Comments by "Jordan, inside-outsider in Japan" (@Jordan-inJapan) on "TAKASHii" channel.

  1. This is related to what a couple of the interviewees said, but I’ve been told by Japanese friends that they really envy how foreign people in Japan can just strike up a conversation with a stranger. “If tried that”, one friend told me, “people would just think I’m weird or creepy”. (Making small talk isn’t really that common here, especially if we have no existing connection with someone.) But somehow, foreign people like myself can be excused for such socially ‘abnormal’ behavior (for Japan) because, well… we’re foreign, so are expected to behave a bit differently. 😆
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  2. I wonder if most of the audience watching this understands how cool and impressive those two kids were. I’ve been teaching English in Elementary schools and junior high schools in Japan for over 20 years and I haven’t had any students who can speak like that— except for a FEW cases with kids who’ve come back from living abroad with their families. So… it was a cool interview, but maybe not for the reasons that most people are thinking. (Don’t assume these kids are representative of ‘typical’ Japanese kids!) That said, their parents are awesome and I want more Japanese parents and teachers to see this video to understand how language learning really works!
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  3. I agree with the point that the communication style generally used by Japanese people can make having an intimate relationship with them difficult for non-Japanese people. Not only is it less common for people here to talk about their feelings openly, there is also an assumption that we are able to ‘read’ the emotions or even wishes of our close friends or romantic partners. This can be frustrating for both parties involved. (Personal experience!) That said, in most cases I’ve known where relationships didn’t work out, it actually had more to do with lack of language skill than anything cultural. Well, I’ve been married to a Japanese woman for the last 15 years, so I guess I’m getting the hang of it! 😆
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  4. First of all, I loved the answer of that last guy who was interviewed. (He wouldn’t ‘take the bait’. 😆) But as far as things that my Japanese friends often complain about regarding foreign visitors here, I’d say the volume level of conversations in public ranks first. Especially on the train (as was mentioned by one of interviewees). Also, I wanted to mention… although consumption of alcohol in public places is acceptable in Japan, public drunken behavior is not. Of course, Japanese locals are guilty of this on occasion as well, but we foreigners stand out more. Just something to keep in mind. 🍻
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  5. As a long-time foreign resident living in Japan, I found this quite interesting. Coming from a multicultural nation (Canada) it is tempting fault Japanese society for a lack of tolerance to difference. But while this is generally true, and it can be an annoyance and even barrier full participation in Japanese society, I think this reality is actually harder on Japanese people living in Japan. I think that being ‘foreign’ actually gives me more freedom because people don’t expect me to always conform to social or cultural expectations…and many of my Japanese friends tell me they’re a bit jealous of this! The negative side of this is that Japanese people do tend to be nervous about interacting with foreign people here because they can’t predict how they will act, or whether they will properly follow social rules, etc. But to be honest, I find myself thinking the same way after being here so long. A certain amount of social homogeneity can be comforting!
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  6. I’ve lived in a few areas of Japan, and my take is that at least compared to people living in the Tokyo area, Osaka people are less ‘emotionally guarded’. It might translate to friendly…or maybe aggressive, depending on the situation. 😆 From my experience, people in Shizuoka are the friendliest. When I lived there, I was really impressed by how open people were. They just seemed to sincerely enjoy social interaction.
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  7. Wow, it seems like Tokyo is a different world from rural Japan where I live. Since there aren’t many HQs here, companies doesn’t really hire non-Japanese people for office-type jobs. (Unless you actually grew up here, that’s a different story.) Factory work? Sure. Convenience store? Sure. English teaching? Lots of options there! Marketing team? Uh…
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  8. Of course the main island of Okinawa is beautiful, and people are relatively friendly and warm (at least compared to typical residents of cities in other areas of Japan) but the Okinawan (Yaeyama) islands further south are on another level altogether. I’ve been to Ishigaki Island a couple or times with my family, and it’s just amazing. It just feels…magic being there. Less developed. Less English spoken. And everyone drives under the speed limit. But once you experience that feeling once, it keeps a hold on you forever, and you always dream of going back. (No I’m not getting money from the Okinawa Tourism Promotion society or anything. Really! 😆)
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  9. Nice topic! I’m from Canada but my two daughters were born here and now they’re 11 and 14 years old. And our experience has been very positive, like the family that was interviewed here. During the pandemic, as well, the government has been regularly sending out support payments to families with children, to help them get through the challenging economic times. No complaints. 😆 The main challenge I can think of is when my daughters started to become embarrassed about being different from their classmates, and tried to act (and speak) Japanese all the time in public. But it was only a phase, now they seem to have embraced their bicultural identity.
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  10. As for the “kind”, stereotype… I agree with the point that Japanese people are particularly kind to people they are connected with in a clearly-defined way. I mean, there are very well-established cultural rules and norms for how to treat & speak to people etc, which is one of the reasons we have such a harmonious society here. But on the other hand, for people who we have no clear connection with (like someone on the train with you or whatever) there isn’t really that much expectation of…anything. It’s almost like people don’t bother to acknowledge each other’s existence until there is a reason to do so. All that said, most people in Japan are actually very kind…once they notice you exist! (Being a ‘foreigner’ does also work as a kind of social ice-breaker, in my experience.) Anyway, really interesting video, Takashi!
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  11. Ah, the “friends” issue. Not a big thing but it’s come up for all the international couples I know. I admit feeling a bit left out at first when my girlfriend (now wife) didn’t invite me when she hung out with her friends. And she didn’t really want to hang out with ‘my’ friends. (Because they weren’t ‘hers’.) But after years of marriage (in Japan) we’ve shifted to a comfortable point somewhere in the middle. It all gets easier with time!
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  12. Well, I’ve only dated one Japanese woman (she’s my wife now) but what mostly caused problems was the difference in communication style. She often seemed disappointed when I couldn’t ‘read’ her expectations, whereas where I’m from (Canada), people tend to just state what they want or expect from one another. Usually.? 😆 Well, I guess dating is never easy no matter where you’re from!
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  13. I could add quite a few…especially if you add the word “rural” before Japan. Just one now: 自治会, or ‘neighborhood committee’. Takashi might not be able to relate to this living in a city. But in small-town or rural Japan you join one of these committees when you move in to a house. It collects money from all the members to manage upkeep on a meeting hall, where it has regular meeting about all kind of local issues that community members are suppose to attend. It organizes area cleanup and weeding days (and more) that residents are expected to take part in. It has a fire brigade that members are expected to join. Everything on a rotating basis, so eventually, all able bodied community members will have to do everything, even be the area leader for a year or two. “You won’t have to do all that as a foreigner”. People told me. But I did… and still do…. and it’s a lot of work. 😅
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  14. Long-term foreign resident in rural Japan here. I was interested to watch this video to see how prices in Tokyo compare with where I live in Mie prefecture. Interestingly, restaurant prices don’t sound much different than where I live. Rent is a little cheaper here…but not by much, at least if you live in an apartment. On the other hand, you don’t mind living in an old house that’s far away from a train station, you can get a decent sized place for 200$ (US) or less per month. As for locally grown vegetables or (sometimes) fruit, it’s super cheap here. The last point is about clothes. One interviewee mentioned a lack of ‘fast fashion’ here…which is funny to me because everyone I know here buys most of their clothes at Uniqlo and GU (cheap and cheaper)… department stores aren’t really a thing anymore! Maybe Mie people are just cheap..? 😆
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  15. Ah, Akita-prefecture is so beautiful. And it’s telling that people there are much ‘friendlier’ to non-Japanese residents than places overrun with tourists. One thing to keep in mind though, is that this kind of situation is pretty specific. I mean, (seemingly) short-term residents of the area who are here for a specific reason. If we were to ask medium and long-term foreign residents of rural areas we would get different kinds of answers. My own experience (20 years in Mie Prefecture) has been mostly great. But here, it all comes down to shared activities and ‘service’. If you regularly take part in community roles and events, for example, you will be accepted as a community member. If not…then not so much. Anyway, I think this language school featured in the video provides a great experience for students there. An excellent way to experience Japan!
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  16. The second couple reminds me of my wife and I, I mean how our situation was when we were first dating. I’m Canadian, and she was there studying and yes, looking for a guy as well. 😆 And also like that couple, we came back to Japan expecting to only stay here for a couple of years before moving back to settle in Canada again. But… still in Japan 20 years later!
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  17. This video was of particular interest to me, since both of my daughters are 'half Japanese'. It's really interesting to see different people's experiences with this. In my daughters' case, they mostly like the extra attention they get, but sometimes get irritated as well.
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  18.  @Ashi20-q4s  Can’t complain. 😆 Nation-level cultural differences aside, our ‘family cultures’ are actually pretty similar, so I think that’s made it easier.
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  19. Interesting video. It helped me remember the kind of things that used to give me culture shock so many years ago when I first came here. The last woman who you interviewed mentioned about alcohol…and I remembered how shocked I was to see how my (usually quite serious) co-workers acted when they got drunk at work parties. I was pretty shocked the first time one of my (male) co-workers took his clothes off and danced around the ‘izakaya’ in front of everyone. And THEN almost equally shocked when everyone acted like nothing unusual has happened the next day at work! 😂 (And it wasn’t the only time…)
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  20. I’ve lived in Japan and taught English here for more than 20 years, so I just wanted to share some of my experience. First of all, not all the English teachers here are happy with the situation. Japan isn’t an easy place to live for everyone. Your personality and of course the specific situation you end up in make a big difference. Generally speaking the pay is decent, especially if it’s your first job and you don’t have any dependents. I should mention though that English teacher salaries DON’T really increase with experience or time. (And transitioning to another line of work in Japan isn’t easy either.) The work situation is also really different depending whether you work at a private conversation school, as a dispatch company ALT, or JET ALT. The latter is definitely the cushiest option, but hard to get into. Well I could go on forever but I think I’ll wrap this up now. If anyone has any specific questions, I’d be happy to answer.
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  21. I’ve been an English teacher in Japan for over 20 years, and taught at various levels of the public (and private) education system. While there certainly are points about the system that are less than ideal, I think the main reason most Japanese people never become fluent in English is cultural. (I’m actually working on a video on this topic now!) Basically, people are taught implicitly from a young age not to express their opinions and feelings (especially if they are negative) in front of others. As well, they really don’t like making mistakes, and have a tendency to not say anything in class unless they are completely sure it’s correct. Add that to a cultural myth that there is something biologically different about Japanese people that prevents them from learning foreign languages (a lot of people here actually seem to believe this) and your have a huge barrier against gaining fluency in any foreign language, not just English. Some people manage to break the barrier, but not many.
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  22. I’m a Canadian in Japan who’s been married to a Japanese woman for more than 20 years. When she first announced to her parents we were dating (which is basically the same as announcing engagement here) her parents were admittedly pretty surprised. But not against! And it didn’t take them long to come around, and I’ve enjoyed a great relationship with them since. (This is a good thing, considering we ended up building a house in a plot of land next to theirs!)
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  23.  @PerryKobalt  ah, I didn’t mean “culture” like that of a specific country or ethnic group or anything like that. Just that my wife’s parents have a lot in common with mine, as far as values, interests, etc. So even though my own cultural background is Euro-Canadian, it wasn’t all that hard to integrate myself into a Japanese family… since that particular family just kind of ‘made sense’ and felt familiar to me. (I hope I’M making sense...😆)
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  24.  @earlysda  It’s the cost of being accepted as true member of the community you live in. I guess I could have just refused…but then I would be ‘one of those foreigners who doesn’t follow the rules properly’. But I’d rather be a community-member…even if it’s a bit of a pain sometimes.
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  25.  @Tonixxy  😂 I did not expect to get this question here. But fair enough… This is an over-generalization, but it’s based on an element of truth. The old joke is that ‘if you want a sex life after having kids, you just have to have an affair. (Or pay for it.) Sexual attraction / romantic feelings are seen as natural for young people and newly-weds. But 10 years later it would have been seen as kind of embarrassing and over-indulgent. “If you have that much energy left after work, then you aren’t working hard enough.” There isn’t really any positive (traditional) cultural image of a romantically engaged ‘married with children’ couple. I mean, they would be portrayed as eccentric weirdos in a movie. BUT guess what, younger Japanese people watch Netflix. And guess what, they want to enjoy their lives too. So yeah, people’s expectations of what a marriage is have been shifting for a while. (Lucky for me. 😆)
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  26. I really could relate to something the second interviewee said — the woman who had been here 7 years…that she initially had some experience of people not sitting next to her, etc, but that it didn’t seem to be an issue anymore. Like, when you’re new in Japan, you have this exotic ‘foreign energy’ field around you, that can be a force of attraction or repulsion depending on the situation. But then when you get used to being here, and feel comfortable with the culture, that foreign vibe gets replaced by a Japanese one and people don’t really react much either way. Absolutely the case for me. After 20 years in this country, feeling negative (or positive!) discrimination is a distant and kind of nostalgic memory.
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  27.  @Ashi20-q4s  Thank you so much. All the best to you too!
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  28. 20-years-English-teaching-in-Japan veteran here! 😆 First, I just want to say that Takashi did a great job at selecting interviewees for this one. Interesting people and good information! I’ll just add my bit about one type of English teacher that didn’t come up here — the ALT. Assistant Language Teachers basically come in three types: those working for a national or regional program like JET; those working through a dispatch company; or those hired directly by a municipal Board of Education. I’m not gonna get into details about the different types right now, but since the JET gig is the most sought-after, I will list some pros and cons of that one here. PROS: comparatively easy work load for reasonable pay. Opportunities to immerse oneself in Japanese culture by becoming a member of the school and surrounding community. Ample paid-vacation days. CONS: every situation is different. You may end up working six classes in a row with hyperactive elementary school students; or, you may end up sidelined as a “human tape recorder“ in the classroom and spend a lot of time sitting in the staff room with nothing to do. And finally, no matter how many years you do this job there is (in most cases) no chance for promotion or pay-raise. And FINALLY, I’d like to say that I’m pretty sure Takashi has a crush on the second interviewee. (But I could be wrong. 😆)
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  29.  @trigi3678  yeah, at first I assumed they were ‘returnees’, but based on their explanation I’m pretty sure it’s just that they have really cool parents.
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  30.  @Greenforrest7342  hey, cut me some slack! 😅 I said it was ‘tempting’ to make that comparison. I didn’t say I judged Japan negatively for it. My intended implication was that Japan, not in fact being a multicultural country, should not be compared to a country like Canada. Sorry if that was unclear. I’ve lived in Japan for more than 20 years, and have in fact chosen to live here OVER Canada in spite of the ‘stifling culture of conformity’. 😉 (intended to show sarcasm). Of course, have to accept Japan for what it is. And you know what? It’s a great place to live. For me at least. 🍻
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  31. Another reason why people don’t stop wearing masks here in Japan has to do with the reason for wearing them in the first place. It was never “because the government said so”. Or not primarily anyway. In my opinion, wearing a mask (whether it’s during Flu season or because of the Covid-19 pandemic) is about showing respect to the people around you, by protecting them (actually or only in gesture) from yourself. This illustrates a central part of Japanese culture: limiting your own comfort and freedom a little bit for the good of society.
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  32. Well, my wife is Japanese but she doesn’t really fit any of those stereotypes... 😂
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  33. This is a really important topic in Japan now, and I thought peoples answers were really interesting and revealing. A bit surprising maybe, but among people I know, my foreign friends are more reluctant to the idea of opening up immigration than my Japanese ones. 😆 Could be just a coincidence though!
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  34. I want to see this interview done in my area. (Mie Prefecture. Rural) Every gay friend I’ve had here was in such a hurry to leave for Tokyo or Osaka. 😆
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  35.  @justjoshininjapan700  That’s mostly what I’ve found as well. Well, one other possibility, for those with advanced Japanese skills, is doing translation work. I know a guy who does it freelance, full time, and makes more than I do (working full time in public schools).
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  36.  @maegalroammis6020  re-directed through a positivity filter…sure, something like that.
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  37.  @KP-go4rp  I have a feeling that what’s being talked about here applies more to urban Japan…maybe Tokyo.? At least, I’ve lived in Japan for 20 years now, and the only time I’ve ever been denied entry anywhere was a sleazy night club I shouldn’t have been trying to get into in the first place. And the ‘no-one-sits-next-to-you-on-the-train’ thing? If only I was so lucky. Seriously, if I’ve ever been ‘treated badly’ based on not being Japanese, I haven’t noticed it. I know that a lot of people do have bad experiences…and Japan does have its share of jerks and racists…but it’s just never really materialized in my life here in rural, central Japan. Back to my original comment, but what’s more of an issue for me is that all the extra attention my daughters get for their lighter hair, etc, will cause them to attribute too importance to the way they look and allow that to become a central part of their self-identity. (That said, if I every catch anyone treating them badly, I’ll have something to say about it.)
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  38.  @shahrukhkhan8307  very cool. But I think this method only works if the child is personally motivated and really interested in the content. (Not because their parents tell them to watch it.)
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  39.  @etherdog  Thanks for the encouragement! I suppose that’s one of the perks of NOT having a higher-paying, corporate job here — more free time to do creative projects like making videos. 🍻
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  40. Good interview question idea!
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  41. Interesting interview. The experience of living short-term in rural Japan as a student is (obviously) quite different than my own experience of settling down, raising a family, and becoming a part of the local community. But I think what both situations have in common are their benefits over urban life. As a student, you save money and have less distractions if you live in the countryside. And as a long-term resident, you really have the chance to integrate yourself and become a member of the community. This doesn’t usually happen for city-dwelling foreign residents, because you tend to find members of your own language or cultural community and don’t bother making the effort to truly integrate. And as a result most remain an outsider to Japanese society. Where I live, you kind of get ‘pulled in’ whether you like it or not. 😅
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  42. Interesting as usual, Takeshi. But my question is… how about you?? Where do you want to go?
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  43.  @Oversurge_  Fair question. Well, the main reason is just that it suits my family’s situation. My wife (who is Japanese) works for a typical Japanese company, including long hours, overseas trips etc, and so I’m the one who mostly takes care of the kids and domestic work, at home. My ALT job means I work in the area, have regular hours, and get home every day early enough to make dinner, etc. (It also means that I often have free time at work to study and work on videos or other creative projects.) And going back to the “every situation is different” point I made in my comment… my situation at work is pretty decent. I actually like my job! Most of the time. 😆
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  44.  @ganndalf202  you don’t have to be a good public speaker. Being in front of a group of students is quite a different thing than addressing an audience. I have a few friends (currently JET ALTs) who are very shy people and they have both gotten quite comfortable teaching public school kids, even though they looked really nervous at first. Their speaking voices have gotten much louder as well. And the non-native-speaker thing. The truth is, it’s much easier to get hired if you are a native speaker from a country that people associate with English. (This is especially true in the private sector.) It doesn’t mean you won’t get hired, it just means you have to prove yourself first, and your first job could be lower-paying than it would otherwise. That said, it’s all about timing. When a school/company really needs a teacher, they won’t be so picky. (As long as you can speak well, of course.) I recommend checking if the JET Program has a connection in your country, and try applying there first. If that doesn’t work out, research your other options. Finally, as for the money, not all teaching jobs pay well…but most pay enough that you can support yourself and save a little. (You can actually live quite cheaply in Japan, if you’re careful.) I hope that helps. Good luck!
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  45. Ah, I know exactly what you mean. I think it relates to an interesting point of Japanese culture regarding social interaction. When you have an established relationship with someone (coworkers, family, friends, shopkeeper-customer etc) there are a lot of really complex rules as for how to interact. But when you DON’T have an established relationship (ie two strangers on a train platform) people often just pretend others around don’t exist. It’s seen as a bit of a ‘flaw’ in Japanese culture — a lack of clear rules for interaction between strangers in public places.
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  46.  @verreal I guess it’s one situation where I’m okay with playing that card. Most of the time I follow the rules. 😅
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  47. It does seem unfair. But to be honest, I don’t have a single friend who has left the country in the past 3 years. (And I have a pretty wide circle.) People do make plans, hoping that the pandemic will ‘calm down’, and then end up cancelling them, when it doesn’t. (That said, I do feel that Japan’s border restrictions are a bit tighter than they need to be right now.)
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  48. A few more… *Don’t try to scam the train system, buying the wrong ticket and thinking that “I don’t speak Japanese” will help you. You’ll eventually get caught. *Don’t try to speak like characters in anime. You might think you’ll sound cool, but more likely rude or ridiculous. But you REALLY want to speak like anime characters, then at least choose something by Ghibli, because then at least you have a decent chance at not sounding rude. And while we’re on topic…did you know about Studio Ghibli’s theme park? It will be open in November! (And I went to the site and took some video, if anyone is interested…)
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  49.  @koffiegast  that’s really interesting… I wonder if Japanese people actually do the same thing. (I’m guessing yes.)
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  50.  @strife2746  This is probably too complicated of a topic to get into in a video comment page. Well, I really know what you mean, but I believe that the reasons for the strong social cohesion here don’t only come from the traditional culture, shared ethnicity etc, from a variety of reasons. One is a strong and mostly-uniform public education system up to grade 9 (15 years old.) Basically every child in this country had shares this experience, which not only includes a common academic curriculum but also ethical and cultural-values indoctrination, club activities, and several school trips that take then to different areas of the country, together with their classmates. In this way everyone adult individual in Japan has a shared experience they can relate to. And it really goes a long way towards making this a true ‘nation’, rather than a collection of selfish individual, like in Canada & America. There are other points, but I’ll stop now. 😅
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