What's it like for an American to live in Japan?

[GoNative]

The Japanese aren't exactly accepting of blacks one little bit. The ignorance and racism I've seen towards black people here is truly incredible. Even had one girl ask if black people bleed red like we do!!

[samurai007]

Originally Posted by GoNative

The Japanese aren't exactly accepting of blacks one little bit. The ignorance and racism I've seen towards black people here is truly incredible. Even had one girl ask if black people bleed red like we do!!

On the other hand, one of the most assimilated foreigners I knew in Japan was a black guy... he had a Japanese wife, spoke Japanese fluently, and had been living there happily for years.

[cranks]

Originally Posted by GoNative

The Japanese aren't exactly accepting of blacks one little bit. The ignorance and racism I've seen towards black people here is truly incredible. Even had one girl ask if black people bleed red like we do!!

eh... Are you sure she didn't mean blood "type"? Because if she was really asking if African people have red blood, it sounds like you are hanging out with very very special people... Japanese people are sometimes really ignorant and politically very incorrect, but most of them are not THAT dumb, and I think they are not any more racist than, say American people if not less.

[GoNative]

It is Hokkaido! They're all special up here on inaka island

[DaisukeKigurou]

Originally Posted by chiuchimu

I'm not an American living in Japan - I'm Japanese living in America, but I've seen enough of the former to say the answer depends on the person.

Some Americans are going to have a great time while some are going to regret their stay.

Knowing both cultures pretty well, My word of advice to an American going to Japan is:
1) Learn as much as possible about manners and etiquette. Manners are important in Japan and are different from U.S.

2) Learn to read the atmosphere and brush up on your social graces. It's impossible to read and remember every dos and don'ts from a book, so good people skills helps smooth things over.

3) Japan is a group oriented country rather than an individual oriented country. Make good presentable Japanese friends, specially of the same sex as yourself. From everything to getting a job or finding an apartment, not only can they help you by word of mouth, but they give you credibility.

These three things should help you the most into integrating into Japanese society and start opening up doors for you.

Final not: If your going to Japan for the girls, then leave the average girl alone. you'll just add to the bad foreigner gossip and hardly score anyway. The Japanese girls that want foreign guys go out of there way to seek them out; military bars, sports bars etc... where foreign guys hang out, that's' where they go. The ones I saw at the Nagasaki Navel base bar were very pretty but they didn't want to have anything to do with me since I'm Japanese.

Good advice, I am working on all 3 of those. And the last note, I am NOT going to Japan for the girls, I really can't see myself in a relationship. I am more of a loner and see myself grouped around a bunch of friends for support and encouragement, rather then being married and having to deal with a bunch of kids and a marriage that MIGHT fall apart in a few years.

The reason why I want to go to Japan is because of the, History, Culture, Government, Scenery, people, media, Religion ( I LOVE the shinto religion to death), and because I want to become a mangaka (writer).

I know it will be hard but, I will try and succeed. I am NOT going to be the minority of Gajins (stupid foreigners) that are there because of some business switch and think they're better then everyone else because "TEH ARE En AMRICEN!!!1111 En PPL NEDS TE BOU DEWN TEH EM!!1111".

I can sense when people are stressed, don't want to talk to me, or even when they're not in the mood to talk. I have developed a gift for this over the years.

I know it sounds crazy but, I can also sense a person spiritual pressure around me. This can tell me a lot about the person. So, yeah...

[WellThatHurt]

whoa. do black people really get death glares? if so that makes me nervous about visiting.

[manganimefan227]

Wasn't there a thread that said Shinto wasn't a religion? Just a belief kinda thing?

[GoNative]

Originally Posted by DaisukeKigurou

I know it sounds crazy but, I can also sense a person spiritual pressure around me. This can tell me a lot about the person. So, yeah...

Yes that sounds crazy. You'll probably fit in really well in Japan!

[manganimefan227]

Originally Posted by WellThatHurt

whoa. do black people really get death glares? if so that makes me nervous about visiting.

I know right? I'm hispanic but there are these two black girls in my class and my sensei said when Americans first came to Japan, Japanese were , fascinated by black people, has that really changed?

Originally Posted by GoNative

Yes that sounds crazy. You'll probably fit in really well in Japan!

Daisuke: I can sense spiritual pressure!

Person: -Sigh- How much anime do you watch?

They might just think that tough, don't take it offensively though

[manganimefan227]

Please delete, I apologize for double posting . . .