Wake up call!

[HarutoAsou]

This is for all those who "love" Japan but have never been there. I am an East Asian Studies major, this means my degree mostly revolves around learning about Chinese, Japanese, Korean (a bit), and SE Asian (a bit) culture and history. I have always been intrigued by Japan as I find the culture interesting but I have refrained myself from making comments about Japan unless it's referring to economical factors and such, things that can be discussed without having lived in Japan personally. Just yesterday I had returned from a week of staying in Japan and living in Suehirocho (in Akiba). I loved my time there and speaking basic Japanese did make it a bit easier (and having my best friend who is Japanese show me around everyday after she finished work). However, all you people who say "I love Japan, it's full of JAV stars and they are so friendly." Wake up call.

Even having studied Japan and having many Japanese friends in Vancouver Japan was nothing at all like I had expected. It was an enjoyable experience, but also a wake up call. I am currently living in Korea and I love it but after having visited Japan I personally wouldn't want to live there, at least not when compared to Korea. I'm not insulting Japan as I know a handful of people who post here live there, it's just a personal preference. My room mate from Vancouver also came with me and it was a HUGE culture shock for him (not having even studied anything about Japan, just having an interest Japanese girls like I assume 90% of this sites visitors are).

Please goto Japan before you spew verbal diarrhea from your mouth talking about how great it is. It's a great place, but for different reasons and you have no validity in your claims if you've never been there. Hell, my claims aren't as valid as most because I only stayed there a week but I just felt I should post this.

Not to digress but Monjya is some of the best shit ever!

To keep this topic alive, how did everyone else feel when visiting Japan? Was it all you expected? Was it more? Japan exceeded my expectations but in different ways.

 

[CoolKevin]

Interesting, I have never been to Japan, but I am realistic enough to know that a couple of thousand girls, (out of 140,000,000 people) posing in front of a camera is not a true reflection of a country,
In my experiences, I have been to many countries around the world, you get treated very well, my theory for this is, treat others like you like to be treated, politeness and good manners go a long way.
lastly, I always go travelling with an open mind, relax and enjoy the experience, yes things do go wrong, but laugh about it, and you will enjoy more, and the culture is the main reason for any trip, if you get the chance talk to the locals, (on an equal basis)

I hope to get there soon

 

[Gir633]

I had no interest in Japan until I went there. I first went just because I wanted to go somewhere for a vacation, and I found a 4 day airfare/hotel package for $750 to Tokyo. And I really enjoyed it, and that was when my interest in Japan started. I've gone back every other year since, I wouldn't mind trying living and working there for at least a year, if for nothing else than to get a more true view of the country.

Dealing with others that have been there it really seems to be a love it or hate it kind of thing. Without too many in the middle road.

And another thing that probably helps me out in liking Japan is I don't go there for the women, though yes, I do find them very attractive, and I'm not beyond eying them up, and if things happen they happen. But it's not a main reason for going there. Nor is anime, I don't go there believing everyone in Japan is an anime fan.

I think that one of the main reasons for bitter post-Japan dislike is the guys who go there figuring that Japanese girls are going to be an easy conquest, and then find out they don't like being hit on by strangers any more than girls back home.

 

[guy]

I think that one of the main reasons for bitter post-Japan dislike is the guys who go there figuring that Japanese girls are going to be an easy conquest, and then find out they don't like being hit on by strangers any more than girls back home.

This cannot be said enough. Japanese women are most certainly not simple-minded creatures. They are as complex in mind as women from any other culture, though on the surface you might not realize (because the difference in cultures makes it doubly difficult for foreigners to "decode" and understand those complexities).

There are Japanese women who are naive about foreigner culture and will fall head-over-heels for foreigners, but they are as common as the Westerner otaku who obsesses about Japanese culture: both of them exist, but in reality they are very few and in no way represent the norm.

how did everyone else feel when visiting Japan? Was it all you expected? Was it more?

I have found Japan to be a wonderful (though not perfect) place to visit, live and work, though for reasons that many people don't have first hand experience to fully understand. The abridged version:

Western-born/raised asians (like myself) usually have to deal with both western and asian culture/customs, many of which don't mix. Most will swing one way or another: their parents either raise them to stay true to their roots, or they adopt a western life and leave the cultural baggage behind. Though I've visited and lived in different parts of East Asia and done personal and formal studies, I never could fully reconcile the two sides.

Japan has been the once place where I have found myself able to observe my asian roots and at the same time remain free to keep my western identity. Not that they're reconciled, but both are given their due respect. (And the fact that I can go to Akiba and enjoy a day as an otaku is just icing on the cake, though not the raison d'être.)

The sharp-minded of you might read this and think of Danny Choo as a seminal figure, in this regard.

 

[HarutoAsou]

I agree about the women. Every country has easy women but people tend to associate Japanese women with the international students they meet in Vancouver (or any other place with many international students) and that's probably the worst comparison. When living abroad a girl doesn't have to worry about her parents, (typically) studies very little and spends time drinking and partying. Obviously this freedom makes them more prone to having sex with random guys. I didn't really try for anything because I had a GF waiting for me back in Korea and I can wait one week for her without cheating.

 

[tomokun88]

I was there for two weeks to visit and reconcile with my girlfriend. the experience was life changing! it was quiet, peaceful, strange and unforgettable. hectic! the trains were amazing! full of people all on there cell phones, nobody chatting except for the occasional student. I loved the food! my first day there we stopped at a train station after she met me at Narita and we had the best Chinese food I've ever had, I have to admit, if I was wealthy I would rather live with her over there! but strangely enough all she has ever wanted was to get away from there and come here? I mostly knew about Japanese culture through my love of there films and art. I am not an otaku by any means! ok! I do like Ryoko Hirosue and the Wonder girls so I am not completely without otaku credentials! yes, I know the Wonder girls are not Japanese, so!? anyway. if you haven't been there, forget your misconceptions. it's not full of girls dressed in dumb anime garb, thats just fringe culture stuff! and yes! Japanese women are incredibly beautiful! if you are a person of some culture and refinement, you should do fine there as a tourist I mean! if you are a lunatic don't bother they do not appreciate idiots any more than the rest of the world

 

[Rhinosaur]

I was there for two weeks to visit and reconcile with my girlfriend. the experience was life changing! it was quiet, peaceful, strange and unforgettable. hectic! the trains were amazing! full of people all on there cell phones, nobody chatting except for the occasional student. I loved the food! my first day there we stopped at a train station after she met me at Narita and we had the best Chinese food I've ever had, I have to admit, if I was wealthy I would rather live with her over there! but strangely enough all she has ever wanted was to get away from there and come here? I mostly knew about Japanese culture through my love of there films and art. I am not an otaku by any means! ok! I do like Ryoko Hirosue and the Wonder girls so I am not completely without otaku credentials! yes, I know the Wonder girls are not Japanese, so!? anyway. if you haven't been there, forget your misconceptions. it's not full of girls dressed in dumb anime garb, thats just fringe culture stuff! and yes! Japanese women are incredibly beautiful! if you are a person of some culture and refinement, you should do fine there as a tourist I mean! if you are a lunatic don't bother they do not appreciate idiots any more than the rest of the world

You went to Japan and ate Chinese food!?! Give yourself a quick face-slap!!

 

[tomokun88]

yea Chinese food!

I did have some great Japanese food after that but my joke with the statement was that I had never had Chinese food that good before living here in the west where "Chinese" food supposedly can be found in every city!

 

[CoolKevin]

I must admit, the first day in Japan, and Chinese food is really odd,

I do not know where you are, chinese food in every town, where I am within 10-15 minutes walking distance in any direction, I have a choice of at least 4, overall about 30 of them, strange no sushi, a bit off topic I know

but at least you had a great experience, I must admit quiet surprises me, and guessed it not full of cosplay women, If I guess right you have to be very lucky to see one, or get the heads up to know if there is a photo shoot going on, which seems to be very unlikely you would know, I am sure they would not tell anybody, otherwise it would be full of us pervs

 

[guy]

Going to have to agree with tomokun88; Chinese food in Japan is surprisingly good, and far better than most of the reprocessed Chinese food that is served in the West (where authentic dishes are slathered in sweet-and-sour or soy sauce, simply because those are the only two tastes many Westerners associate with Chinese food).

It is not "authentic" Chinese food, but then there's no real way to gauge authenticity when it comes to Chinese food anyway; anyone who has actually been through China and tried authentic cuisine will know that preparation of and tastes of the same dishes vary hugely from one region of China to another, and every person ends up with their own preference. It's like America's regional obsessions with and variations of BBQ (some people like dry-rub, some prefer tomato-based glazing, some prefer mustard-based sauces, etc; all can be considered BBQ, but some people will get defensive about which one is authentic).

In my opinion, Chinese food in Japan is one of the lesser-known gems. Most people come to Japan and think the only thing they should eat is sushi. But even in Japan there's good sushi and bad sushi. And Japanese cuisine extends far beyond just raw fish (and if you don't know that, you're really missing out on a lot).

Pretty much the only thing Japan doesn't do right is pasta and pizza, and some other Western food staples.

 

[Rhinosaur]

I never meant the Chinese food wouldn't have been great, I just found it odd that literally after passing through customs they went for Chinese! Was only in jest, anyway.

Japanese pizza menus certainly contain some rather bizarre concoctions!

 

[tomokun88]

btw after being there for a few says, her parents took us out to eat and askd me what I liked? I said steak! and they took us for some of the best steak I have ever had! at an American style steak house of all places! but with just the right Japanese touch!

 

[Arashi]

Well, when someone says that Japan is all about anime, hentai, jav and Jr. Idols, I simply reply (if its an american):

"the USA is a country of madmen, didn't you watch Texas Chainsaw Massacre?".

The only stereotype I can think that is true is about brazilian women being easy and the people here (Brazil) being dumb, including myself for being stranded here with the natives...:nou:

 

[HarutoAsou]

I had a wide variety of foods thanks to Keiko and my willingness to experience new things, including raw horse and beef intestine (which were both delicious), however there are 2 foods I love in Japan: Mos Burger (seriously, better than McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy's, Lotteria, you name it) and JYAMON! Jyamon is one of the best foods ever and we had it at a class B restaurant.

I also loved having am/pm chicken karage+ton katsu+seasoned rice bento for breakfast every morning and washing it down with a Red Bull...I brought home 26 cans of Red Bull and finished them in under 2 weeks.

 

[aquamarine]

You don't have Red Bull over there???

 

[HarutoAsou]

You don't have Red Bull over there???

I did a lot of research to find the exact reason. Apparently Red Bull has micrograms of cocaine in it, but it's SO small that it's legal to sell almost everywhere in the world (this includes North America and Japan). It's not actually added, it's a natural occurances with some of the ingredients used. However, South Korea and Taiwan have a rule that anything with any amount of cocaine, no matter how small, it's illegal to be sold. I read you'd have to drink around 1000 cans in one sitting for the cocaine to be of any negative effect on your body (that is if the caffeine and Taurine doesn't kill you after drinking the tenth can). Red Bull had a short stint in Korea in 2006 before it was banned and now you can buy it on the black market in Itaeweon (think Roppongi in Korea) but I don't live anywhere near Itaeweon (it's in Seoul, I'm in Busan which is 5 hours away by train) and I don't like Itaeweon either.

 

[Rhinosaur]

cocaine to be of any negative effect on your body

There's a negative side to cocaine!?!

 

[aquamarine]

A shrunken penis.

 

[Rhinosaur]

Well, there's that, but at least it fits in my shorts now!

 

[aquamarine]

Since when did you start wearing micro-thongs?