Need help about Japan

[eraa]

Hellooo! I need to ask few questions about Japan's culture cuz i want to live at Japan when i turn my 20's.I heard that Japanese people are introvert,xenophobic,it's hard to rent a house as a foreigner etc. are they all true or not.I'll be happy if you guys can answer my questions

 

[TensorBackhand]

Hellooo! I need to ask few questions about Japan's culture cuz i want to live at Japan when i turn my 20's.I heard that Japanese people are introvert,xenophobic,it's hard to rent a house as a foreigner etc. are they all true or not.I'll be happy if you guys can answer my questions

They do tend to be xenophobic or somewhat racist against foreigners. They often believe stereotypes or rely on their image to judge different people groups.

Yes, it is somewhat harder to rent a house. Many management companies or owners simply will not rent to foreigners. I own apartments in Japan, and I had all sorts of people: Japanese, Chinese, Indians, Pakistanis, etc renting my rooms. Money is money so I didn't care. But whenever a foreigner inquired about an apartment, the management company would always call and ask me "this is a foreigner, is it OK to rent to him"? Many owners refuse.

 

[eraa]

They do tend to be xenophobic or somewhat racist against foreigners. They often believe stereotypes or rely on their image to judge different people groups.

Yes, it is somewhat harder to rent a house. Many management companies or owners simply will not rent to foreigners. I own apartments in Japan, and I had all sorts of people: Japanese, Chinese, Indians, Pakistanis, etc renting my rooms. Money is money so I didn't care. But whenever a foreigner inquired about an apartment, the management company would always call and ask me "this is a foreigner, is it OK to rent to him"? Many owners refuse.

thanks a lot for your answers sir,so it's not a good country to live as a foreigner right?

 

[TensorBackhand]

thanks a lot for your answers sir,so it's not a good country to live as a foreigner right?

Well there's good and bad. Nothing is 100%. Many foreigners in Japan become very disappointed in their experience, and I would guess 80% leave the country within their first few years.

However, many people really love it and spend the rest of their life there.

For many coming from India and Iran, life in Japan feels like an upgrade. For some, it feels like a downgrade.

 

[eraa]

Well there's good and bad. Nothing is 100%. Many foreigners in Japan become very disappointed in their experience, and I would guess 80% leave the country within their first few years.

However, many people really love it and spend the rest of their life there.

For many coming from India and Iran, life in Japan feels like an upgrade. For some, it feels like a downgrade.

thanks a lot again sir,i really appreciate it

 

[turbozed]

thanks a lot for your answers sir,so it's not a good country to live as a foreigner right?

It depends on how you live. If you want to go there, work at a Japanese company, and then attempt to be accepted by Japanese people then you will have a hard time.

I lived there for a few weeks to a few months at a time over the years and find that I enjoy "living there" because my income and my social life aren't reliant to conforming to Japanese society. As a result, I enjoy learning about all the cultural quirks and learning the complicated language.

Another question you should ask if Japan is a good place to live in general. The answer is it depends. If you like a clean country where people are polite, crime is low, and food/air/water quality is amazing, then Japan is great. If you care about making new personal connections, then it is not.

Japan ranked 3rd lowest in a recent survey asking people in 30 countries "are you happy?"

Only 57% of Japanese feel 'happy,' 3rd lowest rate among 30 countries: survey - The Mainichi

TOKYO -- Only 57 percent of Japanese people feel they are happy, the third lowest rate among 30 countries surveyed, a report by French public opinion

mainichi.jp

They were dead last when it comes to satisfaction with jobs, friends, and finances. The culture that leads to cleanliness, meticulous attention to detail, and efficiency in city living also promotes a sense of impersonality and stifling desperation. This is pretty obvious if you spend time walking around Tokyo around rush hour and try to find a happy smiling face among the sea of stressed, exhausted, or zoned out ones.

My advice is to live in a country with good economic opportunities and where you can develop good social connections. Travel a lot and figure out what you like and don't like about different cultures. After that you'll be immune to social conformity and be able to develop your personality according to what makes you happy rather than what people expect of you.

Japan is an amazing place in many ways. And I'll be coming back to live or visit often. But I'm very glad I never moved there after law school like I wanted to. I'm almost certain I'd be a more anxious and unhappy person if I did.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

It is true that getting accepted by Japanese is a lot more difficult than many first world countries.
I am hoping the younger generation become more international trended, but the older generation or styles/traditions still has a say in a lot of things.

compared to Taiwan - where foreigners, especially from the western world (not from Asia), are treated like kings and queens, Japan, sadly, needs to change and adapt - or face an accelerated decline in population. It requires immigration, but they know that they need it, but the culture can't accept it, some what.... So, until the day, they feel they need a huge influx of foreigners to "save" the future of Japan, I doubt much change will happen any time soon.

If you in table tennis, or maybe some common trait - just maybe the relationship or bonding can be a bit better.
Or at least, that is how I see Taiwanese with Japanese people in table tennis.

 

[lodro]

It depends on how you live. If you want to go there, work at a Japanese company, and then attempt to be accepted by Japanese people then you will have a hard time.

I lived there for a few weeks to a few months at a time over the years and find that I enjoy "living there" because my income and my social life aren't reliant to conforming to Japanese society. As a result, I enjoy learning about all the cultural quirks and learning the complicated language.

Another question you should ask if Japan is a good place to live in general. The answer is it depends. If you like a clean country where people are polite, crime is low, and food/air/water quality is amazing, then Japan is great. If you care about making new personal connections, then it is not.

Japan ranked 3rd lowest in a recent survey asking people in 30 countries "are you happy?"

Only 57% of Japanese feel 'happy,' 3rd lowest rate among 30 countries: survey - The Mainichi

TOKYO -- Only 57 percent of Japanese people feel they are happy, the third lowest rate among 30 countries surveyed, a report by French public opinion

mainichi.jp

They were dead last when it comes to satisfaction with jobs, friends, and finances. The culture that leads to cleanliness, meticulous attention to detail, and efficiency in city living also promotes a sense of impersonality and stifling desperation. This is pretty obvious if you spend time walking around Tokyo around rush hour and try to find a happy smiling face among the sea of stressed, exhausted, or zoned out ones.

My advice is to live in a country with good economic opportunities and where you can develop good social connections. Travel a lot and figure out what you like and don't like about different cultures. After that you'll be immune to social conformity and be able to develop your personality according to what makes you happy rather than what people expect of you.

Japan is an amazing place in many ways. And I'll be coming back to live or visit often. But I'm very glad I never moved there after law school like I wanted to. I'm almost certain I'd be a more anxious and unhappy person if I did.

Brilliant essay. Good on ye mate.

 

[Lazer]

From what I have seen, Tokyo or big cities yuck like ant hills…

The country side s little bit off the grid yes please, I would like this. Tea ceremony included…

The cities seems waay artificial and the country side genuine. But what do I know I’m just a “Kwai low” or was that Chineese? …

Cheers
L-zr

 

[zeio]

Cantonese: 鬼佬/gweilo/gwailo/literally "ghost dude"
Japanese: 外人/gaijin/foreigner

I have a relative that has moved to Japan and refuses to move back to the US. He looks and acts like a Japanese now. I feel responsible for separating him from his parents by introducing him to Japanese culture through Naruto...

 

[SleepyMaster]

I spend in Japan few months, before coronavirus pandemic. Was in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. It just a tourist opinion but to me people and country was good. I understand that living and working in Japan can be totally different experience. When I was in Tokyo I even get an offers for a job as model few times for some brands - funny thing, but mostly people were nice to me. And of course food in Japan is one of my favorite things 😌

 

[Lazer]

Cantonese: 鬼佬/gweilo/gwailo/literally "ghost dude"
Japanese: 外人/gaijin/foreigner

“Jin” is daemon or devil right?
What is then “gai”???

Edit: come to think about it, may have been Arabic…

Cheers
L-zr

 

[turbozed]

“Jin” is daemon or devil right?
What is then “gai”???

Cheers
L-zr

人 means person. Could be jin or nin (onyomi) or hito (kunyomi).

外 just means outside of.

It's short for 外国人 (gaikokujin). Literally, person from outside country.

There's no derogatory connotation inherently although I've heard people say it was rude maybe 15 years ago. Then again, almost everything is rude in Japan to some degree or another.

The equivalent of guai lo would be maybe 白人 (hakujin). Literally just 'white person.' Not too derogatory either.

 

[Lazer]

“Then again, almost everything is rude in Japan to some degree or another. “

😳, I’d better stay away…

Cheers
L-zr

 

[zeio]

“Jin” is daemon or devil right?
What is then “gai”???

Edit: come to think about it, may have been Arabic…

Cheers
L-zr

人/jin here means human/person. It is a homonym for 神 as well, which means divinity/deity, and is also a surname, e.g. 神 巧也/JIN Takuya.
外/gai means foreign/outside.

 

[Takkyu_wa_inochi]

Gaijin in Japan here

No stay where you are, you won’t like it here and we’re better off without too many people

 

[Lazer]

Gaijin in Japan here

No stay where you are, you won’t like it here and we’re better off without too many people

I do think I would like the country side, but cities🤮
Joke aside yes no room for a renegade like me who always crosses the streets on a red light…

Cheers
L-zr

 

[lodro]

everybody smiles at you and is soooo friendly, you won't even feel it when the blade goes in between your ribs 😂 SOOOOOOO friendly

 

[riemsesy]

Friend of mine visits Japan often
He says when you work there and it's, let's say 05:00 pm, but your chef is still in his office, you stay too. Overtime is not paid. You go before the chef does, you wont last long in that company.
Weird working ethics

 

[eraa]

I think i got my answers,thanks all of you guys,you really helped me a lot 🫶