Backgrounding My Way to Japan

When I first set foot on Japanese land, in October 2011, it felt strange in an unexpected way. The country itself is of course "different" by Western standards, but I already knew that. The truly strange part for me was that it didn't feel nearly as strange as I thought it would: there were no major surprises or "whoa" moments (though there were many small ones!); I experienced no culture shock at any point in the months and years that followed; and I could understand the language, spoken and written, without problems from day one. It felt like coming back to a home I'd never seen before, but that was nonetheless very familiar to me. It felt wonderful, and it helped me quickly integrate into the local culture and lifestyle without much trouble. Fifteen years later, I still feel that same sense of being at home in Tokyo—a charmingly strange home, but a welcoming one nonetheless. At the same time, I have lost track of how many times I witnessed the deep disappointment, anger, and…