Tim Anderson’s Tune in Tokoyo: The Gaijin Diaries recounts the author’s two-year stint in Japan as an English language instructor. Besides being a funny, if risqué read, Anderson’s experience illustrates the concepts of culture shock, stereotypes, and pop culture.
Culture Shock
Anderson expresses surprise over how he garnered attention in public venues in Tokyo. As a blond, large framed American, he drew attention where ever he went. Getting lost in the tangle of skyscrapers, Anderson found it difficult to navigate the numeric address system. Learning that Japanese women found showing their teeth disgraceful when smiling, and were adverse to making sounds in the bathroom left the author bemused.
The irony of the all-too-common Japanese “salary man” who vomits on the train from too much business-related drinking and the legal ingestion of hallucinogenic mushrooms seem to both dismay and delight Anderson.
Stereotypes
Anderson found himself besieged with questions such as “Why Americans so fat?” and “You have gun?” On the flip side of the equation, chancing upon a Japanese woman in a cafe exhibiting signs of mental illness fascinated the author, who probably would not have been as interested in a similar display if it occurred in his native North Carolina. Similarly, a Japanese student who attempts to encourage the class to discuss uncomfortable topics like farts gets more attention than a smart-alec might at home. These women simply don’t appear to fit with Anderson’s preconceived notion of a Japanese woman.
Pop Culture
Many of Anderson’s observations involve Japanese pop culture. He muses on why cute things like Hello Kitty and pandas are so popular in Japan, why Japanese teen girls read comics featuring gay males, and why the Japanese are obsession with Karaoke. Anderson’s anecdotes bring the world of young Japanese into focus, even if the light illuminating the scene is neon and blacklight. Anderson ponders why the Japanese seem to enjoy group singing in Karaoke bars, something that grates on his Western individualistic sensibilities.
In a sociology classroom, vignettes from this book would be useful to prompt discussions about the globalization popular culture, stereotypes, culture shock, and the meaning of Karaoke.
Source:
Anderson, T. Tune in Tokyo: The Gaijin Diaries. Amazon Encore, Los Vegas, NV, 2011.