Why Foreigners Struggle Living in Japan
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- čas přidán 15. 05. 2024
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I asked foreigners in Japan about the biggest struggles they've faced in Japan!
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I am 48 years old, Japanese, born and raised in the countryside of Japan. I learned English for the first time in my junior high school (12yo), but at that time there were no foreigners around and I never heard any English conversations. I am probably an ordinary Japanese guy.
As the woman in the video points out, Japan has a "follow the people around you" culture. The reason why many people still wear masks is that the people around them wear masks.
We are often taught that harmony is more important than individual thoughts and beliefs. If you express your real thoughts and feelings that differ from those of others, you may displeasure them. This means you break the harmony. We are scared of making such mistakes.
As an Elignsh learner, I sometimes say "Hi, can I help you?" at a station when I see someone who looks like a foreigner. A good opportunity to have a chat in English. Now I imagine such a situation and think if I were with my friend. The hurdle in my mind would be higher because it would seem as if I was flaunting my English speaking ability, which might disturb the harmony with my friend.
Thanks to this kind of video, I became to look at both positive and negative aspects of Japanese culture. I wish more Japanese people, including myself, could be more accepting of diversity. But as mentioned above, we are afraid of being outstanding and different, and it takes a lot of energy to get over it. I think this is one of the reasons that we are shy.
Wow your English is really good! The punctuation is better than a lot of native speakers these days.
this is a really insightful comment! thank you for sharing.
I was living in Japan thanks to Japanese government with a lot of schoolarship. Can you believe Foreigners don't want to follow the rules like crossing a pedestrian line in front of the company they are working for? What the woman said I'd not important. She is just a spoil Foreigners who like to question about Japan. Her country has more serious problems.
It does make sense. Making a difference requires a lot of energy and going against the grain.
Someone told me that in Japanese, the Japanese words for different and wrong are actually the same.
Every time I watch videos like this, I’m surprised that there’s people who manage to live there without speaking any Japanese. I can see if it’s for work or something, but to live there with no Japanese and no job 😮 No hate to her or anyone that lives there without speaking the language, it’s just surprising to me.
Yeah that surprised me aswell. Like I've been learning Japanese because me and my family are going to visit my sister in Japan. So I'm learning to make our life easier while visiting
fr
She's probably living with her parents and attending international school.
This reminds me of this girl from my home country, she moved to Australia and she had very low English level and no job... I wonder what people does to learn the language AND get a job. For sure u gotta start somehow, somewhere
I lived in Japan for a couple years now and I’ve met people who have lived here for almost 20 years that don’t speak anything beyond a super basic level. On the one hand it’s a bit weird and feels like a wasted opportunity, but on the other I understand how much effort is involved in studying a language. I think some people learn just enough to get by and settle with that.
I am a Japanese with many foreign friends. In the end, I think language is a big issue. More and more foreigners are trying to live in Japan in English without learning much Japanese. If you don't speak Japanese, real estate contracts will not go well, and you will be rejected because you can't communicate quickly when needed. Even if a person is Japanese, it is difficult to sign a contract if he or she cannot communicate properly.
If you want to get an immigrant or work visa, you need to get N2. It's lead to better a life.
such a great advice honestly. i just started learning japanese again and your comment motivated me to reach that N2 thank you
@@fionafidela In my experience, I have never had a problem in daily conversation with someone who has N2. N1 is quite difficult, so I think N2 is sufficient. I am also studying for an English certification exam. Let's do our best.
Learning Japanese atm, Hopefully I will be able to pass the N2 exam one day. Good luck with your english certification exam !
@@user-tl5zo3xl4x
Seems like it's just easy to live in country you were raised in, instead fleeing to a country you know nothing about.
やっぱりこれですね。１月に妻と日本に引っ越す予定なんですけど行く日がどんどん近づいたらこういうことちょっと心配になってきましたね。来年の夏、 N2を受ける予定なのでこのコメントを読んで安心しました。
as an Indian and having lived in Japan for 6 years, i can say that Japanese people have a very good reason for the things these people have mentioned in this video. more often than not foreigners are very entitled to their own cultural norms and values even in Japan. they forget that they're in a country which used to be an isolated island for so many years and their culture and people are bound to be different than the rest. they do what they think is normal in their own country, and then complain when they get looks from the Japanese people who really aren't used to that. a personal example is the apartment i used to live in had some foreign residents from south asia and they were so loud every night, because it's normal to be loud in their countries but in Japan people don't deal well with noise pollution.
the bottom line is: if you choose to live in a country whose culture and norms are so different and deeply rooted in the society, then maybe try to assimilate yourself in it as well, and for the love of God, learn the language. otherwise why choose such a country in the first place?
i agree completely although i have no experience living abroad in any other country, if I go somewhere for a vacation I make sure to learn at least some very basics of that language just as a courtesy to the people who live there. I don't understand people who would move to a country and not learn the language. I have been learning Japanese as a hobby for 3 years and it blows my mind that people can live there and not speak the language. only real excuse is if you are a worker for a foreign govt. etc. there on a work visit and not intending to stay and work privately.
You got the point, Rajesh.
I have visited Japan every year for the last 10 years since I was a teenager.
The Japanese treated me well except for one occasion when I was 18. I saw a temple in Tokyo with my friends. It was summer, so we wore very short dresses and shorts and then talked loudly in the temple (we were young and didn't know better). Then, the KANNUSHI came and accosted us for talking too loudly. We said sorry and went our way.
The takeaway from that experience is that we should be aware of other cultures and check the DOS AND DON'TS of any country we plan to visit out of respect for their cultures, traditions, taboos and dislikes.
👏👏
@@ROYAL_REBELSo they never talked about your attire (short skirt).
The fact that someone can live in japan for 9 years and still not pick up the language is a definite sign to just leave, I mean If I lived in a country for more than 5 years and not picked up the language I wouldn't even bother living there
I found that interesting too that she lived in Japan for 9 years but speaks Chinese
And she hasn't got a job
Yeah she seems like she lives in a different world from most other people, if you know what I mean
People do that wren they come to America to though. Some people have learning issues... you can't just make an assumption off of a small video.
@@kyokitty16 she knows Chinese. Learning issues?
10+ years in Japan, black, and I understood in the first week at university that as a foreigner, you are on your own. That realization has made my life in Japan easier and more peaceful.
I have not experienced any discrimination so far, nor was I a victim of harassment from the police or in the workplace (100% Japanese). Let’s say they dare not cross the line of civility. It’s all about self-respect and the energy we spread around.
Japanese are helpful but not friendly also they don't socialize with everyone i thought to come to Japan and work there as IT expert but now i am totally broken can you make a comment on it???
@@anshul554 Japanese are not a monolith, they are 126 million individuals, each with his or her own personality. I've found many to be very friendly in my 30 plus years in Japan. I have 5 kids all who have been through or are in the public school system, each with plenty of good friends. Making good friends in adulthood is unusual in any country because we are so ensconced in our own lives by then, we are busy with family, work and juggling the time we have to spend with friends we already have. Taking on new friends in adulthood is something most of us have little time for...in any country.
So what will you do if they do stop you? Instinctively think the reason they did is because you’re black?
UPDATE: I see this comment is still getting likes and it’s been almost 3 months now. I only have more positive things to say. And don’t even get me started on this one doctor/hospital experience I had. In the end I was fine and my symptoms were likely stress related but I’m really grateful for all of the Japanese personnel that helped me out that day.
14+ days in Japan, black, and pretty much have had the same immediate understanding and share the same experience and feelings so far lol.
While I don’t ever want to sound like I’m downplaying other people’s experiences I do feel like a lot of the foreigners in videos like this typically aren’t trying to make any major attempts to try to conform to the culture (iirc someone said one girl in the video has been living there 9+ years but doesn’t know how to speak any Japanese). I do know that the apartment thing is a legitimate issue though but I believe that comes from the perception that Japanese people think foreigners are loud and like to party all the time but I’ve heard cases where the agencies will give some people a pass as they’re “like Japanese”, one of them being black as well.
I’m here for language school in hopes of going on to uni here and have had nothing but a blissful time so far. I’ve watched many videos like these prior and they’ve caused me to be on edge for the first few days just waiting for some form of discrimination (not the interviewers’ fault of course) but my only issue so far has been the language barrier. I’m aware of the culture around me and do my best to respect the rules, despite how ludicrous some might feel (staying at the red crossing light when there’s clearly no traffic around has been one to get used to compared to NYC for instance lol).
Interesting, that was my experience too. I made my first true Japanese friend in year 7.
Other than that, I kicked arse in college and did well at work. I'm African and had a number of great friends both African and other nationalities and life was great!
The guy at 2:11 is a childhood friend of mine named Moses, I remember going to middle school with him when I lived in Hawaii forever ago, glad to see he’s still doing good.
damn that's crazy
I traveled to Japan for work for years. They're very polite, extremely polite, but don't mistaken that for kindness.
Drop your expectations. The faster you realize that you'll most likely be alone, the easier your experience will be.
I work in Tokyo as a junior designer and it is by far a very …just sad experience. Don’t get me wrong I’m grateful for the job especially in this day and age but I do 80+ per week with only Sunday off (had to stay overnight not one month into the job), no OT pay, and expected to kinda ‘read the air (basically just assume stuff) all the time then get reprimanded or yelled at when I don’t ‘read’ it right.
do you experience language barrier from your boss? Im designer too, and its understandable to be overtime, even outside japan
@@user-lr6hw4dq4t yes I do. Everything seem to be guesswork and assuming his intentions. My Japanese coworker did agree with me but they seem to think it was perfectly normal.
As for OT, I had expected it since getting into the industry and honestly i might’ve been ok with it if not because of the overbearingly toxic environment plus a lot of other red flags (threatening to reduce pay etc). with how it’s going I don’t even have time to do the bare necessity of house chores.
@@sevens525 toxic environment is ultimate red flag, especially if the salary ain't high enough. Is it possible do freelance work in japan? Or maybe outside tokyo. Acually I intended to find work in japan,but plenty review not recommending that.
@@user-lr6hw4dq4t freelance in japan is very difficult. I’ve never done it myself so take it with a grain of salt but the visa process will be more complicated (and I think you have to renew it every year?). It’s not impossible tho if you find a sponsor.
I also don’t recommend japan if you’re a designer XD
Hello Mr.Seven, l also live and study in Tokyo. I'm searching for a junior designer jobs here but it's getting hard, l would greatly appreciate if you could give some advice
After seeing this video, I realized there is in general a big difference between main land Japan and Okinawa. Here the people are more welcoming and interactive. I have been here for a whole week and the people actually get out of their way to help me. Maybe it’s because Okinawa has more exposure to foreign influences in its history and recently because of the various American bases. But it would be nice if mainland Japanese could take life easy and enjoy it like the Okinawans.
Nice
Ankit Abhinaw
India
www.youtube.com/@ankitabhinaw64
so sadly shameful for a big touristic country
Okinawa is considered foreign land to Japanese pretty much. They also until the last century, considered them savages and put in zoos. Which is probably one of many reasons why they put the military bases out there and away from mainland Japan.
True, but from a western perspective it's closer to mainland culture than to western culture in general though.
Okinawans are seen as savage monkey people to mainland jappanese
It is definitely hard if you don't know the language. But you can learn enough to get around, do basic shopping, and make phonecalls in less than a year. I moved to Japan with zero Japanese and I can have basic conversations now after only 10 months. Just put in the work and it'll pay off quickly.
I was like that when i moved to China in 2004 also. You learn Survival language skills first. Once you pass that, you can pretty much acquire the rest of the language by using it in that culture where it's the daily language.
were u able to find a job there even if u can't speak Japanese? just curious, cause ive been planning to move there.
@@jennyy28 I'm on the JET program, so I had a job upon arrival
Her parents pay for everything and she's hot enough to get free rent by moving in with a random guy. I doubt she'd put in too much effort.
正直言って日本語ってそんなに難しくない
アニメやCZcams､ ゲームをたくさん見ると日本語を長期的に覚える鍵になる
あと日本人と話すのもすごーーーーく大事｡
日本語は気持ちでわかる言語やから日本コンテンツをまじでたくさん吸収したほうが良き
確かにN2があると仕事やチャンスが幅広くなるが
言語は必要最低限であり､ITスキルやプログラミングスキル､お絵描き､3D､つまり英語でいうと「Technical Skills」も重視されている
僕も日本の専門学校を目指しているけど､N2がないと入れない｡または日本語学校に行って卒業するのも必要条件になる｡
結論､言語はすごく大事やけど､テクニカルスキルも大事やし､日本人の気持ちをちょっとだけ理解すれば移住できます
5:00 she's definitely spoiled princess. Look at how many grocery she has. You can tell she's grown up in a wealthy family.
I’m half-Japanese and was thrilled to finally visit my motherland. I spoke pretty mediocre Japanese but that made a massive difference being able to talk to people. I had an amazing time. I also think what Westerners might see as “cold” in Japanese culture is actually politeness. I’ve been scolded by friends for not asking more about how they are feeling or “why don’t you care to ask about why I’m upset today?” But I was raised to think that prying into someone’s personal life/feelings was intrusive and it was best to keep conversation topics neutral, like about a restaurant or movie and not about why you are angry at your boss.
I'm also half japanese and Latino and I also visited my grandmother in Yokohama
If you’re half Japanese how does Japan qualify as your motherland ? 😂
@@NFLGUITARSMOVIES Motherland dictionary definition: “The motherland is the country in which you or your ancestors were born and to which you still feel emotionally linked, even if you live somewhere else.” Being half Japanese is generic. I was raised in a Japanese household by a Japanese mother who was not born here in the US. If it wasn’t so difficult, I would much rather live in Japan than the US, which feels quite foreign to me culturally at times due to how I was raised.
I have never experienced any of this video in Japan, ive found making friends in japan very easy
@@sidneyreed weeaboo story.
I'm over here stressing trying to learn some Japanese to survive a week long trip next spring and buddy in the video been chillin there for 10 months talking bout "I need to learn Japanese eventually" 😂
It takes years to be able to even watch tv
That 1 girl has been there for 9 years...if you haven't picked up the language and you've been there for 9 years, it's because you're not really trying. She also said she's living off her parents and has no job but managed to have 3 shopping bags. If you have no job and parents wealthy enough to support you, take some language courses.
@@kaseyc9459 I'll never understand why some people would live in a country for many years and not learn the language. In a lot of videos like these, too many people say they don't speak fluent Japanese (or even basic Japanese) despite living in Japan for years.
Tourists staying for a few days/weeks get a pass because nobody would expect to know so much. I just find it ridiculous to be honest and I don't see any excuse to not learn the main language for the country you decide to live in. Japanese may be difficult to learn but do the best you can. It's not impossible to learn.
Its a fun language but very hard.
@@thestruggler7926 I am Dutch and lived and worked in Japan for about 15 months just before the pandemic. You may have heard that the Dutch speak 3-4 languages. I also personally have a background in languages; I worked as a translator and am now a professional writer. As such, my thinking was "eh, I'll just pick it up naturally, and with the free Japanese lessons I get through work, it'll be a piece of cake". I was very naive. It is _not_ an easy language to learn coming from a European or English-speaking background. There was very little "picking up naturally". It takes consistent, disciplined study, and consistency tends to be the problem when you're also having to navigate all the other stuff that comes with trying to be a functioning adult in a strange country. I'm happy with what I did learn (I call it サヴァイヴァルジャパニーズ) but I was totally delusional about how far I'd get in the first year.
As a result, I have a bit more sympathy for the people who have lived there for years without attaining anything close to fluency. I used to judge them more like you. But if you have a family, are working full time, are over 30, and don't have a natural talent for language, it's really understandable. I also have a bit more sympathy for the Japanese in general being so terrible at English-it's just a very different language.
That said, it's hard to think of a valid excuse for the unemployed young girl who's been there for 9 years...
I am european. I find people who talk loudly on the phone incredibly rude. I am not religious. I am clean, tidy, I never wear shoes inside homes, not even in the working place. I am very sensitive to smell, I do not like BBQs, I do not smoke, I do not drink alcohool, I do not wear heavy perfumes, but I smell fresh and clean basically all day. I respect everyone and everything. I feel bad when I see the elderlies disrespected by foreigners. I am basically an outsider.
The guy here who said when he talks on the phone in english people stare at him, I think what he does not get is that people do not do it because he is talking in english, but because he is loud and disrespectful of other people's spaces.
Don’t talk on a situation you know nothing about. You have no way to tell whether he was being loud or just minding his own business on the phone.
I think some people are seeing this and reading too deeply into it. Yes, some areas in Japan are a bit judgementle, racist, etc…but there’s also many good parts to Japan. I was scrolling through the comments (and have also watched some videos way before this one) and I saw many stories and experiences that had really good and positive times at Japan. They also went on to say how welcoming, helpful, and friendly the Japanese people are. There’s also LOTS of Japanese people who are fascinated by foreigners and love that they want to be apart of their culture. I’ve seen MANY videos where the Japanese even encourage them to take part in their culture (like wearing kimonos, going to festivals, eating the food, etc…).
You guys have to keep in mind that no matter where you go you will always see/experience negative situations like this. Take America for example..even though the media is pushing towards a better, more welcoming, and more equal place for everyone to live (even though they do it QUITE a bit toxically), there are still some incredibly hateful people. I could go ON and ON about many instances were foreigners experienced horrible discrimination and racism. There are grey parts to every side of anything that exists. Nothing is perfect. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t at least TRY to make it perfect and it definitely doesn’t mean that it’s ALL bad. There’s definitely more good sides to everything too. The good outweighs the bad. I hope this helped everyone and didn’t discourage anyone in any way. Just live life and make the best out of it in the best way possible. Be the future everyone needs and MAYBE one day we can achieve greatness.
Have you been to Japan?
underrated comment
the bad points outweights the good.
Been to japan number of types yeah they are racist as heck, its just a quiet kind of racist still racist though :D
Japan is an absolutely wonderful place to visit as a tourist, but it is an awful place to live as a foreigner. Japanese people are happy if you come to visit but not if you decide to stay.
A friend of mine (bright red-haired, pale-skinned australian) was in Japan for a couple of months sight seeing. She, and her friends, entered a restaurant in the outskirts of the city. This restaurant was bustling with Japanese folk. When she entered, the waiter seemed uneased about greeting her but walked her and her friends to their seats nonetheless. About 2 minutes later, the entire restaurant had cleared out. This was purely for the fact a foreigner had entered their space. Said it was the strangest experiences she's had
Thats the unfortunate side of japan, the lack of diversity and blatant micro aggressions/xenophobia
Bullllll shit. Your friend misread something. No where in Japan do people clear a restaurant because a white person walked in, especially not in a "city". A company was probably having a drinking party and had booked most of the restaurant, then left when their course was up.
@@link99912 most likely either than that, idk cause that would be weird for a place in the city for that to happen
i think this is called racism, if white people did this it would be all over the news and restaurant would have to shut down cas of protests
I wonder if her friends had a lot of visible tattoos.
Despite all the struggles, there are so many things I love about living in Japan! Thanks for having me on the video 🥰!
you were so cool, what do you like about living in japan ?
Stefatty you are legit one of the most beautiful women I've ever had the pleasure of seeing. Seriously.
I agree with everything you said in this video and then some. When I moved here I could not get a place to rent no matter how I tried, the only offer I got was a run down place that I assume nobody else wanted and even then the landlord asked for a years worth of rent paid in advance. I ended up in a share house instead and thank the kami for that. But from what I am told, this is in part due to prejudice based on negative experiences, like foreigners damaging the flat and disappearing to their home countries without paying for damages or even for rent etc. I mean, I get it but if we as foreigners get refused even if we pay guarantor companies and have a stable income and everything then that is simply wrong. :/
At least Kansai is a bit more laid back as that other dude mentioned, it is chill and people are more...human here. Especially Osaka. Definitely recommend you visit on your travels once you have the opportunity!
Yeah, I can agree. Still Kansai>Tokyo!
@@Shishu_97 Yep, same with me. Kansai > Tokyo, hands down.
This was a good video. Good job sir. I hope to visit Japan. I was scared of the locals but listening to these people gave me the confidence to understand the culture better.
It all depends on the individual's personality and how they take it, not the country. Everyone is different and meets different people, so everyone has different experiences.
I always think of this when I watch the video, but the comments from those who speak the country's language fluently and those who don't are completely different. You can clearly see whether or not they are willing to accept the culture.
*You should minimize the information you gather online before you move.
Otherwise, you will be fixed on the idea and start feeling like others have said. If you are interested, go.
Perfectly said! Thank you 😊
Lived in Japan for nearly a decade. Had three kids there and lived a nice life although a bit stressful and lonely at times. We finally made the move back to my home country but having a hard time adjusting. Missing Japan tremendously but also trying to remember the difficult times as well.
Why not try Taiwan or Singapore?
That's called reverse culture shock. 頑張って。
@@aoeu256 Ty! I have heard good things about these countries but we need to be close to my parents atm.
2018 I visited 🗾 in June for 5 weeks
I loved it because it's quiet clean and orderly. As an introvert I loved everything about it. I think extroverts would find faults and complain more than introverts. It was an adventure. Getting lost and figuring it all out was the best way for me to learn. Wandering into a random restaurant and eating whatever was recommended because I don't speak Japanese was great. When traveling I have no expectations I just observe closely and go with the flow.
Daamn booy... totally how i feel when i travel somewhere i don't know... same vibes...Thanks for explaining it 😁
Travel is not the same as living though. You get to see and experience 1% of what it means to be here, even if it’s for 5 weeks. The problems are cute when they are temporary but when it’s having to leave the country because you can’t find an apartment because no one will rent to foreigners near your job, it’s a different story.
Actually contrary to popular belief introverts will do bad in Japan if your not a tourist since the Japanese rarely initiate any conversation, well I notice I turn more extroverted in Japan just to be able to get my daily social interaction. Not only that but I am forced to steer the conversation or else the Japanese will say the same ten things (Why you learning Japanese, nihongo jouzu desune, ...) over and over. Many Japanese seem to believe that deep conversations are reserved for "true friends" which 99% of the time means no foreigners...
@@marchetu9212 Concur. The living situation is very different from the tourist/short-term visit from what I've heard. There's extreme biases to rent to non-Japanese (speakers?), a big need for work reform. I've heard some of the processes for things like leaving for vacation is pretty extensive, and slows things down.
Would love to visit but probably not live there. Also don't know how the countryside compares to city living.
An introvert probably wouldn't have talked to this random guy in video I suspect as well :)
To everyone reading this Keep going. No matter how stuck you feel, no matter how bad things are right now, no matter how hopeless & depressed you feel, no matter how many days you have spent wishing things were different. I promise you won't feel this way forever. Keep going.
good words. To be honest, I can only think that everything will be worse than it is and I will never see the sun. I make so many mistakes and nothing works out for me. I'm tired of feeling like a burden to others.
it's very difficult to live in this world even though it's only my 20s
@@sweetAltius VIC BV, all you can see with eyes so dreary are the marrs of your life, but with these bars that i spit may it help you a bit.
I feel, what i feel i know it aint real so here is the deal. I might as well feel like I can do it because the alternative is feeling like shit.
i'ma stick it out, i'm working it out I'ma do what Only i can do. I will be true, I will be fine, I am tired of living barely surviving it is time for me to be thriving and i know ,
I know I know I can.
and I know I know I know I can.
When you need someone to talk to turn to Me, I'm right there in side you see. That is who I can rely on, if I can't rely On me, who else can?
I gotta learn to be who I am.
I don't need no body telling me that I am somebody, I just need to know from inwards Yo.
I am who I am, who I am is Me.
@@santosdr2 That was the most cringe thing I've read in a while. You must be 12 years old or something and just recently got inspired by rap music. That was horrible.
@@sweetAltius It's survival of the fittest, truth hurts. Some people including yourself just aren't smart enough to make it in this challenging world. I pity you.
God showed me this when I really needed it and im glad
I'm from Mexico and while talking to a rep from an online Japanese language course it was funny how he was adamant about setting our expectations from the beginning about Japan and that it "might not be like it's depicted in anime and such".
After watching this video it makes sense that he would want to ground us to help us avoid running head first into a wall (so to speak).
Stay in Mexico. The culture is too different for you to assimilate.
All of these videos make me realize that I actually don't want to live in Japan. I thought I did but the racism, shyness, and work culture are just huge turn-offs. Maybe I'll visit one day, but wow these stories are simply disheartening.
Worse cheating is relationships is not only acceptable but encouraged
Those three things are what I think make Hapan great
Try being a native in a small town in canada everyone looks at u like u gon steal, walk into the bar for food right away get stared at like you going to cause a problem whn I'm just there to grab my kids fries n shit, the entire country feels like this some times man no just small towns
That's America too buddy
@@thefutureisnowoldman7653 They encourage women to cheat as well? Or mainly men?
4:51 Her family is paying for her to live in Japan while she's not working?! Wow, I hope she realizes how fortunate she is!
She should be fluent in Japanese by now. She has nothing to do.
Hahaha I’m 15!!!
@@lexi9598 yes i do, I go to school I’m in 10th grade
Yeah but it seems like she feels bad and doesn’t want to take advantage of her family, because it seems like she wants independence and to work. Asking parents for money can be stressful and hard on everyone, so I understand her struggle.
She has a rich daddy. His name starts with Sugar.
I've been to Japan twice. I have had exactly 0 problems, and have only been treated with extreme kindness and help. I hope this message finds someone well if they're on the fence. Google map and translate will get you anywhere and speak to anyone in this country in a pinch. It is safe. The country is so varied and you will definitely have opportunities to speak to other foreigners while you're there too, assuming you go to hostels. It's not as lonely as you think in my opinion. :)
Each but keep in mind that the treatment of a white vs a poc in Japan is very different
This is not true. Half Japanese are very much desirable there. If you are 1/2 black and half Japanese…. You will never be lonely there. But…. If you are all black or all white they will see you as a foreigner your color does not matter to them. It obviously matters to you …. Grow up
I’ve been there once and had issues. Are the Japanese people super raciest because I don’t see that with the Japanese people live met in Canada.
Have you heard of ‘white privilege’?
My guy, how long did you stay each time. This is their experience. You don't have a right to dog on them
I feel like if you go there already knowing some of the Japanese language (at least enough to get around and have a casual conversation) you'd have a much more pleasant experience living there.
I lived in Japan for 4 years, and I don't know, never had trouble making friends. Also a word of advice, always try and learn at least a basic level of Japanese, they will be more open and receptive to you when you do, and will praise the effort even if it's not that good.
What if I want to move and work there could I get hired somewhere?
The same goes an in other asian countries as i know the korean will be the same more open and receptive if a foreigner just know abit korean
9 years in a country and can't speak the language? I mean that's kinda on her if she can't find a job lol😆
Can't believe what I was hearing lol. No job in 9 years that's insane.
A lot of foreigners in Japan can't read and write after 10 years and complain about not being able to advance in the workplace. Imagine not being able to read and write in North America or Europe and complain about not being able to advance in the workplace. The lack of objective self-awareness of some is remarkable.
Didn’t she say ‘not super fluent’? Not ‘can’t say at all’ idk that’s what i heard
@@mino4965 and I read "9 years in Japan" if she cared enough and put the time in she should be pretty advanced in Japanese by now. So if the language is a barrier for her not being able to find work it's 100% her fault.
Haha but I am literally 15 and the thing is I come from a cultural background with many languages I have to speak. I speak 5 languages plus a little Japanese I think im already proud of myself enough. Not only is it that but the fact that I have a disability for languages like dyslexia is something I’m proud of to say. I also mentioned in the video which was cut out that I’m leaving next year so the legal age in Japan to work is 16 and I’m leaving before that So I wouldn’t go judging around making these comments if you don’t know anything about other ppls lives.
As someone who has lived in Japan for 6 years with an Asian ethnicity. I’ve never experienced direct racism and overall enjoyed my time there. A lot of it does involve being able to speak the language as well as being patient and open minded to the cultures there. Once you get passed that barrier you will start to see them open up.
I would recommend foreigners to stop trying to change the way they do things and their beliefs, just because you don’t agree with things doesn’t mean you’re right and they’re wrong.
I just returned from Tokyo last week and it was my first time to Japan. As an Asian girl and I was a solo traveller as well, fortunately I didn't have any problem at all unless I was a bit confused about finding the address of my guesthouse but everytime I asked the direction, people were very helpful, they always tried their best to help me to find the address by opening google map and googletranslator and even the last guy I asked whose his house was quite close to that guesthouse showed me and brought me to my guesthouse. People were very nice to me when I was there for 5 days, not only about asking the direction to my guesthouse but also at the train station, supermarket and the airport.
I was very impressed with the kindness of Japanese and how polite they were.
I'd love to come again to Japan
Thank you for interviewing foreigners who are Asian. Asian foreigners are so rarely included in foreigner interviews (maybe because they're harder to identify, so it's understandable), but I appreciate the representation.
Can you also ask foreigners what they like about living in Japan? I've lived in Japan for 13 years now and while there is racism and discrimination here (as there is in just about any other country), it's sad to see so many videos focus on only the negatives.
Personally, I've never been discriminated against in Japan for being a foreigner. Japan has actually been the most accepting place I've ever lived. It definitely helps that I blend in, but even when I go out of my way to tell people I'm a foreigner, I've never had a bad reaction or bad experience. In fact, I often tell people I'm a foreigner when I need help (getting around or needing them to speak slower) and they always accommodate and are super nice.
In contrast, I was bullied quite a bit in elementary school in the US (where I was born) for being Asian and literally screamed at in Taiwan (my parents' home country) by some random old guy on a bus because I spoke Chinese with an American accent.
In America it is racism, in Japan it is more of a lack of trust of something that is not familiar. Racists and racism are a major problem in the US. Oh, and gun violence, drugs, homelessness and crumbling infrastructure.
Thank you. This was my experience as well (filipino American also). Japan is 100% the most accepting place I’ve ever been to. This includes the Philippines as I forgot my native language decades ago when we moved to the states.
Kudos to your insight too about interviewing Asian foreigners. I knew there was something unique in this vid but couldn’t put it into words. So funny that interviews with non Asian foreigners gets viral views, but racism against Asians in America is brushed aside. Probably cuz it’s so common, or more likely cuz people like you and me aren’t really ‘American’ anyway so there’s no reason to care. Oh, and somehow all Asians in America are billionaires. lol.
Thank you for having Japanese subtitles underneath the English. As someone who is studying Japanese (Especially Kanji) it is beyond helpful! Can't wait to fly out to Tokyo this month
So, did you land?
So, did you land? (2)
So , did you land? (3)
@@bisimniraula4997 No his plane crashed and he died
I also thought that was a nice touch. Good luck in Tokyo!
Good getting an outside prospective on Japan. I see everyone's gripe is Japanese not being social with foreigners but I think it's good they can keep their culture that way. It also good to know of a nice place to visit for introverts.
As a Filipino I really want to study in Japan. This kind of video is very insightful.
Im a 100% Japanese but was raised in Western culture with native English! I live in Japan now and sure, there are challenges that come with it! ( ´•_•` )
@@maegalroammis6020 could you rephrase that into something coherent, dear? Edit: Thank you
@@RozWBrazel nothing force him to go there just because he's part of that nationality
@@maegalroammis6020 When did he say he was forced to go there? Maybe he just wanted to go to Japan because it’s a beautiful country in it self.
@@kurimu. he is considered non-japanese by natives already. most asian people thinks like that
@@s2oop436 I’m literally in his position, and yet here I am in Japan. Please do not speak out for others.
There’s a lot of variation throughout the country as well. As one guy said, he had no discrimination issues in Osaka vs issues in Tokyo. Certain areas have their own micro cultures as well. I spent a semester in Osaka and people were incredibly warm and friendly most of the time, and I was offered unsolicited help many times at train stations, stores, etc. Of course there are negative sides to living there, but I miss it tremendously and I’m always looking for ways to go back.
it really depends on what we count as "discrimination". I doubt the guy has made japanese friends or that he has encountered 0 problems at work/ renting. Most asians (incl. japanese) will stay civil to save face but the societal structure itself is such that you are almost automatically excluded. So yea, you can travel/ live there without getting bothered on the street, but you are 100% aware of people avoiding you/ staring at you/ gossiping etc and in some context downright thinking you are inferior because you are a foreigner (i.e., by landlords, suspicious members of staff, employers etc). The latter is just as negative (if not more) than people shouting racial slurs at you
This has been my experience in Japan, especially as a non-white foreigner. Tokyo/Kanto and the eastern/northern parts of Japan have been "cold" to say the least, civil amd polite, but cold and exclusionary. While still universally distant socially towards foreigners because Tokyo/Kanto culture is the trend setter for the country, Japan becomes more embracing and less discriminatory starting in the Osaka/Kansai region, and continuing in Hiroshima and Fukuoka/Kyushu. Okinawa might as well not be Japan, but in all of the good ways.
@b1000days @TTTRX @ObamasLostSon
Hey, im planning a working holiday to japan soon, and planning to go to Tokyo or Kanagawa, or Osaka as the other option !, you said things for "living in japan", can you please tell me what kind of job you did? how many hours? you can afford living with only part time ? where to find a job ? etc. thank you !!!
I think foreigners have too high exceptions and dont realize that problems in every country exist there too, and lately I have seen many videos teaching foreigner the norms so they can follow the basic rules and understand. However I think it is important to understand difference between culture instead of thinking it is just them
You know what’s crazy . Most of Japan hates Osaka lol 😂 they say they’re loud , too nice , and they don’t like the way they speak their Japanese ( Kansai ) but Osaka is my favorite city in Japan … they show alot of love to us there
Italian, living in Japan for 18 years, married to a Japanese woman that (luckily) is more western minded.
Japan is a beautiful country but sorry, for who think Japan is all rainbow and sunshines, NOPE!
Even if I speak Japanese fluent I still got the "no foreigner" for renting an apartment or while looking for a job in IT (where I am with 28 years experience) I still got the "sorry we prefer a Japanese person even less skilled".
Then there is the human side, Japanese way to be friend is waaaay far from westerners, they become friends cause they can get something in return for the friendship or if you have a high rank job. And of course, they never say the truth, they never reveal you their true thoughts or feelings.
Very difficult to become true friend with Japanese unless you start to become, think and act like them and that is something that goes against my italian culture that is to be open, straightforward, honestly expressing my thoguht and feelings/emotions. Japanese sometime they say to me: "ohhh you're here for 18 years you are almost like Japanese" and they expect me to say "yes of course", they get disappointed when I reply: "nope I can never be like Japanese sorry". Japanese are pretty disappointed usually if your thinking is different from what they expect and what they get usually from everyone.
Racism? ohhh yes, Japan is one of the most racist country, lot of Japanese still believe foreigners are here temporarly and will leave soon, they do not want us here. Still there are severe barriers in Japanese bureacracy for foreigners here even with permanent residence.
Could go on for hours but Japan it is what it is, yes getting better but we are far away still from Western countries.
I love watching foreigners in other countries, I’m American, and I have lived in Mexico for 5 years, I love how open they are where I live
Live there for 9 years. Don't speak the language. No job. But loaded down with shopping bags. Wtf?
Well, 1. I’m 15, 2. I’m 15 again so I can’t have a job since age limit in japan is 16 and 3. I have so much struggles at school and stress I can’t find the time to have mini jobs like babysitting or stuff it’s not as easy as it seems:)
The money I use to shop is saved up mines or occasionally money I worked for with mini jobs but not actual jobs bc I’m to young
This is why in elementary school we’re taught that we don’t know what is going on in someone’s personal life and to treat everyone how you want to be treated, richard.
@@corinnakunz5984 Very understandable. Learning a new language alone is quite hard. Working again, is a challenge due to the points you've addressed already. I will assume the one who made the comment is American, and doesn't really understand living abroad. I really wish people could be more understanding. I wish to move to Japan one day so the things you pointed out is quite helpful. Good luck!
@@corinnakunz5984 I lived in Tokyo for 8 years as a medical researcher on a tiny salary - scientific research doesn't pay well but I was passionate about literally curing cancer so I stuck to it.
If I wanted to 'live' in Tokyo I had to get 'creative.' So I used to top up my salary teaching adults and kids English. I also did 'rewriting' and as I have quite a standard English accent recording dialogue tapes for language courses. It was quite good fun. I was on a
I had friends who used to source Japan only items - collectables, zakka, audio gear - and ship them abroad. Additionally, they would do the reverse bring in specialist goods from abroad and sell them online.
If you think out of the box and experiment it's amazing what happens. Good luck in your endeavours.
Videos like this are important for the foreigners that romanticize moving to different places for the wrong reasons
Right!
Praying for the best for Japan. God bless you japanese. Thanks for everything.
6 years in Japan and still figuring it out 😂 would be nice to see these kind of interviews outside of Tokyo to get other perspectives. Well saying that where I live there isn’t many foreigners around so I guess Tokyo is where the diversity is 😊
A friend of my sister once lived in japan for about 5 years she told my sister how the experience was . she was very grateful for living in japan but the negative aspect at some point kicked in (blatant discriminaction and how japanese guys would hit on her just because she's a foreigner (saw her like a trophy)).she now moved to south korea and said that she really like living in south korea more because of how the people are more open to her than those in japan
I watched a streamer visit Korea and they couldn't go into a bar because there was a sign that said "koreans only".
Racism in Japan doesn't surprise me. .. but Americas the most racist. . . America sux. Nobody should move there.
TBH, SK is worst in that regard. Korean Guys will say things they would never dare say to Korean girls but do to foreigner girls. There are many YT videos about it too.
South Korea suffers from the same issues as japan including people being overworked and committing suicide often. Im glad its been a better experience for you though.
@@jackmiddleton2080 I live in the States, in a mostly Asian area, and see and experience stuff like this too. It’s very strange because like I said, I’m in the US, but most of the Asians in the area I live in truly think they can get away with discrimination to non-Asians, and other Asians who aren’t their type of Asian. Unfortunately this has been my majority experience in the area I live in, but there have been some very nice people lately, and I’ve noticed the newer generation that’s taking over their parents businesses in the area aren’t as racist, or at least have the decorum to hide it better, so I think things are slowly changing. My friends who are from various places in Asia tell me diferente things about what’s going on over there, but online it seems like people are at least speaking out against it which I think is good.
This is why I’m teaching myself the language prior to going. The worst thing is getting lost and not being able to communicate in a foreign country
Update: been studying every day for over half a year now. I can get the general context behind certain conversations.
My pronunciation could use some work. I’m nowhere near the level where I could talk fast, so in the meantime I’m focusing on speaking slowly but clearly.
But hey, with any language, you gotta start somewhere right?
just talk english,even if u speak the language its still ez to know ur foreigner
@@darkz1563 it’s not about being a foreigner. It’s about being able to get around. Not everyone in Japan speaks English because English education there is very bad
@@moisesarellano9205 On top of that many Japanese people flat out refuse to speak English because they are afraid of embarrassing themselves
@@moisesarellano9205 yeah, make sure to study daily. 5 kanji a day will help you improve by miles
@@darkz1563 In Tokyo.
就労面は早く改善する必要があるけど、その他の面は別に他国に合わせて変える必要なんてないと思う
現に多様性を目指して移民を多く受け入れてる国は、犯罪率とか高くなって国民の負担が増えてるし…
日本人にとって母国はここしかないんだから、まずは外国人より国民が暮らしやすい国を作ることが大切だと思う
ソーシャル・ジャスティス・ウォリアーを無視する。
I think japan should stay as it is, i had the pleasure to work with japanese in Toyota projects. We traveled together worked close.
These forigners have the same issue any forigners would face in their countries.
Discrimination is everywhere literally one of the most places you get the stares are western if you do not speak their language. You would be called as allein in USA, european will not even look at you. So it is not about japan has to have the first approch, foreigners living there has to accept that fact its not their country. So play by the rules and respect the tradition
Video was on-point as always, you got a lot of people of Asian descent who weren’t Japanese to speak-which I don’t usually see on these types of videos. Also, it looks like you’ll be getting to 125k soon🙌🏾🙌🏾 I’mma put that out there and say congrats in-advance.
That Japanese Man Yuta has done videos from both genders perspective (Being Asian Female Foreigners / Being an Asian Man and Foreign), and the ideas like being an "invisible foreigner" & being mistaken for Japanese, compared to more obviously foreign looking people is super interesting. I experienced a lot of them firsthand as an ALT lol.
There’s a lot of problems living in any foreign country but the blatant discrimination against renting to foreigners in Japan is the worst. I don’t know how that’s legal.
well said. it's like if they still lives in the 1020s
SA KO KU 🇯🇵😎
Not saying it's right, but the landlords are probably concerned with the fact that people from other countries could just dip out on the lease and go back home or that there will be cultural/language barriers. I'd be frustrated too though since it can't be helped that I'm not Japanese... I hope this changes soon too
I think it's because foreigners have made an image of not abiding to apartment rules.
I read an article about what troubles might occur when renting to foreigners are and it said:
①Complaints from neighbors for being too loud (inviting friends and having parties).
②Not sorting and throwing the trash on its designated day.
③Sharing apartment without asking for permission from the landlord (You need to tell them how many people would be living in the apartment)
④Taking pets in on a no-pets-allowed apartment
⑤Does DIY Renovations
⑥Not paying rent for months
⑦Not paying rent then suddenly moving out without notice
I'm not saying Japanese renters don't do this, but this is what that article said.
Some foreigners don't understand the rules and manners since they have different morals and culture.
They don't get the "When in Rome,do as the Romans do." thing.
It's a pity since it affects the foreigners who try to rent now.
@@phillnineteenninetysix I guess it’s their right to discriminate against whomever they like.
The reason why many landlords reject foreigners are that in Japan lease agreement requires 2 guarantor that has proper job in Japan. It is usually parents or relatives. If you would damage house or run away without paying rent, guarantors pay instead. Foreigners usually don't have them so it is very risky for business owners. Also, if you don't speak Japanese fluently they would think you are incapable of reading agreement. There are so many troubles with noise, not sorting garbage, and so on.
It's not risky at all- there are companies which provide the same service for a fee.
Despite all the struggles, there are so many things I love about living in Japan, it's a great country
This was really insightful! I remember relating to some of these experiences people had when I travelled there just for a couple weeks. I also noticed there was a lot of pride people took in their work- in any form, and it seemed deeply embedded within the culture.
This video was great content and showed insights to Japan that we, outside of Japan don’t get to see or hear much about. So keep it up! Love to see videos of you talking more in depth with people on how or why they chose to live in Japan, their difficulties and what working and jobs are like for them.
That Vietnamese Australian girl was bubbly and very pleasant to watch! Pls interview her again!
I love living in Japan but I just hope they will make it easier for foreigners to rent nice apartments or houses. It was a struggle for me to find an apartment, they requested for us to provide Japanese guarantors for certain apartments and emergency contacts 😩😩
4:00
This is also a serious problem for landlords. The reason they refuse to rent rooms to foreigners is because many landlords have experienced problems with foreigners in the past. A friend of mine told me that he once rented a room to a foreigner who threw a party in the middle of the night and received complaints from the neighbors. he also damaged the room and left the country without paying for repairs. In other words, the reason is to avoid troubles with neighbors (most of them are Japanese) due to cultural differences and the problem that landlords cannot claim for damage to the room if they go back to their home country.
That's not necessarily the reason. A landlord can just be uncomfortable with the concept. Are those issues not possible to mitigate through screening including references and guarantees? (you pay a damage deposit up front anyway and may also need a company or individual to serve as your guarantor if you skip out on rent or repairs)
Having worked in Mie prefecture in Japan for a few months back in 2019 and during that time I lived in a sharehouse with a total of 12 people, 3 of them I didn't even see during that time, 5 people I sometimes saw in the house (I always greeted them but only some greeted me back) and 3 people actually ever talked with me, one spoke English and with the others I conversed with through Google translate. They said they came down to talk with me because I was the first and only one to actually use the big kitchen that we had to cook dinner and that even though the others in the house were Japanese they never talked to eachother. They blamed the Japanese culture for making it almost impossible to talk to others. In their opinion inconveniencing others had gone too far in their society.
Or how about consider the fact that you can’t speak a lick of Japanese and talking to you would be pointless because it wouldn’t garner any meaningful conversations?
Practically just strangers living in the same building then, huh. Unlike roomates and stuff. That's sad.
4:40 I actually like that kind of habit may be because I am also Asian. we dont like talking casually to anyone who we are unfamiliar with. of course we will help others if they need help with anything but we usually like to maintain distance with strangers not only with foreigners but also with own country people.
Same here. We are known to be very friendly, generosity, and have nice hospitality but there are some times where some Filipinos are introverted and shy.
no wonder why your countries sdhould get fewer tourists. it's crepier than anything
@@maegalroammis6020 Excuse me? Wdym by creepier?
@@princesserika9899 people who force themselves to help us , with fake kindness
@@maegalroammis6020 Well, not all people here are like that. There are a few but not all
I'd rather it not be another diverse country. I feel that would take away alot of what makes Japan, Japan. I'd still love to stay in Japan for a while at some point in my life
Ye that's best exploring living for a while in different parts of the world and finally settling in your motherland or if choosing a different land one should treat that nation as their own motherland. But tbh too much immigration is crap need balance amount of it
I'm sure the Ainu and Okinawans felt the same way.
@@Wheelio My Nigga Is Acting Like The Entire Human History Isn't Based On Conquests. Also Ainu And Okinawans Population Was Limited To Certain Geographical Locations
@@azathoth4473 You're missing the point, homie.
Japan already has diversity in its own land. Okinawan culture thrives.
@@Wheelio It doesn't. The so called Diversity was limited to only certain geographic locations for example Okinawans to Okinawa Islands and Ainu To Hokkaido and some very small population in northern Japan near Hokkaido. And it's not a new phenomena major culture dominating other minor cultures
One of the things that struck me in Tokyo is that different companies operate the metro trains depending on which line you need to take. I also found the lack of English speakers tough after Bangkok, Seoul, KL and even Jakarta. It's useless throwing the few Japanese phrases you can get from a guidebook at locals so I just nod and smile when I don't have a freaking clue ;)
Living in Japan 🇯🇵 is a blessing, but it has it’s challenges. My advice is when you’re having problems be polite, yet outspoken about your struggles. Be transparent and detailed oriented. Tell everyone including your supervisor. You never know who’s going to help you out especially with the advice for your struggle. You’re not alone, you got this!!!
REMEMBER THIS : In Japan, once a gaijin, ALWAYS a gaijin. They’ll separate you from the pack like an adopted, red headed, juvenile step child at a family barbecue. Most gaijins have no clue that they’ve already become a second class citizen when they arrived at Narita.
What's wrong with that? Most foreigners come to Japan for a short stay, such as on vacation, and deserve to be treated as such. They will return home complaining about Japan, not knowing even basic Japanese.
@@Greenforrest7342 why should anyone who’s visiting japan for only a couple days learn japanese? Doesn’t seem like that makes sense if you’re going as a tourist. I think it just shows that Japan can learn some better hospitality to foreigners that America exemplifies. They like our media and are very receptive to American pop culture but suddenly become rude and cold to actual americans visiting? Doesn’t make sense
No shade, this is simply true. I speak Japanese and even if you are ethnically Japanese you are always other. It's just a homogeneous society and to be expected.
@@lanxy2398 "Better hospitality to foreigners that America exemplifies."
Unless you are the white kind of "foreign gaijin" in America, what hospitality do you speak of? America is not that friendly towards "non-Americans" (actual foreigners) and "non-Americans" (anyone who is NOT white, male, christian, straight, original gender, conservative, etc).
@@lanxy2398 American hospitality huh
I’m an Italian and I live in japan. Locals never bother me and I’ve never experienced any problems.. 10 years 0 problems for me. I’ve got a nice job and I live alone with my dog and really don’t leave my apartment until night. im not a creep I just prefer night. People are considerate, food is amazing and living alone may not seem ideal but I love it. Maybe im just lucky but it’s nice and mostly quiet. It’s strange hearing people experience discrimination here.
Im looking forward to be working and livin in Japan 🙏 and this video encourages me more to pursue my dream 💖 I really wanted to work in Japan and I want a quiet/peaceful environment too.
Is it okay to know what is your job?
You probably integrated properly into the culture. The nail that stick out gets hammered. Most of these people probably dont follow the customs and get hammered for it.
I'm a Japanese currently living in Spain. I was in many countries and, obviously, there are a lot of bad sides, as well as good sides.
The example of taxis in Japan, I experienced that also in Spain.
Japaneses also are very friendly, it depends on the person who you are talking to, like every person in the world.
If you think prices are very high, you might live in Mars. Jokes aside, prices in Japan (if you are not Japanese) aren't high. I said if you are not japanese, because the problem of Japan is that salary has never changed... bla bla bla...
The reason I'm saying this, is because I don't want people to judge Japan, or any country, watching these videos of people's opinions. Just live by yourself and judge for yourself.
I'm not used to write long text in English, so if there is any mistake, please correct me. Thankyou
I pretty much agree with you to be honest, of course it’s good to hear other’s people opinion and experience about something (in this case scenario Japanese culture) so you can be aware and have in mind that “this is what you might encounter”, but at the end of the day, the only one that can decide if its good or not for yourself, its your own experience and opinion about it.
your comment its well written by the way, don’t worry, お疲れ様です〜
we have our reasons to bash japan.
Jessieさん！ thank you for the video ! One of the best guys on this app🤘🏽
Ayyy love seeing a fellow Vietnamese! She's so beautiful💕 Keep up the great videos! It's interesting to hear the insight of people from different backgrounds.
Every country is different. Japan had not opened their country to other nationalities. But they are nice, disciplined people. Japan is very clean country.
I just came back from Japan. I loved that they had their own way, they are true to their own values. Everyone we encountered was super accomodating and friendly. I disagree that the expectation should be that they should change their way of life to suit the foreigner At the same, time the foreigner should not experience discrimination when renting a place or because of the way they look. I would warmly recommend everyone visits Japan. You won't get pushed and shoved around, there is so much respect and tranquility. I came back to the UK feeling really good, but 5 mins back in London soon kaboshed that!
I think the biggest obstacles these foreigners are facing is the language barriers, they should try to learn the language in order for them to integrate well, furthermore , Japanese are friendly, helpful and respectful, I could attest on that because I have a lot of Japanese whom I met so many years ago and I’m still in contact with them. Everytime I go to Japan and see them, their warm welcome is still palpable .
and u are cute as well
These people are brave for going to Japan with no knowledge (or very little) of the language. I feel like I need to know the majority of the language before setting foot in a country for any amount of time. I wouldn't be able to enter a store and be like, sorry I don't really speak this language, to them.
No need to fear, i traveled to many countries not knowing the language, including Japan, but you will always be able to find help and figure things out. Aldo through gesture. In Tokyo this random guy o the street, who didn't speak English, walked 15 minutes and took us to the department store we were looking for, didn't say a word but super helpful.
日本人は英語できない人多いし、どの国でも言語通じなかったら孤独感じるのは当たり前だよね…
私は韓国人とフィリピン人の友達いるけど、2人ともめちゃくちゃ努力して日本語ネイティブレベルに話せるし面白いから人気者だよ
外国人とか人種とかじゃなくてその人自身の問題だと思う
Agreed ❤
That's wild that one girl actually said that the biggest issue was that people shouldn't be considerate and safe, and should not wear masks. Girl, just go to America already if you want a culture that values your personal comfort over other people's well being and lives.
I agree, she was the only one whose perspective I couldn’t understand or empathize with. I’m American and I have been masking in public diligently since March 2020. Only have gotten Covid-19 once, and it was mild. Covid is still an issue; my friend got infected just the other week. I believe the masking is working for me, and it’s really not a big deal to wear one at all. I feel like the people that have refused to wear them are the biggest whiny babies imaginable.
I find one of the best ways to really come to love living in Japan (going up on 10 years/American/Black) is doing your best to immerse yourself in the culture and psychology behind the Japanese mindset. Also, I think it depends on which "version" of Japan you enter. Many of my friends are elderly people due to the art I do. Also, it takes a long time to truly understand the reasonings behind why certain things are done/thought in Japan. You may not agree with it, but I think you owe it to yourself and the people you interact with to do all you can to create a bridge of mutual understanding. It most definitely can be done.
That one girl living the dream. Parents working hard, saving money, and she gets to go shopping every once in a while. Lol.
Ikr as a 15 year old girl I’m really grateful
maybe get your facts straight…
Not much of a dream when you're trapped in a country where you don't know the language and have hostility to foreigners.
@@tkraid2575 you’re probably American right? Where locals are hostile against outsiders. And Americans are hostile against one another. And Americans are hostile against foreigners too. And America has had foreigners since day 0.
Should she not? I mean if you had parents would they not support you?
And here I am wanting to visit Japan because everyone leaves each other alone. Find your own happiness and don't interfere with the happiness of others...we could all learn a lot from that.
You say that until you actually go and suddenly realize you don't want that at all. Everyone says they want to be left alone until they're actually alone and miserable for years. Don't come to Japan.
@Valstrax420 If I was young, I could see that. Sadly, my youth has come and gone. I've been married 20 years and have 3 kids. All I desire now is peace.
@@josh40383 Peace of no friendly interactions maybe. But not the peace you're thinking about. If you plan on working then you're not getting peace. If you plan on doing anything but sitting inside you're not gonna get the peace you think you want.
People do sweat! There are pads for your underarms, creams and sticks to prevent from sweating. Also, in the office environment, we usually wear a shirt under the outer layer.
My friends would bring another pair of shirts to change after commuting.
I couldn’t wear the pads because they would go everywhere…
Short and sweet and to the point! All your interviewees caputured my sentiments. Spot on! Nice one Jesse!
The main point I think Japanese people have with foreigners is that Japanese culture is very heavy on manners and etiquette. And a lot of foreigners will not try to learn or will try to outright defy those customs.
The girl complaining about mask wearing stood out to me. Japan is a country that wore masks regularly before covid. So if you’re anti mask I wouldn’t go to Japan.
True. I learned to mask when visiting Japan and it's nothing to me. Their country their culture, their prerogative.
It was usual to meet people wearing mask before the covid crisis in Japan, but the vast majority of the Japanese were not wearing a mask…
Have you lived (long enough) in Japan to pretend such a thing?
@@ju59 Japanese tourists have been wearing masks since many years when they visit europe..
On my last days in Japan and how these guys live so long there is astounding. I'm shy myself and I find the xenophobia; especially at night demoralizing.
I understand why and have loved this country for such a long time and try to conform but knowing you're an outsider and are constantly reminded of it can be exhausting that etiquette an loosen from fatigue.
Bur yeah, I didn't understand why people weren't willing to wear masks or learn the language. Or other things but I don't think people know how much that matters until it's boots to the ground.
I know a fair amount of Japanese but quite often play a game of charades with people or point to food and say これ👇️、お願いします。
Took me several days to understand at a convenience store " would you like a bag"? Lol
But yeah, better than if I didn't know it at all.
@@TheRealJohnHooper This is so wrong, haha
From where do you come from?
I wish the interviewer asked these foreign interviewees the following question.
“Do you have a friend in your hometown who doesn’t speak the local language and who does not embrace the local cultural norms, standards, or protocols?” If he or she doesn’t know anybody who falls into that category, the question would be, “would you befriend someone like that?”
When I was in Japan there were only 2 incidents where I felt discrimination as a foreigner from Canada, and they were both being denied service at a restaurant.
I'd head inside with my friends but as soon as they saw me they'd give a look and say 'we're full' or 'we're too busy'. I could try and justify it and give them the benefit of the doubt but I think it's fair to say it was because of how I looked. Luckily the rest of the people in the country are so overwhelmingly courteous that it more than makes up for those 2 incidents.
I hope Japan never changes because if it fully opened up it would be just as bland as anywhere else.
Thank you for the video,Jesse. This is now what I and my husband are struggling with, especially we both are not Japanese. Your videos help me a lot. I hope you make more duration for your next video. Arigatou gozaimasu! 😊🌸
Living in Kyoto for 8 months now. Studying and working part time job. It's pretty hard to get in complicated conversations in Japanese and it makes me feel not that good. Also, the Japanese have a habit of always saying "Ganbatte", but it actually just puts more pressure like you will feel am I not doing good enough. Japan is also pretty lonely sometimes. No Japanese friends yet it's just really hard to connect to people here. The good side is that mostly of the people here are respectful and the place is verry clean.
very pathetic.
just move elsewhere then
@@maegalroammis6020 Or, be patient? I mean how likely is it for a person to live in a foreign country for 8 months and develop friendships? People will complain about the same problem in New York City or London. I think if you have a job where you work with people, go out with them after hours, and so forth, you will develop bonds with them, but that can take years. If you join some kind of club, or take an ongoing class like martial arts, it's also a way to forge bonds with people, over time. It does take an investment of your time and of course it helps if you are working hard to learn the language. It's just like in the U.S.; Americans feel more comfortable making friends with someone who can speak and understand English pretty well. Just some thoughts to consider.
@@ChickensAndGardening that's make sense...👍
My son spent a year in Japan. He said a lot of places literally had signs out front that read "No Foreigners Allowed"
Near a US military base? Have yet to see that anywhere in Japan (not normal)
may traveling bring inner peace to every single person on this planet, make them understand that what unites us all is stronger than the differences between us...and eventually make this world a better place...❤ someday in the future hopefully...
I've been living in Japan since 2018 on and off sometimes, but this time in 2022 i got my first Japanese job without foreigners or employment company that have translators. Its has been quite a challenge but my co workers are very kind people. (My japanese is not that good, i can read some kanjis and the kanas, i can speak the basics but always learning something new).
What kind of job is it?
Sadness. 😓😔 its fun to visit. But living there seems like its more of a up hill battle. Sending big hugs to everyone in Japan. You can't hide your heart from me. We all have the same needs and wants.
Lol at the old ladies complaining that they had to take their trash with them and how thats different from their country 😂
My brother and I are half Japanese. We both had negative experiences. My experience also had my Japanese family involved in it which was also negative but my brother spent time over there working for a Japanese company and he hated it. He was overworked and they treated him differently because he looks half. My brother is fluent in Japanese so it was surprising how despite that, he never felt he belonged. He's got a new job here in the UK but working for a British company that also has an office in Japan. Hopefully he has a better experience over there.
My experience was awful. I think for me, the weight issue affected me. Like most women were very skinny and I wasn't, friends I had over there would comment about my frame etc even though I'm 5'2 and still slim but maybe not as skinny as them. I didn't eat much and over exercised. It was an awful experience for me. I also got stared at a lot and I felt uncomfortable. I just felt I didn't belong and when coming back to the UK, I felt more myself again.
white teenage girls in a strict country be like
@@custom3505 No. The amount of discrimination is disgusting. I'm half Japanese. I'm not proud being half to be honest because of abuse as well and the way I was treated. No one should ever experience the abuse I experienced.
I'm sorry to hear that you had such a horrible experience. :(
Some of the Japanese girls who came here(to Sweden) on exchange programs would talk down to themselves and say that they're getting too fat while being considered SUPER skinny here(weighing around 55 kg as an adult woman is considered really low weight). Part of it is genetics of course, but there also seems to be a horrible pressure and expectation to be super slim as a woman in Japan. To the point of starving yourself. It also seems to be super common among friends and family to comment on your friends weight.
Like, if you haven't seen someone in a while it's socially okay to just say something like: "Hey, long time no see! Did you get fatter?" :/
I DO love Japan though. There are many good things about the country too.
But I will say, I LOVE to visit but I would not like to live and work there. ;(
@@Devilchu Thank you so much for your comment. It means a lot. That's awful.... I'm so sorry to hear that. My grandma and my Japanese side kept commenting on my weight and also the style of makeup I do which is Westernised with contour etc and my grandma would call me a hooker/prostitute because of it. It was awful..... might be tmi but I didn't get my period until I was 17 because of how underweight I was. I was borderline having a eating d..... (you can fill that bit it as it can be triggering). My grandma hated the fact I was more in tune with my British side but it's because I was raised and brought up in the UK. She was bitter. It's a shame because I don't really have a relationship with her anymore. I have tried speaking to her recently but it hasn't changed. It seems she can say these things to be polite or helpful but in fact doing the opposite. I do love Japan but my experience has put me off.
It would take me a long time for me to go back, even just to visit as a tourist and not visiting my family.
Oh mannn, the struggle is real real! I recently tried to change jobs, it required me to do a change of visa type. I submitted everything really quickly, but because of my previous company being extremely uncooperative my visa process took almost 3 months to process and legally I couldnt work my new job until it was processed. So living in Japan with literally no income has been extremely difficult. 2020 drained all of my savings I had when I moved here in 2019 and the wages of an english teacher are pretty low. Every day is like, "i should just go back home to australia'
@OlJimJam why the fuck are you talking about racism.
@OlJimJam how is it relevant to my comment? My comment doesn't speak about racism at all.
@OlJimJam Australia is nowhere near as racist as its made out to be. We are not politically correct so people think that makes us racist.
To us, the US is the most racist country in the world hands down (and that doesnt mean we think the white Americans are the only racists. Americans as a whole of every race are racist, even against themselves). And political correctness is a racist concept.
Political correctness would have you believe that only white people live in Australia, when we are a multicultural country. Dominated by white people sure but some of those white people are foreigners from Europe. Go to certain places and you'll barely see a white person.
So with that in mind, when people say Australians are racist, are you talking about white Australians or non-white Australians? Because that's racist in of itself.
Anyway, moving on...
Australians value individually. Black people are not going to be treated any differently than anyone else. Asians are not going to be treated differently than anyone else. Etc. (Least not in a way that Americans do.)
That is not to say there is no racism. Asians are discriminated against (foreigners/tourist asians against asians living in Australia are the worse. And there is some bad blood for some Australians during the time when Asians immigranted here. Sometimes they too dont learn english, but for the most part, it's safe to be an asian and living in Australia provided you speak English. We get a lot of asian students. I think Asians are discriminated against more in America but that could be my bias). And asians in Australia have been known to be racist too, but in a small margin.
Middle Eastern people are discriminated against more so than asians due to 9/11 and there is a sigma about the men being in gangs (which is true in some cases), that can get violent and have short tempers (which is true in some cases as they are brought up in aggressive and violent households) and deal in drugs (which is also true in some cases). It also seems that they are quite racist against others, more so than the white Australians.
Africans I believe are left alone and black Americans are left alone too. (However, to come across a black person in Australia is so rare that its hard to make a judgement on this. If you're a black person from America coming to Australia you will be looked at but more so in awe than in hesitation).
Indians is a tough one for me. I think they are left alone as they're the ones that stay alone too. But generally very friendly people, so I would assume they dont experience too much racism.
Essentially if you speak English, you're in the good books. People may even strike up a conversation with you to learn more about where you're from, but mostly, people are left alone.
However, none are more discriminated against than the Aboriginal people. That is true discrimination.
I sometimes get mad when black people make the complaints that they do, and talk about white privilege. They have so much privlage compared to the Aboriginal people here. I wish the Aboriginal people had as much privilege as the average black person does, because then they have a chance. Black people have education, a house, a job and opportunities to improve their own lives, own their own business, etc, as we see with countless successful black people living in America (celebrities or otherwise). But no one can say the same about the Aboriginal people. No. Not even close. For me to say that a black person in America has privilege, you can tell how much the Aboriginal people dont have privilege.
They are the forgotten people. The people Australians choose to ignore. Walk on the otherside of the footpath. Never given a job, barely given education, homeless, constant discrimination, they have to struggle to prove themselves for the rest of their lives. The discrimination that black people in America face is nothing like what the Aboriginal people face. It is true discrimination, this is systematic. Not whatever fluff is over there, thats not systematic. The Aboriginal people is experiencing more systematic racism if not actual systematic racism than any black person in America.
It is one of my greatest shames for this country that we do so little for the Aboriginal people. They feel helpless and hopeless that they dont even try to apply themselves because they know there is no point. In America all you have to do is apply yourself and you'll make it. The Aboriginal people, don't even get that. "You be an athlete and then you'll be successful." Thats all they have and thats just for the men.
Some Australians would say that they get money from the government for the rest of their lives as compensation. Yes they do. Some Australians would say that the Aboriginal people use that money to buy alcohol and drugs. Yes they do because they have no hope. No one will hire them! Then it becomes generational and the hate and hopelessness continues generation after generation. This is true discrimination, this is systematic! Spend a week in an Aboriginals shoes America and see what it means to be discriminated against, to know true systematic racism is. Then maybe you realise that you are in a place of privilege because at least you can rise above the hopelessness you feel, the Aboriginal people can't, even if they tried.
So with that, decide for yourself if Australia is as racist as its made out to be. For me personally, I wouldn't want to live in America because as a white person I would fear for my life. But if youre an aboriginal person living in Australia, what would your feelings about me as a white person be?
i see so many english teach jobs on the gaijin pot bro, i think u can find a good work for u
@@sualolifavorita6351 finding a job wasn't the problem, the problem came from my previous employer holding up my visa change process for 10 weeks
Everyone’s experiences are so different very interesting 👍🏾
Yes, it's a bit lonely. It's fucking heaven.
I just returned from a trip to Japan and I must say that I didn't experience any racism at all and every restaurant/coffee we went everyone was super nice, speaking "bad english" but always understandable and able to get what we wanted. Also to travel in the cities is super easy since "everything" has both Japanese/English texts in it so it's fine to get to where you wanna go. (To add that google maps gives you the perfect instructions anyways) And if you need to translate anything like restaurant menus you can use google lens or even the restaurants itself have english menus or written in english below the Japanese, and if they don't, sometimes if they see you're foreigner they will help you get a english menu if their main menu doesn't have english.
Only bad experience I had was once in my entire trip where I sit next to a lady on the metro and she moved sits to the next but it's not like it bothered me, you should ignore these people you will find such thing in every country you go no matter what, 1 bad example doesn't set the average and I would say people in Japan focus more on themselves than spending time thinking about others so take that into mind and think like "Everyone is busy with their life and problems" and focus on yourself more instead of caring so much about small details that rarely happen.
Either way, was a fantastic trip and I'm studying Japanese and researching on how to go back and study there Japanese and someday live there if I enjoy my stay while studying.
Japanese language and culture is super nice and fun, their food and people are very nice too so I would say that if you're interested in going, don't get discouraged by few bad apples on the giant tree.
here so quick! cant wait!!!
Would def say Osaka is chill compared to Tokyo in terms of being a foreigner and dealing with racism/high pressure. Great video!
nope it's more or less the same thing
in osaka, they will say it to you face to face
If the same people are treating you better in a different location then maybe it's not racism.
@@viktoriyaserebryakov2755 I am not the one that experiences it but I have witnessed it several times when I am out with someone that is Korean or Black...it shows in their tone, posture, and actions.
@@lil.brietto If location within the same country with the same people alters how they treat people, then why the assumption that it's about race? What about a different town suddenly makes Japanese people suddenly less racist? You say you can read their racist thoughts in their tone and posture but have you tried asking them why? What makes you so confident that you think it's okay to throw around such a damning accusation? If racism is serious then be serious about what you mean by racism and who you accuse of it.
Bro how do you live in another country for nine years and still don’t know the local language very well?? I mean at that point you intentionally have to NOT be trying to learn it.
"I wish the people would be more open and stop being shy". Doesn't speak the local language.
@Berserk In one year you should be able to speak, not just basics. I was able to learn English in 4 months
That’s the point. I live in Japan for 5 years and when I speak Japanese, ppl who don’t know my nationality may treat me like I am not a foreigner. Not only this ppl who live in 9 yrs, I have a acquaintance who born and raised in China, married with a Japanese ppl, naturalized as a Japanese citizen BUT can’t speak Japanese very well. Living in Japan for such a long time doesn’t mean that he or she can speak Japanese fluently. Sounds crazy but it’s true.
If you don't like it don't go there, you don't have to change society to fit there, you change yourself
Japan is Japan. Do not need to change! There is no fun if Japan is just another civilized country like US or another western country. I appreciate the diversity we have on this earth. And I appreciate what modern Japan has contributed to the humanity.
I like this video in particular. Good to hear what foreigners are saying about living there. I believe it's because a lot of people in Japan don't travel much, those who travel have different understanding
深い仲になれないのはどこの国でも同じだと思う。
流暢に言葉が話せれば大丈夫かもしれないけど。
I started liking Japan the more I got information on how they do things. I like how their women are and that there are little crime. This video answered the question I wanted to know, and this made me change my mind about if I would ever move there