Navigating your identity in a new country can be challenging.
When preparing for your arrival to Japan, most advice centers around packing light to bring more souvenirs back home and being aware of possible culture shocks. However, for Black students moving to Japan, here is one piece of advice: leave the identity armor behind and make more space in your luggage for the necessities – like hair products.
“Bring all your curly hair care — even if it takes up a whole suitcase,” advised Y’Jazzmin Christopher, a freshman psychology major at Temple University Japan (TUJ).
One of the obstacles many Black people face while living in Japan is finding products that support their hair type. While practical, her advice also speaks to the balance of preparing for life in a place where being Black sets you apart but without the weight of racial tension that may be felt in the United States.
Identity armor refers to the hyperconsciousness of your race and the need to protect yourself against potential racial profiling, prejudice, or microaggressions.
“Back home, you deal with racial injustice, discrimination, and hate crimes, but here, it is different,” said Christopher. “No one is bothering me or treating me differently because of the color of my skin,” she continued.
Like Christopher, other students and I had hesitations and fears, but we found Japan to be surprisingly different. Yes, being Black makes you stand out, but the treatment is not harsh or discriminatory.
“People do stare a lot and I’ve figured out throughout the years that it is mostly curiosity,” said Riku Long, a senior communications major at TUJ. “Locals are just wondering where you are from,” he continued.
However, curiosity can take some getting used to. Darryl Wharton-Rigby, an assistant professor of media production and screenwriting at TUJ, recalls how he had to shed his own identity armor after moving to Japan.
“When I first moved to Japan, I felt like I was wearing the same armor I did in the States,” said Professor Wharton-Rigby, who has lived in Japan for over 19 years. “But here, I did not have to. The police were not stopping me because of my skin color. People were not calling me out my name. Once I let go of that weight, my experience in Japan became far more positive,” he continued.
Black people who are foreigners make up roughly .015% of the Japanese population. That statistic is daunting for a Black person because it is inevitable, you will be an outlier. For many, the thought of being such a visible minority in a society that is very homogenous can feel overwhelming, and even scary. But this TUJ student believes that visibility comes with a unique sense of responsibility.
“Black people should be seen all over the world,” said Zyara Bailey, a freshman majoring in international business. “It is empowering to show people that we are everywhere, and it feels like a privilege to change negative narratives about Black people, even if it means holding myself to a certain standard so people do not get the wrong idea,” she continued.
For students like Bailey, their experience is about rewriting their own story while abroad. It is a chance to be more than what people expect based on stereotypes. Bailey sees being in Japan as an opportunity to redefine what it means to be Black in spaces where Black people are not always present. While there could be pressure to represent yourself well, Bailey believes there is also power in that — showing that Black people are thriving in Japan and part of this global experience.
TUJ has fostered a supportive environment for its Black students through clubs like the Black Student Union (BSU), which provides a sense of familiarity for many who often find themselves as the only Black person in many rooms in Japan. BSU hosts regular events throughout the semester and offers a strong support network for students.
“There is a Black community here,” said Professor Wharton-Rigby. “But it is also about finding your place and making your experience your own,” he continued.
Some students at TUJ are struggling with finding their place, both socially and academically. Long believes that while there are efforts by the university to create community, like clubs and activities through the program board, TUJ could do more to foster genuine connections among students. He says that students often stick with the people they knew before coming to TUJ or gravitate toward those who share their same cultural identity, making it difficult to branch out and form new relationships.
“I feel like a lot of students, regardless of race or ethnicity, may feel like they are kind of just isolated here,” said Long.
Having a community that relates to your identity is important, especially in Japan’s homogeneous population. But it is also important to push yourself outside your comfort zone, especially in a new country. Opening yourself up to new experiences and different people can shape your time abroad.
“One way I try to build those bridges between students is by splitting them up into different groups, so they are working with classmates other than their usual friends,” said Professor Wharton-Rigby.
Wharton-Rigby encourages students to connect with one another throughout his classes, allowing students to interact more with each other.
Long believes having more structured opportunities to connect with other students and more events focused on inclusion can help students feel less isolated.
TUJ’s diverse student body offers a unique opportunity to meet people from all over the world, encouraging students to realize that, despite differences, we share more in common than we may think at first.
Coming to Japan as a Black student is about more than decoding the meaning of stares or adjusting to new customs. For the students at TUJ, it is about letting go of the armor of how your Blackness is perceived and embracing the freedom to be seen around the world.
By Jadyn Howard, KLN ’25
This story originally appeared in Jadyn’s Substack
Header image, Left to Right: Zyara, Y’Jazzmin and Riku standing in front of the Temple T. All Photos provided by Jadyn Howard.