I had the opportunity to go to Japan recently. Compiled a list of pros and cons I thought of on the spot concerning the country.
Pros:
- Public transportation is amazing
- Cheaper than America
- Japanese people have higher cultural expectations for themselves in general
- Less cultural enrichment than America has
- Streets are cleaner
- Much, much safer
- Less of a shame culture
- People don’t possess opinions about every dumb thing under the sun
- People are less degenerate than Americans (though, trending worse)
- Government isn’t as stupid as the American government (again, trending worse)
- Convenience stores are very nice
- Having shogi being widely known and played is nice
- Japanese people are generally better educated
Cons:
- People are everywhere, lots of crowds
- Less freedom
- Things are just smaller in general
- Japanese has got to be one of the dumbest languages in the world (kanji readings make zero sense)
- Food is better in California at least
- Japanese people can be highly frustrating at times
- Japanese people are never honest about anything
- Bleak future
- Japan is a very consumerist society, they’re always looking forward and hardly look back
- America has more opportunities
- Taxes
- Architecture is kinda soulless
- Lack of energy, country feels old
- Women are very passive, and, TO BE VERY CLEAR, I don’t just mean that in the context of romantic relations
- Still has some of that chivalry culture
Maybe not cons, but more personal gripes:
- Shinto shrines are just ugly
- People are so tech illiterate
- Not a fault of Japan per se, but Japan isn’t America in the sense that America currently is front and center of world history, Americans understand this subconsciously and act more proudly, believe you can see a similar thing in China to an extent
You’ll often hear that Japanese people can be kind of xenophobic, but, honestly, I’ve never experienced it. If anything, my experience has been quite the opposite. Course, I can’t speak for everybody.
*Maybe I’ll update this as I think of more.
Like any other country there’s pros and there’s cons. Decide for yourself.
