very good film, you deserve a much bigger following with this level of professionalism! the 5H pencil, whoa, I'd be afraid to rip into the paper with one of these
I found that especially younger Japanese people were interested in what I was doing and often noticed if I was struggling with something and offered help. Others have told me Japanese people do that with westerners but not with each other or other ethnic east Asians.
To be honest, not accepting foreigners as a renter is a terrible example of how racism seems actually acceptable as long as enough do it. And please do not deny that it's racism but " fear for the unknown" because those are actually in core the same thing. I love Japanese culture and i respect the way of life to an extend as a foreigner when i read/hear/see things about it. but some things are seriously wrong socially in this country and the decline of the population is a terrible result of many of them. I guess it's the almost xenophobic island-mentality that still has a great influence here, and in that, Japan is certainly not alone.
Hi, I am Australian my wife is Chinese and we are planning a trip to Japan, none of these issues this English guy speaks of would bother either one of us. Love the idea of no ball games in parks, Australians run riot in parks much to my displeasure, love the rule based culture in Japan. If I were to live long term in Japan it wouldn't be in Tokyo, but my greatest fear would be earthquakes.
Just got suggested your video and I’m so thankful. This was very informative. I subscribed to the channel and I hope to see more from you in the future.
I like Japan, but... the endless rules are not all sensible. Irrational, counter-productive, and harmful rules and laws are very common in Japan (there are plenty other countries too, I could certainly spend days talking about those in mine, but Japan has unusually many) ...and there is a big difference between "peace" and "order and quiet". You can have "order and quiet", that is extremely unfair and oppressive, making it far from peaceful. Japan mainly just focuses on "order and quiet". On keeping up appearances, at the expense of dealing with the actual reality.
On Japan being stuck in the past, I think what you mention is very true, *BUT* I think the *main* problem, is that the ones in power (politicians, CEOs, etc), who make the decisions, are all very old men, and how you are practically forbidden to question or criticize those who are older or have a higher position, and how promotions are very much affected by seniority. Thus you get the most conservative and out of touch people in charge, as well as making sure that they feel they know best, and shouldn't bother to learn from others, or even find out if there is anything to learn. In other words: You are ruled by the most conservative and incompetent among you. This is also why you have such atrociously bad English eduction, with syllabus and teaching materials (and dictionaries and the like), that teach something that isn't real English, and _which hasn't had any input from actual native speakers, much less experts who are native speakers!_ ...which is also a big part, in why Japan is so isolated.
The rules take is an interesting one. Rules do contribute to order, sure. But how does any of those rules make life more comfortable and why? >Once you'll understand how society works here in Japan ...well how does it?
I have a lot of respect for someone doing a reaction video that doesn't involve watching the video. Gives people a reason for people to watch the original and creates a discussion rather than taking views! Good on you.
So many of the issues can be solved by learning a bit of the language, and I think it's crazy to move somewhere without being able to at least communicate basic things. I'd like to live in Japan for a year or two at some point, but when that happens depends on how quickly I can become somewhat fluent.
I used to live in an apartment near Daimon Station on the way to Tokyo Tower. It didn’t have the thinnest walls ever but DO NOT underestimate the reach of a western fart.!! Never got to meet my neighbors…))
About the problem of finding a place to rent. Aside from language problems, which could be overcome by going through a rental agency, the biggest problem is the negative impression that previous foreign tenants leave behind. One example is of foreign students leaving a big mess in the apartment when they leave after graduating. The owner have to spend a lot on repairs and clean ups. Another example is foreigners who do not want to follow the rules, especially concerning how to handle garbage disposal. Here in Japan we have a garbage calendar that tells you on what day a certain type of garbage will be collected. I have come across foreigners who just throws, for example, plastic garbage when it is only due for collection next week. So their garbage would occupy the garbage collection box for 1 week and become an eye sore. That garbage is also taking up space from other families who shares that garbage collection box, when they need to throw out other appropriate type of garbage. I am a foreigner myself and I can understand if Japanese property owners are reluctant to rent out to foreigners. But not all foreigners are bad ones. A small minority of foreigners are people who like a clean place to live, like me. As some of you have seen, Japanese neighborhoods and streets are kept very clean.
Not gonna lie.. Japan sounds like one bug stereotype... I don't really understand why though. Aren't random problems like these supposed to fade out over time? Not become a deterrent for literally anyone else?
The stereotype comes from outside, it is the foreigners who put this labels on the Japanese. The outside thinks their way is correct because that is all they know. And when they see the Japanese do things different to their usual ways, they question them and even act superior and say the Japanese is doing it wrong. If the Japanese have been doing it wrong this hundred of years, do you think their society have prospered so much. Their country is clean, crime rate is one of the lowest in the whole world, those are just a couple of example observations. Is there really a big problem, that we, the outsiders, so badly want the Japanese to change?
Hehehehe Japan is declining Empire the lords of discriminate on foreigners they better start getting using of atmosphere since things are about to take Avery strange turn for Japanese
This is a very fair balanced view . There are so many good things about Japan ( safety , no big drugs issues, fun loving craziness ) . Also mental health services in the whole of Asia are generally poor . It’s ideological for Asian cultures. Yes I can imagine it’s difficult to get a job if you don’t speak Japanese . But it’s difficult to get a job in Taiwan if you don’t speak Chinese . I’m stared at in Taiwan but I know there is no hatred towards me . It’s just curiosity .
For me I know Japan people or land lord don't like foreigner to live in apartments, me too I don't wanna be your shit neighbors either and I knows the reason why but I act like I don't know about it
In Europe RC is standard, but there are much more layers added to it, there is inside and outside insulation, double or tripple glass windows. So your energy consumption for heating is very low and you don´t hear your neighbours. In Japan even in a concrete-build mansion you can hear your neighbours walking and talking. It´s alwyas interesting how Japanese people defend the fact that landlords (or employers) discriminate foreigeners. "It´s because they are afraid of dealing with other cultures and etiquetts", they say. In Europe and elsewhere we call it rasism. When nobody wants to seat next to me in the subway because I am a foreigner, it´s also rasism, but this happens to me very frequently in Japan. In my country it is punishable by law and prevention of it is a big issue in public discussion and a subject to teach in schools. Not so in Japan. Thank you for your "Stuck in the past" analysis. Yes, it´s the problem of education and absolute lack of critical duscussion culture in Japan. If nobody questions things, if nobody can speak out openly and frankly his own oppininion nothing will change. And that´s why Japan is static and not moving forward. In my observation things are getting even worse, elder generations of Japanese were more open minded. As for making friends it´s not only about speaking English. It´s actually what you mentioned when you talked about relationships. There is no other culture where silence is so much appreciated as in Japan. People in any other cultures I know of, even in Asia, are more outspoken and tend to say their opinion directly. Japanese communication is entirely different in that aspect, you don´d discuss, or question, you just accept things mostly as they are. It´s all connected to "wa", the harmony, which is more imprtant than anything elese. Even when a foreigner speaks Japanese it is very difficult to communicate for him/her. If your English fried would have left Japan in the corona time to visit her relatives in the UK, she would not be allowed back to Japan for almost a year. Sorry, but that´s not how a country treats its residents.
This is in response to your subway comment. So if I don't want to sit next to you I am racist? So in the west, you use the "racism" excuse to squash my freedom to choose. Is that what you they are doing in the west. I don't want to sit next to you maybe because you have body odor, or you make me uncomfortable. That is my right, and you have no right to take that away from me. If it makes you uneasy, suck it up. The other person is also feeling uneasy, so please understand that. To me, this is the problem in the west. If things do not go your way, you call it racist, even if it takes "freedom" away from the person (the person you call a racist). It is so pathetic.
I feel so blessed that my passion for Japan overshadows my anxiety at meeting new people and overcoming my fiery independence. I'm willing to *try* to communicate with someone who doesn't speak English. I've even managed to have a fairly fluid conversation with non-English speakers such as those from India, whose accent is often *very* hard to understand when you're not used to it. I make it known ahead of time, prior to anything being discussed that I may need them to speak slowly so I can better understand them at first. Basically, help me help you ^^ and this approach works really well! I'm also very blessed that I know of several Japanese and South Korean families here on Vancouver Island, who are willing to help me whenever I go into their place of business and are willing to let me practice my Japanese or Korean ^^ As for jobs, I'm very adapt in horse care. I've worked as a groom, trainer, and have even owned my own horses in the past and to this day, I still ride on weekends and help with camps where horses are used. I thoroughly enjoy working with them and have built quite the reputation as a caring person when it comes to the horses placed under my care. I've also worked as a camp councilor where horses were used (such as horse camps) and many camp contractors have found that the kids placed under my care, were also very happy with me and with being around me. I encouraged where most would of discouraged them. I have personally found that, if you're willing to make the effort to learn the culture, the language and understand at least *some* of the basic rules and regulations, most countries and their people, become very accepting of you. They may, for a time, view you as an outsider, but over time, this turns to acceptance with every accomplishment you make as a person growing in their culture and country. Whenever I visit my friends' restaurant (Karai Sushi) her mom, whose NOT a hugger by nature and culture, openly hugs me and often times, gives me extra food in my order (because I've openly told them I love their cooking! But sadly, it's also very expensive when you live on disability such as I do :c ) During the height of the pandemic, whenever they wouldn't see me for x number of days, she'd make it her personal mission to check in on me, often bringing me food, snacks, and or a simple hug (my depression was super bad at that time) and on several occasions, she invited me over for dinner and was (pleasantly) surprised when I abided by her culture's rules of the home (no outside shoes on etc). Sadly, when her husband passed away last year, she felt lost in the sea of well wishers. Her daughters later confided in me that their mom felt overwhelmed by it all, so I asked if she'd be offended if I stepped in to help and they said they didn't think she'd be offended but grateful for the help. When we later approached her with the idea, she simply hugged me (rather tightly I might add) and said she was grateful to have me as her 'third daughter' (she'd only had two children). Honestly? I was grateful to help someone who'd been so helpful when I'd needed it the most.
#6 isn't "stuck in the past" it's "adhering to its cultural norms"...and this makes Japan a good thing. Trust me, you don't want to go down the road of third wave feminism. It will destroy your country and culture entirely.
Hiya So I am so fascinated with Japanese culture, traditions and customs and have pondered if I could live in Japan. I have a friend of mine who is originally from the states who lives in Japan who walks/bikes around Japan and speaks Japanese. My question though is since I am half Asian would I still be treated differently since I am still a foreigner, the friend said they may just assume I speak Japanese and just start talking in Japanese (which I intend to learn by the way) as well as since I am going for a game design degree Ive also heard that its pretty cutthroat. Id like to hear your thoughts! Thank you <3
Okay, I just saw the first point, and I could not stop laughing. 1 bedroom, with dining and kitchen in *Tokyo* of all places being on average 780/month? You're easily paying DOUBLE that in New York, Boston, LA, and even smaller towns. My hometown of Palmer, MA - where you can't get anywhere else unless you have a car - wants north of 1000/month for the majority of their apartments. Just goes to show how messed up how bad housing is in America.
As a military brat, Dad in Air Force stationed in near Tokyo, me and a friend decided to take the train down to the Ginza. We got on early, and were seated. As the train filled later down the line two very elderly Japanese ladies in dark kimonos, got on, looked around and seeing them Dale & I got up and offered them our seats. Dale was blond & blue eyed, I was a 6'1" 15 year old. After one and twenty bows they sat down. I looked around, we stood out like neon signs, one with a yellow shirt the other baby blue and as far as you could see were dark haired, dark suited, white shirted Japanese men, seated, glaring at us. Being teenagers we were oblivious. Later a friend said after I described the scene that we made them lose face even thou few , then, would have offered the ladies their seats. Another time my Dad was golfing with some Japanese generals and one hit a ball into the water hazard, the caddies were all women. The general pointed to the lake and his caddie, who was about 4'5" took off her shoes, waded out, ducked under like she was diving for pearls and retrieved the ball, soaked to the skin and sloshed around the course hauling golf bags taller and heavier than themselves. Definitely different customs. I remembered this no matter where I went.
Any foreign national can come to America and will have all the same rights as a national citizen except voting if your country can’t say the same thing your country is racist
