I was overwhelmed by おもてなし Japanese hospitality. I felt as though I was being treated like movie star. From Tokyo to Kagoshima. So many people went out of their way to help me. It wss the Japanese people who made my stay in their country so memorable.
I have never met such genuinely nice people as Japanese in rural areas. In the city it is a little little fake sometimes but very welcome still. In the mountains though, like they would give me treats and invite me to their places. Fighting with each other over who can let me stay more at their beautiful rich culture homes. The country is insane and should be closed to other countries to be honest. But how am I then going to get in?
Expectation: My daughter lives in Tokyo and speaks fluent Japanese. I know I will be fine. Reality: After visiting her for two weeks, I felt comfortable enough to take the next two weeks and day trip my way around the country because I fell heart over heels in love with the culture, scenic beauty, and overall peaceful quality of life found in this amazing country. UPDATE: I have taken my fourth trip to Japan as a fair speaker, reader and writer of the Japanese launguage. My love and respect for this enigmatic country continues to grow each time that I visit. I wish Japan was my home❣️❣️❣️
My Tokyo experience... Expectation: Lots of tourists in anime shops Reality: Lots of locals Expectation: Many vending machines Reality: Many many many vending machines! Expectation: Expensive Reality: Not as expensive as what most people say Expectation: Trains are clean and quiet Reality: Trains are super clean and super quiet! Expectation: Language barrier Reality: Not so much
I love how quiet the trains are here, in fact I have to keep reminding myself to use my "library voice", as I am one of "those loud Americans" my normal voice can be heard across a large gym! So I have to really work at being quiet so not to upset or startle the Japanese, which would be rude of me. :)
It's not expensive if you are from the US/UK or any Nordic country (because of the exchange rate) but it still remains one of the most expensive Asian countries.
Japan is very organised and orderly! Even being crushed like a sardine-in-a-can inside the rush hour train, no one said a word, there was no aggression, no one was hurt, no one was offended, it was a smooth-sailing process.
When I went back to Japan for a visit, my sister reminded me not to talk on the phone. People normally do not talk loud to bother other people on the train or street car.
@@clemhfandango. I actually sat in one (I'm a guy). I didn't notice until a little ways into the trip, when I looked above my head and saw it clearly stated...in English... I just kind of looked at all the women around me, who were kind of looking at me, and I laughed to myself and sort of bowed as if to say, "I'm sorry".
I was there a LONG time ago for a month, but I was working as a back up dancer for a Japanese singer (she died around the 2000 I think) but her name was Shuri Eiko. Her mother was a big choreographer at the Takarazuka. The reason I mention this is because it was not the typical tourist trip. For example, when we traveled by bullet train, the entire train car was rented for only 5 of us, the rest of the train car was empty to have privacy. We went out to high end meals with private rooms and such as well. They didn't have to treat us that well, but for a month we were treated with ultimate hospitality so much so that we didn't even have to pay for our meals and bar tabs at night during our month stay in Roppongi. I did pick up some Japanese so I could go shopping by myself and was once told by a person at some department store that I had a cute accent (when speaking Japanese). This long winded post is to simply say that I have wonderful memories of my stay in Japan and it went way beyond my expectations.
Lots of people asked this. The scene at the end was taken at 千鳥ヶ淵公園 (Chidorigafuchi Park) goo.gl/maps/JrVELjZyPdN2. It's located around the Imperial Palace in Chiyoda, Tokyo. This was a day after peak cherry blossom in late March. We really lucked out with the fantastic weather.
If you look at the How to Survive Your First Hour in Japan, I showed an onsen near Narita airport. There are a ton of onsens around Japan, so it really depends on where you will be located.
@Ken narville As for spitting volcanoes, that's in Hawaii and southeast Asia; earthquakes are no more frequent than in San Francisco; infernal heats are in the southern parts of the country that equal the latitudes of Mexico; Fukushima radiation is in Fukushima; and being indirectly racist is far better than the full racist you get in other parts of the world, especially in America. Just stay home.
@Kemm Miarvil That's pretty sad that you judge based on what you've heard from others. Japan is so unique, beautiful and amazing. Spitting volcanoes? Who lied to you? LOL
The Osaka airport was the same for me: there seemed to be very few people there. The first thing I noticed when arriving was how very clean the trains were. Clean and free from vandalism of any kind. Here, people vandalize everything and the seats on the train here have been changed to stainless steel to try and prevent vandalism... of course vandals are very persistent here, not to mention petty thieves who seal everything -- in Japan, I left my bag on the train, and it was still there when some attendants fetched it for me many stations away from where I got off. I talked to foreigners who left their umbrellas, or wallets, and other things at bus stops, or other public places only to find them still there the next day or turned into the local police box. The lack of vandalism, garbage, and petty thievery was very refreshing.
Osaka airport is awesome! they don't charge you premium prices like most airport do for food. they are essentially a shopping mall so the prices of food are very similar to that of restaurant outside of the airport.
When I first entered in Japan (2015) it was in Kansai airport and I waited more than 2 hours with hundreds of people to go through passport check. It was horrible! Well, after that everything was way more than perfect, so I don't regret it at all and I will come back again. :)
I've heard the same thing on other UA-cam videos! It's amazing how you could sit at Starbucks with your laptop and phone and be able to go use the washroom without fear of someone walking off with your things! :D
Whereas in America I left my wallet in a bathroom and just accepted that I had to cancel all of my cards. Surprisingly this nice elderly woman found my address and brought my wallet back to me!
I remember the first time I went to Japan, I expected lots of vending machines, but when I got there, it STILL took me by surprise just how many vending machines there are around.
Oh, I cut out a part where he was talking about vending machines. My brother and nephew really enjoyed them. They made a game out of going around and trying new flavours. I had never thought about it before, but with each vending machine carrying 30-40 different drinks, a set of 3 of them can have almost 100 choices. There are repeats, of course, but still it was an impressive selection of beverages for them.
I completely agree! I absolutely love the fact that vending machines are nearly everywhere! I'm from Japan and still didn't expect this when I visited last year as I had forgot *almost everything!
I'll add to this and say my experience changed depending on where I was. In Tokyo, I honestly can't recall more than a handful of occasions where someone has talked to me out of the blue. But the more remote the location is in Japan, the more I've had conversations with strangers. My best experience was going to Amami Oshima, which is a small island half way between Okinawa and Kyushu, that doesn't get many foreign tourists. Had many nice conversations and the people were so friendly!
My family travelled to Tokyo in November of last year and it was an awesome experience. I especially enjoyed the less crowded, less commercial areas. The highlight for me was when we went to Nihon Minka-en museum in Kawasaki because it was where we had a more or less, extensive interaction with the locals. They conversed with us in English and were asking us how life was where we’re from. We definitely want to go back and experience Japan again soon.
Gumm Neddiack I definitely experienced a little bit of xenophobia especially traveling with my grandparents as they come from a naturally louder culture, so they naturally bring a bit of their culture with them. I wouldn't say they looked down on other cultures, more so, just worried and conscious about the disruption of order in their culture, so there are a bit of prejudices as a result of these preconceived notions I'm sure. Although, there are so many people too who even seem interested in foreigners, even young children who will sometimes come up to you often so as to practice their English skills.
Gumm Neddiack I reflected too. My comment was an exaggeration. They are reserved and wary as a culture for sure but I guess I like to think that people's mentalitoes maybe especially of younger people are becoming more fluid and changing the face of their society. They are very nationalistic so you are right they will carry some slanted opinion of others with a lot of bias and ignorance.
My husband and I traveled to The Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and Hakone area last year around this time. We're from Los Angeles and we thought we were used to the city but nooo. It was a lot crowded in some of the obvious areas, but what we loved was that despite the crowds it was still very organized and respectful. If it was that crowded here in LA, people would be bumping into each other and not caring about where the other is going. However, when we were in some of the more crowded areas in Tokyo or even the main train station in Kyoto, it felt like there was this unspoken rule or plan of organization that kept things moving and flowing smoothly. Another thing I had to get used to was NOT tipping! I felt horrible leaving and not tipping, it was just very weird doing so since here in the states it is pretty much expected of you TO TIP. The service was still incredible, it was even better than the service I would receive here when I am expected to tip. We were lucky enough to stay there for an entire month and I have to admit that It was very relaxing. Even though when we went it was spring break for some of the schools in the Tokyo area lol
I've visited Japan once and it was a great experience. It's hard to describe but I felt both excited and at peace during my trip. I got lost several times in the middle of nowhere with no one around which, normally, would freak me out but I was as cool as a cucumber! I think being in Japan had a lot to do with it.
I grew up there and returned when i was 19. I'm 31 now and living in the US. I miss the total silence and the cold. As depressing as that is to some. Its my bliss. And im an extrovert. I know i will return permanently.
I would assume your a US citizen by now. Would it be hard for you to permanently move back to Japan? like renounce your citizenship with the States or apply dual citizenship?
@@harsep Hey! I was born on a US base. If i remember correctly, Japan doesn't do dual citizenship. So yeah your going to have to go visa or surrender your citizenship.
@@stratbid18 Thanks for replying! Could I assume your mom is Japanese? and u probably speak conversational japanese since you grew up there? My parents knew a couple where the guy was a US Navy and married a japanese woman. The kid was born and raised in the States but when the dad died unexpectantly the mother went back to Japan along with the kid.My parents went to visit her like 10 years later and was told the kid assimilated to Japanese culture and spoke Japanese instead of English considering he looks more white than Japanese since the dad was white. I guess he prefers living there than in the states.
I recently went to Japan and I totally fell in love with everything the country has to offer. Of course, I was a tourist from the Philippines and everything is an upgrade over what we have. The only downside is that I never wanted to go home! I totally wanted to stay, settle down with my family and live there for the rest of my life. It felt like Japan is the perfect country for me. The food is nice, the people are friendly, respectful and very orderly. And the transportation is OMG! The Japanese public transport is definitely the best in the world!
Well I appreciate you coming to Japan and enjoying your stay here . But Japan is only home to the Japanese, what makes japan so great is the japanese people, if japan allows too many immigrants in , it will ruin our great country just like France.
Greg(and family) The more I watch your videos, the more I really would love to visit Japan. When I was younger(I am 62 yrs old) I had a very keen interest in Japan when I was in grade school. My sister was going with a young man that was in the US Air Force at the time, and he would go to Japan for vacations etc. He sent me & my sisters some things from Japan, I was really thrilled to get the gift of a Kimono at the time, it's actually packed away in my things that I have saved over the years. I found the video with your brother & his family really nice. Greg, you do such a great job with your videos....I have learned a lot about Japan from you that I didn't know. Thanks so much ! I look forward to your videas Greg, Aiko, & Shin
The crowd was a big thing for me especially in Tokyo, I remember arriving at Akihabara and bracing myself for the crowd (it was the first day of holidays for Japanese student so a lot was happening) but I literally didn't feel like I was in a crowd, I wasn't pushed around, I could walk easily, access the shops and everything. Obviously I was being careful not to push people and all but it was so comfortable!
I have yet to visit Japan, but I did live and work in Hawaii as a dolphin trainer and even with my terribly basic Japanese, the guests followed instructions and were much more courteous and aware than the American guests during dolphin interaction programs. My direct supervisor was from Japan and after my first day of work, he invited me into his home where his wife cooked an amazing traditional meal. It was experiences like this that really made me appreciate the culture and want to visit someday!
The thing I struggled with most was... bike traffic! I was constantly looking over my shoulder trying to make sure I stayed in the "proper" side, but they kept alternating! Obasaaaan, don't run me over!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
It's been over a decade since I first visited Japan, but I've been back since. Growing up reading a lot of shoujo slice-of-life manga, I definitely had a lot of preconceived notions about what life in Japan would be like, but for the most part Japan met or exceeded my expectations. Here's my list of 10 surprises I encountered when I first started living in Japan: 1. Sushi in Japan is maki, nigiri, or sashimi...no fancy rolls like in America. Dubbed Digimon led me to believe California rolls would be available in Japan--HA! 2. How kind strangers could be. Even with my limited Japanese, people always went out of their way to help me. 3. How good the food actually is. Japan smells amazing and tastes amazing. So.Much.Good.Food. 4. How clean EVERYTHING is. And the pride people take in keeping their homes, neighborhoods, and work places clean. 5. Work culture. Learning to be less direct and to solutions before making complaints, and discovering that there's no reciprocity. That last one was a big change--I've worked for the American government in Japan and a private Japanese business In American work culture, you often have to foster relationships before you ask for favors. In Japan, asking someone to do something that's already their job is not seen as a favor. When I expressed my gratitude when my colleagues did something for me, they thought that was kind of strange--it was their job, after all! Perhaps it's because in Japanese work places, gratitude is expressed for work that is done well every day: if someone did something well, you praised them, and at the end of every day you thank everyone you work with for putting in a hard day of work. Also, for the most part, everyone I worked with also held themselves accountable to a fault. 6. How peaceful Tokyo can be. Not just in parks-- how Japanese people try to carve out moments of tranquility everyday: whether though a quiet cafe with lots of indoor plants, an evening walk through your neighborhood, or a visit to your local shrine. 7. Homelessness in Tokyo and how it is handled/viewed, especially the neighborhood I lived in, made me really feel discouraged. I learned more about that particular issue on this channel than I did living in Japan. 8. How green the country is! How beautiful the natural landscapes are. 9. The pride in doing even the most mundane tasks well and beautifully. How much craftsmanship is valued and honored. 10. How much at home I could feel there. I've been lucky enough to live in multiple countries and have traveled extensively, and there's no place like Japan. If I could find full time employment there, I'd go back in a heartbeat.
Ah, another commenter reminded me if the squat toilets! I avoided them until I had no choice and now I find I actually prefer them when I travel around Asia. Glad I had my first experiences with squatty potties in Japan! 😂
There are some bar that charge you extra fees without telling the customer so they really meant to say "we don't charge you any extra charges." They should change to that. I was born there and currently live in LA but when I go to Japan, I find some funny English sign there sometimes.
Hello, I came for the first time to Japan this month (April/2018) and right now I'm living in Yokohama. At first the walking was intense for me, my feet hurt every time I came back to my dorm. However, that got away after 4 to 5 days. Now I enjoy the walking and cycling culture and even bought a normal city bike for going grocery shopping and sometimes to university (which is about 7 km away from where I live). The contrast wasn't that much since I have seen various youtube videos about the culture and also have studied Japanese. I can fairly communicate with people that talk to me at the train (mostly older and friendly women) or even do shopping or asking for directions when I get lost (which has been frequent, but there is always a good sight to enjoy during those times). I think the gap between my expectations and reality wasn't wide because in the end I think of Japan as a country with a very conscious and respectful people and that's what I have experienced so far. In fact, what caught me off guard was the friendliness since I have read that most japanese people are not prone to social interaction with foreigners or even other japanese people...guess that isn't my case. Yokohama is a young city for what I've heard, but it's a very beautiful one and I expect to experience more and more japanese culture since I'm hopefully going to stay for about 2 years. Thanks for your video. This is the 3rd that I've watched and all of them have been very helpful, specially the one about how survive the first hour in Japan.
I have been to Japan 3 times to several different areas thanks to my daughter who was a teacher there for 6 plus year. Each times was wonderful and a unique experience. If I was younger I would probably want to live there. Love the feeling, the rural areas and the contrast between the city. Would definitely want to live, work and purchase a home in Japan.✨
Thank you for another nice and informative video. I seen a lot of your videos and always love the way it is set up to demonstrate life in Japan. I visited Japan (Osaka)in 2016 and my experience was great. The people were very helpful. When I was unable to find my hotel, an elderly lady helped me figure out my directions. At the train station, the customer service guy helped me out in choosing the best route to take for my trip. I speak a moderate amount of Japanese which helped in conversations as well. Even at restaurants I could get by with asking for vegetarian food (yasai-dake, niku to sakana ha tabemasen). Osaka however seemed to require a higher level of Japanese language knowledge than what was portrayed for Tokyo in the video. During my hike up Mount Fuji, I met a Japanese elderly gentleman and a lady of my age who hiked up with me all the way. The girl could speak English fairly comfortably (except when she had to think up a particular word) but the gentleman was not as good at it. We could still talk throughout the day in a mix of English and my rudimentary Japanese. They were very friendly, inviting me with them to the onsen (hot spring) at the end of the hike. +Life Where I'm From: Where is the boating and cherry blossoms scene at 13:44 from? Where in Japan can you experience this? It was so pretty!
japan is nice when you're a tourist and when people want your money, putting on an impression. Try come to Japan to work as a foreign worker, competing with the japanese for their jobs. you'll see how "nice" they are.
I've been living in a rural area of Japan for about 5 months now. When I first got here I thought everything was awesome, so impressed with all the little conveniences and how people are so conscious of what they are doing, and incredibly efficient (everyone appears to have an unusual amount of common sense by American standards). There are no issues with workplace messes or inconsiderate behavior (that I have heard of). I was very surprised that there is so much English signage in my town. There is a nearby tourist destination that boasts one of Japan's many cat islands, but I have only ever seen domestic tourists and those from China and other nearby Asian countries. It seems amazing to see all the English everywhere, but maybe I should have expected it with English a part of the curriculum and Assistant Language Teachers dispersed throughout even the most rural areas of Japan. Thanks for the video! It's interesting to see how different people react to Japan's culture!
Going to Japan for the first time in a couple months, your videos (and other peoples) really help to ease the anxiety of going to a place so foreign to your own country.
On our honeymoon we were surprised by the weather (hot and humid), the deer in Nara, the amazing food for so cheap (we had heard stories about $$$), the amazing food in a ryokan, and the condition of every train and taxi. It exceeded every expectation we had and we can't wait to go back.
Fascinating that people are surprised about taking shoes off. This is a culture that eats and lives on the floor or close to it. So of course you wouldn’t want people tracking in dirt that could get in your food or clothing, in your bedding, etc.
I wish you would do an outdoor activity video on Japan. I live in tohoku and i find the lack of outdoor activities like mountin biking and hiking very frustrating. Back in the states there were tons of hiking trails everywhere and you could easily find mountain biking areas too. Japan has all these amazing mountains, but very limited access based on my experience
Hakone! Hike the foot hills around Mt Fuji and stay in a nice ryokan with onsen to relax in after a days hiking... Also Miyajima island near Hiroshima and rent a kayak!
I really enjoyed my trip to Japan recently. It was much better than I had expected, with top class helpfulness from everybody on the street jumping in to help whenever I ask for direction. Overall I find the Japanese people very helpful and go out of their way to make sure that I am being help. Beautiful and clean. My only issues is that the houses are way too small especially in Tokyo, however in the countryside the accommodation is considerably bigger. I love Kyoto being the cultural centre of Japan, is beautiful. The public transport, especially the train network is so extensive and makes travelling convenient.
it exceeded my expectations. watching japan during my childhood in 90s in cartoons/manga and experiencing it in flesh was surreal! especially the sakura peak!! its like heaven. the beauty and the calmness and the serenity of tokyo despite being in top mega cities in the world was outstanding
I'm Jamaican but I love Japanese culture for some reason. Would love to learn the language but it wouldnt make a sense since I dont plan to live there. Nontheless I can't wait to visit one day!
I learned it and I don’t plan on living there. I did it for fun. You can do it! It’s not as hard as it seems. It can seem intimidating at first but, one you memorize the first two writing systems (which aren’t hard), you will have an easier time learning the rest. If you enjoy languages, I’d say give it a try!
SurferGirl yeah but if I learn it and dont plan to live there, then I'll be forgetting everything I learned if I dont maintain it on a daily basis. Thats a lot of mental energy
Donnie R Not to mention the fact that after you get through the beginner's stages, Japanese becomes real piece of work. My class is currently dying because of the grammar. Learning Keigo almost feels like learning the whole language over again! At some point learning Japanese becomes a real labour of love and if you don't plan to use it you're better off admiring it from a distance.
Kira Suzuki Exactly! Kanji is what really turned me off. It sucks cause it would be such a nice language to learn since I watch a lot of anime and read manga. Its nice your learning it tho. I wish I was in your shoes
I worked for Hitachi in Australia in their power systems and computer division. I had to spend one week a month in Japan. Once you got used to the customs, its a very easy country to like. Given the chance I would live there in a heartbeat. Some of the tings I got to understand: 1. Its government policy that Japan does not import rice. It has to be self sufficient so thats why you see rice paddies everywhere, sometimes in the city. These can never be built on. 2. Politeness is very important. Raising your voice is considered very rude. 3. Do not use your mobile phone on public transport or in very public areas. 4. Cheap food is available everywhere. At Hitachi, executives typically arrive at work at 10am and work through to 6-7pm. You cannot go home until your boss or supervisor has. Usually you would go out and have dinner and arrive home at 10pm. The mornings are family time. 5. Young people are always keen to practice their English. Its compulsory at high school. They are good at reading and written, but conversation can be difficult. Most young people travel a lot so English is becoming ubitqutous and most signs also have an English translation, specially in the cities.. 6. Few Japanese, except business owners or more wealthy can afford a car. To keep congestion down in the cities, to get a drivers license is very time consuming and expensive. To buy a car you have to have off street parking and an inspector will come around to see you do. 7. Taxis are clean and reliable. My office used to wtite down where I needed to go on a card and I gave that to the driver. Taxi drivers are respected and they earn a good living. They have to keep their cars spotless. 8. Do not come to Japan and commit a crime. There is no right to silence. Something like shoplifting or pickpocketing you will be arrrested and they can keep you for 72 hours. When you are interviewed you cannot have a lawyer present. The 72 hours is extended to 20 days if the evidence is strong. They will get you a lawyer if you contest the charges. That can be extended in lots of 20 days. If you confess, you will go to trial in about three months and then if found guilty, common theft would land you in jail for another 6-12 months. You will then be deported and get a life travel ban.
I think the observations about the tissue, the convenience stores, and the hawks are spot on. One of the things I love about Japan... and the free tissues handed out!
I travelled to Japan for the first time this July, and I think for me, Japan had some big surprises. Language: I expected to have a hard time getting around without understanding any Japanese. It was actually quite easy. Most signs are in English, or there are pictures to make it easy. Whilst the English speaking ability of people could vary considerably, most people seemed to understand me reasonably well, and everybody we met were really helpful. We could break the communication barrier with them saying a few words in English or with gestures etc. Some Japanese words are similar to English, and I learned a few random phrases that really helped me. The toilets: I knew Japan had fancy electronic toilets like bidet and heated seat, but I kind of assumed that was just in rich peoples houses and fancy hotels. They are actually everywhere, including the airport, some train stations, restaurants, bars etc. The options are not just bidet and heated seat, but also fans, playing running water sound and a few others I didn't understand. It was nice. The air conditioner and other remotes: Lots of buttons, very confusing. Enough said. Some hotels had printed out an explanation of the buttons in English, I took a photo of that and used it for reference later on. Very polite, friendly, helpful people. Its one thing to read about it, but experiencing it is amazing. You feel very safe everywhere you go, in a way that doesn't really happen at home. Very low crime, nobody tries to scam you, or harass you or steal from you. Shop owners dont try and rip you off, or force a sale. Everyone just seems intent on doing the best job possible which is really quite a nice experience.
I was in Japan for about a month during the world scout jamboree 2015 and stayed with a local family for a day with some travel companions and honestly my biggest surpirise was when the family treated us to some grapes as desert and they started sucking out the insides of the grapes. The fact that you could separate the inside from the outside so easily without peeling the grape completely blew my mind! Also the lack of trashbins and the overabundance of vending machines but.... not as much as the grapes.....
I went to Japan 12 years ago, and then went back this year with the same crew (7 family members, only one friend of the family couldn't go unfortunately). So, expectations vs reality completely different, but here we go. We really noticed a dramatic increase of tourists, specially chinese tourists. Spots that were already popular like Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto, Ueno park in the last days of sakura, Asakusa Kanon temple, and even at hotels or Narita airport in busy times - it was almost unbearable with that many tourists. I think Golden Week gets pretty packed all around, but probably with less foreigners. Next time I'm thinking of going way earlier (before sakura blossoming) for some quieter visits. I wouldn't say it was disappointing, and I'm not blaming all chinese tourists, but sometimes it was pretty bad... like guides screaming full lungs in chinese, groups blocking streets, stuff like that. Some foreigners are super rude... you do encounter the occasional rude japanese I guess, but I gotta say that most of the times we had problems were with foreigners. Nothing dramatic though. In Kyoto I kinda got some info completely wrong (don't blindly trust the Internets people), I wanted to go to Arashiyama to see the bamboo forest, but we ended up in a completely different temple way in the boonies that we had a very hard time getting back to Kyoto station. Some of my relatives will disagree, but for me personally it ended up being great... because it had almost no tourists... in fact almost no one. Shoden-ji temple, had only a relatively small zen-garden in a dilapidated temple. It was a really nice break from the crowds... Like I said in another post, I'm a smoker myself (sorry again), and I did expect to see more smokers around considering that Japan had a lot of smokers... still has? I was surprised by laws forbidding smoking in public, by the rooms and specific spaces made for smokers, and how few smokers I saw during the trip overall. And I honestly agree with the entire thing... I kinda wish to have a "smokers room" just like the one that the first hotel we stayed has. Equipped full of filters and whatnot. The only place that was really packed with smokers was Akiba, in the place reserved for smoking I mean... and a good part were tourists. Hmmm... what else? Oh, Suica is super convenient. xD It's been 12 years, so of course lots of stuff will change, but some places we went in the first trip and went again this time were almost unrecognizable - specially around Tokyo. Two places I really regret we didn't make time to go - Fuji-san and a Tokyu Hands store. Then again, this time I could spend almost 4 days in Akiba, so can't complain. Guess that's more or less it. As for the first time we went, it's pretty much the same as Greg's relatives, and that's probably because of international coverage of Japan. There's a huge bias in trying to portray the country as a weird, exotic, packed and out of the normal place when it really isn't. 12 years ago was even worse... we thought we wouldn't find food to eat well, we thought trains were always crazy packed (depending on the time and place they really are, but not all times), I thought I was doomed because I didn't know any japanese, etc. Oh, something that still surprises me is on diversity of spaces and the incredibly defined boundaries of them. Like, you get out on a train station that is modern, urban, tons of salary men waking in suits all around, etc... then you walk like two blocks and suddenly you are in the middle of an entirely empty, calm and quiet park. In Kyoto around the central stations you are surrounded by these huge modern buildings, lots of big brands, bunch of cars running around some large streets and all.... take a turn you are in an all pedestrian (Gion) street with old historic buildings and whatnot in an entirely different mood. At times it's super weird, like you went through a portal or something. The different Tokyo neighborhoods are all kinda unique. Oh well, wrote too much already. Anyways, great video!
I love Japan so so much! People are calm and well behaved. Things are well organized. The city is extremely clean. No air pollution! Food is fresh and yummilicious.
Your brother and sister in law got it right. We took our first trip to Japan this summer - two weeks between Tokyo and Kanazawa. Our impressions are the same. Not difficult to get around, get food, find destinations. People were nice and helpful. We expected crowds, but even Tokyo was not overwhelming, and it was quieter than any large US city, and much, much cleaner. I think your videos are great. Thanks.
That face mask thing really got me when I first visited Japan last year. I went to buy some clothes at Uniqlo in Osaka, and in the fitting room the staff told me to take off my shoes and climb up that wooden floor board in the cubicle and then she gave me this thing that looked like a small laundry net. I asked them what it was for, and surprise surprise, I had to use it to cover my head so that my make up (there was hardly any) won't stain the dress. That was one of the most memorable (and bizarre) things I've learned abt being in Japan.
My virgin trip to Japan was in 2010 and there were several things that shocked me. 1 The Japanese squat toilet. We do have squat toilet in Singapore but that oddly shaped designed looks gross. Besides that cover wouldn't cover anything and even when you pee squatting, that cover wouldn't stop the urine from spilling over. 2 The Japanese toilet with lots of buttons and that wash your private parts function. However, I could only imagine that they are thinking from the perspective that kids using the toilets themselves will be less hassle in that sense. 3 Trains are exceptionally quiet and most of my journey trains were empty as long as you avoided the office hour peak period. 4 There was once the waiter squat/kneel beside me to take our order at a restaurant. Although we have very little command of Japanese, we were pleased with the food and service. 5 There are some restaurants that required you to take off your shoes and the waitress actually used her bare hand to pick my shoes and put it in the locker and took it out when we leave. Since that trip I vowed that I would never visit another country other than Japan.
Thank you so much for the part about the shower cap! I've seen so many videos about onsen etiquette by people with very short hair. They mention that if you have long hair you have to put it up and not let it touch the water, but most said nothing about whether you have to rewash it every time right before going in and then put it up wet... one video mentioned that you need to wash your hair along with your body as though there were no other options... For some people, especially with very long hair, to wash it and then put it up securely is not a simple quick process.
In canada too we take shoes off in houses. Its making a mess and is dirty to keep shoes in the house, you spread all the dirt over the place =\ i think its mostly just americans who keeps shoes inside
Expectation: I've seen enough anime and youtube videos to know Japan is all about Reality: I can't even afford a plane ticket nor time off to visit the country in the first place...
Idk where you live but if it’s anywhere near southeast then plane tickets are like 600-800 bucks as of right now .if you plan on buying a ticket for next year now would be the best time
Here goes my experience! I watched many videos for years before visiting Japan. We went to tourist areas, so I can't comment on more rural areas, but this was my experience: Things I liked: - I expected bathrooms to be high tech, but they were more than that! In one of the places we stayed it was possible to dry clothes by hanging them in the shower room and pressing a button to dry the bathroom (and the clothes) overnight. Super convenient! And of course it washes your butt for you. What more could you want? - The shoe "obsession" is real and it's awesome. Those rules exist so that the floor is always clean and you can be barefoot, sit down or lie down on the floor, without any worries. At home we also remove our shoes at the entrance. It's a really good habit and I hope it spreads more around the world. - Pretty much everything is clean and well maintained. - Japanese are artists! Everything is beautiful, from buildings to food. I'm an Atheist, but I enjoyed seeing beautiful temples and gates on every street corner in Kyoto. - THE FOOD! The food is just amazing. The quality is really good and most things are healthy, besides being yummy and pretty. The sweets are especially awesome. Things I DIDN'T like: - The lack of environmental awareness. Whenever we went to a convenience store we were given everything we could possibly need to carry and consume the things we brought, for free. Plastic bags, plastic cutlery, disposable chopsticks, napkins, wet wipes, plastic straws, publicity pamphlets, etc... I seriously think I created more trash in Japan in 1 month than in London or Portugal in 1 year. - Lack of animal rights awareness. There are a lot of pet cafes that use animals that don't belong in that environment, like owls, hedgehogs, birds of prey, even penguins... It's animal cruelty. They keep them awake at times where they should have the option to hide and sleep, they don't have the space they need and can't fly, etc. Zoos and Aquariums often have horrible conditions too. There was even one famous elephant who stayed alone in a tiny zoo cage for all of her life, so she went mad. It's very sad. They also allow the sale of pure breed (inbreed) puppies and kittens in shops, as well as exotic animals. Also, most of the dogs I saw on the street were wearing completely unnecessary clothes and accessories. - I eat mostly plant based, but I decided to try ramen. Bad idea. Meat in Japan is very fatty and comes with the fat attached. I found it very heavy and oily and wasn't able to finish it. It just doesn't suit my taste. - It's very difficult to find vegan and even vegetarian food in Japan. And sometimes food comes with surprise meat! One time my salad came with ham. It wasn't on the picture or written in the menu. Japanese people simply assume everyone eats a "normal" diet and that's it. - Kyoto is CROWDED with Chinese tourists! This is something perhaps some tourists won't be able to tell the difference, but we were shocked. Chinese everywhere! And they're very noisy and inconsiderate, unlike the Japanese. - It's true that people in Japan are extremely polite and helpful. But we felt that employees in stores and people going to / coming from work were super stressed out, anxious and overworked. We never felt that people were genuinely interested in knowing us better and making friends. - Nobody washes their hands after going to the toilet! I was pretty shocked by this. They're clean freaks in so many other ways! So why not wash hands? - Maybe Onsen is good, but we only had the chance to try a Japanese Bath, which is a few degrees warmer. I felt like I was being cooked alive and couldn't keep my leg in there for more than a few seconds. And I take pretty hot baths!
I'm a year late, but as a Japanese with experience living overseas can confirm that almost all of the points in this comment are true (particularly the cons). The only part I would say isn't unique to Japan is the lack of enthusiasm at work - most employees stick to the manual as trained, and the stoicism is seen in the customer as well (who isn't necessarily looking for a random connection, or are afraid that talking to the staff would make them feel uncomfortable), plus there's no tipping so there's no real reason for them to be extra personable. Anyone who is genuinely just takes pride in giving good service and likes people.
Having traveled to other large cities like New York City and San Francisco, we are always in awe at how clean Tokyo and the other dense city areas are. We also noticed how quiet it can actually be as soon as you get off a main walkway. For my wife and I, we enjoyed walking around the cities and small towns, exploring areas that you would just pass by if we were driving in a car. Everyone we interacted with was very welcoming and friendly. The food is wonderful, the sights are incredible. No matter how long we stay it never seems like enough time.
Yes, I am a huge otaku weeb nerd, and I wanna live in Japan because My mom used to work there. And she described on how beautiful the country is and It made me even more weebish. Which fired up me being “Em gurna lev en Japon!!1!”
Nebula Blaze That's been my dream since I was younger too :D the culture is amazing, traditions are very unique and deep rooted and the people are nice. I'm proud to say this has not changed over the years. I'm still in love with Japan lol :D really hope to go visit someday
My first experiance was a 3 week vacation, as soon as I got used to the train system (which is super easy and took nothing more than 2 days) it was a very enjoyable stay. It was so much I got overwhelmed at the end, but that's encouraging me to visit again. I really love the country and the people that live there. Super welcoming, friendly, helpful, mindful. Such a great mindset I'm missing here in germany sometimes.
I just love your guys’ videos. They are so informative, but always enjoyable. It’s not like I’m sitting here watching an old school documentary. I love the amount of facts, yet actual experiences mentioned. These videos always make me want to visit Japan even more, every time I watch a new upload. Keep up the good work!
Narita Airport is in a totally different prefecture, so your brother's impression of 'Tokyo' is correct. I knew about ofuro etiquette, but I wrecked it the first time I had a tub to myself -- Father in law was not happy. The abundance of tech in the home was a bit startling, but the lack of tech at government offices was alarming. As for traffic, insurance law is far more punishing in Japan than in B.C. so drivers usually (not always) pay more attention to pedestrians in Japan. No towels - big problem at Kaminarimon. Nobody ever gave me a picnic at Enoshima - just a good hike and lots of cats. Shower caps are provided because your head is the dirtiest part of your body, according to Japan. Tokyo could be welcoming, or not - I was not allowed into a bank to transact, even though my spouse had an account there.
Narita may be in a different prefecture but it is practically the Tokyo international airport. The is only thing that matter is that Tokyo practically has two airports. With Haneda off loading Narita for domestic flight which could explain why Narita is "less" crowded that you would expect.
I think you missed the point of what the guy said, which was that 'from the sky...'. Tokyo has a lot of countryside. Of course Tokyo has 2 airports. Nobody said they didn't. You continue to say that Narita is "less" crowded than one would expect. I never said it wasn't. In fact, I agree with that. Narita was eerily less crowded than I would ever expect, even if it was coming into Golden Week or not. Less crowded than my major Canadian airport, and you continue to miss the point that land use is very different in Chiba-ken (Narita) than it is in Tokyo. And, not to put too fine a point on it - the guy was talking about first impressions: You killed your own argument when you said that Narita is practically the Tokyo International Airport. That's why travellers get the wrong impression of the real Tokyo... because it's not Tokyo. It's in the sticks.
I believe my brother was talking in reference to the outskirts of Tokyo. Before that my sister-in-law was mentioning that she thought it would be more densely populated. So he just thought it'd be more dense outside of Tokyo. I know they both also thought it'd be busier with the 23 wards itself as well.
Everyone should go, it’s an amazing experience. I wanna go to Osaka next time around, but downtown Tokyo is like no other city out there. The vibe is just unmatched and its a life changing experience
My experience of the train from Narita is that you *might* have 2 or 3 other people in the carriage with you - a few more on the return trip, but nothing compared to airport trains in Australia. I expected an experience like Hong Kong - chaotic from the minute you hit the street - but it was so much better than that. I'd go back to Japan in a heartbeat, and I cant say the same about many other countries in Asia (including Korea which sadly did little for me - perhaps Seoul simply isnt representative of the 'real' S Korea, but I felt like I may as well have flown to Melbourne as Seoul).
My story is the reverse of the question posed. I was born in Japan and moved to the US when I was 12(1967). In Japan my best friend was Portuguese. My neighbors were Dutch. I went to a Navy school. We lived in a Japanese neighborhood. I was surrounded by all ethnicities. was really surprised with the lack of diversity in Silver Springs, Maryland and the racism that existed. Not so much for me but my sister would come home from school everyday crying because we didn't look Caucasian. As we grew up in we realized how big the US was and how different all the regions were/are.
I was born and grew up in Japan as well, then moved to DFW area when I was in highschool. (1990) Japan is, for the most part, the same in vast majority of major cities, even the neighborhoods are pretty much identical across the nation. As much as the Japanese hate to admit it, it IS a very homogenized culture. In contrast America is VASTLY different from region to region, mainly due to the size of the country and the origin of different settlement through out the lands. As for racism and xenophobia... living here in the South, it's not any different than in Japan tbh. Americans love to exaggerate the stereotype of "Japanese xenophobia" while turning a blind eye to its own.
My kids and I arrived in Tokyo knowing a few words of Japanese and expecting a semi-Blade Runner type of experience. The weather was surprisingly hot, but we were just amazed how courteous and polite everyone was. How you could sort of let your guard down in this huge metropolis and explore and be really safe and not be scammed like you would in other major metropolitan areas in the world. The signage in public areas was pretty decent that we rarely got lost. We were caught a few times during rush hour riding the Metro or JR line packed in a subway car. But unlike other places, you didn't have to have your special geeky traveling neck wallet to keep your stuff safe.
A visit to Japan of at least three weeks is one of my unfulfilled dreams. It must be nice to have friends or relatives there to accommodate you and instruct you about the many do's and dont's. I liked the positive outlook of your brother and his family. Great to hear they found the island a relatively quiet place uncluttered by people. Regards from Belgium!
At coastal areas if they have seagulls they swoop in and grab. No talons or sharp beaks though. For example, at the Statue of Liberty. Protect your hot dog or you will lose it.
I was expecting to have a hard time understanding people because of language barrier, but I didn't have any problem, everyone is so kind and willing to help you even if you dont understand. It does get really packed in high peek ours specially in tokyo, but is not thaaaat bad people is really in their own business. Its a really nice experience to visit Japan, I'm planning to go again soon.
The friendliness is a BIG one. I was in Kanazawa taking photo of an old geisha house and this old lady spoke to me (Japanese) and said this place is a great place to take photos and asked me where I came from. I replied (in Japanese) Australia and she all of a sudden welcomed me to Kanazawa and to enjoy the city. You just don’t get this anywhere in the world.
When I visited Japan, Shinjuku and Harajuku were a let down. I hated the crowd. I went to other crowded places like Dotonbori in Osaka. But I didnt get annoyed as I was in Shinjuku and Harajuku. Maybe I am too old for that environment. When I explored the side streets, I had better experience. I was just like what I expected to be. It was just like in the manga I read. Normal and safe. I like that. 😊 But Kyoto was a different story. I don't know what's with Kyoto but when I was there it looked like a dream land. I dont know how to explain it. Kyoto exeeded my expectations.
I think Shinjuku and Harajuku are interesting. Locals do go there, even with the foreign tourists probably 90%+ are Japanese. But it is very crowded especially in weekends. Go during the week early in the day and it is fine. I agree though Kyoto is more interesting.
Emperor Palps well i went there because I am tourist. Duh! But I just spent a day to go to all the tourist areas in Tokyo. But in case my message didnt translate to you. I will say it directly. Go to the side streets. That’s more fun. Immerse. Tourist areas are annoying. Btw. Ur probably not Japanese. American? Coz ur rude.
juandenz2008 yes. Shinjuku and harajuku are interenting. I really think aside from the tourist crowds, the vibe and culture there are very different from the other places in Tokyo. I went there again during the day. There was no crowd but not as ‘lively’. I dont know what I prefer.
I really enjoyed this video. It was incredibly nostalgic to hear you brother and sister-in-law's first experience in Japan. Everything they said rang true to me for my first time in Japan. I think your brother and sister-in-law are quite charismatic people/interviewees and I would love to see more content like this in the future if possible. One thing I didn't expect was the amount of bowing that takes place - even small things like after making a purchase at a store. After awhile it becomes very habitual and somewhat innate to bow. I also found myself doing so on return home haha.
Went for the first time 3 years ago. Was better than expected. Then I went to study abroad in Kyoto for one year. Was honestly the best year of my life, and that's coming from a Norwegian. Going back there for a month next week
Alex Coreable This is my opinion but I guess it's because Asian food has more variety in general compared to American/European food, and some of them can get pretty hard to clean. Have you seen the colorful spices and grease bleeding from an Indian curry or Singaporean laksa, or Indonesian rendang? Or the many small dishes used in a single meal in Japanese/Korean food? Good luck trying to wash all that with a machine...
helios396 nah man theres that too but its as simple as every one of us in asia eats rice every day so dry bits of rice gets stuck on the plate which wouldn't get washed off if a dishwasher just sprayed soap and water on it so its more reliable really to scrub them up on your own if one really wants a nice and clean plate
xXxSkyViperxXx Lol I guess. That only happens with the rice cooker bowl in my family though. The plates must go under running water right after we're done eating so no dried rice. It'll only take 2-3 scrubs per plate when we're washing them haha. But yeah doing them by hand is a lot more reliable.
What were those signs saying "not suspicious" trying to convey? One says "not suspicious welcome", which leads me to believe they are trying to say "people who don't look suspicious are welcome", but that seems a little weird to me.
It's a bar and I think they're saying "This bar is not suspicious, please come in." You can see "NO CHARGE!!" (and we can't see here but there's "NO TAX!!" under it, too).
YEBISU38 has it correct. It's a bar in Golden Gai. It was the first time I've ever been to that area and before that I hadn't seen signs like it. I suppose it's because there are some tourist scams or cover charges in the area that foreigners are wary of.
+Life Where I'm From I dunno if it was me I think that would just convince me they were one of them. In my experience the number of times someone feels they need to point out that they are "totally legit not a scammer honest" is inversely correlated with the truth of those statements.
Very cool video Greg. I am eager to show it to our son. He has his visions of what he thinks Japan is really like, and my husband and I try to explain it to him, but this will be a great explanation. He is nervous about us moving there. Thanks!!
I was overwhelmed by おもてなし Japanese hospitality. I felt as though I was being treated like movie star. From Tokyo to Kagoshima. So many people went out of their way to help me. It wss the Japanese people who made my stay in their country so memorable.
By the Numbers me too
Gamz Neddyl get a life
I have never met such genuinely nice people as Japanese in rural areas. In the city it is a little little fake sometimes but very welcome still. In the mountains though, like they would give me treats and invite me to their places. Fighting with each other over who can let me stay more at their beautiful rich culture homes. The country is insane and should be closed to other countries to be honest. But how am I then going to get in?
@Gamz Neddyl maintaining the good impression I suppose
Can I just ask which place you enjoyed most?
Expectation: My daughter lives in Tokyo and speaks fluent Japanese. I know I will be fine.
Reality: After visiting her for two weeks, I felt comfortable enough to take the next two weeks and day trip my way around the country because I fell heart over heels in love with the culture, scenic beauty, and overall peaceful quality of life found in this amazing country. UPDATE: I have taken my fourth trip to Japan as a fair speaker, reader and writer of the Japanese launguage. My love and respect for this enigmatic country continues to grow each time that I visit. I wish Japan was my home❣️❣️❣️
How did she become fluent.
People fantasize over Japan a bit too much. People should know everyone experiences will be different.
that's pathetic. so it's only for masochist people
My Tokyo experience...
Expectation: Lots of tourists in anime shops
Reality: Lots of locals
Expectation: Many vending machines
Reality: Many many many vending machines!
Expectation: Expensive
Reality: Not as expensive as what most people say
Expectation: Trains are clean and quiet
Reality: Trains are super clean and super quiet!
Expectation: Language barrier
Reality: Not so much
Yep. Surprised me just how cheap it can be, far more so than European cities like Amsterdam and London
What a great summary!! Totally agree
What country are you from ?
I love how quiet the trains are here, in fact I have to keep reminding myself to use my "library voice", as I am one of "those loud Americans" my normal voice can be heard across a large gym! So I have to really work at being quiet so not to upset or startle the Japanese, which would be rude of me. :)
It's not expensive if you are from the US/UK or any Nordic country (because of the exchange rate) but it still remains one of the most expensive Asian countries.
Japan is very organised and orderly! Even being crushed like a sardine-in-a-can inside the rush hour train, no one said a word, there was no aggression, no one was hurt, no one was offended, it was a smooth-sailing process.
When I went back to Japan for a visit, my sister reminded me not to talk on the phone. People normally do not talk loud to bother other people on the train or street car.
Well, theres lot of gropers on the subways. They have women-only cars.
@@clemhfandango. I actually sat in one (I'm a guy). I didn't notice until a little ways into the trip, when I looked above my head and saw it clearly stated...in English...
I just kind of looked at all the women around me, who were kind of looking at me, and I laughed to myself and sort of bowed as if to say, "I'm sorry".
I was there a LONG time ago for a month, but I was working as a back up dancer for a Japanese singer (she died around the 2000 I think) but her name was Shuri Eiko. Her mother was a big choreographer at the Takarazuka. The reason I mention this is because it was not the typical tourist trip. For example, when we traveled by bullet train, the entire train car was rented for only 5 of us, the rest of the train car was empty to have privacy. We went out to high end meals with private rooms and such as well. They didn't have to treat us that well, but for a month we were treated with ultimate hospitality so much so that we didn't even have to pay for our meals and bar tabs at night during our month stay in Roppongi. I did pick up some Japanese so I could go shopping by myself and was once told by a person at some department store that I had a cute accent (when speaking Japanese). This long winded post is to simply say that I have wonderful memories of my stay in Japan and it went way beyond my expectations.
Lots of people asked this. The scene at the end was taken at 千鳥ヶ淵公園 (Chidorigafuchi Park) goo.gl/maps/JrVELjZyPdN2. It's located around the Imperial Palace in Chiyoda, Tokyo. This was a day after peak cherry blossom in late March. We really lucked out with the fantastic weather.
I would love to know the onsen that you guys visited so that I could note it down for our next trip! We're planning to go onsen hopping lol
If you look at the How to Survive Your First Hour in Japan, I showed an onsen near Narita airport. There are a ton of onsens around Japan, so it really depends on where you will be located.
That is an absolutely stunning scene!
Quick question if I happen to go to Japan like around 17 of april are there still cherry blossoms blooming in tokyo?
My first time in Japan.
Expectation: High.
Reality: More than met expectation.
Ken narville
Here too really?
Ken narville sounds like you’re the one being racist. How hypocritical
@Ken narville As for spitting volcanoes, that's in Hawaii and southeast Asia; earthquakes are no more frequent than in San Francisco; infernal heats are in the southern parts of the country that equal the latitudes of Mexico; Fukushima radiation is in Fukushima; and being indirectly racist is far better than the full racist you get in other parts of the world, especially in America. Just stay home.
@Kemm Miarvil That's pretty sad that you judge based on what you've heard from others. Japan is so unique, beautiful and amazing. Spitting volcanoes? Who lied to you? LOL
The Osaka airport was the same for me: there seemed to be very few people there. The first thing I noticed when arriving was how very clean the trains were. Clean and free from vandalism of any kind. Here, people vandalize everything and the seats on the train here have been changed to stainless steel to try and prevent vandalism... of course vandals are very persistent here, not to mention petty thieves who seal everything -- in Japan, I left my bag on the train, and it was still there when some attendants fetched it for me many stations away from where I got off. I talked to foreigners who left their umbrellas, or wallets, and other things at bus stops, or other public places only to find them still there the next day or turned into the local police box. The lack of vandalism, garbage, and petty thievery was very refreshing.
Yeah, I've left my bag on the train twice, and recovered it quickly both times.
Osaka airport is awesome! they don't charge you premium prices like most airport do for food. they are essentially a shopping mall so the prices of food are very similar to that of restaurant outside of the airport.
When I first entered in Japan (2015) it was in Kansai airport and I waited more than 2 hours with hundreds of people to go through passport check. It was horrible! Well, after that everything was way more than perfect, so I don't regret it at all and I will come back again. :)
I've heard the same thing on other UA-cam videos! It's amazing how you could sit at Starbucks with your laptop and phone and be able to go use the washroom without fear of someone walking off with your things! :D
Whereas in America I left my wallet in a bathroom and just accepted that I had to cancel all of my cards. Surprisingly this nice elderly woman found my address and brought my wallet back to me!
I remember the first time I went to Japan, I expected lots of vending machines, but when I got there, it STILL took me by surprise just how many vending machines there are around.
I agree!. I miss them (esp. their Boss coffee)
Even on the mountain i hiked in japan had a freakin vending machine along the way. It glowed in the night like a living beast, it was surreal
Oh, I cut out a part where he was talking about vending machines. My brother and nephew really enjoyed them. They made a game out of going around and trying new flavours. I had never thought about it before, but with each vending machine carrying 30-40 different drinks, a set of 3 of them can have almost 100 choices. There are repeats, of course, but still it was an impressive selection of beverages for them.
I completely agree! I absolutely love the fact that vending machines are nearly everywhere! I'm from Japan and still didn't expect this when I visited last year as I had forgot *almost everything!
There are whole youtube channels on them. Even a channel on retro machines with nixie tubes that dispense hamburgers, udon etc
I lived in Japan for 12 years. Your videos are the most accurate, most informative and most entertaining I’ve seen so far... Thank you.
Expectation : Japanese are frightened by foreigners
Reality : Japanese are so open to foreigners and interested
I'll add to this and say my experience changed depending on where I was. In Tokyo, I honestly can't recall more than a handful of occasions where someone has talked to me out of the blue. But the more remote the location is in Japan, the more I've had conversations with strangers. My best experience was going to Amami Oshima, which is a small island half way between Okinawa and Kyushu, that doesn't get many foreign tourists. Had many nice conversations and the people were so friendly!
My family travelled to Tokyo in November of last year and it was an awesome experience. I especially enjoyed the less crowded, less commercial areas. The highlight for me was when we went to Nihon Minka-en museum in Kawasaki because it was where we had a more or less, extensive interaction with the locals. They conversed with us in English and were asking us how life was where we’re from.
We definitely want to go back and experience Japan again soon.
Gumm Neddiack
I definitely experienced a little bit of xenophobia especially traveling with my grandparents as they come from a naturally louder culture, so they naturally bring a bit of their culture with them. I wouldn't say they looked down on other cultures, more so, just worried and conscious about the disruption of order in their culture, so there are a bit of prejudices as a result of these preconceived notions I'm sure. Although, there are so many people too who even seem interested in foreigners, even young children who will sometimes come up to you often so as to practice their English skills.
Gumm Neddiack
I reflected too. My comment was an exaggeration. They are reserved and wary as a culture for sure but I guess I like to think that people's mentalitoes maybe especially of younger people are becoming more fluid and changing the face of their society. They are very nationalistic so you are right they will carry some slanted opinion of others with a lot of bias and ignorance.
mjstudios97 He's anti Japanese,n he post lies about Japan everywhere
My husband and I traveled to The Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and Hakone area last year around this time. We're from Los Angeles and we thought we were used to the city but nooo. It was a lot crowded in some of the obvious areas, but what we loved was that despite the crowds it was still very organized and respectful. If it was that crowded here in LA, people would be bumping into each other and not caring about where the other is going. However, when we were in some of the more crowded areas in Tokyo or even the main train station in Kyoto, it felt like there was this unspoken rule or plan of organization that kept things moving and flowing smoothly. Another thing I had to get used to was NOT tipping! I felt horrible leaving and not tipping, it was just very weird doing so since here in the states it is pretty much expected of you TO TIP. The service was still incredible, it was even better than the service I would receive here when I am expected to tip.
We were lucky enough to stay there for an entire month and I have to admit that It was very relaxing. Even though when we went it was spring break for some of the schools in the Tokyo area lol
One of the most interesting things about Tokyo is how so many people live there, yet it operates so smoothly.
you doesn't know their culture
I've visited Japan once and it was a great experience. It's hard to describe but I felt both excited and at peace during my trip. I got lost several times in the middle of nowhere with no one around which, normally, would freak me out but I was as cool as a cucumber! I think being in Japan had a lot to do with it.
madisoned Same thing happened to me. I felt so at peace amongst thousands of people.
I grew up there and returned when i was 19. I'm 31 now and living in the US. I miss the total silence and the cold. As depressing as that is to some. Its my bliss. And im an extrovert. I know i will return permanently.
I would assume your a US citizen by now. Would it be hard for you to permanently move back to Japan? like renounce your citizenship with the States or apply dual citizenship?
@@harsep Hey! I was born on a US base. If i remember correctly, Japan doesn't do dual citizenship. So yeah your going to have to go visa or surrender your citizenship.
@@harsep oh i i went there twice aswell
@@stratbid18 Thanks for replying! Could I assume your mom is Japanese? and u probably speak conversational japanese since you grew up there? My parents knew a couple where the guy was a US Navy and married a japanese woman. The kid was born and raised in the States but when the dad died unexpectantly the mother went back to Japan along with the kid.My parents went to visit her like 10 years later and was told the kid assimilated to Japanese culture and spoke Japanese instead of English considering he looks more white than Japanese since the dad was white. I guess he prefers living there than in the states.
@@harsep actually no shes Filipino. I just grew up there and yes i could speak broken Japanese now but it was so much better before.
I just want to say your videos are so interesting and great quality.
I do.
No One Is Listening Until I Fart !!! Good thing nobody asked you right?
I recently went to Japan and I totally fell in love with everything the country has to offer. Of course, I was a tourist from the Philippines and everything is an upgrade over what we have. The only downside is that I never wanted to go home! I totally wanted to stay, settle down with my family and live there for the rest of my life. It felt like Japan is the perfect country for me. The food is nice, the people are friendly, respectful and very orderly. And the transportation is OMG! The Japanese public transport is definitely the best in the world!
@KarloDeCastro did you have a hard time getting a tourist visa there like the USA or Austrialia?
Well I appreciate you coming to Japan and enjoying your stay here . But Japan is only home to the Japanese, what makes japan so great is the japanese people, if japan allows too many immigrants in , it will ruin our great country just like France.
even filmippinos does more efforts being natural with foreigners than any mechical japanese
Greg(and family) The more I watch your videos, the more I really would love to visit Japan. When I was younger(I am 62 yrs old) I had a very keen interest in Japan when I was in grade school. My sister was going with a young man that was in the US Air Force at the time, and he would go to Japan for vacations etc. He sent me & my sisters some things from Japan, I was really thrilled to get the gift of a Kimono at the time, it's actually packed away in my things that I have saved over the years.
I found the video with your brother & his family really nice. Greg, you do such a great job with your videos....I have learned a lot about Japan from you that I didn't know.
Thanks so much !
I look forward to your videas Greg, Aiko, & Shin
Being Swiss I got the no shoe in the house obsession too. And I love the silent trains and walking / biking everywhere + it keeps you healthy.
The crowd was a big thing for me especially in Tokyo, I remember arriving at Akihabara and bracing myself for the crowd (it was the first day of holidays for Japanese student so a lot was happening) but I literally didn't feel like I was in a crowd, I wasn't pushed around, I could walk easily, access the shops and everything. Obviously I was being careful not to push people and all but it was so comfortable!
I have yet to visit Japan, but I did live and work in Hawaii as a dolphin trainer and even with my terribly basic Japanese, the guests followed instructions and were much more courteous and aware than the American guests during dolphin interaction programs. My direct supervisor was from Japan and after my first day of work, he invited me into his home where his wife cooked an amazing traditional meal. It was experiences like this that really made me appreciate the culture and want to visit someday!
The thing I struggled with most was... bike traffic! I was constantly looking over my shoulder trying to make sure I stayed in the "proper" side, but they kept alternating! Obasaaaan, don't run me over!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Don't mess with the obachans on their mama-charis lol
It's been over a decade since I first visited Japan, but I've been back since. Growing up reading a lot of shoujo slice-of-life manga, I definitely had a lot of preconceived notions about what life in Japan would be like, but for the most part Japan met or exceeded my expectations. Here's my list of 10 surprises I encountered when I first started living in Japan:
1. Sushi in Japan is maki, nigiri, or sashimi...no fancy rolls like in America. Dubbed Digimon led me to believe California rolls would be available in Japan--HA!
2. How kind strangers could be. Even with my limited Japanese, people always went out of their way to help me.
3. How good the food actually is. Japan smells amazing and tastes amazing. So.Much.Good.Food.
4. How clean EVERYTHING is. And the pride people take in keeping their homes, neighborhoods, and work places clean.
5. Work culture. Learning to be less direct and to solutions before making complaints, and discovering that there's no reciprocity. That last one was a big change--I've worked for the American government in Japan and a private Japanese business
In American work culture, you often have to foster relationships before you ask for favors. In Japan, asking someone to do something that's already their job is not seen as a favor. When I expressed my gratitude when my colleagues did something for me, they thought that was kind of strange--it was their job, after all! Perhaps it's because in Japanese work places, gratitude is expressed for work that is done well every day: if someone did something well, you praised them, and at the end of every day you thank everyone you work with for putting in a hard day of work. Also, for the most part, everyone I worked with also held themselves accountable to a fault.
6. How peaceful Tokyo can be. Not just in parks-- how Japanese people try to carve out moments of tranquility everyday: whether though a quiet cafe with lots of indoor plants, an evening walk through your neighborhood, or a visit to your local shrine.
7. Homelessness in Tokyo and how it is handled/viewed, especially the neighborhood I lived in, made me really feel discouraged. I learned more about that particular issue on this channel than I did living in Japan.
8. How green the country is! How beautiful the natural landscapes are.
9. The pride in doing even the most mundane tasks well and beautifully. How much craftsmanship is valued and honored.
10. How much at home I could feel there. I've been lucky enough to live in multiple countries and have traveled extensively, and there's no place like Japan. If I could find full time employment there, I'd go back in a heartbeat.
Ah, another commenter reminded me if the squat toilets! I avoided them until I had no choice and now I find I actually prefer them when I travel around Asia. Glad I had my first experiences with squatty potties in Japan! 😂
@Ken narville you might be the worst troll I've ever seen.
is it just me or are 3 signs that say "not Suspicious" on one door a little suspicious?
Weird
I think the shop owner wanted to say "It's not as suspicious as it looks so please come in, you are welcome !"
That's in Golden Gai, a district known for weird theme bars, so that might be intentional.
There are some bar that charge you extra fees without telling the customer so they really meant to say "we don't charge you any extra charges." They should change to that. I was born there and currently live in LA but when I go to Japan, I find some funny English sign there sometimes.
Hello, I came for the first time to Japan this month (April/2018) and right now I'm living in Yokohama.
At first the walking was intense for me, my feet hurt every time I came back to my dorm. However, that got away after 4 to 5 days. Now I enjoy the walking and cycling culture and even bought a normal city bike for going grocery shopping and sometimes to university (which is about 7 km away from where I live).
The contrast wasn't that much since I have seen various youtube videos about the culture and also have studied Japanese. I can fairly communicate with people that talk to me at the train (mostly older and friendly women) or even do shopping or asking for directions when I get lost (which has been frequent, but there is always a good sight to enjoy during those times). I think the gap between my expectations and reality wasn't wide because in the end I think of Japan as a country with a very conscious and respectful people and that's what I have experienced so far. In fact, what caught me off guard was the friendliness since I have read that most japanese people are not prone to social interaction with foreigners or even other japanese people...guess that isn't my case.
Yokohama is a young city for what I've heard, but it's a very beautiful one and I expect to experience more and more japanese culture since I'm hopefully going to stay for about 2 years.
Thanks for your video. This is the 3rd that I've watched and all of them have been very helpful, specially the one about how survive the first hour in Japan.
I have been to Japan 3 times to several different areas thanks to my daughter who was a teacher there for 6 plus year. Each times was wonderful and a unique experience. If I was younger I would probably want to live there. Love the feeling, the rural areas and the contrast between the city. Would definitely want to live, work and purchase a home in Japan.✨
I know introverts could fit in Japan.
That is me.
Yes! My dream is to one day either live/visit japan.
@VeryTalented Channel Name Well being public behind a screen is the standard introvert interaction with the rest of the world😂
my true home
Whoa there watch your name man
Thank you for another nice and informative video. I seen a lot of your videos and always love the way it is set up to demonstrate life in Japan.
I visited Japan (Osaka)in 2016 and my experience was great. The people were very helpful. When I was unable to find my hotel, an elderly lady helped me figure out my directions. At the train station, the customer service guy helped me out in choosing the best route to take for my trip. I speak a moderate amount of Japanese which helped in conversations as well. Even at restaurants I could get by with asking for vegetarian food (yasai-dake, niku to sakana ha tabemasen). Osaka however seemed to require a higher level of Japanese language knowledge than what was portrayed for Tokyo in the video.
During my hike up Mount Fuji, I met a Japanese elderly gentleman and a lady of my age who hiked up with me all the way. The girl could speak English fairly comfortably (except when she had to think up a particular word) but the gentleman was not as good at it. We could still talk throughout the day in a mix of English and my rudimentary Japanese. They were very friendly, inviting me with them to the onsen (hot spring) at the end of the hike.
+Life Where I'm From: Where is the boating and cherry blossoms scene at 13:44 from? Where in Japan can you experience this? It was so pretty!
Chidorigafuchi Park
Life Where I'm From: Thank you
japan is nice when you're a tourist and when people want your money, putting on an impression.
Try come to Japan to work as a foreign worker, competing with the japanese for their jobs. you'll see how "nice" they are.
I've been living in a rural area of Japan for about 5 months now. When I first got here I thought everything was awesome, so impressed with all the little conveniences and how people are so conscious of what they are doing, and incredibly efficient (everyone appears to have an unusual amount of common sense by American standards). There are no issues with workplace messes or inconsiderate behavior (that I have heard of). I was very surprised that there is so much English signage in my town. There is a nearby tourist destination that boasts one of Japan's many cat islands, but I have only ever seen domestic tourists and those from China and other nearby Asian countries. It seems amazing to see all the English everywhere, but maybe I should have expected it with English a part of the curriculum and Assistant Language Teachers dispersed throughout even the most rural areas of Japan. Thanks for the video! It's interesting to see how different people react to Japan's culture!
I watch a lot of “Only in Japan”, “Life Where I’m From”, and many more travel vlogs, so it gave me a solid idea of what Japan was.
We love Japan so much! And we will definitely comeback. Exceeded our expectations. Our kids even not wanting to go back home yet.
Japan was everything i expected and more! I will be going back in 2 weeks! This is my 3rd visit in 3 years :)
The one thing that really surprised me about Japan, was that everything was exactly as I expected it. All those UA-cam videos are really accurate.
I honestly had very high expectations but the reality was even greater. It turned out to be my best traveling experience so far!
Going to Japan for the first time in a couple months, your videos (and other peoples) really help to ease the anxiety of going to a place so foreign to your own country.
On our honeymoon we were surprised by the weather (hot and humid), the deer in Nara, the amazing food for so cheap (we had heard stories about $$$), the amazing food in a ryokan, and the condition of every train and taxi. It exceeded every expectation we had and we can't wait to go back.
Yes, so hot and humid in the summer. I was not expecting that the first time. Eating out was also cheaper than I thought it would be.
It’s 3.45 AM in Sweden, I don’t have any important things tomorrow morning, was about to turn off WIFI but then *P O O F* a video by LWIF
Yayyyy I saw the poll for this video, so excited you decided on this!
Fascinating that people are surprised about taking shoes off. This is a culture that eats and lives on the floor or close to it. So of course you wouldn’t want people tracking in dirt that could get in your food or clothing, in your bedding, etc.
I wish you would do an outdoor activity video on Japan. I live in tohoku and i find the lack of outdoor activities like mountin biking and hiking very frustrating. Back in the states there were tons of hiking trails everywhere and you could easily find mountain biking areas too. Japan has all these amazing mountains, but very limited access based on my experience
Did a few of them. Check the travel videos playlist :-)
I've done lots of hiking in Tohoku. There are tons of hiking trail. You should buy some guide book that is written in Japanese.
Hakone! Hike the foot hills around Mt Fuji and stay in a nice ryokan with onsen to relax in after a days hiking... Also Miyajima island near Hiroshima and rent a kayak!
I really enjoyed my trip to Japan recently. It was much better than I had expected, with top class helpfulness from everybody on the street jumping in to help whenever I ask for direction. Overall I find the Japanese people very helpful and go out of their way to make sure that I am being help. Beautiful and clean. My only issues is that the houses are way too small especially in Tokyo, however in the countryside the accommodation is considerably bigger. I love Kyoto being the cultural centre of Japan, is beautiful. The public transport, especially the train network is so extensive and makes travelling convenient.
A dish washer is not essential, it's called using your hand and a sponge. Less water wasted and it's faster too. XD A microwave is more essential.
it exceeded my expectations. watching japan during my childhood in 90s in cartoons/manga and experiencing it in flesh was surreal! especially the sakura peak!! its like heaven. the beauty and the calmness and the serenity of tokyo despite being in top mega cities in the world was outstanding
I'm Jamaican but I love Japanese culture for some reason. Would love to learn the language but it wouldnt make a sense since I dont plan to live there. Nontheless I can't wait to visit one day!
Same. I'm doing Japanese as my minor at UWI. I plan to live there for a few years on the JET programme but probably not permanently.
I learned it and I don’t plan on living there. I did it for fun. You can do it! It’s not as hard as it seems. It can seem intimidating at first but, one you memorize the first two writing systems (which aren’t hard), you will have an easier time learning the rest. If you enjoy languages, I’d say give it a try!
SurferGirl yeah but if I learn it and dont plan to live there, then I'll be forgetting everything I learned if I dont maintain it on a daily basis. Thats a lot of mental energy
Donnie R Not to mention the fact that after you get through the beginner's stages, Japanese becomes real piece of work. My class is currently dying because of the grammar. Learning Keigo almost feels like learning the whole language over again! At some point learning Japanese becomes a real labour of love and if you don't plan to use it you're better off admiring it from a distance.
Kira Suzuki Exactly! Kanji is what really turned me off. It sucks cause it would be such a nice language to learn since I watch a lot of anime and read manga. Its nice your learning it tho. I wish I was in your shoes
It's been 5 years now and still miss beautiful Yokohama.
That's weird - I'd say 99% of toilets we went to in Tokyo, Nara and Kyoto had not only ample amounts of soap, but also seat disinfectant fluid.
That very last shot in your video of 千鳥ヶ淵 at night. Just breathtaking! Simply GORGEOUS.
Your brother is an intelligent, articulate fellow. Seems like a nice guy who enjoys a good conversation.
This women was so genuine. God Bless your Happy Family.
This helped alot, my dream is to visit Japan & maybe even live there 💕
I worked for Hitachi in Australia in their power systems and computer division. I had to spend one week a month in Japan. Once you got used to the customs, its a very easy country to like. Given the chance I would live there in a heartbeat. Some of the tings I got to understand:
1. Its government policy that Japan does not import rice. It has to be self sufficient so thats why you see rice paddies everywhere, sometimes in the city. These can never be built on.
2. Politeness is very important. Raising your voice is considered very rude.
3. Do not use your mobile phone on public transport or in very public areas.
4. Cheap food is available everywhere. At Hitachi, executives typically arrive at work at 10am and work through to 6-7pm. You cannot go home until your boss or supervisor has. Usually you would go out and have dinner and arrive home at 10pm. The mornings are family time.
5. Young people are always keen to practice their English. Its compulsory at high school. They are good at reading and written, but conversation can be difficult. Most young people travel a lot so English is becoming ubitqutous and most signs also have an English translation, specially in the cities..
6. Few Japanese, except business owners or more wealthy can afford a car. To keep congestion down in the cities, to get a drivers license is very time consuming and expensive. To buy a car you have to have off street parking and an inspector will come around to see you do.
7. Taxis are clean and reliable. My office used to wtite down where I needed to go on a card and I gave that to the driver. Taxi drivers are respected and they earn a good living. They have to keep their cars spotless.
8. Do not come to Japan and commit a crime. There is no right to silence. Something like shoplifting or pickpocketing you will be arrrested and they can keep you for 72 hours. When you are interviewed you cannot have a lawyer present. The 72 hours is extended to 20 days if the evidence is strong. They will get you a lawyer if you contest the charges. That can be extended in lots of 20 days. If you confess, you will go to trial in about three months and then if found guilty, common theft would land you in jail for another 6-12 months. You will then be deported and get a life travel ban.
I think i am in love with japan, i used to only like korea for kpop, the food, and other things but wow i may just go to japan one day.
I think the observations about the tissue, the convenience stores, and the hawks are spot on. One of the things I love about Japan... and the free tissues handed out!
I travelled to Japan for the first time this July, and I think for me, Japan had some big surprises.
Language: I expected to have a hard time getting around without understanding any Japanese. It was actually quite easy. Most signs are in English, or there are pictures to make it easy. Whilst the English speaking ability of people could vary considerably, most people seemed to understand me reasonably well, and everybody we met were really helpful. We could break the communication barrier with them saying a few words in English or with gestures etc. Some Japanese words are similar to English, and I learned a few random phrases that really helped me.
The toilets: I knew Japan had fancy electronic toilets like bidet and heated seat, but I kind of assumed that was just in rich peoples houses and fancy hotels. They are actually everywhere, including the airport, some train stations, restaurants, bars etc. The options are not just bidet and heated seat, but also fans, playing running water sound and a few others I didn't understand. It was nice.
The air conditioner and other remotes: Lots of buttons, very confusing. Enough said. Some hotels had printed out an explanation of the buttons in English, I took a photo of that and used it for reference later on.
Very polite, friendly, helpful people. Its one thing to read about it, but experiencing it is amazing. You feel very safe everywhere you go, in a way that doesn't really happen at home. Very low crime, nobody tries to scam you, or harass you or steal from you. Shop owners dont try and rip you off, or force a sale. Everyone just seems intent on doing the best job possible which is really quite a nice experience.
I was in Japan for about a month during the world scout jamboree 2015 and stayed with a local family for a day with some travel companions and honestly my biggest surpirise was when the family treated us to some grapes as desert and they started sucking out the insides of the grapes. The fact that you could separate the inside from the outside so easily without peeling the grape completely blew my mind!
Also the lack of trashbins and the overabundance of vending machines but.... not as much as the grapes.....
I went to Japan 12 years ago, and then went back this year with the same crew (7 family members, only one friend of the family couldn't go unfortunately).
So, expectations vs reality completely different, but here we go.
We really noticed a dramatic increase of tourists, specially chinese tourists.
Spots that were already popular like Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto, Ueno park in the last days of sakura, Asakusa Kanon temple, and even at hotels or Narita airport in busy times - it was almost unbearable with that many tourists. I think Golden Week gets pretty packed all around, but probably with less foreigners.
Next time I'm thinking of going way earlier (before sakura blossoming) for some quieter visits.
I wouldn't say it was disappointing, and I'm not blaming all chinese tourists, but sometimes it was pretty bad... like guides screaming full lungs in chinese, groups blocking streets, stuff like that. Some foreigners are super rude... you do encounter the occasional rude japanese I guess, but I gotta say that most of the times we had problems were with foreigners. Nothing dramatic though.
In Kyoto I kinda got some info completely wrong (don't blindly trust the Internets people), I wanted to go to Arashiyama to see the bamboo forest, but we ended up in a completely different temple way in the boonies that we had a very hard time getting back to Kyoto station. Some of my relatives will disagree, but for me personally it ended up being great... because it had almost no tourists... in fact almost no one. Shoden-ji temple, had only a relatively small zen-garden in a dilapidated temple. It was a really nice break from the crowds...
Like I said in another post, I'm a smoker myself (sorry again), and I did expect to see more smokers around considering that Japan had a lot of smokers... still has? I was surprised by laws forbidding smoking in public, by the rooms and specific spaces made for smokers, and how few smokers I saw during the trip overall.
And I honestly agree with the entire thing... I kinda wish to have a "smokers room" just like the one that the first hotel we stayed has. Equipped full of filters and whatnot.
The only place that was really packed with smokers was Akiba, in the place reserved for smoking I mean... and a good part were tourists.
Hmmm... what else? Oh, Suica is super convenient. xD It's been 12 years, so of course lots of stuff will change, but some places we went in the first trip and went again this time were almost unrecognizable - specially around Tokyo. Two places I really regret we didn't make time to go - Fuji-san and a Tokyu Hands store. Then again, this time I could spend almost 4 days in Akiba, so can't complain. Guess that's more or less it.
As for the first time we went, it's pretty much the same as Greg's relatives, and that's probably because of international coverage of Japan. There's a huge bias in trying to portray the country as a weird, exotic, packed and out of the normal place when it really isn't. 12 years ago was even worse... we thought we wouldn't find food to eat well, we thought trains were always crazy packed (depending on the time and place they really are, but not all times), I thought I was doomed because I didn't know any japanese, etc.
Oh, something that still surprises me is on diversity of spaces and the incredibly defined boundaries of them. Like, you get out on a train station that is modern, urban, tons of salary men waking in suits all around, etc... then you walk like two blocks and suddenly you are in the middle of an entirely empty, calm and quiet park. In Kyoto around the central stations you are surrounded by these huge modern buildings, lots of big brands, bunch of cars running around some large streets and all.... take a turn you are in an all pedestrian (Gion) street with old historic buildings and whatnot in an entirely different mood.
At times it's super weird, like you went through a portal or something. The different Tokyo neighborhoods are all kinda unique.
Oh well, wrote too much already. Anyways, great video!
I love Japan so so much! People are calm and well behaved. Things are well organized. The city is extremely clean. No air pollution! Food is fresh and yummilicious.
Expectation: Japan
Reality: Japan
Your brother and sister in law got it right. We took our first trip to Japan this summer - two weeks between Tokyo and Kanazawa. Our impressions are the same. Not difficult to get around, get food, find destinations. People were nice and helpful. We expected crowds, but even Tokyo was not overwhelming, and it was quieter than any large US city, and much, much cleaner. I think your videos are great. Thanks.
I was just about to go to bed in America then I saw this😂
That face mask thing really got me when I first visited Japan last year. I went to buy some clothes at Uniqlo in Osaka, and in the fitting room the staff told me to take off my shoes and climb up that wooden floor board in the cubicle and then she gave me this thing that looked like a small laundry net. I asked them what it was for, and surprise surprise, I had to use it to cover my head so that my make up (there was hardly any) won't stain the dress. That was one of the most memorable (and bizarre) things I've learned abt being in Japan.
My virgin trip to Japan was in 2010 and there were several things that shocked me.
1 The Japanese squat toilet. We do have squat toilet in Singapore but that oddly shaped designed looks gross. Besides that cover wouldn't cover anything and even when you pee squatting, that cover wouldn't stop the urine from spilling over.
2 The Japanese toilet with lots of buttons and that wash your private parts function. However, I could only imagine that they are thinking from the perspective that kids using the toilets themselves will be less hassle in that sense.
3 Trains are exceptionally quiet and most of my journey trains were empty as long as you avoided the office hour peak period.
4 There was once the waiter squat/kneel beside me to take our order at a restaurant. Although we have very little command of Japanese, we were pleased with the food and service.
5 There are some restaurants that required you to take off your shoes and the waitress actually used her bare hand to pick my shoes and put it in the locker and took it out when we leave.
Since that trip I vowed that I would never visit another country other than Japan.
Meng Lee Lim You sound like an incel
So long you dun live and work there:) heard the work culture over there is toxic...
Thank you so much for the part about the shower cap! I've seen so many videos about onsen etiquette by people with very short hair. They mention that if you have long hair you have to put it up and not let it touch the water, but most said nothing about whether you have to rewash it every time right before going in and then put it up wet... one video mentioned that you need to wash your hair along with your body as though there were no other options... For some people, especially with very long hair, to wash it and then put it up securely is not a simple quick process.
In canada too we take shoes off in houses. Its making a mess and is dirty to keep shoes in the house, you spread all the dirt over the place =\ i think its mostly just americans who keeps shoes inside
People who walk around with shoes in houses are psychopaths
This takes me back to my 3 and a bit years in Tokyo in the late 80s/early 90s. It took me a long time to adjust to life back in England.
Expectation: I've seen enough anime and youtube videos to know Japan is all about
Reality: I can't even afford a plane ticket nor time off to visit the country in the first place...
Idk where you live but if it’s anywhere near southeast then plane tickets are like 600-800 bucks as of right now .if you plan on buying a ticket for next year now would be the best time
Your video quality is breathtaking. Great editing and your voice is so soothing. Such a class act man. Love it.
Here goes my experience! I watched many videos for years before visiting Japan. We went to tourist areas, so I can't comment on more rural areas, but this was my experience:
Things I liked:
- I expected bathrooms to be high tech, but they were more than that! In one of the places we stayed it was possible to dry clothes by hanging them in the shower room and pressing a button to dry the bathroom (and the clothes) overnight. Super convenient! And of course it washes your butt for you. What more could you want?
- The shoe "obsession" is real and it's awesome. Those rules exist so that the floor is always clean and you can be barefoot, sit down or lie down on the floor, without any worries. At home we also remove our shoes at the entrance. It's a really good habit and I hope it spreads more around the world.
- Pretty much everything is clean and well maintained.
- Japanese are artists! Everything is beautiful, from buildings to food. I'm an Atheist, but I enjoyed seeing beautiful temples and gates on every street corner in Kyoto.
- THE FOOD! The food is just amazing. The quality is really good and most things are healthy, besides being yummy and pretty. The sweets are especially awesome.
Things I DIDN'T like:
- The lack of environmental awareness. Whenever we went to a convenience store we were given everything we could possibly need to carry and consume the things we brought, for free. Plastic bags, plastic cutlery, disposable chopsticks, napkins, wet wipes, plastic straws, publicity pamphlets, etc... I seriously think I created more trash in Japan in 1 month than in London or Portugal in 1 year.
- Lack of animal rights awareness. There are a lot of pet cafes that use animals that don't belong in that environment, like owls, hedgehogs, birds of prey, even penguins... It's animal cruelty. They keep them awake at times where they should have the option to hide and sleep, they don't have the space they need and can't fly, etc. Zoos and Aquariums often have horrible conditions too. There was even one famous elephant who stayed alone in a tiny zoo cage for all of her life, so she went mad. It's very sad. They also allow the sale of pure breed (inbreed) puppies and kittens in shops, as well as exotic animals. Also, most of the dogs I saw on the street were wearing completely unnecessary clothes and accessories.
- I eat mostly plant based, but I decided to try ramen. Bad idea. Meat in Japan is very fatty and comes with the fat attached. I found it very heavy and oily and wasn't able to finish it. It just doesn't suit my taste.
- It's very difficult to find vegan and even vegetarian food in Japan. And sometimes food comes with surprise meat! One time my salad came with ham. It wasn't on the picture or written in the menu. Japanese people simply assume everyone eats a "normal" diet and that's it.
- Kyoto is CROWDED with Chinese tourists! This is something perhaps some tourists won't be able to tell the difference, but we were shocked. Chinese everywhere! And they're very noisy and inconsiderate, unlike the Japanese.
- It's true that people in Japan are extremely polite and helpful. But we felt that employees in stores and people going to / coming from work were super stressed out, anxious and overworked. We never felt that people were genuinely interested in knowing us better and making friends.
- Nobody washes their hands after going to the toilet! I was pretty shocked by this. They're clean freaks in so many other ways! So why not wash hands?
- Maybe Onsen is good, but we only had the chance to try a Japanese Bath, which is a few degrees warmer. I felt like I was being cooked alive and couldn't keep my leg in there for more than a few seconds. And I take pretty hot baths!
I'm really sorry for this but - you sound really picky.
I'm a year late, but as a Japanese with experience living overseas can confirm that almost all of the points in this comment are true (particularly the cons). The only part I would say isn't unique to Japan is the lack of enthusiasm at work - most employees stick to the manual as trained, and the stoicism is seen in the customer as well (who isn't necessarily looking for a random connection, or are afraid that talking to the staff would make them feel uncomfortable), plus there's no tipping so there's no real reason for them to be extra personable. Anyone who is genuinely just takes pride in giving good service and likes people.
Having traveled to other large cities like New York City and San Francisco, we are always in awe at how clean Tokyo and the other dense city areas are. We also noticed how quiet it can actually be as soon as you get off a main walkway. For my wife and I, we enjoyed walking around the cities and small towns, exploring areas that you would just pass by if we were driving in a car. Everyone we interacted with was very welcoming and friendly. The food is wonderful, the sights are incredible. No matter how long we stay it never seems like enough time.
Yeah, I'm always going off onto the side streets as well. Much more relaxing and you can bump into some quite interesting stuff.
Yay! I am early! My dream is to go and possibly live in Japan. P.S. Really big fan.
so you're a weaboo?
Why do you want to live there?
Yes, I am a huge otaku weeb nerd, and I wanna live in Japan because My mom used to work there. And she described on how beautiful the country is and It made me even more weebish. Which fired up me being “Em gurna lev en Japon!!1!”
Nebula Blaze
That's been my dream since I was younger too :D the culture is amazing, traditions are very unique and deep rooted and the people are nice. I'm proud to say this has not changed over the years. I'm still in love with Japan lol :D really hope to go visit someday
Be careful, not everything in Japan is covered in gold
My first experiance was a 3 week vacation, as soon as I got used to the train system (which is super easy and took nothing more than 2 days) it was a very enjoyable stay. It was so much I got overwhelmed at the end, but that's encouraging me to visit again. I really love the country and the people that live there. Super welcoming, friendly, helpful, mindful. Such a great mindset I'm missing here in germany sometimes.
I miss aiko and shin❤
Kon Ching Kwa me too
I just love your guys’ videos. They are so informative, but always enjoyable. It’s not like I’m sitting here watching an old school documentary. I love the amount of facts, yet actual experiences mentioned. These videos always make me want to visit Japan even more, every time I watch a new upload. Keep up the good work!
Narita Airport is in a totally different prefecture, so your brother's impression of 'Tokyo' is correct. I knew about ofuro etiquette, but I wrecked it the first time I had a tub to myself -- Father in law was not happy. The abundance of tech in the home was a bit startling, but the lack of tech at government offices was alarming. As for traffic, insurance law is far more punishing in Japan than in B.C. so drivers usually (not always) pay more attention to pedestrians in Japan. No towels - big problem at Kaminarimon. Nobody ever gave me a picnic at Enoshima - just a good hike and lots of cats. Shower caps are provided because your head is the dirtiest part of your body, according to Japan. Tokyo could be welcoming, or not - I was not allowed into a bank to transact, even though my spouse had an account there.
Narita may be in a different prefecture but it is practically the Tokyo international airport. The is only thing that matter is that Tokyo practically has two airports. With Haneda off loading Narita for domestic flight which could explain why Narita is "less" crowded that you would expect.
I think you missed the point of what the guy said, which was that 'from the sky...'. Tokyo has a lot of countryside. Of course Tokyo has 2 airports. Nobody said they didn't. You continue to say that Narita is "less" crowded than one would expect. I never said it wasn't. In fact, I agree with that. Narita was eerily less crowded than I would ever expect, even if it was coming into Golden Week or not. Less crowded than my major Canadian airport, and you continue to miss the point that land use is very different in Chiba-ken (Narita) than it is in Tokyo.
And, not to put too fine a point on it - the guy was talking about first impressions: You killed your own argument when you said that Narita is practically the Tokyo International Airport. That's why travellers get the wrong impression of the real Tokyo... because it's not Tokyo. It's in the sticks.
I believe my brother was talking in reference to the outskirts of Tokyo. Before that my sister-in-law was mentioning that she thought it would be more densely populated. So he just thought it'd be more dense outside of Tokyo. I know they both also thought it'd be busier with the 23 wards itself as well.
Narita also has flight restrictions. Planes can't arrive or depart between 10pm and 5 am.
Everyone should go, it’s an amazing experience. I wanna go to Osaka next time around, but downtown Tokyo is like no other city out there. The vibe is just unmatched and its a life changing experience
Your video are such a helpful guide
Man, i love your channel. Never went to Japan but, that's my dream travel and, everytime i watch your videos, i just want to go.
Thank you
Im visiting in about a month! No idea what to expect haha
My experience of the train from Narita is that you *might* have 2 or 3 other people in the carriage with you - a few more on the return trip, but nothing compared to airport trains in Australia. I expected an experience like Hong Kong - chaotic from the minute you hit the street - but it was so much better than that. I'd go back to Japan in a heartbeat, and I cant say the same about many other countries in Asia (including Korea which sadly did little for me - perhaps Seoul simply isnt representative of the 'real' S Korea, but I felt like I may as well have flown to Melbourne as Seoul).
My story is the reverse of the question posed. I was born in Japan and moved to the US when I was 12(1967). In Japan my best friend was Portuguese. My neighbors were Dutch. I went to a Navy school. We lived in a Japanese neighborhood. I was surrounded by all ethnicities. was really surprised with the lack of diversity in Silver Springs, Maryland and the racism that existed. Not so much for me but my sister would come home from school everyday crying because we didn't look Caucasian. As we grew up in we realized how big the US was and how different all the regions were/are.
Very interesting
I was born and grew up in Japan as well, then moved to DFW area when I was in highschool. (1990)
Japan is, for the most part, the same in vast majority of major cities, even the neighborhoods are pretty much identical across the nation. As much as the Japanese hate to admit it, it IS a very homogenized culture.
In contrast America is VASTLY different from region to region, mainly due to the size of the country and the origin of different settlement through out the lands.
As for racism and xenophobia... living here in the South, it's not any different than in Japan tbh. Americans love to exaggerate the stereotype of "Japanese xenophobia" while turning a blind eye to its own.
My kids and I arrived in Tokyo knowing a few words of Japanese and expecting a semi-Blade Runner type of experience. The weather was surprisingly hot, but we were just amazed how courteous and polite everyone was. How you could sort of let your guard down in this huge metropolis and explore and be really safe and not be scammed like you would in other major metropolitan areas in the world. The signage in public areas was pretty decent that we rarely got lost. We were caught a few times during rush hour riding the Metro or JR line packed in a subway car. But unlike other places, you didn't have to have your special geeky traveling neck wallet to keep your stuff safe.
13:07 "Not Suspicious."
okay
Totally suspicious!
A visit to Japan of at least three weeks is one of my unfulfilled dreams. It must be nice to have friends or relatives there to accommodate you and instruct you about the many do's and dont's. I liked the positive outlook of your brother and his family. Great to hear they found the island a relatively quiet place uncluttered by people. Regards from Belgium!
Hawk eating ice cream ;)
I never thought of that
At coastal areas if they have seagulls they swoop in and grab. No talons or sharp beaks though. For example, at the Statue of Liberty. Protect your hot dog or you will lose it.
I was expecting to have a hard time understanding people because of language barrier, but I didn't have any problem, everyone is so kind and willing to help you even if you dont understand.
It does get really packed in high peek ours specially in tokyo, but is not thaaaat bad people is really in their own business.
Its a really nice experience to visit Japan, I'm planning to go again soon.
13:41 WHOA SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHERE THAT IS.
I NEED TO GO THERE BEFOE I DIE
Inokashira Park
Pretty sure that's Chidorigafuchi Park?
The friendliness is a BIG one. I was in Kanazawa taking photo of an old geisha house and this old lady spoke to me (Japanese) and said this place is a great place to take photos and asked me where I came from. I replied (in Japanese) Australia and she all of a sudden welcomed me to Kanazawa and to enjoy the city. You just don’t get this anywhere in the world.
When I visited Japan, Shinjuku and Harajuku were a let down. I hated the crowd. I went to other crowded places like Dotonbori in Osaka. But I didnt get annoyed as I was in Shinjuku and Harajuku. Maybe I am too old for that environment.
When I explored the side streets, I had better experience. I was just like what I expected to be. It was just like in the manga I read. Normal and safe. I like that. 😊
But Kyoto was a different story. I don't know what's with Kyoto but when I was there it looked like a dream land. I dont know how to explain it. Kyoto exeeded my expectations.
I think Shinjuku and Harajuku are interesting. Locals do go there, even with the foreign tourists probably 90%+ are Japanese. But it is very crowded especially in weekends. Go during the week early in the day and it is fine. I agree though Kyoto is more interesting.
Emperor Palps well i went there because I am tourist. Duh! But I just spent a day to go to all the tourist areas in Tokyo. But in case my message didnt translate to you. I will say it directly. Go to the side streets. That’s more fun. Immerse. Tourist areas are annoying.
Btw. Ur probably not Japanese. American? Coz ur rude.
juandenz2008 yes. Shinjuku and harajuku are interenting. I really think aside from the tourist crowds, the vibe and culture there are very different from the other places in Tokyo. I went there again during the day. There was no crowd but not as ‘lively’. I dont know what I prefer.
Emperor Palps true. I am sorry. I take that back
Reversed for me lol... I had a bad time in kyoto
I really enjoyed this video. It was incredibly nostalgic to hear you brother and sister-in-law's first experience in Japan. Everything they said rang true to me for my first time in Japan. I think your brother and sister-in-law are quite charismatic people/interviewees and I would love to see more content like this in the future if possible. One thing I didn't expect was the amount of bowing that takes place - even small things like after making a purchase at a store. After awhile it becomes very habitual and somewhat innate to bow. I also found myself doing so on return home haha.
Bathing is a fine art in Japan.
Went for the first time 3 years ago. Was better than expected. Then I went to study abroad in Kyoto for one year. Was honestly the best year of my life, and that's coming from a Norwegian. Going back there for a month next week
Dishwashers are not common in Asian countries I guess
ha lol no way we trust those things to scrub those dishes hahahaha
xXxSkyViperxXx ikr lol
Alex Coreable This is my opinion but I guess it's because Asian food has more variety in general compared to American/European food, and some of them can get pretty hard to clean. Have you seen the colorful spices and grease bleeding from an Indian curry or Singaporean laksa, or Indonesian rendang? Or the many small dishes used in a single meal in Japanese/Korean food? Good luck trying to wash all that with a machine...
helios396 nah man theres that too but its as simple as every one of us in asia eats rice every day so dry bits of rice gets stuck on the plate which wouldn't get washed off if a dishwasher just sprayed soap and water on it so its more reliable really to scrub them up on your own if one really wants a nice and clean plate
xXxSkyViperxXx Lol I guess. That only happens with the rice cooker bowl in my family though. The plates must go under running water right after we're done eating so no dried rice. It'll only take 2-3 scrubs per plate when we're washing them haha. But yeah doing them by hand is a lot more reliable.
I was surprised at how clean the streets and sidewalks are in Japan. Loved it so much taking my 2 sons in November.
Love these videos. Hope to go to Japan someday
We loved our first trip to Japan for our son's wedding!
What were those signs saying "not suspicious" trying to convey?
One says "not suspicious welcome", which leads me to believe they are trying to say "people who don't look suspicious are welcome", but that seems a little weird to me.
It's a bar and I think they're saying "This bar is not suspicious, please come in." You can see "NO CHARGE!!" (and we can't see here but there's "NO TAX!!" under it, too).
YEBISU38 has it correct. It's a bar in Golden Gai. It was the first time I've ever been to that area and before that I hadn't seen signs like it. I suppose it's because there are some tourist scams or cover charges in the area that foreigners are wary of.
+Life Where I'm From I dunno if it was me I think that would just convince me they were one of them. In my experience the number of times someone feels they need to point out that they are "totally legit not a scammer honest" is inversely correlated with the truth of those statements.
Very cool video Greg. I am eager to show it to our son. He has his visions of what he thinks Japan is really like, and my husband and I try to explain it to him, but this will be a great explanation. He is nervous about us moving there. Thanks!!
I love your vids.
The kites at Enoshime/Kamakura are always fun to watch. They will take your food right out of your hand if they can.
:O where exactly are the hawks? As a ornithologist I would love to watch that! Hawks can take all my food if they want :>
That's Enoshima. It's not too far outside of Tokyo.
Thanks for your answer. I love your videos.
I don't know who wrote the sign stating they were hawks, actually they are called black kites in English :)
MauMauKatze thanks, I’m from the Neotropics area, so I don’t have too much knowledge about birds in Asia.
I love your family's first impressions, especially that they were not in wall to wall people. Thank you for sharing!