For those that really live in Japan, lets give the aspiring people a dose of some of the harsh and difficult realities of Japan.
For all of us there are a few things that just makes us gaijin crazy.
1. How long after intially moving to Japan, did the crap start to hit the fan? For example, when did the unwritten rules of your workplace just drive you mad?
2. What do you miss the most from back home?
3. What really sucks about where you live in Japan?
4. Can you make a list of little things about Japan that just adds up to drive you crazy?
My answers:
The unwritten rules of the workplace. Office hours are 0930 - 1830, but to been seen as a hard worker, you have to work overtime. Because I am gaijin, I have to come first and leave last. I started to ignore that rule over 2 years ago.
2. I miss watching sports, NFL, MLB, NBA and a wide open ski resorts.
3. I love my hood
4. not all ATMs are 24 hours, JPN Taxes, "gaijin are dangerous" attitude & more
2006-09-03 19:30:10 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Travel ➔ Asia Pacific ➔ Japan
I'm Japanese and American by nationality but I was raised in the US before I moved to Japan so i had issues as well. i guess not as bad as the people who the Japanese call Gaijin.
But I was definitely somewhat of a stranger in my own country too.
1. Crap started to hit the fan maybe around 6 months?
I was going to school and some of the kids I went to school with became irritated when I spoke out my opinion. Not selfishly but saying no or talling someone that what they said or did was in my opinion wrong.
Majority usually rules in the Japanese teens and you try not to fight back when more than half of the people have decided on something. But sometimes I couldn't agree and would speak out Then some people got pissed. Especially older kids. Oh and adults as well. My relatives would sometimes get angry when I gave different opinions on things.
2. What I missed most about the US when living in Japan was mostly food. Tacos, burritos, big juicy burgers, pizzas with real cheese, crunchy bacon, large drinks etc.
Being an Angelino I also missed the beach. (Or living close by one)
3. I in Kyoto, Chiba, Atsugi and Tokyo Chuo-ku and the only thing that sucked about these areas was the humidity during the summer. lol.
Loved everything else.
4. Rush hour trains, Shibuya crossing, underwear showing girls who are hard of hearing it seems because they need to yell at each other to communicate over the phone, the host type of guys, high prices of not everything but mostly everything, the Japanese trend in music I could go on forever but I still love Japan to death.
2006-09-05 09:21:09 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
1. Not yet, I have a really cushy job, loads of holidays and plenty of free time. Boss knows that if I quit, he's screwed, so actually have lots of freedom.
2. Family
3. Too many buildings, so at the weekend, I try to head off into the countryside. Just 1 hour to Chichibu national park.
4. No, there are a few little problems but nothing that I can't handle.
I love Japan
2006-09-05 02:28:55 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
First, I almost didn't answer this since I think the answer by Taro Shinsei is perfect. It is hard not to be a sukebe oyaji in this country (if you are male). But, I'll give it a shot.
1. Has not happened yet, but I have only been here 5+ years. Maybe you need a new job.
2. I miss my family and friends, true, but I have family and friends here too. My goal is to get my overseas family and friends to move here, but not betting on it.
3. It is more humid in this location than I was expecting. Endless battle with "fuukai" (if you know the reference from Nausicaa). They are 3 vs. 2 right now.
4. No, and if I did I would start planning a move to a different country asap.
With respect to 4, I have one very deeply held conviction: If you are not a refugee (i.e. you have a choice about where you can live), then you have no right to whine and complain about the country you live in. Just move and end your pointless misey. Or maybe go to a zen temple, become enlightened, and learn to live with it.
I do not mean this in a mean-spirited way - just trying to be honest and helpful.
2006-09-04 08:02:20 · answer #3 · answered by Tastevin 2 · 3⤊ 2⤋
I also like Taro Shinsei's answer!!! (I hope he doesn't come along now and edit it into something terrible...!!!)
1. I don't work - where I come from it's unacceptable to have a 'latch-key' child, and considering the somewhat 'random' schedule of my 9 year old's school it's just not practical anyway - I don't CARE what Japanese parents do! As for at home, I was pretty p!ssed off when I realised my Japanese husband wasn't telling me about etiquette things - leaving me looking like a moronic gaijin to all those poor, offended Japanese people! The perfect example is the time when we went to a Hakone onsen hotel and when I asked him "is there a right way to wear this yukata? Should one side in particular be on top?" he said "No, it doesn't matter WHICH side is on top!" ... I'm sure I got some funny looks because I was wearing it 'corpse' style by accident..!
2. Mmmmmm .... I don't miss feeling unsafe walking down the road ... I don't miss being constantly paranoid that I was about to be mugged ... yes, I know it COULD happen here, but it's less likely ... I don't miss the grotty TV schedules - they're about the same quality as the ones here...!! Maybe I miss being able to buy LARGE packets of breakfast cereal ... but I don't miss having great big spiders waltzing in through my open windows! (I come from England BTW, we don't HAVE screen doors there!) Oh! I know!! Being able to buy DECENT bread in LARGE quantities!!!
3. Nothing much ... we live on a danchi, but I grew up in a council flat so it feels like home to me! The layout is great too - much more convenient than the house I lived in before moving here..!
4. ?? Rush hour trains. Rush hour train passengers. Rush hour train crowds - you see the pattern..!!
BTW, I've never felt that Japanese people think I'm dangerous - but then I'm a married woman with kids.
2006-09-04 08:29:09 · answer #4 · answered by _ 6 · 4⤊ 3⤋
Living abroad anywhere is tough. Language difficulties, culture and ways of doing things. Plus, as a noncitizen, you have few rights. Sometimes we delude ourselves to think we can go abroad and it will be paradise...but life is hard work...everywhere.
Don't matter if you are home or abroad, you have to prove yourself anywhere.
But...you went there for a reason, didn't you? Remember why. Time will adjust you to everything...you'll get used to it...its like learning to ride a bike...you gotta fall a few times first. First you gotta know yourself, are you a complainer in general? Little things in life irritate you? If so, it may not be Japan, but your expectations. To really know if u like it...u gotta leave...u may end up longing to return...or not.
2006-09-05 17:30:07 · answer #5 · answered by Doseiai 1 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Nothing drove me crazy about living in Japan. It was great. I rode the trains everywhere, people were very friendly to me, and I saw a lot of great things there. I liked it a lot. I am pretty open-minded about things. That's why.
2006-09-05 02:30:56 · answer #6 · answered by stix 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
1. I'm in Japan now. Oh yah, junior staff need to do chores like washing the cups.
2. I miss my car. lolz
3.a) Boring city (No huge shopping malls and nightlife)
b) Small and expensive apartment.
4) Monotonous life. Low salary. Crowded streets. Distrust towards foreignors.
2006-09-04 20:51:35 · answer #7 · answered by Orange 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Yea most domestic bank's ATM is sh!t.
Open an account at Sinsei Bank.
You can withdraw cash at 7-eleven in Japan, Hongkong and Taiwan. 24 hours available.
It's free of charge(no need to pay 105 yen charge), even when you withdraw cash in other banks.
http://www.shinseibank.com/english/index.html
You can choose the color of your cash card.
http://www.shinseibank.com/english/powerflex/card.html
http://www.shinseibank.com/powerflex/cash.html
(see the sample in the Japanese page. click each card.)
2006-09-04 09:08:13 · answer #8 · answered by Joriental 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
1. Oh, man. Between the attractive and well-dressed secretaries who don't know the meaning of "sexual harrassment," the endless drinking after work, natto for breakfast and tonkatsu for lunch, I just can't stand it.
2. I miss so much about home. High crime rates, low job security, 200-pound secretaries wearing sweats, McGriddles... oh, the list goes on and on.
3. Riding the subway to work! 15 minutes of sheer hell, packed in with attractive and well-dressed secretaries I'm not allowed to touch.
4. People in stores are too polite. Dammit, I need to go home!
2006-09-04 05:06:42 · answer #9 · answered by Taro Shinsei 2 · 7⤊ 4⤋
Try Appi or Niseko.
2006-09-04 05:40:08 · answer #10 · answered by michinoku2001 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋