Our Japanese Museum Experience

I've been to a few museums and always thought the same thing like most casual fans of museums, "Oh...that's a nice drawing!" or "Wooooow...that's a great drawing!" or "Omg, that's a FANTASTIC drawing!" or any deviation from those three feelings. Afterwards, I kind of just go along my way and not really think about it anymore. Here, however, Keith and I were actually invited to participate in an Art Exhibit at the art museum here. It was quite interesting, as were the people who were there, however, some people need more recognition than others.












The day before the actual event, most of the artists went to the spot to prepare the gallery and hang up all of the pictures. It was a bit awkward when we first got there...it usually is, but eventually we felt comfortable with being there since we helped set up the gallery. There were about 30 people there, some big number, so of course, after a while, 30 people aren't necessary to do the work...so some people were left to stand around. While we were standing around, I decided to talk to some of the people that weren't doing anything.


I walked up to this lady, who looked like she was being ignored by everyone at the museum. I felt bad for her because obviously no one wants to be ignored, especially with like 30 people still here. I wasn't sure how to start a conversation with her, but I overheard other people starting conversations by asking, "Dore?" so I just decided to copy that. Dore means "which," so in this art gallery context, that one word means, "Which ones are yours and let me see them." Honestly, all of that rolled into one because when I saw someone use that to open a conversation, the addressee would nod and quickly show them to their paintings. Going by that, I ask her, "dore?" and she smiles and leads me to her art. I talk to her in Japanese and she responds in English, which depending on who you are, you'd either be pissed off about it, happy, or neutral. At the moment I was pleasantly surprised that she knew English, since it's a bit rare. She explains that she's been painting for a while and she loves to paint. I talk with her a bit more and then she says, "I'm 32 years old but I look very young! I've backpacked all around Europe...I've been to so many places in Europe so if you have any questions about Europe, please ask me," on the inside I'm like, "???????" while on the outside I give her a pleasantly surprised look and go, "Oh really? Thanks!" I thought that was a bit strange, since I'm guessing she doesn't know that most people in America will have studied Europe and the countries therein for 10 years, but whatever! I didn't think anything of it then.


We're talking for a bit more, and I noticed that whenever I speak Japanese, she answers back in English. Huh. Why the hell is she doing that? Even then I didn't think too much about it. Until (yeah you knew it was coming), she tells me, "Oh! I have two friends in America, in New York City and they love it!" I smile, ready to do my usual plug for NYC, and tell her, "Yeah! NYC is a great place! You should visit!" Then she quickly shakes her head, and says, "No, no, no. America is WAY too dangerous. Everyone has guns. That's all I hear on the news, that's the only news I get!" aaaaaand there it is. Really lady? Then I calmly remind her that she has two friends in America that haven't been shot or probably even seen a gun. She agrees that's probably true, but still has her opinions about America. That's the shit that pisses me off; you're staring into the face of proof that not all Americans are dangerous and carry guns, and you have Japanese friends currently in America who love it, and yet you're gonna look me in the eye and tell me that America is dangerous because of Japanese "NEWS?" Whatever, moron. My friend kindly let me know that Switzerland has way more guns than America, but I didn't know that little factoid until after this. I can slightly understand it when Japanese people have rarely seen foreigners, they'd be more inclined to believe those things, but people that have LEFT Japan, or people that haven't left Japan, but have met plenty of foreigners, will still love to think the same stupid crap as if they've never met any, like that moron English teacher. What the hell is that? So, something clicks (Keith tells me), and it hits me! She's a Europhile (as well as an English leech)! She blindly and mindlessly loves and obsesses over anything related to Europe, and even seems to love Europe more than her own country, while at the same time, refusing to talk to non-Japanese people in Japanese and insists on using English. NOW I see why everyone ignores her.


After I smile politely and excuse myself from that moron and after lunchtime, we're back in the gallery again. We were still killing time since even a little before lunchtime, the guys who usually set up the galleries there were taking control of the set up, so even less people were needed. Keith knows pretty much all of these people here, because (of course) they go to the same studio he goes to. After about like an hour of doing absolutely nothing and noticing that a good amount of people left during lunch, Keith nudges me, points to a girl and tells me to go talk to her. Naturally, I'm a bit weary of talking to random ladies again, having been savagely ambushed by ignorance not two hours ago, but Keith tells me that she's actually quite nice and always makes it a point to say "konnichi wa," everytime she sees him. Not to mention, she's been ignored by everyone since morning, and the only person that she spoke to had already left, so she was just standing there looking bored and sleepy. I've heard/seen that crap before and I didn't know what to expect, but I decided I'd go for it.



So I walk up to her, and I ask the same thing as I did Ms. Ignorance, and the first thing that strikes me odd about her is that she cocked her head and went, "Huh?" So then I just motioned to the 60 something paintings in the gallery that we're standing in and was about to ask her again then she goes "Oh! Oh! Hai! Okay!" then shows me her paintings. Huh. Curious. I thought I did something wrong but apparently she just needed a second to think about what I needed lol. However, so far, so good, no ignorance so far. So then we just start talking about her art and how long she's been doing it. I realize that she's actually quite nice, knows 0 English and apologized to Keith for not knowing English. Well, that's sweet! There's no reason to apologize though, but I guess she felt guilty. So we start talking and I ask her what her interests are. Konomi smiles and proudly states, "Anime." I gasp and chuckle a bit, understanding the weight of her statement.

In Japan, you have to understand, being obsessed with anime isn't a good thing. Just like the hip-hop group, j-pop group, visual kei group, sports group, etc, everyone has their stereotypes and it's expected that once you find an interest you put ALL of your energy into it and completely engross yourself in that interest until you BECOME that interest. So, those who are into anime here, are immediately pigeonholed as being smelly, rude, creepy, socially awkward, pretty much all of the descriptions of American and other non-Japanese otaku, but multiplied times two because there are more anime-obsessed otaku in Japan than there are in America. It's hard to spot an anime-otaku on the street unless they cosplay, or wear kind of small item from an anime, but at the same time it's easy to spot one because they're always at anime shops. So, to see this cute, 24 year old girl proudly declare anime as her main interest shocked me. She even reminds me of an anime character, "Miss Osaka," from Azumanga Daioh because she's so cute and ditzy. Keith was telling me that a couple of weeks ago, everyone was painting quietly in the studio when they hear a loud crash. Everyone turns to see Konomi with a very embarrassed face standing over broken shards of giant shell that other people had to draw. It's kind of cute!




So, I ask her what her favorite anime is, and she tells me Naruto, Bleach and other Shounen Jump anime. I chuckle again, completely blown away about this because of how rare this is, and I tell her that I like anime too, as I show her my cute Uryuu keychain and Icha Icha Paradise and Itachi keychain. She laughs out loud and then we just start talking about random things, now that we know that we have common interests. By this time, however, it was time to go since the gallery had been properly set up and completed. As we were getting ready to leave, I lost sight of her but I figured I'd see her again anyway because of the studio. The next time I see her, I'll be ready to ask her more questions and find out more about her interests.

Interestingly enough, we run into her again while we cross the street and head towards the bus stop. While we decide to walk together she asks me about New York and tells me, rather oddly, that I walk very fast. I never really noticed until she pointed it out; it's just how most city people walk I think. Then I tell her that, then she tells me that she was born in Tokyo, lives in Miyazaki and prefers Miyazaki because of the slow way of life. I suggest Osaka, while I chuckle on the inside, then she says, "No...even they walk too fast.." I couldn't stop laughing about that, mainly because of her similarities with Miss Osaka, but we get over that. I explain to her the reason behind the fast walking; mainly because most people have places to be, with no time to get there. So then she tries to walk fast as well, but she starts waving her arms all crazily while she's walking and asks, "Hey! Do you guys swing your arms too??" I laugh about that but say, "nah....we don't really do that," then she stops with an "Oh, okay," but still tries to walk fast. She's so silly!



After our fast walking adventure, we make it to the bus stop and we realize that we're going in the same direction. So while we're waiting for the same bus, I ask her what kind of music she likes. She thinks for a second and goes, "Anime songs!" Once again I am taken aback because I like quite a bit of anime songs too, and she tells me that she can sing a lot of them. I tell her I know some anime songs and almost immediately she goes, "Great! So then we can go out to eat and do some karaoke!" ONCE AGAIN I'm taken back because Japanese people don't just automatically make the assumption that you're going to go eat and sing with them. In fact, they wouldn't really ask, but hope that you do. So to see her so unbelievably, but pleasantly forward with asking to do anything with two foreigners honestly made me happy. I genuinely smile and tell her of course and that we should make some plans as soon as possible.



The ironic thing about her is that she works at a convenience store. In Japan, working at a gas station or a convenience store is the same social equivalent to being a 28 year old cashier at McDonalds. It's not a good thing, and it shows that you didn't go to college, you wasted too much time there, or you had a good job but you lost it; pretty much, you threw away your opportunities. So seeing someone so progressive working at the convenience store is so sad. She has the rare ability to see foreigners as people and not barbaric animals or stupid children. It shows in how she doesn't simplify her Japanese, whether speaking or text message. It shows in how she doesn't try to incorporate random, stupid English in conversations because she remembered it from way back when and decided to use it and feel better about herself. She doesn't ask stupid questions like if Keith and I can eat Japanese food, or if we can use chopsticks, because let me tell you how that gets old FAST. She didn't metaphorically pat me on the head and go "Woooow! Your Japanese is soooo good!" She treats us like adults who understand, and that goes so much more deeper than our shared interest in anime and anime music. The amazing thing about Japan is that all of this started with a simple question of, "Which painting is yours, and can I see it?"