Victory Manual

If you want to be treated like a rock star, visiting Japan should be your priority. Japanese are famously superb hosts from ages past. Just consider the perfection emphasized in a traditional tea ceremony and you’ll have a perfect example.

As a tourist in Japan you’ll be welcomed with open arms, opened beers, and open invitations to free food. You’ll be escorted around town, invited to dinner by acquaintances you’ve only just met, and given “サービス” (Eng: freebies) when you purchase your obligatory 日本 headbands and plastic 刀 (Eng: sword).

Your status as a rock star can quickly make a change for the worse, though, when you become a prospective resident. You effectively become the guest that overstays their welcome. A host can only tolerate a guest for so long, after all. This is especially true out in rural towns, but as you head towards the nearest metropolis (東京、大阪、福岡、神戸) things begin to take on a slightly more international flavor, at the same time the atmosphere remains uniquely Japanese.

Yet, there is still hope for you as a foreigner as the times change. The population of Japan is slowly getting used to the idea of a non-Japanese resident. You may even hear a remark from an old Japanese man to his wife along the lines of, “Of course he can speak Japanese - He lives in Japan, after all.”

But, for now, if you want to be a rock star, decide on a vacation in Japan, not a long-term stay.

If you’ve got any experience as a tourist or resident in Japan, what is your general impression of the country? Leave a comment.