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Anonymous
Hi /trv/.
I'm heading to Japan next year for 9 months. I am not a weeaboo, and in fact dislike most animu. I'm just interested in living and learning in another country. Is there anyone on here who has or currently lives in Japan? Any advice for a traveling newfag?
Picture is unrelated, I think. . .
>> Anonymous
Since you're going to Japan and not elsewhere, don't you think /jp/ would be a better place to ask? Just a thought.
>> Anonymous
/jp/ sent me here...
>> Anonymous
>>72254
You aren't me! But hey, that's true anyway, so we're cool.
As he was saying, they asked me to come here.
>> Anonymous
First off go pick up some sort of basic Japanese book. Hell, pick up a copy of Genki 1 and start studying. Even if you can't say anything more complicated than, "that is a map," you'll be a step up from "Stupid Amelican" before you get there.

You already have an advantage over a lot of anons in that you're not into anime. Contrary to what /a/ would like to believe, most Japanese people don't salivate over sweet delicious Toe-hoes. I've heard a lot of horror stories from fellow "ryuugakusei" (international students) about how they went over there expecting their anime and vidya addictions to be common place and were instead sorely disappointed to find that most Japanese teens are pretty much like most American teens. They're focussed on the group mentality, and will look down on anyone who isn't part of that group.

You'll likely get complimented a lot while you're there. Everything from "You're Japanese is so good!" to "OMG You are so tall!" They don't actually mean those compliments. There is even a special term for this, but I can't recall it right now.

Learn to say please and thank you, and use them ALL THE TIME. If someone offers you something, you will be expected to refuse the first time they offer it. Depending on the gift you may want to refuse several times before finally "giving in." Along this same train of thought you may experience this in reverse as well, where a Japanese person is putting up a token resistance.

Hmmm....
>> Anonymous
>>72289


If you speak of your family, be extremely humble. Never boast about "your cool bro" or "your dad who's really rich" even if these things are true. If you're brother is a succesful lawyer, well, in Japan you would say that "he's working very hard to become a succesful part of the firm." If your dad owns his own business, that would be something like, "my father works very hard to support us." If you're talking about a younger sibling it's perfectly acceptable to add in a gentle "good for nothing" in there as well. "My good-for-nothing younger sister is in high school."

Always carry a good dictionary with you, and if you go anywhere alone make sure you have a kanji dictionary and you know how to use it. Even if you can barely speak Japanese, being able to point out the right word can be a tremendous help.

Always make sure you're clean and well dressed. Before you leave I would suggest investing in some nice button-down dress shirts, slacks, etc. It's okay to wear jeans and a t-shirt, but people will be much more sympathetic if you don't look like a smelly tourist.

Always be very conscientious of their laws. Learn some basic kanji phrases like "photography forbidden" and "do not enter". Along that same line of thought, pick up a book on Japanese food and try to visit a Japanese restaurant before you go (preferably several times) to try different dishes. You might also want to look up online at different tourist attractions and festivals you'd like to visit.
>> Anonymous
Learning the language is a must, or least make a good effort to do so. Hopefully since you're going there for 9 months this is already the case.

More cultural stuff:
Don't stick your chopsticks straight up and down into rice, it has something to do with mourning the dead.
Don't forget to take your shoes off when you enter someone's home. It should be pretty obvious anyways since right inside the doorway will be shoes lying around.
Learn how to use chopsticks.
Uber politeness/humbleness is key like the other anons said. However, if you start hanging out with people of your own age this becomes less important (gift giving always remains a ritual though, you'll look better if you refuse the gift first, or offer to pay for the meal instead of them w/e etc.).

When in doubt play the stupid gaijin card, but try to only do so when necessary and not give them a bad image of gaijin... Be friendly and make an effort to speak Japanese and Japan will love you. However, the language is the biggest obstacle here, all the cultural practices really mean jack shit if you can't communicate well in the first place.
>> Anonymous
?? prohibited
?? no smoking
???? no trespassing (lit: entry prohibited)
>> Anonymous
lol Japan.

yuo can do all the hsit that's been posted but theyre still going toi treat you like a "foreign devil" lol

Just stay in AMERICA, teh best place on earth
>> Anonymous
>Just stay in AMERICA, teh best place on earth
they'll probably agree..if they live in Saitama
>> American
>>72308
wtf is Santana
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
>>72312
GIVE ME YOUR HEART, MAKE IT REAL
or else forget about it..
>> Anonymous
>>72306
3/10
>> Anonymous
>>72299

The cultural tips people give you when going to Europe are usually bullshit only old people care about.

It may be different going to a completely different culture with few links to American culture but take my advice and just forget about that crap.
>> Anonymous
>>72375
While I'm sure there are urban Japanese youth that don't give a crap, what's been said in this thread mostly agrees with what I saw when I was an exchange student in Japan, and with how the Japanese exchange students at my uni behave. Of course, Japanese are good at hiding what they think so if you go around behaving like a self-centered prick, you probably won't even notice that your stay in Japan wasn't appreciated by anyone else than you, and you certainly can get away with almost anything just because you're a gaijin. I think this advice is mostly in the case you want to make the effort to fit in.

I would add, though, to what's been said that don't overdo the politeness or dressing nicely thing: being neat and respectful of older people is sufficient.

Be open and friendly, but for gods sake DON'T FORCE EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION ON YOU ALL THE TIME in a conversation. This is the biggest fail for many Americans in Japan. Learn to shut up and listen, don't turn every topic into an anecdote about yourself. If the discussion is about you, then fine, speak about yourself. But if it's about somebody else, make it stay that way, even if somebody asks you if you've had similar experiences, don't steal the attention.

If you notice some of this doesn't seem to apply in your "in-group" in Japan, by all means adapt to your group's own norms. Rather, use this advice as a general guideline to follow until you know better.
>> Anonymous
>>72289
honne and tatamae

your inner feelings and your outer feelings. What you hide and what you show.
>> Anonymous
73000 GET
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
>> Anonymous
>>72381
Thanks for the advice. I'm just going to try to do my best to get along with the Japanese and enjoy their country. Oh, and forgo all knowledge of animu and mango. ALL KNOWLEDGE.
>> Anonymous
Hi /trv/ I am doing an exchange program like the OP. I loveeeeee Anime and Manga a ton and would really like to live in Japan so I can speak Japanese. I am pretty tall with dark hair and dress emo. Will they accept me /trv/, will they????
>> sage Anonymous
>>72511

troll
>> Anonymous
>>72513
Uh, hey. I'm OP, and uh, well.
He isn't trolling, actually. I know him. He isn't lying. I hope he gets hit by a truck.
>> Anonymous
can you faggots go anywhere other than japan for once
>> Anonymous
>>72515
To be fair, posted this yesterday, when there were no Japan threads at all.
>> Anonymous
>>72516

you must be new. All these japan threads have been the cancer killing /trv/ ever since it was implemented as an image board.
>> Anonymous
>>72293
this is... ughhhhhh
you don't have to go into hardcore humble self-flagellation mode just because you're in Japan. believe it or not, they're human too, and as long as you don't act like a boastful retard, they don't care, just being a normal person is fine.
you won't become japanese no matter how much overkill you put into trying to act like them, so take it easy.
>> Anonymous
I always think that one thing folks should always remember is that 'fitting in' can be a difficult thing to do. Because you really won't. Unless you're living there for years at a time, you really won't. Be yourself. Don't be a jackass. And anywhere you go, people will respect that. at least, the places I've been lol.
>> Anonymous
>>72529
>Be yourself. Don't be a jackass.

These two are often mutually exclusive.