can't quite explain the differences. The little things add up and for the most part it is a positive experience living here.
Some people I have talked to living here have a somewhat negative viewpoint on the experience. They site racism and ignorant treatment of us
gaijin because we are different. Some even feel that we are not 'living in the real Japan'. While I know that I have encountered some racism at one point or another in travels even when teaching, although my students usually are fantastic. But I wonder if some people aren't being just a little too sensitive. Let's look at the facts, we are outsiders, and if you are like me in the inaka (the country side) we are a little more of a rarity. I personally have found children or
obasaons (grandmas) staring at me in the shopping center like I was an alien (which ironically enough, I am). But I think we should not get angry if the waitress at the restaurant offers to bring us a fork and knife because they don't know that 97% of foreigners can use chopsticks. To me, there is a sincere (though ignorant) gesture behind trying to help us feel at home in their restaurant.
As for not living in the Real Japan- that is completely false. To me everyday I am reminded of the unique Japanese customs and attitude towards life.
The Japanese have a natural appreciation for nature that often amazes me. When they ask me how nice the changing of the leaves is back in Canada, I have to honestly answer that I never even noticed it before living in Japan. Now when I go back I notice how beautiful the trees look (before I would just notice how messy all the leaves on the ground were). And the same with Cherry blossoms. I had neve seen Magnolias before living here and I was amazed that the street shown above has a Magnolia theme (mokuren dori- which literally means Magnolia street).
I mentioned the Cherry blossoms before, known as sakura. They are basically everywhere and they come to symbolize spring, always my favorite time of year! If you have never been here, the Japanese are infamous for their Hanami parties (hana mi literally means to look at flowers) where any park with Sakura are basically crowded with people getting drunk and enjoying the beautiful view. To me the Hanami embodies Japan and it's beauty.
When looking for the real Japan do you imagine an amazing techtropolis (if you are Japanese- I made this word up-- think technology and metropolis combined into one word)? Or perhaps roving bands of Samurai? Well to me the above mentioned love of nature and the temples and shrines are the Real Japan to me. And they are
everywhere! The above picture is from the center of Tokyo. About a 15-20 minute walk from the thriving hub of Shinjuku lies the quiet Meiji Jingu. Quite a nice break from the hectic pace.
The people... Well to be honest, I have never had a problem with them. My classes have always been talkative, up front, honest, and kind and outside of class people have usually been helpful if I looked lost. These great guys agreed to help lead me and my friends Chris and Pete (in the picture) to a temple to pray at the stroke of midnight on New Years Eve.
Really I think Japan is a beautiful country, the people are great and we need to do our jobs and act as ambassadors from a different culture, and we can teach them one person at a time about us. Keep positive, and your experience will be positive and enjoy the differences! If we come here with a notion of what Japan should be that is wrong, is that so different from ... well... chopsticks?
