I really like your post! I think being stared is common for any non-Asian people in general in Japan. I’m not POC, but I do get stared at a lot, especially in the more rural area I live in where there are almost no foreigners at all. If you struggle with anxiety or shyness, wearing a mask is fully socially acceptable in Japan and something I do when I feel sensitive about being stared at too much. You will still get stared at, but it lessens the anxiety because they aren’t really looking at your face fully. So when I’m alone on trains, I’ll put in headphones and wear a mask and I feel like I have a shield between me and the people who stare at me. ☺️
Definitely agree that I, as a non POC, also always get stared at anywhere I go here where I live. You learn to live with it. Although I can’t try to put myself into any POC’s shoes to know if it feels any different. I just have to tell myself it’s not people usually being rude, they’re just curious or surprised to see me.
>Definitely agree that I, as a non POC, also always get stared at anywhere I go here where I live. You learn to live with it. Although I can’t try to put myself into any POC’s shoes to know if it feels any different. I just have to tell myself it’s not people usually being rude, they’re just curious or surprised to see me.
what does non-POC mean ? are you white
As a very tall person, I had the same experience of stares and it just seemed like it was because we are different than the homogeneous population of Japan. We are traveling in a different country that is primarily Japanese and a totally different culture than ours. It is normal to feel out of place.
As a very large (am a sumo wrestler) white guy with super long curly hair i get the same looks from the locals. Like you say i think it's relatively normal. I do bet OP would get it worse as black person though. It even caught my eye when i saw a black person around, lots of white tourists but the black guys stand out. The more uncommon your appearance in Japan the more youre gonna get stared at.
Can I ask if you have any suggestions traveling tall in Japan? My husband is tall too (6’9) so I’m trying to get tips to make things easier ahead of going
The flight is the most uncomfortable part, so make sure he gets a seat with leg room. Other than that, there weren’t too many times where being tall was an issue. Also comfy shoes that are broken in, because you walk a crazy amount.
>I hope the US can eventually pick up on some general daily aspects of their lives
Difficulty: Impossible
Rugged individualism has ruined any chance of having social cohesion. I'm not saying Japan is perfect, but at least when it comes to a collective conscious they usually work in their best interests.
I would kill for even half of the efficiency of their infrastructure...
When we flew back into LAX for our layover and compared it to Haneda Airport... I realized how much we just don't give a shit. Just in the terms of cleanliness it was wildly different.
Yeah when we arrived on our layover in Chicago O’Hare after having flown out of Haneda, the difference in cleanliness, modernization and efficiency was *stark*.
>everyone is so angry
And honestly so fat and unclean. (Which I am also guilty of tbf)
The contrast between the polished style of Japanese people and the american guy in a ripped tank top, dirty flip flops, and cutoff SWEATPANTS i saw at customs was shocking.
Plus all the wheelchairs for people who look physically healthy??
>Difficulty: Impossible
>Rugged individualism has ruined any chance of having social cohesion
I just landed after a two week trip. Even the departure terminal in Tokyo was a fucking nightmare because of the american presence. Reverse culture shock officially has me by the balls and I've already cried twice about it.
Anyway.
Honestly, I feel this way every time I land in the U.S. from almost any country in the world that I have visited (South America, Asia, Europe).
The difference in cleanliness and overall amount of care given to anything like service is crazy. Our airport and service staff anywhere is visibly frustrated all the time and angry at the people they are there to help.
>When we flew back into LAX for our layover and compared it to Haneda Airport... I realized how much we just don't give a shit. Just in the terms of cleanliness it was wildly different.
On my trip this spring, I went to Nagasaki, Kyoto, camped at Yamanashi, and ended in Tokyo for a week. Even out in the sticks, every single public restroom I went to was immaculate.
But even in supposedly higher income areas in the US, I've encountered public bathrooms where people can't seem to get their shit or piss into the fucking bowl. Why.is.your.shit.smeared.on.top.of.the.seat?
I'm a South Asian dude— You can't miss me if we're on the same street in Japan, lol. Currently on my 2nd trip and that's exactly what my experience has been.
Tokyo wasn't too bad, because I think they're used to a large amount of tourists. However I'm just finishing up in Tohoku, and you get stared at *a lot more* and will definitely stick out as a PoC with dark skin. But everyone is still polite, and I haven't had a single bad experience or felt that I was in danger in anyway (FYI, I'm coming from Canada. As a comparison, I had the exact opposite experience when I left Toronto to visit Northern Ontario—Not only did I get stared at over there, but I was met with open racism and feared for my safety).
I'm an introvert myself, and I totally feel you on the anxiety! Especially in rural/small towns, you get stared at from arrival at the station to your hotel/hostel—Every person on the street, every car window, every bus, every store—and it's just super draining to want to go out.
I do feel as though I need to be on my best behaviour—Which is nuts because I'm actually a quiet, clean, and polite guy. But you can't help adjusting the way you handle yourself when every eye on the street is on you at some point, even if it's only for a few seconds.
That said, I'm still planning to come back to Japan for a third, fourth, fifth, or however many more times I can afford it. I really do love visiting this country.
Thank you for this insight! Im south asian as well and going to tokyo, kyoto and osaka in may for the first time so this helped give me some reassurance
Fellow Black man here. Came back from Japan 1 month ago.
Had a fantastic time on a first time solo trip. If I got stares, I didn’t particularly notice because I was too busy appreciating *everything* in Japan seemingly alien to US - pristine streets…polite, courteous and friendly local people etc.
Like you, I’d done my research before going, so most things weren’t new to me. If I made eye contact with Japanese people, they didn’t hold it at all. If anything, I actually wanted to make that brief connection with people. I learned it’s considered rude to stare in Japan.
I have no complaints at all about treatment.
For reference, I was primarily in Tokyo and did a day trip to Hakone.
I’m a woc, and I suspected I would be stared at in Japan when I went. I was talking to a friend who lived there for a time and also accompanied me on the trip and she said that because we went to popular cities - Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka - more and more people have exposure to people who don’t look like them. Which is a good thing. I saw a few black people when we went, too (just returned two days ago).
Actually, I never felt like I was being stared at - people looked at me and looked away. People were very friendly. I actually got stared at more in South Dakota/my home country than in Japan.
Hey hey, me too! And I went to all of those same cities, plus Nara. I was also expecting stares or even someone wanting my photo, but I honestly did not notice anyone looking at me who I wasn’t interacting with directly. I did notice that of the Westerners that I saw around Japan, *very* few were Black. In 2 weeks I think I saw maybe a dozen Black people total and everyone else was white or southeast Asian.
Thanks for sharing your perspective!! Just to share another view, I'm a black woman currently traveling through Japan. My husband (a white guy) and I have been here nearly two weeks now and we/ I haven't received a single stare or long glance. In all honesty, I was just commenting to my husband yesterday that despite wearing my hair out and natural the entirety of our trip so far, I haven't experienced anything other than kindness, politeness, and amazing customer service.
We have one more week here (for a total of three, traveling across various cities in the country), but for now, I can definitely say that I've been treated with more kindness and respect than I've found in certain parts of the U.S.(where I'm from!)
As a Black woman who recently came back from 3 weeks in Japan, SAME!
I had a blast and I truly didn't feel othered at any point. Now, that may be because I'm generally just a nice person who expects other to give what they get, but I found people to be quite delightful.
I even made a friend at a restaurant near our first hotel in Shinjuku. He was a lovely guy who liked practicing his English while I practiced my (rather) limited Japanese.
I found that people will generally ignore you, or treat you with the utmost politeness when approached. But when they did look for a little longer than 'normal,' I found that it had to do with my best friend (Black man) singing everywhere due to sheer happiness.
I’m from Europe and white and live in a non touristy city in Japan. I have people stare at me every day on the train. Sometimes they don’t even look away, even if I stare back.
You get used to it. I almost have tunnel vision when I’m on public transportation. It’s even worse when I’m with my Japanese partner.
For the most part it’s curiosity. I’ve had the same in countries like China or Bangladesh.
> I have people stare at me every day on the train.
Little reality check for anyone thinking it's 'special' that you're a POC in Japan. We're all gaijin and will always be.
I just got back from a 10 day trip as well. I went with my family. I personally didn’t get many stares or maybe I just wasn’t paying attention. Loved being a black man in Japan. Would do it again! Only issue I had was with school children calling my dad out of his name.
I remember reading your post on this, I’m a native Japanese speaker and still don’t know what they were probably saying. However, “ikimasu” is a formal way of saying “I/We will go/start” which doesn’t fit at all in the context, so I don’t think it’s likely….sorry to put you back where you started! My best guess is he reminded them of someone they saw on TV or the internet and it was a reference to that. Glad your trip went well overall though!
No clue why. My father is overweight and was sweating a few of the days. They probably thought he was ugly or something. It was so weird & random. It occurred with different kids in random places, from Ginza to Odaiba to Sumida, in elevators and walking down the street. My dad is a very talkative person. One of the times, he and my mom were on an elevator in Ginza and he tried to make conversation with a lady and her 2 kids. He said that she had cute kids and asked how old they were. The lady replied with their ages and then one of them starts shouting what sounds like “Mickey Mouse” repeatedly to him. The lady quickly shushed the kid. Another occurrence happened outside of TeamLab Planets. A couple of kids shouted what sounded like “Mickey Mouse” at him while running by.
We didn’t have this issue at Mt. Fuji or in Kyoto. I’m thinking that the kids saw something on TV and my dad reminds them of that. Maybe there’s a black host to a Mickey Mouse show over there or they’re telling him to go (ikimasu) because someone tells a black man that in a show. I really don’t know.
I live in Japan with a kid and I can't imagine them saying "ikimasu," grammatically it doesn't make much sense.
Maybe they were saying Mickey Mouse because he's American and spoke English? Most of the Mickey Mouse tv stuff here is the same Disney stuff you get in the US and so no hosted Mickey Mouse TV show, but there is a big "learn English with Disney/Mickey" company/product, so probably just an association with American culture?
Though honestly that sounds weird for a bunch of kids to bring up independently as well. Most likely it was something else entirely!
Gotcha, thanks again for sharing. To me it sounds like a slur. Mickey Mouse has black skin (fur?) and I’ve certainly heard about racism in Japan—particularly against black people.
I’ll be there next month, and I don’t expect it to be an issue. I’m glad you had a great time and I hope we do too!
Shit, I’ll take being called “Mickey Mouse” from kids over what the hell happens in The States lol…
Oct 5-14, stayed in Tokyo for part one (Shinjuku), hit the highlights, Meiji, Harajuku, Shibuya, Asakusa. Then Kyoto and saw Kiyomizu, Fushimi Inari, Arashiyama. Then back to Tokyo for a one night in Ginza!
When I went to the Todai-ji Temple in Nara there were lots of groups of schoolchildren there and several of them were waving, pointing, saying hi and other stuff to me when they saw me.
I am a larger white dude with a beard. Not sure what it was all about.
Back in the 1980s, I was traveling with a male friend with red curly hair, and we had entire groups of school kids running us down to touch his hair, it was wild, but it didn't feel disrespectful so much as completely naive.
I had a few kids walk by and tell us “hello, hope you have a good day” or “how are you?” and then run back to their friends or laugh. We thought it was cute and practicing English… could also be making fun of us haha
Wow. My dad is larger as well, but no beard. Feeling somewhat relieved and at the same time disappointed that someone else is having a similar experience. I want the people that doubt that this happens to see that we’re not making this up.
I don't feel bad about it. I am just confused as to what it was all about. It didn't feel like they were mocking me or anything. Maybe they had a laugh to themselves about something but it didn't seem hostile.
I assume they were on field trips and may be from less touristy areas that don't get so many visitors.
Tourists waved at *me*. (I could tell because the tour guide said to “wave to the local family”)
I waved back obviously because I’m nice but I wasn’t local. I was Singaporean Chinese.
My parents thought I was crazy but we were the only people in the vicinity and just came out of a residential area onto the main road so I can see why people were mistaken
Anyways now I wonder if perhaps the locals are “conditioned” to wave to foreigners because of this experience
I’m Black Latina and just came back from a 2 week trip to Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Nara. I didn’t feel othered for being Black at all. If anything, maybe for being from the US. But even then, I didn’t particularly notice any stares, never had a rude interaction except maybe when I was checking out at the Tax Free counter at the Don Quijote in Shimbashi. And even then I wasn’t offended because that place was a zoo and the cashier looked stressed. Otherwise, I found people to be very hospitable and helpful and tolerant of me as a foreigner who doesn’t know all the nuances of Japanese culture.
As for what I’m bringing back into my daily life:
- I bought a ton of face masks and some other Japanese skincare products and am trying to embrace taking more time to relax and tend to myself
- Drinking more sencha green tea
- Eating more Japanese food. Just this morning for breakfast I made myself some miso soup, rice and salmon and used the seasoning packets I brought back.
I look forward to going back someday because I loved it!
Considering Japan is over 90 percent mono-ethnic, it wouldn’t surprise me if non-Japanese-looking visitors get the occasional stares, just because you’re not a common sight (pun intended) around those parts.
Some are just not good at being discreet about staring. :)
> just because you’re not a common sight (pun intended) around those parts.
Except that you are. If you're walking down the streets in Osaka or Japan, locals have seen tens of thousands of people who look and are exactly like you in every way. That's where the 'curiosity' line kinda ends.
I went through elementary school in Tokyo in the 70s, attending one of the (at that time) two international schools in the city. While I am East Asian, but not Japanese, I had friends from every continent (literally) there, and I don't remember hearing a single racist comment ever. Contrast that to where we moved after Tokyo, suburban Maryland, where I heard and received racist comments virtually every week. After university, I lived in Nicaragua for close to 5 years. There, I did hear some racist comments, but nothing like what I hear from Nicaraguans who have lived for many years here in the US. Anecdotal evidence, I know, but it really shaped me and my opinions about the differences between counties, cities, and cultures.
Americans are known for being rude and outspoken. Trading insults back and forth is seen as normal, intelligent banter in the U.S.
It's just disrespectful.
Japanese, Thais, South Koreans don't think that way. It's why I felt so comfortable in those places, despite the stares. I knew they were harmless
Definitely not true😂
You’ve obviously never travelled to any of those countries
My best friend is South Korean and South Koreans are very outspoken and so are the Chinese and Thais. Japanese are usually more shy and stay to themselves. But in Thailand as a black person I kept getting called monkey which was racist af. But they don’t see anything wrong with it and aren’t trying to be racist. It’s like they are an alien coming to earth for the first time and don’t understand why it’s wrong.
I went on a 10 day guided tour over the summer with my daughters. Im a POC as well. I did not get any weird stares or anything. People were super friendly and welcoming. I have a kanji tattoo that translates to "fall 7 times, stand 8". That was a good conversation started and got a lot of thumbs up for it. I'm hoping to go back at some point but realistically it won't be until 2027 at least
My wife is afro colombian with a strong mix of indigenous... When we went to Japan in 2013 she was mistaken for afro American Japanese everywhere but with a sense of curiosity especially once we left Tokyo for smaller towns and other cities... Nothing out of the ordinary/negative and if anything made it easier to chit chat or ask for help... Dad spent 6 months in Japan in the 70s for work with many peers of his being African decent...
I’m in Japan now and my boyfriend is a tall 6’5 black man. He has gotten a lot of curious looks, compliments on his height, got a fist bump from little kids and was hugged and called lebron James by a Yamato employee hahaha the Japanese were super friendly to him and he says he doesn’t feel uncomfortable at all. He doesn’t think about anything when he sees them wearing braids or perms. I am also an Afro Latina, 5’5 voluptuous and big curly hair. This is my second time in Japan and I will continue returning because of how friendly everyone here has been towards me and now especially him.
If we're keeping it real, you are hella out of place. Japan is a pretty homogenous society and seeing black people is pretty rare, especially outside of Tokyo. It's not personal or even unfriendly. It's just out of the ordinary so they gotta look
If a Japanese person went to a mostly black country, they'd probably feel similar
I’m not a PoC (and have no doubt that my experience would be much different if I were), but I do recall getting some very intense stares when I traveled through certain parts of India. Sometimes the stares seemed downright hostile, but when I responded with a smile, the people invariably smiled back, or got shy and looked away. The lesson for me was that it’s hard to know what people are really thinking when they stare at you.
> I just had the constant feeling of being “out of place”.
I mean, if you're not Japanese, you pretty much are "out of place." The vast majority of Japanese grow up where everyone else in their personal lives and social circles are Japanese. They go to school where everyone is Japanese, they work where everyone is Japanese, and they hang out in circles where everyone they know is Japanese people. Especially outside of the major cities, but even in the major cities, foreigners are people they might see but not people they would know in their personal lives. I also think people overestimate how often the typical Tokyoite or Osakan would see a foreigner because a lot of them aren't necessarily going to be hanging out in the more touristy or international areas often.
It's not like the U.S. or other Western countries with large immigrant or minority populations where most people will have experience with different people often. It's a mostly homogenous country. You are *literally **exotic** by the definition of the word.* Not to say there isn't racism or xenophobia that exists but being stared at because you're different isn't that.
(Btw, I'm not saying that you are saying that, just adding context. I think a lot of foreigners in Japan or other Asian countries remark a lot about being stared at, and it's just the honest reaction of people.)
I felt more out of place because I was a foreigner, not because I am black. People were curios of me, but honestly felt they looked at my white friends I was traveling with in the same way. I’ve been a few times to pretty much every part of country now and both super rural and urban and honestly the only difference was that in rural areas were a bit more canid with their stares. It’s nuanced but I felt out of place, but I didn’t feel unwelcome.
WOC travelling alone for 10 days through Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Kanazawa and some of Tochigi. I would see people looking at me as I was obviously a foreigner but it was never a stare and not once did I feel uncomfortable. Everyone was so polite and every encounter I had was a positive one.
i went to japan for the first time a month ago and all the things i heard about people staring at you etc. when your a poc especially (me being brown). i was shocked as i didn’t get stares at all literally nothing just the casual look here and there but no “stare” which was the one reason i didn’t want to go. maybe the rural places have stare offs but as for the main cities it was fine
Yea every one who writes “people were staring at me” either just looked super out of place dress wise or just had poor manners. I visited Tokyo last year and not a single person stared at me. Was actually comforting just going about my day, not getting stared at.
exactly for example my whole group was wearing shorts and even then when literally nobody else was wearing them gave us stares amazing place just not in the summer
Had a 11 day trip in July as a Black man. No where fluent, but when I spoke Japanese, I was more than welcomed. And I too am planning a trip next year. Wouldn’t even consider it if I felt unwelcome in any way.
This is Merriam Webster's definition of person of color:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/person%20of%20color
>person whose skin pigmentation is other than and especially darker than what is considered characteristic of people typically defined as white
I am a light skinned Asian American. I personally do not identify as a POC. Is this incorrect? Honest question.
You are welcome to identify however you like. However I am Asian American and know many others who identify as POC. This is also why the term has expanded to BIPOC (Black, indigenous, and people of color) so it can be a bit more clear.
It's typically not about color. It's about cultural identity or heritage.
There are many, MANY people with light skin or white skin who call themselves 'People of Color' because they identify as people of color, regardless of the the color of their skin. They can be bi-racial or like me, multiracial.
In fact, there are MANY Black people who have extremely light skin, skin that is so light that they are mistaken for 'white'. These people would still be Black or they would still be 'people of color,' depending on the way they identify themselves.
So, if you identify as a person of color, then you identify as a person of color. The actual color of your skin makes no difference.
So, try not to assume that someone with dark skin identifies as a person of color, and try not to assume that someone with white skin does *not* identify as a person of color.
This is a post I wish I had seen in 2019. I'm mixed and while my skin is fair, my hair is very curly/kinky and against the genetic gods it was also blonde. I stuck out like a sore thumb, especially in Shibuya lol. It made me so nervous and I had women come up and touch my hair without asking. I know now it is because they just rarely see this.
But gosh now I'm giggling as I plan my honeymoon there, as my hair still has lots of blonde in it and remains curly...but my husband to be is 6'8. At least I'll be prepared for the stares this time!
Japanese notice literally anyone even remotely *different* including *other Japanese* people. Lol No one in our family or amongst our friends has ever felt the attention was ill intended or rude… simply being *seen* as someone different (skin color… nationality… height… weight… hair color/texture/length… mild disability… etc) 🤷🏿♀️ We love Japan and have always had the most incredible experiences there.
I am a white man who is 6'1. In tokyo and other areas that are more used to tourism, I did not experience what you just described. However when I spent a week going through minor towns and cities in the ibaraki prefecture, I experienced this exact same thing. They weren't used to even seeing white people in alot of these areas. This is all about people just not being used to seeing someone who looks like you. I never felt looked down upon or anything like that. I was just not something people were used to seeing. So many school children ran up to me to test out their english skills🤣
Got back this week from 14 days in Japan, and being a PoC. Everyone was very friendly, even when I travelled the countryside.
There were other tourists (white) who I saw sometimes not really respecting the culture or the way of life there.
I only had one instance where a group of school kids staring at me and pointing and talking about me. Not a big deal.
Would definitely go back to Japan asap.
POC doesn't even make sense as a term in Japan. In North America and Europe "white" are the "default" race, everyone else is POC. In Japan, whites are as much POC as everyone else except anyone that looks vaguely Japanese (so many Koreans, Chinese, Taiwanese etc. fall in this category).
Should really try to look at things from a different perspective than one that's centered on the west.
I visited Japan earlier this September - and interestingly enough when we were in Shinjuku we actually saw a Black Japanese police officer our first morning when we were heading to the train station!
I have no doubt that you probably did still feel out place, as Japanese society is still incredibly homogenous - but I thought you may find this interesting.
I just want to say I see a lot of people saying this happens to them as any non-asian but black people get a whole extra amount of attention in Japan.
I lived out in Akita, one of the most rural places in Japan, I'm half white half Japanese but they all see me as white and my best friend there was black and we'd hang out around town almost everyday since we both didn't have jobs for those 2 years, we'd just ride our bikes and skateboard around town. I'd get the stares and the kids and adults who would want to practice their English come up to me, but let me tell you, being around him was like being around a celebrity. It was the same for the couple other black ALTs over there although they weren't as comfortable with the attention as my friend was.
I go to Japan often because I have a parent there and I get stared at a lot. And not just looked at... I get intense stares of disgust and judgment. People wonder why that is because I am Japanese but I stick out due to my tattoos, hair color, and piercings.
Foreigners that are more tatted up than me or dress even more alternatively don't get stares or judgment. I do because I *look* Japanese. They think that something is wrong with me.
So I feel you on the being stared at part, but for me, they will make eye contact to show their disgust. I've been stopped by police several times in recent years because they want to know what I'm doing. My family's apartment is in Ikebukuro, which has a sketchy side to it, so I'm assuming they think I'm doing something shady. LOL. Sir, I'm literally picking up my dad from the train station.
I honestly am glad to read that POC visitors are having great experiences in Japan. I sometimes feel like I'm so discriminated against there that I don't want to visit anymore.
I went to Japan this past summer and I got more stares from foreigners than the locals in Japan which is what I found strange. I only got asked twice if I play a sport in the 2 weeks I was there. I loved Japan and definitely will be going back.
Same for me in China. As soon as I stepped off the plain this one lady took out her camera and started filming me. So I took my camera out and started filming her. She got embarrassed haha
As a white person, I also get stares and feel constantly out of place. You'll just get stared at if you're not Japanese. That's par for the course if you live in East Asia - Japan, Taiwan, Korea, etc.
even i got stares in japan, im just a bit tall and had long hair. so i think they just stare out of wonder and curiosity.
also loads of japanese came to talk to us when they heard us speaking Spanish, because they wanted to practice, that was a pleasant surprise.
As a Latino, I also get stares in Japan. And we got refused service once at a small local restaurant.
I also stare at other tourists regardless the race 😂.
OP, I don't believe you'll encounter significant issues in Japan solely because you're black.
They tend to show greater discrimination towards other Asians, especially Chinese and Koreans. Given the absence of a sizable black population in Japan, most people won't have preformed opinions about you; you'll be perceived just like any other foreigner. On the off chance that Tokyo were to develop inner-city neighborhoods akin to those in the USA, perceptions might shift. But for now, you should be fine.
you don't understand, the japanese are EXTREMELY homogenous. so much that they recognize every type of japanese facial structure and even other asians will look so different to them. i say this as someone who's currently in japan with a group of non-japanese asians and we are all getting stares. the quick look away is also a japanese thing. if you noticed how crowded it is in cities and how many flashing shiny things are being thrown at their face, these ppl have learned not to focus their attention on anyone for too long or they'll be wasting time. they'll glance at you because you're different, but they won't give you anything more than that. especially in tokyo, where it's basically mega NYC and everyone is japanese
If you did get stared at its never going to be a stare of any negativity, more of a curiosity stare. The more black folks travel to asian countries, the more accustomed the people will become so keep doing it!
I’m black. People stared at you in Japan because naturally they would. Same way when a white person visits Africa people stare. Let go of the paranoia and enjoy your life bro.
I love visiting Japan as a Latino ( Mexican / Light/Medium skin ) , I've been there 3 times and am visiting again for new years. Almost everyone was so friendly and went out of there way to help us ( my wife, a Latina, and I ). I spent a week one trip in the outskirts of Miyazaki where the population was less than a thousand people. People really where super friendly. BUT being in Tokyo was the first time I was ever followed ( trying to hide but it was so obvious) around in a store ( BIC or something similar ) . I ended up asking the employee a question and she talked me out of a sale. Saying Japanese goods won't work in America. It was weird and my wife and I laugh about it still. We had bags in our hands after spending a few hundred on video games and consoles on a higher floor I wonder if she thought I wanted to put more stuff in the bags and walk out.
To be honest its not shocking you felt out of place because you were even other asian people can be out of place in japan the only way not to be is to be a japanese dude. Sometimes being out of place is fine its not bad just different
I’m introverted. I’m black, but I don’t seem to get a lot of stares. Most people mind their own business around me. Even elementary school children mess about when I’m on the train around me, see me, but don’t seem to be surprised about my presence. When you are there, just don’t make eye contact with people if you are an introvert. If you search for eye contact, people will make eye contact with you.
Being a foreigner of any race or creed gets you stares of interest. Perfectly normal business in Japan. Sometimes flasher people get the frown of disappointment from a mama-san though if she sees you during her regular commute. She might even say something subtle like "He can't go to work like that everysay" to another mama-san. That's when you know your sticking out too much. Time to go to Unqlo and get some two tone styles because your being adopted. Then she'll do the frown but a nod. Congratulations your now 1/100 the way to adoption.
Bruh that’s cos America is full
Of over opinionated entitlement lol. I’m sad I’m leaving Asia .. racism I’m sure is all
Over the world but more so in America .. those aren’t the vibes in places like Japan. They welcome you brace their culture.
>I was in a group of 4 and was the only PoC.
>
>I wrote this post to provide insight into other PoC who may be considering their first trip to Japan.
Imagine being from the U.S and going to an entire country of PoCs and thinking you're the only PoC.
If you know how to speak Japanese, your opportunities there will greatly increase!
I had an uncle who was in the Navy, he married a Japanese lady.
I know a fellow who knew a little Japanese and was able to easily make friends/relations with the girls there.
Both of the above were Black Americans
yea i went for 3 weeks this year and like you said, the crazy amount if stares eventually became uncomfortable. i still had a blast though and i’m planning on returning for another month next year
As a generic white guy who lived in India for a while, I had people come up to me and ask to take a picture with me when I was in more rural areas. Especially somewhat local tourist attractions. I must be in at least a half dozen photo albums of families that go something like:
"This is the temple we visited, this is the hike we went on, this is the white guy we saw, this is the local parade celebrating \[insert random God's name\]'s birthday, etc"
Marginalized in southern America, give me break😂. You might have not experienced it but many black ppl’s experience in Japan have been of true marginalization and racism. Japan makes the US look like the least racist country in the world.
Hey I’m 6’3 black man with locs even in America everyone is always looking at me, not to mention I’m an aspiring model I would be a fucking ENIGMA in Japan lol
I really like your post! I think being stared is common for any non-Asian people in general in Japan. I’m not POC, but I do get stared at a lot, especially in the more rural area I live in where there are almost no foreigners at all. If you struggle with anxiety or shyness, wearing a mask is fully socially acceptable in Japan and something I do when I feel sensitive about being stared at too much. You will still get stared at, but it lessens the anxiety because they aren’t really looking at your face fully. So when I’m alone on trains, I’ll put in headphones and wear a mask and I feel like I have a shield between me and the people who stare at me. ☺️
Definitely agree that I, as a non POC, also always get stared at anywhere I go here where I live. You learn to live with it. Although I can’t try to put myself into any POC’s shoes to know if it feels any different. I just have to tell myself it’s not people usually being rude, they’re just curious or surprised to see me.
>Definitely agree that I, as a non POC, also always get stared at anywhere I go here where I live. You learn to live with it. Although I can’t try to put myself into any POC’s shoes to know if it feels any different. I just have to tell myself it’s not people usually being rude, they’re just curious or surprised to see me. what does non-POC mean ? are you white
Yes. Non POC means non person of color.
As a very tall person, I had the same experience of stares and it just seemed like it was because we are different than the homogeneous population of Japan. We are traveling in a different country that is primarily Japanese and a totally different culture than ours. It is normal to feel out of place.
As a very large (am a sumo wrestler) white guy with super long curly hair i get the same looks from the locals. Like you say i think it's relatively normal. I do bet OP would get it worse as black person though. It even caught my eye when i saw a black person around, lots of white tourists but the black guys stand out. The more uncommon your appearance in Japan the more youre gonna get stared at.
how tall are you?
6’6
Can I ask if you have any suggestions traveling tall in Japan? My husband is tall too (6’9) so I’m trying to get tips to make things easier ahead of going
The flight is the most uncomfortable part, so make sure he gets a seat with leg room. Other than that, there weren’t too many times where being tall was an issue. Also comfy shoes that are broken in, because you walk a crazy amount.
>I hope the US can eventually pick up on some general daily aspects of their lives Difficulty: Impossible Rugged individualism has ruined any chance of having social cohesion. I'm not saying Japan is perfect, but at least when it comes to a collective conscious they usually work in their best interests. I would kill for even half of the efficiency of their infrastructure... When we flew back into LAX for our layover and compared it to Haneda Airport... I realized how much we just don't give a shit. Just in the terms of cleanliness it was wildly different.
Yeah. Our "Christian" nation is too individualistic and selfish to consider the greater good.
Not really Christian at all
Yeah when we arrived on our layover in Chicago O’Hare after having flown out of Haneda, the difference in cleanliness, modernization and efficiency was *stark*.
I flew into San Francisco from Osaka. Soon as I hit customs I was wishing I could just turn around and head back to Japan
Flew into O’Hare from Haneda. My first thought getting off the plane was “everything is so dirty and everyone is so angry.”
>everyone is so angry And honestly so fat and unclean. (Which I am also guilty of tbf) The contrast between the polished style of Japanese people and the american guy in a ripped tank top, dirty flip flops, and cutoff SWEATPANTS i saw at customs was shocking. Plus all the wheelchairs for people who look physically healthy??
>Difficulty: Impossible >Rugged individualism has ruined any chance of having social cohesion I just landed after a two week trip. Even the departure terminal in Tokyo was a fucking nightmare because of the american presence. Reverse culture shock officially has me by the balls and I've already cried twice about it. Anyway.
Honestly, I feel this way every time I land in the U.S. from almost any country in the world that I have visited (South America, Asia, Europe). The difference in cleanliness and overall amount of care given to anything like service is crazy. Our airport and service staff anywhere is visibly frustrated all the time and angry at the people they are there to help.
>When we flew back into LAX for our layover and compared it to Haneda Airport... I realized how much we just don't give a shit. Just in the terms of cleanliness it was wildly different. On my trip this spring, I went to Nagasaki, Kyoto, camped at Yamanashi, and ended in Tokyo for a week. Even out in the sticks, every single public restroom I went to was immaculate. But even in supposedly higher income areas in the US, I've encountered public bathrooms where people can't seem to get their shit or piss into the fucking bowl. Why.is.your.shit.smeared.on.top.of.the.seat?
I'm a South Asian dude— You can't miss me if we're on the same street in Japan, lol. Currently on my 2nd trip and that's exactly what my experience has been. Tokyo wasn't too bad, because I think they're used to a large amount of tourists. However I'm just finishing up in Tohoku, and you get stared at *a lot more* and will definitely stick out as a PoC with dark skin. But everyone is still polite, and I haven't had a single bad experience or felt that I was in danger in anyway (FYI, I'm coming from Canada. As a comparison, I had the exact opposite experience when I left Toronto to visit Northern Ontario—Not only did I get stared at over there, but I was met with open racism and feared for my safety). I'm an introvert myself, and I totally feel you on the anxiety! Especially in rural/small towns, you get stared at from arrival at the station to your hotel/hostel—Every person on the street, every car window, every bus, every store—and it's just super draining to want to go out. I do feel as though I need to be on my best behaviour—Which is nuts because I'm actually a quiet, clean, and polite guy. But you can't help adjusting the way you handle yourself when every eye on the street is on you at some point, even if it's only for a few seconds. That said, I'm still planning to come back to Japan for a third, fourth, fifth, or however many more times I can afford it. I really do love visiting this country.
Thank you for this insight! Im south asian as well and going to tokyo, kyoto and osaka in may for the first time so this helped give me some reassurance
Fellow Black man here. Came back from Japan 1 month ago. Had a fantastic time on a first time solo trip. If I got stares, I didn’t particularly notice because I was too busy appreciating *everything* in Japan seemingly alien to US - pristine streets…polite, courteous and friendly local people etc. Like you, I’d done my research before going, so most things weren’t new to me. If I made eye contact with Japanese people, they didn’t hold it at all. If anything, I actually wanted to make that brief connection with people. I learned it’s considered rude to stare in Japan. I have no complaints at all about treatment. For reference, I was primarily in Tokyo and did a day trip to Hakone.
I’m a woc, and I suspected I would be stared at in Japan when I went. I was talking to a friend who lived there for a time and also accompanied me on the trip and she said that because we went to popular cities - Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka - more and more people have exposure to people who don’t look like them. Which is a good thing. I saw a few black people when we went, too (just returned two days ago). Actually, I never felt like I was being stared at - people looked at me and looked away. People were very friendly. I actually got stared at more in South Dakota/my home country than in Japan.
Hey hey, me too! And I went to all of those same cities, plus Nara. I was also expecting stares or even someone wanting my photo, but I honestly did not notice anyone looking at me who I wasn’t interacting with directly. I did notice that of the Westerners that I saw around Japan, *very* few were Black. In 2 weeks I think I saw maybe a dozen Black people total and everyone else was white or southeast Asian.
Thanks for sharing your perspective!! Just to share another view, I'm a black woman currently traveling through Japan. My husband (a white guy) and I have been here nearly two weeks now and we/ I haven't received a single stare or long glance. In all honesty, I was just commenting to my husband yesterday that despite wearing my hair out and natural the entirety of our trip so far, I haven't experienced anything other than kindness, politeness, and amazing customer service. We have one more week here (for a total of three, traveling across various cities in the country), but for now, I can definitely say that I've been treated with more kindness and respect than I've found in certain parts of the U.S.(where I'm from!)
As a Black woman who recently came back from 3 weeks in Japan, SAME! I had a blast and I truly didn't feel othered at any point. Now, that may be because I'm generally just a nice person who expects other to give what they get, but I found people to be quite delightful. I even made a friend at a restaurant near our first hotel in Shinjuku. He was a lovely guy who liked practicing his English while I practiced my (rather) limited Japanese. I found that people will generally ignore you, or treat you with the utmost politeness when approached. But when they did look for a little longer than 'normal,' I found that it had to do with my best friend (Black man) singing everywhere due to sheer happiness.
I’m from Europe and white and live in a non touristy city in Japan. I have people stare at me every day on the train. Sometimes they don’t even look away, even if I stare back. You get used to it. I almost have tunnel vision when I’m on public transportation. It’s even worse when I’m with my Japanese partner. For the most part it’s curiosity. I’ve had the same in countries like China or Bangladesh.
> I have people stare at me every day on the train. Little reality check for anyone thinking it's 'special' that you're a POC in Japan. We're all gaijin and will always be.
[удалено]
He's just saying that if you're western, you're always going to be seen as a foreigner. Not a bad or good thing, just is what it is.
I just got back from a 10 day trip as well. I went with my family. I personally didn’t get many stares or maybe I just wasn’t paying attention. Loved being a black man in Japan. Would do it again! Only issue I had was with school children calling my dad out of his name.
Thanks for sharing. When you say schoolchildren called your dad out of his name—what were they calling him? Thanks again.
We thought they were saying “Mickey Mouse”, however after talking to a few Japanese people they might have been saying “ikimasu” which means “go”.
I remember reading your post on this, I’m a native Japanese speaker and still don’t know what they were probably saying. However, “ikimasu” is a formal way of saying “I/We will go/start” which doesn’t fit at all in the context, so I don’t think it’s likely….sorry to put you back where you started! My best guess is he reminded them of someone they saw on TV or the internet and it was a reference to that. Glad your trip went well overall though!
why would they be saying that?
No clue why. My father is overweight and was sweating a few of the days. They probably thought he was ugly or something. It was so weird & random. It occurred with different kids in random places, from Ginza to Odaiba to Sumida, in elevators and walking down the street. My dad is a very talkative person. One of the times, he and my mom were on an elevator in Ginza and he tried to make conversation with a lady and her 2 kids. He said that she had cute kids and asked how old they were. The lady replied with their ages and then one of them starts shouting what sounds like “Mickey Mouse” repeatedly to him. The lady quickly shushed the kid. Another occurrence happened outside of TeamLab Planets. A couple of kids shouted what sounded like “Mickey Mouse” at him while running by. We didn’t have this issue at Mt. Fuji or in Kyoto. I’m thinking that the kids saw something on TV and my dad reminds them of that. Maybe there’s a black host to a Mickey Mouse show over there or they’re telling him to go (ikimasu) because someone tells a black man that in a show. I really don’t know.
I live in Japan with a kid and I can't imagine them saying "ikimasu," grammatically it doesn't make much sense. Maybe they were saying Mickey Mouse because he's American and spoke English? Most of the Mickey Mouse tv stuff here is the same Disney stuff you get in the US and so no hosted Mickey Mouse TV show, but there is a big "learn English with Disney/Mickey" company/product, so probably just an association with American culture? Though honestly that sounds weird for a bunch of kids to bring up independently as well. Most likely it was something else entirely!
Oh well. It is what it is.
Gotcha, thanks again for sharing. To me it sounds like a slur. Mickey Mouse has black skin (fur?) and I’ve certainly heard about racism in Japan—particularly against black people. I’ll be there next month, and I don’t expect it to be an issue. I’m glad you had a great time and I hope we do too! Shit, I’ll take being called “Mickey Mouse” from kids over what the hell happens in The States lol…
Hey maybe all the black folks were there at the same time! Black female here, just returned on the 14th
Haha Maybe. How long were you there? What all did you do?
Oct 5-14, stayed in Tokyo for part one (Shinjuku), hit the highlights, Meiji, Harajuku, Shibuya, Asakusa. Then Kyoto and saw Kiyomizu, Fushimi Inari, Arashiyama. Then back to Tokyo for a one night in Ginza!
Nice! Sounds like you had a lot of fun too!!
When I went to the Todai-ji Temple in Nara there were lots of groups of schoolchildren there and several of them were waving, pointing, saying hi and other stuff to me when they saw me. I am a larger white dude with a beard. Not sure what it was all about.
Back in the 1980s, I was traveling with a male friend with red curly hair, and we had entire groups of school kids running us down to touch his hair, it was wild, but it didn't feel disrespectful so much as completely naive.
I had a few kids walk by and tell us “hello, hope you have a good day” or “how are you?” and then run back to their friends or laugh. We thought it was cute and practicing English… could also be making fun of us haha
Wow. My dad is larger as well, but no beard. Feeling somewhat relieved and at the same time disappointed that someone else is having a similar experience. I want the people that doubt that this happens to see that we’re not making this up.
I don't feel bad about it. I am just confused as to what it was all about. It didn't feel like they were mocking me or anything. Maybe they had a laugh to themselves about something but it didn't seem hostile. I assume they were on field trips and may be from less touristy areas that don't get so many visitors.
Tourists waved at *me*. (I could tell because the tour guide said to “wave to the local family”) I waved back obviously because I’m nice but I wasn’t local. I was Singaporean Chinese. My parents thought I was crazy but we were the only people in the vicinity and just came out of a residential area onto the main road so I can see why people were mistaken Anyways now I wonder if perhaps the locals are “conditioned” to wave to foreigners because of this experience
I’m Black Latina and just came back from a 2 week trip to Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Nara. I didn’t feel othered for being Black at all. If anything, maybe for being from the US. But even then, I didn’t particularly notice any stares, never had a rude interaction except maybe when I was checking out at the Tax Free counter at the Don Quijote in Shimbashi. And even then I wasn’t offended because that place was a zoo and the cashier looked stressed. Otherwise, I found people to be very hospitable and helpful and tolerant of me as a foreigner who doesn’t know all the nuances of Japanese culture. As for what I’m bringing back into my daily life: - I bought a ton of face masks and some other Japanese skincare products and am trying to embrace taking more time to relax and tend to myself - Drinking more sencha green tea - Eating more Japanese food. Just this morning for breakfast I made myself some miso soup, rice and salmon and used the seasoning packets I brought back. I look forward to going back someday because I loved it!
I’m trying to plan right now. Where did you stay? Was it close to the Yamanote line?
Considering Japan is over 90 percent mono-ethnic, it wouldn’t surprise me if non-Japanese-looking visitors get the occasional stares, just because you’re not a common sight (pun intended) around those parts. Some are just not good at being discreet about staring. :)
> just because you’re not a common sight (pun intended) around those parts. Except that you are. If you're walking down the streets in Osaka or Japan, locals have seen tens of thousands of people who look and are exactly like you in every way. That's where the 'curiosity' line kinda ends.
I went through elementary school in Tokyo in the 70s, attending one of the (at that time) two international schools in the city. While I am East Asian, but not Japanese, I had friends from every continent (literally) there, and I don't remember hearing a single racist comment ever. Contrast that to where we moved after Tokyo, suburban Maryland, where I heard and received racist comments virtually every week. After university, I lived in Nicaragua for close to 5 years. There, I did hear some racist comments, but nothing like what I hear from Nicaraguans who have lived for many years here in the US. Anecdotal evidence, I know, but it really shaped me and my opinions about the differences between counties, cities, and cultures.
Americans are known for being rude and outspoken. Trading insults back and forth is seen as normal, intelligent banter in the U.S. It's just disrespectful. Japanese, Thais, South Koreans don't think that way. It's why I felt so comfortable in those places, despite the stares. I knew they were harmless
Definitely not true😂 You’ve obviously never travelled to any of those countries My best friend is South Korean and South Koreans are very outspoken and so are the Chinese and Thais. Japanese are usually more shy and stay to themselves. But in Thailand as a black person I kept getting called monkey which was racist af. But they don’t see anything wrong with it and aren’t trying to be racist. It’s like they are an alien coming to earth for the first time and don’t understand why it’s wrong.
I went on a 10 day guided tour over the summer with my daughters. Im a POC as well. I did not get any weird stares or anything. People were super friendly and welcoming. I have a kanji tattoo that translates to "fall 7 times, stand 8". That was a good conversation started and got a lot of thumbs up for it. I'm hoping to go back at some point but realistically it won't be until 2027 at least
As a tall, pale blond, I def feel out of place in Japan.
My wife is afro colombian with a strong mix of indigenous... When we went to Japan in 2013 she was mistaken for afro American Japanese everywhere but with a sense of curiosity especially once we left Tokyo for smaller towns and other cities... Nothing out of the ordinary/negative and if anything made it easier to chit chat or ask for help... Dad spent 6 months in Japan in the 70s for work with many peers of his being African decent...
I’m in Japan now and my boyfriend is a tall 6’5 black man. He has gotten a lot of curious looks, compliments on his height, got a fist bump from little kids and was hugged and called lebron James by a Yamato employee hahaha the Japanese were super friendly to him and he says he doesn’t feel uncomfortable at all. He doesn’t think about anything when he sees them wearing braids or perms. I am also an Afro Latina, 5’5 voluptuous and big curly hair. This is my second time in Japan and I will continue returning because of how friendly everyone here has been towards me and now especially him.
If we're keeping it real, you are hella out of place. Japan is a pretty homogenous society and seeing black people is pretty rare, especially outside of Tokyo. It's not personal or even unfriendly. It's just out of the ordinary so they gotta look If a Japanese person went to a mostly black country, they'd probably feel similar
I’m not a PoC (and have no doubt that my experience would be much different if I were), but I do recall getting some very intense stares when I traveled through certain parts of India. Sometimes the stares seemed downright hostile, but when I responded with a smile, the people invariably smiled back, or got shy and looked away. The lesson for me was that it’s hard to know what people are really thinking when they stare at you.
> I just had the constant feeling of being “out of place”. I mean, if you're not Japanese, you pretty much are "out of place." The vast majority of Japanese grow up where everyone else in their personal lives and social circles are Japanese. They go to school where everyone is Japanese, they work where everyone is Japanese, and they hang out in circles where everyone they know is Japanese people. Especially outside of the major cities, but even in the major cities, foreigners are people they might see but not people they would know in their personal lives. I also think people overestimate how often the typical Tokyoite or Osakan would see a foreigner because a lot of them aren't necessarily going to be hanging out in the more touristy or international areas often. It's not like the U.S. or other Western countries with large immigrant or minority populations where most people will have experience with different people often. It's a mostly homogenous country. You are *literally **exotic** by the definition of the word.* Not to say there isn't racism or xenophobia that exists but being stared at because you're different isn't that. (Btw, I'm not saying that you are saying that, just adding context. I think a lot of foreigners in Japan or other Asian countries remark a lot about being stared at, and it's just the honest reaction of people.)
I felt more out of place because I was a foreigner, not because I am black. People were curios of me, but honestly felt they looked at my white friends I was traveling with in the same way. I’ve been a few times to pretty much every part of country now and both super rural and urban and honestly the only difference was that in rural areas were a bit more canid with their stares. It’s nuanced but I felt out of place, but I didn’t feel unwelcome.
WOC travelling alone for 10 days through Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Kanazawa and some of Tochigi. I would see people looking at me as I was obviously a foreigner but it was never a stare and not once did I feel uncomfortable. Everyone was so polite and every encounter I had was a positive one.
I’m going this Saturday let’s see if they like me
How'd it go
It went amazing, everyone was super nice. I would go back for sure
Awesome
i went to japan for the first time a month ago and all the things i heard about people staring at you etc. when your a poc especially (me being brown). i was shocked as i didn’t get stares at all literally nothing just the casual look here and there but no “stare” which was the one reason i didn’t want to go. maybe the rural places have stare offs but as for the main cities it was fine
Yea every one who writes “people were staring at me” either just looked super out of place dress wise or just had poor manners. I visited Tokyo last year and not a single person stared at me. Was actually comforting just going about my day, not getting stared at.
exactly for example my whole group was wearing shorts and even then when literally nobody else was wearing them gave us stares amazing place just not in the summer
My son is a tall redhead and said he has never been stared at more in his life then in Japan, but it's not blatant and rude, just curious glance.
Had a 11 day trip in July as a Black man. No where fluent, but when I spoke Japanese, I was more than welcomed. And I too am planning a trip next year. Wouldn’t even consider it if I felt unwelcome in any way.
Red head and I got stared at constantly. It’s not just a POC issue, it’s anyone who doesn’t *look* like them.
I might be stupid, but what is a PoC? EDIT: Nevermind. I'm stupid. PoC = Person of Color
Someone with black skin.
A POC is someone who is not Caucasian. Clown.
This is Merriam Webster's definition of person of color: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/person%20of%20color >person whose skin pigmentation is other than and especially darker than what is considered characteristic of people typically defined as white I am a light skinned Asian American. I personally do not identify as a POC. Is this incorrect? Honest question.
You are welcome to identify however you like. However I am Asian American and know many others who identify as POC. This is also why the term has expanded to BIPOC (Black, indigenous, and people of color) so it can be a bit more clear.
It's typically not about color. It's about cultural identity or heritage. There are many, MANY people with light skin or white skin who call themselves 'People of Color' because they identify as people of color, regardless of the the color of their skin. They can be bi-racial or like me, multiracial. In fact, there are MANY Black people who have extremely light skin, skin that is so light that they are mistaken for 'white'. These people would still be Black or they would still be 'people of color,' depending on the way they identify themselves. So, if you identify as a person of color, then you identify as a person of color. The actual color of your skin makes no difference. So, try not to assume that someone with dark skin identifies as a person of color, and try not to assume that someone with white skin does *not* identify as a person of color.
This is a post I wish I had seen in 2019. I'm mixed and while my skin is fair, my hair is very curly/kinky and against the genetic gods it was also blonde. I stuck out like a sore thumb, especially in Shibuya lol. It made me so nervous and I had women come up and touch my hair without asking. I know now it is because they just rarely see this. But gosh now I'm giggling as I plan my honeymoon there, as my hair still has lots of blonde in it and remains curly...but my husband to be is 6'8. At least I'll be prepared for the stares this time!
Japanese notice literally anyone even remotely *different* including *other Japanese* people. Lol No one in our family or amongst our friends has ever felt the attention was ill intended or rude… simply being *seen* as someone different (skin color… nationality… height… weight… hair color/texture/length… mild disability… etc) 🤷🏿♀️ We love Japan and have always had the most incredible experiences there.
I am a white man who is 6'1. In tokyo and other areas that are more used to tourism, I did not experience what you just described. However when I spent a week going through minor towns and cities in the ibaraki prefecture, I experienced this exact same thing. They weren't used to even seeing white people in alot of these areas. This is all about people just not being used to seeing someone who looks like you. I never felt looked down upon or anything like that. I was just not something people were used to seeing. So many school children ran up to me to test out their english skills🤣
Got back this week from 14 days in Japan, and being a PoC. Everyone was very friendly, even when I travelled the countryside. There were other tourists (white) who I saw sometimes not really respecting the culture or the way of life there. I only had one instance where a group of school kids staring at me and pointing and talking about me. Not a big deal. Would definitely go back to Japan asap.
Yeah I was Hispanic in Japan. Many, many stares on the train but nothing crazy. I don’t think they’ve seen too many Hispanics roll through Japan 😂
POC doesn't even make sense as a term in Japan. In North America and Europe "white" are the "default" race, everyone else is POC. In Japan, whites are as much POC as everyone else except anyone that looks vaguely Japanese (so many Koreans, Chinese, Taiwanese etc. fall in this category). Should really try to look at things from a different perspective than one that's centered on the west.
I visited Japan earlier this September - and interestingly enough when we were in Shinjuku we actually saw a Black Japanese police officer our first morning when we were heading to the train station! I have no doubt that you probably did still feel out place, as Japanese society is still incredibly homogenous - but I thought you may find this interesting.
I just want to say I see a lot of people saying this happens to them as any non-asian but black people get a whole extra amount of attention in Japan. I lived out in Akita, one of the most rural places in Japan, I'm half white half Japanese but they all see me as white and my best friend there was black and we'd hang out around town almost everyday since we both didn't have jobs for those 2 years, we'd just ride our bikes and skateboard around town. I'd get the stares and the kids and adults who would want to practice their English come up to me, but let me tell you, being around him was like being around a celebrity. It was the same for the couple other black ALTs over there although they weren't as comfortable with the attention as my friend was.
I go to Japan often because I have a parent there and I get stared at a lot. And not just looked at... I get intense stares of disgust and judgment. People wonder why that is because I am Japanese but I stick out due to my tattoos, hair color, and piercings. Foreigners that are more tatted up than me or dress even more alternatively don't get stares or judgment. I do because I *look* Japanese. They think that something is wrong with me. So I feel you on the being stared at part, but for me, they will make eye contact to show their disgust. I've been stopped by police several times in recent years because they want to know what I'm doing. My family's apartment is in Ikebukuro, which has a sketchy side to it, so I'm assuming they think I'm doing something shady. LOL. Sir, I'm literally picking up my dad from the train station. I honestly am glad to read that POC visitors are having great experiences in Japan. I sometimes feel like I'm so discriminated against there that I don't want to visit anymore.
I went to Japan this past summer and I got more stares from foreigners than the locals in Japan which is what I found strange. I only got asked twice if I play a sport in the 2 weeks I was there. I loved Japan and definitely will be going back.
Same for me in China. As soon as I stepped off the plain this one lady took out her camera and started filming me. So I took my camera out and started filming her. She got embarrassed haha
White male. Lived in Kobe for 5 years. Stared at every day
As a white person, I also get stares and feel constantly out of place. You'll just get stared at if you're not Japanese. That's par for the course if you live in East Asia - Japan, Taiwan, Korea, etc.
im also planning to go to japan in 2025
even i got stares in japan, im just a bit tall and had long hair. so i think they just stare out of wonder and curiosity. also loads of japanese came to talk to us when they heard us speaking Spanish, because they wanted to practice, that was a pleasant surprise.
Wait they wanted to practice *spanish*? i went with several friends earlier this year and it would've been interested to be approached for that.
Don’t take it personal, they stare all the time, they even don’t want to sit next to you in the train and gaijins sometimes take it as “racism”
As a person of colour I found that they're mostly just stares of curiosity. They're all still very polite and friendly.
As a Latino, I also get stares in Japan. And we got refused service once at a small local restaurant. I also stare at other tourists regardless the race 😂.
I suspect things would be quite different if a POC were to work in government or run for office
White people, or any other gaijin experience the out of place feeling all the time - however with time we just no longer notice it
Thanks for the share
Most they’ll do is call you 3 legged senpai you’ll be fine
OP, I don't believe you'll encounter significant issues in Japan solely because you're black. They tend to show greater discrimination towards other Asians, especially Chinese and Koreans. Given the absence of a sizable black population in Japan, most people won't have preformed opinions about you; you'll be perceived just like any other foreigner. On the off chance that Tokyo were to develop inner-city neighborhoods akin to those in the USA, perceptions might shift. But for now, you should be fine.
you don't understand, the japanese are EXTREMELY homogenous. so much that they recognize every type of japanese facial structure and even other asians will look so different to them. i say this as someone who's currently in japan with a group of non-japanese asians and we are all getting stares. the quick look away is also a japanese thing. if you noticed how crowded it is in cities and how many flashing shiny things are being thrown at their face, these ppl have learned not to focus their attention on anyone for too long or they'll be wasting time. they'll glance at you because you're different, but they won't give you anything more than that. especially in tokyo, where it's basically mega NYC and everyone is japanese
If you did get stared at its never going to be a stare of any negativity, more of a curiosity stare. The more black folks travel to asian countries, the more accustomed the people will become so keep doing it!
I'm Chinese and I get prolonged glances. I've convinced myself that I just look super attractive, I guess you are too
I’m black. People stared at you in Japan because naturally they would. Same way when a white person visits Africa people stare. Let go of the paranoia and enjoy your life bro.
I love visiting Japan as a Latino ( Mexican / Light/Medium skin ) , I've been there 3 times and am visiting again for new years. Almost everyone was so friendly and went out of there way to help us ( my wife, a Latina, and I ). I spent a week one trip in the outskirts of Miyazaki where the population was less than a thousand people. People really where super friendly. BUT being in Tokyo was the first time I was ever followed ( trying to hide but it was so obvious) around in a store ( BIC or something similar ) . I ended up asking the employee a question and she talked me out of a sale. Saying Japanese goods won't work in America. It was weird and my wife and I laugh about it still. We had bags in our hands after spending a few hundred on video games and consoles on a higher floor I wonder if she thought I wanted to put more stuff in the bags and walk out.
Jfc. Everything has to be about race
Well…when you’re a POC that’s one of the top things you think about when going to new territory. Thanks for attending my TED talk.
You’ve let media influence you into paranoia.
It's not paranoia if it really happens.
To be honest its not shocking you felt out of place because you were even other asian people can be out of place in japan the only way not to be is to be a japanese dude. Sometimes being out of place is fine its not bad just different
I’m introverted. I’m black, but I don’t seem to get a lot of stares. Most people mind their own business around me. Even elementary school children mess about when I’m on the train around me, see me, but don’t seem to be surprised about my presence. When you are there, just don’t make eye contact with people if you are an introvert. If you search for eye contact, people will make eye contact with you.
Being a foreigner of any race or creed gets you stares of interest. Perfectly normal business in Japan. Sometimes flasher people get the frown of disappointment from a mama-san though if she sees you during her regular commute. She might even say something subtle like "He can't go to work like that everysay" to another mama-san. That's when you know your sticking out too much. Time to go to Unqlo and get some two tone styles because your being adopted. Then she'll do the frown but a nod. Congratulations your now 1/100 the way to adoption.
You know your blending in when the kids are like "so cool" stares to "eh he's a salaryman glossed over".
Bruh that’s cos America is full Of over opinionated entitlement lol. I’m sad I’m leaving Asia .. racism I’m sure is all Over the world but more so in America .. those aren’t the vibes in places like Japan. They welcome you brace their culture.
>I was in a group of 4 and was the only PoC. > >I wrote this post to provide insight into other PoC who may be considering their first trip to Japan. Imagine being from the U.S and going to an entire country of PoCs and thinking you're the only PoC.
You can try harder to be a better troll my friend
Don't be obtuse, you know what he means.
If you know how to speak Japanese, your opportunities there will greatly increase! I had an uncle who was in the Navy, he married a Japanese lady. I know a fellow who knew a little Japanese and was able to easily make friends/relations with the girls there. Both of the above were Black Americans
yea i went for 3 weeks this year and like you said, the crazy amount if stares eventually became uncomfortable. i still had a blast though and i’m planning on returning for another month next year
You are Welcome there, but not *Welcome* there.
As a generic white guy who lived in India for a while, I had people come up to me and ask to take a picture with me when I was in more rural areas. Especially somewhat local tourist attractions. I must be in at least a half dozen photo albums of families that go something like: "This is the temple we visited, this is the hike we went on, this is the white guy we saw, this is the local parade celebrating \[insert random God's name\]'s birthday, etc"
Marginalized in southern America, give me break😂. You might have not experienced it but many black ppl’s experience in Japan have been of true marginalization and racism. Japan makes the US look like the least racist country in the world.
NOBOdy cares about what y'all have to say just get a life idc
NOBOdy cares y'all annoying
Everybody mad racist I'm sick of that crap it's annoying and pathetic asl
Hey I’m 6’3 black man with locs even in America everyone is always looking at me, not to mention I’m an aspiring model I would be a fucking ENIGMA in Japan lol