I saw a thread about having one day in japan. So I wanted to start one about those that have been. This thread is just designed to ask some general questions about your time in Japan.
I'll start
Did you visit? Did you live there?
Since I'm a active duty Marine I got deployed there a few times so I guess it's a mixture of staying/living
How long did you stay there?
I got deployed there from february 2001 - June 2001 and then I got deployed there from January 2002 - July 2002.
Do you still live there?
Unfortunately no
Where did you stay/live?
I was in Iwakuni
What areas did you visit?
Kintai, Osaka, Hiroshima
What did you do for a job if you lived there?
I was a active duty Marine.
What did you do on your free time?
During the week I wouldn't do much since I worked. But on the weekend I would mainly hit the clubbing district in Hiroshima. I had done some various other trips but I will talk about it later in this questionnaire.
What did you notice was different about Japan and where you're from?
Japan is very catered towards males. What I mean is the society as a whole there view women with traditonal outlooks such as women serving and taking care of the men at home while the men are the main providers for their families. Females in Japan are taught to be very timid. It is seen all over their culture such as the media and their workplaces. It is not uncommon to go to a convenience store pick up a magazine about any subject and flip towards the back and see random nude pictures of girls that look like they're 16. Some women at workplaces still play traditional roles even though they have higher positions than their male countrlerparts. For example, I was at a McDonald's in a Fuji Grand dept. store in Iwakuni one time and the employee that brought our food over to us was a woman who also happened to be the manager and the only female on that shift. "Buy me, drink me" bars and Soaplands or "soapies" as we Marines call them are not hard to find either. And the most interesting aspect is that this reality is widely accepted. The United States promotes equality amongst it's sexes and has a lot more women sharing the role of providers for their families. It also seems that Japan has a lot more trust in its' people. There are beer and cigarette vending machines that are accessable to any who walk by. There are regular non-cable TV channels that have nudity that is not censored or have implied censors.
The Japanese are also a very passive people with people that care only about their business. Which is cool because nobody like nosy people!
On a final note, I wouldn't have Japan be any other way! I love it!
Did being in Japan alter your perspective about its' culture?
Before being in Japan the only thoughts I had associated with it is that they were technologically more advanced than the United States. Being in Japan actually added a whole new perspective on their culture.
Did being in Japan alter your perspective about anything else?
Yes. It made me realize first hand that not all things are the same in other countries. Japan is a welcomed change of pace.
Was there anything you felt you missed out on while you were there?
Tons! Among them are the trips to Tokyo and the "Tokyo Parties". I also would have liked to get into the local racing scene out there. I love JDM cars!
Was there anything else worth noting while you were there?
Let's see. Oh! The various festivals in Kintai which is close to Iwakuni like the cherry blossom festival. It's a very beautiful place and has its' own castle. Japan has a big melting pot of lifestyles. Among them is a huge following of the various different "western" styles. For example, I was walking around a side street in downtown Hiroshima and then I heard some loud music bumpin on a system. I noticed the song was "can't get enough if that gangster shit!" by westside connection. I turned my head and there was a lowrider 1964 impala on some chrome 100-spoke wire daytons cruising down the street remeniscent of something I would see back home. In the impala was a shaved head Japanese dude with some locs (gangster sunglasses) on with a hot ass chick on the passenger side. One my homeboys girlfriend in Hiroshima reminded me if a biker chick and she was absolutely infatuated with learning western culture. There are also a ton if other lifestyles that are unique to Japan such as the kogals and ganguro girls.
I had also went on a trip to Universal Studios Osaka. It was fairly new when I went there. I've been to the one in Hollywood which made being at the one in Osaka very awkward. What I mean is that I saw a lot of tourists from Japan when I was at the one in Hollywood. When I went to the one in Osaka, everything was the same and it felt like I was back in the United States except for the fact that all the visitors were tourists from Japan. Or more appropriately said, me and my homies were the ones that were tourists! It was awesome and we had a great time. We stopped at the Hard Rock Cafe on the Universal Studios "city walk" and it was just like any Hard Rock Cafe I've been to. The staff over there even took on American names. Our servers' name was "Mary". We had told the staff there that it was my homeboy Sol's birthday. It wasn't but we were very convincing. Long story short we got wasted, had fun with the staff, took pictures with them, and harassed some females walking by that were on their way to work ^.
I went to another theme park called "Space World". It seemed like a generic Disneyland. What stands out in my mind about my trip there is how the workers in Japan are very adamant about what their job is. For example, me and my homies went on a ride and the staff there saluted us as we "shipped" out. It may seem very minor to you reading this but being there it seemed like sincere dedication on their part.
My first snowboarding trips were out there. And I learned how to snowboard on those trips. Thinking about it now, the park was like anything I've seen back home, except they didn't have a freestyle park. The Japanese can rip! But like any park, there are riders of every level from beginner to expert.
The karoake places are great! You get your own room like a motel/hotel. The room is like a lounge with a table in the center and TV with a massive Karaoke collection. The idea is you rent the room for a few hours and if you want anything like drinks or food there's a menu on the table and you call the front desk. Shortly after calling they deliver your order to your room. Good times indeed.
Hibachi style restaurants are a definite must while you're there. Its' essentially a table that has its' own cooking surface. You order your food uncooked and then you cook it at your table. It is a social experience like none other. There are various different styles if hibachi eateries from a mainstream feel of a restaurant to the "tranquil garden". I like them all. There's a few that stand out in my mind like "Viking's" and one we called the "chicken shack". You gotta try to make some "shabu-shabu"!
Japanese curry is among the best out there. CoCo's is a franchised curry restaurant in Japan which is real good.
Japanese noodles are awesome! I personally love soba. You can find them anywhere from restaurants to your local lawson's or 7-11s
If you find yourself in Hiroshima, besides going to the clubbing/partying/leisure district, go to Peace Park which is where the United States dropped the Atomic bomb. What an appropriate name right? I've been to ground zero in Peace Park which is the exact spot where the bomb exploded. There are a bunch of oragami figures commemerating those who had pershed on that day. Vist Miyajima which has a small mountain on it which you could hike to the summit or be lazy like me and take the gondola. There are monkey's at the summit and interesting signs warning you about them stealing things and throwing things at you!
Another interesting aspect about Japan is the lack of censorship in certains aspects of life out there. Like arcades that have games that have nudity.
Gambling is illegal in Japan but you can go to a pachinko parlor and is a workaround the law. Basically you play on these pachinko machines with these shiny metal balls. Its' idea is loosely similar to slot machines and with the point being to increase the amount of the shiny metal balls you have. You can then trade these metal balls for money at an undisclosed location. I hear they are ran by the local Yakuza or mob.
Racketeering is very existent out there with certain local business being the victim. My homegirl owned a "buy me, drink me" bar in Hiroshima and she told me she was getting muscled by the local Yakuza for 25,000 yen a month which at the time was roughly equivalent to $250 US dollars.
I had also spent a few days in Osan, Korea. I know it's not Japan but I still thought it was very interesting and fun. What striked me was that Korea seems a LOT like Japan.
Would you go back to Japan?
Oh totally. I would even go as far as to live there!
There are probably some other things I'm forgetting but I'll update this as I can remember
