Current Events > AMA about living in Japan

(+) Yeah! (+)

Been here 6 months on a student visa, finally returning to the states next week and I can't wait to eat some taco bell
---

japan doesn't have taco bells? l o fucking l dude
---

How many used panties have you purchased from vending machines?
---

A stupid question but do they serve Chinese over there?
---

Pancake posted...

japan doesn't have taco bells? l o fucking l dude

There's one in Shibuya but it's out of the way and not that good

UrCa1988 posted...

How many used panties have you purchased from vending machines?

I looked it up online and specifically went to the location this was supposed to be at but there was nothing there so either they removed it or it was a lie all along.

faizan_faizan posted...

A stupid question but do they serve Chinese over there?

Yeah there's plenty of Chinese restaurants and every city has a "Chinatown"
---

What was the biggest change you had to make since you arrived from the states?
---

username191 posted...

What was the biggest change you had to make since you arrived from the states?

Probably not the answer you're looking for, but being able to go out and do things by myself. Back in the States I would never do things like go to a restaurant or to the movies by myself but here I do it all the time because there's less of a stigma and I have no friends.
---

2D or 3D?
---

Where the hoes at?
---

How comfortable do you find transportation there?
---

Did you feel you were stereotyped or looked at in a negative way? And would you recommend it as a place for other students to go?
---

Was it exactly like your animes?
---

Pancake posted...

japan doesn't have taco bells? l o fucking l dude

Japan's plumbing can't handle Taco Bell .
---

Are you ethnically Japanese? If not, have you experienced any racism or xenophobia?

GAMERCAMRY posted...

2D or 3D?

depends on my mood

yanksfan4247 posted...

Where the hoes at?

home because japan is sexist and girls have super early curfews

FlashOfLight posted...

How comfortable do you find transportation there?

very, I think the public transportation is so much more comfortable and even easier to navigate than in NYC. I've never seen the "pushers" in those videos that get spread around online.

jenningsnash313 posted...

Did you feel you were stereotyped or looked at in a negative way? And would you recommend it as a place for other students to go?

Not really, some of my white and black friends have been stopped by police and asked to show their residence cards but I personally haven't. Worst that's happened is I've been turned away from a restaurant for not speaking Japanese. Sometimes people won't sit next to me on the train.

To your second question, hard to say. I had a bit of unique experience in that I went to an American/International university so it wasn't like a traditional Japanese college. I love Tokyo, but I don't think I'd want to live here for longer than 6 months or a year. Growing up in New York I was surprised how early everything closes for such a big city. The trains stop running at midnight and the cabs are super expensive, and it's really too big to walk places so it may seem like a minor thing but my freedom definitely felt restricted.

CrimsonAngeI posted...

Was it exactly like your animes?

No, there aren't even subtitles wtf.
---

XxKrazyChaosxX posted...

Japan's plumbing can't handle Taco Bell .

I eat taco bell all the time and it's never once given me the shits, this rumor needs to die.

McDonald's on the other hand...

treewojima posted...

Are you ethnically Japanese? If not, have you experienced any racism or xenophobia?

I'm white, see above.
---

How is sushi different when compared to Americanized sushi?

Did you try different types of Saki?
---

On a scale of 1 to 10, how kawaii was it?

Dustin1280 posted...

How is sushi different when compared to Americanized sushi?

Did you try different types of Saki?

First of all, sushi rolls are pretty much entirely an American invention and nonexistent here. Sushi here is a thin slice of raw fish over a big mound of rice, and it's usually frowned upon to put wasabi or soy sauce on it. I definitely like and appreciate both just like I love both New York pizza and actual pizza in Italy. However, the sushi I had in Osaka was GOAT.

If you mean sake, I've had plenty. I went to a couple different breweries and tasting places and have gotten pretty f***ed up. I like the sweet kind better but overall I think the consistency is weird and I'm not really a fan tbh.
---

Feline_Heart posted...

On a scale of 1 to 10, how kawaii was it?

7/10 pretty kawaii desu

byron posted...

Are you a weeb?

yeah but not as much as I used to be, anime has a hard time holding my interest these days. Sometimes when I see giant billboards with anime on them and people cosplaying in the streets I think that I would've appreciated shit like that more if I had come here 3 years ago.
---

what do your average young people do for fun in japan?

how present is anime/otaku shit? is it still seen as like a niche thing or is it socially acceptable?

if you've played it, how realistic is persona 5 in terms of how daily life for a teenager in Japan is? not like the anime/fantasy shit but in terms of the day to day life of kids there
---

JRaasin posted...

yanksfan4247 posted...

Where the hoes at?

home because japan is sexist and girls have super early curfews

Mannnnnnn
---

do those bath houses just have you bathe with everyone?
---

Do they blend placentas in drinking water?
---

Did you run into any of those "strange" vending machines?
---

Romulox28 posted...

what do your average young people do for fun in japan?

how present is anime/otaku shit? is it still seen as like a niche thing or is it socially acceptable?

if you've played it, how realistic is persona 5 in terms of how daily life for a teenager in Japan is? not like the anime/fantasy shit but in terms of the day to day life of kids there

drink I guess. Karaoke is also pretty popular. Not too much different that in the U.S., but when I'm invited to "go out" in America it's usually getting hammered at a loud bar or club and dancing. "Going out" with Japanese kids, food is always just as involved as drinking is and almost all bars/izakaya require you to order food as well as drinks.

anime/otaku shit is very prevalent here in Tokyo, and those comics you see online that are like "hurr otakus are just are just as shunned in japan" are bullshit. There are entire neighborhoods like Harajuku and Akihabara built around otaku culture. Even outside there, I see anime shit every day. There are kawaii anime girls on the sides of buildings, girls dressed up in cosplay on my morning commute, and anime merch sold at like every retail store. It's definitely super mainstream.

I haven't played Persona 5 lol, my PS4 is back in the states but I'll play it next week and let ya know ;)

E32005 posted...

do those bath houses just have you bathe with everyone?

They're separated by gender, but you're completely nude. I went to one once with a bunch of people I knew and was pretty uncomfortable.

Chicken posted...

Do they blend placentas in drinking water?

idk i hope not

Dustin1280 posted...

Did you run into any of those "strange" vending machines?

see above
---

I've got nothing to ask, just came here to wish you had fun over there mang, it's always nice to get to know different places, especially something as far and different as Japan.

I hope I get the chance to visit one of these days.
---

Have you witnessed any students killing themselves yet?
---

What's deeding culture like over there
---

Do you have big american penis?
---

JRaasin posted...

drink I guess. Karaoke is also pretty popular. Not too much different that in the U.S., but when I'm invited to "go out" in America it's usually getting hammered at a loud bar or club and dancing. "Going out" with Japanese kids, food is always just as involved as drinking is and almost all bars/izakaya require you to order food as well as drinks.

Sounds about right.

The fact public transportation is never late... ever (well... there's one reason) is a very nice change.
---

have you been to Akihabara
---

How many weird commercials have you seen?
---

Did you go to a maid cafe?

How cute are Japanese girls? I heard the typical Japanese girl is not as attractive as people are lead to believe.
---

Hakuniwa posted...

I've got nothing to ask, just came here to wish you had fun over there mang, it's always nice to get to know different places, especially something as far and different as Japan.

I hope I get the chance to visit one of these days.

cheers brotha

glitteringfairy posted...

What's deeding culture like over there

you deed to honor the emperor

Guy_Fieri posted...

Do you have big american penis?

yeah

Freddie_Mercury posted...

have you been to Akihabara

Yes, regularly. There's an internet cafe there that I go to pretty often since I don't have a PC here or anything.

Fun anecdote for ya. Every time I've been there, there's a Japanese girl that's also always there without fail. She sits in the same chair and plays the same game. I'm convinced she lives there. Last week I was sitting directly across from her (the layout is kinda like desk cubicles but there's openings in the dividers). My friend and I write a note in Japanese that read "Hello, we are American exchange student, what game are you playing?" or something to that effect. I passed it across, watched her pick it up, read it, put it back down and go back to playing her game. Bitch was stone cold.


Turbam posted...

How many weird commercials have you seen?

so many, just when I think they can't get weirder I'm always surprised.
---

Why was I skipped?
---

Scarecrow1711 posted...

Did you go to a maid cafe?

How cute are Japanese girls? I heard the typical Japanese girl is not as attractive as people are lead to believe.

nah, haven't been to a maid cafe.

Idk they're usually really cute, the ones that go out in public anyway. They usually go pretty hard with the makeup and accessories and shit though so maybe they look totally different under all that idk.
---

What do you miss the most about the US (besides obvious stuff like family/friends/etc)?
---

Have you seen many doges
---

Romulox28 posted...

What do you miss the most about the US (besides obvious stuff like family/friends/etc)?

Food. Shit like buffalo wings, mac and cheese, good pizza and sandwiches you can't really get here. I'm so f***ing sick of rice. I miss being able to get in my car at any hour of the night and go get an extra large soda and a 50 piece mcnuggets.

also my girlfriend
---

The_Doge posted...

Have you seen many doges

honestly yes, so many old Japanese are out walking their shiba inus
---

Did you see any crazy japanese styles like ganguro from the 90s?
---

Dustin1280 posted...

Did you see any crazy japanese styles like ganguro from the 90s?

yep, the ganguros come out at night in Shibuya and try to get to you to come into their shady bars.

I'm pretty sure all the ones I've seen have actually been black or at least southeast asain, though.
---

SerperiorThanU posted...

It's pretty amazing how absolutely ignorant CE is of actual Japanese culture.

You mean because most of them haven't been to japan and only have the internet to go off of?

Doesn't seem that crazy to me, almost expected.
---

SerperiorThanU posted...

It's pretty amazing how absolutely ignorant CE is of actual Japanese culture.

Not as amazing as you not knowing when people are joking

SerperiorThanU posted...

It's pretty amazing how absolutely ignorant CE is of actual Japanese culture.

Don't be pretentious. Are you supposed to be familiar with every culture in the world that you haven't had much exposure to?
---

I would totally follow a ganguro girl to a shady bar just for the hell of it...

It's so unsettling I would enjoy it somehow...
---

Have you been petting the doges and been getting wow?
---