Something I've been meaning to write about is a question I've received (actually, I think I've been asked this a few times), about living in Japan, and what it is like to wear the hijab here.
Well, first it should be known that Japan is a completely non-religious country. If you read about Japan, for some reason they will talk about Japan as either a Shinto or Buddhist culture. Neither of these is true. 98
% of all the Japanese people I have talked to about religion in Japan and their personal religious beliefs (that amounts to more than 200 people over the last 5 years) have indicated that they feel they have "no religion" and that they do not believe in God. In fact, almost the same percentage of Japanese people have spoken about the Japanese people in general, saying that people "have no religion," "practice no religion," don't believe in God, and don't understand the Western compulsion to attend church (or other religious services).
Many times my students have asked me to explain the general tenets of both Christianity and Islam, because both religions are essentially foreign to their culture. As those who have lived in the US, Canada, the UK, or Australia know, religious metaphors and cultural references are prolific in media, basic cultural knowledge, and in casual conversation. That is not the case in Japan, for the most part. Shintoism, a nature-based ancestor-worshiping practice that dates back to ancient times, is one of the mystiques of Japan, even to Japanese people. It is seen as a fascinating part of their past, like wearing kimono and performing the tea ceremo
ny. These are not things that are a part of the daily lives of modern people, and so most people don't know very much about them, and experience them only a few times in their lives, if at all.
In my experience, most people are curious about the religious practices of other countries, particularly Christianity, but Islam too. I've gotten into many long, lecture-style discussions about the historical references of both religions, such as why certain holidays are practiced and why certain foods can't be eaten.
I've experienced mostly a fully-encompassing acceptance of my beliefs and expression of those beliefs (such as wearing the hijab). But before you think Japan is the most accepting and wonderful place, please keep in mind one very important thing. In this island nation, being "Japanese" is a very specific thing. Cultural and racial purity is very important. If a person is not a "full-blooded" Japanese, it is evident by their appearance more than any other aspect of their character, behavior, language, or religion. If you are not born Japanese, then you never will be. So, being "not Japanese" releases you from many of the pressures of adhering to their strict social and ethical standards.
The level of society that you want to achieve in Japan will drastically affect how you are treated. If you are a temporary resident living in Japan to perform a service (such as teaching English! Haha), you don't have a problem. In fact, most people have a great time. However, if you want to get married, have children, want your children to go to Japanese schools, want to buy a house or a car in Japan, get a Japanese driver's license, get a bank loan, or open a business, then you are going to start experiencing problems.
So, in conclusion, as a very obviously foreign person providing a sought-after service for a temporary amount of time, I experience mostly acceptance, curiosity, and novelty.
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3 comments:
thanks share about japan.. i want go to japan.. someday :D
sorry my english so bad, but i want to learn english :D
Wow, that's very informative! Thanks for answering my question...
Although I can list so many great attributes the Japanese are known for, I wonder if their "We accept you as long as you don't try being part of us" can even be considered "acceptance." I have many relatives who have had incredible experiences studying in Japan or going there on a visit, only to witness a 180 degrees change in behaviour as soon as they try getting a job there....
Something once crossed my mind, and I can't help but share it. Is their demography and the way all Japanese are essentially the same (as in, one race) one of the factors of their success? Although I'd love to think of diversity as a beautiful part of some cultures, could it also be inhibiting or slowing down progress because there are many more communication barriers that have to be crossed than the Japanese would need to? Just some food for thought
Well, that is an interesting question... I think it depends on what you mean by "success." Indeed, the Japanese have achieved a high level of civilization in society in a relatively short period of time (a hundred years ago, there was a complete import/export ban and they didn't even allow foreign people to enter their ports, women had absolutely no rights and were essentially slaves, children were regularly bought and sold as servants, and there was an active Emperor with a feudal land system), while now Japan is very similar to the U.S. in the 1950s. Women can and do get university educations and work, although in most professions they are still expected to quit working and stay home if they have children. There is an excellent social medical care system, public pension and unemployment insurance, and automatic earthquake and tsunami insurance for homes. These are definitely successes.
However, whether their mentality has caught up with their social reforms is something else to consider. Honestly, I think women are objectified here way more than in the U.S., since, for example, you can buy pornographic magazines and comics featuring real and animated women with enormous bikinied breasts and open mouths wet with saliva leaning over in submissive positions on the bottom shelf at the 7-11, easily accessible by young children and teenagers. I've also observed their "don't ask don't help" policy toward the elderly and infirm on a regular basis. I have personally seen an elderly man fall down the stairs and lay on the ground bleeding, and not a single person asked him if he was okay, tried to help him up, or even called for someone else to help. They just grunted and walked around him so they wouldn't be late for their train. I wish this was the exception, but that is the norm.
There is an odd hive-mind mentality in Japan that is very foreign to Western people, for sure. People have a very clear idea of social boundaries and most people don't step out of line. Crime is less prevalent because everyone is too concerned about being embarrassed in front of strangers. At work, people are detail-oriented and thorough, if lacking in efficiency. (Case in point- I have never, ever gotten out of a phone shop in less than an hour, not including the time I waited to be helped, even if I was just paying my bill.) The racial and social purity of Japan contributes to the feeling of the entire country operating on the same "wave length" and from the outside, is certainly impressive. However, the people I've talked to have frequently said they hate the boundaries. They feel like people are dishonest because they never express themselves. People don't communicate their feelings openly. It is common for people to have long-harbored feelings of love, hatred, passion, resentment, longing, fear, and endearment and never utter a word to the object of their feelings, for their entire lives. In that way, a lot of the people who learn English do so because they appreciate the open, direct nature of the English language, and more ingenuous and direct nature of English-speaking people. It helps them break out of that mold and express themselves.
Sorry, it's long and rambling!
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