Comments on: The “Gaijin Nod”

By: Ar Bee

Ar Bee — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 11:16:46 +0000

I’ve just started reading this blog. I find the whole ‘Gaijin Nod’ or, rather, the ‘Gaijin non-Nod’ phenomenon incredibly annoying. So much so that when I meet new people here I invariably end up promising them that I won’t ignore them next time we run into each other.
I can understand wanting to distance oneself from all the yahoos who get around here but I also find the culture of self-imposed-nipponification creepy and weird as well. I live in Japan. I like Japan. But that does not entail that I am allowed to scowl at every white person I meet, and assume that they are some nincompoop who just ‘doesn’t understand’. I find it patronizing and refuse to allow myself the indulgence.
At home, I don’t smile at every single white person who walks across my path. But at home, I also don’t scowl at every white person whose eyes I make contact with. I don’t glaze over, stare off in to the distance and pretend I haven’t seen someone when I evidently have. And my default assumption when I make eye contact with a white person in my home country isn’t that they must be some kind of idiot. For me, when I walk around here and smile at people, it is for the simple reason that it just seems polite. And I shall continue to do so. On the very short list of things I really don’t like about Japan are scowly foreigners.
(Sorry Owls McGee, this comment isn’t an attack on you. This blog is awesome. But this culture of foreigners’ rage really gets under my skin.)

By: On Being a Total Creep in Japan | This Japanese Life. | 生命を外面九天です

On Being a Total Creep in Japan | This Japanese Life. | 生命を外面九天です — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 12:26:24 +0000

[...] men already become extreme versions of themselves, encouraged to simplify and exaggerate one’s differences from other expats and from the host [...]

By: Expats, gaijins - Gaijin.me — Gaijin.me

Expats, gaijins - Gaijin.me — Gaijin.me — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 01:12:25 +0000

[...] – In Macao era standard sa intorc capul fara sa vreau cand vedeam o persoana non asiatica. In Romania procedam la fel cand vedeam pe cineva asiatic. – De revelion erau grupuri de americani galagiosi pe strada Kokusai Dori din Okinawa. Preferam sa fiu pe partea opusa si mi-era jena ca sunt gaijin ca si ei. Aveam o conversatie imaginara cu persoanele japoneze care treceau “Hey, nu sunt ca ei. Nici macar nu sunt american!” ) La fel intr-un autobuz de cursa lunga, americanii erau cei mai galagiosi si eram jenat pentru ca ma gandeam ca suntem toti bagati in aceeasi oala. Daca m-ar fi intrebat “De unde esti?” raspundeam cu “Me lita engrish”. E un pic ridicol ca incerc sa pretind ca ma integrez mai bine si sunt mai simtit decat altii. Niciodata nu o sa fiu japonez asta e clar, forever gaijin. Am gasit un articol interesant despre straini si atitudinea lor The Gaijin Nod. [...]

By: How to Bow in Japan | This Japanese Life. | 生命を外面九天です

How to Bow in Japan | This Japanese Life. | 生命を外面九天です — Tue, 10 May 2011 14:06:10 +0000

[...] 1. The Head Nod. This is the casual bow you give when passing a peer or co-worker in the hallway or giving a stranger in your neighborhood a friendly “konbawa.” You tip your head and maybe lean forward a little. You can also use this to make other foreigners look at their cell phones. [...]

By: keiko

keiko — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 04:13:31 +0000

Hi, new reader here. I thought you might be interested to know that I’ve noticed over the years, this exact phenomenon among Japanese expats in the US. This reluctance to acknowledge each other because.. not sure why. Maybe because they’re kind of American now. This doesn’t seem to apply to young Japanese who come here to “study” for a few years.
anyway, I’m really enjoying your blog and really hope that the news is better soon for all in Japan.

By: owwls

owwls — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 09:02:02 +0000

Yes! Just that “White” has become a race-neutral phrase for “English-speaking” and that seems weird.

By: Claire

Claire — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 15:44:36 +0000

Favorite post!

Did you mean to have another footnote from “white*!”?

By: Blue Shoe

Blue Shoe — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 23:43:47 +0000

I think it is a common phenomenon, as you noted. At least you’re self-aware, though.

I find myself feeling like that sometimes…I don’t want to be all buddy-buddy with someone jut because they’re foreign. I wouldn’t nod to a stranger on the street back home, so why should I acknowledge random white dudes here? But I also try not to discount people just for being foreign. I think there’s an important distinction. If I meet someone at a party or gathering of friends, I’m paying more attention to how well our personalities mesh, not whether they’re black or white or Japanese.

So yeah, I think it’s kind of a natural feeling, but one that we should also fight.