life in japan

[chiffani]

Hey, all you Naruto Fans. I have a question about Japan. How is life in Japan. I mean as a young child I always interested in the country. It is just a very intriguing place.

[The Black Knight]

That's like asking about life in the U.S. It's too vague...

[chidorikk]

That's like asking about life in the U.S. It's too vague...

I second this

[Omega037]

Yeah, be more specific. I can tell you about whatever you want, but people write whole books on just things like the role of women in Japan or about temples in Kyoto. I could describe what I do in a normal week, but most weeks tend to be rather abnormal. I can tell you my perspective as a foreigner in Japan, or give my 2nd hand perspective on how it is to be a normal Japanese person in Japan. Also, it is different depending on region, age, sex, social status, etc.

[Amane Misa]

Life in Japan...ahh an infinite topic! My life as a geijin in Japan is far from average but there's very little here that I can say to be negative. I have it kinda easy here as I don't have to pay for my housing, bills, living etc. So my view of life here may be a little rose-tinted. But I do find it an ever intriguing country. PM me if you want specific info on one of my fave topics :)

[myle]

What about studies? There are english-speaking universities in Japan?

[Rinnegan]

Life in general? I guess that also depends on what you usually do. I mean, of course life in Japan must be different, and interesting!, but it depends. For example, I woudln't be interested at all in night life and all that, while I'd be very interested in food, manga (dman, I wanna go to those huge manga stores) and visiting historical places.

But I guess that a daily routine would be like working, then coming back home and relaxing, and not much more!

[Omega037]

What about studies? There are english-speaking universities in Japan?

Yes, there are schools that cater to English speakers, mostly ones for people learning Japanese. However, I work here, not study, so I don't know too much about it in detail.

[chiffani]

i always thought that Japan or Nihon was just like a mini US, with many cultures. Don't you agree.

[Omega037]

i always thought that Japan or Nihon was just like a mini US, with many cultures. Don't you agree.

It is definitely a lot more homogeneous than the US.

[Rinnegan]

i always thought that Japan or Nihon was just like a mini US, with many cultures. Don't you agree.

I don't think so. I can only speak from what I've read, of course, because unfortunately I've never been to Japan, but basically most people there seem to be ethnic Japanese along with some Chinese and Koreans brought to Japan during those turbulent years before and during WWII. Also some minorities like the native ainu in Hokkaido, but mostly it's Japanese people, who speak Japanese, etc.

In fact, I think it's quite the opposite in that regard to the US. I mean, as far as I know in the US there are tons of ethnicites - mexicans, italians, blacks, irish, anglosaxons, chinese, native americans, and lots of other minorities. I think the US is more diverse than, for example, most European countries

Now, if you speak about cultural influences, then I don't know if Japan is richer or not than the US, but it's rich anyway. A large part of Japanese culture comes from Chinese culture, from dishes and traditions to kanji -chinese characters used when writing Japanese- and lots of borrowings. But also Japan has a lot of Western influence, especially I guess American.
Plus, its own rich native culture, of course. So I guess that Japan is quite eclectic, but ethnically, the groups are rather homogeneous and it's my belief that in most places you'll only see ethnic Japanese people while in the US -I haven't been there either... yep, I'm quite hard up :cry:cry:cry- I think you'd meet lots of different ethnic people pretty much everywhere

[Tatsuki]

^ Lol is that what comes out in books or something? Uwa.

My EN isn't perfect but what do you mean by ethnic?

Of course it can't compare to US because the US is a big country. However, there are some brazillian, filipino, black, white and other asian in Japan. Not as diverse in cultures as America but there is some around. They either come for jobs, or they were born a half Japanese (like me), or they have no Japanese blood at all but they are Japanese by birth/citizenship. The country yes is full of asians, but if you had a wider eye, not all of them are Japanese. In fact, Japan is starting to feel shaky about it losing its culture. That's why now they require all foreigners to come into the country with the knowledge of the language, the etiquettes, and other things that make a Japanese person Japanese lol. Without these attributes, you are not really welcome as much in the country unless you are a teacher or a person in some other business industry. America don't set rules, I heard and do not mind others speaking their own language.

[Shoddragon]

japan is a huge mix of cultures because one of the most important facts about Japan and why it is technologically superior to most things today : it borrowed things from many different Nations and binded them together to create superior things. sort of like me. find good Idea, find another good idea, combine them together, get something better then either separately. even if mostly japanese and english is spoken there, may cultures influenced Japan. which is partly why so many people are interested in it. its also displayed via anime and manga as well.

[Rinnegan]

^ Lol is that what comes out in books or something? Uwa.

My EN isn't perfect but what do you mean by ethnic?

Of course it can't compare to US because the US is a big country. However, there are some brazillian, filipino, black, white and other asian in Japan. Not as diverse in cultures as America but there is some around. They either come for jobs, or they were born a half Japanese (like me), or they have no Japanese blood at all but they are Japanese by birth/citizenship. The country yes is full of asians, but if you had a wider eye, not all of them are Japanese. In fact, Japan is starting to feel shaky about it losing its culture. That's why now they require all foreigners to come into the country with the knowledge of the language, the etiquettes, and other things that make a Japanese person Japanese lol. Without these attributes, you are not really welcome as much in the country unless you are a teacher or a person in some other business industry. America don't set rules, I heard and do not mind others speaking their own language.

What's wrong about books? :huh I'm (proudly) the son of working class people so I can't afford to travel farther than London or Berlin to know the world until I finish my degree and can work myself and save up some money, so all the knowledge I have about the world comes from the hundreds of books I buy, the websites I read, documentaries, in the case of Japan also anime and manga, etc.

Anyway, by ethnic I meant something like a human group of common ancestry, language, etc. Ethnic Japanese means people of Japanese ancestry, not, for example, Japanese people who have Japanese nationality and may be even third generation Japanese but whose ancestors were Korean, Brazilian, or from any other place. Also, distinct groups like the Ainu who, although it's being lost, have an own distinct language and all that are ethnic groups

[Nero]

i always thought that Japan or Nihon was just like a mini US, with many cultures. Don't you agree.

However Japan has an original culture and that is something you can clearly see in Japan, America doesnt had that and thats a really big difference

[Tatsuki]

Lol, I didn't say there was anything wrong about books (or reading). I just didn't know that sort of information is available in books. Ah and cheers on that.

[chiffani]

there is also about 1,000 jewish people over there from what i have read from the wikipedia. i would also like to marry a japanese person, because i am part native american and european, but that is a different subject.