Life In Japan From The Perspective Of A Bay Area Native

Written by Arianna Hayes

Having been a resident of Nagoya for about seven years, I was asked to write about the differences between The Bay Area and Japan. I’m sure you’re expecting to hear about how Japan supersedes America in all forms, and how anime is amazing. I mean, the second is true, yes, but the longer I live here, the more similarities I’m finding hidden beneath the polished pavement of The Land of the Rising Sun. 

To be honest, when I first arrived here, I’d already had a lot of exposure to local culture through my Japanese friends who I’d met at university. I’d watched enough anime to feel the suffocating crowds of Tokyo and hear the scratch of geta sandals against the stone-slabs of Kyoto. What you don’t really realize from anime, however, is that these two contrasting personalities—traditional Kyoto and futuristic Tokyo–aren’t so far apart. In more cases than none, they’re often integrated into a single landscape. 

It’s similar to how San Francisco has an out-of-time aesthetic, with its gray office buildings being the backdrop to colorful Victorian houses. Even in the darkest crevices of Tokyo’s winding streets leading in and out of endless shopping alleys, you’ll find history sprinkled in spirituality; The dark red of wooden torii gates announcing themselves against the flicker of neon bar signs. The lonesome drunkard may stop to pay homage to that respective god, approaching the altar with a 5 yen coin and a wish that tonight’s one night stand might be The One. 

The biggest difference between Japan and The Bay…and perhaps most of America, is that you really CAN ‘stop to smell the roses.’

The Bay Area has plenty of hidden gems,  but as a woman I’ve never been able to venture many places without worrying about whether or not I’ll make it back. Instead, I’d often only go to my destination and then straight back to the station, which is unfortunately typical for most urban areas in the United States. However, Japan’s low crime rate allows you to actually look for those small details–the single torii gate, a mural beneath a bridge, or a secret pub where the owner is a humble old man who just likes talking to people. 

The biggest difference between Japan and The Bay…and perhaps most of America, is that you really CAN ‘stop to smell the roses.’ That’s not to say that life is slow here, but even at night I can pause to look at the moon, or smile at the couple on the bench whose date seems to be going well. Maybe someone will sit next to me and comment on the weather, or ask where I’m from. I’m not always n the mood to be social, but I’m not constantly on guard, which is the biggest reason as to why I’ve stayed in Japan for so long. 

Every prefecture is different with its own personalities. Of course, there are plenty of places one should avoid, even in Japan, but there is an undeniable general safety you feel here. As an American, it’s hard to imagine, but my work hours are from noon to nine, and even breaching midnight it never feels as late as it is because convenient stores are open 24/7 and the suburbs are lined with street lights.

It’s different and probably a bit more dangerous when you start going off into the countryside because of the lack of light and the increase of wild animals you’ll encounter, but there’s really no reason to be out super late in the countryside, anyway. There’s like…literally nothing. And I mean NOTHING. No convenience stores. Everything closes at like six…

It’s such a shock to city-dwellers going to the country for a much-needed nature escape. Imagine that, after enjoying the sights, you go to a quaint restaurant only to be told that the last order was at 5:30. 

The countryside is beautiful, and likely has stayed that way because of the drastically different and slower way of living they have there. In the cities, true to what we Americans hear in the media about the work culture in Japan, part of the reason everything is open until ten or eleven–and sometimes past that–is to cater to the business people wobbling in after their ten or twelve hour shift. 

Luckily, that’s changing with time, but rather than work to appease their overbearing bosses, another reason people leave the office so late is that there’s just way too much to do. This is probably a global problem among teachers, especially, but after COVID hit, despite the lack of staff, we were expected to pump out the same amount of work. Even with my American views, I haven’t been able to avoid working overtime. It’s sometimes inevitable, but that’s the irony, isn’t it? These corporate heads desperately want a better image and write in their ‘updated’ policies that overwork is forbidden. All while setting their expectations to a level where their employees need to work overtime to reach them. My job in Japan was actually my first job, so I have no experience of what it’s like in America these days, but based on the mass strikes, I’m assuming it’s not terribly different. 

I’m not writing this because because Japan isn’t everything I hoped it’d be. I’m actually very happy here, even taking my career struggles into account. Teaching is a fairly hard job all-round, but interacting with the students has helped me through. It’s also nice that, at least in my district, the corporate heads aren’t obsessed with formalities. Sometimes the district manager will visit the branch schools and we often chat like friends, where I’ll sometimes jokingly ask, ‘‘Did you enjoy the district meeting?’ and he’ll just give an exasperated laugh. Perhaps you can say that the system is a bigger problem than the people stuck in it, but again, I can only speak for my district. 

However, if you’re expecting Japan to be drastically different from America, this article will definitely burst your bubble. Though, that may encourage you to experience the country as a local, rather than a tourist.

It’s definitely not the perfect fit for everyone, but I think my ability to survive in Japan mostly has to do with the fact I quickly accepted it for what it is: just another country where people do their thing and try to make the most of what they have. Whether it be with a beer in hand or a dream to escape into the wildlands, Japan may feel closer to home than you think.