Reactions to Japan and changing impressions via visual anthropology

Living in Japan with a host family, while at the same time studying the language, has been an amazing experience. As much as I learn about Japanese people, culture, and language; study abroad has been an opportunity to develop another part of myself – to define myself in a new situation and context. Having lived in the same country my whole life, moving to Japan for an extended period of time has not only caused me to appreciate Japan, but the US as well. The experience has widened my perspective on the world, and has also broadened my own concepts of self and identity.

            Perhaps the most satisfying development has been that of my language ability. One of the most rewarding experiences is when I learn a phrase or grammar rule while in class and I instantly start to hear it around me or have the opportunity to use it in a necessary situation. It makes the studying relevant, and that’s why studying abroad is so essential to language learning. Learning a new language builds one’s imagination. If I can’t say what I want to from English with my limited knowledge of Japanese, I must somehow explain it using what I do know in Japanese to communicate. In that way, I reinvent concepts that I had previously taken for granted in my native tongue. I am also exposed to and opened up to ideas that don’t even find expression or translation in my native language. They are strictly Japanese, and rooted in its historical, cultural, and social context.  

Japan is beautiful, from its natural scenery to its scattered shrines and temples and the simplicity of traditional Japanese houses. A certain awareness of aesthetics and design is visible in people’s fashion, the layout of stores and display of merchandise, and even the arrangement of a meal. One thing I’ve notice is that everything here seems to be geared toward consuming; new food products, clothing and merchandise, a multitude of different entertainment options – from 24 hour relaxation spaces and host clubs to video games and new manga and anime franchises. Even travel is commodified – the need to take photos in front of important vistas and monuments is an example.