Culture shocks in Japan

I moved from the UK to Japan in June 2014, and the company that hired me to work here as an English teacher supported my visa application, making the process much easier. There was still a lot of work to do, such as filling out endless forms, writing a Japanese language CV, completing a criminal record check, applying for an International Driving Permit and making travel arrangements. Once I arrived in Japan, the first week of training was quite intense, and spare time was mostly made up of moving into my new flat, getting a mobile phone contract (difficult for foreigners), applying for a bank account and other necessities for basic living. There were no specific troubles, but the process was time-consuming.

You are what you speak

I experienced culture shock much more than I’d anticipated. When I’d heard about it previously I had shrugged it off as a myth, but almost as soon as I arrived in Japan I found myself not wanting to eat and being unable to sleep. I didn’t really experience homesickness, but Japanese food didn’t agree with me at all (I’m a fussy eater anyway). In my first fortnight or so, I only ate every couple of days. I lost a lot of weight though, so there was a silver lining!

Obviously, language was a major issue in my first year as my Japanese skills were still at beginner level when I moved. Most people in Japan speak only very basic (though sometimes quite funny) English. I threw myself in at the deep end, but that helped me to learn more quickly. Japanese people are also very traditional and tend to be extremely polite, and their customs take some getting used to. I don’t think I’ll ever break out of the habit of constantly bowing to people.

Teeny tiny Flats

Japan is often considered an expensive country to live in, but coming from England I didn’t notice much difference, though for what you pay, the living spaces are much smaller (my flat is TINY). It seems to be customary for Japanese people not to take more than they need: if they have a big home or drive a large car, it probably means they have a large family. They eat healthy meals, and they usually clean their plates to show that they appreciate what they have.

From kitty cafes to KFC at Christmas

Despite plenty of difficulties, Japan’s little oddities are what makes it so interesting. A lot of the weird and wonderful things you hear about the country are true. People really do walk around wearing kimonos. There are cat cafes (and dog cafes, owl cafes, snake cafes and even a robot cafe, where you can watch robots fight while you eat your meal). The toilets sometimes have buttons on them that play music in case you have a shy bladder. There are capsule hotels where you can sleep in a little drawer for a discounted price. And every Christmas, the traditional meal is, of course… Kentucky Fried Chicken! There’s also a common prank called the “kancho”, where you sneak up on your unsuspecting friend, clasp your hands together and jam your index fingers up their.. ahem… buttocks. I’ve had this done to me (many times) and it’s not pleasant!

The 3rd of February is Setsubun, a traditional Japanese festival where one family member will dress up like an ogre and the others will pelt him with roasted soybeans to ward off evil spirits. Last year, I had to be the ogre at my school, and some of those kids can throw pretty hard!

All in all, it’s been an interesting, weird and fun couple of years.