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.