Hello, Everyone!
Here’s Sachi!
Probably no reason.
Honestly, I think the Japanese people who want to travel abroad have the purpose of either curiosity or studying languages.
- Some go to study abroad mainly in America, England, Canada, and Australia. If they want to cut down costs, they choose the Philippines.
- More men than women go to South America to master Spanish.
- Backpackers want to travel to East Asia because they can stay in the area with a small amount of money and find other Japanese people easily too.
It’ll be hard to explain why the Japanese are interested in overseas. They are just curious about what another country is like; that’s it.
You won’t get a perfect answer because they probably don’t have a reason.
Nonetheless, If I had to explain, I’ll try hard to explain with my personal preferences.
Japan has an agreement working holiday system with the following 28 countries: Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Korea, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Austria, Hungary, Spain, Argentina, Czech Republic, Chile, Iceland, Lithuania, Sweden, Estonia, Netherlands, Italy, and Finland.
Japanese who are between 18 to 30 years old can stay in these countries for a year with a working holiday visa and also work.
This system is very popular among young people and especially among those who want to master foreign languages.
- Those who want to cut the costs to study abroad.
- Those who want to have the experience of going overseas while they are still young.
Most people who study foreign languages believe studying abroad is the best way to quickly master them. Also, they are able to learn about the culture and make friends.
I have regretted a bit that I didn’t try to do it. In my twenties, I was a store manager and I couldn’t waste my career (it was not a big deal as I say it was. lol).
If someone is asking me back in that time, “why do you want to travel abroad?”, I would have said “I just wanna go because I’m still young!”, I guess.
Influence of American Drama
Young ladies were inspired by American dramas such as Sex and the City which attracted many Japanese women.
Back in that time, young models in their twenties copied the fashion and lifestyle portrayed in the American dramas. The models were published in fashion magazines which gained popular influence in Japan.
The main characters creating their careers, having lunch in trendy clothing with friends, and falling in love was a splendid lifestyle for us!
At that time, office ladies wished they could personalize their fashion when they are working because each office still had its own uniform.
I assume the Japanese women who visited New York wanted to make pilgrimages to the same places in the drama.
Every city is similar.
You probably might think Japan has a very unique culture.
Exactly! Say, there are fewer old buildings and traditional culture has adapted to modern culture in big famous cities like Tokyo and Kyoto. In cities with more of a local feel to it, there are many houses which have western styles in cities in the local area because Japanese design has been diminishing since the 90’s and 00’s.
Each downtown area in the local area was damaged by the upsurge of superstores. Boutiques were closed and downtowns are no longer bustling like the ’80s.
It doesn’t have stalls on the street except during festival time. I’m sure one of the reasons for this is that the Japanese are very sensitive about hygiene.
Up until a few decades ago, it was common to see a national flag in front of houses on holidays. You could also see Koinobori (it is a kind of flag that has a carp shape) in the spring. People wearing kimonos and having Oshogatsu (it means the New year) decorations in the New year.
The landscape is losing the natural style of the Japanese and doesn’t have traditional characteristics. We don’t feel the traditional culture and it’s becoming boring to us.
On the other hand, the local areas in foreign countries still have many unique old buildings, stalls, markets, cheap traditional designs of fabrics and pottery, and so on. These are fascinating to the Japanese.
It will be one of status.
Needless to say, we can’t go anywhere without crossing the sea. Because the air fee is expensive, it’s not easy to travel abroad. Which is why it’ll be one of status.
People who have stories of strange experiences that never happen in Japan are so cool and funny. So, their experience gives added value and the person who has got it attracts everyone around them.
The Japanese will have peace of mind when they feel they are the same as others, but they also want to get something different.
We feel so cool not only to behave like everyone else but when we have something different.We also feel awesome too if we are praised and can stand out.
The belief to improve your foreign language if you go abroad.
Nowadays, we can find some foreign friends and take language lessons online easily.
Yet, Japanese believe the best way to advance their languages is to study abroad and that they can achieve this easily without effort.
Do you think a very shy person can speak English with a stranger? If they can in other countries, then they can speak English with people from overseas in Japan too.
I’m sure I can say that they aren’t going to act even if they are in other countries. Unfortunately, the people who have that mind don’t put in the effort.
It feels like working in Japan is suffocating you.
There are few companies that let you take a personal vacation.
Employees takes long vacations about a week three times a year without needing the boss’s permission (GW, Obon, and the year-end and new year).
Schools, offices, and factories close at the same time, but clerks at eateries and shops in big malls can’t take vacations. And they can’t even take it a different day.
Despite every employee being given paid holidays, they can’t get them easily. You need to consider your colleagues so that nothing happens while you are away.
It’s well known that the train is on time and the contract deadline is punctual, but most office workers have always been pressed for time and fall behind it.
To start, projects require the approval of some bosses. There are bosses that have a lot of jobs and bosses that have to travel on business which interrupt the flow.
The employees who are under these bosses have to finish the work including all of the people who get involved in the project, like people who work in subsidiaries or engineers, all while on tight schedules.
Additionally, there are some who don’t try to finish work quickly because they want their job to be piled up because they like themselves to be in this situation.
They have the wrong mind thinking that work is piling up means they’re busy and that busy means they are a capable person. There are so many people who have this mindset in Japan but it is hard for me to understand.
They believe overworking is a part of their values at work. Regardless of this, they don’t want to bother anyone, but it will bother their colleagues in the end and unfortunately, they don’t realize it.
That’s why some people try to escape from society because they can’t adapt to it and a character’s life in foreign movies attracts them because it embodies freedom.
We usually can’t say “NO!”.
We have always been saying “Yes”, even though we don’t want to do it.
If you respect your will yourself, someone won’t like you. Because of your honesty, you will be left out from the group of friends or projects team. I know you just tried to be honest, but they won’t like it.
When I was in high school, a friend was consulting me about her boyfriend. I didn’t think her boyfriend was good to her and that’s why I gave her my honest advice, but she didn’t want my opinion. The day after, she and another classmate were ignoring me and then I was ignored by almost all my friends for three months. I was honest because she wanted to get my opinion but I didn’t like the way that she involved others. I was lucky I could put up with it because we were going to graduate from high school in the remaining three months.
I assume people who can’t adapt to a situation like this feel comfortable in any other country except for Japan.
Most Japanese find it hard to explain their will including me.
“Why do you study English?” “Why do you think that?” “What do you make of it?” It’s common that we can’t answer these questions really quickly even if asked in Japanese.
That’s why I tried hard to think of my opinions about this question from my friend.
When I answer a Japanese friend, super easy, I just say “No reason. Just felt like it.” Then, my friend will say “Oh, okay”, and that’s it.
When some friends asked me “Why do you want to learn English and Spanish?”, I used to answer “If I can speak them, I’m cool, right?” (but I have reasons now), and none of my friends speak other languages. This signified status to me and made me feel like I will stand out among Japanese people.
I’m certain there are people who have a reason, but please know that many Japanese people who travel abroad don’t have a reason. And when you talk to Japanese people, please try to be patient in listening to their opinions.
I’ll hard work to explain my opinions and I will stop saying “no reason”!!
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