Japanese Citizenship

The panelist didn’t know that you could renounce your citizenship to become a Japanese citizen.  Please see this information about Renouncing Former Nationalities.  The rest of the blog has some valid information as well.

I also encourage anyone serious about moving to Japan to head over to JapanSoc and SEARCH for keywords like:  citizenship, and immigration.

I would suggest visiting TokyoCooney’s vlog on FYI Tokyo, for the real skinny about moving to and living in Japan.

You might also want to read this article on recent Immigration Procedures.

REALISTICALLY: It’s not going to happen.  I really don’t like to be the bearer of bad news, but the chances of you living your life as you imagine it as a Japanese citizen is nearly zero.  Yes, there are exceptions, and those who have done this, but these are few and far between.  Even if you qualify for the technical aspects a decade or so after arriving in Japan, you may find living there actually difficult.  Talk to some expats and get a real sense of things before you embark on the technical.  And seriously visit there a few times, as long as a visitor’s VISA will allow (3 months at a time for Canadians).

Renting an Apartment

This came up at the panel last night too.  The only time you should consider renting an apartment in Tokyo is if you will be staying for more than a year.  Otherwise, try Gaijin houses, hotels, hostels etc.

Definitely check out Sakura.

If you still think renting is the way you want to go, finding a place will be difficult.  You will need to pay a deposit plus a non-refundable key money plus an agent fee plus utilities plus have a guarantor.  Sakura breaks it down nicely here.

I just wanted to add this information before I forgot.  I enjoyed the Surviving in Japan panel, and the questions asked spurred me on to writing this quick (hopefully) informative post.

And yes, I was nervous like crazy (my first panel talk ever)

I thought the panel went reasonably well, despite the technical issues at the onset.  I really wish I had been feeling better (just getting over a concussion really played havoc with my ability to articulate as clearly as I’d like).

I had given the panel a run through the night before and went majorly overtime.  At the actual panel I went under time which annoyed me because I really had so much more to say.

I would like to give another panel, except I think focus on a couple of specific points.  I wanted to tell more stories and anecdotes (stripped those out as I went over time the night before).  But I have no idea what people would be interested in learning.

So, whether you are passerby of this website, or someone who attended my panel, please let me know what you’d like to hear more about (reply to this post or send me a message).  I would really appreciate that and then next year, if there’s interest, I’m happy to talk some more about my favourite subject.

And finally — thanks to everyone who attended my panel.  I seriously did not expect to see so many people.  Arigato gozaimasu.

Photos of the day below…

He just needed a costume.

Me — Harajuku outfit from BodyLine (back in the days when they had change rooms)

Dean snapped this one and I thought it a nice profile.

One of my pocket watches — you can’t see it, but the outside is decorated with a Fokker DRI triplane, which I felt appropriate.

First time I sat down I dipped my coat tails into the water.  Thankfully they dried fast.

Audience at my panel.  No one is sleeping, right?

I really wanted to share more but alas… next time I hope!

So… Tokyo…

The main strip in Ikebukuro

Why?

I have yet to understand the lure of Tokyo and the intense grip that it has on me. Certainly, one might point fingers at the plethora of Samurai movies I watched as a child, or my love of J-pop culture, or my deep respect for Shinto, or my relish over Japanese food, or my zeal over Japanese fashions, or my fascination with Japanese anthropology, or… You get the idea. The reality is that I do not understand Japan or Tokyo’s intense pull on my being. It simply exists.

Over the years, the lure grew stronger, and the Internet assisted me in connecting with others who felt the same as I did and even allowed me to broaden my horizons and interests. But the why – I cannot answer. It’s in my blood, my soul, and every fibre of my being. And it was irrevocably imprinted during my first trip to Tokyo, resonating within me like an endless entrancing chime. I never questioned it. And I never will. It’s a part of who I am.

Akiba!

Expectations

Prior to my first trip to Tokyo, I performed as much research as humanly possibly given what information was available at that time. During the course of this investigation, nothing surprised me, nothing shocked me, and nothing seemed unusual. It was simply the way it was and it all made sense to me. As such, I arrived in Tokyo with no expectations.

Sometimes people arrive in Tokyo expecting craziness everywhere, or an explosion of life as depicted in the manga and anime they love. Some people refuse to respect the Japanese culture and their ways. Some people want to assimilate fully into the Japanese way of life (and are shocked to learn that their very nature, being gaijin, prevents them from doing so in a xenophobic culture). Some people have no idea what to expect and run in terror from the culture shock or embrace all that Tokyo is (or aspects of it).

Just outside the Akihabara train station

I will be the first to say that Tokyo is not for everyone and this is not a conclusion I come to lightly. It’s not one I understand, except insofar as what I have read from the experiences of others. I scratch my head and stare quizzically at the stories people choose to regale others with on the Internet or in print. The stories themselves, I understand, but the extreme reactions of some authors and readers often puzzles me.

The first time I travelled to Tokyo, it honestly felt like coming home. And I am never more at peace, more comfortable, and more settled, than I am while there. Nothing seemed unusual or caused me to quirk my brows. I expected nothing and received everything. I embraced every moment and every experience with an open and non-judgmental mind. Who was I to say that a certain cultural aspect was right or wrong? Yes, I admit, I would like to see the concepts of suicide and honour viewed differently and of course I would like to see women treated better – but it is not my place to begin or join any sort of a campaign to this effect. That’s not my place. That’s not why I am here.

Waiting for the train

I feared for a time that perhaps I wore rose-tinted glasses, preventing me from seeing Tokyo and Japan as it truly was. Certainly, I did not expose myself to every facet of living there, and I’ve always been “just a tourist”. But I did observe the negatives. I did form opinion about those unsavory (to me) aspects of life in Tokyo. So no… I did not have rose-tinted glasses. I simply accepted, absorbed, and moved forward to learn more.

I am an observer, and a subtle teacher (I like to open the minds of others because I arrogantly believe that our true personal power lies in fearless exploration and acceptance of our individual selves). I may have personal feelings and reactions but they are easily swept aside as I search for an understanding within a culture’s history and the events that shaped the culture (in whole and part). And why am I compelled to understand a country so far away from me geographically? Why not Russia, Brazil, or France? I have no idea. Again, this goes back to my core; feeling at ease within the Japanese culture, even despite its myriad of problems (but then, what nation is without problems?).

Life is what it is. Expect nothing, and receive everything.

Kapabashi Street and one of its plastic food vendors

The Same but Different

One of my best friends, Pira, said this to me after her first trip to Tokyo: “It’s the same, but different.” I do not believe anyone can really understand that unless they experience Tokyo themselves, and possibly with an open mind. From behaviours to beliefs to products, life and living in Tokyo is much the same as it is in our Western society, but it’s also different.

You can buy a peanut butter sandwich in a grocery store, but it will have no crusts and the bread is perfectly formed around a pocket of peanut butter. Commuters line up to board a train, but they do so in an orderly fashion. They have toilets but they are either of the fully loaded sit down variety or efficient porcelain models in the floor. They used to have Wendy’s, but their menu was more than just beef burgers and fries.

Again, some visitors to Japan have a difficult time with their perceived differences and write-off Tokyo as CrazyTown. And others view such differences as an opportunity for exploration and understanding or, at the very least, a fascinating journey.

Refreshment time!  Their iced oolong tea was amazing

The Crazy Wacky City of Tokyo

Ahhh yes, there is the hype and perception that Tokyo is sheer lunacy, filled with sexual deviance, bizarre parades, insane game shows, wacky fashions, and crazy culinary dishes. Yes, and no. It’s other peoples’ perceptions that draw these conclusions and perpetuate the hysteria. How often do people sensationalize and ridicule what they do not understand, fear, consider different from their beliefs and so on; all in an effort to either warn others (because anything different is “bad”?), or because they actually have nothing better to do with their lives? Many times! That’s life – everywhere.

Now, this is not to say that Tokyo is actually boring or that its exotic aspects should be ignored. I simply feel that perceived differences should be tempered with an attempt at understanding that there may be a reason for whatever aspect they find so unreal. Even if I do not agree with something, I can at least respect the opinions of others. There is a difference, however, between projecting something that is harmlessly sensational as some sort negative societal influence and something that should be acknowledged and explored further if there is interest. This is perhaps a curious vantage point for me to take given Japan’s own fascination with excesses, glitz and glamour. But the difference is that they do so for entertainment, and for fun (personally, I think it’s a catharsis of sorts for the Japanese, but that’s a whole other topic).

Resting

Returning to the subject at hand – crazy Tokyo. I read with amusement and bemusement some peoples’ lists of “Top 5 or 10 Crazy Things About Japan” and I cannot relate. I laugh at this because sometimes I think there is something very wrong with my perception where I cannot find the same attachment of “crazy” to these cultural “oddities”. My reaction is often: “And that is crazy how?” OR “Oh, interesting, I wonder why and what is the history behind…” Mind, some people have great lists, presented in such a way that only encourages the reader to learn more rather than serve as a warning or proclamation of “Look at how weird this is!”. Weird is good, I say!

I would sooner attach the words amazing, vibrant, or fascinating to the very same attributes someone else would find completely foreign and worthy of ridicule. It really does come down to perception and personal bias. Each of us are shaped by our personal growth and development, and this will, naturally, reflect how we perceive and interact with the world around us.

Embrace what is different and new. Well, at least that’s my motto.

Mutant vegetables, definitely good for large families

So… is there anything really wacky about Tokyo from my point of view? I honestly don’t think so. But there are certainly numerous curiosities that fascinate me endlessly. And this is one of its greatest appeals to me. There is always something new and exciting or old and engaging in Tokyo. I sometimes find the most mundane things absolutely surreal and momentous. Attend:

THE Izakaya

A local expat whom I’m acquainted with in Tokyo, Kevin, took me to the most incredible three floor Izakaya in the heart of Kabuki-cho’s Shomben Yokocho (aka Piss Alley).

The first floor was kitted out with brothel-red chandaliers and extravagant plastic chic décor circa 1970s, with a handful of salarymen at a dark worn bar. The second floor seemed very traditional Japanese with tatami and floor seating arrangements for maybe 12 people. The third wasn’t so much a floor as the rooftop, barely bordered with dilapidated wood fencing and three rickety benches around a makeshift central table.

Clean blankets were on hand to stave off the cool Spring night. A rail line nearby would regularly spring to life with a train, shaking the entire bar as though we were in an earthquake. And looking out from this tiny rooftop in Kabuki-cho? A sea of glass and bright lights the likes of which no cinema could ever capture. I was a miniscule speck, lost in the neon night. I was in love. So much so that I actually video recorded my intoxicated declaration with Kevin, whom I would have to wrestle for the privilege of fantasy-owning this bar.

Shoe candy

There was a young Japanese couple who shared the roof with us, and they asked why, of all the places available in this vicinity, would we choose this bar to frequent? Kevin and I both shared the same response: Because it’s cool. Yes, it’s much more than that, but this was real. It was bare. No glitz or glamour to sustain it. It simply was. And in that simplicity was more character than I could find at most clubs.

Yes, we could have gone to a nearby dance bar, or a karaoke place, or any of the hundreds of other establishments that perhaps had more to offer most people. But I’ve little interest in those places. There was just something so indescribable, so alive, so amazing about drinking Ginger & Grand Marnier on a tiny should-be-condemned Izakaya in the heart of Tokyo’s entertainment district, surrounded by neon lights that stretched on forever and felt close enough to touch from this ramshackle rooftop.

This was real. This was Tokyo. And it owned my soul. In fact, it still does and I suspect it always will.

At the Vancouver Airport — always happy to be going to Tokyo

But… The Crazy… What About The Crazy?

Quickly demystified, I say. An example would be…

Love Hotels

Most people, when they first hear about love hotels in Tokyo, imagine lurid clandestine meetings between lovers cheating on their spouses or co-workers. And what? People in Western society do not meet with their lovers in motels on the edge of town? But that is not the reason for love hotels.

Space is a premium in Tokyo and it’s not uncommon for several generations to live under the same roof in a home with (literally) paper thin walls. Can you imagine wanting to have some serious sexual fun while Grandma or even your parents are sitting at the kotatsu in the next room?

Couples from all ages, professions and walks of life frequent love hotels simply for the privacy they offer. And since the Japanese make no bones about what these places are used for, they often dress them up with various themes and exotic décor.

You will also often find adult media shops next to love hotels, for the salaryman on a quick break, who wants a little uninterrupted self-love.

And sometimes, love hotels are used by hostesses who take their clients to the next (usually forbidden) level. Which brings about another oft sensationalized cultural aspect…

Somewhere… in Tokyo

Hostesses

Hostesses, quite simply, allow a man to buy a relationship. For as long as they pay, they have the undivided and devoted attention of a woman who tells them how absolutely amazing they are. King for a moment, I suppose. In the end, it’s an ego stroke. The other type of stroking is not permitted (usually) but often alluded to in order to keep the customer returning for another date.

One would think the salaryman could achieve the same doting affection from a wife or girlfriend. This assumes he has a partner, which, many jobs do not permit – and what I infer is that most Japanese salarymen work obscenely long hours, preventing any sort of a real relationship. And if they are married or with a girlfriend, one can presume they spend the first hour or so after returning home being berated for their prolonged absences.

Hostesses provide a much-needed fantasy that gives a salaryman the strength to go on. There’s a shocking conclusion, ne?

I love the presence of so many shrines

In Conclusion

I love Tokyo. Even with its perceived faults, I find life in Tokyo is more sane and logical than any other place I’ve been to or lived. The “crazy” is easily comprehended, and there is much beauty to be found in the simple as well as the sublime. I can be enraptured in the frenetic pace, carried by the intense energy or I can sit ensconced on shrine grounds, marvelling at the constant attention given the sacred space by the caretakers.

Tokyo makes my soul sing. For the positives and negatives, the crazy and sane. Tokyo is in my blood.  I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Jamaipanese.com is the personal blog of Kirk Brown, a young Jamaican living in Kingston who has a great interest in Japan and its people for various reasons. I have never visited Japan but if Operation Visit Japan is a success I am looking forward to visiting in mid 2011. “Jamaipanese” is a candid portmanteau of the words JAMAIcan and JaPANESE hence I call myself and my blog Jamai + Panese or Jamaipanese.

Talk about your passionate person! Mr. Kirk Brown is someone I would love to have some Red Stripe or sake with. Kirk is Otaku and his awesome blog reflects this — plus, he does go on about sundry other Japanese things.

Shop online, of course.  Please be aware of shipping costs (it’s sometimes cheaper in the long run to buy more and pay the same amount of shipping).

If you live in Canada, there may be brokerage fees as well.  Your shipments may not always  attract brokerage fees, but be aware this may happen.  You will pay taxes and depending on the carrier, a brokerage handling fee.  UPS has extremely high brokerage handling fees for Canadians, so avoid them as a carrier.  Regular post or DHL are the cheapest for brokerage handling fees.

Takuya Angel

Fantasy fashions for all persuasions and interests (RIP, shop in Harajuku).

Angelic Pretty

THE place for Lolita to shop.

Bodyline

Inexpensive, fun lolita fashions.

Baby the Stars Shine Bright

Considered the defact standard for EGL fashion by some. Very very femme.

Metamorphose

More EGL fashions, very Victorian inspired.

Miho Matsuda

Tamer EGL fashions, but some gorgeous styles, nonetheless.

Victorian Maiden

Very Victorian EGL fashions.

Marble

Stunning loli fashions.

Sexy Dynamite London

Emphasis is on Gothic and Punk.

Hellcat Punks

Goth punk fun fashions.

Blogger, Designer, Travel TV Host, CNNGo Journalist, and Author of 3 Jpop books.

La Carmina is a fun personality in Japan. If your interest is in Japanese fashions, particularly EGL, as well as the subcultures of Tokyo, you really must spend some time on this website.

Saturday morning train from Ikebukuro to Harajuku — the closer we came to Harajuku, the more crowded it became (so don’t let this empty train fool you)

Let’s talk about this wondrous Tokyo district, now, shall we?

Harajuku may seem small, but you can spend more than one trip exploring and shopping this area.  There are three main regions you may wish to explore:

1. Takeshita Street — for youthful, EGA, EGL, punk and alternative fashions
2. Omotesandō – for high street fashion (but you’ll find some regular fashions and street vendors here too)
3. Jingu Bridge & Yoyogi Park – for cosplayers and musicians

A shoe fetishist’s wet dream

Once you exit the JR line’s Harajuku station, get outside and get yourself oriented.  On the station side you will see trees behind the station.  If you are facing away from the station, across the street, know that Jingu bridge and Yoyogi are to your right (on the same side of the street as Harajuku station) — follow those crowds.  Across the street you will find Takeshita and Omotesandō.  If you cross the street, Takeshita is to the left (where most crowds are going) and Omotesandō is to the right.

A view of Harajuku station from across the street, between Takeshita and Omotesandō

Takeshita is a short strip of a street, but as the day wears on, it will take you a very long time to navigate.  Try going earlier in the day to avoid walking at a snail’s pace… unless you like a snail’s pace, that is.  And crowds.

Tokyo is a constant state of reconstruction, even established areas like Takeshita

There are likely hundreds of tiny shops that offer a range of fashions for men and women.  The prevalence of punk influenced styles persists every year (thankfully).

Of course I took this shot for the shop’s name

Along the way there is a Daiso, drug store (I think it’s a Matsumoto Kiyoshi), various eateries and of course, the many fashion shops (some are very small).

You will find many photographers taking candids of the local lolitas as they stroll through Takeshita

Remember that Tokyo is a vertical city.  Shops are not resigned to street level.  In fact, expect to be climbing numerous stairs.  I find it useful to pull off the side every so often and take a long hard look around me — especially up and even down.  Some shop entrances will be outside the building up a staircase, and other times you’ll need to ride an elevator.  Harajuku is mostly outside entrances along side the buildings.

This shop (which I think is gone now) took up 2 floors and had some great items

Don’t forget the side streets and alleys.  You are not in North America.  Side streets and alleys are home to hundreds of more shops.  While you will eventually find residential apartments above the shops the further away you travel from the main streets, there is still MUCH to explore.  It’s also a great place to get away from the crowds of the major streets too.

Found a great little pottery shop in one of the back alleys in Harajuku

Explore explore explore.  There is an adventure around every corner.  I know I repeat this often, but it’s true.  Take your time and just go with the flow, as they say.

A couple lolis checking out some of the more adult sexy fashions of Takuya Angel

Do not be afraid to enter any shops.  Smile, nod and bow politely at any shop keepers who approach you.  You have gaijin written all over you — they won’t expect you to speak Japanese.  But they may try and practice their English on you!

The first time I went to Tokyo, I had no idea how revered Viv was

Richards is a shop I visit and buy from almost every trip.  I think only once they didn’t have something that interested me.  I also hit Bodyline for inexpensive fun fashions.  In truth, I visit most of the shops.  And you will too, if you enjoy this style.  Just remember to look up and down and explore the side streets.

Sometimes getting lost in side streets is fun — I’ve no idea where this is

Sometimes when exploring you will get lost.  It’s not a bad thing.  As I said, there’s an adventure around every corner.  And you really don’t get lost so much as have no idea where you are and where to go to get back.  But that’s all part of the Tokyo charm.

I actually didn’t know that Volks had a Dolfie shop in Harajuku until I ran across it by accident.

Men Only Hair Salon

I had to photo this sign.  How great is it that there’s a men only hair salon?

Euro toy shop near Harajuku

It’s also encouraged to quite simply veer even further away from a main street to other main streets.  Again, you never know what you find.  I had a delightful time in this toy shop.  The shop keeper didn’t know any English, but we spoke the mutual language of toys and had a tremendously fun hour playing together.

Bears in Harajuku

Shrines are everywhere.  What struck me most, and quite happily, as I stood near this shrine resting for a time was how many people would halt, turn towards the shrine, bow, and then continue on their way.

A larger shrine near Harajuku

Harajuku offers much for the intrepid Tokyo shopper.  And when you are finally exhausted from shopping, head back towards the station and stroll along Jingu bridge to Yoyogi park (to the left once across the Jingu bridge) or even Ichino Torii (to the right once across the Jingu bridge).  You will find cosplayers on the bridge, rockers in Yoyogi and peace and quiet through the Torii.

Visit Harajuku often!

Wakey wakey!  Cat clutch in Ikebukuro at about 5 AM.

One of the curiosities that I discovered in Japan was that their classist society bleeds even into their feline culture.  There is the bobtail cat, dwelling predominantly on the streets (see above).

A JaLaLa cat in Takadanobaba

And the pampered puss found pimped out in neko cafes.

Oh, don’t worry, I’m not about to launch into any sort of a Peter Tosh “equal rights for cats” diatribe.  This is merely may way of writing — very tongue in cheek.  But now I digress…

Neko of the Damned?

Where was I?  Oh yes… classist cat societies in Japan.  The street bobtail neko and the elitist neko cafe resident.  The street cats certainly have their freedom whereas the neko cafe cats must work for their privileged lifestyle.

Street cats are found lazing about, sleeping-in or actively hunting their next meal.  Neko cafe cats are sometimes seen sequestered behind glass or enclosed beds, giving them a well deserved time-out from the human population that ceaselessly descends upon them.

Neko cafe cats are fed at regular intervals throughout the day, engaged in near constant activity and adored by all.  I did notice that the neko cafe cats were all but comatose by the day’s end, completely unthrilled by their environment and those around them — they do have their limits (as such, if you visit a neko cafe, I suggest first thing in the morning while they are “fresh”).

Nekobukuro cats taking a time-out

Living conditions on the street vary from region to region, but the affection felt between these cats is considerable regardless of tail length.  Oh yes, the street cats all have varied tail lengths from the stubbiest bobs through half length and right to full length tails.  They do not discriminate, but the bobtail seems the most predominant among the street cat population.

Curiously enough, in all my visits to neko cafes, I did not witness one bobtail or half-tail cat among its denizens.  That is not to say that they perhaps do not exist, but they did not cross my path during my sojourns.  I was left with the impression that such street cat imagery was unwelcome in the courts of neko cafes.

Short tail, mid sized tail

While recorded history is imperfect, it would appear that cats were first kept in Japan by Buddhist monks from China around 600 AD in order to keep mice away from their sacred scrolls and books.  About 1000 AD saw an influx of European and Egyptian cats, which became the focus of some Japanese artworks.

There is some conflict as to whether the bobtail cat was introduced in 600 or 1000 AD.  Regardless, the bobtail was originally a highly revered animal, often found in courts, and the Emperor Ichijo even owned (as much as one can own a cat) five bobtail cats.  Elevating the bobtail’s status in society, he decreed that bobtails were not permitted to work.  Eventually it was clear there were insufficient felines available to contend with the growing rodent problem.  The catastrauphic impact on the silk trade (the silkworm cocoons were a considerable source of food for rodents) forced the Emperor to issue a decree in 1602 wherein all bobtail cats were released from the comfort of their homes to deal directly with the harmful rodent population.

Full tail (not too sure about those ears though)

I guess you could say that bobtail cats were single-pawededly responsible for saving the silk industry in Japan.  But how the mighty had fallen.  From courtesan cats to street urchins; overnight.  Breeding as cats do, the bobtails on the street became numerous, raising the societal position of the rarer fully tailed cats.

Pure neko love

Regardless, one thing we can all agree on is that cats are sacred, no matter where they dwell or what they do.  They spread joy to all (except those allergic, I suppose) and are a delight to observe.

I started this website purely out of the yearning to write about things of interest and a penchant for playing with words. Over time the focus has narrowed to largely Japan-themed subjects, ruins explorations and the occasional flash of bioluminescence.

This is an extremely thoughtful and well-written blog; I would say the author has achieved success with his “penchant for playing with words”. Please do read through his entire blog as your time permits.

I do link to one particular article which is of intense interest to myself. I have previously speculated on the subject of Work:Life ratios in Japan, although much of my knowledge is influenced by anthropology books regarding the roles of women in Japanese society. Gakuranman remarks well on this subject, and I strongly urge anyone who wishes to actually live in Japan to read this article.

Welcome to Tofugu.com! We’re a “Wonky Japanese Language and Culture Blog” that started up in June 2007.  Our goal is to bring you lots of original Japan-related content that you won’t find anywhere.

This is a fabulous blog, filled with great facts and information. I love the writing style and presentation very much.  While I’m introducing this blog via this article regarding bowing, I strongly encourage you to spend some time with the entire Tofugu blog.