Saturday, May 27, 2006
3 Questions about Japan
Three questions my friend Sanae asked me for a magazine article.
WHAT SURPRISED YOU MOST WHEN YOU ARRIVED ON GOTO ISLAND?
Because I had been to Japan once already, I had an image of what Japan was like. However, I had visited large cities like Tokyo, Yokohama, Kyoto, and Osaka. These cities, obviously, are very different from Goto Island. I was surprised that it was so rural, and it seemed very behind technologically, compared to those modern places. Our image of Japan in America is very modern, technological and advanced. So, being surrounded by mostly fishing villages, is what surprised me most.
Also, to be honest, the garbage and junk around Goto shocked me. There seemed to be trash everywhere--even the beaches were covered with Styrofoam and old fishing nets. It was disgusting! My experiences in Japanese cities lead me to believe that Japanese people take very good care of their public spaces. Even though there are very few garbage cans in the city, there doesn't seem to be garbage anywhere. How is that possible? In many Western cities there is garbage everywhere! Despite having trash cans in the street, people still throw out their wrappers and cans, even large pieces of furniture out on the street.
And on the contrary, the countryside in America is beautiful. I live near a forest on the mountain in Oregon. There is private land and public land very near my house, but all of it is very clean. I don't think you would see one can lying on the ground. My dad used to go on walks, and he always brought a plastic bag to collect small wrappers, etc. Sometimes he found nothing at all to pick up. When I try to do that in Japan, my plastic bag is always too full at the end of my trip. There is so much garbage everywhere I can't walk very far. I tried this at Hamaguri beach once, and my arms were full of garbage. Japanese people gave me crazy looks.
It seems natural to me to keep the beaches and ocean clean. The ocean is your treasure. Everyday people on this island eat fish from the ocean. It is for their survival. Don't they want to eat clean fish and drink clean water? The fish provide them not only with food, but with money because they can sell them to make a living. Don't they want to make sure the ocean is around for a long time? I have come to believe fisherman are not clean people. I'm afraid it's from lack of knowledge, rather than lack of caring. However, I wish there was more respect for the ocean among Goto people.
WHAT ARE THE PEOPLE LIKE?
I think Japanese people are some of the most hospitable people in the world. Never have I been to a country where people will be so helpful and kind to complete strangers. The stories I have about Japanese strangers helping me are innumerable. It's not even just helping me by giving me directions when I'm lost, but even so far as to drive me to where I want to go and to invite me into their homes to sleep. The things I've been able to do in Japan, such as hitch-hiking around Kyushu solely on the reliance of strangers, would be impossible to do safely in America.
I might say the reason I decided to stay in Japan two years instead of just one, is the kindness of the people here. However, ironically, the reason I am now leaving is also the people. Just as kind as Japanese people are to strangers, they are hesitant to become a true friend to a foreigner. One thing I realized is that I will probably always be an outsider in Japan. The word 外人 (gaijin=foreigner) is proof of that. In English, it's translated into "outside-person." Even living here for two years, I feel like an outsider. Not because I look different, and not because my Japanese isn't fluent, but because very few people are interested in becoming my true friend. In fact, Sanae, you are one of those few Japanese people who has truly opened her heart to me. I appreciate that so much about you--and then you had to leave me to go to London!!
WHAT WILL YOU MISS ABOUT JAPAN?
There are many, many things that I will miss about Japan.
The color of the ocean in Kiri--the most amazing blue I've ever seen. Nakagoto High School teachers who speak to me. The hillsides covered in every shade of green in the spring. Shopping at Nice Day grocery store day after day. My Aokata English conversation class every Wednesday evening. Asagami-sensei in Narao and triathlon training with Catherine. My bi-weekly visits to Kamigoto Hospital. Swimming at Aqua Blue. Wakamatsu Higashi Elementary School students holding my hands all day. Hiking to the top of Arikawa's Yaguridake. Cherry blossoms in April and typhoons in August. My Nitaiyama apartment. Kabocha korroke. Kakigori. The onsen and kotatsu. Learning Japanese and teaching English.
WHAT SURPRISED YOU MOST WHEN YOU ARRIVED ON GOTO ISLAND?
Because I had been to Japan once already, I had an image of what Japan was like. However, I had visited large cities like Tokyo, Yokohama, Kyoto, and Osaka. These cities, obviously, are very different from Goto Island. I was surprised that it was so rural, and it seemed very behind technologically, compared to those modern places. Our image of Japan in America is very modern, technological and advanced. So, being surrounded by mostly fishing villages, is what surprised me most.
Also, to be honest, the garbage and junk around Goto shocked me. There seemed to be trash everywhere--even the beaches were covered with Styrofoam and old fishing nets. It was disgusting! My experiences in Japanese cities lead me to believe that Japanese people take very good care of their public spaces. Even though there are very few garbage cans in the city, there doesn't seem to be garbage anywhere. How is that possible? In many Western cities there is garbage everywhere! Despite having trash cans in the street, people still throw out their wrappers and cans, even large pieces of furniture out on the street.
And on the contrary, the countryside in America is beautiful. I live near a forest on the mountain in Oregon. There is private land and public land very near my house, but all of it is very clean. I don't think you would see one can lying on the ground. My dad used to go on walks, and he always brought a plastic bag to collect small wrappers, etc. Sometimes he found nothing at all to pick up. When I try to do that in Japan, my plastic bag is always too full at the end of my trip. There is so much garbage everywhere I can't walk very far. I tried this at Hamaguri beach once, and my arms were full of garbage. Japanese people gave me crazy looks.
It seems natural to me to keep the beaches and ocean clean. The ocean is your treasure. Everyday people on this island eat fish from the ocean. It is for their survival. Don't they want to eat clean fish and drink clean water? The fish provide them not only with food, but with money because they can sell them to make a living. Don't they want to make sure the ocean is around for a long time? I have come to believe fisherman are not clean people. I'm afraid it's from lack of knowledge, rather than lack of caring. However, I wish there was more respect for the ocean among Goto people.
WHAT ARE THE PEOPLE LIKE?
I think Japanese people are some of the most hospitable people in the world. Never have I been to a country where people will be so helpful and kind to complete strangers. The stories I have about Japanese strangers helping me are innumerable. It's not even just helping me by giving me directions when I'm lost, but even so far as to drive me to where I want to go and to invite me into their homes to sleep. The things I've been able to do in Japan, such as hitch-hiking around Kyushu solely on the reliance of strangers, would be impossible to do safely in America.
I might say the reason I decided to stay in Japan two years instead of just one, is the kindness of the people here. However, ironically, the reason I am now leaving is also the people. Just as kind as Japanese people are to strangers, they are hesitant to become a true friend to a foreigner. One thing I realized is that I will probably always be an outsider in Japan. The word 外人 (gaijin=foreigner) is proof of that. In English, it's translated into "outside-person." Even living here for two years, I feel like an outsider. Not because I look different, and not because my Japanese isn't fluent, but because very few people are interested in becoming my true friend. In fact, Sanae, you are one of those few Japanese people who has truly opened her heart to me. I appreciate that so much about you--and then you had to leave me to go to London!!
WHAT WILL YOU MISS ABOUT JAPAN?
There are many, many things that I will miss about Japan.
The color of the ocean in Kiri--the most amazing blue I've ever seen. Nakagoto High School teachers who speak to me. The hillsides covered in every shade of green in the spring. Shopping at Nice Day grocery store day after day. My Aokata English conversation class every Wednesday evening. Asagami-sensei in Narao and triathlon training with Catherine. My bi-weekly visits to Kamigoto Hospital. Swimming at Aqua Blue. Wakamatsu Higashi Elementary School students holding my hands all day. Hiking to the top of Arikawa's Yaguridake. Cherry blossoms in April and typhoons in August. My Nitaiyama apartment. Kabocha korroke. Kakigori. The onsen and kotatsu. Learning Japanese and teaching English.
