I thought it might be a good idea to talk about what it is like to live in Rural Japan. These sorts of posts might just come in handy in the future for those who are planning to live here. So for today’s topic I’d like to talk about getting stared at in your town.
There is no doubt that while you are living in a small Japanese town that you will be stared at. Everyone from small children to the elderly will be doing it. At first this might not be prepared for this onslaught of eyes, but it is something you will need to adjust to. For you see, when you arrive in your town you will become an instant celebrity, and you will stay this way until you leave. The reason for this is quite simple: You are not Japanese.
Being stared at while walking around or shopping is something that I loved at first. However, I soon began to find it quite annoying. I kept wanting to shout out to people, “I’ve been here for two years. You can stop it now.” In spite of this, I never let it get to me. This is just one of those things that you will have to grin and bear. People in small Japanese towns are just not used to anything different. They form small, tight-knit groups during school and tend to keep to them during their lives. You are obviously an outsider to this group dynamic and there is little or no chance of you ever being let into it. That is just the way it is here. Whether it be for good or bad, you are something quite special in your town, and you need to accept that. If it is something that is really getting you down, then I would recommend talking with another foreign person about it. Sometimes it is good to rant about these things. The important thing is to not let it get the best of you. And you should never take it out on the locals in hostile way. They honestly have no idea that what they are doing is wrong.
After two and a half years I can say that I really don’t mind all the attention anymore. It is a lot like being a celebrity back home. Think of Paris Hilton or Harrison Ford, for example. People are always staring at them, and I am sure they feel like they are in a different world from the rest of us. This is something they have had to get used to. Now does this mean we will never be able to makes friends with people in Japan? Not at all. It may just require a little more work and persistence than it will back in your home country. I also tend to find that the friends you do make are a lot closer, and the relationships with them will last longer as well. So be sure to take those stares and turn them around with a smile.
I know this sounds incredibly corny, but I’m just relating to what I have seen. By learning how to adapt to what seems like an intrusive and annoying occurrence, you can turn feelings of stress and annoyance into feelings of empowerment and confidence. So the next time you are at a supermarket buying a package of natto and some 80 year old ba-chan give you the eye, wink and smile at them. To them you are something different here, and there is nothing wrong with that at all.
I’d like to see you try and get that same attention at your local Safeway.
I know I am harping on about a fad that is well over eight months old, but if you haven’t seen either the TV drama or the movie I seriously suggest that you check it out.
Densha Otoko is the modern day Cinderella story of a 23 year old geek that finds true love with a beautiful woman after saving her from a drunken pervert on a train. From there he consults the internet forum 2ch and receives advice on how to pull himself up to her level. While doing this, he realizes that he only needs to be himself in order to win her heart.
Is this really based on a true story or is it pure fiction? There is no doubt that the actual 2ch chat logs are still there. And the book that was written is taken from those logs. If it is a work of fiction it’s a hell of a good one. I’d like to believe that it is somewhere between truth and fantasy, though I do have to admit that I would be a little disappointed if this turns out to be a big hoax.
The mythical elements in the story are legendary. You have a main character that is a low as they go on the Japanese social scale and low in self esteem. Then there is a chance encounter on a train, a date with destiny, a woman that has far more than average beauty, and the anonymous but sincere outpouring of support for him from millions people on the Internet. There are elements that are so epic here, if you threw in a plague and a few wars, you might just be able to call this Bible v2.0.
Perhaps that is why I’d be more than a little upset if none of this were true. Densha truly brings out the best in us, and gives us all a little hope that someday if we stay true to who we are, we’ll also find that special someone to love and cherish.
For the sake of all of those who have been touched by this phenomenon, perhaps it is better that the truth stays hidden. At least then, all of those who were inspired by the legend of Densha can keep their candles buring. I think we all need a candle to keep burning during these difficult times.
Published on
February 23, 2006 in
Sports.
Today was a bad day in the world of hockey. Well, at least it was from my point of view. Not only did Team Canada get eliminated from the Olympic tournament by Russia, but later that evening, my team got crushed 17-0 by a local Morioka High School team. No, that was not a typo. That was a seventeen. It was not the best way to end my hockey season. To top things off, I also sustained an upper thigh injury during the game. Nothing ruins a Canadian’s day more than telling him or her that their national team just got ousted. At least for now, we have the champion women’s team to show the men how it’s done. Mind you, it would be nice if countries other than Canada, America and Sweden treated women’s hockey like a real sport. Then the tournament wouldn’t seem to lopsided.
In other news, I have a job interview on Monday for another teaching gig that would start shortly after my JET contract ends. I’ll be sure to let you all know how that goes. I’m very keen on remaining in Japan for at least two more years. I can’t get enough of this country.
Published on
February 19, 2006 in
Art.
I’m giving a shout out to Izy in Calgary for this incredible print. Can you believe she did this in MS Paint using a mouse? The most I can scrape together with MS Paint is a couple of lines and a circle, with some dirty text thrown in for good measure. Izy, you have some serious talent there.
I have many students that draw this kind of stuff when they should be paying attention to me. Many of them aspire to be artists, and most of their stuff is gold; however, the market for manga artist in Japan is heavily saturated, so most of them won’t even get their foot in the door. I guess that is why massive conventions like Comiket exist. If only every good artist had a chance to show off their talents. Imagine what the world would be like then.
Published on
February 17, 2006 in
Travel.
I’m back from my business trip to Yokohama. It was balmy and warm there; however, It’s cold and bitter here in Senmaya! One great thing about the conference was the view I got coming out of the station everyday. I got to feast my eyes on Japan’s largest building, Landmark Tower. It is also home to the world second fastest elevator. It’s large and turgid and that is the way I like it. An old girlfriend of mine once told me that I had an edifice complexe. She was right. I do.
Published on
February 15, 2006 in
ESL.
I just spent the first three days of this week at a conference for people that are finishing their time on the JET program. I am typing this at an Internet Cafe in Ikebokuro and I am exhausted. I’ve been told that things will be okay after JET, as long as I can spin my time on JET in a positive fashion and have a masters degree and am somehow the king of the universe. I am looking forward to my future as a homeless man.
I woke up this morning to 30cm of snow. I have never seen this much snow in Japan before. It took me twenty minutes to shovel it off my car. This is the worst winter in Iwate for me so far.
In other news I got word today that I passed the level 7 Kanji exam. Kick ass! It’s not much but it gets me one step closer to my goal of Japanese fluency. Given that I thought the test was later than it was, I’m impressed by how much material I knew. I am a very happy camper today, regardless of the mounds of snow that surround me.
Published on
February 6, 2006 in
Senmaya.
It’s hard to believe that next week I’m going to be at the returning JETs conference. It feels like only yesterday that I was just getting off the plane. And now my time on the JET programme is almost over, but not necessarily my time in Japan. Let’s just say that I’m following up on some leads at the moment. I think it would be nice to stay here for another year. I have also been thinking about returning to Canada. I guess we’ll have to see which path ends up pulling me along it.
So how is it here right now? Well, you could say it’s pretty cold. Last night it was -14C. That isn’t so bad until you consider that it’s about -3C in your house. It’s at times like these when I ask myself if I really want to stay in Japan. Regardless of what happens, I am looking forward to a change. Things are just a little too comfortable for me at the moment. A change of scenery and employment will really spice it up. And for that I’m very happy.
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