Japan is ableist. The country itself has tried to make strides on this front, like introducing mandatory hiring quotas for physically disabled people. Yet, many buildings still aren’t accessible and general cultural attitudes towards disabled and neurodivergent people are still quite behind. While living there I told next to nobody about my aspergers.
I was thinking about that recently. Japan suits me so well as a neurodivergent person. I’m not one of those people who needs an adult diagnosis, wants therapy and needs to understand themselves.
I got diagnosed as a kid back in Europe. It was hell. I thought I was a quirky kid like anyone else until they slapped a label on me, but me in a room with a tall big intimidating man who made me practice keeping eye contact with him over and over again. I love that Japanese people don’t try to intimidate at first meetings, that they don’t squeeze your hands until you are hurt and you are not forced to look at their eyes if you don’t want to.
People in Japan don’t make me feel like I’m strange and need to be fixed. Maybe that I behave inappropriately in certain situations but even then it’s not blamed on being neurodivergent but simply about not reading the room or not being familiar with the rules or such things.
Also the special interest thing. You don’t get shamed for being a freak about something in Tokyo, and you can usually find like minded people indeed.
So basically I went from a youth of being alienated, being told I was different no matter what I felt and being in endless therapies so it would be easier for people around me to interact with me to a country where people would leave me alone, be polite and considerate and not try to scare me and people did not make me feel like a freak for being quirky.
This was an awesome article and considers different lenses on how Japan and Tokyo can be a safe space for enjoying special interests and being clearly aware of the rules needed to operate there, this is really cool stuff.
Sadly for me I did not do so well in my times living and working in Japan. I didn't fit the social norms even when I followed the rules and spoke the language... 😔 I wasn't really able to find my safe space even in the hobbies zone. But I do think its a great place to be solo.
Hopefully their landscape will become more physically accessible to those with disabilities too someday.
I was thinking about that recently. Japan suits me so well as a neurodivergent person. I’m not one of those people who needs an adult diagnosis, wants therapy and needs to understand themselves.
I got diagnosed as a kid back in Europe. It was hell. I thought I was a quirky kid like anyone else until they slapped a label on me, but me in a room with a tall big intimidating man who made me practice keeping eye contact with him over and over again. I love that Japanese people don’t try to intimidate at first meetings, that they don’t squeeze your hands until you are hurt and you are not forced to look at their eyes if you don’t want to.
People in Japan don’t make me feel like I’m strange and need to be fixed. Maybe that I behave inappropriately in certain situations but even then it’s not blamed on being neurodivergent but simply about not reading the room or not being familiar with the rules or such things.
Also the special interest thing. You don’t get shamed for being a freak about something in Tokyo, and you can usually find like minded people indeed.
So basically I went from a youth of being alienated, being told I was different no matter what I felt and being in endless therapies so it would be easier for people around me to interact with me to a country where people would leave me alone, be polite and considerate and not try to scare me and people did not make me feel like a freak for being quirky.
It’s really a breath of fresh air.
This was an awesome article and considers different lenses on how Japan and Tokyo can be a safe space for enjoying special interests and being clearly aware of the rules needed to operate there, this is really cool stuff.
Sadly for me I did not do so well in my times living and working in Japan. I didn't fit the social norms even when I followed the rules and spoke the language... 😔 I wasn't really able to find my safe space even in the hobbies zone. But I do think its a great place to be solo.
Hopefully their landscape will become more physically accessible to those with disabilities too someday.
Ehehe, obviously you know I totally agree with everything said here, awesome to see it inspired some writing <3