Advice for Japan...

A well-traveled friend of mine recently told me, "When I went to Japan, I really liked it, but it was the only country I have been to where I felt like I didn't understand the culture at all." I don't think he meant this in a negative way, but just felt the same confusion that scores of other foreigners have felt in Japan. Having lived in Japan for over 6 years now, I obviously love the place and it is like a second home. For anyone who decides to come here and live in Japan, here are my five main points of advice:

1) LEARN THE LANGUAGE!
Don't make the same mistake I did, lazily studying the language at first because I thought I would only be in Japan for a year or two. Although kanji--Chinese characters--can make Japanese the most intimidating language on the planet, casual spoken Japanese is really not that hard. Don't limit yourself to just meeting Japanese people who speak English. Speaking the language will give you access to hundreds of extra interesting people and hundreds of extra experiences. Japanese greatly appreciate the effort made by others to learn their language. Although it will take years to become fluent and you will never be 100% accepted into Japanese society, learning the language will greatly enhance your Japan experience. Finally, there are obvious connections between language and culture. Studying Japanese and learning terms like "shimaguni konjo" or "wabi sabi" will give you insights into the key elements of the Japanese perspective.

2) BE PATIENT
Japanese love their rules, and you will have to respect that when you "join" their society. Although some of the rules in Japan can be a complete mystery to foreigners, consider the bright side. Japan is one of the most efficient countries in the world. You know your train will always be on time and you know almost everything else will work smoothly as well. This efficiency no doubt comes in part from the rules and regulations that govern society here. Just try to accept everything as much as humanly possible with a smile, as anger will not get you anywhere in Japan, or most Asian societies for that matter...

3) DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE FOOD
I know foreigners here who still live on burgers and fries. Although there are a lot of acquired tastes in Japanese cuisine, I can eat almost anything you set in front of me now. I also daydreamed about real pizza and cheeseburgers when I first lived in Japan, but now the opposite has happened, as I daydream about sushi, yakitori, and a simple ole bento when I am outside of Japan. Japanese cuisine is one of the most interesting and beautiful in the world, so you'll be missing a lot if you don't try everything--at least almost everything--once. It's also one of the most nutritious cuisines in the world, so that's another bonus.

4) GET INTO THE SPORTS
Although westerners usually think of martial arts when they think of Japanese sports, the Japanese are, of course, just as enthusiastic about baseball as Americans are. Do yourself a favor and go to a Japanese baseball game. You will see another side of Japan. One minute in a Japanese baseball stadium--especially my beloved Koshien Stadium right here in Nishinomiya--and you will forget all thoese stereotypes about the quiet and reserved Japanese. Japanese love to unwind at the ballpark, so that's a perfect place to make some new friends. Noticing the subtle and not so subtle differences between the American and Japanese version of the game will lead to some interesting conversations. Just make sure you choose your team carefully. If you root for the Tokyo Giants--Japan's version of the New York Yankees--you are too stupid to live in Japan. But if you root for the Hanshin Tigers, you will meet some interesting new friends and dedicated baseball fans.

5) EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED
As I mentioned, put aside all your stereotypes of the quiet and reserved Japanese. Although this is the image that the world often sees, Japanese are a people who work hard but also play hard. I have seen some of the most unusual things in my life in Japan. I don't want to spoil it for you by going into detail about these experiences, so just remember to "expect the unexpected." You will see crazy things in Japan that you will remember for years to come.


There are a million other things I could tell you about life in Japan. But I'll limit my advice to these five points and let you see for yourself...