Comments on: Hafu | Half Japanese http://hafu.org/half-japanese/ Hafu | Half Japanese Fri, 02 Jul 2010 10:44:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Heidi http://hafu.org/half-japanese/comment-page-1/#comment-187 Heidi Fri, 02 Jul 2010 10:44:43 +0000 http://hafu.org/?p=1#comment-187 Hey there, I'm hafu, too. My mom is Japanese, my dad is German. I was born in Tokyo and lived there for 5 1/2 years. It is so special for me to read your comments, because I sometimes feel... different from others. And it's so cool to see, that there are others who are like me. I have never made new contacts without being asked where I was from. And it's really funny - like you, John, people think I'm from the Philipines, from South America or from Spain! Nobody has ever guessed that I was from Japan. I love Japanese food, I can speak Japanese, but only read and write Hiragana and Katakana. My passport will expire next year... What citizenship(s) do you guys have? Did you have to choose one? Hey there,
I’m hafu, too. My mom is Japanese, my dad is German. I was born in Tokyo and lived there for 5 1/2 years. It is so special for me to read your comments, because I sometimes feel… different from others. And it’s so cool to see, that there are others who are like me. I have never made new contacts without being asked where I was from. And it’s really funny – like you, John, people think I’m from the Philipines, from South America or from Spain! Nobody has ever guessed that I was from Japan. I love Japanese food, I can speak Japanese, but only read and write Hiragana and Katakana. My passport will expire next year… What citizenship(s) do you guys have? Did you have to choose one?

]]> By: John http://hafu.org/half-japanese/comment-page-1/#comment-150 John Mon, 17 May 2010 22:35:21 +0000 http://hafu.org/?p=1#comment-150 I am Hafu! My Mother is Japanese and my father of Italian Descent. It was always a struggle for me to be Hafu (Ainoko) is the old term for us in Japan it means love child. I never felt like I really belonged anywhere and struggled with the cultural issues that being Hafu does bring. But these days it is easier since there are so many people of mixed race these days. i am also very reserved emotionally like the person that commented before me. I still find it funny when people ask--What are you? I usually reply I am of Genus Homo, Species, Sapien and sub species sapien--lol. People usually think I am Philipino, Mexican, or Spanish--lol. I like being of both cultures it has brought me a differant perspective on things that have served me well. I am Hafu! My Mother is Japanese and my father of Italian Descent. It was always a struggle for me to be Hafu (Ainoko) is the old term for us in Japan it means love child. I never felt like I really belonged anywhere and struggled with the cultural issues that being Hafu does bring. But these days it is easier since there are so many people of mixed race these days. i am also very reserved emotionally like the person that commented before me. I still find it funny when people ask–What are you? I usually reply I am of Genus Homo, Species, Sapien and sub species sapien–lol. People usually think I am Philipino, Mexican, or Spanish–lol. I like being of both cultures it has brought me a differant perspective on things that have served me well.

]]> By: Reika http://hafu.org/half-japanese/comment-page-1/#comment-109 Reika Fri, 19 Mar 2010 15:49:02 +0000 http://hafu.org/?p=1#comment-109 Hey there, I'm not sure if you still update this blog, but I am hoping to cover the perks and issues of being a hafu living in a country completed unrelated to my cultural background. I'd be curious to see what other hafu (or I guess even third culture kids would apply) think of my experiences and whether you can relate to them. Thanks! Reika Hey there,

I’m not sure if you still update this blog, but I am hoping to cover the perks and issues of being a hafu living in a country completed unrelated to my cultural background. I’d be curious to see what other hafu (or I guess even third culture kids would apply) think of my experiences and whether you can relate to them.

Thanks!

Reika

]]> By: Kenny http://hafu.org/half-japanese/comment-page-1/#comment-30 Kenny Tue, 15 Dec 2009 05:16:49 +0000 http://hafu.org/?p=1#comment-30 Being a Hafu to me is VERY upsetting sometimes. At some times I'll feel very white and there's no way I'd fit in Japan. Other times I feel like I'm a full Japanese. I will occasionally have an identity crisis and be very confused. Some people think I'm hardcore asian while others don't even know that I have any Japanese in me. Honestly, I would much rather be 100% white or Japanese then a Hafu. You feel like you can never be fully accepted by one group. When I'm rockin the asian hair sometimes I'll feel like I'm reppin the asian pretty good, other times I feel like people see my as a scene/emo,(and I despise emos and scenes btw, no offense to anyone). Being seen by people as either asian or a scene/emo honestly upsets me greatly, but deep down inside I honestly wish I was the full 100% Japanese. I sometimes think, "Why do I have to be part of the tiny fraction of people that are 50%? Why can't I be 100%!" After a while though, I realized that there's nothing I can do about being half. I love my father who made me a hafu and I wouldn't give him up to be 100% Japanese... Ok I MIGHT but most likely not. Being a Hafu to me is VERY upsetting sometimes. At some times I’ll feel very white and there’s no way I’d fit in Japan. Other times I feel like I’m a full Japanese. I will occasionally have an identity crisis and be very confused. Some people think I’m hardcore asian while others don’t even know that I have any Japanese in me. Honestly, I would much rather be 100% white or Japanese then a Hafu. You feel like you can never be fully accepted by one group. When I’m rockin the asian hair sometimes I’ll feel like I’m reppin the asian pretty good, other times I feel like people see my as a scene/emo,(and I despise emos and scenes btw, no offense to anyone). Being seen by people as either asian or a scene/emo honestly upsets me greatly, but deep down inside I honestly wish I was the full 100% Japanese. I sometimes think, “Why do I have to be part of the tiny fraction of people that are 50%? Why can’t I be 100%!” After a while though, I realized that there’s nothing I can do about being half. I love my father who made me a hafu and I wouldn’t give him up to be 100% Japanese… Ok I MIGHT but most likely not.

]]> By: Anthony http://hafu.org/half-japanese/comment-page-1/#comment-28 Anthony Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:28:25 +0000 http://hafu.org/?p=1#comment-28 It highly influences my life due to the fact that I can distinguish myself from my American upbringing. While I've lived in the US, I am still heavily influenced by Japanese culture and etiquette. I am a rather reserved person who is at the same time very polite and somewhat graceful. As a result, I don't really feel like I belong in the U. S. At the same time though, I don't feel like I belong in the Japanese culture either. Hafu is a term that I use to soften this ambiguity. It highly influences my life due to the fact that I can distinguish myself from my American upbringing. While I’ve lived in the US, I am still heavily influenced by Japanese culture and etiquette. I am a rather reserved person who is at the same time very polite and somewhat graceful. As a result, I don’t really feel like I belong in the U. S. At the same time though, I don’t feel like I belong in the Japanese culture either. Hafu is a term that I use to soften this ambiguity.

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