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I'm a white girl who grew up in america, but i consider myself Japanese. I have Japanese customs, and i am basically Japanese, i eat the food, watch the shows, have the clothing styles, and i have some Japanese blood* grandpa was full japanese*,im into everything about the culture, and i speak japanese but i look so completely american, and i am moving to Japan in 3 years, and i dont want to be considered a Gaiji, i have japanese friends who consider me japansese. dont judge me or call me racist or whatever, i just want advice, or maybe even some consoling, because im nervous, and i dont people there to see me as just an american tourist.i want to be just another person sorry for all the typos

2006-10-01 12:03:04 · 14 answers · asked by Laine 2 in Travel Asia Pacific Japan

14 answers

can some one tell me wtf "BLACK" has to do with this question..?????
besides your NOT white. you are mixed..get USED to it.. why do you want to cling to one and not the other.

You should be proud to be BOTH.. unfortunately you already called yourself a gaijin...(gaijins are by no means ALL bad).

What do you really want to be considered when you get here???

Japanese? or White ?. This is something you need to confront 1st. As for japan. you will have no problems.. no one will call u bad names(at least not to your face). And generally japanese people are honest and kind.. some even go out of their way to help gaijins...

So dont sweat it!!!!!!.. but i think you have an identity crisis going on.. you gotta resolve that

Peace

2006-10-02 01:43:18 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2 4

I see your problem, and I agree that most Japanese people here won't treat you like a Japanese person. They'll treat you like a gaijin with amazing Japanese.

I work with someone who is 100% Japanese, was born here and both parents are Japanese, however she lived in America from the age of 7-30 and now she isn't treated like a "proper" Japanese person by most people.

My advice, is to not worry, come here and try and find people who won't judge you on your appearance, most young Japanese people nowadays are much more open-minded. I'm sure you'll still be able to live here without too many problems and have a grat time. Japan is a really cool place, especially if you can speak the language. I envy you!

Having said that, I suspect you will have a hard time getting a job or finding an apartment. Many places will take 1 look at you and say "no gaijin". Unless you are 100% Japanese (or have a Japanese passport) these 2 things can be very difficult.

Good Luck!!

2006-10-01 14:45:22 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2 2

There are 2 ways to handle it. One, is to not speak japanese when you go and fake that you don't and you learn what others think because Japanese will talk in front of you. Or you can blow their minds and speak fluent Japanese so they know right off the bat you speak Japanese. Make sure you speak the formal japanese taught in schools. If you speak the Japanese of the Issei and Nisei's you are learning a informal or rural japanese and you will be looked down upon. Why? They will think you are crude, cute but, crude and not very sophisticated.

Personally, blow their minds. Have a caucasian speaking Japanese would clearly put a puzzled look on their faces. It takes them a while to get used to it. I am a Japanese American, I watched my bosses daughter deal with Japanese. She is half italian and half Japanese and a former model in Japan. She dealt with translating for our clients sometimes and she blew the minds of some the executives she met because she could speak Tokyo Japanese, which is where she grew up. And yet, she was very caucasian and could speak english fluently.

Take advantage of the situation. You are so far ahead of the game. If you learn to read Nihongo, all the more better.

Good luck and enjoy it. Don't enryo and go for it.

2006-10-01 13:42:35 · answer #3 · answered by gbdelta1954 6 · 4 1

you're moving to Japan?.......you're so lucky. Don't worry about the people. Like what the other people said, Japanese people are very friendly. At least you know how to speak japanese Japanese. Japanese people are friendlier to people who can speak japanese. I don't think there's anything wrong with being called a Gaiji. I think many Japanese people respect foreign people. I think you'll do fine livng in Japan. Lucky you! I always wanted to move to Japan. But I have to wait until after college and until I have fully know how to speak Japanese. So right know I'm looking for people who are japanese or who are living in Japan. I count you as a Japanese person. I have a couple of friends in yahoo who can speak and live in Japan. So again, you'll do fine living in Japan.

2006-10-02 02:17:50 · answer #4 · answered by GT 3 · 0 1

Don't worry about it too much! The people here are pretty friendly!

In fact, the only thing I can recommend if you really want to be absorbed into the local society instead of being 'the American' is DON'T live near a university, or near a city centre!!

In normal residential areas there are only a small number of people who might mistakenly believe that you miss your home country, and that you NEED to speak English to someone - ANYONE - or you'll have a nervous breakdown..!! Most people will only speak Japanese, and once they find that you can respond to simple greetings in fluent Japanese they'll be telling you their life story in no time!! If you couldn't speak Japanese you'd have big problems, but for YOU, I think it would make things so much easier and more pleasant!

Expect to make some friends from the older generation - maybe even before you become friends with younger people! Don't forget, those middle-aged women usually have adult children, and sometimes teenaged grandchildren - so you might even meet your future best friend through visiting an elderly woman for tea..!!
; )

Frankly, I feel that a Japanese speaking American girl will be VERY popular ... especially with the teenaged BOYS!!

2006-10-01 13:21:26 · answer #5 · answered by _ 6 · 3 4

I can understand you situation. Mine is similar, but not 100% the same. 3 years ago I was transferred to Japan by my company. 3 years later I have found out that the definition of gaijin is ever changing and morphing for every situation. Close inner circles of people will accept and be very open. On the extreme end, everyone who was not born, educated and has not lived in Japan for 99% of their lives will be seen as gaijin. As you move in and out of the various circles of association, you will experience will be positive. You may have to adjust to the fish in bowl experience once in a while. That and the "you are the first foriegner i have met" may have some strange effect. I still find it a very tiny bit strange when people say to me "you are just like Japanese." I think that is to be a form of acceptance and priase.

2006-10-01 14:00:40 · answer #6 · answered by wuzaracer 6 · 1 1

I'm an American living in Tokyo, and, speaking from experience, no matter how much you want to be Japanese, you will never be considered one of them. It's simply the way their culture is. They're such a homogenous society that people just don't get assimilated. Now, if you know the language, you will get some respect from Japanese people, but you will always, always, always be considered a foreigner. There's no way to escape being a gaijin. If you're not Japanese in blood, you will never be a real Japanese person. Sorry. I have to deal with this on a daily basis. It's just a cultural thing.

2006-10-01 23:22:56 · answer #7 · answered by guyinjapan07 1 · 1 4

http://web-japan.org/trends/people/peo050315.html

This guy came to Japan after he graduated Harvard College.
He was 22 or 23 years old then and had never been studying Japanese in the US.
But in 2 years time, he passed the JLPT Level 1.
And today we Japanese see him on TV almost every week.

He is a foreigner. But to me, I don't feel he is extraneous or as alien.
Today Gaijin doesn't mean alein much, it is just a foreigner.
But if you speak Japanese fluently like Patrick and understand Japanese culture like him, probably your Japanese friend will forget that you came from US.

I wish your life in Japan be fabulous.
Good luck

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsrVl8yFhhk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70Xc3jGEGX8

2006-10-01 15:22:56 · answer #8 · answered by Joriental 6 · 4 0

Well I live in Japan. I moved here a year ago and I love it. I'm black american female who only knew konnichi wa and arigato goziamasu when I first got off the plane. Its great here and you will love it.

There are so many cultures and types of people here and the younger generations are so into people who are different. Be yourself and you will see that they will embrace you. The fact that you speak Japanese is going to make you acclimate well.

I'm just sorry that I'll be leaving next year and moving to another country, but the experience is amazing. Enjoy every moment of it.

Sayonara

2006-10-01 23:14:53 · answer #9 · answered by sugarapple25 3 · 2 2

I've heard wonderful things about Japan and the people ... I think you will be fine! (I understand your concerns, and I don't consider you racist for asking the questions you have.)

The Japanese people are very polite and civilized, so I'm sure you will fit in well (you seem polite and considerate yourself). I've had many caucasian friends who have visited Japan, and everyone has always said how wonderful it is. So, I'm sure when you move there, you will be treated just as well and will find it a great place to be.

Please don't be nervous for these next 3 years! And congrats on your move! It sounds exciting! :-)

2006-10-01 12:04:37 · answer #10 · answered by I ♥ AUG 6 · 3 2

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