Quote:
Originally Posted by Nyororin
Am I going to be stared at? / Am I going to be treated like a rock star?
I think people should also be careful not to interpret this the other way. If you get a look - it`s far more likely to be because you DID something strange rather than "racism". If people approach you to help in English, don`t interpret it as "They`re discriminating by assuming I can`t speak Japanese!!" - this is especially true if you really can`t speak Japanese.
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Nyororin and MMM once again give great insight into preparation for visiting Japan especially if its your first time. Having experience people prep you so to speak will go a long way in enjoying your Japanese experience.
I wanted to touch on
Am i going to be stared at because it seems to come up quite frequently. With my own experience especially my first time in Japan.
First let me state Im a 6'1 Black American w/ pretty light skin and Im not one of those people that gets really strange or uncomfortable when people stare at me. However i did get quite a bit of stares of on my first trip and given it was first time in Japan i noticed it a lot. It did not bother me since i had ask this very same question before i went and expected it. I knew that there was no malice behind it but lets face it I was as foreign as can be. I knew the reason why i was being stared at i just kept on my way and made sure not to do anything out of the ordinary or strange (As Nyororin stated). I did have several people talk to me and i did my best with my broken Japanese lol and they were just mainly curious. The friends i did make were curious about Black American culture mainly the things they got from the media or saw on Tv or music i answered their questions to the best of my ability and i asked them questions as well. I learned so much on my first trip to Japan that its still one of the pinnacles of my life and i had a blast. All because i didnt let things like this bother me.
Now that was 13 years ago and since my return trips to Japan have been wonderful experiences did i get stared at the other times sure but as time went on i noticed it less and less and as more foreigners become permanent residents in Japan over time it will lessen even more. Unless you go out to the real rural areas.
I guess all I can say is even if you get stared at dont let it bother you just keep going about your business. Iv had several friends say that it ruined the experience for them because they felt nervous like they were doing something wrong. If you were not doing anything wrong then it shouldn't be a big deal. You should be more focused on finding your way around then someone staring at you. Kids in any country are going to stare you that's what kids do don't let it bother you. If you cant handle getting a couple of stares then i would suggest not going because thats all you will focus on and it will ruin your trip.