Much of my experience was limited and confined to campus and the Osaka area, so I never encountered any extreme cases of racism, but more of xenophobia from older folks. I could often hear them mutter “gaijin” (the word for foreigner in Japanese) under their breaths, anytime a group of us would be out and about. I took some time to actually ask my friend Rino when the blank stares and sly remarks became too overwhelming. She said that Japan is very homogenous and not many people leave the island to go to other diverse countries, so seeing me is a literal shock for some of them. This surprised me very much and I realized how normal diversity has become in the U.S. though we still have to improve on the treatment of minorities, I am extremely grateful of what I have been exposed to in my own home.
While there, I was introduced to a Facebook group specifically and exclusively for black women in Japan, whether traveling, extended stay, or even living, I was finally connected to a group of people like myself. The group gave great suggestions on everything from restaurants to hair care, and some even used it as a venting outlet (oh the many stories that I have heard and continue to hear!). however, just being apart of the group gave me a bit of a breather now that I could connect to people who probably understood me on other levels than some of my classmates.
All in all, my experience as a black woman in Japan was mostly positive. I believe this to be because of the way that I handle situations and my commitment to optimism. There were some annoyances that did happen while I was there, but nothing that I couldn’t shake off or sleep off. Luckily, my exchange program is very popular world-wide so I was not the only black American student on KGU’s campus. Take a look at one of my classmate’s perspective on it. I agree with much of her perspective and think she articulated it very well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUtH3dtlaRU&feature=youtu.be