Why is it hard for Russians to live in Japan?
We are used to Russian emigrants in the USA and Europe, in Australia and even in China, but until recently, Japan was not attractive to our compatriots who wanted to settle abroad. First of all, the closeness, mono-ethnicity of Japanese society affected. But globalization is doing its job and more and more Russians live, work and study in the Land of the Rising Sun.
Unlike the United States, Australia, or South American countries, a Russian person still cannot succeed in becoming “his” in Japan. This, probably, is the main secret of the fact that even in the current situation in Japan, it is possible to maintain the most homogeneous ethnic composition of the population. Foreigners, including Russians, of course there are, but they are “guests” here - this is perfectly understood by both themselves and the Japanese surrounding them.
The history of Tamara is the most common - since childhood, was interested in Japan, Japanese culture, and since my parents had money, I went to the Land of the Rising Sun to study in a Japanese language school. After some time she met a Japanese, got married. But even now, having lived more than five years in Japan, she cannot get used to the local mentality:
“When communicating with the Japanese, you need to understand that they do not always say what they think. They have very developed ostentatious politeness. You may be invited to visit, but in reality no one expects that you can really claim evening tea. ”
While Russian people are mostly open-minded, and when they get to know a person and establish friendly relations with them, they actually “let in” a friend into their lives, then the Japanese still retain clear barriers. They call them “kabe o tatsu” - “build a wall”. If the Japanese are older in age or higher in social status, then such barriers to communication become insurmountable.
Alexei from Novosibirsk in Japan is surprised by the maximum comfort of life. It is convenient for everyone to live here - streets, public transport, shopping centers, hairdressers - everything is equipped in such a way that both a child, an elderly person, and a disabled person feel very well. Cleanliness is everywhere that distinguishes Japan from the South Asian countries. But behind this attractive facade there are many problems that are also not very clear to the ordinary Russian person. Millions of Japanese suffer from loneliness. For some of them, this is a voluntary choice. After all, “hickeys” are also a Japanese phenomenon.
When Tamara began to live with her husband, she was struck by the fact that he, an adult 35-year-old man, had no friends at all. It was a very striking contrast compared to Russia, where most people still try to maintain friendly relations throughout their lives - they communicate with old classmates, make new friends. The Japanese in this regard are much more closed and individualistic.
A separate topic is the attitude towards women. In Japan, a woman even today a priori occupies a lower position in society than a man. In the family, the wife is the servant of her husband, and the husband draws conclusions about how much his wife loves, on such trifles as some everyday actions. For example, on time and properly served tea is a much greater manifestation of love, from the point of view of the Japanese, than the fact that a woman left her native country, parents, friends and came with her beloved man to Japan. Of course, many of our women who have married the Japanese are very offended by this attitude.
It’s hard for a Russian to live in Japan. Therefore, even those of our fellow countrymen who work in this island country in highly paid posts are still planning to return to their homeland in the future and do not connect their future with Japan. Another thing is Russian women who have married Japanese. They try to learn the local customs, try to behave as a woman should according to Japanese etiquette, but in the Land of the Rising Sun, neither knowledge of the Japanese language, nor following the customs will never make them real Japanese anyway.
Unlike the United States, Australia, or South American countries, a Russian person still cannot succeed in becoming “his” in Japan. This, probably, is the main secret of the fact that even in the current situation in Japan, it is possible to maintain the most homogeneous ethnic composition of the population. Foreigners, including Russians, of course there are, but they are “guests” here - this is perfectly understood by both themselves and the Japanese surrounding them.
The history of Tamara is the most common - since childhood, was interested in Japan, Japanese culture, and since my parents had money, I went to the Land of the Rising Sun to study in a Japanese language school. After some time she met a Japanese, got married. But even now, having lived more than five years in Japan, she cannot get used to the local mentality:
“When communicating with the Japanese, you need to understand that they do not always say what they think. They have very developed ostentatious politeness. You may be invited to visit, but in reality no one expects that you can really claim evening tea. ”
While Russian people are mostly open-minded, and when they get to know a person and establish friendly relations with them, they actually “let in” a friend into their lives, then the Japanese still retain clear barriers. They call them “kabe o tatsu” - “build a wall”. If the Japanese are older in age or higher in social status, then such barriers to communication become insurmountable.
Alexei from Novosibirsk in Japan is surprised by the maximum comfort of life. It is convenient for everyone to live here - streets, public transport, shopping centers, hairdressers - everything is equipped in such a way that both a child, an elderly person, and a disabled person feel very well. Cleanliness is everywhere that distinguishes Japan from the South Asian countries. But behind this attractive facade there are many problems that are also not very clear to the ordinary Russian person. Millions of Japanese suffer from loneliness. For some of them, this is a voluntary choice. After all, “hickeys” are also a Japanese phenomenon.
When Tamara began to live with her husband, she was struck by the fact that he, an adult 35-year-old man, had no friends at all. It was a very striking contrast compared to Russia, where most people still try to maintain friendly relations throughout their lives - they communicate with old classmates, make new friends. The Japanese in this regard are much more closed and individualistic.
A separate topic is the attitude towards women. In Japan, a woman even today a priori occupies a lower position in society than a man. In the family, the wife is the servant of her husband, and the husband draws conclusions about how much his wife loves, on such trifles as some everyday actions. For example, on time and properly served tea is a much greater manifestation of love, from the point of view of the Japanese, than the fact that a woman left her native country, parents, friends and came with her beloved man to Japan. Of course, many of our women who have married the Japanese are very offended by this attitude.
It’s hard for a Russian to live in Japan. Therefore, even those of our fellow countrymen who work in this island country in highly paid posts are still planning to return to their homeland in the future and do not connect their future with Japan. Another thing is Russian women who have married Japanese. They try to learn the local customs, try to behave as a woman should according to Japanese etiquette, but in the Land of the Rising Sun, neither knowledge of the Japanese language, nor following the customs will never make them real Japanese anyway.
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