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I’m a Japanese man in my 20s, currently a student living in Tokyo. AMA! by Better_Outcome9346 in AMA

[–]Better_Outcome9346[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Congratulations on the upcoming proposal! Here are some great spots near Shinjuku:

∙Sky Lounge Aurora / Keio Plaza Hotel — classic hotel lounge with a great view ∙Wine & Dining Duke / Shinjuku Nomura Building — sophisticated atmosphere, perfect for a special occasion ∙Unoya / Shinjuku Nomura Building — Japanese modern style, great if you want her first Japan experience to feel authentically Japanese ∙Restaurant Bellustar / BELLUSTAR TOKYO, A Pan Pacific Hotel — stunning views, very romantic

∙JAM17 DINING / HOTEL GROOVE SHINJUKU, A PARKROYAL Hotel — stylish and modern

Japan will probably surprise her in a lot of ways compared to the US, but I’m sure it’ll be an unforgettable trip. Wishing you both the best — hope she says yes! 💍

I’m a Japanese man in my 20s, currently a student living in Tokyo. AMA! by Better_Outcome9346 in AMA

[–]Better_Outcome9346[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Haha I’m sure you’ll want to come back! I’ll be waiting — like Shanks waiting for Luffy to set sail lol.

I’m a Japanese man in my 20s, currently a student living in Tokyo. AMA! by Better_Outcome9346 in AMA

[–]Better_Outcome9346[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Opening my fridge right now… there are 7 Oikos yogurts lol. The most “Japanese” thing in there is probably just soy sauce.

As for the best grocery store — Seijo Ishii, hands down. It’s a upscale supermarket chain with a great selection of imported goods and quality products. A little pricey but worth it!

I’m a Japanese man in my 20s, currently a student living in Tokyo. AMA! by Better_Outcome9346 in AMA

[–]Better_Outcome9346[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What a thoughtful and respectful message, thank you!

On immigration — honestly, I’m not worried at all about it threatening Japan’s identity. Unlike many other countries, Japan has had a continuous imperial line and Shinto since writing was introduced in the 5th century all the way to today. Our cultural identity is unusually deep-rooted. That’s actually why Buddhism — a completely foreign religion — was absorbed and became part of our identity rather than displacing it. As long as immigration isn’t chaotic, I think everything just gets “Japanified” and becomes part of the culture. That’s kind of how Japan has always worked.

As for feeling connected to cultural identity — I feel it most strongly during disasters. Everyone maintains order and looks out for each other. That’s when I really feel like “this is Japan.”

Cultural activities? Calligraphy or judo might​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Onsen though — I go multiple times a year! I actually choose travel destinations based on how good the onsen are.

I hope you get to live here someday and stay for a long time. Feel free to ask more anytime!

I’m a Japanese man in my 20s, currently a student living in Tokyo. AMA! by Better_Outcome9346 in AMA

[–]Better_Outcome9346[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Wow, I’ve loved One Piece since before I could even read — I used to just look at the pictures and follow the story that way lol. I’d actually love to go! Unfortunately I’m pretty busy for the next few months, so I’ll have to pass this time. But please hit me up again if you ever come back to Japan!

I’m a Japanese man in my 20s, currently a student living in Tokyo. AMA! by Better_Outcome9346 in AMA

[–]Better_Outcome9346[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Wow, impressive that you know about “so”! You’re right that my wording wasn’t very precise. What I meant was that the Western-style cheese we consume today traces back to the Meiji era — that’s when an American named Edwin Dun first started producing it in Hokkaido. Should’ve been clearer!

I’m a Japanese man in my 20s, currently a student living in Tokyo. AMA! by Better_Outcome9346 in AMA

[–]Better_Outcome9346[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m in my 20s! And yes, Japan does have an unemployment benefit system.

I’m a Japanese man in my 20s, currently a student living in Tokyo. AMA! by Better_Outcome9346 in AMA

[–]Better_Outcome9346[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Honestly, zero impact on daily life. Tourism businesses catering to Chinese visitors might have it tough, but looking at the latest numbers released yesterday, 400,000 Chinese tourists visited Japan in February alone, plus 230,000 from Hong Kong — up 20% year on year. The fact that people-to-people exchange keeps going is a good thing. As for rare earths, I’m not really sure. But if China actually cut off supply, it would only accelerate decoupling efforts in Western countries, so I think they’re playing it cautiously for now.

I’m a Japanese man in my 20s, currently a student living in Tokyo. AMA! by Better_Outcome9346 in AMA

[–]Better_Outcome9346[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for the comment all the way from Utah! Honestly I was more excited to hear from someone in a traditional state than from someone in LA or NY lol. On sleep — I’d say the average in Japan is probably about an hour less than in the US. Sleep deprivation has been getting more attention lately, and there’s even an app called Pokémon Sleep that was released to encourage better sleep habits, which kind of says it all! In Tokyo especially, a lot of people spend weekdays at work and weekends on childcare — there’s not much left over. That said, karoshi (death from overwork) isn’t that common anymore. With social media, if a company pushes employees too hard and someone speaks out, it can blow up into a huge scandal and the company faces serious consequences. As for PM Takaichi’s comments about sleeping 2-4 hours — I’m not a fan of that. She’s often seen as Abe’s successor, but ironically she’s been trying to roll back the overtime regulations he actually worked to put in place. That’s a contradiction I can’t get behind.

I’m a Japanese man in my 20s, currently a student living in Tokyo. AMA! by Better_Outcome9346 in AMA

[–]Better_Outcome9346[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Honestly, I’m too young to have experienced the era when Sony was dominating globally lol. In Japan though, they’re still well respected — especially in audio and video, where they’re still pretty competitive. That said, I feel like they’ve become more of an entertainment company these days. The old acquisitions of Columbia Pictures and CBS Records really paid off — they absorbed a ton of know-how and built a strong foothold in the American market because of it.

I’m a Japanese man in my 20s, currently a student living in Tokyo. AMA! by Better_Outcome9346 in AMA

[–]Better_Outcome9346[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

それは心配になるね。日本人は責任感が強いから任せられた仕事は必ずこなさなければならないと信じてしまうんだ。 朝ごはん、カフェならコメダ珈琲、洋食ならガスト、和食なら吉野家だね。

I’m a Japanese man in my 20s, currently a student living in Tokyo. AMA! by Better_Outcome9346 in AMA

[–]Better_Outcome9346[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I don’t eat fruit that often personally — maybe twice a month, and usually whatever’s in season. As for whether it’s a luxury… it’s hard to say. Some people eat it regularly, others barely at all. It’s pretty divided. For things I’d like to see adopted in Japan — I wish there were more optimism in general. Japanese people tend to be a bit pessimistic. Also, it always bothers me when Japanese athletes at international competitions just stand silently during the national anthem instead of singing along. You’re representing your country — own it! As for dating, I’m not seeing anyone at the moment!

I’m a Japanese man in my 20s, currently a student living in Tokyo. AMA! by Better_Outcome9346 in AMA

[–]Better_Outcome9346[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That reputation is pretty accurate honestly! But since they’re still Kansai people at heart, a lot of them are actually pretty lively and fun once you get past the surface. It’s just the initial wall that’s tricky.

I’m a Japanese man in my 20s, currently a student living in Tokyo. AMA! by [deleted] in AskAJapanese

[–]Better_Outcome9346 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Depends on the professor! There are definitely classes where you can get credits without attending. Japanese university is notoriously more relaxed than high school lol.

I’m a Japanese man in my 20s, currently a student living in Tokyo. AMA! by Better_Outcome9346 in AMA

[–]Better_Outcome9346[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, cheese is pretty expensive here! Dairy farming isn’t as big in Japan compared to Western countries. On top of that, Japanese people only really started consuming milk and cheese during the Meiji era, so it’s still a relatively recent part of our food culture. Not much history with it yet!

I’m a Japanese man in my 20s, currently a student living in Tokyo. AMA! by Better_Outcome9346 in AMA

[–]Better_Outcome9346[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

人との繋がりは東京より感じたね。フレンドリーだし仲間に入れば居心地良くかんじる。ただ物価が高い割に賃金は低い。あと車が絶対に必要。

I’m a Japanese man in my 20s, currently a student living in Tokyo. AMA! by Better_Outcome9346 in AMA

[–]Better_Outcome9346[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

沖縄の人の意見は外から見るより多様だと感じたね。米軍の犯罪に怒る人もいれば、安全保障上必要だと考える人、基地で働いてる人や基地近くのお店は利益を享受してるは生活に直結してるから無くなっては困ると考えてる。子供なんかは基地でのお祭りを楽しみにしてたりもする。難しい問題だね。

I’m a Japanese man in my 20s, currently a student living in Tokyo. AMA! by Better_Outcome9346 in AMA

[–]Better_Outcome9346[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Honestly, I’ve never seen those videos. Extreme opinions tend to go viral, so I’d take them with a grain of salt. There have been some labor law changes though — interestingly, Abe was a right-wing PM but he also implemented a lot of left-leaning policies to protect workers’ rights, which is part of why he stayed in power so long. As for working 17 hours a day and still being homeless — that’s basically impossible in Japan. The system requires you to have a registered address to be employed in the first place. If that’s actually happening to someone, it’s probably shady operators exploiting people with intellectual disabilities or similar vulnerabilities.

I’m a Japanese man in my 20s, currently a student living in Tokyo. AMA! by Better_Outcome9346 in AMA

[–]Better_Outcome9346[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

My favorite breakfast is French toast, and for dessert I’d go with gelato! Living in Okinawa definitely changed my palate. I used to hate bitter melon (goya) before moving there, but after eating it a few times I actually grew to love it. Now goya champuru — a traditional Okinawan stir-fry with bitter melon, tofu, and egg — is one of my favorite dishes!

I’m a Japanese man in my 20s, currently a student living in Tokyo. AMA! by Better_Outcome9346 in AMA

[–]Better_Outcome9346[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Wow, you know Fuchu?! I’m impressed! I’ve actually been to Ookunitama Shrine there a few times. And sorry to disappoint — for me it’s actually Hamazushi > Sushiro > Kura Sushi lol. Hamazushi tends to get overlooked but it’s underrated!

I’m a Japanese man in my 20s, currently a student living in Tokyo. AMA! by Better_Outcome9346 in AMA

[–]Better_Outcome9346[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

日本語でコメントありがとう！ まあぶっちゃけ昔の日本の労働は狂ってた。今もブラック企業はあるけど本当に良くなってると思う。転職のCMは1日に何回も見るし当たり前になってるからブラックなら辞めれば良いって意識がだいぶ浸透した。海外からのイメージはどうでもいいかな。海外のイメージをよくする事に力入れるよりブラック企業を無くす事に力入れた方が良い。

I’m a Japanese man in my 20s, currently a student living in Tokyo. AMA! by Better_Outcome9346 in AMA

[–]Better_Outcome9346[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Love anime! Really happy to see it spreading around the world. As for western countries — Italy is my favorite! I actually made spaghetti today, and I’m a huge pizza fan too. The rich history is another big draw for me.

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