Launching Over Japan

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.