5 Ways to Not Stand Out in Japan

Many of us expats (or "foreigners" or "gaijin" as we often refer to ourselves) in Japan know well the feeling of not quite blending in. I'm sure many of you have experienced constant stares, as I often have (I have a feeling our little foreign baby will bring about even more of this...). And yet there are others who seem to attract more "unwanted," sometimes negative, attention. Attention is often something to be expected in Japan as a non-native, but that doesn't mean negative attention is OK, and for that which is of a more innocent nature, it's not always easy to accept or get used to. 

If you're feeling this way, Caroline of C. Life in Japan is here to share some ideas about how to "blend in" a bit more in Japan (if you want to, that is). *Please keep in mind these are just general suggestions and not "rules" of any kind, and they certainly don't guarantee that you won't receive any attention whatsoever - especially those ubiquitous stares... 

Oh, and between you and me, getting pregnant and having a baby definitely is not the thing to do if you don't want attention. - Ashley

***

I have been witness to, and heard many stories, about Japanese people approaching foreigners in Japan and asking strange questions or giving unwanted attention. Most of this is innocent, but still, it can take a toll, especially if you aren't accustomed to it.

Foreigners who have made lives for themselves in Japan take pride in that, myself included, and there’s nothing worse than being treated like a tourist in a place you consider your home.

How can this be avoided? I’m here to give a few tips (from my own experiences) on how to not stand out as much (unless you prefer being the center of attention).

Q&A: Downy Wrinkle Releaser in Japan?

Another Q&A some folks out there might be wondering about, for those who hate ironing. Can't say I do much ironing so didn't even know products like this existed, but was able to find it quite easily.

Q: I have a weird question. Is there Downy Wrinkle Releaser in Japan? Or a similar product. I pretty much hate ironing more than anything in the world.

-Jamie


A: Yes, Japan does in fact have Downy Wrinkle Releaser (otherwise known in Japanese as ダウニーリンクルリリーサー). You can easily order it on Amazon.jpand Kenko.com, including the travel size version.

I checked a few local stores in my area and didn't find it, but I haven't had a chance to check in some larger cities nearby - but even if you can't find it in the store, can easily get it online.



Anyone else out there know anything about wrinkle releasing type products in Japan? Feel free to share below.

The Best of Surviving in Japan 2010

Happy New Year! Yes, things have been quiet here the past couple weeks due to the Holidays, but I hope you've had a chance to relax a bit and enjoy time with family and friends, as I have. I'm looking forward to the new year for Surviving in Japan, and to show you some exciting new things, and of course, continue providing helpful and useful content for anyone living in Japan (or who will be living in Japan).

And now, to present Surviving in Japan's top content for 2010. Enjoy!

Q&A - how to send gift money to Japan from overseas

Hey everyone! Today I want to post a little Q&A (question and answer) that actually comes from an email sent to me by Andreea. She has a friend in Japan who is getting married, and was wondering what to do about the gift for her friend. You can read about how much money to give at a Japanese wedding, but Andreea also has some unique circumstances.

interesting links around the web (December)

Hey everyone,

I wanted to share some recent links I've stumbled across in the past few weeks that you might find interesting.

Enjoy!

Question/Poll and updated design

Hi everyone!

I'm excited to introduce an updated design format - hopefully one that is cleaner and a bit more simple to navigate. The top links and archive are the same as usual, but you'll notice the search box is up to the right now. I gave the logo some tweaks as well, and looking forward to showing you something else design-related in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for that! (I updated my Twitter background too... about time, huh?)

If you run into anything amiss while browsing around, feel free to let me know, or if there is some kind of feature you would like to see, feel free to contact me about that as well.


I also want to say a huge thank you to everyone, for your constant support, ideas, feedback, and for sharing your own experiences. I truly enjoy interacting with everyone and your support has meant a lot to me, as has getting to know other expats all around Japan and those around the world. You are such an awesome community.

Finally, I'm doing a short little poll. I started this discussion on Facebook, (thanks to those of you who have responded thus far!) but would love any and all comments. You can reply in the comments below, email me, reply via Twitter, or let me know over on Facebook. It's short, so it won't take anytime at all. Thanks much in advance!


Question:

For those that have been living in Japan for at least one-two years, what do you WISH you had known about living in Japan before coming and during the first year or so? (i.e. what might have made your life simpler or just all around better?)

For those who are NOT in Japan yet or still in your first year, what would you like to know (or need to know) about living in Japan? (i.e. what do you worry about, what are your concerns, if you could ask any question to those already here, what would you ask?)

Fall is the season for eating! (食欲の秋) - November Japan Blog Matsuri

Welcome to the November 2010 edition of the Japan Blog Matsuri! First of all, if you still haven't checked out the October Matsuri (Japan Highlights) over at Todd's Wanderings, please do!


And now, November's theme:

"Fall is the season for eating", roughly translated from an actual Japanese saying:   食欲の秋  (shokuyoku no aki).


I'm really excited to introduce all these fantastic entries to you, but before we get started, I want to say a big THANK YOU to everyone who participated. I hope everyone reading finds these posts just as interesting as I have!

Warning: Before you continue, you may want to read these on a full stomach or at least have a snack nearby - I take no responsibility for any ensuing hunger pains or uncontrollable cravings.


Let the festivities begin!

Fall is the season for eating (食欲の秋) - Japan Blog Matsuri

Wow, it's November already!? How excited am I to host the Japan Blog Matsuri this month! First though, want to give a big shout-out and thank you to last month's host, Todd's Wanderings, who pulled together a fantastic assortment of unique posts for the theme, Japan Highlights. Go check 'em out if you haven't had a chance yet.

And now, for November's theme. But wait, some of you may be wondering, "what IS the Japan Blog Matsuri?" For more info on that, check out this page. Essentially, every month a different blogger hosts this blog carnival/festival, and other bloggers submit a post based on that month's theme. ANYONE can submit a post - even if you are not a Japan blogger! (And hey, it's great exposure for you as well).

Interested? Ok, so November's theme is:

how to get a driver's license in Japan - part 2

Success! As I mentioned in my last post, I went to the driver licensing center for my driver's test to get a Japanese license - and I passed! Thanks to all for the good lucks, well wishes and congrats! Also, for any Americans curious about WHY they must take the test, the U.S. Embassy does a good job breaking it down: see here. Apparently, the first time pass rate for Americans is slightly above 35%, unless you've gone through driving school here in Japan. So, as promised, a rundown of my day:

how to get a driver's license in Japan - part 1

It's time. Two years have flown by, and it is finally time for me to acquire a Japanese driver's license. I've survived this long by biking, walking and riding buses and trains, all usually convenient. Though I came to Japan with an International Driver's Permit (valid for a year from the time you get it - from any auto association such as AAA in the US), I did not drive at all during this time, as I never really needed to (Although at times, it would have come in handy...).

This hasn't changed, really, but there are times when my husband and I wish we had a car - such as those cold, rainy, windy days when a trip to the supermarket is required for dinner, but donning all our gear and backpacks to brave the elements just doesn't appeal.

To preface this, I am covering most of this from the angle of an American. The process for Brits, Canadians, Australians and most other nationalities is more simplified, as the driving test is not required. The license simply needs to be translated and converted (lucky!)


how to get a driver's license in Japan

I began the process a few weeks ago by first heading to JAF (Japan Automobile Federation) to get an official translation of my Washington State (US) driver's license. I brought my license to the nearest JAF office (you can also mail it in, but could take up to a week to get back) , along with the application I had filled out at home. You don't really need to know much Japanese for this process, unless you have unique circumstances. (I had changed my name on my US license last year so I had to explain the old and new licenses were still the same, etc.) The translation cost about 3000 yen, and took less than an hour to complete.

10 Reasons to Visit (or Not Visit) Shizuoka

This month’s Japan Blog Matsuri theme is “Japan Highlights,” hosted by Todd’s Wanderings. The tricky thing with this topic, is avoiding cliches that many of you probably already know about (sushi, anyone?). So while a few topics floated around in my head, I decided to go with some good ol’ Shizuoka (prefecture) highlights. Of course, Shizuoka has so many great highlights it is impossible to cover them all in one post (though, I’ve started another project for this... still in its infancy.) So let’s just go over a few of the things that make Shizuoka stand out from the rest of Japan.

interesting links around the web (September)

The lovely Autumn moon overlooking Oigawa River and Horai Bridge

How to be a good housewife in Japan
In case you were wondering...

HOW TO: Make a library card in Japan

I don’t know about you, but when I lived in the U.S. I regularly borrowed stacks of books from the library. I think only the internet fares better in the battle of free information and entertainment. So I wondered what kind of books I would be able to find at libraries in Japan - any English books? Could I understand Japanese children's books? As it turned out, many libraries in Japan carry English books - though selections outside of major cities are rather slim. So whether you wish to practice your Japanese learnin’ by reading kids’ books or want to take a break from ebook spending, the local library can be a great place.

My current local library is rather small compared to libraries I’m accustomed to in the U.S., but they do offer a myriad of choices: DVDs, CDs, cassettes (yes, Japan still uses them), children’s books, adult fiction, non-fiction/resource and a small selection of English books. I was happy to find a shelf of classics, which I look forward to re-reading in my hard-to-find spare time. Not surprisingly, many of the English books were Japan guides and cookbooks, and what else, the Harry Potter series.

First, for those who don’t know, library in Japanese is 図書館 (としょかん, toshokan). You can easily enter the kanji into Google maps with the name of your city/town to determine how to get there.

NEW Series - From the Sempai: Shirley of Lovely Lanvin

Today I have the pleasure of introducing Shirley Karasawa, a fabulous food blogger, for Surviving in Japan's new series: From the Sempai.

Sidenote: for those who do not know what sempai (or senpai, せんぱい) means, it is of course, a Japanese word, and means "senior." But not senior as in elderly, rather, senior as in more experienced or older in age/level. Similar to saying something like, "he is two years my senior."  It is used often in group relationships in Japan - especially in schools or the workplace. So in high school, a 10th grade student (typically the lowest grade) would be considered a kohai (こうはい) to the 11th and 12th grade students. The 10th grade student would call the older students his or her sempai.

Anyway! Back to our featured sempai! Shirley, an American raised in Tokyo, serves up lots of delicious posts over at Lovely Lanvin. We hit it off quite instantly over Twitter when I discovered she now lives in Seattle, the place I hail from. When she told me about her volunteer experience - working with the Tokyo American Club to help expat women adjust to life in Japan - I had to ask if she would share some of her expert knowledge with us. So she's here today with some great tips for living and "surviving in Japan":

how to find hiking trails

Last week I provided a selection of resources for where you can find outdoor gear in Japan (easier than you thought, right?) Now that you're all geared out, with some sparkly new shoes (please break them in first) you wonder: now, where do I go?

Of course, it would be ridiculous for me to know every possible hiking location in the country - Japan might not be THAT big but still, there's lots of mountains...  Trails of all types can be found rather easily almost anywhere, for anyone, both traveler and resident, beginner and experienced - both on and off the beaten path. Though I suppose it wouldn't be a trail if it wasn't a beaten path? Ok ok, I hear the groans... *wink*

HOW TO: Find Outdoor Gear in Japan

This post is for all the outdoor (and wannabe) buffs out there. Though, those of you who are experienced (or even professional) outdoor enthusiasts, especially in Japan, probably have even more to add to this list. If so, leave it in the comments so I can add it.

Japan, being as rich in gorgeous landscapes as it is, boasts many outdoor enthusiasts. It’s not surprising to run into a group of old folks smiling happily as you and they traverse mountains. (How they do it, I have no idea.) The vast opportunities enticed me before I even left Seattle – I was going from one great outdoor playground to another (especially Shizuoka!). I knew I couldn’t bring all my gear, considering I was just trying to pack the basics (and NOT ship over boxes and boxes). I rationalized that the basics were all I needed to start with and the rest could be shipped later or bought in Japan.

Finding outdoor gear proved a challenge at first with my lack of Japanese ability, and not knowing how to search for it. Asking people didn’t get me very far.

So it was rather lucky that I happened across an outdoor store while biking around my town one day. Seeing Columbia and Coleman and all those other familiar brands was shocking – they have these brands in Japan? Yes, and quite common too, I eventually learned. The next two years in Japan led to even more discoveries and resources, which I’ve compiled for you here.

Fukuroi Fireworks Festival (袋井遠州の花火) - with photos!

Ask a Japanese person what epitomizes summer, and it's likely they might say 花火 (はなび、hanabi, fireworks). All summer long, but particularly from July to September, cities across Japan hold fireworks festivals. And coming from the U.S., I must say these fireworks are typically often much more spectacular than what you might see on the 4th. We could probably argue all day on where to find the best fireworks in the world, but even so, the fireworks in Japan are GOOD.
And no, this isn't a "how-to" post on fireworks or fireworks festivals, as you could easily find info on that elsewhere. My husband and I went to the Fukuroi Fireworks Festival (袋井遠州の花火) last night - generally known as one of the bigger ones in Japan. Fukuroi city, in Shizuoka, is quite near and dear to my heart, as it was my first home in Japan. And ironically enough, my old apartment was mere steps from where the festival is held. How convenient to just walk over to the park while everyone else trekked from around the prefecture by train and car, throwing their tarps over any free inch of grass. I happily sampled the festival cuisine - chocolate-covered bananas, candied apples, okonomiyaki, crepes, sweet potato fries - until I was stuffed. My friend and I sat and oohed and aah-ed with the crowd, as each burst of color, light and sound filled us with delight. We were in Japan.

how to translate medical terms (English to Japanese)

Doctor visits and medical issues can be a huge inconvenience in a foreign country, at least, if you can't speak the language. In Japan, unless in Tokyo or another large city, finding English-speaking (or any language other than Japanese, for that matter) is a challenge. Many cities do offer a list of resources for foreign residents, which include English-speaking medical professionals and translators (and I mean actual cities, rather than the small rural towns - I don't know how common English-speaking professionals are in rural areas). So, if you have a problem, you check the references and try one out (a gamble in itself) or drag along someone who can translate for you.

But what about things you might not necessarily need to go to the doctor for? Or, let's suppose one day you wake up and it hurts to pee. It REALLY hurts to pee. Where did this unimaginable pain come from? You take some drugs and try to find a comfortable position to sit in, even though your bladder feels like it's being crushed by your entire abdominal cavity. It suddenly dawns on you, "this must be a bladder infection..." Or, to be less crude more technical, a urinary tract infection.

seven great links

A recent post on Problogger encouraged bloggers to try a certain 7-link post as a way to highlight previous posts. I’ve dug through what I’ve got so far to present my 7-link list to you. Enjoy.

1. My first post - ようこそ and welcome. This post sounds a lot more like my about page, but provides more back information. I remember how excited I was to get that post up on my brand-new sparkly blog.

HOW TO: Survive without a car in Japan

Perhaps this “how to” seems a little unnecessary, considering the vast array of impressive and reliable public transportation in Japan. Subways, rail and buses weave intricate networks through large metropolises. Shinkansen, or bullet trains, along with regular train networks connect most of the country. Even in smaller, but still large, cities, bus systems efficiently transport the population. When a regular bus system cannot be found, there are still more people who travel by bicycle or mopeds – as common as cars. And, let’s not forget the ubiquitous taxi. In fact, surviving in Japan without a car isn’t that difficult – unless perhaps you live out in the inaka, (i.e. country, sticks, boonies) far from civilization. Owning a car in a place like Tokyo or similar seems pointless, especially considering traffic.

You may think getting a car right away is the best idea, if you aren’t living in Tokyo or another gigantic metropolis. Ah, dear reader! If only you knew! Let me tell you how possible it is to survive without a car in Japan. That is, unless you really are truly out in the inaka where biking anywhere would take you DAYS and you are forced to live a hermitic life. Unless you want every day to be a pilgrimage, a car is probably a better option.

So, some possible ways to survive without a car if you so choose: