"It's Not Funny Anymore" ?

[nanikore]

Saw this on the train this morning from kotaku.com - one man's fed-up-ness with Japan

It's Not Funny Anymore

Not with these reasons, but I've been having a fed-up phase lately too. Or that could just be tax season.

[Twinrider]

I've had the fed-up feelings come and go in cycles for years. If I could do it over again I would've acted on them and bailed back after my first year.

Living here, you will always be an outsider, and most endeavors will be far more difficult than they would back home (assuming you're from a developed Western country).

[Jav]

and most endeavors will be far more difficult than they would back home (assuming you're from a developed Western country).

I have fed-up feelings often. Nice place to live, but you will be reminded almost daily that you are "not one of us".
That said, the opportunities for me in Japan are most likely much larger than were I in OZ. A few months back I
took my daughter onto one of the bases with Loco DRZ. I was surprised when she said afterwards she wants to
visit again. When I asked why, she said no one stares...................

[slowB]

Im not a great fan of tokyo and some times its just to much in your face all the time but its not all bad and theres more to japan than the big TK
I think this guy should put his video game away and get out there and see the real japan.
and that stuff about meat in everything,i have the same problem about fish in everything japan is like the fish eating capital of the world!

[Jav]

I suspect it is the same for any foreigner in any country. There will be good and bad times. SlowB has it right, the best of Japan is outside
the concrete jungle that is Tokyo or Osaka or any big city. Japan is a truly beautiful country and has amazing history to be seen and
discovered. I do notice that the Jan/Feb period is worse for me, because I am sort of stranded in Tokyo ( not such a good time to be out
riding ).

[Kamikuza]

Japan is a pretty groovy place to live, most of the time. I especially like the fact that Japan is not full of New Zealanders :D unlike New Zealand or say, east coast Australia

... as interesting as cultures may be, it's just another form of religion and y'all know the contempt I have for that. Yes I piss all over my own too and if I don't in some areas then I'm allowed to be hypocritical - it's part of being human

[Guy Jinbaiquerre]

There are some things to get pissed off about in Japan/Tokyo, as there are anywhere. But really, that guy seemed to get riled up about the least significant things I could possibly imagine.

[Dualta]

The author of that article should go home.

[Guy Jinbaiquerre]

I especially like the fact that Japan is not full of New Zealanders :D unlike New Zealand or say, east coast Australia

[nanikore]

I think that guy *needs* to get out. When minor things, or the way things just are are grinding you so badly, you owe it to yourself to take a break. True, some of the whines I understand - I have so many vegetarian friends (and friends who follow specific religious dietary needs) who find it a difficulty day to day getting food (and in a notionally buddhist country!). My only food dislike in Japan is the MSG level.

Actually, when people ask me how to get some calmness and liking back of Japan, I tell them to get a motorbike. When my wife sees I'm getting a bit fed-up, the bike pass offer comes out. Just riding, stopping anywhere, talking to locals, even getting directions or asking where the best local food/wasabi place is just brings is back to being people for me.

I was quite glad to get out of Tokyo after 9 years - not because it's Tokyo, but because it was the capital city thing - busy but actually, very slow.

I understand his feelings though; the fake 'work ethic' (really attendee-ism in *some* companies) is a bit difficult to take sometimes. Then again, one reason I have the job I have is because I have a different way of doing business.

I understand he doesn't like the explanations people give him, but in many ways, a country's culture, especially Japan's, is like a religion, and for many people it's wrote, rather than having any rational view of themselves, so to someone outside, it and the explanations that go with it seem bizarre, yet the person giving the explanation may not have actually assessed it too much because that's all they've known. That works both ways. I spent a while explaining Bonfire Night. Why was Guy Fawkes on a bonfire, he was just the engineer? Why have fireworks if the bomb didn't go off? ... and that's for a 'recent', well documented origin!

My wife is excellent at explanations as she knows which culture is real, which is fake (hello White Day!) and why, what the real history of it is, and has lived in some pretty interesting places around the world, but still wants to do many of the events, which is fine. She's never living in the UK though, and my home town (a grim industrial place in the north of England) is bemusing to her ("why is the sky so low?").

Like many on here perhaps, having a child changed things, and I'm concerned about her - she's so outgoing and friendly and yet she's already tired of people trying to touch her hair (it's light brown with a distinct wave and curl to it). An old cleaner did in a shopping centre and I asked her not to, so she shouted at me. So I shouted back. That's childish I know, but strangers wanting to touch my child is very creepy to me, though I felt bad at raising my voice at an old woman who meant no harm, but there was little else I could do. I don't want my child singled out and to accept that it's OK to touch foreigner's kids. Lucky my wife wasn't there or I'd have been breaking up a fight...

[Kamikuza]

Yeah mate, take a day off work and ride out through the mountains ... best level-up rejuvenation potion I know of, and I think it's all the sweeter cos I've taken a day off too

Fuck 'em, if fruitcakes in NZ asked rude questions or did creepy things, I'd react the same. Though I'd probably road-rage a lot less at people "IT WAS RED FOR AT LEAST AN HOUR ASSHOLE" cos they'd understand what I'm saying and would probably knife me or something ... so I better pull my horns in

I'll have to listen to the Conchords at home - no audio here :(

Oh and - ask Phil how the wife reacts when people go "Ooh it's a gaijin" around her

[zenbiker1]

The author of that article should go home.

No he is an evangelistic vegetarian game nerd who doesn`t drink alcohol.
He should seriously think about killing himself!

[Jav]

Yeah mate, take a day off work and ride out through the mountains ... best level-up rejuvenation potion I know of, and I think it's all the sweeter cos I've taken a day off too

The first track day I can remember ( in Japan ) was when some of us shirked off work and headed to Tsukuba.
Olly and I were calling in sick from the lecture room trying to hide the sound of the cars racing outside.................
I will never forget that track day simply because we took a risk to have fun, and had a LOT of fun that day......

Sometimes we all need to take a break and get away from the grind stone.......

[Jav]

I should seriously think about killing myself!

So how long have you been harbouring such feelings...........

[Kevbodian]

Much of what the author says I can agree that it has irked me in the past except that I would argue that the Japanese television drama is MUCH much worse than the average anime being pumped out. The themes and scenes in Japanese dramas are so overly done I can't believe they don't notice it as such.

I read the part about the babies in the smoking section. That's not great, but it's probably better than the toddler-a-day I see riding in the car with parents while standing on their lap or jumping around in the back seat. When I was a kid I sat in my spot or would get shit from my mom or dad. Here, it seems, the driver of the vehicle, seems to just not think "what if I get T-boned by that bastard who decided to run after the light turned red because they all freakin do it and my lovely son/daughter is killed or maimed"...

[Kevbodian]

A little post-padding.

I started at my office the same day as this other guy, let's call him Douchesan. We sat next to eachother for 3 months, ate lunch every day and discussed typical male things. I always thought he was a good guy if perhaps a little odd. He was very polite and well mannered. I asked him to hang out a few times, NG! I thought, "well, maybe it would be awkward for him". Then one day I was talking to another guy and we got on a topic regarding sex with the opposite sex, you know, typical male conversation. I said to the other guy, "hey, do you think Douchesan is a virgin?". The other guy said, "I don't know, I don't think so... I will ask him, though". So the next day, instead of the other guy, I ended up asking. The dude's response wasn't what I was expecting. Instead of "hey fuck you" it was shock and anger and possibly sadness in his eyes followed up with "I won't talk to you until next week". That next week came and to this day it has been just over a year and a half. The question may have been inappropriate but to be put off indefinitely over something so mundane says to me, VIRGIN!

[Fastbike]

Japan is a good place and acting as a dum gaijin has worked for me many times.. but i do get pissed of that every TV show is about the same people eating fuckin food...maybe some body should send them a letter
and say they are boaring the tits of us gaijin...

My rant for the day and im going out to the Garage to clean some wheels... fuckin rain i want to ride...

[Twinrider]

I pay for cable TV just so I don't have to come home to Japanese TV blaring in the background. Well worth the 4,000 yen a month!

[Kamikuza]

TR and I agree again that can't be right!

Getting sick of the fucking ads and informercials and the stupid crowd noises though ... and the movie channels switching to full time Japanese only :O

[slowB]

discovery channel,BBC news for me!