photo by Moyan Brenn
Japanese anime and comics are all over the world nowadays. Sometimes people from overseas take Japan for some sort of wonderland. But such misconceptions about the country might cause you embarrassing moments during your stay in Japan. Examine the following list of things that foreigners misunderstand about Japan to learn about real Japan before you go there.
Businessman with classic side-parted hair and glasses is uncommon
What comes to mind when you think of a typical Japanese businessman? Is it an image of a man with glasses whose hair is neatly side-parted? No, no, there are very few of them who still stick to “side-part haircut and glasses” style. Most of Japanese businessmen have trendier haircuts. It is true that majority of Japanese men did have side-part haircuts and some of them wore glasses 100 years ago. This was because the government back then introduced this style to its bureaucrats, then it was recognized as a good example of elite style and copied by the general public. However, the debut of the Beatles dramatically changed the trend of Japanese men’s fashion. Their hairstyle ‘top-mop’ was predominantly favored by Japanese people at the time. Since the Beatles frenzy, more Japanese people became aware of having different hairstyles from the others.
There is no longer samurai or ninja out there
Foreign people who question a Japanese person if there still are samurai and ninja in Japan might be expecting an answer like “Yes, but the number is diminishing.” Sorry, but there are no longer living samurai or ninja in this age. You can see actors in samurai or ninja costumes at a theme park.
Most Japanese people are not Karate masters
The population of black belt holders in Karate is only 2% of 3miliion of entire Karate population in Japan, which is 2 in every 100. It is an unexpectedly small number. Japan is recognized as one of the safest country of the world and people hardly have a chance to utilize their ability of martial arts in their daily life. In modern Japanese society, martial arts are not a self-defense tool but recognized as a spiritual practice to train their mental strength.
No Sunday services at Buddhist temples
Christians go to a church every Sunday and Muslims visit a mosque regularly. Do Buddhists in Japan visit a temple every Sunday? No, they don’t. Japanese Buddhists go to a temple during “bon”, the period they honor the spirts of their ancestors, and when they have someone from a temple to hold a funeral of their family member. Temples originally had two important roles in the local communities: a welfare division of the community and a center of religious activities within the community. A temple master used to arbitrate in disputes between family members. In modern days, many temples accepts various tourists as sightseeing spots.
English is not a common language in Japan
English is recognized as a common language in modern international society. You might have guessed people in Japan also understand English. But no. As you might have realized by now, most of Japanese people are not good with English at all. Firstly, they cannot pronounce correctly. Secondly, Japanese language and English language are significantly different in grammar. Finally, the number one reason is that they have not been in a need of speaking any other languages because of homogeneous nature of Japanese society. But no need to worry even if you get lost in Japan. Ask a police officer or a railway station staff for help, or even just a bystander would be happy to help you by using their own sign languages.
Not every Japanese is “otaku”
Not every Japanese is “otaku”, who are crazy about anime or comics. However, it is true that Japanese people generally likes to “master” something. There are lots of secret “otaku”. If you have any Japanese friend, ask them what sort of “otaku” they are.
Most Japanese people have hardly or never eaten whale or dolphin meat
Since Japan was criticized for whaling and dolphin hunting, I have been more frequently asked if Japanese people eat whale and dolphin meat. Whaling and dolphin hunting are still going on, therefore these meats can be purchased somewhere in Japan. But these are not commonly used ingredients in modern Japanese diet. Most of Japanese people have hardly or never eaten whale or dolphin meat.
No more “hara-kiri”
I am wondering if anyone from overseas think “hara-kiri” is still accepted as the highest possible way to express someone’s apology in Japan. Well, it used be, but it is over 100 years ago. If anyone cut up his belly in modern Japan it would stir up a hornet’s nest. Originally, “hara-kiri” was a form of ritual suicide that only the samurai class was allowed. Criminals or people in lower classes were not allowed to terminate their lives by “hara-kiri”. Anyway, no need to be scared of “hara-kiri” when you come to Japan.
“Geisha” is not a prostitute
Sadly, quite a few people still mistake “geisha” for a prostitute. They earn their living by entertaining guests with their musical or dance skills and never sell themselves to anyone. This has never changed since the old days. They are like good singers, for example. Good singers do not need to publish photo books to get listeners’ attention as pop-idols often do. They just stick to their profession, singing, and so do “geisha”. Please remember, trying to bargain with them or overly touching them will cause you a big trouble.
Japanese people are not polite all the time
The Japanese are polite people. I am not saying this is a false statement. However, it is not true that all the Japanese were born polite. They were disciplined to be polite over a long time. For example, there is an announcement on the train telling passengers to vacate their seat to the elderly. Japanese children are told not to litter. Once they get a first job after school, they get soaked in seminars to learn general rules and manners. This is how Japanese people ended up being polite. But even the Japanese get grumpy or angry, or sometimes get wild when they feel too much stress. Well, they are just humans after all.
Nothing is more convincing than seeing
Movies and anime series might have given you lots of ideas about Japan whether or not those are correct. But as it is always said, seeing is believing. Visit Japan to find out a genuine Japanese life.
