“But what are you going to do in Japan? For sure, you’ll be the only Black person there!”, this is something I heard a lot before I left. Of course, it wasn’t something that was going to stop me. However, I must admit that I ended questioning myself about it. So is Japan familiar with Black people?
The Black Community in Japan
The answer is yes! Whilst it is a small minority, there is indeed a Black community in Japan. The majority consists of Americans as the United States has several military bases and many educational partnerships. Then there is the other half, which is made up of students and workers from the Caribbean, Brazil but also from Africa, including Nigeria and Senegal. In fact, some of those black gaijins* who decided to settle in the land of the rising sun have managed to make a name for themselves. This is the case of Mansour Diagne, a successful entrepreneur, managing a model agency and translator for the NHK (Japanese national television). There is also Enka singer Jero, a traditional Japanese music.
This wave of migration, which began more than 20 years ago, gave birth to interracial couples whose children are called hafu, with many of them claiming that they have had a difficult childhood due to their “differences”. On this subject, I invite you to watch the documentary Hafu as well as the testimony of this African-Japanese. In today’s times, however, the situation is changing thanks to numerous public figures who shed light on their conditions in Japanese society. This is the case of Ariana Miyamoto, Miss Japan 2015.
My experience as a Black woman in Japan
So I will start by answering THE question that I have been asked a thousand times. No, I did not face racism during my stay 
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Let’s not forget that after all, I was living in Tokyo, a metropolitan city that receives millions of tourists from all over the world… including Black people 🤷🏽♀️. Maybe if I had lived in a small village not familiar with tourists, the situation would have been different, but I doubt it. Why? First of all, the Japanese have a well-earned reputation for manners and politeness. I can confirm from my personal experience that this is not a myth, they truly are. So, if I had to face a racist Japanese person, there would have been little chance for me to realize it, at least, by his behavior. Secondly, even though I was only in Japan for a few months, I often travelled to local areas receiving few tourists and everything still went well. After that, it’s true that when you don’t know a person, it’s hard to know who you’re dealing with 
Actually, I do recall getting funny looks from little Japanese babies… 
The reality is that you don’t run into Black people in Tokyo like you would in Paris or London. That’s why I “raised a lot of curiosity”. Starting with my hair. I wore it naturally, alternating afro, twists and cornrows, which earned me a lot of “kawaii**”. The most curious ones did not hesitate to ask about how I did my hairstyles 
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Another thing that’s worth mentioning in this article is the reaction of a Black person when he/she meets another Black person. As far as I was concerned, I was generally entitled to the same reaction: surprise & shock . The person was initially surprised to meet me (a bit like Japanese babies ) and then smiled at me in “Wakanda” style. Then there were other people… who were a bit over the top, I would say. For example, one day on my way to the university, I ran into a guy who literally gave me a high five with a big smile on his face
, as if I were his buddy and we were meeting after a long time without seeing each other. When I returned to France, I had discussed this with a friend who laughed and confirmed that he had also experienced this kind of situation during his stay in Japan.
Best view i have ever seen !
Thank you!😎