Cultural Differences

The language barrier and living as a foreigner in a strange city will present a variety of challenges. Culture shock and cultural differences specific to Japan will be discussed in great detail in orientation and in the Cultural Portfolio course throughout your stay in Japan, but it is a good idea to begin preparing yourself for some of these challenges now.

During your stay in Japan, you will need to adapt to new patterns of behavior.  The best way to begin this is to keep in mind how you as a foreigner appear to local citizens. Notice the differences in the behavior of students of your gender and age. Our participants do not go to Japan deliberately indifferent to local sensibilities. However, some customs and attitudes differ from ours, and it is possible to offend someone unintentionally.  You will also sometimes be offended by the behavior and comments of the Japanese. Beware that prejudices that exist in American culture (against African-Americans; against gays, lesbians, and bisexuals; against Jews, etc.) are common in Japanese culture as well and are spoken of much more openly.  Be prepared for these comments on the street, in the classroom, and in your dormitory.

Life as a foreigner in Japan can be fun, exhilarating, and eye-opening, but also frustrating at times. Your experience depends to a large degree on your own expectations and approach.  We have found that if you go to Japan with unrealistic expectations, you will almost certainly be disappointed; but if your expectations are realistic, you will be able to enjoy Japan to its fullest and take any frustrations you encounter in stride.

One of the major differences between life in the United States as a student and your life in Japan is that you will be perceived by many as a member of a group.  In Japan, membership in groups is considered more important than it is in the United States, and you will be expected to act as a group member. For instance, Japanese dormitories have many organized activities and regular meetings that all members are required to attend. As a member of a sport club, you may be requested to attend meetings and parties; you may be told to clean equipment and grounds as a junior member. Former students will tell you, without an exception, how such chores were felt as nuisance at the beginning, but that they were indeed excellent ways to see the workings of “inner-circles” of friendship. Be patient. Know that it takes a long time for a Japanese group to accept foreigners as an in-group member, but once it happens, you will know that you have indeed accomplished true cultural competence.

You will find it easier to adapt if you avoid spending a lot of time with other Westerners in Japan. Western bars, restaurants, and clubs may be comfortable and fun, but resorting to them will hinder your adjustment to life abroad.  Instead, consider joining a student “club” on campus. Previous students have participated in many sport clubs, such as baseball, rugby, badminton, kendo, judo, aikido, Frisbee, hip-hop dance, etc.  Spending time with your Japanese friends and exploring the city itself will also enhance your language learning and make it easier for you to understand why things happen the way they do in Japan.

Please keep in mind that the local administrators of the School in Japan must operate under local restrictions and conditions.  There may be unspoken social conditions that you and/or the School in Japan staff may not realize that affect everyday situations in Japan.  The School in Japan works very hard to solve whatever problems you encounter, but there will be times when there may be no possible resolution or you won’t find the solution to your liking.

For these reasons, it may be easy to get discouraged.  The best defense against this is to try to understand the underlying reasons for difficulties, change what can be changed, and work around those things that cannot be changed. You can spend a lot of time getting frustrated over aspects of life abroad that you as an individual cannot change, or you can accept them and get the most out of this experience by considering this a unique opportunity to gain an insider’s view of Japanese society up close and focus on becoming able to describe accurately the features of such cultural differences.  Life in Japan can be exciting and rewarding for those who approach it with the right frame of mind.

Remember too that to the people you meet, you represent not only yourself, but your country. You may be the only foreigner they have encountered, and they will often judge others by their impressions of you.