# Japan...



## collared Princess (Dec 6, 2009)

Was wondering if anyone is from Japan or has anyone been there and can tell me about the culture especially how they view fat people....Id appricate any input..


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## Jon Blaze (Dec 6, 2009)

I'm going to be perfectly honest.
I lived in Honshu for 1/2 year and Okinawa for four years. Even though I developed my preferences starting there, Japan doesn't have a very nice attitude towards fat people, and tend to think of it as freakish and or weird. There is an underground fat admiration community, but it's almost entirely fetishistic (And I mean that in the way it's treated).

But there's never a complete picture. There's probably some parts that will accept you, and as a tangent the general treatment I was given as an American was exceptional.


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## Wild Zero (Dec 6, 2009)

Jon Blaze said:


> I lived in Honshu for 1/2 year and Okinawa for four years.



Did you live on Kadena? (curious because a friend grew up there)


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## Jon Blaze (Dec 6, 2009)

Wild Zero said:


> Did you live on Kadena? (curious because a friend grew up there)



I lived on Camp Lester. It was a few miles form Kadena.


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## IrishBard (Dec 6, 2009)

I have to say that the japanese are particularly ham-handed when it comes to handling size acceptance.

per example

in a manga I recieved from a friend called Girls Saurus/DX, there is an FA character. before you cheer, I just want to say that I hated it. all the fat girls portrayed are hideous and bitchy, with only 1 or two who are acutally nice, and the FA character is in love with the girls fat and not them personally. not only that, but he regularly gets beaten up for being who he is.

Manga as a whole has a habit of beating up perverts, which is fine and fun. but to beat someone up for what they like is low, even if it's done for comedy. the series is a waste of time to just be semi-hentai rubbish and being a double barreled insult to all FA's.

don't get me wrong, I think japan is a great place, but their handling of size acceptance ranged from inept to insulting.


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## Keb (Dec 6, 2009)

I lived in Japan (and taught English there) for two years, from 2005-2007. I -always- felt welcome and when my size was mentioned or remarked on, it was either with genuine awe (with the exception of sumo wrestlers, most Japanese don't even come close to my size--and as a woman who stood taller--5'8--than a majority of the men, it added up to feeling like a bit of a giantess) or benign amusement. The Japanese idea of personal space is a bit different from the American one I grew up with, so I was a little startled by the occassional person who felt it was just fine to pat my stomach. Mothers were willing, on the street, to just pass their infants over for a moment for me to hold (that was strange, but I didn't mind!). There was a little child once who just stared up at me, saying "Okii..." which means "big". I replied that he was little and grinned at him.

Of course, not being very fluent in Japanese, I couldn't say what the true attitude towards me was. I know I didn't quite fit into their definitions of "man" and "woman"...but I think that's more because I was Not Japanese than because I was big. (It meant I got to do things that tended to be reserved for the men as well as the things the women did, so it wasn't such a bad deal.)

That said, while they're very understanding of differences in Other People (gaijin!), I think that with a few exceptions (sumo) Japanese culture tends to be incredibly intolerant of such differences within its own population. The routes for self-expression tend to be narrow and well-defined, and often entail participation in subgroups (like your school or sports team) rather than individual traits. Japan has a very group-oriented culture, and standing out from one's group in any way is embarrassing. So I believe that you're more likely to be well-treated as a fat outsider in Japan than you would be as a fat Japanese person, unless you're also an excellent (and male) sumo wrestler.


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## Webmaster (Dec 6, 2009)

collared Princess said:


> Was wondering if anyone is from Japan or has anyone been there and can tell me about the culture especially how they view fat people....Id appricate any input..



I've been to Japan three times and absolutely love the country, the people and culture. People are polite, respectful, and helpful to a degree that we're simply not used to, or are no longer used to. You simply never see the sneers, surliness, arrogance, rudeness, apathy, etc., that we get to deal with every day.

That said, Japan is also perhaps one of the most homogenous society's on the planet where you're either part of Japanese society or you're not. Reading and writing is hugely confusing as they use not one, but four alphabets (Kanji, hiragana, katakana, and romaji). The Japanese very much differentiate between the Western ways and the traditional Japanese ways.

As far as size goes, the Japanese are not unilaterally as small as some may think. Overall, yes, but especially among the young generation I often saw men who were at least my size and women who were not much shorter (I am 6', 160). However, a lot of stuff IS smaller (streets, cars, seats, accommodations, etc.) and you see almost no fat people (or, curiously, people with gray hair for that matter). Forget about handicapped access, ramps and all the other things we do to accommodate those who need it.

Pretty much any foreigner is a curiosity in Japan, and a fat foreigner even more. How well one copes with it probably depends personal attitude and ability to handle unusual and unexpected situations.


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## fatlane (Dec 6, 2009)

My one experience with Japan was getting wheeled through Narita Airport to a connecting flight to China. I'm 6'4" and 220, so I rate "friggin' huge" on their size-o-meters. The JAL staff were all totally helpful, friendly, and gave excellent service in every way. Of course, that was their job, but, hey, they did it right.

I got ogled a lot more in China, though. Mexico and France didn't care one way or the other.


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## collared Princess (Dec 6, 2009)

Wow you guys have been so helpful...
Very interesting..I have heard that no one dares to be different but finds that if you are different and from another culture they find different idea's refreshing..this is very interesting to me and I really want to thank you guys for being so kind and contributing to this thread..
We all can learn from each other this is great !!!


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## gangstadawg (Dec 6, 2009)

Jon Blaze said:


> I'm going to be perfectly honest.
> I lived in Honshu for 1/2 year and Okinawa for four years. Even though I developed my preferences starting there, Japan doesn't have a very nice attitude towards fat people, and tend to think of it as freakish and or weird. There is an underground fat admiration community, but it's almost entirely fetishistic (And I mean that in the way it's treated).
> 
> But there's never a complete picture. There's probably some parts that will accept you, and as a tangent the general treatment I was given as an American was exceptional.



and they like sumo wrestlers which they seem to be some what respected in japan.


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## Zoom (Dec 6, 2009)

I've been watching a Japanese TV show called "GameCenter CX" which is about a nerdy comedian who challenges himself to play video games and sometimes does poorly.

In that show, they haven't come out and said anything obvious about largeness, but one of the ADs (Assistant Directors) is a somewhat plump woman, and he always selects her to go on the children's rides at the game centers (arcades) he visits, because he knows she will get stuck on them. Another time he played a coin-op game and won some candy, and deliberately counted out one piece each for the other ADs... and three for her. She seemed to accept the candies in good humor.

I don't think he meant anything by it though. The host's infectious energy, enthusiasm for classic video games, and personality shines through all cultural and language barriers, and it's impossible to hate the guy.

From what else I know about Japanese culture, it always seems when they want a big girl in a manga (comic book), they'll either draw her with an ugly face or stick a pig nose on her. Maybe this is just a case of stereotyping going unchecked, but it sure is annoying to those who think people should be treated better.


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## fatlane (Dec 6, 2009)

One manga in which fat people are drawn as just fat people, with no negativity, is "What's Michael?" It's all about a cat, see... anyway, I love it, it's hilarious, and the fat people (and fat cats) are not put down.


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## Jes (Dec 6, 2009)

Zoom said:


> From what else I know about Japanese culture, it always seems when they want a big girl in a manga (comic book), they'll either draw her with an ugly face or stick a pig nose on her. Maybe this is just a case of stereotyping going unchecked, but it sure is annoying to those who think people should be treated better.



what do you mean?


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## Zoom (Dec 6, 2009)

Jes said:


> what do you mean?


Sorry. I'll try again.

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## Jes (Dec 7, 2009)

sorry, i don't speak french.

now: why do we assume sticking a pig nose on someone can only equate to poor treatment?


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## AuntHen (Dec 7, 2009)

collared Princess said:


> Was wondering if anyone is from Japan or has anyone been there and can tell me about the culture especially how they view fat people....Id appricate any input..




My sister lived/worked there for 2 years and I lived there a few months. They are very much health oriented and do not socially like fat. I was told they have a high rate of anorexia also due to this pressure. I love that their food is very fresh and free of preservatives and dyes. You can go to a japanese 7-11 and get food that is better/fresher than most American grocery stores, plus you walk and ride the train and buses everywhere. I was in the best shape ever while living there! I love Japan and would go back in heartbeat, and I am an amazon compared to the japanese whether slender or not (so I got stares sometimes). Anyway so the answer is... they prefer people to be slender and it is not a fat friendly environment (ie, chairs, rooms, booths, etc). However, they are very courteous about how they ridicule people. The japanese are taught to IGNORE things around them that they do not like (a sign of respect). You can see this alot on the trains. Hope this helps!

We lived in Atsugi (Saginuma) and my sister worked in Shabuya (Tokyo). We also spent alot of time in Hon Atsugi & Ebina.


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## Zoom (Dec 7, 2009)

Jes said:


> sorry, i don't speak french.
> now: why do we assume sticking a pig nose on someone can only equate to poor treatment?


If you think it's OK to be pigeonholed as a filthy animal who rolls around in her own excrement instead of revered as a decent human being, then maybe you DO speak French. I mean, maybe then it doesn't equate to poor treatment.


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## Jes (Dec 9, 2009)

Zoom said:


> If you think it's OK to be pigeonholed as a filthy animal who rolls around in her own excrement instead of revered as a decent human being, then maybe you DO speak French. I mean, maybe then it doesn't equate to poor treatment.



Hmmn.

That's an interesting argument, Zoom.


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## that_guuy (Dec 10, 2009)

I've been living in Japan for the last 2 1/2 years. From what I've experienced, the average Japanese person doesn't like fat, but they're not outwardly disapproving of it, particularly on foreigners. I have had people of all ages - from kids through the elderly talk of how big I am (not big at all by most standards, 5'10 and 230lbs), but it's more in admiration than disgust. It can be extremely difficult to get around and get clothes if you're larger, I am already almost completely restricted to the big and tall stores, and riding buses can be uncomfortable too. Japanese are generally great people though, you should come for a visit!


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## KuroBara (Dec 10, 2009)

that_guuy said:


> Japanese are generally great people though, you should come for a visit!


 
I hope to come for longer than that!! Eventually...


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## Russell Williams (Dec 10, 2009)

It was a long time ago and things have probably changed somewhat but in the late 70s or early 80s a friend of mine and her sister went to Japan for awhile. My friend was about 59 and weighed between 300 and 350 pounds. Her sister was under 200 and about 6 feet tall. My friend said that when the two of them went out a lot of Japanese people looked at them in apparent wonderment.

More recently I and two fat female friends were in the Smithsonian. The friend who weighed over 400 pounds reported that an Asian man was stalking her with his camera. She went into a gift store and somehow managed to sneak up behind him. When he started to turn around she raised her arms to look even more imposing and yelled boo. According to her the man ran from the gift shop and she did not see him again.


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## collared Princess (Dec 11, 2009)

Russell Williams said:


> It was a long time ago and things have probably changed somewhat but in the late 70s or early 80s a friend of mine and her sister went to Japan for awhile. My friend was about 59 and weighed between 300 and 350 pounds. Her sister was under 200 and about 6 feet tall. My friend said that when the two of them went out a lot of Japanese people looked at them in apparent wonderment.
> 
> More recently I and two fat female friends were in the Smithsonian. The friend who weighed over 400 pounds reported that an Asian man was stalking her with his camera. She went into a gift store and somehow managed to sneak up behind him. When he started to turn around she raised her arms to look even more imposing and yelled boo. According to her the man ran from the gift shop and she did not see him again.




Thats to funny


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## Jes (Dec 11, 2009)

i remember being surrounded by a group of japanese men..or was it koreans?...anyway, they were huddled around me taking photos and my husband had to chase them off with a tiki torch!


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## CleverBomb (Dec 12, 2009)

Big's the reason 
When you're Big in Japan.

-Rusty
(No, I don't have anything productive to add to this thread. Sorry.)


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## fatgirlflyin (Dec 12, 2009)

were you eating cake at the time?



Jes said:


> i remember being surrounded by a group of japanese men..or was it koreans?...anyway, they were huddled around me taking photos and my husband had to chase them off with a tiki torch!


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## wolfpersona (Dec 12, 2009)

If i lived in a place where skinny was the norm I'd be fallowing a bbw around with a camera too.


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## Baba Fats (Dec 14, 2009)

wolfpersona said:


> If i lived in a place where skinny was the norm I'd be fallowing a bbw around with a camera too.



Why? You've got the internet.


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## kioewen (Dec 15, 2009)

Is this a sign of improvement for Japan? I received this from a Twitter I subscribe to. You know those "dating sim" games that are so common in Japan? Well, a new one features a plus-size (almost BBW) character:

http://twitter.com/judgmentofparis/status/6494613608

It's cool that the game creators at least think someone that curvy could be a love interest, especially given that you NEVER see larger girls in anime (as far as I know).


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## Keb (Dec 15, 2009)

kioewen said:


> Is this a sign of improvement for Japan? I received this from a Twitter I subscribe to. You know those "dating sim" games that are so common in Japan? Well, a new one features a plus-size (almost BBW) character:
> 
> http://twitter.com/judgmentofparis/status/6494613608
> 
> It's cool that the game creators at least think someone that curvy could be a love interest, especially given that you NEVER see larger girls in anime (as far as I know).



That's so cute!


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## fanofdimensions (Jan 13, 2010)

she was on some program about beauty and fashion or something. she was treated fine, but a lot of it was how amazed they were at her size and that she was a fashion model and photographer.

another friend of mine went to Japan a while back, she's 5'9" and about 350+ lbs and dresses very goth/alternative, and said she wasn't treated poorly per se, but that she was always getting stares and looks, and many people, especially slender petite women, were asking to get their pictures taken with her and would compare the size of her (rather large) hips and butt to theirs.


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## Franklyn (Jan 19, 2010)

I live in Japan!

Have for the last 7 Years (^^)

For the most part, Japan is not up on size acceptance... Women are considered 'fat' even if they way 50 kg... It's a bloody shame if you ask me (^^)

Any questions about life over here, feel free to drop me a line!

- Franklyn


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## smiley55 (May 18, 2010)

hey great thread! i hope it is still active somewhat. i grew up in japan for most of my life and been living in the states for about 8 years now. i was happy to see a forum like this and even more people i can relate with . anyway, if anyone is still curious about what life is like in japan i hope i can give you some insight on what its like to live/visit there. i recently got back from a 3 month trip there and had a blast. also thinking about going back there this august for a month. 
thanks!

cheers and have a great day!


s.


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## LordSheogorath (May 19, 2010)

My friend Kembo is Dutch American/Okinawan and Mexican. He's roughly 6'2 230lbs and the guy is as strong as an ox (broke a man's femur in two in combative training @ his basic training school in Augusta, GA.). His family were Okinawan farmers and weren't very small stature people. His family from Japan now resides in Kobe Bay and from what he's told me are still very stout and large. I've heard different stories from different people on how the issue is regarded there... some positive, some not so positive (my buddy says they think of fat people there, especially the women, as almost like monsters)... But my brother thats was stationed there in the Corps said that there were lots of chubby/larger women where he was at.


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## KuroBara (May 21, 2010)

I'm so jealous of people who have lived in Japan. I wouldn't care how I was treated, I just want to be there!! However, the market is saturated and I'm 30, so I'm too old to teach. There are always vacations. I went twice last year, and I was not treated badly, or I didn't notice it. Much better than South Korea.


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## superodalisque (May 24, 2010)

i loved Japan. yes there is a definite sense of people being awestruck. being black on top of it makes you really surreal. i think people thought i'd break out singing. i was stared at a lot and even touched on the train but i never felt hated. i know that Japanese people really hate fat on themselves. i feel very sorry for them for that. but there was only lively curiosity for me. i was able to meet sumo and geisha while i was there because of my friends. i'm an artist as well. so maybe there was also this idea that my body was my art form that gave me a certain amount of license. i can't wait to go back since i enjoy the culture anyway.


and yes, there are quite a few very pent up FAs over there


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## collared Princess (May 25, 2010)

We went to Japan in December and was on a show called unbelivable..they treated me like royality..It seemed everywhere I went people were taking pictures of me on thier cell phones..The biggest woman there seemed to be 200 pounds..
I couldnt tell if I was being treated so well because I was on a major tv show or if it is just the way of life there..
The taxi driver took me to a 1 yen shop and he bought me a calender..I asked if taxi drivers usually bought gifts for the passengers and they said no..
I was able to meet some sumo wrestlers and they stared at me for a while because I was bigger than them and they wernt used to that..
It took us a few months to get Japan out of our system..We were almost home sick to go back..oh and lets not even talk about the sushi there:eat1:


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## LovelyLiz (May 25, 2010)

superodalisque said:


> and yes, there are quite a few very pent up FAs over there



I sense some good stories... Dish!


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## Shosh (May 25, 2010)

My sister went to Japan for two weeks earlier in the year, and she loved it!


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## BigCutieClaudia (May 27, 2010)

I have a serious love of Japanese culture and language so i was very VERY curious about this thread. I am going to try to travel there within the next year and i will be black, fat and happy :-D I just wish i could fit their fucking amazing clothes!


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## Lamia (May 28, 2010)

My friend and her husband went to Japan and they loved it. She showed me her scrapbook. She said while they were taking pictures people were taking pictures of them. So in her scrapbook she had lots of pictures of the people who were taking pictures of them. She said she didn't know if it was because of their size or ethnicity, or both. She said it didn't keep them from having a good time and it was kind of funny. 

She did say that everything was so much smaller they had a few problems here and there. They went to a play and had to be seated in a section reserved for sumo wrestlers she said that was kind of embarrassing.


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## rellis10 (May 28, 2010)

LordSheogorath said:


> (my buddy says they think of fat people there, especially the women, as almost like monsters)



Damn, i should totally go there on holiday....they'd think i was some kind of big fat god


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## Agent 007 (May 30, 2010)

I've never been to Japan, but the country has always had a special place in my heart. I'm amazed at Japanese culture, painting, architecture, interior decorating style, martial arts and so on.

Back in my highschool days I decided to take up jiu-jitsu and that was my introduction to Japanese culture. I loved the sport, but had to quit it when I left for university. 
In the last year of my high school we had a special course in History class on Japan during the Edo period (1603-1868). During the course it was explained how Japan has been isolated for many, many centuries (first because of geography, later because of deliberate decisons by its leaders) and that this has allowed the country to develop a unique culture. It was fashinating to see how that society was in some ways very similar to Early Modern Europe and in some ways very different. The course also focused on the special relationship between the Netherlands and Japan: for most of the Edo period the Dutch were the only Europeans who were allowed to trade with Japan.

From the other posters in this thread I gather that Japan is not very friendly to fat people (at least among their own people) and I hope that this will change. I also hope to visit the country once.


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