Worries about Student Exchange to Kyoto

10 comments

1. It’s been 10 years since I studied there, and tourism has ramped way up and along with it I’m sure resentment has as well. That being said, if you’re a student, carry yourself respectfully, speak some to a lot of Japanese, and even go the extra mile and dress like a contemporary student – most people will probably be cool with you especially if you interact with them.

   The tourists will get annoying though, but being there for an extended period of time allows you to find quieter spots, so unless you make it a point to go see the bigger spots or hang by kamogawa, you can ignore them.

2. I’m in Kyoto as a tourist right now. There are a lot of tourists, and some places (like Nishiki market) were unpleasantly busy.

   This is my fifth visit to Kyoto, and in all of those the people of Kyoto – shop assistants, cafe and restaurant workers, taxi drivers, hotel staff, people in temples, people sitting next to me in bars and restaurants, random people on the street – have all been friendly, helpful and charming, without exception. People have gone out of their way to make me feel comfortable, speak with me, help me because I look lost, translate what chefs are saying, or just make my day a bit better.

   I am sure there are outliers who hate me because I’m a fat old white man ruining their city by visiting it, but if there are either I haven’t met them or they have been hiding it very well.

   Kyoto is beautiful and so are 99% of the people who live here. Just come, avoid the top ten “places in Kyoto every tourist must see” like the plague, be polite and respectful, but stop worrying about this myth that people in Kyoto hate all tourists.

3. I spent a year in Kyoto as a white female college exchange student. I did not experience racism or any hostility.

   I spoke Japanese as much as possible, followed social norms, and just strived to radiate my love for things Japanese.

   I traveled to small, out of the way places, attended local events and festivals, and tried every local food that I could get my hands on. Oh this prefecture is famous for apples? Time to take a trip! Fancy cat themed train? Hell yes I want to see it.

   I absolutely get the fear of tourist hate. I loathed the huge crowds of Chinese tourists that swooped in and stripped areas bare of being able to experience anything. However, that is not going to be you.

   You are going to live there, shop at the grocery store, eat at small local shops near your college, make Japanese friends, and take trips together.

   The only thing you need to worry about is bicycles. I swear to god I feared for my life walking anywhere that bicycles could access because you never knew when some mom with two kids on the bike was going to come out of no where and almost run you over. And the bike bells, I could hear them for months after I got home!!

   I wish every day I could return to Kyoto. I dream about the cherry trees on the Philosopher’s Path, the mountains in the fall, walking along the river near Kawaramachi, omg the parfait shop there, soufflé pancakes at Elk, Nishiki market. The roasted sweet potato merchant singing his sale song outside my dorm. The deer in Nara. I have thousands of memories.

   I hope if you choose to go that you can have the same experiences. I was fundamentally changed as a person. I know that sounds cliche but it’s the truth 🙂

4. Kyoto has the most universities per capita in Japan, and historically people are quite kind to students. I wouldn’t worry about it

5. As long as you’re respectful and polite, you’ll be fine. Been living here two years, and from what I can see, most of the disdain is towards people who are disruptive or otherwise behaving inappropriately.

6. My partner and I are very obviously foreign-looking and we live in Kyoto. You’ll be fine here. It’s true that the more foreign tourists there are in an area, the more people who have probably had a negative experience with a foreigner as well. The friendliest places I’ve lived are smaller towns in more rural prefectures of Japan (shout out Kumamoto). But if you’re considering Kyoto then that means tiny towns were likely never in the running in the first place. If your choices were e.g. Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto etc. there is really no noticeable difference in anti foreigner sentiment between any of them so don’t worry.

   When we first moved here our neighbors came over and invited us to the local neighborhood sports event at the school. Then we got invited to dinner at their house. Our other neighbor has also invited us out many times to events or just to hang out. We made friends with an izakaya owner who invited us to a BBQ up in the mountains next week. Most people in Japan are very kind and hospitable.

   If you’ll be here for a year I imagine you’ll speak some Japanese. This makes an enormous difference. Even just speaking enough Japanese that it appears that you’re trying to learn Japanese is seen extremely positively by people here.

   Respect the rules. Respect the culture. Get excited. 京都へようこそ

7. Don’t worry about it. Anyone dumb enough to visit the tourist traps deserve what they get. There are plenty of quiet places to go.

8. Don’t worry about the locals or the tourists. Do worry about the weather.

9. If this is your choice then go for it. Your teacher seems to be biased. If you are friendly with people and at least half decent with respecting the rules, they will like you. Regardless of where will you go, Japanese people will be reserved often.

   From my experience after a year in Tokyo and then a year in Kyoto, people in Kyoto are a bit kinder on average. Just stay away from the city center for your accommodation, too much tourists.

10. I am a student there right now, and so far I have been met with nothing but kindness. Just be considerate, be mindful of Japanese custom, and expect kindness, not hostility, and I assure you, it will be a great time.

Comments are closed.