Ask HN: Serious tips for US citizen who wants to work in Japan (or as cofounder)

Re:Ask HN: Serious tips for US citizen who wants to work in ... by csilverman on Monday July 04, 2022 @01:34AM (#31973773)

I think not being a weeb—i.e. obsessed with anime, Japanese pop culture, etc—works in your favor as far as making a good impression. The Japanese people I know are well aware of the American-Japanophile-nerd types, and generally find them very distasteful. If you're genuinely interested in the aspects of Japan that can't be experienced via BitTorrent, I think that compensates at least a little for any unfamiliarity with the more cliched side of Japanese culture.

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Re:Ask HN: Serious tips for US citizen who wants to work in ... by Konohamaru on Monday July 04, 2022 @09:04AM (#31976580)

Every nationalist is honored when a foreigner takes a keen interest in his or her culture, regardless of the reason. It brings so much dignity to a country when a foreigner loves it. They might cringe when they see the "weeb"... but deep down inside they're absolutely brimming with national pride whenever they see a foreigner Naruto-running.

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Re:Ask HN: Serious tips for US citizen who wants to work in ... by dontbenebby on Monday July 04, 2022 @09:22AM (#31976740)

They tend to be obsessed with Tokyo not Japan. Rarely do I see anyone wanting to work in say, Osaka, or Kobe. Always Tokyo, always because of Akiharara.

I want to do a long vacation there, the length of a tourist visa, or maybe digital nomad through if I had a remote role, but I don't think I'd want to make Japan my forever home.

(Also they often are riding the politeness more reserved for someone on a vacation for months or years... they think they're being treated kindly when it's more a cold niceness. You won't be going over people's houses for meals or out to the bar. You'll go to work then go interact with fellow expats.)

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Re:Ask HN: Serious tips for US citizen who wants to work in ... by hn1337 on Monday July 04, 2022 @09:38AM (#31976897)

Untrue, most of the weebs I ever met were obsessed with kansai-ben and were all about "Osaka" life.

There are all kinds of weebs, and it's not limited to Tokyo.

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Re:Ask HN: Serious tips for US citizen who wants to work in ... by dontbenebby on Monday July 04, 2022 @11:19AM (#31977976)

deepest apologies senpai, i've moved on to being weirdly obsessed with the cultures of the EU since my early 20s weeaboo days, but even then i was more of the "listens to much Koi No Yokan while pounding espresso" style japan nerd

(currently moved on to being the kind of weirdo who spends the 4th of july researching if there's a polish equivalent of "Gemütlichkeit" as I write out bullet points for an open mic and spend money I really shouldn't on a cortado... because my humor is cutting :-))

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