Culture |
 Japanese culture is very
different from Western culture and it can be a real shock to visitors. Perhaps
that sounds stupid but it is very true. It's amazing how many people don't believe this
and get their minds blown when they arrive. Some people cannot handle the culture
shock and end up returning to their own countries very quickly. I would strongly
suggest that anyone thinking about working in animation in Japan visit it first and see
what it is like. I think it is exceptionally dangerous to decide on any career, no
matter what the country or location, without first taking a look at the places where that
work is done. It will be easier to get contacts with language and animation schools and
studios as well.Japan is not easy to deal with unless you have
a good understanding of the language. Many foreign people retreat into groups of
ex-pats from their own countries and have few Japanese friends and little real contact
with Japanese society. Merely living in a country does not necessarily mean that
you understand its people, language or culture. It is much easier to find friends
from one's own country and hang around with them exclusively, seeing Japan through the
lens of one's own culture than it is to jump right into the middle, all alone. People who
do the latter often find that they face resistance from both their own people as well as
the Japanese. Having a Japanese spouse does not automatically confer an understanding of
either Japanese language or society/culture either.Much has been written and said about how Japanese
society cannot be truly entered by a foreigner.I cannot say that this is true or not. When
I am doing well and integrating with no problem then I think that is a lie but then
something happens that would not happen
That is a crock. Writers who
spend six months or even a couple years in Japan writing about it at some big newspaper or
magazine or working at some big company are unlikely to see what goes on
in Japanese society. They go back to their countries with two dozen or so words of
Japanese in their heads and write their memoirs, often trying to put forth the image that
they are experts.
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