Best and Worst of Japan | Asian American Poll

BEST & WORST OF JAPAN
(Updated Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:13:54 PM to reflect the 100 most recent valid responses.)

What's the best thing about Japan?
Clean courteous people | 34%
Dynamic urban life | 34%
Appealing traditional culture | 6%
Safety and social stability | 26%

What's the worst thing about Japan?
Crowding and pollution | 24%
Rigid social conformity | 39%
Stagnant economic system | 31%
Exhorbitant prices | 6%

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Comments posted during the past year remain available for browsing.

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WHAT YOU SAY

[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]

To Olmy: Thank you for the correct spelling. I think its so stupid how some of the japanese girls tan thereselves so dark like that, I mean what do they do in the summer time? Will there skin melt because of so much tanning and heat? Hehehe Hahaha (I am not talking about the "normal" japanese girls just the "gan-guro."

To Small World: Yeah i know about the black sub culture in japan. I have seen magazines and my friends tell me what hiphop music is popular there ever so often. Although i have never seen a foreign girl go out with a japanese guy but i often see foreign guys going out with japanese girls. Its weird. I used to live in japan (i am a black female) some of them say that i am cute, i was a bit shocked though because i didn't know that japanese men were intersted in american girls. Hahaha asian people are cute except for "gan-guro."

To Asian American dude: Its pretty sad to say that alot of japanese teenagers don't have much pride in there culture. They don't really represent themselves as Japanese, instead they just copy western culture. I mean if i were japanese i would represent my culture and add a little twist to it. I mean that is what i do now as a black female. For example, i listen to hiphop, techno, rock, korean, and japanese music. So i mix up what i do u know, its really cool and most people like that because its truley unique.

Well that is about it i guess If another good subject comes up i will reply also if you have a question for me then please ask me at this message board. I lived in japan before so perhaps i can understand differnt things about it. Also i have a question do japanese guys date any black girls in japan? Just curious because i never seen it. Also does anyone know where i can get cheap airline tickets to japan? expedia.com, orbitiz.com, and priceline.com has not helped me out though. ok cha!
watashi ha no namae ha "raccoon eyes" desu. Sunday, October 07, 2001 at 00:08:06 (PDT)

Good things:Great cartoons; people are generally friendly; nice scenary; noodles at baseball games.

Bad things: a great many Uncle Toms; history revisionists; lack of natural resources; way high cost of living.
have been to japan Saturday, October 06, 2001 at 18:35:03 (PDT)

smallworld,

You are sort of right in some respects. But, if you look at and compare Chinese and Japanese or Korean businessmen who travel and work in Russia, there are differences. I read in newspapers that Chinese guys doing business in Russia often settle and mingle with the native Slavs, intermarrying with Russian or Ukrainian women. Japanese and Korean guys often send for their own families or secure the companionship of prostitutes even in Russia.

But, it is a fact that you see white men in the streets of Tokyo and Seoul hand in hand with native women more than you see it the other way around.
Japanese American Friday, October 05, 2001 at 18:13:54 (PDT)

I have a question maybe someone can answer. I realize that certain Japanese must emulate American culture both Caucasian and Black. And I also realize that certain Japanese are fascinated by certain European cultures. But are there segements of Japanese people who enjoy other cultures as well or do they see them as inferior. For example are certain groups of Japanese fascinated by Chinese culture which includes movies, dress and song or Indian Bollywood movies and stuff or Korean cultural motifs. Just curious if this apparent obsession with other cultures is limited to the nations which humbled Japan in WW2 or does in extend to other rich cultures which are ironically in closer proximity.
Bandersnatch Thursday, October 04, 2001 at 16:46:41 (PDT)

To Japanese American
I'm afraid I totally disagree with you. Not trying to start an argument or anything, so feel free to disagree right back, in a friendly way!
First of all, when you say you ONLY see Japanese girls with non-Japanese guys, and not the other way around, I have to wonder: Where are you looking? Let me guess- definately Tokyo, probably Roppongi.

And when you go on to say that you see more Korean and Chinese guys with Japanese girls, I gotta ask: How can you tell?? Most Japanese can't! The majority of Chinese and Koreans living in Japan are able to blend right in. Those actually born in Japan, who speak Japanese like natives and take a Japanese name are able to 'pass'. So I'm surprised that you are able to 'detect' them. (Your skills would probably be in high demand by Japanese matchmakers and job placement agencies. You could help them avoid recommending a non-Japanese to their racist clients!!)

You are right to notice that the Indian and Iranian men you see only go out with Japanese women. The simple reason is that there are far more men from these countries than there are women. Young men from less advantaged places, like Africa, the Middle East, Southwest Asia etc. come here for job opportunities, often working as labourors. Women from these countries don't have many job opportunities, so they don't come. Thus these guys have little choice other than to be olonely or to date local women.

Women from other parts of Asia, and from Europe, North America and South America are in demand in Japan as language teachers, expat workers for foreign companies, or in the 'water trade'. These women sometimes complain, like the 'supermodels' you mention, about the boring dating scene. But a great deal of them do date, and often with the local (Japanese) men.

Here's a little fact that may shock you, JA: There are more Japanese men who marry non-Japanese women than there are Japanese women who marry non-Japanese man. These couples may not strut around in Roppongi, but they do exist, and if you looked around a little more you might see them. (Of course, many times they're hard to see, because most of these women are other Asians. But you seem to be good at that :) )

I'm assuming that you live in Tokyo, so if you want to see some Japanese male/foreign female couples, try Shinjuku or Kichijouji. Shinjuku's Kabukicho area has lots of Russian hostesses, you can see them in the early evening before the bars open, walking around with their Japanese dates (often dressed like hookers and carrying loads of shopping bags...). The last time I went to Kichijouji I noticed 5 or 6 JM/FF couples, and I wasn't even going out of my way to look!

OK, this is already way too long. But if you were just making observations, please look a little harder next time. And if you are actually living in Japan and haveing a hard time dating non-Japanese women, than here's some advice: set your sights a little lower and stop chasing those supermodels! :)

smallworld Tuesday, October 02, 2001 at 22:40:57 (PDT)

To "Asian dude who tells it like it is":

You said: "The population of Japan is shrinking very fast. And i believe part of the reason is because the young generations have no pride, no self-esteem, no sense of their culture. They have a lot of insecurities and self-hatred..."

Well, do you know why? You are making a correct assessment of what's going on in Japan. But, probably more important is to understand WHY. In my opinion, the reason for these so called "insecurities" and "self-hatred" is because the Japanese culture does not offer security or pride to its young people. Your culture and the way you do business suppress the human desire to express themselves. As a result, the Japanese people had to find an outlet, and that outlet happens to be the Western culture which fosters freedom and self-expression, not hiarchy and suppression.

Asian-American Californian Tuesday, October 02, 2001 at 21:29:20 (PDT)

Japan is a pretty sad place, especially the people. They have no real pride -- their contemporary culture is simply a Japanized mish-mash of foreign pop-culture. I will be happy to go there and take away more Japanese lady from those sad Jap idiots.
K-American Stud Tuesday, October 02, 2001 at 15:58:25 (PDT)

Miss Wednesday,

Looks like you could use an Asian American stud, not some chump-ass snowflake (American whiteboys). Give that a thought sometime.
Asian Stud, World Traveller. Tuesday, October 02, 2001 at 15:47:00 (PDT)

To all, esp. Heeelp:
I am a Japanese female now in North America for college. I feel very offended by a lot of things said in this column, I can only fully agree to Hanya who said that there are whores everywhere, and there is no way you can generalize and call a certain race of women "whores" like it was one body. You don't have to be apprehensive about living in Japan, we may be "foreign" to you just like any non-Japanese is "foreign" to me, but we are all people, right? with differences and similarities regardless of race or nationality.
Anyone who has studied Japanese history or culture probably learned that its most distinct and perpetual characteristic is what is described by this phrase: "adopt, adapt, adept." What is thought of as "traditionally Japanese" was often adopted from mainland Asia or the west hundreds of years ago, such as the designs of the temples and kanji characters adopted from the Chinese. Tempura was originally brought by the Portuguese.
So like this sometimes I think that the girls who try to be as black or as white as they can are only behaving as Japanese as they can by trying to copy other peoples and/or cultures. As a Japanese, I'd like to welcome you to Japan when u arrive there, and just try to find Japanese and foreign friends to make your life there fun. ;)

Dictionary Tuesday, October 02, 2001 at 14:30:13 (PDT)

I'm a japanese man. In japan, moral is totally destroyed these days. In addition, women become so strong that they hunt men like men hunt women. Indeed, japanese girl look shy outwardly, especialy with men, so american think that japanese girl is quiet. But in fact, their real character is not. Of coarse, there are many japanese girl whose character is faithful. But unfortunately they are minority. I'm so sad being japanese.

To 'Raccoon_Eyes':
the popular style in japanese girl is " gan-guro", not " gon-girl"
olmy Tuesday, October 02, 2001 at 06:45:11 (PDT)

Heeelp, this may be a little late, hope you're still out there...
Like Racoon Eyes and Miss Wednesday, I'm a foreign female living in Japan. What they already said's all true, but I'd just like to add a few things.
First, You should be aware that not all Japanese women are into western guys. And the ones who are are mostly A: very shy, and B: interested in white men only.
But you and your bf will quickly notice that there is a 'black' subculture in Japan, where 'black' fashion and 'black' music (read: American rap and hip-hop) reign supreme. A lot of J-girls with a black fetish try their best to look like the black females they see in rap videos, and dream of having a black man on their arms to complete their fantasy. They don't actually know anything about American black culture, but they sure think it LOOKS cool.
If your bf has any respect for himself and his culture, he will avoid these pretenders and realize that they are just FAKING IT. They may throw themsleves at him, but they won't interested in him as a person, or even in his culture. He'll just be an accessory.

Also, you said you're really excited about living in Japan and experiencing a different culture, right? Well, don't forget that! You will have the time of your life, with or without your bf. You will probably learn a lot about yourself, and meet lots of great people. You may even find that YOU want to cheat on/ break up with your bf!!! (Please don't get offended by that, I've seen it happen to both my M and F foreign friends here.)
If for whatever reason things don't work out between you two, then consider yourself lucky for finding out early on. And if things DO work out, you know you have a very very strong relationship.
I think unlike what Miss Wednesday says, there are a lot of males to choose from in Japan. And if you are active at work and make lots of friends, you will NEVER be lonely here (most likely you will find yourself dreaming in vain for 10 minutes of peace, quiet and solitude)!
Anyway, sorry to ramble, and enjoy yourself in Tokyo!!
smallworld Sunday, September 30, 2001 at 21:20:14 (PDT)

I only see Japanese girls with non-Japanese guys in Japan but not the other way around. American supermodels who work in Japan complain of life being too "boring" there. I guess they meant lack of love life and that the guys there were boring. The Iranians and Indians who live there; you only see their men taking and going out with Japanese women but not the other way around. Even you see more Korean and Chinese guys with Japanese women than the other way around there. Not fair.
Japanese American Sunday, September 30, 2001 at 13:06:47 (PDT)

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