Early Impressions on the Differences Between Here and Ehime

[Amanojakuu]

Hello,

Previously when I lived in Japan, I lived 'Inaka', about 10km north of Imabari City, Ehime (about 5 mins from the bridges that cross the Setonaikai islands to Hiroshima).

Now I'm in relatively central Tokyo, so I thought I'd post some of my early impressions:

- Less gawking: In Imabari and the prefectures capital Matsuyama, you got gawked at as a foreigner. In the islands, people would come up and try and touch you. Here, people seem much less bothered about there being a foreigner amidst themselves.
- Less weird response to me speaking Japanese: Perhaps it's because my nihongo is better than it was, but I found in Ehime, when I spoke Japanese, people would act weird and try and speak English, no matter how bad they were at it. Here people apologise and bow, and carry on rabbiting on in Japanese regardless. I've only had one strange reaction so far, and that was from a Softbank Employee. Then again, I don't think she was the brightest pea in the pod (she didn't know the English word for 'passport'). Certainly, I've had no jouzou's yet.
- Generally more gaijin. Proportionally less UK/Americas/Australians: I've seen quite a few gaijin kicking about Koenji, and saw quite a lot in Shibuya too. In Matsuyama, nearly every gaijin seemed to be Aussie, whilst here I'm seeing a lot more nationalities and languages represented. I've seen what I assume were Brazilians (they were talking Portuguese), quite a few Indian/Pakistanis, a few Turks, and I've heard French being chatted more than I've heard English. I suppose that's no different to London really.
- Tourists: It's quite funny to see tourists about. Every gaijin I met in Ehime was working there, noone was there for a holiday

This might be old hat for some of you vets, but does anyone have any interesting compare and contrasts between living in two or more areas of Japan?

[sublight]

I used to live in Hamamatsu about 12 years ago. Big Brazilian population there, but relatively few hakujin.

In Tokyo I don't get chatted up in drunkenese by salarymen on the train nearly as much as I did there.

I don't get treated like a housepet nearly as often here. I remember one exchange I had when my girlfriend and I were together and we bumped into an old friend of hers:
Her (to my gf): So where is he from?
Me (in Japanese): America.
Her (still looking straight at my gf): How old is he?
Me (still in Japanese): I'm 26. (this was a looong time ago)
Her (still locked on to my gf): How long has he been in Japan?
Me (still pushing on in Japanese, and trying to lean into her field of view): About three years.
Her (still talking directly to my gf, never once having acknowledged that I'm talking to her): He speaks Japanese really well.

Within a few months, I knew pretty much every other anglo-gaijin by sight, if not by name, which made for a stronger community feel. On the other hand, the gaijin-hunters also recognized us, making it harder to play the field (I got busted at least once).

No tourists in Hamamatsu, unless you count school groups (all the musical instrument companies are based there, and they're always hosting international student concerts)

If I go to an izakaya here, I know I'll order my meal, have a beer, eat, and leave. When I've gone back to Shizuoka overnight on business, going to a local izakaya always led to me and three guys I'd never met swapping stories, buying drinks for each other, and having a grand old time.

[Yokohammer]

I think the difference may be more in time than location. Things have changed a lot. I lived in Tokyo and Yokohama for many years, and the responses I got 20 or 30 years ago (longer, actually, but I'll be conservative) were totally different from the responses I get today.

I have just recently moved to a relatively small county (pop. about 35,700) in Miyagi prefecture, and am amazed and frankly delighted by the nonchalance with which I am treated here. People speak to me in Japanese as a matter of course, and I don't think I've even been asked "where are you from?" once yet. Even kids on the street greet me with "konnichiwa" rather than "gaijin da!"After meeting the same person many times I sometimes get a few questions ... usually "what do you do?" ... but you'd get that anywhere, no? Common courtesy seems to be the rule rather than the exception.

Sublight ... I spend a lot of time in Hamamatsu on business – have done for 30 years or so – and I think you've described it very well. I've stopped going out at night when I'm there because when I do I can't seem to get back to the hotel until the wee hours, and am useless the following day as a result. Interesting town.

[Amanojakuu]

I think the difference may be more in time than location.

I should maybe add that I lived in Imabari 2005/2006.

I saw what appeared to be a Western gaijin woman working in a combini today (Mini Mart in Shin-Koenji), that was a suprise for me!

[Greji]

I should maybe add that I lived in Imabari 2005/2006.

I saw what appeared to be a Western gaijin woman working in a combini today (Mini Mart in Shin-Koenji), that was a suprise for me!

Could have been Cyka....

[Yokohammer]

I should maybe add that I lived in Imabari 2005/2006.

Oh ... not really long enough ago to make much of a difference, so I guess it is location in your case. That's surprising. Your description of Imabari sounds so 1970's.

[pheyton]

I should maybe add that I lived in Imabari 2005/2006.

I saw what appeared to be a Western gaijin woman working in a combini today (Mini Mart in Shin-Koenji), that was a suprise for me!

I was staying in Minami Senju, near Ueno, and there was a pretty good looking hakujin girl working at a 7-11 there. Looked Russian, but who knows. Times have definitely changed.

Up here in Kazuno, Akita the people are great, but still get stares and questions. No biggie though because they are always polite. Sometimes it makes me feel like a celebrity!

[Amanojakuu]

[sublight]

I was staying in Minami Senju, near Ueno, and there was a pretty good looking hakujin girl working at a 7-11 there. Looked Russian, but who knows. Times have definitely changed.

Was that the 7-11 near the big shopping center, over on the new side of the station, or one on the older side of the neighborhood? I think I may have seen her.