Very interesting read! I love the Japanese culture. I know what you mean. I have experienced this solitary society aspect as something positive and wasn't really confronted by it because I was traveling with Amieke at the time.
But the consequences of a society like this are very serious indeed. I haven't thought about it that way. During my 10 weeks, I saw a lot of social interaction among youth, females and males alike. But the group of people you mention are of course invisible in the streets as they are home, gaming or watching anime.
It does explain the amount of sexually frustrated middle aged men who need disgusting sex toys or porn haha.
I will definitely be going back. I also know that an introvert like Amieke will definitely love living there if she ever goes.
Agreed! Katharina absolutely loves it. She'd live there if she could already. I struggle a little bit more. But as you know I'm a *little* more extroverted.
I'm slowly learning and accepting how Japanese friendliness is often more hobby and group or community related then individual, especially at the beginning.
So when we're planning to be in Osaka next week we're planning more time in those social settings with expats and Japanese language exchanges to truly give it a shot.
Because for me countries often come down to the people. Without Japanese which I might be lying where I don't feel like I can learn enough in a short period to befriend someone, but could at least give it a shot. If we decide to spend another month then I'm going to enroll in at least a week or two of language school as well.
Haha, Osaka is amazing in itself. I do have a contact though. She used to be a guide and speaks perfect English as well. I was in Osaka during Golden Week in 2023 so everybody in Japan moved around. It was a super random encounter (like one you would feel is scripted in a game) but a nice conversation about Japan.
In Osaka, of course the castle and its surrounding parcs are a recommendation. When we were there, it was very alive because the sun was out and everybody had a week off. Joy everywhere!
Dotonburi is very unique as well. Streets with lots of lights and culture.
We spent a week in Osaka in 2023, but had some rainy days where we didn't visit a lot of things. I feel like there is still a lot more to do there.
We went to Nara to the deer park. Beautiful park albeit with 'trained' deers (they see and do). They bow to get a deer cookie haha. But the park itself is also beautiful.
Universal World was on our list of course haha. An amazing themepark with Super Nintendo World.
You can probably plan a couple of day trips in surrounding cities from Osaka.
If you want, I can share my contact with you through Whatsapp. She is definitely a nice conversation partner haha. With lots of extrovert energy.
100% - It's not all of Japan but it is certainly a major component of it. In fact in Japan it often appears you either follow all the rules, or you rebel against them - again still in moderate ways. Have pink hair and go-go boots - but still jaywalking would get you a gasp. There's a lot of beauty in this order, but also a lot of limitations as well.
Well... I think humans is probably too broad a term. Each culture and sub-group is so different and has the ability to choose to be - which is one of the things that makes humanity (and existence) so cool. Japanese people as a whole would never choose to act as self-centered as Americans. Americans would never choose to be as respectful of the whole as Japanese. Each group should get to decide in their own right what they want and experiment - with some fairly large caveats of taking away others rights, exploitation and threat. There's so many nuances and different ways of presenting and being at a national, global, community, level. It's constantly oscillating and fluctuating. So I guess, yes and no? Each human can find *their* happy medium and then it floats up in ever more complex ways?
Thinking about it more carefully, I think part of my question was predicated on a thought: What IS the happy medium? Perhaps it only exists at the individual level. Perhaps, as you say, it can only be approximated by each community for itself.
And I find myself wondering where I personally would most like to be on that continuum. I like peace, order, and clean streets, but I am definitely not into conforming!
Very interesting read! I love the Japanese culture. I know what you mean. I have experienced this solitary society aspect as something positive and wasn't really confronted by it because I was traveling with Amieke at the time.
But the consequences of a society like this are very serious indeed. I haven't thought about it that way. During my 10 weeks, I saw a lot of social interaction among youth, females and males alike. But the group of people you mention are of course invisible in the streets as they are home, gaming or watching anime.
It does explain the amount of sexually frustrated middle aged men who need disgusting sex toys or porn haha.
I will definitely be going back. I also know that an introvert like Amieke will definitely love living there if she ever goes.
Agreed! Katharina absolutely loves it. She'd live there if she could already. I struggle a little bit more. But as you know I'm a *little* more extroverted.
I'm slowly learning and accepting how Japanese friendliness is often more hobby and group or community related then individual, especially at the beginning.
So when we're planning to be in Osaka next week we're planning more time in those social settings with expats and Japanese language exchanges to truly give it a shot.
Because for me countries often come down to the people. Without Japanese which I might be lying where I don't feel like I can learn enough in a short period to befriend someone, but could at least give it a shot. If we decide to spend another month then I'm going to enroll in at least a week or two of language school as well.
If you have recommendations let me know!
Haha, Osaka is amazing in itself. I do have a contact though. She used to be a guide and speaks perfect English as well. I was in Osaka during Golden Week in 2023 so everybody in Japan moved around. It was a super random encounter (like one you would feel is scripted in a game) but a nice conversation about Japan.
In Osaka, of course the castle and its surrounding parcs are a recommendation. When we were there, it was very alive because the sun was out and everybody had a week off. Joy everywhere!
Dotonburi is very unique as well. Streets with lots of lights and culture.
We spent a week in Osaka in 2023, but had some rainy days where we didn't visit a lot of things. I feel like there is still a lot more to do there.
We went to Nara to the deer park. Beautiful park albeit with 'trained' deers (they see and do). They bow to get a deer cookie haha. But the park itself is also beautiful.
Universal World was on our list of course haha. An amazing themepark with Super Nintendo World.
You can probably plan a couple of day trips in surrounding cities from Osaka.
If you want, I can share my contact with you through Whatsapp. She is definitely a nice conversation partner haha. With lots of extrovert energy.
I would love that! Send it over and I’ll take a look. Osaka currently is the main hope to find a place nice to spend a month and sink in.
I got a lot out of reading this. I had always wondered about the opportunity costs associated with Japan's orderly society.
100% - It's not all of Japan but it is certainly a major component of it. In fact in Japan it often appears you either follow all the rules, or you rebel against them - again still in moderate ways. Have pink hair and go-go boots - but still jaywalking would get you a gasp. There's a lot of beauty in this order, but also a lot of limitations as well.
Is there any way for we humans to find a happy medium in anything?!
Well... I think humans is probably too broad a term. Each culture and sub-group is so different and has the ability to choose to be - which is one of the things that makes humanity (and existence) so cool. Japanese people as a whole would never choose to act as self-centered as Americans. Americans would never choose to be as respectful of the whole as Japanese. Each group should get to decide in their own right what they want and experiment - with some fairly large caveats of taking away others rights, exploitation and threat. There's so many nuances and different ways of presenting and being at a national, global, community, level. It's constantly oscillating and fluctuating. So I guess, yes and no? Each human can find *their* happy medium and then it floats up in ever more complex ways?
Rightly said, and I agree.
Thinking about it more carefully, I think part of my question was predicated on a thought: What IS the happy medium? Perhaps it only exists at the individual level. Perhaps, as you say, it can only be approximated by each community for itself.
And I find myself wondering where I personally would most like to be on that continuum. I like peace, order, and clean streets, but I am definitely not into conforming!