Okay, honestly, how much is Japan like anime? To help you understand Japan, here are some things that shocked a lot of people when they move to Japan. I’m going to show you what to expect in Japan.

Find out Stey-by-step to moving to Japan, Top 5 jobs for foreigners, Best place to live in Japan, How much does it cost to live in Japan, How difficult it is to move to Japan and Find out if you will be happy in Japan.

One of the best ways to explore Tokyo is to visit the local areas and immerse yourself in the local culture. If you want to explore local areas, we have created scavenger hunt adventures personalised to your interests, filled with fun facts, clues and puzzles. If you’re curious, you can check out the games here! Check out the Flip Japan Games here!

How Japan isn’t like anime

Using the word “Ore”

What to expect from the Japanese language? It’s not okay to refer to yourself using words like ‘ore’ or to speak tough the way characters sometimes do in anime. Although it’s used in anime, using language like this can be super taboo in Japan in certain situations.

The way you speak has a lot to do with your relationship with the person you’re conversing with. Unless you know how to use Japanese learned in anime effectively, it’s better to play it safe and try to use parts of the language that you’re confident with. Otherwise, you run the risk of unintentionally offending someone or coming off as ignorant.

Everyone knows Martial Arts

Well, not everyone knows martial arts. It’s the same as where you’re from. You probably learn some sort of basic self-defence at some point in your life but the stuff you see in anime is as much an exaggeration in Japan as it would be anywhere else in the world.

Clothing

People don’t dress the way folks do in anime. When you watch anime, you will find people wearing all kinds of crazy outfits. In Japan, you will actually see the majority of the people wearing “normal” clothing, from suits, T-shirts, jeans to dresses.

Anime obsession

Anime is not as popular as you might think. Although people who love anime come to Japan because it originated here, it’s a niche just like anything else and more times than not when asked if they watch anime, a Japanese person will say they don’t. Most people watch anime the way Americans watch cartoons. You have your hardcore fans but most people are light watchers.

High tech

Big cities like Tokyo or Osaka are not as high-tech as anime might suggest. A large majority of Japan is less modernized. For instance, I live 30 minutes from Shinjuku, and some places where I live only take cash. Go farther out and you will find mostly countryside and sparsely populated places.

How Japan IS like anime

Japanese “weird” fashion

People do wear some strange things in Tokyo. Harajuku, one of the world’s fashion capitals, is within an hour’s reach for most folks in Tokyo, so the competition for best-dressed can be quite intense. Go to Harajuku for guaranteed entertainment in the form of Japan’s many trends all smashed into one neighbourhood.

Are Japanese people polite?

What to expect from Japanese people? Are they polite? People can definitely be very shy and submissive to the extent seen in anime. It’s a part of the culture and is something you need to acknowledge if you’re learning to speak the language. Oftentimes what isn’t said in Japanese speaks volumes in my experience. People are very polite, kind, and will help you if you’re lost or in need.

Life is just like Studio Ghibli

Studio Ghibli movies are pretty accurate about what Japan’s countryside is like or how it was in the Edo era. The daily lives that you can see in some of the movies can be experienced in Japan. A lot of the social issues outlined in the Ghibli movies can be seen in Japan.

Japanese words appreciations

Natives like to shorten words a lot. There’s an abbreviated word for almost every major thing and then that spins off to be its own thing. Some of the slang used in Okinawa especially is almost unintelligible to people from Tokyo since Okinawa isn’t historically Japanese.

If I’d known this information before coming to Japan, I’d have saved myself lots of embarrassment. I’m sure I was just having fun at the time but since I decided to stay in Japan for as long as I have now, I’m much more cautious about what I do and say. Take time out of your day to study up Japanese culture and the language properly. Your Japanese friends will appreciate you knowing more about their culture and ultimately your experience in Japan will be much more pleasant!

Stay tuned for more information about Japan travel, Japanese culture, moving to Japan, living in Japan, Japanese language and more.