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“Please Don’t Romanticize Japan”: Person Living In Tokyo Exposes The Dark Aspects Of Japanese Culture
If you grew up on Miyazaki films like I did, there’s a good chance you have an idealized image of Japan in your mind. The beautiful scenery and magical worlds he depicted in Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Howl’s Moving Castle, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Castle in the Sky and many more movies made me believe that Japan has a beautiful, whimsical feeling that nowhere else in the world could ever emulate (and all of those films aren't even set in Japan!).
Just like anywhere else in the world, though, Japan might not be exactly what you would expect from seeing films and the media. Yes, its cities are much cleaner than the metropolitan areas in many other countries, and the nature is absolutely stunning. But as one student studying abroad in Tokyo has come to find out, nowhere in the world is perfect, including Japan.
Below, you’ll find explanations of some of the darker parts of Japanese culture that TikToker Ashley in Japan has been sharing with her viewers. Be sure to upvote any of the information that surprises you or that you have observed in Japan as well, and feel free to share your thoughts on this topic in the comments. If you are from Japan, do you agree with Ashley’s observations? And if you live in Japan or have ever been there before, we would love to hear what your favorite parts of the beautiful island nation are as well. Then if you’re interested in checking out a few more Bored Panda articles highlighting all of the unique qualities of Japan, you can find those right here, here and here!
More info: TikTok
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Predatory Behavior Is Rarely Called Out
It's known that Japan has a gender equality problem, like many countries. But do you know what this entails? Japan has strong gender role expectations. My mother used to say that working in Japan, she was told by the boss to come in early to make and serve hot tea for her coworkers every morning, just because she was a woman and new to the office.
If a young man was introduced to her company floor, the boss never expected that. Instead, she said when a new woman came to work at the company, the boss switched out the new woman with my mother for the tea pouring chore.
Japan also has issues on harassment in the workforce and public transportation, though there are now trains that have "women only" carts during certain rush hour times in the morning and night. I noticed that there is always that one creepy guy that ends up in those certain carts during that time and makes all the women feel uncomfortable and vulnerable.
The phones that are sold in Japan, whether it be Android or Apple, actually have a feature that cannot be disabled. That makes it so pictures have a clicking that occurs every time you click. This law for all phones is so women can know if a pervert is trying to take pictures up a skirt or dress because the phone would make obnoxious clicking noises. Because Japanese people are generally very polite and will not complain. No one speaks up to tell the creepy dude to get off the women only train.
My mother actually told me of an experience she had with the trains in Tokyo. She had just come back from studying in the US and so she was somewhat Americanized and not afraid to say something if something needed to be said. One day during train rush hour, it was especially crowded and everyone was packed in together like sardines. All of a sudden, she felt something pressing up against her thigh. But she didn't think anything of it, because everyone was pressed up against each other and she assumed it was someone's briefcase. For the next two minutes, she felt that object on her thigh slowly moving up until it reached very high up there. She decided to move it out of the way because it was annoying that someone was in the way so she reached down and grabbed it.
However, she wasn't shocked when she realized that what she was holding was actually a salaryman's hand. She immediately clasped the man's hand tightly and threw it up in the air with her screaming "CHIKAN!!!" Chikan in Japanese is a word that means "pervert molester". My mom also told me that her designer sunglasses in her bag broke in half from her flinging her purse into his chest, some makeup and mirror in her makeup compact was also broken. She says it was worth it, though.
The whole crowd on the train immediately started trying to move over to the other trains and away from the situation, averting their eyes, due to Japanese culture being not to get in other people's business and be quiet. The salaryman immediately started apologizing to my mom, bowing and red-faced. He was worried she would try to get police involved. My mother just kept saying no, she was not going to forgive him. And he needed to get off the next station now. My mom doesn't know why no one else helped her or did anything. But I think it is probably because of this culture that normalizes it, and does not want to get involved.
A random grandmother on the train said to my mom that she should forgive the man since he was apologizing profusely. My mom was in disbelief at this grandmother, because this man's behavior is so normalized for their generation.
Often high school girls don't fight back and say something on the packed trains/buses as my mom did. I've heard of many other girls having terrible stories of chikan experiences from Japan. I know that the vast majority of Japanese people are good, but standing back and not helping these women when creepy perverts do this is just as bad.
I hope that one day Japanese people will be able to stand strong.
Nea 3 years ago
We have a mandatory women only cart in Delhi metro trains. The carriage also has a police guy to ensure that no man enters. So the usual scene is a big bunch of creepy men stand on the divider gawking over women from there. Its just so sad and disgusting.
WeatheredRobot 3 years ago
I can imagine it's a vicious circle. Creepy men create the need for womens only carriage, then a women's only carriage creates more creepy men ogling at the 'forbidden fruit'... Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
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similarly 3 years ago
I used to know a doctor, a specialist in her field, who had written articles in international journals ... she was still expected to serve tea (this was about 20 years ago, so not sure if she still would do this). One time, I was in Tokyo with a group of people, and an old salary man walking by reached out and touched a high school girl. I was shocked. I asked "Did that guy just touch you?" and she just shrugged. I wanted to go back, grab the guy and confront him, but the Japanese people I was with (including the girl who was touched) convinced me not to.
Ely Brettaigne 3 years ago
This story, rather mild but common, nonetheless unacceptable behaviour, is another far too frequent scenario in Japan. Every one of my female, foreign, friends in Japan were offered cash for a night - while on the train or walking along the street: it’s not a frequent event, they experienced it rarely, but then should it ever happen? Japanese women are recruited daily for adult films, and the recruiters are there on the street in broad daylight offering modelling jobs…
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Tamra 3 years ago
This post makes me so weary. How long are women going to have to endure this s**t?
Fell Ripley(she, they, potato) 3 years ago
We're all tired together, and I don't really have a hope left that it COULD end. 😮💨
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Rod McCabe 3 years ago
Why can't people (mainly men) see women for the GODDAMN human beings that they are? WTF is the major malfunction? Anywhere. Hear me scumbag religious freaks in the Middle-East?
Dolly_of TheCowboy 3 years ago
Similar to the "good blokes" where I work objecting strenuously to the idea that "emotional abuse is a form of domestic violence" and "coercive control is just a made up thing by man-haters" even after Hannah Clarke and her children were killed and the details of that case have been released. I have lost count of how many men are all up in arms stating "I don't slap her around. That's the only thing domestic violence is". No mate screaming at her, forced shagging and throwing/destroying things when your partner dares to ask a simple question is also domestic violence territory
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Ronnie Cutshall 3 years ago
I spent three years in small town. As a American I was shocked how how men treated all females. Never been in so many fights over this issues
Jane Cortez 3 years ago
Excusing is a form of condoning, it perpetuates this sort of behaviour in patriarchal societies especially. But regardless of where one is, ignorance and sexism is such an issue. We are still in ‘early days’ of progress in so many regards! Hopefully in another 100 years this will all be eradicated.
Ely Brettaigne 3 years ago
18 years in Japan and the worst thing ever is people who actually believe all Japanese people are polite, hard working, and kind… You really know nothing if you think this. I can provide far too many bad stories about life in Japan, as well as good, but no, you don’t want your dreams crushed, do you;)
Florence O'Grady 3 years ago
The truth is what we want. Lies will not help protect us when we travel. We need true stories with the real names of places, buildings, times, dates, companies, etcetera. Being informed gives us a better chance of protecting ourselves and others. Lies will only protect those who are hurting females.
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Fell Ripley(she, they, potato) 3 years ago
This is HORRIBLE! But, what's worse is that this is a worldwide thing. I'll have to grow up in fear of being räped, just because I'm female.
Every single country in the world has its own issues, so we certainly don’t mean for this article to deter you from visiting Japan. Ashley simply intends to inform readers that we should not view any place with rose-colored glasses and assume that it is a utopia. We should have realistic expectations about everywhere in the world, and use common sense when we travel. Just because you’ve heard that Japan is clean and safe does not mean you should throw all caution to the wind there.
RELATED:
#2
People Detach From Society To The Extreme
Have you ever felt stressed from societal pressures to succeed? Feared failure? Gotten bullied? Wanting to be alone can be considered normal to de-stress or even find your own identity. However, there's a group in Japan who have taken this detachment from society to the extreme, some haven't been outside their home in decades. And it's a common issue in Japan.
This pattern of behavior to detach from society to the extreme is called hikikomori. And it affects an estimated 1.15 million a year, but it's expected to be AT LEAST double that due to them trying to hide from society and not be found. After the economic boom in the 1980s, many youth suffered from not achieving their goals like their parents. Feeling shame, and the burden of society to be successful, hikikomori shut themselves out. Traumatic triggers include getting bullied, failing an important exam, and shame of not being enough.
Perhaps these hikikomori are just a reflection of how strict and stressful Japan's social standards are to vulnerable people who don't fit the mold of what's perfect or normal.
similarly 3 years ago
I'm about three-quarters of the way to hikikomori now. I rarely go outside except to go to work, go home, go to the doctor.
Sol Connor 3 years ago
This used to be me. If you want to, with work you can turn it around. I now have lots of beautiful loving friends and this year I went backpacking and sang at a festival. There is hope. Sending love <3
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Loki’s Lil Butter Knife 3 years ago
This is heartbreaking and truly sad. Japan has such a fascinating and beautifully rich culture, however, their working culture sounds absolutely brutal. So much pressure placed on people to achieve perfection and fit social norms.
Cassie 3 years ago
At one point, sepuku (the act of slicing your own gut open and then having your head cut off) was a form of redeeming oneself from shame. I wondered what happens to a society that still has a deep-seated culture of shame while also banning the practice that was once considered redemption from said shame. A significant percentage of the population hiding in shame seems like it probably should have been an expected consequence. Perhaps a new and less extreme form of redemption should be considered.
BrownTabby 3 years ago (edited)
“Perhaps these hikikomori are just a reflection of how strict and stressful Japan's social standards are to vulnerable people who don't fit the mold of what's perfect or normal.” That’s the impression I get, plus the fact that therapy is harder to access. I’m so tired of Western leftists assuming that Japanese society is utopia just because it’s more collectivist.
Arenite 3 years ago
They tend to be young men, usually living with parents or other family.
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Tricia Barnes 3 years ago
I had a friend who hadn't seen his father in 40 years. His father enlisted in the military during World War 2, but just before he was called up, the war ended. Rather than humiliate his family by coming home, he disappeared.
#3
The Racism And Backlash That Naomi Osaka Has Received
I want to talk more about black hafu experiences of celebrities. Today I'm going to talk about Naomi Osaka. She has been ranked world no. 1 in singles by the (WTA) and is the first Asian player to hold the top ranking in singles. Just as I said in other videos, there are xenophobic tendencies as some Japanese can find it very difficult to accept hafu and even more, black hafu. She recently came under backlash and racism from Japanese social media when she lost an important match while representing Japan. Japanese critics were asking why she is even allowed to represent Japan if all she is going to do is lose when it matters.
The obvious issue they have with Naomi is that she is a black hafu. Lawrence Yoshitaka Shimoji, a sociology researcher at Ritsumeikan University, said in an interview, "It's very sad. And as far as all of these mean, negative comments toward her, nothing is really being done about this. It's just out there." If such racism and hate is going towards such a accomplished and world-famous tennis player, think about the same racism that is being allowed on social media about hafu that perhaps aren't famous or accomplished.
To hafu everywhere, Naomi is amazing representation for us to look up to. At 16 years old, she was so fed up with the constant bullying in her public school in the Japanese countryside that Naomi founded the organization African Youth Meetup, a community for Japanese kids with African roots. We need more hafu representation like Naomi, but not as props for show.
Mohammad Ammar 3 years ago
I see a lot of people praising Japan for it's homogeneity, saying stuff like how the country is so successful because it keeps immigrants out. I actually think it's sad and makes the country socially immature in many ways. For all the issues the west faces for embracing immigrants, I love how they've led the way for navigating complex race relations and overcoming differences.
Kurtis Wethington 3 years ago
First, those people tend to be white supremacists (which have a particularly weird obsession with Japan than the average weeb) and second, it really ISN'T as successful as advertised for many of the reasons covered in this article.
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Wes Nishi 3 years ago (edited)
Although the things Osaka has to face is terrible, I think amore poignant example is Miyamoto Ariana. She was born and raised in Okinawa with her father was African American. She was selected to be Miss Japan and represent Japan at Miss Worlds. There was so much backlash, some even just comments saying "how can she represent Japan when she isn't fully Japanese?" Sometimes these comments may have been just random comments, but this represents the idea that Japanese has to mean you are fully Asian looking etc. which is part of the issue. To me she represents not only Japan and a future Japan that is someone who grew up with Japan and may have other blood lines as well. The one good thing about this event was that the conversation about race and who we are has been significantly opened up and I hope these events further open up the conversation about race and identity in Japan. While Japan is still far behind, I am actually somewhat hopeful attitudes and understanding are changing.
Anjelika 3 years ago
Sadly I'm not surprised at all, Japan is homogeneous and the racism is higher but also I think minority sportmen/women suffer a bigger backlash when they lose against someone, racism at its finest 😑 Some people called Simone a traitor when she decided to withdraw from the Olympics How many medals did she give the US throughout her career?
Jason K 3 years ago
This seems odd. First, Osaka has lived in the US since she was 3 and I never saw anything about her schooling in the Japanese countryside. Secondly, she is Japanese/Haitian, which is not in Africa. Something's fishy.
Yvonne Dauwalder Balsiger 3 years ago
Most of the people in Haiti have African roots, because they are the descendants of Africans enslaved and forced to work by the French on the island of Hispaniola (Haiti in the west, Dominican Republic in the east). Slaves, maroons, and free people of color launched the Haitian Revolution (1791–1804), led by a former slave and the first black general of the French Army, Toussaint Louverture. After 12 years of conflict, the French were defeated and Haiti declared sovereignty on 1 January 1804—the first independent nation of Latin America and the Caribbean, the second republic in the Americas, the first country in the Americas to abolish slavery, and the only state in history established by a successful slave revolt. So Naomi is black, it didn't say African. But she was raised and went to school in the US and not in Japan.
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HardieBoysMama 3 years ago
Did a quick search, found this: Hāfu is a Japanese language term used to refer to a person ethnically half Japanese and half non-Japanese. A loanword from English, the term literally means "half," a reference to the individual's non-Japanese heritage. The word can also be used to describe anyone with mixed-racial ancestry in general.
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EJN 3 years ago
As someone who is a foreigner married to a Japanese man and having a "half" (white) child, I can appreciate the pressures even though I don't feel that our family had so much trouble at all. There are more children who are mixed blood Japanese and there are lots of good points to having foreigners decide to integrate into Japanese society. Of course there will always be people who oppose such a thing (as you see in any country), but I can remember what it was like the first time I visited the country 40 + years ago and comparing it with how things have changed now makes me appreciate how much Japanese have opened up to the world. I love this place while still being conscious of its flaws.
Jason K 3 years ago
I respect Osaka's decision to represent Japan, it is her right. But I also understand the frustration from Americans when so many athletes live here, train here, take spots on our teams here, and then go off and represent someone else professionally. Osaka has lived in the US since she was three, so there's going to be some backlash from Americans when she takes what she's been given here and uses it to advance a different country. Having said that, there is no place for abuse whatsoever, and I believe she has been treated poorly by both Japan and America. I hated watching Serena Williams act up when she beat her for her first major. Just shameful.
Tatami53 3 years ago
This was tragic and there was a lot of racial hatred expressed about her. But when she became such a huge champion, then suddenly they wanted to claim her as their own, and they started a huge media campaign and featured her in ads. They often asked her to speak in Japanese, but she was not comfortable doing so. I really felt sorry for her. There are just as many hateful racists in Japan as there are in the U.S. The whole idea of "purity" is insane.
But if you are curious about Japan and Japanese culture, there are plenty of reasons to visit the gorgeous island nation. First of all, it’s beautiful! Japan is full of stunning scenery, as most of the country is home to vast forests, hills and mountains. We all know that Mount Fuji is a popular destination, as it should be, but there are plenty of lesser known spots worth visiting as well, such as the Arashiyama bamboo forest or the Ritsurin landscape gardens on Shikoku Island. And if you have a chance to visit in April, you’ll be able to see the breathtaking spring cherry blossoms that are world famous for their beauty. If you love nature and gorgeous scenery, Japan is certainly worth visiting. Just don't forget to bring your camera!
#4
Being Overworked Is Normalized
If you come to Japan, you will see many salarymen going to work or coming home from work. You might even see them in the club or at the izakaya having an amazing time with each other. But did you know that most salarymen worked between 12 to 18 hours a day? That's why you might sometimes see them asleep on the train or on a bench or sidewalk. When you're hired in Japan as a salaryman, you know, you will be able to be financially stable.
Underneath the surface, things may seem normal, they are just the average working breadwinner in Japan, after all, but as more research and news comes out, at what cost to their personal lives and health? Many kids and wives in Japan don't see their father much due to his work as a salaryman. There's a lot of pride associated with having a family and being able to afford it. And the only way to afford it is to work these long hours.
There's a certain word for being overworked to death in Japan, and it's called karoshi. There is an insane percentage of salaryman who end up committing s*icide and/or just die due to heart failure, (etc.) from being overworked. Karoshi is a huge underlying problem for men and families in Japan and statistics are skewed by corporations that don't want to be held liable. In fact, because these men don't want to burden their families so much, they have to travel to Aokigahara to [end] themselves if it gets to that point.
Aokigahara is known as the "s*icide forest" and is where Logan Paul disrespectfully posted about finding a salaryman. Not all salaryman experience karoshi since it depends on their work/boss largely, but seeing the many pachinko (gambling booths), izakayas (bars) and manga cafes, it's easy to see that these are ways for salarymen to decompress from the stress of their work life.
KombatBunni 3 years ago
I did some research a year ago into karoshi as part of being a research assistant to a psychologist and it’s one of the most depressing things I have ever read about. I had to get therapy myself afterwards
similarly 3 years ago
This is not as true as it used to be. Because of these problems, a lot of companies are cracking down on this. Where I work, they turn off the heat/air conditioning at 7pm to convince people to go home (because just telling us to go home doesn't always work), and whereas 20 years ago, using "paid time off" was discouraged, we're now required by law to use at least half.
BrownTabby 3 years ago
They also passed a law limiting overtime a couple of years ago.
Load More Replies... Loki’s Lil Butter Knife 3 years ago
I work in the language service and linguistics industry and was asked to help manage a translation and localization job of guidebooks teaching workers (specifically women workers) and companies in Japan about work life balance. I remember it being quite sad at points because it mentioned people getting praised for napping at work because it meant that they were working hard. There was also mention of Karoshi, which literally translates to death from work.
Headless Roach 3 years ago
After Wikipedia: "The Aokigahara forest has a historical reputation as a home to yūrei: ghosts of the dead in Japanese mythology. At least since the 1960s, Aokigahara has become associated with suicide, eventually becoming known in English by the nickname "Suicide Forest" and gaining a reputation as one of the world's most-used suicide sites. Because of this, signs at the head of some trails urge suicidal visitors to think of their families and contact a suicide prevention association."
Ace Girl 3 years ago
This post sensationalizes Aokigahara. There is a great "Ask a Mortician" episode called "Lets' desensationalize Aokigahara." The first comment under the video is "As a Japanese person I want to thank you so much for your careful and caring treatment of this topic." The 8 min video is worth a watch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Roj09VojHx0
Tatami53 3 years ago
This is totally correct. The Japanese have failed to fight back against this horrible mindset. I remember when my husband worked 16 days in a row. I remember when his company would call him at midnight to "ask him a question." The whole thing is about control, power, punishment, subjugation, master-slave mentality. It is very, very, very, very cruel. My husband is retired now. He still works about 5 days a week and his job is a lot more low-pressure. But the whole insulting "work until the boss goes home" or... "work until 10pm at night, because everyone else is" -- these situations still exist. It's really sad, insulting, degrading and more.
Doug Macmaster 3 years ago
In most cases those 12-18 hours a day are not being productive. Just surfing the net to look busy, while the boss is there. I have worked with many salarymen who were on assignment in the US, and they admit to this being an issue.
#5
There Is A Problem With The Elderly Dying Alone And Isolated
Japan has a large elderly population that keeps growing every year. And the economic troubles stay the same. Because of this mix, "kodokushi" has become a problem in Japan. "Kodokushi" means "lonely death" and refers to the Japanese phenomenon for old people dying alone. They often remain undiscovered for a long period of time. This phenomenon started appearing more and more in the 1980s. Often, these elderly people don't have kids due to Japan's declining birth rate, which is a whole other issue. Because of this, the elderly sometimes die alone with no one to check on them.
The first instance of kodokushi becoming national news was in 2000 when a 69-year-old man was discovered in astounding three years after his death. His monthly rent and utilities were being withdrawn automatically. So once the money ran out, people checked on his wellbeing and found the body had been consumed by maggots, and the skeleton was discovered.
Since the 1990s, many Japanese salarymen have been forced into early retirement and often become socially isolated when removed from corporate culture. The salarymen often do not marry or have kids. A researcher named Masaki Ichinose at U of Tokyo hypothesizes that the increase in kodokushi is also because of Japan's new culture to ignore death.
One hundreds of years ago, Japanese people confronted death by burning bodies, while in modern Japan, there are fewer opportunities to witness death and talking about death is stigmatized. Another hypothesis of the increase is due to social isolation being so accessible to avoid stressful situations. Thus, this is another reason why kodokushi is a big issue.
Today, officials in Tokyo Shinjuku have begun kodokushi awareness campaigns and movements to try to schedule social events and check in on the well-being of elderly people. In addition, there's many cleanup crews that helped clean up these rooms and respectfully gather mementos of that person's life.
Kirsten Kerkhof 3 years ago (edited)
Trigger warning: suicide. As for the salarymen being forced into early retirement > my late stepfather (Japanese, in Tokyo) was forced into retirement from his steady job at 60 but could not collect a pension until he was 65. So he was forced to keep working as a salaryman (luckily he had a fairly important position so he wasn't actually jobless) but at a much lower income and with increased pressure to keep studying (for what? Didn't matter, he did it because he had a wife, kids and a mortgage). It was hideous. In the end he just couldn't do it and commited suicide.
Caro 3 years ago
This is a problem in many countries. We regularly have these situations in Germany, maybe not as often as in Japan. People without family or people who are estranged from their families have a high risk of dying unnoticed, especially if they don't have a social life with friends and hobbies. Other people aside from family members normally do not have the time to care for them , they have full time jobs, their own family, hobbies, household.
Shyla Bouche 3 years ago
I expect Bouche will have eaten me completely before anyone notices I'm dead.
Load More Replies... Alexander Petrusa 3 years ago
"these elderly people don't have kids due to Japan's declining birth rate"? Ummm... Isn't it BECAUSE they didn't want kids?
Pizzagirl 91 3 years ago
"Often, these elderly people don't have kids due to Japan's declining birth rate", so OP isn't saying that the people have no children because of the birth rate, but that there's a high chance of old people having no children because of the overall birth rate. Yes, the birth rate is low because of individual choices. It still means that the probability of people being alone is higher.
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Ladies and Gentlemen 3 years ago
Found this on google: The word khudkushi is borrowed from the Persian word خودکشی (khodkoshi) which is combination of the Persian words خود (khod) meaning “self”, کش (kosh) meaning kill and ـی (i) meaning -ing. So it translates to self killing.
Michelle White 3 years ago
I heard of this when I was stationed in Japan from 1998-2000. The Japanese had even created special tea kettles that would alert family members or friend of an elderly person if they didn’t turn the kettle on every morning.
Tatami53 3 years ago
I cannot say I've had personal experience with this, but yes, this seems accurate. I know a lot of single people living on their own, isolated from families and friends. This is terrible and unless Japan builds a social system that makes sure the elderly are kept in the loop, Japan will experience more of these tragedies.
Japan also has a rich culture of its own that is amazing to experience. It is the birthplace of karaoke, so if your ideal version of a night out is singing your heart out to your favorite tunes, you can certainly do that in Japan. There are about 100,000 karaoke boxes and bars throughout the country, so you’re sure to find one that fits your style. You will also eat excellently in Japan. If you’re a fan of sushi, ramen, mochi and more, you’ll have access to the very best versions of all your favorites. In fact, Japan is the country with the most 3-star Michelin restaurants in the world, so when you’re budgeting for your vacation, be sure to set plenty aside to go towards food!
#6
Black Hafus Get Alienated
Japan is racially homogeneous and with this comes discrimination against black hafu. Non-black hafu usually experience the extreme of being romanticized for their coveted Eurocentric features. It hurts me to see the opposite done to my black hafu friends who seem more alienated than me, even though they have lived in Japan longer, speak better Japanese. For some reason, there's a really bad stereotype that black hafus are good at basketball, and only listen to rap? Like, come on!!! It's 2022!? This bias and hurtful stereotyping shouldn't be a thing anymore. I can't speak for black hafu (only try to amplify their voices and advocate) but I can only imagine the microaggressions that black hafu experience, I'd have to be numb at this point.
I actually had a black hafu friend in grade school I was BFFs with, let's just say from a young age, I found that we had entirely different experiences in Japan, kids refused to swim close to her at our school pool or tag her during tag, it's worth pointing out that my friend was ironically culturally more Japanese than me.
Sometimes Japan can be infuriating, because they can be oblivious and very behind on social issues of race, gender, etc. It upsets me that black hafu have an even bigger systemic barrier to overcome than their counterparts, especially working, being out and about, trying to rent, taking public transportation, etc. because apparently to be Japanese, you have to not only be culturally Japanese, but "look??" Japanese, whatever "look Japanese" even means.
Nea 3 years ago
Did someone actually thought Japan to be any different? I mean its amazing but has the same sexist, racist, capitalist s**t goin on even there. No surprises for me.
Moosy Girl 3 years ago
My nieces are non-black hafu and have to carry a paper to school stating their brown curly hair and non-standard size shoes are permitted by school admin. They also get bullied by teachers because their mom is white. Eldest got accepted on a dance team but then intentionally hidden during performances and eventually kicked out for being taller than most of the others. They get worse scores in English class for the same mistakes because they’re hafu and supposedly that makes them automatically speak English, even though they were born there, raised in Japanese and neither parent even speaks English! And so on and so on… and sadly I can absolutely imagine it’s even worse for black hafu.
Pizzagirl 91 3 years ago
Wait... The shoe sizes are standardised?! What are people with big feet supposed to do, cut off their toes?!
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xenomorph42 3 years ago
I can’t entirely agree with this article. Do Japanese people discriminate, they often do, are Japanese inherently racist? I don’t believe so. I think it depends on where you live. Just like many other countries it just depends. My daughter is Hafu and a teenager, she only had one negative experience and that was when she was in the 2nd grade a 6th grader made fun of her, hid her bento box, and put in in the hot sun and she couldn’t eat it later because it was spoiled, I was going to go down to the school to seriously complain, but my daughter told me she would take care of it. She confronted the other kid and told him that she’s mixed and proud and that she speaks two languages, and told him “you can only speak Japanese, and that he has no talent” he felt embarrassed and that was that, since then she hasn’t had any serious bad experiences. I also live in Western Japan, Fukuoka and we have in this city a lot of Hafu Black/Japanese kids, I think it just depends.
elder jose 2 years ago
sorry but I think that here we have a cultural conflict because of how we face culture and nationality, here in the West if you are born in a country and raised in it you are already considered part of that country thanks to the tradition of immigration and cultural plurality that we have in the West even because of the way America was created with mass immigration, but in Asia it was not like that, the countries have millennia of practically homogeneous existence and coexistence with different peoples is something relatively recent so for them in Asia you do not you have to just be born or be culturally from a country to be considered as belonging to it, you have to have a lineage from that country to do that and it goes all the way back to the Confucian traditions that basically forged the asian way of thinking, and that's just a cultural shoke , you know our culture is not the basis of everything or the absolute truth, there they have their own truth even legally where you were bor
SageHare37 3 years ago
Please forgive my ignorance. Is "hafu" an individual whom is genetically half Japanese?
#7
It's Not All That Clean
The Japanese are very big on respect for others' property. It's rare to find litter or gum on the streets, because of this respect. However, the notion that Japan is perfect or perfectly clean is not entirely true. There's graffiti, gum on the ground, bottles thrown around, unknown liquids on the ground in certain areas, especially at night.
This is not to bash Tokyo. Because this is natural of all major industrial cities. Japanese people in general do a good job of not littering and recycling.
Another reason why Japan is so clean is because of the Shinto notion that "cleanliness is godliness". In addition, the public transportation and street cleaning teams are very thorough, care, and clean throughout the day. But I've also seen salarymen peeing on the ground in public, for example, and leave straightaway in a taxi.
There will always be bad apples, so don't be shocked when you find some gnarly areas or trash in Japan cities.
Hphizzle 3 years ago
In a English speech competition (I’m an English teacher in central Japan), one topic was how to prepare for the Tokyo Olympics. Many students prioritized cleaning up public spaces. I always want to say “No!! Do you realize how incredibly clean it is here!! Please focus on learning other languages and their cultures so foreigners feel more welcome here!” It plays into the the idea of making everything look nice on the surface while ignoring the deeper problems.
D Johnson 3 years ago
I have visited nearly every prefecture in Japan over the past 13 years. I love the country but of course it is not perfect. Re trash, there are abandoned vehicles (saw one on a beach in Hiroshima) and piles of garbage here and there. The beaches are abysmal with the amount of trash in the water and on the shore. Saw a syringe on the beach in Kamakura. California beaches are much nicer!
Remi Flynne 3 years ago
They do qualify it by saying it is only in some parts such as industrialised cities. Nowhere is perfect. Yes, they do look after their aged relatives, but they make the very point that not all have children and so there are no relatives to take care of them - that's the problem. Sorry you are being downvoted just for your opinion but this post is about putting the other side of things for a change. When somewhere is usually viewed in a very positive light does it really need sticking up for?
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Andrew Pugg 3 years ago
Explain Salarymen please. Am I right in assuming they are employed people, if so why are they not called workers
BrownTabby 3 years ago
Male office workers basically. “Salariman” is the Japanese word for them.
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PanCott 3 years ago
Graffiti is not "unclean", you ignorant. It's either art or a public act of rebellion. In general, society benefits from both.
Caryle 3 years ago
Don’t agree , Nothing redeeming in my eyes about gang graffiti
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From all of her videos, it’s clear that Ashley is having a great time in Japan and loves many aspects of living there. But it is fascinating, as an outsider, to learn about the culture and what it’s really like to live there. Hopefully, I’ll be able to make my own trip over there within the next few years (dying to try the world’s best sushi and mochi!), but for now, I’ll have to rely on what I can learn online. If you live in or have ever been to Japan, we would love to hear from you in the comments down below. Then if you still haven’t checked out Bored Panda’s previous articles highlighting some of the most fascinating and wonderful quirks of Japan, you can find them here, here and here!
#8
"Us vs. Them" Mentality Regarding Hafus
Do you recognize any celebrities, athletes, musicians? One thing they all have in common is that they are hafu. Hafu is a slang term for "half Japanese". Hafu are rare, so are labeled "exotic" and "beautiful" in Japan. Though these labels are meant in a positive manner, it's problematic to hafu because it can make them feel alienated and not fully Japanese. Often, hafu say they feel like they are foreigners in their own country, just because of their looks.
Hafu culture has a very complex relationship and history that I can go into further in a different video because of time, but originally, being mixed was not good (and that sentiment sometimes exists today) and with Japan's superiority complex came derogatory names for mixed children.
Being mixed Japanese with countries Japan had colonized, like Korea and China, was considered an especially negative thing to be. Politicians painted mixed kids of women who married US military men as not pure and a problem in society. However, as Japan opened up more to the west, perceptions and the culture of these hafu kids changed. Europeans were seen as chic and Hollywood celebrities were seen as exotic.
Japanese management companies started to hire more exotic-looking actors, dancers, pop stars since this was the new trend. Hafu became a good term, and Eurocentric beauty standards became a large selling point in Japan. Having a "hafu-gao" or "hafu-face" in terms of beauty and makeup and body features was a must. Long legs, taller noses and bigger eyes. Rather than unite the population through hafus, it actually created "us vs. them" mentality where hafus became the pinnacle of beauty or someone to romanticize.
Even hafus that have lived their whole lives in Japan and don't speak anything other than Japanese became alienated because they don't look Japanese even though they are entirely Japanese inside.
similarly 3 years ago
There's a lot of truth in this. I know someone who was born in Japan, and her parents were born in Japan, but her grandparents were from Korea, and she's still a foreigner. I know that even though I've lived in Japan for over 20 years, I'm still a foreigner. I will never be Japanese.
Alexander Petrusa 3 years ago (edited)
It happens everywhere. I am third generation Canadian, Caucasian. But my last name is nor English nor French. People are still amazed and congratulate me on my proficiency in English or French. And if you are non-Caucasian, they will always ask where you from.
Load More Replies... elder jose 2 years ago
this is a cultural issue as well and common in ethnically homogeneous societies like Japan, but again I don't think this is discrimination but rather a cultural difference that frankly can be easily overcome if one accepts that he is the perfect union of two countries, since even if she has never visited another country, she sees in her domestic upbringing and in her genome cultural traits of two countries
Imallabroad Page 3 years ago
A typical report from an idiot trying to justify why his country is f****d and rather than trying to fix his own feral country tries to call out another country.
Yvonne Dauwalder Balsiger 3 years ago
Unfortunately, it is hardly unique to Japan that a lot of people don't accept and look down on people with a foreign parent.
Many viewers have weighed in with their thoughts on Japan and Ashley's videos as well
What do you think ?
similarly 3 years ago
One of the worst things I've seen in Japan is that when people get divorced, they make an immediate settlement, the wife gets the kids, and then the husband leaves and they never see each other or contact each other again. The father never sees his kids again. This was especially bad when an Australian neighbor of mine was getting a divorce, because he was also losing his visa status and would have to return to Australia and there was nothing he could do to convince his wife to let him see their children. He was really despondent at the time. Years later, I met his daughter by chance, though, and she told me she was still in touch with him, and would go to Australia sometimes to visit him. In Japan, this trend is changing as more people realize it's often better if the parents both continue to be part of the children's lives after a divorce.
Ni Na 3 years ago
This must be a long time ago. I lived in Japan for a year and still have family there. I know a few who got a divorce with children and they split custody. Never ever witnessed a divorce where the father just left and never talked to his ex-wife and children again. But it happened in the last ~3 years so I hope the country is finally changing. The roles are so old!
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Lara Verne 3 years ago
Every country has problems. Society is one thing, but your impression often depends on individual people.
Jordi Sharpe 3 years ago
Japan was one of the counties I wanted to visit the most (I'm not an anime fan btw). It was highly romanticized when I was younger, and I was determined to go. I still would, but I'm not as starry-eyed as I was then.
RafCo (he/him) 3 years ago
I worked in Japan for a while. It's an excellent place to visit. The country is super clean and safe. People will be very polite. I was there about 17 years ago, so this may have changed, but the biggest problem you may find is that very few people speak a Western language. And most signage for names will use the Chinese characters, so navigating can be tricky. But the country is absolutely gorgeous, the food is fantastic, and the service is excellent. Just don't expect to strike up friendly conversations with people.
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Happy_Pandalover 3 years ago
Every country as it's pros and cons. I love to learn about different cultures, the good sides, but also the dark sides. A friend of mine studied Japanese language. Her brother married a japanese woman. Japan is quite different to most countries because of the isolated past. Some things still seem quite universal, like racism, lonelyness and overworking :(.
tuzdayschild 3 years ago
Every country on earth has people who are good, bad and a multitude ranging in between. If you think you can go anywhere where people are all good, disappointment is in your future.
Carl Grover 3 years ago
I have been there. I can confirm that literally all the food is delicious, everyone is constantly picking fights with each other and trying to get stronger so they can unlock their ultimate techniques, students are constantly falling in love under the cherry blossoms, and pink and purple are natural hair colors. Japan is paradise and this article is fake news.
elder jose 2 years ago
being totally honest I only see 2 or 3 ''problems'' in japan as in fact problems or defects, for the rest they are just circumventable cultural differences and compared to the problems we have in the west they are not even real problems
Anaïs 3 years ago
I don't really get the point of this article to be honest...I mean pretty much seems like any other country but people seem to just like to say "japan" in particular is this or that way.. But ehm I live in europe, I am HAFU, I never had and integration issue, never felt like an outsider and all you see in japan you see it here in europe as well.. I mean women are not equal in my country (considered a first world country), maternity leave is S**T for both men and women, men cheat, people are pressured at work, streets stink sometimes depending on where you go, litter.. I mean yeah I really do not see the point of this.
BrownTabby 3 years ago
Japan is very romanticised. It can be frustrating to see Western leftists saying that we should just be like Japan when I know about the discrimination and unhealthy work culture that happens over there.
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DrBronxx 2 years ago
Sure, Japan has a lot of problems, a lot of them are due to people not. Wrong and/or sweeping them under the rug. However, it is MUCH better now than when this tiktoker’s mother lived there. You can romanticise all you want; the inherent nature of romanticising anything is that it’s not real. Also, to the BP writer - you sound surprised that Japan is not like a Ghibli movie, which is weird. Lastly, Spirited Away *does* take place in Japan, and the Spirit World in it is very Japanese.
similarly 3 years ago
One of the worst things I've seen in Japan is that when people get divorced, they make an immediate settlement, the wife gets the kids, and then the husband leaves and they never see each other or contact each other again. The father never sees his kids again. This was especially bad when an Australian neighbor of mine was getting a divorce, because he was also losing his visa status and would have to return to Australia and there was nothing he could do to convince his wife to let him see their children. He was really despondent at the time. Years later, I met his daughter by chance, though, and she told me she was still in touch with him, and would go to Australia sometimes to visit him. In Japan, this trend is changing as more people realize it's often better if the parents both continue to be part of the children's lives after a divorce.
Ni Na 3 years ago
This must be a long time ago. I lived in Japan for a year and still have family there. I know a few who got a divorce with children and they split custody. Never ever witnessed a divorce where the father just left and never talked to his ex-wife and children again. But it happened in the last ~3 years so I hope the country is finally changing. The roles are so old!
Load More Replies... Lara Verne 3 years ago
Every country has problems. Society is one thing, but your impression often depends on individual people.
Jordi Sharpe 3 years ago
Japan was one of the counties I wanted to visit the most (I'm not an anime fan btw). It was highly romanticized when I was younger, and I was determined to go. I still would, but I'm not as starry-eyed as I was then.
RafCo (he/him) 3 years ago
I worked in Japan for a while. It's an excellent place to visit. The country is super clean and safe. People will be very polite. I was there about 17 years ago, so this may have changed, but the biggest problem you may find is that very few people speak a Western language. And most signage for names will use the Chinese characters, so navigating can be tricky. But the country is absolutely gorgeous, the food is fantastic, and the service is excellent. Just don't expect to strike up friendly conversations with people.
Load More Replies... Happy_Pandalover 3 years ago
Every country as it's pros and cons. I love to learn about different cultures, the good sides, but also the dark sides. A friend of mine studied Japanese language. Her brother married a japanese woman. Japan is quite different to most countries because of the isolated past. Some things still seem quite universal, like racism, lonelyness and overworking :(.
tuzdayschild 3 years ago
Every country on earth has people who are good, bad and a multitude ranging in between. If you think you can go anywhere where people are all good, disappointment is in your future.
Carl Grover 3 years ago
I have been there. I can confirm that literally all the food is delicious, everyone is constantly picking fights with each other and trying to get stronger so they can unlock their ultimate techniques, students are constantly falling in love under the cherry blossoms, and pink and purple are natural hair colors. Japan is paradise and this article is fake news.
elder jose 2 years ago
being totally honest I only see 2 or 3 ''problems'' in japan as in fact problems or defects, for the rest they are just circumventable cultural differences and compared to the problems we have in the west they are not even real problems
Anaïs 3 years ago
I don't really get the point of this article to be honest...I mean pretty much seems like any other country but people seem to just like to say "japan" in particular is this or that way.. But ehm I live in europe, I am HAFU, I never had and integration issue, never felt like an outsider and all you see in japan you see it here in europe as well.. I mean women are not equal in my country (considered a first world country), maternity leave is S**T for both men and women, men cheat, people are pressured at work, streets stink sometimes depending on where you go, litter.. I mean yeah I really do not see the point of this.
BrownTabby 3 years ago
Japan is very romanticised. It can be frustrating to see Western leftists saying that we should just be like Japan when I know about the discrimination and unhealthy work culture that happens over there.
Load More Replies... DrBronxx 2 years ago
Sure, Japan has a lot of problems, a lot of them are due to people not. Wrong and/or sweeping them under the rug. However, it is MUCH better now than when this tiktoker’s mother lived there. You can romanticise all you want; the inherent nature of romanticising anything is that it’s not real. Also, to the BP writer - you sound surprised that Japan is not like a Ghibli movie, which is weird. Lastly, Spirited Away *does* take place in Japan, and the Spirit World in it is very Japanese.
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