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From: TheJapanChannelDcom
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  • im not too fussed, i have always felt isolated from my own culture, so i guess im going to be pretty use to it

  • What if you have no regrets leaving your old country. Maybe you didn't have many close friends in the first place? Would it be easier to handle? Is it just too hard for a Japanese guy to think of you as just another dude and be your friend like he would be to anyone else?

  • I was living in Japan for a little while up until last year and got hit with loneliness hard. Im glad you adressed it because it is something that does happen and can be hard to deal with after a while.

  • @Nikotini69 Sir

    Groupism is very important here in Japan. There are two Japanese words amae and on both words emphasis is on the value of the group over the individual.Amae:the behavior of a person attempting to induce an authority figure. On: ones social obligation to the group.Then there are the group dynamics such as Kohai&Sempai relationship. I think the "dude" would have to found out his place and your place in whatever group you to belong together before anything like that could happen.

  • Can anyone else provide insight on if the friendships in Japan aren't as strong as the western world? I was planning on moving to Japan, but after hearing that Im not too sure.

  • Stockholm! The best land in the world sweden!!!;) great video!!

  • So this question might be a little hard to answer but.... please do try to answer.

    For example you made a friend in Japan and was feeling that he was holding something back from you and you consider him/her a super close friend. Would it be bad if you told them not to hold anything back? And just say what they are feeling inside?

  • Once again, very insightful.  Thank you very much.

  • Comment removed

  • beatiful sunset!

  • i got depressingly lonely in the uk....not because there's no friends or family, but it was so damn cold i just couldn't get out of the bed. even internet was a chore and i wanted to sleep until summer came.

  • @MsSunhappy Sun is important. Vitamin D hormone balance and all that. Use to have a Russian gf always wanted to go to Thailand, Hawaii, or some other really hot place and she grew up in -20c temps lul.

  • @JinSage yeah, i never notice that, living in malaysia where sun is out half the day. i hate the sun and the heat. but then coming to the uk make me worship it lol.

  • Perfect for people with no friends who hate there family O_o

  • In asian countries such as Hongkong or Japan or S.Korea, loneliness means more fun, whereas in western counties, it's painful.

    Because lonely Asians (and Esp. Couples) chill out in (All 24 hour ) Arcade, Plazas, Cyber, Outdoor Activities, Restaurants, Shops, Stores like 7-Eleven, Circle K,..and You see many people eating food, dancing, playing all the time...

    When i broke up with my gf, i enjoyed more roaming around alone..when i was in HongKong. So, Japan is no problem for me.

  • @OgrePsycho Old reply but I agree with you. I mean, there is a why I travel ALONE for a month or so... every year

  • the answer: go with a freind.

  • I feel lonely in California, People don't understand my English because it's academic, I work at a company that employs nearly all Spanish speakers(I have to use gestures to communicate since I'm basically one of the few English speakers).Then I have family little family ties. I personally think Japan would be a step up since I would actually learn a new culture and explore a new country. Loneliness can be a problem, but I think it all depends on the person and how they respond to it.

  • @springfever2002 I am an Ex-Californian now living in Japan with my Japanese wife and the difference is like night and day. People are much more friendly here. California has failed to realize the importance of making the Mexicans speak English which is why there is so much cultural problems between other ethnic groups. If you move to another country it's always in your best interest to learn that cultures language as not everyone here speaks English.

  • @zzzzzzozz shopping in Japan amazing everyone seems to care for their job more than any other country I'v been to.

  • honestly...I have learned a lot from being lonely in Canada. It gives you time to find out who you are and what are you. Loneliness has changed me to a better person. Just stay optimistic and things will get better by the time.

  • i want to avoid this so much when i move here in japan... i dont have enough friends here at the states so i hope in japan i get to be myself and get accepeted right away... i want to make friends in a new country here in japan :) thanks for this info i learned alot from you..

  • I feel the same living in US

  • I appreciate your honesty. Thank you.

  • is it possible to pursue hobbies in Japan?

  • been live there for three years, I know how it feel..'n I agree with almost all of yours videos..still, in the end of this year I decide to marry my girl (she's Japanese) and live there for the rest of my life..

    anyway, really like your work!

  • The music isn't helping.. haha...

    Not to mention the occasional beautiful sunset...

  • @zzzzzzozz what's a gaiji? a foreigner?

  • @caldevera a gaijin is a foreigner.

  • Where do I give you those 5 stars? btw a great video about an important subject =)

  • I imagine Asian and Arab people must feel the same way when they move to the western world.

  • Getting lonely from watching, it's all so made to do so, you not talking just staring out in front of you, the music the sun and the picture of a huge tree-sellout ><

  • Wow, this is really important. The time I spent in Japan I was usually pretty miserable. I was a girl who hated everything about living in the US, so I went to Japan and have never been so homesick in my life. I cried almost every night, I spent my days just wandering around lonely. But now that I look back on it, I learned so much and those memories are really strong and almost dreamlike. Can't really explain that well.

  • @kittyxproductions from you experience, would you still recommend others to visit (not live) japan? visit or be part of an exchange student program for a couple of months?

  • Cont: For me I think it was easy to feel lonely there because you are acutely aware you are in a very different country from your own and the spoken and written language, the body language, the nuances, everything is so different and hard to comprehend. It was a beautiful feeling at the same time and I also felt a lot of freedom living there are a foreigner. I felt I had the best of both worlds; the magical experience of living in Japan but without the strict social pressure the Japanese have.

  • Some of my best friends were made during my time living in Japan - I have to say that I bonded with other gaijin (non-Japanese) friends because of the mutually shared experience of being a foreigner in Japan. Sadly, I never found the same depth of friendship with other Japanese friends - but the Japanese who had travelled (in the backpacker not business trip sense) were much more open and easier to connect with.- there was a greater affinity.

  • Music name?

  • Idk, in my opinion, the loneliness I may experience in Japan would be a welcome change for me. My life is always being interjected by negativity from friends, family and strangers in general. I always want to be left alone but no one will grant me that. I've become so anti-social because of that, that I leave my room only for food, drink, toiletries and work. Unfortunately the comments section don't allow the number of characters I would need to fully express my point. Keep up the good work TJC

  • Lost In Translation...

  • @zzzzzzozz

    Thank you.

    Yes, some do.

  • @TheJapanChannelDcom I know this video's a bit old but i am curious - any solutions to deal with this issue?

    How did you deal with this?

  • this is one thing that worries me a bit! I'm moving to Saitama in 4 weeks.

    Most people say if it is a big struggle keep on going! do your best. I guess I'll just have to see how I go! :P

    Great channel BTW.!! Keep up the good work!

  • @princesachilanga

    Thanks for watching..

    I am glad they help!

  • @TheJapanChannelDcom Good job on the videos man ! your channel might be one of the most useful channels here on youtube. I wish there were other channels like this on other countries and cultures. but Japan is already a goof one in a good way that is totally different from almost all the other countries. keep up :-)

  • Well this is one reason why I am hesitating to push forward with my thoughts of leaving my country of birth. It's painful to think of me being separated from my family and not seeing what's going on with them. A visit once a year or maybe at best twice a year is not going to be enough. And even with the Internet helping with the communication a lot it's really not the same as being there.

  • That was a sad video, but who needs crowds of people anyway!

  • (Not QUITE video related, however...) I know it's possibly the usual thing in most countries, but if someone *does* have a break up with their partner... are things usually awkward for both parties from then on there? Do they avoid one another? Or do they keep up their 'friendship' they probably had with you before hand, due to their polite and kind attitudes towards others?

  • I'm a loner anyway.

  • man, im just so curious... what country are you from?

  • @dsiderreck6 He's from Australia

  • it sounds as the lack of integrity in intimate relationship and never knowing where you stand would be very isolating .... sincerely wonder if this is related to on some level to the high group and indivigual suicide rate?

    thank you

  • Work on Japanese language skills, forget the people back home and what you learned in your home country, and understand yourself.

    Read and work out more. Keep your nose clean legally and look at your bank balance if you feel down. Do not watch crappy J television.

    end of tutorial!

  • I really enjoy watching your videos and I was just wondering what your story is? How did you end up in Japan? ^_^

  • I've watched quite a few of these videos now and they're really good. This one especially rang true as I enter my 6th week here and I am feeling really lonely.

    Keep the videos coming they are hugely insightful, useful and entertaining...

  • Comment removed

  • I am wondering how big a town you live in. I have lived in mostly big cities but enjoyed the cities under a half million the most.I also lived in places under 10000 and it was those places that I really felt there was little for the foreigner.But Japanese say the same thing.Probably little for anyone.

  • Great video, subscribed. Actually all of your videos are very insightful and nicely worded.

  • Thanks for this video it was very insightful.

  • @haveforeverhope

    Thanks for watching ^_^

  • @TheJapanChannelDcom Do you live alone?

    Christmas must really suck to be alone :(

  • @cr4yv3n

    Not any more.

    I am married :-)

  • @TheJapanChannelDcom uuuuu nice, congratulations !

  • @cr4yv3n yeah i just experienced my first christmas here and i really dont like it

    "Please Mom I Wanna Go Back To Philippines Onegai!!" heh lol ignore it haha

  • i understand! my dad dragged me off to florida for a year to go to school and learn about "american culture" (he's american, but we live in lithuania) and the first few weeks i was there it was really fun, the shopping was great, and pizza delivery didnt take 3 hours! later on, i became really tired of it. i had friends, and i tried my hardest to be closer with them, but it was always awkward. it did teach me to love the life i have here though :)

  • That must be how foreigners feel in English speaking countries. What a bad feeling. 

  • Well put mate..

    Much

    ALOHA to you brah

    BRAD

  • @ross1manley heh

  • I believe that people who are lonely or have little friends from their home country (like me) wouldn't be as lonely as a person who was very popular. I've wanted to live in Japan for a while and I still think it's a good idea.

  • Man these vids are awesome, seen most of em now, most of em really get me thinking, i have wanted to move to Japan for ages and this video still hasn't put me off, I think it depends on the person, ( I wouldn't know defiantly because i haven't been to Japan) but normally when going on holiday or just going about I don't really find it hard to talk to people, so surely it wouldn't be too different in Japan??

  • It is good to see I am not the only one who felt the same way you did. In my case, I also enjoyed living in different country because everything I experienced was new. However, after I get used to living the country, the feeling of loneliness grew as time passed even though I had good friends there. It's because I left my family in Japan and have not seen them for several years. If you want to live in different country for a long time, you need to prepare yourself many things. It's hard.

  • I'm lonely here anyways so...

  • i love being a distant person is this loneliness like being distant.

  • Very touching, thank you for the honesty

  • As a lot of people who subscribe to your videos I want to study and maybe even live in Japan some day. Loneliness is the one thing I'm worried about. I know that I'll definitely miss my friends and family becuase I like the people in my life now. Thank you so much for making this video, as its difficult to find videos like this one up on youtube that deal with the negative aspects of moving in Japan. I think it helps prepare me for what I may experience there.

  • did you just take that picture from google or are you really swedish if then thats cool i am too ^^

  • @ScrewFearMe

    Those people are my friends.

    They live in Spain.

    They were on holidays.

  • Ever heard of the paris syndrome, apparently many japanese that move to paris france experience depression due to the culture shock.

  • Damn that put's me off going there slightly :(

  • that is definitely one thing I would not underestimate when I hopefully go to work in Japan. That is why I would definitely want to learn the language as best I can before I go. However I've moved around to lots of different homes and schools in my lifetime, so this feeling of being unable to really relate to people is something I understand quite well. However it's just as you say, we have to keep in contact with those at home as well as try with those we meet! Thanks for the video

  • Interesting. Loneliness in Japan.

  • do foreigners get gaped at for having different color hairs? I've never been to japan, but I have kinda dark blonde hair I always wondered if people would stare at me and wonder if it was dyed.

  • i simply looooooove your channel

    when i m done with all the school work i will watch all of your videos

    thank you for all this wonderfull information

  • wow do u live in japan now or just visiting

  • I'm a cold, lonely bastard here in the U.S. anyways. I guess that one of the ways in which you could reliably alleviate loneliness is to, when planning where to live in Japan, try to find a community of expats, people like you that you can relate to. Or, you can just repress it all like I do. High Five for being a hopeless introvert .

  • beening in japan by myself for now would be a nightmare really...cause i live in the same house as my family but feel loneliness every now and again...

  • i completely relate to this. thanks for covering all angles with your vids

  • Yep it's hard... having lived in 3 countries now, I can relate but, as everything, it gets better with time... love ur vids!

  • @raulycalifre

    Thanks for your support!

  • vary deep thank you vary informitive

  • I'm really impressed by your videos, because they are so true. I lived in Japan for one year as a exchangestudent. I know this feeling of loneliness very well, I had one nervous breakdown and in the very end of the year I got some physical problems becoause of the tough life of a japanese student. Refering to the loneliness, I've ever had the feeling that I couldn't make as good friends as I've had in Germany because I'm a foreigner and that hurt much. BUT I have to admitt: I had a great time.

  • @furakoJOY

    Thanks for watching!

  • 5 stars for the 250th video. A Glock to head for the depressing theme and music. I started feeling lonely with a house full of people.

    Sorry didn't mean to be so graphic. A Glock? Honestly?

    Anyway, great videos, they help people allot.

    I'm going to move to Japan eventually with my poor preconceived notions of Japan, but One thing that will hit me is loneliness, I'm a very a very optimistic person. But when i talk, i use allot of vibrant and philosophical words. So it'd suck for a while.

  • @jmt1000

    Thanks for the 5 ^_^

  • @jmt1000 5 stars for the Glock LOL, that cheered me up! :D

  • @thekiwicanuck Thanks, This video is meant to make a point to be Depressing, I think the point of the comments is to make people happy, so as to regain all optimism and happiness. So Lets cheer up, and go buy a gun, Huh? No? Well ok.

    Have a nice day!

  • i want to go to school in tokyo japan for manga and anime but i don't know how to get a grant for nihon kogakuin can you please try and find out this for me? Also i am thinking about the things i will miss because i have to stay in japan for 2 years if i go to that college i am worried what will happen to my bf and i..

  • @CorruptedCorpseSaku

    To be honest... no chance.

  • : 0 there really is no way?

  • @CorruptedCorpseSaku

    Check out the website forum.

  • @CorruptedCorpseSaku Look, i'm no expert or anything, Just like to help. If it's only to state something obvious, It seems You've reached an impasse, the only way, is i guess for him to move with you. 2 years is a long time for anyone. I don't mean to be a downer, nor feel like meddling in your business, just wanted to add something. If it's any consolation, i've gone through something VERY similar, and it was the hardest thing i had to do. So, choose wisely. Have a nice day!

  • Your videos are like an island of sanity in a sh*tstream named "youtube". Thank you very much

  • @napal05

    So are the small percentage of youtubers who watch them!

    Thanks for watching!

  • thx for the honesty. people often think that talking about things like this means you're weak or lame. most people don't even admit these problems really exist.

    wonderful videos.

  • Very nice start mate 5 for it.

    Well i like being alone all the time but for all the time its getting sad and sad but if you find someone from sad it will go to happy

  • i like lonliness but only in small doses.really

  • Cool, picture from Stockholm! Friends of your's? If I go to Japan, I have to go to some place where I know some good people are with english or swedish language. Nice video with music!

  • awh, very heart touching, i hope you're doing okay over there... dont forget you got US <3 as in your youtube fans and subscribers who adore your work and videos and learning about the japanese culture, so dont feel down ^^ <3 much love from canada~

  • @babi3pink

    Thanks :-)

    I am happy :-)

  • The fact that you are consciously aware of the isolating elements makes you a better prepared person in emotionally dealing with them. That is a good thing in itself. Same is true for Japanese men and women living in Western countries for an extended period. It is important that everyone makes an effort to reach out to people, even if in some little way, to make them feel at ease.

    友情の小さなジェスチャー、大きなものを意味することができます

  • @junkie4vids

    Nicely said.

  • Real talk. Good stuff.

  • man i got so melancholic after seeing this. i got my blues ! thank you for sharing, i wanna visit japan soon

  • I think everybody or a lot of people are able to make there very good friends...

    5*

  • @nightskill01

    Thanks for the 5!

  • u said it......5/5

  • @TechNinja1

    Thanks for your support and for the 5!

  • NP man, hey im gonna be heading out to japan too... (in a couple years) so keep making the vids they really teach alot.. :)

    さよなら

  • @TechNinja1

    more coming!

  • hey maybe you can make a video about how what foreigners have to do when they get to japan....as in pass ports or paper work...or maybe if thier is a full citizen ship test you can take to live in japan permanitly =D

  • @TechNinja1

    That is on the website forum :-)

  • @Julmuu

    Sure, lots of contacts.

  • I'm a Japanese living in UK and I feel exactly same as you.

  • @gogotenko

    I can understand why.

    Cultural differences can be difficult, can't they!

  • I hate to be rude, but what made you choose to live in Japan?

    Judging by your vid views and subscriptions, you have several vid friends. Do you ever wish you were back in Austrailia? I love watching your vids by the way.

    My son wants to go to Japan to live someday also. Are you truely happy there?

  • @sagesdragon

    Western society felt too selfish to me...

    I wont be leaving I don't expect :-)

  • @TheJapanChannelDcom, I don't live in Japan (yet, I expect to at least visit for as much time as I'm allowed), but my reason is not because I don't like something where I live, I love it, I'm just attracted to Japan more. It's just like women changing hair color, neither blonde or black hair is better, they are different, different people like different things. I've never seen Japan as better, just VERY different, and I feel drawn to it because of it.

  • @Hioushi

    Yeah, I try to avoid saying it is better...

    It just suits ME better :-)

  • i wonder, why dont foreigner chill together in japanies? its pretty common here for people who have come from other countries to hang around first with their countrymen and once they get used to the culture, they start to interact with the local people

  • @KrutoiStudent

    many do..

  • Can you explain more detailed on what you mean by ''relationships aren't that close here'' ??

  • @ImIwilliamImI

    Maybe because of the way they communicate and keep their emotions concealed.. but they are just not very close to each other usually..

  • If you want more on this try the website forum under relationships.

  • @TheJapanChannelDcom

    Ok thanks.

  • I really want to live in Japan some time in the future, but I don't want to leave my family behind, so i'm in kind of a dilema.

  • same here mate. D:

  • @kingkongzilla34, Me too, I definitively will visit, but I don't know about making my life there, thanks to TheJapanChannel's videos I have now a better and more realistic view on that, I'd have to leave my family behind, and I'm very close to my brothers, that would be really hard to do.

  • Stockholm 2007, did you come from Sweden?

  • @saiyoucho

    No.. that guy in the photo is actually the guy who made the music and one of my friends :-)

  • Ah I see. Was asking because I'm going to travel from Sweden now to study in Japan for a year.

    It's interesting to see how people from the same country experience other countries.

  • I've always suspected things could get very tough over there if you feel lonely and like you've no one understanding to turn to. My first impressions of that came from other tourist accounts of Japan and the the movie Lost In Translation, while, maybe just a movie, it did make me go in search of the shitty things about Japan, especially since I'd love to go over there someday for longer than a week or two.

  • @bloodymissb

    Yes, there are a lot of people who come here intending to stay a year or more and go home after 3 months.

    It can be tough.

  • @TheJapanChannelDcom

    Out of curiosity, are there ever foreigner's who've had nervous breakdowns or anything. That might be jumping the gun just a little bit, but it came to mind.

  • @bloodymissb

    They probably go home before that :-)

    I have seen some come close though...

  • Very informative video about the important interactions between people of different cultures, I loved the voice over shots showing scenery it's very beautiful!

  • @CryoKeen

    Thank you, I am glad you liked it.

  • @AkemiCaffeine

    Thanks!

    It is coming!

  • A well considered and produced video. Your theme is timely and touches an important and often unmentioned aspect of life for those living away from their home country. Thank you for sharing this though-provoking video. -Kurt :-)

  • @softypapa

    Thanks friend  :-)

  • *hugs* yes can b sad

    thx for the vid

  • @sidhis1

    Thanks for your support :-)

  • There is a big difference between being alone and being lonely.

  • thanks for this really important (but not often heard) information!

  • Dear Sir

    I really like your videos, and I would like to encourage you to keep posting them. I am a foreigner in Japan. I have been here for 5 years now.

    Regarding the Loneliness, I believe your approach is a little bit harsh towards Japan. The idea is that everyone suffers loneliness whenever they are away from home. The further you are (in terms of common cultures and believes and history and language) the more lonely you would become. So Japan is just like Russia, Egypt and Romania.

  • @pickuplb I would really like to understand what you want to say by Japan is just like Russia, Egypt and Romania as I am Romanian and I don't consider myself or my friends and family to be very different compared to people from other countries and cultures. Yes there are cultural differences, but they aren't very obvious, you could overlook them sometimes too and you wouldn't have any problems as a foreigner here. Most people are curious about foreigners usually :)

  • @AbsintheMint Thank you for your comment. Please note that I have lived in Romania for more than two months (in a city called Corabia near the Dunare). I loved it there and if it was not for the scholarship I would have stayed there.

    As for being different, the cultures in Romania are quite similar to those of the rest of Europe; but they are very different from those of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Japan. Don't you think so?

  • After seeing a few of your vids while you are driving I have to ask....do have a Nissan Cube? Just wondered. Ithink they are really cool. Want to get one when I'm done paying for my Tiida. Althought those are called Versas here. Anyway love yer vids!

  • *hug*

    5 stars (as always)

  • Ready good video mate thanks

  • @rugbylord2008

    Glad you liked it, thank you  :-)

  • Can you make a video on how to have a nihon menkyo, what are the options for a gai jin in getting license? Thanks!

  • @rxlrex

    Try the website forum.

  • I just wanna ask. What license do you have, is it a Nihon Menkyo?

  • @rxlrex

    yes

  • I appriciate you taking the time to shoot this video and talk about this. This is a very important topic.

  • @mishels

    Thanks for your support!

  • @tmpfan2

    Thanks.. I think it is important to try to show the big picture if I can.