Beth Matuska - Know Before You Go

Know Before You Go:

Useful Things for Getting Started in Japan

By: Beth Matuska

2017 Beth Matuska

Know Before You Go

So you have decided; you are going to Japan. That's great! But now the reality sets in: you are going to be immersed in a totally different culture and lifestyle. Whether it's for a semester abroad or a year of teaching, you are going to have to make some adjustments. Never fear, that's why I'm here!

Having spent years living as a gaijin in Japan, I know the wonders and challenges that you will be presented with. Hopefully the wonders will far outweigh the challenges, but it is better to be informed and prepared. I'd like to share some information and ideas that I wish I had known, as well as information that others might find useful. Please note: as I am a woman, I am much more familiar with issues women may face, though a lot of my advice can be useful for anyone, regardless of gender. Here's to a wonderful experience!

Safety

This is, for me, the most important topic, so I am going to cover it first. There is an image we have of Japan as being a safe country where you can go anywhere without being bothered. This is simply not true. While far safer than many places in the United States, Japan has its share of danger. The problem often is compounded by a lack of awareness that comes from being on vacation or in an exotic location. Never let your guard down completely. The standard things to watch out for still apply.

Starting with the dangers faced by women, while you are less likely to be attacked, the possibility exists. Don't go out on the town alone if you can avoid it. The big cities are the most dangerous, but the problem of chikan or perverts still remains. Trains have women-only cars for a reason. Also, be aware of who is behind you on the escalator. Up skirt photos have been known to happen. Take care if you drink, because women have been attacked. Purse snatching sometimes happens, but is relatively uncommon.

Outside of the big tourist areas, purse snatching is not as bad of a problem. Again, be aware of your surroundings, but women have been known to leave their bags outside of the bathroom in stores and no one touches them. In many cases, people are very honest, and property forgotten on the bus or in restaurants is usually turned in to the police or kept in a Lost and Found office. If you have lost an item, you can go to the staff where you think you lost it and say, "wasuremono," which means, "lost item." They will be more than willing to help you out.

While violent crime is statistically lower than in other countries, crime does happen. In big cities in particular, it is important to take note of your surroundings and not linger in some of the less-reputable districts. Guns are highly restricted, which is why you will rarely, if ever, hear about gun violence. However, knife attacks have occurred in train stations and crowded shopping streets. Instead of mass shootings, on rare occasions there have been mass stabbings. This is an extremely rare occurance and is usually due to disgruntled ex-employees.

In larger cities such as Tokyo, be aware of certain scam artists. From what I have heard, these will more often target men at night in the clubbing districts. It is a simple scam where a friendly stranger introduces himself and invites you out to drink. He takes you to a club or bar he knows, encourages you to drink and put it on a tab, perhaps talks you into buying a drink for a girl. When you get the tab, it is 10 or more times the price it should be. You have to pay or end up being beaten.

In the big cities, there are large numbers of homeless people. With the exception of a few with mental health issues, they are fairly harmless, and don't bother tourists. You will frequently see them selling magazines called "The Big Issue" on the sidewalks. This is a magazine designed to help get homeless people back into society by giving them work and income. If you want to help homeless people, do so by buying a magazine. Beyond that, exersize the same caution that you might otherwise in dealing with the homeless.

One type of non-violent crime you should watch out for is bicycle theft. Whether for a quick ride home or for resale, bicycles are one of the more frequently stolen items. A new one starts from around 12,000 yen ($100), and better ones can be double or even triple that. Invest in a good bicycle lock and have the store register your bicycle. You will be given a sticker to identify your bike in case of theft.

Of course, saying that the problem of crime is not as big of a deal as in some countries doesn't mitigate the fact that crime does happen. The main advice that people tend to give is not to look like a tourist, which is something that most people cannot avoid, unless they happen to be Asian. The best things still hold true, though, as not openly carrying a large camera or talking loudly will go a long way towards making you at least appear less like a tourist.

Style

Getting ready to come to Japan means carefully analyzing the area where you will be living and the company culture you will be joining. Everyone knows Japan means suits and, for men, ties, but what kind? Sure, basic black is easy and standard, but some companies disapprove of the all-black look. Therefore, you should read the company policies carefully and look on Facebook and your schools home page to get a better sense of the style. Conservative over creative and flashy works fairly well, with less skin showing for women. Remember, you will be on your feet a lot, so low heels are best.

In the summer, many businesses across Japan participate in the campaign called Cool Biz. Basically, the government is trying to get businesses across Japan to cut air conditioning use across the country by encouraging a more casual dress code. For both men and women, jackets become optional, and shirt sleeves can be short- either or sleeve, depending on the office. Men aren't required to wear ties, and all suits can be made of a lighter fabric.

If you find you don't have enough suits, or your suits aren't comfortable for the local climate, suit shops are everywhere with prices ranging from around $80 to $500 or more, depending on quality. The chain shopping center, AEON, has suit sales campaigns at various times throughout the year, most notably in the spring. Here, women's suits range in price from If you shop towards the end of the campaign, you can sometimes find suits at 50% off. Keep an eye out for hand and machine-washable suits, as they will save you a lot on dry cleaning bills.

Beyond suits, you will need to carefully consider the rest of your wardrobe. While you can ship some clothing and take more on the plane, you may still find that you need more for different seasons or to replace things that are worn out. Japanese clothing can be a problem for American women. If you wear a size 7 in underwear, most of what is available for you is granny panties, so stock up. A wider variety of bras are common, even if you are bigger than a C cup. Online shopping is easy, though, and major websites deliver to Japan.

Shoes can present their own difficulties. If you are a woman with feet 25 cm in length or longer (around size 8 ), dress shoes, sandals and stylish boots will be difficult to find. This goes doubly for those with wider feet. Occasionally, stores will have a special campaign selling model sizes, but these are rare and usually only consist of black office heels. As you will likely be on your feet a lot, heels wear out a bit more quickly. For sneakers, women with larger feet can just shop in the men's department. Men's sneakers tend to be stylish and often very similar in design to women's, so there is no real difficulty. If you are unsure of your size, many larger shoe stores have a digital reader that will scan your foot, not only for length, width and size, but for pressure. It will give you a printout that you can take to any staff member and ask for help.