The Gaijin Stare

Something one acclimatises to very quickly when spending time in Japan (or most other countries I assume) is seeing only Japanese faces (obviously not Japanese faces in other countries).

Japan remains rather ‘pure’ compared to other places, as in, there aren’t really that many not-Japanese people. What I mean to say is that, where in England someone of Asian origin wouldn’t really be noticeable, in Japan, a white person would stick out like a sore thumb. At least, it seems that way to me.

So often, you find yourself walking down the street, not really thinking. In the distance you see something unusual... a WHITE PERSON.

You can’t help but stare at them, because what on Earth is a white person (or anyone not Asian, well Japanese) doing here, in Japan?

The irony here is not lost on me, I am fully aware that I, myself, am indeed a (mostly) white person.

And of course, they are thinking the same thing about you. So you’re both staring at each other probably lamenting how you never used to see this many foreigners when you visited a decade ago, modern media has made Japan so trendy, urgh.

You get closer and closer to each other, maintaining eye contact. ‘I wonder if they speak English,’ you think to yourself. ‘What are they doing out here?’ they think to themselves.

Tension runs high in the air as you near each other, until you’re standing next to each other. And then they walk on past you.

This, my friends, is a completed ‘Gaijin Stare’. The connection shared between two foreigners (or two groups of foreigners) as they pass each other in the street.

I never really thought about it, until a coworker brought it up.

“It’s ridiculous,” she said, “walking past someone, maintaining weird eye contact and then, you don’t even speak!”

But it happens every time I see another foreigner. Everyone seems to do it.

It’s not like a friendly stare either, it’s a stone cold gaze. I often feel myself frowning slightly, without really meaning to. I guess I’m just so puzzled by the appearance of another foreign person, I furrow my brow in confusion.

Who knows?

Anyway, this is a strange thing that I’ve noticed, even here in Nagoya, probably the area of Japan with the biggest expat community.

Even being conscious of it, I can’t help myself.

Worse still, is hearing someone else speak English perfectly.

The other day, I was out with my boyfriend, talking absolute nonsense, secure in the knowledge that we probably couldn’t be understood because even if anyone had some English language skills, we talk about complete nonsense at such a rapid rate it would be difficult for many to keep up with.

But then we heard it. The sound of a native speaker. This served to shut us up, and realise how utterly bizarre our conversation had become (bizarre enough that the concept of someone being able to understand it was embarrassing, okay?).

So there you have it, the Gaijin Stare (and other foreign fears).