All good points, Paul. Unfortunately, first timers have to go to those tourist spots. I also had a friend visit recently and I had to take them to Asakusa, Meiji jingu, Shibuya crossing. You could do a whole video just on food in Chinatown, in Yokohama. Did you ever go to the Anpanman museum in Yokohama? Maybe you can put that on your list.
Yes, I still go to those places sometimes with visitors, although my friend who came last April was totally down to explore Yokohama instead, and they had a great time. Chinatown would be fun to do a deep dive in, but I feel that will never attract too many foreign tourists simply because they come to see real Japan, not a watered down China. 😀 I will drop a Yokohama sites vid sometime in March, and maybe I will have time to do a Chinatown one, too. I certainly wouldn't mind stuffing myself with food from some of my favorites for the sake of a video!
New to the channel and made it to the end! 😀 I will definitely visit Yokohama on my next visit to Japan (who knows when that will be...) I studied Japanese culture, history and language in college, and only went once in 2005. My language studies were intensive for several years, but I was always pretty bad at it. Your last point regarding the need to know Japanese is different than my experience. Of course, my frame of reference is 2005, so much has likely changed. At the time of our 2005 trip for my wife and I, the biggest stress was our need to use public transportation and the fact every sign was written _only_ in Kanji. My Japanese wasn't good enough to read Kanji characters fast enough for a subway train that was about to leave the station. Otherwise, Tokyo was pretty accommodating for my bad Japanese. When we left Tokyo, the language situation changed quite a bit. Our first stop was a remote onsen (I don't recall where it was). No one in the onsen spoke a word of English, and our only means of any communication was my crappy Japanese and hand gestures. In a sense, it was a wonderfully immersive experience to not have any language accommodation, but it was also pretty stressful. Phones, at the time, weren't the pocket translators they are today, and in the woods with no Internet connection, wouldn't have made much of a difference. Our next stop was Kyoto, which, with respect to language, definitely felt like middle ground between Tokyo and the onsen in the woods. English was marginally available and my terrible Japanese did help to bridge the language gap. That said, my wife who speaks no Japanese, felt isolated by the language barrier and that she had almost no agency to do anything without me translating for her. I know exactly what she means because our next stop was South Korea and she's fluent in Korean. I was the big dumb white guy that had to have her translate everything. Overall, I hope at this point Japan is a little more accommodating to non-Japanese speaking visitors, but part of me thinks the language barrier should be there to provide a more "authentic" experience and less of a "Japanese Themed Amusent Park" feel.
Thank you for sharing your experiences. While there is a lot more English (and other languages) signage now compared to 2005, overall the language barrier is still largely as you described. The difference is, and hats off to you, is you were trying to have an immersive experience and appear to have enjoyed the Japanese language you encountered and communicated in a best-faith manner. What I was attempting to describe in point #5 is that there are plenty of foreigners here who carve out their English bubble, and essentially shrug off all of the immersive Japanese learning opportunities. And in Japan, the people won't get upset - they remain patient and polite and don't push back. "Oh, we can't expect foreigners to speak Japanese." In America, the attitude has been largely the opposite of this patience - "Learn English if you want to be here." You should come back and experience Japan again. Plenty of authentic immersive opportunities abound. (^-^)/
You've convinced me. I have gone to such great lengths to avoid Tokyo that I haven't been there in around 15 years. I'm going to plan a Yokohama visit for this year or next. Maybe even fly into Shizuoka just to make a point of still avoiding Tokyo😎
I've lived in Shiinamachi Tokyo for around 6 months and love the place. However I didn't truly feel like I was in Japan until I visited Toyohashi. Beautiful with low tourist population.🔥
Thanks Paul for your info. My wife doesn't speak Japanese although I do. She is a little apprehensive to move to Japan with me. Once again keep up the good work. Richard
It was always sad to see people form negative opinions of the culture based on the proliferation of a few weird things shown on YT videos. I would hear “what the hell is wrong with those people?” And I would always be obligated to defend the culture.
Weird gets clicks. And I will admit, there are a few oddities around Japan that I plan to check out some time in my life, but then again those exist everywhere, like bizarre roadside attractions in the USA. But it's when people equivocate that with the NORM of Japanese life that they are going astray. Japan is really not that weird at all.
Japan is "weird" to some due to samurai code/bushido culture. Wasn't Japan a feudal country up till WW2? Perhaps this isnt the weird you are referring to... Ive met many weird people from Japan; that doesn't necessarily mean bad.
All good points, Paul. Unfortunately, first timers have to go to those tourist spots. I also had a friend visit recently and I had to take them to Asakusa, Meiji jingu, Shibuya crossing. You could do a whole video just on food in Chinatown, in Yokohama. Did you ever go to the Anpanman museum in Yokohama? Maybe you can put that on your list.
Yes, I still go to those places sometimes with visitors, although my friend who came last April was totally down to explore Yokohama instead, and they had a great time. Chinatown would be fun to do a deep dive in, but I feel that will never attract too many foreign tourists simply because they come to see real Japan, not a watered down China. 😀 I will drop a Yokohama sites vid sometime in March, and maybe I will have time to do a Chinatown one, too. I certainly wouldn't mind stuffing myself with food from some of my favorites for the sake of a video!
I really dig how you're carving your own little space as Yokohama's very own ambassador for travel and commerce. Keep it up!
New to the channel and made it to the end! 😀 I will definitely visit Yokohama on my next visit to Japan (who knows when that will be...)
I studied Japanese culture, history and language in college, and only went once in 2005. My language studies were intensive for several years, but I was always pretty bad at it. Your last point regarding the need to know Japanese is different than my experience. Of course, my frame of reference is 2005, so much has likely changed.
At the time of our 2005 trip for my wife and I, the biggest stress was our need to use public transportation and the fact every sign was written _only_ in Kanji. My Japanese wasn't good enough to read Kanji characters fast enough for a subway train that was about to leave the station. Otherwise, Tokyo was pretty accommodating for my bad Japanese.
When we left Tokyo, the language situation changed quite a bit. Our first stop was a remote onsen (I don't recall where it was). No one in the onsen spoke a word of English, and our only means of any communication was my crappy Japanese and hand gestures. In a sense, it was a wonderfully immersive experience to not have any language accommodation, but it was also pretty stressful. Phones, at the time, weren't the pocket translators they are today, and in the woods with no Internet connection, wouldn't have made much of a difference.
Our next stop was Kyoto, which, with respect to language, definitely felt like middle ground between Tokyo and the onsen in the woods. English was marginally available and my terrible Japanese did help to bridge the language gap.
That said, my wife who speaks no Japanese, felt isolated by the language barrier and that she had almost no agency to do anything without me translating for her.
I know exactly what she means because our next stop was South Korea and she's fluent in Korean. I was the big dumb white guy that had to have her translate everything.
Overall, I hope at this point Japan is a little more accommodating to non-Japanese speaking visitors, but part of me thinks the language barrier should be there to provide a more "authentic" experience and less of a "Japanese Themed Amusent Park" feel.
Thank you for sharing your experiences. While there is a lot more English (and other languages) signage now compared to 2005, overall the language barrier is still largely as you described. The difference is, and hats off to you, is you were trying to have an immersive experience and appear to have enjoyed the Japanese language you encountered and communicated in a best-faith manner.
What I was attempting to describe in point #5 is that there are plenty of foreigners here who carve out their English bubble, and essentially shrug off all of the immersive Japanese learning opportunities. And in Japan, the people won't get upset - they remain patient and polite and don't push back. "Oh, we can't expect foreigners to speak Japanese." In America, the attitude has been largely the opposite of this patience - "Learn English if you want to be here."
You should come back and experience Japan again. Plenty of authentic immersive opportunities abound. (^-^)/
Great video, keep it up! :)
Thank you for watching!
10:38 "...without Japanese..." just as you pass the 'without Japanese' signage. The timing! 😆😂🤣😂
You are kind ,intelligent and Nice person.Thank you for your Reportage.どうもありがとうございます
Thank you for your kind words.
Happy to support you on Patreon! Keep up the good content!
Thank you so very much! Expect a shout out on a video soon. :)
Great video paul!
Thank you.
Thank you! 👍😊
Great content as always…..I love Yokohama….we live in Kamakura and frequent Yokohama as it’s just a stones throw from our abode
Kamakura is lovely, and I enjoy visiting it. Dont make it there nearly as much as I would like.
You've convinced me. I have gone to such great lengths to avoid Tokyo that I haven't been there in around 15 years. I'm going to plan a Yokohama visit for this year or next. Maybe even fly into Shizuoka just to make a point of still avoiding Tokyo😎
I plan to do a Tokyo guide soon. Places you should go OTHER than where everyone goes.
I've lived in Shiinamachi Tokyo for around 6 months and love the place. However I didn't truly feel like I was in Japan until I visited Toyohashi. Beautiful with low tourist population.🔥
There are so many different 'Japans'. I haven't experienced nearly enough of them yet myself.
Thanks Paul for your info. My wife doesn't speak Japanese although I do. She is a little apprehensive to move to Japan with me.
Once again keep up the good work.
Richard
Glad if I am of some help assuaging your wife's apprehension.
It was always sad to see people form negative opinions of the culture based on the proliferation of a few weird things shown on YT videos. I would hear “what the hell is wrong with those people?” And I would always be obligated to defend the culture.
Weird gets clicks. And I will admit, there are a few oddities around Japan that I plan to check out some time in my life, but then again those exist everywhere, like bizarre roadside attractions in the USA. But it's when people equivocate that with the NORM of Japanese life that they are going astray. Japan is really not that weird at all.
They dont tell you about Japan's horrible history and Samurai/Bushido culture and how everyone dismisses it.
Samurai Bushido culture is dismissed? I am not sure I follow your idea.
Japan is "weird" to some due to samurai code/bushido culture. Wasn't Japan a feudal country up till WW2? Perhaps this isnt the weird you are referring to... Ive met many weird people from Japan; that doesn't necessarily mean bad.
Your channel name is very racist.
trolls be trolling, lol.
Ignorance is bliss indeed