6 Things NOT to do in Okinawa

We often focus on what to do while when traveling to a new place but what should be avoid? Figuring that this would be an interesting post I put together a list of 6 Things NOT to do in Okinawa.

Now I have to admit this is a bit targeted towards those people who are moving here for a job or maybe with the military but there are a few important details in here for tourists as well. I hope you find these tips helpful and if you have any of your own please feel free to add them in the comments below!

1. Don't assume you're not understood because you speak English. 

The language most commonly used in Okinawa is Japanese, however, English is also known by a number of people. Sometimes those people are comfortable enough to strike up a conversation in English but others may be more timid and keep to themselves. Regardless it should be common practice to conduct yourself as though others understand what it is you're saying . . . . . because they just might.

2. Don't be afraid to shop around. 

Okinawa has a lot of conveniently placed "deals" for military members and tourists alike. Merchants, dealers and other sales professionals know that you're going to eat up the first thing you see so prices tend to be inflated. Believe it or not this can be avoided by walking to a shop further down the street or even visiting a car dealership which is more out of the way rather than right outside a Base's main gate.

3. Don't limit your travel to your neighborhood. 

Easily one of the biggest mistakes made by those who move to Okinawa (particularly military members who are here for a few short years) is the unwillingness to travel beyond their immediate area. Sure they might travel to Churaumi Aquarium or Okinawa World but all the spaces in between seem to be "too far" or "too out of the way". The unfortunate result is a lot of gems that are missed out on possibly until it is too late.

This isn't limited to tourist attractions or historical locations either. Some great salons, restaurants and other businesses are usually just beyond where some people are willing to go.

4. Don't stick to the guide book. 

A good guide books is always a great place to start but if you find yourself only doing what is in the guide books you'll end up only seeing about 1% of what's here on Okinawa. . . . . . and some of it isn't even the best stuff! I say use the guide book as a stepping stone and don't be afraid to explore the surrounding area and see what you stumble upon. Even as I approach my 7 year mark I still have multiple laundry lists of things to see. . . . and I haven't been much of a couch potato either. In fact most of the wicked cool places on the island are marked with signs and easy to find if you're willing to go off the designated path to or from some of Okinawa's major tourist attractions like Okinawa World or Churaumi Aquarium.

5. Don't forget to keep an open mind. 

There is no denying that Okinawa is an entirely different world then you are used to. The cultural and all around lifestyle differences can be hard for those visiting Okinawa (or living here) for the first time to adjust to. Although you may not find yourself completely understanding the culture or differences in lifestyle it is important to remember to keep an open mind. Those who keep an open mind, even if they do not see eye to eye with some of the cultural or lifestyle differences here on Okinawa, tend to have a better more positive experience then those who brush off or completely disregard Okinawa's culture.

6. Don't "play the gaijin card".  

The term "playing the gaijin card" is usually in reference to someone who is choosing to dismiss culture and/or rules that they are aware of with the intent of getting away with it because they are a foreigner.

Although some people don't see the harm taking advantage of the understanding and tolerant nature of the businesses around Okinawa can often have negative results. Some businesses may change policies or in some cases may even go so far as not assisting foreign customers.

 

The Best Phrasebook For A Japan Trip

I often receive questions from nervous people who are preparing to take a trip or relocate to Japan regarding language. The questions usually can be boiled down to will I be completely lost because I don't speak Japanese. I always answer this question as I do with all other questions I receive, as truthfully as possible and explain that for the most part Japanese people do their best to accommodate for those who do not speak Japanese.  Unfortunately this doesn't mean that you won't find yourself in one of the awkward situations where both parties are trying to figure out what the other is saying. There are a few ways to remedy this but the most realistic and reasonable for the world traveler or relocating family is to have the proper tools at your disposal in order to assist in sticky situations.

Throughout my time here in Japan I have gone through many of these "tools". Most of these tools have sucked, and that's putting it lightly. Who wants to carry around a book full of phrases which only work if you find yourself in that very particular situation? Then there is the complete uselessness of carrying around a Japanese to English dictionary. I mean who has the time to flip through hundreds of pages looking for the word toilet? Finally

I found the Lonely Planet Phrasebooks - Japanese. This pocket sized phrase book is the best tool that you can have when coming to Japan (or any of the countries that the book covers the language of for that matter). First and foremost as I mentioned is the size. When I say pocket sized I literally mean you could fit this into your back pocket. This makes it incredibly easy to put into a purse or day bag without taking up too much precious space. Then there is the content. The book is divided up into 7 sections. Each section is color coded which makes flipping through to find what you need quick and easy. Once you flip to the section you are looking for bold topics divide up the phrases so you can again quickly find what you are looking for. When you finally find what you are looking for the book divides up the phrase into three sections: English, Japanese and Phonetic. This allows you to look for what you are trying to say, make an attempt at saying it and if all else fails hand the book to the person, point to what you are trying to say and have them read it. As if this is not good enough each of the headers and categories are also in Japanese so if someone who speaks Japanese is trying to unsuccessfully communicate with you they can also use the book.

The biggest draw to this book, however, is that it has real life practical phrases which you might need to know on any given day rather than in a particular situation. What kinds of phrases? Here are some as an example:

DVD & Video: Does this have an English-language preference?

Senior & Disabled Travelers: What services do you have for people with a disability?

Outdoors: Can I go through here?

Health: Could I see a female doctor?

There are also many other words which assist you with understanding responses as well as formulating your own phrases appropriate for your own situation with a "fill in the blank" type format. Another helpful section is the "Listen For" section which offers some phrases that you may hear after asking your question and/or making your statement. Finally cultural tips assist to tie up any loose ends.

I purchased my book new in 2008 for about $9.00US and have kept it with me ever since. I understand that there are more updated versions which I imaging only improve on an already great book. If you're looking for a useful tool for your trip to Japan I would definitely recommend picking up this book.

"Do you speak English?"

A few years ago a friend and myself were at a local shopping center just walking around looking at the things that we wanted to purchase but didn't necessarily have the money, space or use for. We were then approached by a young man between the ages of 17 and 20 (The truth is I never really know the age of Japanese people here. A ballpark figure is the best that I can do.). This young man then approached us and said "Do you speak English?" Of course we have just been speaking to each other within the store so to say "no" would have been an extremely rude and obvious lie so I said "yes" and he then said "I have a question". Of course with time to kill we then sat there and answered some questions that this young man had for us. After the occurrence my friend said to me "Why did you answer those strange questions? Don't you think it was odd?"

The truth is that yes I did think that some of the questions were odd but not int he way that you would expect. The questions had clearly been rehearsed and were in no particular order with no cohesive path. In fact the language was almost text book; English speaking text book. Having been trying to learn Japanese for some time now the questions made a lot of sense to me: "Nice To Meet You." "What is your name?" "Where are you from?" "Do you like ~?" "I like ~." "Nice to talk to you." "See you again.".

There are some JVLOGGERS out there who will say that Japanese people do not prefer to use English and are shy about it so they will not just approach you or in some cases will avoid you all together to try and prevent using English. Of course I am not trying to discredit them in any way but the fact of the matter is that here in Okinawa there are a lot of good incentives for learning English and therefore people will make more of an effort towards it and from time to find you will find yourself being approached for a moment or two by someone wanting to try and learn a little bit about the language by asking you some questions. There are people who find this threatening because these people could be trying to gather information about you and you could be putting yourself at risk however my thought is that if you have a Facebook page there is nothing you can give them by answering a few questions in English that what you are broadcasting on the world can't already tell them. You also may find yourself being asked by a group of giddy school children a few questions in English at various tourist attractions. This is one thing that I had been asked to do when I was in the Aquarium a few years ago with my inlaws and it was a lot of fun because the groups of girls who approached me were having a great time and actually seemed interested in learning English.

So what if you don't want to answer questions. Of course you can always politely decline. There is not always time to stop and have a discussion with someone in the middle of a shopping center or in the middle of your vacation destination, although I would encourage you to not only answer the questions but try to answer them in Japanese. This will allow the person to try and use their English and you can take this opportunity to try you Japanese which is a difficult thing to do for a number of reasons which I will discuss in an upcoming post.

Have you had any experiences like this? If you have share them below or please feel free to share them on our Facebook page!