Sharla Hinskens, aka SharlaInJapan, is a Canadian YouTuber who vlogs about her adventures living in Japan. Sharla gives really helpful advice to those who want to visit and learn more about Japanese culture.
Fun Fact: Sharla works as a translator when she isn’t filming videos!
Why did you decide to study abroad in Japan? How long have you lived there for?
Sharla: “I worked as a tour guide/English conversation partner for Japanese exchange students at my university in Canada, so I made many Japanese friends. I came to Japan at least once a year to visit them after they went back home. I always had such a great time in Japan, so I knew I wanted to live there one day.”
“…After the earthquake in 2011, some of my close friends lost their families and homes and I wanted to come to Japan to be closer to them and be able to volunteer to help if I could. Coming as an exchange student was the easiest way for me to do that since I was still a university student. I’ve lived in Japan on and off for a total of 6 years now.”
Since you’re originally from Canada, What is the biggest cultural difference you’ve experienced so far?
Sharla: “Probably the way that Japanese people rarely say what is on their mind. You always have to guess what they’re thinking and what they want. Canadians are a lot more straight forward.”
After living in Japan for 6 years, Do you identify yourself more with the Japanese culture than your Canadian roots?
Sharla: “I appreciate the Japanese culture and manners, and I didn’t find it hard to adjust to them, but I don’t think I’ll ever identify more with Japanese culture. My way of thinking will always be Canadian :)”
What is your favorite Japanese dish?
Sharla: “Anything with tofu! Agedashi tofu, hiyayakko, all of it! Haha.”
Have you eaten something that you didn’t like?
Sharla: “My family was vegetarian so I didn’t eat much meat growing up. Eating strange meat like raw horse, raw chicken, etc is common here so that still kinda weirds me out.”
Which part of Japan do you love to visit? Is there other places in Japan that you want to visit but haven’t yet?
Sharla: “I used to live in Northern Japan, it was more countryside than city so the mountains and parks were so gorgeous! I loved taking random bicycle trips around my town. Here in Tokyo is a bit different, so my favorite thing to do here is shopping I guess! Nakano Broadway would be my top recommendation for shopping spot in Tokyo. As for spots I would love to visit, Cat Island in Miyagi Prefecture is definitely first on that list!”
How is the advertising in Japan different? Do they really use a lot of anime references to market their products?
Sharla: “Advertising is pretty random and crazy here. The commercials are pretty entertaining when you see them for the first time, haha. I’ve been here for a while so they seem pretty normal to me now, but I would say comedy is often used to sell products. I don’t see much anime in main stream media.”
What is a traditional Japanese Christmas like? Is it celebrated differently than in North America or are there some similarities?
Sharla: “Christmas in Japan is a time for couples, so you usually just spend it with your bf or gf. It doesn’t have the focus on family that it does in America. It’s common to eat KFC for Christmas dinner here, and Christmas isn’t a national holiday so most people spend it working. The Christmas decorations are similar though. Light displays can be seen all throughout Japan, they’re really gorgeous!”
What advice would you give someone visiting Japan for the first time?
Sharla: “Don’t worry if you can’t speak Japanese. Most people are very kind and willing to help someone who needs it! Also don’t be offended if people stare at you, staring at someone isn’t considered rude here so when Japanese people see someone who looks different than what they are used to, the common reaction is to stare. They aren’t trying to be rude though :)”
It’s official, I want to move to Japan… or at least visit! Thank you Sharla for taking the time to do this interview! 😀
Check out Sharla: Twitter, YouTube channel, Facebook, and Instagram!
Photo Credit: Sharla Hinskens, SharlaInJapan
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