Best countries to live in ...

[saildog]

Going from Canada to Japan (to live) would be like going from living in a Victorian Mansion to living in a matchbox -- and it would probably cost more to boot

One of the gifts, and curses, of that society is it is not unusual for three, even four(!) generations to be living together under one roof.

The younger generation tended to have cars decked out like living-rooms, just so they had somewhere to go for peace and quiet AND those living arrangements explain a lot when it comes to the stellar nightlife and club-scene. How else can you explain karaoke?

[Mikey]

..........

There are restaurants, bars and even hotels that you can not eat at or stay in if you are white (or not Japanese. . . you don;t want to be a Korean in Japan). You can never get citizen ship and you can't live there forever. My brother married to a Japanese, now turned 50, is finding it harder to stay there all the time; they put up barriers and complications. It is a very complex and in some ways bizarre culture, with unbelievable political corruption that occurs very much in the open much of the time. As a tourist you don't get to see the undercurrents.

Interesting stuff.

I never knew that.

[saildog]

On the money Mikey!

And I have a brother who has lived there for about 25 years (married to a Japanese). He loves it. . . .he was destined to live there, and loved all things Japanese from the time he was a small boy watching Shintaro the Sumari. BUT. . . .yeah - it is a nice place to visit and I have been a few times, but I wouldn't want to live there. There is a very raciest element to some parts of the culture.

There are restaurants, bars and even hotels that you can not eat at or stay in if you are white (or not Japanese. . . you don;t want to be a Korean in Japan). You can never get citizen ship and you can't live there forever. My brother married to a Japanese, now turned 50, is finding it harder to stay there all the time; they put up barriers and complications. It is a very complex and in some ways bizarre culture, with unbelievable political corruption that occurs very much in the open much of the time. As a tourist you don't get to see the undercurrents.



Did you see any of the underbelly Saildog?

I know Cat lived there for a few years, and I think she loved it !!

Yeah, that it a very present and real aspect of it all. I got crossed-arms (forearms crossed in front of the body so as to make an "X") when trying to go to clubs and I got yelled at by old-timers. Even the incredible grace, courtesy and accommodation I was shown was off-set by a very real perception that deep down, I was not an equal. I realized that, but what the hell.

However, in the grand-scheme of things, it is almost imperceptible and while I could say to someone, "I know what it's like to be called out by race and discriminated against.", it wasn't my country (that is a verrrry different thing) and I was able to let it go and move on. There were incidents, but nothing that scarred me or soured my overall experience.

It might be very hard for someone to understand the subtleties of this statement, especially someone from the States, but I knew my place and rolled with that. I didn't have anything to prove, so I just accepted what graciousness and courtesy I was given and that was plenty.

[cjefferys]

I was there for three years and the difference in it all was getting to know some of the people. One of my American friends was married to a Japanese Girl and her family was very gracious and welcoming of his friends. I had some of the best times of my life hanging out with them and their many friends. They would call me up to just come hang out and man, did we ever chow-down and laugh and have a good time. I hated to leave.

Oh yeah, the people are great. My wife's family and friends are wonderful, and I love hanging out with them (luckily a lot of them know a fair amount of English, so I don't have to rely on my shaky Japanese as often). I have a blast going out eating and drinking with them (especially my father-in-law, who always takes us to nice places and pays for everything )

There is a very raciest element to some parts of the culture.

There are restaurants, bars and even hotels that you can not eat at or stay in if you are white (or not Japanese. . . you don;t want to be a Korean in Japan). You can never get citizen ship and you can't live there forever. My brother married to a Japanese, now turned 50, is finding it harder to stay there all the time; they put up barriers and complications. It is a very complex and in some ways bizarre culture, with unbelievable political corruption that occurs very much in the open much of the time. As a tourist you don't get to see the undercurrents.

A lot of this does ring very true. It is still a very xenophobic society on many levels, and you are absolutely correct about the barriers and rules that exist but are things that tourists would be completely unaware of. There are some crazy rules that my wife tells me about that often make me say "But why?? That doesn't even make any sense and something like that would never happen here in Canada"

What problems is your brother having though. As long as he's married to a Japanese woman, he should be able to live and work there ok (but not obtain citizenship as you mention). I'm just curious about what problems he may be having in case we decide to move there some day.

[AUSSIE-Rebooted-AMM]

My brother went to stay in a holiday he booked at a hotel affiliated with the Prefecture he worked for. When they arrived. . . .it was no whites allowed. . . .it didn't matter that they had booked. . . .or that he worked for the same people. It was policy! Needless to say my brother and his japanese wife were not pleased. They were told if there was a fire, they couldn't communicate with him, to tell him to get out of the building. . . .He was of course. . . .talking to the in perfect Japanese at the time. They lost and that was the end of their visit.

I know another time, he and a few American and Canadian buddies went to a place, where you load your tray and then pay when you get to the till/register. They waited until they got to the front, and refused to take their money. . . .No whites policy. One of the American Pals,. . . . .turned his tray upside down over the register. . . .he was probably lucky not to have been arrested and deported.

I think my brother still has to carry his passport on him everywhere he goes, even after 25 years.

And you don't want to be there during an earth quake either. . . .unless things have changed since 1993. . . . .Kobe. Racial considerations controlled aid given, resulting in withdrawl of support from Red Cross's around the world.

[toys2cool]

On the money Mikey!

And I have a brother who has lived there for about 25 years (married to a Japanese). He loves it. . . .he was destined to live there, and loved all things Japanese from the time he was a small boy watching Shintaro the Sumari. BUT. . . .yeah - it is a nice place to visit and I have been a few times, but I wouldn't want to live there. There is a very raciest element to some parts of the culture.

There are restaurants, bars and even hotels that you can not eat at or stay in if you are white (or not Japanese. . . you don;t want to be a Korean in Japan). You can never get citizen ship and you can't live there forever. My brother married to a Japanese, now turned 50, is finding it harder to stay there all the time; they put up barriers and complications. It is a very complex and in some ways bizarre culture, with unbelievable political corruption that occurs very much in the open much of the time. As a tourist you don't get to see the undercurrents.



Did you see any of the underbelly Saildog?

I know Cat lived there for a few years, and I think she loved it !!

It's true, My sister's a Marine who was stationed there for a bit and she says they can't stand Americans, when going out they make you go in groups so you don't get jumped by the Japanese gangs, she says a lot of the parts were pretty scary

[AUSSIE-Rebooted-AMM]

I experienced the most amazing generosity and welcome and care from many Japanese when I visited, and had an ABSOLUTE BALL!! Japan is a FANTASTIC place, don't get me wrong.

You can only remain whilst you have work. . . .and the magic number seems to be 42. . . .after that almost no one will keep a foreigner employed. My Brother has been very lucky. . . .but every year it is a gamble whether he gets renewed, which is already unheard of, that he is at his age. He never knows one year to the next if he will have work or be able to continue to live there. He is an Associate Professor of English at a Medical University.

[saildog]

I experienced the most amazing generosity and welcome and care from many Japanese when I visited, and had an ABSOLUTE BALL!! Japan is a FANTASTIC place, don't get me wrong.

You can only remain whilst you have work. . . .and the magic number seems to be 42. . . .after that almost no one will keep a foreigner employed. My Brother has been very lucky. . . .but every year it is a gamble whether he gets renewed, which is already unheard of, that he is at his age. He never knows one year to the next if he will have work or be able to continue to live there. He is an Associate Professor of English at a Medical University.

Dave, your points are ringing absolutely true.

I need to temper my enthusiasm with the disclosure that I was there as a US Military Member and while I lived "out in town", I was never fully on my own.

My experience would have been completely different if I didn't have "Uncle Sam" to fall back on and it is in that context that I would choose to go back. Can't imagine trying to carve out a life there under any other circumstance.

[AUSSIE-Rebooted-AMM]

Even still. . . . .what a place to visit. . . just amazing. . . . even mind blowing many of the things I saw, did, and the people that we met!

[Mikey]

Damn, Dave

I can't believe all that !!!

Why does your brother put up with it ?

He should just leave that god-awful place

[AUSSIE-Rebooted-AMM]

He loves it. . . . .although it is starting to wear thin... But from the time he was a small boy. . . .he was drawn to the Japanese culture. . . .it is just what he always loved and wanted. . . . .but starting to grow tired of the modern day realities and stress.

[saildog]

I gotta say, the feeling of, "Hey, less than me!" I got from the Japanese was no different for me than walking into a room of people who talk like Mr. William F. Buckley, Jr. and having them think, "This fellow looks and sounds a lot like Garth Brooks. He must be stupid!".

I'm used to that.

[Mikey]

I didn't know they were raaaa-sist



m

[saildog]

I didn't know they were raaaa-sist

http://megomuseum.com/mmgallery/files/7/cleese_original.jpg

m

And finally, a wafer thin mint.

[Hector]

Is it even legal to travel to Cuba ? ... not counting Guantanamo Bay

I always wondered that.

Only in the U.S.

As far as I know...the rest of the world can freely go to Cuba.