I lived in Japan AMA

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amother

Mon, Jul 01 2024, 10:25 pm

I lived in Japan for about 6 months once.
I’ll preface my post by saying I think it’s a beautiful place for a short visit but I would not recommend it as a place for frum yidden to live.
Ask away! Smile

amother

Maroon

Mon, Jul 01 2024, 10:29 pm

thats cool? what brought you there? why did you leave? did you live there alone? what food did you eat?

AlwaysHoping

Mon, Jul 01 2024, 10:31 pm

Did you pick up any Japanese?

amf

Mon, Jul 01 2024, 10:31 pm

Is the culture really as cold and impersonal as it's made out to be?

BusyBoys

Mon, Jul 01 2024, 10:35 pm

Are they respectful of other religions / cultures?

How are the houses there?

How many Jews did u meet up with there?

amother

Cerise

Mon, Jul 01 2024, 10:42 pm

Are there any kosher spots there?

amother

Freesia

Mon, Jul 01 2024, 11:47 pm

So cool!
Are the Japanese clean or dirty people ? Like food/ house/ public places

amother

Aster

Tue, Jul 02 2024, 12:19 am

Did you have any halachic dateline issues and how did you deal with it?

amother

Oak

Tue, Jul 02 2024, 7:34 am

Where you close to the Chabad house?

Miranda Wright

Tue, Jul 02 2024, 7:37 am

What do the Japanese know about Jews?
Do you have kids? Where do they go to school?

amother

Ballota

Tue, Jul 02 2024, 7:37 am

amother Freesia wrote:

So cool!
Are the Japanese clean or dirty people ? Like food/ house/ public places

They are known to be obsessed with cleanliness!

There are no public bins because people have their own private one in their bag. They bring their rubbish home with them!

amother

Cornsilk

Tue, Jul 02 2024, 7:40 am

Did you experience any racism as a foreigner?

amother

NeonBlue

Tue, Jul 02 2024, 7:49 am

Was your house/apartment nice?

Aurora

Tue, Jul 02 2024, 9:00 am

Is there anything you try to keep in the way you do things today?

Iymnok

Tue, Jul 02 2024, 9:06 am

As a child or adult?

amother

Leaf

Tue, Jul 02 2024, 9:08 am

OP, I lived in Japan too (with my family, for over a year, 2x). Don't want to take over your thread at all and don't want to bring in my own info (it's such a tiny number of Jews who spend significant time in Japan, it could easily identify me.) So I'll ask a question myself Smile

Did you live in Tokyo?

amother

Tue, Jul 02 2024, 9:21 am

amother Maroon wrote:

thats cool? what brought you there? why did you leave? did you live there alone? what food did you eat?

I went for a paid work internship. I left because the internship was for a set time period, when it ended I left. I lived in housing provided by my internship and it was built for Americans so it was American style not Japanese style housing, it was very spacious and comfortable.

So I actually had people help me kasher the apartment I was staying in and bought/cooked/ate my own food when I was there. I tried to bring food with me wherever I went since I didn’t really see readily available kosher food there. I was on the path/in the process of becoming frum when I was there.

amother

Tue, Jul 02 2024, 9:24 am

AlwaysHoping wrote:

Did you pick up any Japanese?

I tried online Japanese classes before I went and while I was there, it was hard. I think the online program taught me to say “the girl is running.” Didn’t amount to much help.
The biggest practical sentence I learned and practiced was “it’s my birthday today” and when it was my birthday I just walked around repeating that all day lol.
Most of the time I just said hi and thanks, and hi is different morning afternoon and evening so that was enough for me.

amother

Tue, Jul 02 2024, 9:26 am

[quote="amf"]Is the culture really as cold and impersonal as it's made out to be?[

I found the people there very polite and tried to be gracious. I didn’t get close to any people there, so I wouldn’t know. I think there’s a big cultural divide to getting close. I was cordial and friendly with my Japanese coworkers but our conversation topics were limited.

amother

Tue, Jul 02 2024, 9:32 am

BusyBoys wrote:

Are they respectful of other religions / cultures?

How are the houses there?

How many Jews did u meet up with there?

I think in Tokyo they were slowly becoming more aware of Orthodox Jews thanks to the presence of Chabad.
I met yidden at Chabad in Tokyo and another Chabad city I forgot the name. I don’t know how many, most were transient like me meaning were on vacation, there for short study or work periods, etc. I also met some who lived there more permanently as well, not so many.

I didn’t go into too many houses, the ones I did they seemed nice. Most houses have one room with a tatami mat floor instead of regular floor.

The kids slept on futon mats that they rolled up in the morning making a full room available when someone’s not sleeping.

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