Visiting Japan

[Sapphire]

This thread is for those of us who are interested in visiting Japan one day, already have, or are there right now.

If you've been to Japan, what was your experience like there? This is a great place to discuss how you were treated, what you liked the most and disliked the most, where you went, your preferred method of transportation, etc.

I've never been there but I'm going to Tokyo this summer. Anyone have any tips on what the newcomer should do, how they should compose themselves (because I know many of them inwardly hate foreiners) etc?

[Psyke]

I love Japan. Been going there for holidays every year for the last 3 years. It's a good way to measure how much I've leveled up in my spoken Japanese, though I usually get disappointed because I'm still a long way off. There are a few staple destinations in Tokyo I'd visit, such as Akihabara (for all the anime freaks), Odaiba for the shopping districts and also Asakusa, which my wife says got her prayers answered every year.

The Japanese have been really friendly and polite, but maybe that's because I'm asian and look like one of them, so I can't comment on their so called "hate" towards gaijin or foreigners.

Anyway, here's a video of my trip to Tokyo last year, in case you haven't seen it already.

[Board of Command]

Anyway, here's a video of my trip to Tokyo last year, in case you haven't seen it already.

Nice video How long did you stay?

[Psyke]

Nice video How long did you stay?

I stayed for 5 days, free and easy. Visited quite a lot of places, mostly by the subway trains. Stayed in a cheap hotel instead of a traditional inn, because my wife preferred not to share the bathroom.

[Animeniax]

The Japanese have been really friendly and polite, but maybe that's because I'm asian and look like one of them, so I can't comment on their so called "hate" towards gaijin or foreigners.

Anyway, here's a video of my trip to Tokyo last year, in case you haven't seen it already.

No offense Psyke, but I don't think you look quite Japanese. I make a sport of differentiating between Asian people, and I've gotten pretty good at telling people's nationalities apart.

I'm often mistaken for Japanese abroad and in Japan, but the situation turns kind of awkward when I ask a Japanese person if they speak English since I don't speak Japanese well. I've been told by other foreign-born Asians that it's because they think you're either lazy or showing off by speaking English. Of course, it could just be the language barrier that turns them away.

Probably a rash generalization, but in large cities, I think it's easier being a tourist for someone who is definitely not Japanese, since the locals think you're dumb anyway, and therefore will help you out. In smaller towns, I've seen instances where they help their own domestic visitors out, while leaving foreigners in the cold. Win some, lose some.

[Psyke]

No offense Psyke, but I don't think you look quite Japanese. I make a sport of differentiating between Asian people, and I've gotten pretty good at telling people's nationalities apart.

None taken, but I wasn't really saying I look Japanese, but just making a contrast statement saying I don't look like a gaijin in Japan. I've been mistaken to be Japanese a few times in Japan, but maybe it's because I can speak the language and tend to start conversations. The sucky part is that once they think you can speak Japanese, they rattle on and I've got to tell them to slow down a bit......

Most of the time, they treat me and my wife like natives till we show signs of struggling when answering their questions, and then they will try to use whatever English they can master. Doesn't happen often, since I carry 2 dictionaries in the bag you see in the video.

[Animeniax]

I'd love to see the video but youtube is banned where I live and work.

I see what you're saying about being Asian (yellow). It's like in "The Good Earth" where they're from one part of China and worried about being considered foreigners in another part, until they see the real foreigners, the white people.

One giveaway that you're not Japanese is that you start conversations with strangers I tend to give away my foreignness by looking around while on the trains and subways, instead of staring blankly at the ground or at my cell phone, which is what 99% of the locals do. I'm also bad about making eye contact with people. I do it too often, and make Japanese people uncomfortable.

They do talk fast, don't they! It's not like in anime or j-dramas where they enunciate and it's easy to (somewhat) understand what they're saying.

Some more basic vocab for travelers:

ohayo gozaimas(u) (you'll hear this every morning from everyone, especially at restaurants and hotels), say the same in response
dozo: go ahead, after you, help yourself
eki: station (trains, subway), so you can ask to go to Shibuya station or Tokyo station
itsu: when (time)
hitori (desu): alone, by yourself (when you dine alone, and they ask you how large your party is)
kinou: yesterday
kyou: today
ashita: tomorrow
seishou densha: last train (what time is the last train to a location)

[Sapphire]

How fluent do you have to be to survive in Japan?

[Board of Command]

How fluent do you have to be to survive in Japan?

You're probably good to go after a few years of anime, assuming you've made a conscious effort to learn the language while watching instead of mindlessly reading the subtitles.

[Sapphire]

You're probably good to go after a few years of anime, assuming you've made a conscious effort to learn the language while watching instead of mindlessly reading the subtitles.

This made me laugh so hard for some reason. I don't really know why.

I took Japanese 1 a few years ago... if I kept learning at the same pace I would be so good by now *cries*

Lolita rules. (the fashion) But I heard most teens only dress like that on the weekends, or in certain districts.

[Assertn]

You're probably good to go after a few years of anime, assuming you've made a conscious effort to learn the language while watching instead of mindlessly reading the subtitles.

Dagara Nandei......
Sasuke-kun.....
Omai wa Korosu!

Am I ready for Japan?

[sangai]

dagara not sure what that is, but nandei = why

sasuke kun obvious,

Dagara Nandei......
Sasuke-kun.....
Omai wa Korosu!

Am I ready for Japan?

you is/are dead/kill

[Animeniax]

dagara not sure what that is, but nandei = why

sasuke kun obvious,

Dagara Nandei......
Sasuke-kun.....
Omai wa Korosu!

Am I ready for Japan?

you is/are dead/kill

It's probably "dakara nan de" which means so why? or how come? or literally therefore what for?

Omae wo korosu means I'm going to kill you or you are dead like sangai said. (edited to correct a painfully simple mistake)

I'm finding that quite strange. Why would they treat you badly? I remember reading on this forum, a long time ago, a post that said the Japanese basically idolize the west. If that's true, why the dislike in these people visiting?

Well I was referring to Indians or Pakistanis or any other non-Asians who like to refer to themselves as Asians, who visit Japan. The Japanese tend to look down on darker toned people, including anything darker than yellow. Therefore, if you're not yellow, you're not Asian, and hence the Japanese will look down on you. They wouldn't treat you badly, just not as friendly. I was just joking about that.

a post that said the Japanese basically idolize the west. If that's true, why the dislike in these people visiting?

Well sometimes when you want something so much and it's out of your reach, jealousy and envy ensue and you end up hating the thing, or at least hating someone who gets to enjoy the thing while you cannot. It's like I was saying about a yellow person who speaks English in a foreign country that really likes the language; sometimes people think you are showing off.

[David75]

Animeniax:
It's very strange the way you speak about Japan.
It's as if it was a giant zoo that 'foreigners' shouldn't spoil with their own culture and rules.
It's as is tourists were colons that in the end would kill the culture of a less advanced civilisation... or even small group of underdeveloped people.

I don't really know why you react that way. It's as if you were a extreme right japan nationalist. But that would be strange if you're not even japanese in the first place.

In the end, eventhough you try to educate us in not spoiling the culture and people there, there's little you can do.
Japanese see for themselves. Some travel, they use the internet, they get to meet people from all over the world. Yet it seems they can protect themselves for quick cultural changes. But they will evolve, no matter what. And it's not 10 gootwooters that will change anything in the end. Even 1 million tourists staying there more than a month can't change that.

So I would just say this:
While you're there, enjoy your time, don't be deceived by false perception based on anime. Japan is a huge society with good and bad sides like any other contry in the world. Most bad sides have the exact same roots as in your own country. Some other may be local.
Try to be respectul of anything and try to learn what is considered unrespectful you may not know of.

Then, again, have the most fun you can dream of and "Open you mind"

[Junior]

OMG I was just reminded I gotta start learning Japanese again. I bought that damn programme so I might as well use it. (Cost me 500 bucks too...)

Anyway, I've always wanted to visit Japan. Mainly because I'd be able to dress normally and not have people look at me funny. I've seen all kinds of different and unique fashion come from Japan. They seem very...accepting there.

That and I wanna go to Akihabara. *-*

[DB_Hunter]

In a few years Japan shall be known as the land of the old.

[Board of Command]

What do you mean dress "normally"? What kind of stuff do you normally wear?

[Junior]

I just dress...weirdly. My parents are always on my case saying I turn everything into a fashion show or I get too dressed up. When it's actually...my normal wear.

I think it's because I just watch too much anime and play too many video games. People should learn not to implement anime fashion into the real world.

;_;

[Board of Command]

I just dress...weirdly. My parents are always on my case saying I turn everything into a fashion show or I get too dressed up. When it's actually...my normal wear.

I think it's because I just watch too much anime and play too many video games. People should learn not to implement anime fashion into the real world.

;_;

Useless without pics. Google'd pics are fine too, just to get an idea of what you're talking about.

[Junior]

Except. I wear more colorful outfits sometimes. It's sometimes goth, sometimes punk, sometimes Disney-themed... whatever the hell I feel like. It's just weird here because everyone here dresses like a chav.