Life on the Bases

Posted on 01. Jul, 2007 @ 1:15 pm by in Society Views: 360

In Japanese class a while ago an especially perceptive student gave a very interesting presentation relating his day visit to a US military base in Japan.

First, some background information about the military bases. The military bases in Japan are like little oasises of “American-ness”. The bases are designed so that the cultural differences of Japan, or other aspects of the foreign environment will not hinder the crews or their families ability to perform their duties, or live abroad for extended periods of time. This makes sense, as you could imagine the protest if an American service man had to tell his wife and three kids that they were leaving their two-story town house to go live in a cramped Japanese apartment.

The military is of course funded by the government, so they have ample budget to make things just right. The bases are so molded to perfection that they have large American sized houses, big front lawns, driveways, shops that sell large shoe sizes, and even fast food shops that are not found anywhere else in Japan. Supermarkets with hugs isles and cereal, Cheese Nips, and even Vanilla Wafers are readily at hand. The illusion of a “generic” America is recreated as authentically as humanly possible. I have heard that it would be entirely possible to spend all of your time on the base, without really noticing that the base was in Japan.

The real point of my friends presentation however, was that as many Americans who have traveled around the States know, America is very different from state to state. Even though the base was modeled after “the United States”, it apparently felt artificially plastic phsyically, and gave him a feeling of uneasiness. Rather than the expected familiarity with the “American” surroundings, instead he felt like he had left Japan, only to visit another, strangely familiar yet strangely foreign country.

Not only the base itself, but the people he met there, according to my friend, had a very different feel from most of the other foreigners he knows in Japan… Which would be largely the students at IUC. Personally I feel this goes without saying however. The students at IUC are mostly graduate students, have chosen to live in Japan, and study Japanese. The people on the base are usually younger, likely are just on tour and had no say in which country they would be sent to, and either are not studying Japanese, or only studying it as part of their assignment. Of course, on both sides of the fence there are bound to be exceptions.

I wonder what it is like to live on the bases as a military person. I heard from one military guy I met on a train, that they literally are not told where they are going until they hit land. Then it’s off the boat, and onto the base. Of course they are allowed to leave the base and explore Japan on their own, though I have no idea what restrictions they have, if any.

I also wonder if the US military bases around the wold are all pretty much modeled in the same way. Do the military personel have a strong feeling of the identity of the nation they are in as they hop from Disney-fied base to Disney-fied base?

I dunno. I guess I will have to make an excuse to get down and visit a base sometime before I leave Japan. It’s almost amazing that I have been here for almost 5 years now and never experienced it for myself.

Anyway, any thoughts on this?

- Harvey

  • http://nyuudo.blogspot.com nyuudo

    For me it’s not easy to understand or maybe empathize with military matters… I guess you got to be really involved with it. Just thinking about learning military stuff (guns, kill, blind discipline) makes me sick… anyway the fact is those places are highly sponsored by governments and economy… the cultural impact is always overlooked by the few ones who must take responsibility about it in the first place.
    Always you could find some stubborns tough-guys in those institutions, are they the best ambassadors? is it the right cultural showcase?

  • Mister Roberts

    Harvey:

    Military bases are all pretty much the same, regardless of location or service branch. Still, they manage to somewhat reflect the local culture. Many bases feature regional architecture, hire local contractors, and many servicemembers take the opportunity to get stationed near their hometown when the opportunity presents itself. Thus, for instance, the “West Coast Navy” of Pearl Harbor and San Diego, reflecting the local culture, is considered more laid back compared to their “East Coast Navy” counterpart in Norfolk.

    Being stationed in Yokosuka, I can say that many, but probably not most, of us live off base. Those with families are more apt to live on base for DoD schools, very junior personnel aren’t authorized housing off base (not even in the States), and senior officers must live on base for security reasons. Still, we are allowed to go out and about on liberty and pretty much do as they please within the limits of local law and custom– massagi joints, tatoo parlors and “Japanese Only” establishments notwithstanding.

    I personally live “on the economy” and ride my mama bike to and from work everyday. *ring*ring*

    Alot of the culture here also seems to rub off on us more so than in the States. Many units have Japanese themed mascots, sailors chow down on udon or curry at the Japanese shipyard worker’s cafeteria on base, take Japanese lessons in their spare time, etc. And, judging by the number of Japanese locals wearing Navy ball caps with US ship’s logos on them, or “Yokosuka Jackets” with a zillion different US military patches on them, I say we’re pretty much a part of the local culture too.

    In any event, stop by and visit us in Yokosuka sometime. We have an open invitation cherry blossom festival, for one, and if you could swing a ship tour, by all means go for it!

  • http://voodooserpent.deviantart.com JCD

    I’m in Iraq and this FOB (Forward Operating Base) has sections that make you forget you’re in Iraq. But the thing that’s important for you to understand…The military pretty much is its own world. Back in the States, I’d be in Fort Hood. It’s basically its own city. There are little housing villages that are just like suburbia. We have our own theaters, shopping centers, gyms, gas stations and even banking system…A US military base isn’t America, it’s its own country entirely. You never really need to leave the installation for anything.

  • http://www.japannewbie.com harvey

    JCD, you’re an Iraq blogger! Wow I haven’t come across many of those, other than the ones mentioned in US papers from time to time.

    I would love to see pictures of base life in Iraq! I’ll stop by your blog from time to time.

    Hey how did you get interested in Japan?

  • http://voodooserpent.deviantart.com JCD

    I’d be honored.

    Well honestly it started with a friend of mine hooking me into anime and whatnot, but then the more I learned about Japan the more interested I became. I can’t really say anything that’s not cliched, but I do feel the need to make a clear distinction between myself and people like that friend of mine who’re mostly just anime-crazed :P
    I’m more intereted in more anthropological things like modern culture, not limited to Japan. Things like how the internet pervades into normal life, viral advertising, to the way so many even ancient behaviors shape modern culture…But like I said, I’m mostly just hoping that my unusual ability to not type like an idiot lends my “I’m not a fanboy” story some credence. ;)

  • http://www.joepetrow.com Joe

    The unwashed masses can visit the Yokosuka Naval Base once a year for the annual Cherry Blossom festival. Most Japanese go to queue up in long lines to buy huge pizzas that you can’t get in Japan. I go to feast on Sbarro, Mean Gene’s Burgers, and Popeye’s Chicken! Plus you can go to the movie theatre, buy popcorn, and put liberal portions of any and all of like 15 different kinds of popcorn toppings, like barbeque and “cool ranch”. Bought so much junk food there my daughter got a tumnyache. :-/

  • Mike

    Old post, but I just found this site!

    JCD, I’m in the same position. My roomate is an animeholic, and while anime is cool and all, I’m more into the culture, etc.

    I was actually born in Naha when my parents were stationed over in Okinawa. The only problem is that they were only there for 2 years, so I didn’t get a chance to be old enough to remember.

    I’ve been to airforce bases everywhere, and they are pretty much the same. The once exception was the one in Araxos, Greece. It did have a little BX shop with food though, good ol’ American food. We ate at the local Greek shops a lot though.

  • Tom

    I know this is an old post, but, I just found this site. Yes, all military bases have similarities to each other, but, they all have a different feel.

    I was born in Sasebo, (my mom is from Fukuoka) and I lived in Yokosuka as a child and a teen, graduated H.S. in Yokosuka and as an adult, I joined the AF and got stationed in Yokota. I learned Japanese from my mom, and kept speaking it as an adult. So, when I got sent to Yokota, I did as I did as a teenager…spent nearly all of my free time out in Japan.

    Living on a military base is like living in a self-sufficient town…only, it is a town that feels slightly false. It is familiar, but, definitely doesn’t have that “home” feel. It just feels like familiar, but not quite like America. Which, since I spent as much time in Tokyo as I could, I mainly used the base as a sleeping area.

    There really is no restriction on the military members as to going out and exploring on their own as long as they show up for work on time.

    Also, what you mentioned is true…most do not study the Japanese language at all. For the most part they will go out into the economy, do the “safe” tourist stuff, where there are tour guides that will speak in English for them, and that is the extent of their interaction with their host country. Which is really, really sad. What is worse is that there are also a group of individuals who never venture forth from the base…they never truly “live” in Japan.

    Just go visit during the Friendship Festivals. They are a lot of fun, with good food all around, and you never know, you might make a new friend or two…

  • http://www.japannewbie.com/japanese_ads/ Harvey

    Tom,

    Thanks so much for that comment! That was so interesting! You also have a very interesting background.

    I have never been to a friendship festival, but have heard of them. I’m going to keep my eyes open to see if I can catch one sometime before I leave Japan! (though, no plans to leave yet. Heh.)

    One of my Japanese friends went to one, I think last month? Or maybe two months ago and posted some great pictures on his website, it’s the the Japanese link on the blogroll on this site. デジカメスケッチ。

    Thanks again for taking the time to post. That was great!

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  • http://www.watch-anime-episodes-online.blogspot.com Watch Anime Online

    I like to watch Dragonball and One Piece, thanks for sharing this article. BTW found this site on google, searched for some anime informations.

  • R Russell

    One thing I don’t like about any base is not getting a good hamburger. I went to Mean Gene’s today in Yokosuka, and now they also give you a microwave hamburger, just like other bases. That sucks to pay that much for a hamburger, when you can get one frozen, and cook it your self at home in the microwave.
    Cheers,
    R

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