2 years.

It's been nearly 2 years since I studied in Japan. It was the single most terrifying, exciting, spiritual and growing experience of my life. I've lost touch with some, but have created even stronger bonds with others. Looking back on my experience, I realize just how much I changed and learned about myself. Being alone in Japan forced me to break out of my shell and for that I'll be eternally grateful.

Currently, I'm about to graduate with my Bachelor's of Fine Art. It's a scary time in my life. Sometimes I get so flustered and frustrated that I cry, or have a mini panic attack. What am I going to DO with my life now? My time in Japan has helped me cope with the stress of figuring everything out. I applied to graduate school and have been accepted into a couple schools. My love for Japan still resides in my heart and makes me wonder if I should just move to Japan and teach English. But then I think, maybe I could teach college art in Japan with my graduate degree. Another issue to work out. I do know one thing: I will go back to Japan, it just depends on when?

Then... and Now

It’s been a long nine months here in Japan but at the same time not nearly long enough. When I first arrived I was scared and excited about everything around me. I had no understanding of the things that I saw around me on an everyday basis until I really got my hands dirty. I had no formal experience with anthropology until this past semester, nor had I really thought back on what I was seeing and experiencing around me. Stepping back and looking upon what I see through this class has been a great opportunity for me. I’ve realized the importance of not judging a culture by one’s own standards but by theirs. Also, I’ve learned that while you may write something off it may actually hold some importance in society, great or small.

Hiroshima Abomb Dome

Kyoto Shopping street

Having seen Hiroshima’s A-bomb dome, Kyoto’s Golden Pavilion, and the white sands of Okinawa, I’ve come to realize how diverse Japan is. The language has many dialects which vary from place to place. From traditional to modern, Japan has it all. One can visit several Kyoto temples and shrines, then go shopping in the thriving city life, all within walking distance of a train station. My thoughts on style have also changed. At first I thought everyone dressed the same but upon closer inspection I have realized that people do individualize even if it’s different from what I’m used to.

Temple in Okinawa on beach

Miyavi borrowed from: http://www.myspace.com/miyavi

One of the highlights of my stay was seeing my favorite singer, Miyavi, in concert. Of course it was nice to be there for the show, however the fans were probably the most memorable. A Japanese guy standing next to me during the show, despite a rather obvious language barrier, had the courage to interact with me. It was nice to see that even without the ability to communicate to one another with words we were able to bond over music and have fun together while rocking out. This was special to me because many times in Japan, Japanese people would be leery of getting anywhere near foreigners. This had discouraged me, because I fell in love with Japan and had wanted to interact with the locals. This guy and several others reached out and welcomed me into their lives even if for only a moment. I finally felt accepted in Japan nearly 7 months after I arrived.

Osaka, Okinawa, it’s all the same… right?

Wrong. Excluding the obvious differences in geography and climate, Okinawa and Osaka are very different. Suppose someone told you that Hawaii and North Dakota were the same - how would you react? Probably by shaking your head vehemently and saying no a little louder than is necessary. Like the United States, Japan varies greatly depending on where you are; and yet, many people do not seem to know that. My parents, for example, did not realize just how large Japan actually is until I told them how many hours there were between Osaka and Tokyo. My grandparents were even worse; in fact I think a lot of people in the United States may just classify all of Asia as one entity when in fact they are quite distinctly dissimilar.

Granted, some of the things in Osaka and Okinawa were similar, but the overall feel was completely different. Both Osaka and Okinawa have shopping districts where one can find pretty much everything under the sun. However the goods are hardly the same at all. Shinsaibashi in Osaka has an abundance of large chain stores, while in Kokusai, Okinawa there are a wide variety of mom-and-pop shops. Another difference is transportation. In mainland Japan the train system is very extensive, while in Okinawa they rely heavily on the monorail, taxis and buses. The language is also different. Not to mention that while sitting on the beach you would think you are no longer in Japan.

Shinsaibashi, Osaka, Japan

Okinawa, Japan

Finally on to the mood of each place. Osaka is a typical city: busy, bright, and loud. In Okinawa, on the other hand, even the heart of the city was really relaxed and people were not in a huge hurry. Osaka lacks places to sit and relax but in Okinawa there were several benches strewn around at which people could sit down and take a load off. I am not saying either is better, but rather that they are merely different. Japan is not just Asian, and it certainly is not the same country wide. The variety still astounds me.

Welcome to the night bus where sleep is not guaranteed

One of the major differences that I have noticed between Japan and the United States (where I live) is the access to transportation. There is an abundance of transportation options throughout Japan such as trains (sleeper trains, bullet trains, and local trains), ferries (normally to Korea), planes and buses. Prices and lengths of time vary depending on which option you take. Recently a group of my friends and I decided that we would go to Korea and that taking the night bus would be the cheapest way to get to Fukuoka (where we would catch a ferry to Korea). The night bus was appealing because it was reasonably priced and would only take about 9 hours during the night. Thinking that I could sleep for those 9 hours, I agreed. However what I experienced was not at all what I had expected.

We arrived at the bus terminal about an hour before our bus was set to leave. Our first problem occurred here. None of us spoke incredible amounts of Japanese so it took about 45 minutes to figure out where to go to check in. When we finally found the bus and got boarded on, I was excited. This would be my first time on the night bus. I was exhausted from classes that day and thus thought that, sitting in the back of the bus with enough room to stretch my legs out, I would be able to get to sleep relatively fast. Sleep never happened. I spent 9 hours on a dark bus wide awake.

Another thing that struck me as odd: there was no bathroom. I was slightly afraid of what that meant...would I have to hold it for 9 hours?! The friends I was traveling with (experienced night bus users) reassured me that I wouldn’t have to worry about it, because the bus would stop to let passengers go to the bathroom or stretch their legs every two or three hours . In all it was not a terrible experience but I will definitely not take the night bus in the near future.

Ink Splatters

There’s no limit to taboo issues in Japan; more than can be covered in a semester long blog. One of the most widely known by outside viewers would be the existence of the Yakuza (a mafia like group). Typically the Japanese differentiate Yakuza members from “normal” citizens by the clothes they wear (fitted suits, shiny pointed shoes), missing pinky knuckles, and tattoos. An article at TruTV says the following about Yakuza tattoos:

"Yakuza members also favor tattoos, but theirs are elaborate body murals that often cover the entire torso, front and back, as well the arms to below the elbow and the legs to mid-calf. Naked, a fully tattooed yakuza looks like he's wearing long underwear. Dragons, flowers, mountainous landscapes, turbulent seascapes, gang insignias and abstract designs are typical images used for yakuza body art. The application of these extensive tattoos is painful and can take hundreds of hours, but the process is considered a test of a man's mettle."

Tattoo Artist at work: Nattsu

I myself have two tattoos of my own and have been given terrified looks and in a couple of instances people have refused to sit next to me on the train when they catch a glimpse of them. Some hot springs refuse entrance to those who have tattoos and people seem genuinely scared of them.

Female tattoo artist: Nattsu

But tattoos aren’t limited to just burly Yakuza men. Women throughout Japan have been showing more interest in tattoos recently. According to an article in the Japan Times, women may be leading the way in dissolving the harsh image that tattoos have in Japan. For instance, the older generation may find it hard to believe that tattoos can be ‘cute,’ but for many women that is the very image they hold. Nattsu (mentioned in the article), an Osaka based tattoo artist is one of these women. I had the opportunity to meet Nattsu when a friend of mine decided to get a tattoo from her, and looking through her portfolio I saw brightly colored flowers and cats as well as Manga styled images. She was also one of the nicest people that I have met here in Japan; nothing at all like the gruff, rude, or scary image of a Yakuza man.

Cutesy tattoo design done by Nattsu

Nattsu, my friend, and the receptionist (all women and all heavily tattooed)

Nattsu herself is covered in tattoos ranging from an eyeball on her right arm to a cutesy animal with a bow atop its head on her chest. She was diligent in working and very proud of the things she has created. Though she has a steady job tattooing others, another tattoo artist said in the Japan Times article:

"I foresee a generation of elaborately tattooed homeless in the future," says Hata from Koenji's Inkrat studio, only half jokingly. "It's hard to get bank loans and rental contracts with visible tattoos. Things haven't changed much."

Hopefully in the near future Japan’s perception on tattoos will change so that those with tattoos don’t have such a hard time.

The L and N words

Every photographer has their own style and working methods. Some are in your face and have little to no ethics, while others prefer to blend into the background and are exceedingly conscious of their subject and the circumstances surrounding them. Some photograph regular people or celebrities, and some decide that war is of more interest to them. Annie Leibovitz and James Natchwey are both photographers, yet they are both very different from each other.

Leibovitz started her long affair with her camera at a young age. She would snap pictures of those she saw around her and eventually approached The Rolling Stone magazine to photograph for them. She likes to get to know her subject, almost to become one with them. Leibovitz does as her subject does, whether it is partying with The Rolling Stones or having a conversation with a fellow photographer. Now a photographer for Vanity Fair, she sets up shots with A-list celebrities. She has a flair for controversy, such as capturing a very pregnant and very naked Demi Moore on the cover of a magazine, or putting Whoopi Goldberg in a tub of milk to act as a metaphor of breaking through a predominately white entertainment world. She captures a moment of a person and does not back down.

Vanity Fair cover August 1991 borrowed from: http://blog.arting365.com/space.php?uid=399046&do=blog&id=273490

Natchwey, on the other hand is exceptionally different than Leibovitz. He risks his life to capture the truth about war and poverty across the globe. Natchwey, whether he is being shot at or tear gassed, puts himself in the thick of the action when others would back away. Though it may seem at first that he is intruding, he in fact is being very cautious of his subjects’ feelings and spends an extensive amount of time getting to know his subjects as to be accepted by them. He captures grieving, war, and poverty with an extreme amount of sensitivity. Whether his assignment is to capture the devastation of war in Kosovo or the poverty in Indonesia, he takes care and time to capture his subject as closely as possible.

Kosovo, 1999- Imprint of a man killed by Serbs borrowed from: http://www.jamesnachtwey.com/

While in different fields, they both take time and put forth the effort to really get to know their subject. This results in a very true to life depiction of their subjects. Each photographer refuses to shy away from controversy and embraces the moment taken in the photograph whether happy or horrid.

A portrait of the People

It’s nearly impossible to study Japan without interacting with the locals, however having little knowledge of the Japanese language makes this a difficult situation. So when faced with the assignment to photograph a Japanese person I decided to ask a classmate of mine if it would be okay to take pictures of him. We agreed to meet up the next day. When he arrived the following afternoon, he asked me what I wanted him to do; and since I am learning about the Japanese culture I wanted it to be as natural as possible. So we sat down and just started talking.

I learned that while he seems shy he’s really talkative, a tad goofy, interested in tourism and is certified to give tours in Japan. We talked about the differences between our cultures (The United States and Japan). I found out that while the Japanese celebrate Christmas it is mostly about the children instead of a family gathering. He also gave me a better appreciation for the Japanese writing system. He said that in Japanese if you forget the kanji for a word you can always just write it in hiragana but in Chinese if you forget it, you are pretty much out of luck. We also talked about how in the United States the public transportation system is not as widely available as in Japan and how greasy some of the food is in the United States. As we talked I would snap a picture here and there, waiting for him to get distracted in order to avoid him throwing up the peace sign or just randomly posing. All in all I like to believe that both of us learned a little more about each other’s cultures.