I tried to brush it off quickly after, but the contempt in his voice stuck with me. I'm pretty sure that's me he pointed at even tho I was looking at my phone, I was the only poc there. I've lived here for 9 months and have only ever had positive interactions with Japanese people, so to say I'm stunned is an understatement. I used to say I had such good luck never experiencing blatant or frontal racism as a French girl with Tunisian roots, even back in my country France, which is infamous for its rising racism, but I guess that era came to an end lol
My confidence isn't that high and I couldn't help but feel ashamed that he shouted that in the middle of the street. This will stick with me for a while, and I'm not the first person he's done this to … so yeah
(Edit : sorry, some asked me, I wanted to clarify I’ve never met him before, I wanted to say « I’m sure I’m not the first person he’s done this to ». I apologize in advance for the little mistakes as English is not my first language !)
by jadylissia
50 comments
You’re not the one who should be ashamed after running into a dumb bigot.
He can go bang rocks for all you care.
Old man needs a nap. The other Japanese were probably embarrassed for his outburst
Try not to let it get you down. You’ll find assholes all over the world, it took you nine months to find one in Japan. Fuck that guy.
beware of older JP men, some have some serious rage issue. especially in a train station, I been shoulder charged many times.
Probably a loony day drunk who just lost his last 1万 at the pachinko. Don’t let it bring you down, des cons il y en a partout.
If you feel bad about it, just know that you’re very welcome here and that was just a random a-hole. They have them everywhere. I hope you’re okay😊
In the eyes of anyone who saw this interaction, the man looked insane, unstable, unpleasant and a much, much less welcome part of everyone’s day than you.
I hope it is not something you experience again.
I had similar encounters twice so far living in Japan. The first time was a day-drinking old man at Yurakuchō station who yelled at me and tried to stand in my way when I was on my way to work. The other one was a young guy with face tats on the Hibiya line heading to Nakame. He came really close to me and gave a death stare before he said in his Katakana Eigo that I should go back to America. Jokes on them, I’m not even American, just white.
Stay safe, don’t let it hold you down. 💙
I wouldn’t really worry about some old fart, the Japanese people even have a word for old people being a menace 迷惑老人
Don’t worry, he’s an asshole and there’s nothing more to it.
If it happens again, just chuckle at the guy and snap a pic of him.
The best way to get back at them is to appear unaffected. Give them the widest grin, it will kill them inside.
If he has done it to others too, that means he derives pleasure from it. Just laugh it off and be on your way.
I’d be more worried if it was mild/inadvertent racism (like ignoring to acknowledge you, discrimination, etc.)
I’m so sorry to hear that. I also got shoulder charged several times by this weird Japanese old man in Shinjuku. There are just a lot of weird and racist old man, especially in Tokyo.
I also just got myself molested by an old man a few days ago. He thrusted his crotch to my ass while I was commuting for work. I moved far away from him to the other side of the train but he still followed me and standing behind me while he kept doing the thing. I got really scared but there were only Japanese men around me inside the train at that time and I got really scared since I don’t know whether they would help a foreigner like me or not. There is a possibility that if I confronted the molester, he would stalk or assault me in the future so I stopped myself and now I tremble every morning, feeling disgusted and scared thinking about what happened to me.
I was yelled at by a Japanese old man while riding a train in Miyagi. Needless to say I wasn’t doing anything wrong, as I live here and understand train etiquette. Even though you know he is in the wrong, it still makes you feel bad. I’m sorry this happened to you but I hope you know he is making himself look bad, not you.
Sorry to hear that happened. As for me, this is why I always rock a scowl on my face. I’m from a tiny pacific island and we smile at everyone. In any big city I’m in I must project an image I am not one to fuck with.
I had it happen to me (white,f if it matters), woman at the train station screaming to go back to my own country. It’s shitty and even shittier when you tell people are they respond by saying that japanese people aren’t like that, maybe you didn’t understand them… bullshit, bullshit.
Every country has mentally ill people and in japan they are less likely to be getting the treatment they need.
Had some punk kids stare me down and call me a gaijin on Tokyo. Didn’t feel good. Needless to say some Japanese just don’t like any foreigners, black, white, Asian etc.
lol normal . Some Japanese locals can be cray cray especially elders. Actually happens everywhere haha
Mental illness is a thing.
No country is free of assholes. Sorry this happened to you, but do try not to let it get under your skin, that’s exactly what they want
Meanwhile over in [Japanlife](https://www.reddit.com/r/japanlife/s/7vj5N0YGz4)
It’s kinda ironic that he’d choose Akihabara, the place that would be dead without tourists, as his stomping grounds.
There’s a lot of Japanese freaks and otaku of all stripes in that touristy part of town—a lot moreso than elsewhere; don’t take it personally.
If you wanted “local color,” there you have it!
Yeah. On the flip side.
My Japanese (now ex wife) got a cream bun thrown at her and was told “fuck off back to China” within 6 hours of landing in England.
First time running into crazy here, huh? Luckily, it’s far and few between. Shake it off and pay him no mind. People were probably looking at him like a lunatic anyway.
That happens more and more, mainly from old people, those I used to respect the most. I usually reply with “I’m sorry to exist and live on the same planet as you.”, I got back a smile once.
Don’t worry about it the guy is probably mentally ill. But I do know the feeling it is not something you can shake off, it comes back to me sometimes.
I am a Korean living in Japan, never had anything yelled at here but whenever I go to Europe or US, always at least once I will run into some of those stupid people who yell stupid stuff like go back to where you came from or something related to covid just because of the race, and I have kind of gotten used to it enough to ignore them.
They exist everywhere, but remember that they don’t know you, you don’t know them and what those insignificant people yell or tell you has no value whatsoever.
Japan can be quite racist here and there (especially the real estate related situations) but there so many other nice open people. Hope you feel better soon!!
why? what did you do?
I once was screaming by an old woman for taking a picture OUTSIDE of a temple. I have lived here for almost a couple of years.
She started saying that we (foreigners??) are disrespectful to her God, and then start yelling “go away! Go back to your place!” Until I left.
Worst part of all the thing is not her yelling though, but:
1. There were japanese people there taking pictures as well;
2. There was a policeman close to us. When she started yelling, I looked at him to see if he would come and help me, but he just looked away, then he just gave us his back for the rest of the interaction;
I said I was sorry and left, but this is still bothering me after more than a month.
Edit: grammar
Sorry this happened to you. I had this happen to me more than once in Japan in the three years I was there. It was a mentally ill person each time. I’m a white guy who looks like a pretty regular white guy. Please try not to take it personally.
Old people in every country can be bigoted, Japan is not exempt from this.
Better it happening 9 months in then when you first get here. Happened to me in Ueno Park literally the first weekend I said to myself “I’m going to go out and have a day adventure for myself!”. It made me feel really weird about being here for a hot minute.
Oh, and this was because the man assumed that I didn’t drop my coin to light incense in front of the shrine, when in fact I dropped 100¥
Racists exist everywhere … japanese usually hate in silence and passive aggressive … maybe he was drunk or just very very racist … please forgive him for he does not know better 🫶
Sorry about what happened to you.
I was called a “thief” by a random drunk guy in Roppongi and my Japanese neighbor lady said “You looked like a terror!st” bcos I wore sunglasses on a hot day!
Yesterday I was called a “fucking hard R” at the 24/7 drug store in Kiyose. While the behavior is completely unacceptable I am just beyond confused because I’m white.
Funny thing is there is a high probability that your English comprehension is better than 50% of Americans.
Akiharaba is filled with weirdos so you’d have more chance of encountering racist fucks
Every country has their idiots and crazy people. You just met one.
As long as you were not injured…
there’s a NY times article today about how the prime minister is considering doing something about tourists in japan (i’m currently one of them). From what I read tourism, especially from america, is at an all time high. what you experienced seems to just be some niche racist individuals who are having issues traveling around and “want it back the way it was in the old days”
anyways, not saying what he did was ok. just explaining why it may have happened. shake it off, i know some people who hate me. i also know some people who love me. Both are probably right for their reasons. cant please everyone.
this pairs well with the “there is no colorism in Japan” post currently surging on r/japanlife
As one of Japanese citizens, I am very sorry that has happened to you. I am really ashamed that those people are existing.
What they have issues with is not the foreigner looking people but themselves. It is not you who needs to feel ashamed but him. These people never go to a well-built guy who happens to break all the rules, but rather get off by attacking the ones who they think they can physically overpower (like children or female).
I am really praying that you’ll never encounter incidents like this again.
Every person that saw this would be judging *him*, not *you*. Please brush this off, it’s not worth worrying about.
In japan who scream is the weird one always. No problem. Ive got screamed in a station before it was a totally insane woman and everyone realized that, acuses me of stealing her 1man yen.
I ignored her, everyone ignored her.
i had something similar happen to me once. i was riding my bike minding my business when some old dude started yelling at me from his yard. i thought later maybe he’d been drinking bc i did nothing wrong. it’s still a strange incident when i think about it.
If it makes you feel better I’ve been screamed at by a dude to “go back home to Ireland” in my own home Canadian city haha. I do not have an Irish accent. You sound like you had an unfortunate incident with a mentally unwell person. Brush it off and don’t let it ruin your day.
I can’t believe that a man who undoubtedly grew up in one of the most nationalist, imperialist, xenophobic eras of his country would be so openly racist to someone
Even Japan has crazy people.
Handle it the Japanese way and pretend you don’t notice.
One time I was in a conbini and a man was cleaning and I mispronounced Sumimasen to get by, and he started yelling at me. Fortunately, all the other Japanese in the place scolded him.
People like that are not liked not even in their own homes, bro. Don’t let it kill the vibe.