Extremely tall, not sure what to expect

This is a silly question, but I was hoping to stay in Japan for about a month in a couple years and I�fm extremely nervous about it because I�fm a 6�f (1.82) woman. I�fm used to being stared at and getting weird comments here in the US and sometimes it can bother me quite a lot if someone becomes too intrusive (ie following me or just keep asking questions). I wasn�ft sure if I should expect it to be significantly worse in Japan. It honestly makes me so nervous that I�fm not sure I will want to go, especially for a whole month. I�fm not worried about being able to find clothes or anything (I can�ft buy clothes in stores in the US, either, so it would make no difference to me 😂), just don�ft want to spend a month feeling like a freak show everywhere I go. Anyone have any experience being very tall and female in Japan? Or just have any clue how something like that would be received?

I'm female and not quite as tall as you (somewhere between 5'9 and 5'10), but I don't think you should have too much trouble. Some people might be curious, but generally you shouldn't be bothered too much. The most I've ever had was when buying some items at a department store in a smaller city; the two ladies at the cash register were giggling a bit and gestured about height - they wanted to stand beside me to see the height difference! It was a friendly and cute interaction

I'm very surprized you are having issues in USA. And I'd doubt you'd have issues in Japan. You aren't exactly super tall.

Except for the races of the same Asian region,
it is not unusual for people to be taller than Japanese, so no one is surprised.

If you are "... ", it may be asked like this.
slender : Are you a fashion model?
muscle : Are you a professional sport player?
curvy : Would you like me to tell you a delicious restaurant?

It would be fun if you take photos positively
with students of school trip or young women who like "instagram".
Because "Shinto" in Japan is natural worship, big people are also treated as "a god".
Young boys may have a bad word for a moment.
However, as it is just "rare", it is quite different emotions from "discrimination".

Be careful with the door height.
https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/1z0p7g/being_6_ft_3_in_was_pre...
Taxi in Tokyo has increased high new cars in the room.
https://youtu.be/h4KNRrLnCnk
"JPN(Japan) Taxi" is a real name of new taxi model of Toyota, you also may feel a joke, but.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_JPN_Taxi

You should read this famous Japanese comic, we are no different from her.
https://i.imgur.com/THErzOI.jpg
However, the girl who said this to him is not a main character, a little girl "Yotsuba" is.
This series are very simple story, a lot of daily life of Japan is drawn,
it can also be used for studying Japanese.

There is a small chance that you might get some second glances, but this will most likely occur in rural locations where people rarely see westerners let alone a tall person. I doubt that you will have many problems.

Most Japanese are very reserved when it comes to saying negative comments, so if something is most likely said in Japan it's normally a compliment. I've found that Japanese (once you know them well) are more likely to make a comment of something you can change such as weight compared to a persons height.

I'm rather large and have lived in Japan along with traveling frequently and can count on one hand with a few fingers down times people have made obvious comments or actions related to my weight. If your only traveling for a month, I'd worry more about some low ceilings and lack of leg room on local buses than people staring at you!

I currently live in China and let's say the comments are not as reserved as they are in Japan...

Because "Shinto" in Japan is natural worship, big people are also treated as "a god".

Unfortunately, there is no such value in Japan. Where does it come from?

People wouldn't care too much. Don't worry.

Just a reminder to mind your head, quite a few of the doorways are lower than you're tall; at 1.85m tall I keep bumping my head at ryokan and other places.

None of this is specific to you being a woman, but - as a 6ft+ man, I'd say:

- if you stay in a ryokan, they won't always have yukata which are long enough. You may need to embrace the shorty-style ;0)
- I second the "mind your head" advice.
- also, assuming that your legs are in proportion to your overall height, you may well find that minibuses and the like (coaches and trains are generally OK) require some squishing. The same thing goes for some toilet cubicles. You sit down, and your knees are practically banging on the wall in front of you.

Of course, none of this is much more than a slight inconvenience (until you hit your head for the 5th time in an hour on the same doorframe!!!!!! Aaaaargh ;0))

Thank you for your feedback!

I�fm not really a �glarge�h person by American standards. In terms of BMI I�fm smaller than a Japanese man, bigger than a Japanese woman so I don�ft expect that to be an issue. I think it�fs expected that a Caucasian American woman would have a bigger build than a Japanese woman. American clothing is all too short on me, so I wouldn�ft expect anything at a ryokan to fit, either. 😂 I have to special order everything except shoes and some styles of shirts.

I do have ridiculously long legs, unfortunately. 😣 My friend who lives there warned me that my legs would not fit on the bus and some Japanese cars and certain restrooms and I might need to splurge on a business class ticket on the airplane (which I expected because my legs don�ft fit on airplanes in general, I have to fold them up). I expect plenty of environmental inconveniences and will probably have to modify my schedule for transportation issues. 🤷🏼 Oh well.

I can deal with passing stares. I have had a very wide variety of responses here in the US, sometimes very creepy ones, but Americans are definitely more bold in character so maybe it will actually be less obnoxious in Japan. I guess I will just have to find out. 😅

I don�ft think you will have any problems with that sort of thing. I am three inches taller than you and the only issue I encounter frequently is with the height of some doors. Toilets, buses, and cars are no problem at all.

I also frequently fly London - Tokyo in economy class. Less legroom than I would like for a ~12 hour flight, but not such an issue that I would feel it necessary to double, triple, or quadruple my fare for a seat in business. Rather spend than money in Japan.

I�fll have to check with the plane what the seat spacing is. My legs don�ft fit on most planes on domestic flights here. I literally have to assume a fetal position with my legs up against the seat in front of me. But maybe International flight planes have more room? Not sure. I also can�ft fit my legs in compact cars (and some models of non-compact cars) in the US without awkward angling or going into a fetal position. My dad (6�f4�h), brother (6�f3�h), and husband (6�f1�h) are all also taller than me, but my pants inseams are 3�h (7.6cm) longer than my dad�fs and 5�h (12.7cm) longer than my brother�fs and husband�fs. 🤷🏼�Š It�fs awkward. But I�fm not worried about those logistics; I can plan around that. I can�ft plan around other people�fs reactions, though, so that causes me a lot more anxiety. I�fll figure out the rest.

As you've probably noted, all comments are about inconveniences of being a tall person and not the locals. On very rare occasions I've seen men dressed in female anime costumes (with the makeup and hair) on the train. They do get stared at - but mainly by western tourists......

Unless you'll hire a car, the only cars you'll normally come into contact with are taxis which tend to be quite spacious compared to compact cars.

I�fm not worried about those logistics; I can plan around that. I can�ft plan around other people�fs reactions, though, so that causes me a lot more anxiety.

If this is your main concern then I think you should rest easy. You will in all likelihood receive some looks, it�fs pointless to pretend that you won�ft. But a 6�f woman will have probably dealt with that before even at home. Do not expect reactions of shock and horror. I had concerns before I first visited too; I�fm covered in tattoos and have a handlebar mustache. Some people give me an innocent second look, most people are more interested in getting on with their own lives.

I�fm sure you will have a much easier time than an obese person, of whom by the way there are many travelling from the US and elsewhere, still managing to have great holidays in Japan despite their size.

My brother is 6�f7. No one made any comment in our two weeks in Japan except for staff at Disneyland being concerned he might not fit on some rides (always just managed it!), and in the Harry Potter world at Universal Studios he got a couple of requests for photos with random people because �gyou�fre a giant like Hagrid�h!

Since we're on the subject, I would like to ask one thing: I have heard jokes among my friends that if a woman is tall, chikan would be less likely, or even afraid, to touch her because they feel intimidated. Same goes with thugs and robbers, or even police patrols. Is this true?

Doubtful. Probably more so to do with being a foreigner.

I think you need to stop worrying about what you friends keep saying. They were also the reason for your original line of questions.

Just enjoy yourself. It is a holiday after all. No good setting yourself into a panic mode over a big pile of unproven fact that are what ifs.

I'm almost as tall as you as a 5'10" female (I'm actually the shortest in my family...my mom is the same height as you) and my husband is 6'4"...we got no strange stares or felt at all uncomfortable in anyway. As another poster stated, I had quite a few people ask me if I modeled, if I were there for a fashion shoot, etc. Can't say that wasn't nice to hear.

Our main issue was bumping our heads in ryokans and trust me that ish hurts so duck!. lol