If anyone loves Mexican food, it’s me!

On May 12th, three of my roommates plus friends got together for a taco party.

These were not the cheesy, greasy tacos you’ll find from a Los Angeles food vendor, but they were a good attempt.

The highlight of the evening, for me at least, was tricking a few “newbies to Mexican food” into eating a jalapeno pepper whole!

Thanks Machida Garden (and friends) for good food and good fun!

Did everyone see the solar eclipse on Monday? It was supposed to start at 7:30 a.m., but as I was getting dressed at 7:25 I noticed my room go dark… I stuck my head out my window and put my sunglasses on (I know, I know, I should have had special glasses) and saw the sun, still bright, but obscured by a darkened center. It lasted a long time, though, and when I heard my neighbors’ doors opening around 7:30, I popped my head out again to find the sky even darker and the circle obscuring the sun even larger.

Even in a city like Tokyo, where you already feel small compared to the scale of things, this reminder that we have massive orbs of energy and rock floating about in the sky and occasionally obscuring one another really puts things in perspective.

I’m glad I caught the eclipse. Did you?

Did any of you have a chance to catch a sumo match this summer? This summer was my first chance, and I enjoyed it so much I went a second day.

Sumo matches are an opportunity to see a really interesting mesh of old and new, and Japanese people at their rowdiest. People get really excited–and really vocal–when their favorite wrestlers are up. The first time I went, there was a contested match between the reigning champion, Hakuho, and his challenger. When the judges conferred and decided the challenger had won, the fans were outraged and started hurling their floor cushions onto the ring.

This season is over, but there should be another one in a few months. If you’re in Tokyo definitely check it out!

Japan is about as far in the future as you can go without a time machine. While the Western hemisphere is languishing in the late hours of Tuesday, I’m already starting my Wednesday.

And in the future, at least in the summer time, the sun rises at 4:30am.

Vacation just started and I really need to remember to close my curtains at night. The future is great, but I don’t need to get up that early to enjoy it.

What exactly is a “foreigner”?

I apologize in advance for anyone I offend, but I feel compelled to speak openly and honestly about a Japanese word (and mentality) that has bothered me since I moved to Japan.

外国人/GAIKOKUJIN or FOREIGNER.

Here are a few definitions I found online for the word “foreigner:”

• a person not native to or naturalized in the country or jurisdiction under consideration.
• one who is from a foreign country or place.
• a person belonging to or owing allegiance to a foreign country.
• one who is from outside a particular group or community.
• an outsider.

The first three definitions make it clear that a “foreigner” is simply a person who is not native to the country in which he/she is currently breathing in. The definition makes no connection between the person and his/her residency or citizenship. Technically any person visiting/living in/breathing in a country that is not the country in which they were born is a foreigner. For example, an American visiting Japan is a foreigner in Japan and a Japanese person visiting America is a foreigner in America. HOWEVER, the Japanese definition of “foreigner” seems to lean toward the last two definitions, “an outsider.” This is what I have a major problem with.

In the Japanese mind, there seem to be two groups of people, Japanese and 外国人 (“foreigners”). The foreigners are obviously not part of the Japanese community and therefore, regardless of their nationality, anyone who is not Japanese is lumped into one group. This is a totally outrageous concept!! How can I, an American, from California, from Los Angeles and the dangerous part of Los Angeles at that, have a commonality with a person from, let’s say, Iraq? The only common feature between us is we are both not Japanese! That’s it, but the differences between me and a person from Iraqi are HUGE!! I would never dare say anyone was a “foreigner” without recognizing his or her culture first and foremost.

I recently learned that Japan was an isolated country for about 300 years. No one came in and no one went out. Interacting with anyone who was not Japanese lead to death. The Japanese word is 鎖国/SAKOKU. Even though sakoku ended in 1853, many Japanese people seem “amazed by” the behavior or customs of a person who is not Japanese. I hate to say it, but Japanese people seem to forget that Japan is just one small country in the world. I only say this because I have had Japanese people ask me, “Are there Japanese restuarants in America?” I was shocked beyond belief when I heard this question the first time and then the second and the third and countless other times. It seems like Japanese people have no idea what happens outside of Japan! Thus, there is a mentality that people who are not Japanese are just these strange “outsiders” who are basically all the same regardless of where they are from.

I NEVER use the word 外国人, and 外人 will never leave my lips! I think it is an offensive and rude word. This word should never be used by anyone in the way it is commonly used in Japan. To be sure I am not misunderstood, the context I am referring to is the idea that two groups of people exist in Japan, Japanese and 外国人 (“foreigners”). 外国人 does not acknowledge the country in which the person was born, or their nationality. 外国人 suggests that anyone who is not Japanese is the same.

I am a Black American but I was born into an ethnically diverse family- one of my uncles is Japanese, one of my aunts is white, my great aunt married a French man, my nephew has green eyes and my neice has blonde hair. I was also raised in a diverse city- my closest friends are Korean, Mexican and Chinese. I love Mexican and Indian food. I’ve studied Spanish, Greek and Japanese.  I love ethnic diversity! I love experiencing the uniqueness and beauty of different cultures. It’s amazing how millions and millions of people have their own cultures and live their lives in a certain way. That is why I moved back to Japan! I enjoyed the Japanese way of life.

I had no say in the country I was born in, and I would dare not say my country is better than yours. Japan is not better than other countries just because.The Japanese need to stop calling people “foreigners” and stop stereotyping people based on what they see on the news and read in a magazine. I hope someday Japan will recognize the uniqueness of all 196 countries in the world, and instead of calling a person who is not Japanese a 外国人, refer to that person as a member of the country in which he or she belongs.