You’ll always be a gaijin

Looking in from the outside

Life as a gaijin has a certain appeal for some, like standing out in a crowd, being different, sometimes for better and sometimes for worse.

For those wishing to assimilate into the society, you are in for a hard time. The longer you stay, the more noticeable it becomes — you’ll always be a gaijin, no matter how good your Japanese is, or how socially astute, the label remains. It’s like trying to become a member of a secret society.

So what is a gaijin?

The word gaijin literally means “outside person.” It’s short for gaikokujin, foreign-country person, which is the more polite version.

But gaijin is what you’ll often hear — casual, colloquial, and sometimes loaded. Not offensive in itself, but a constant reminder: you are not one of “us.”

A gaijin is someone who may have lived in Japan for twenty years, speaks fluent Japanese, eats nattō for breakfast and still gets complimented on their chopstick skills and Japanese language ability.

Being a gaijin in Japan is like living backstage at a theater. You can see the show, hear the lines, maybe even wear the costume, but you’re never quite part of the show.

You’re a tolerated guest. Assumed to be here temporarily. Why are you still here?