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I have lived and worked in the most weird country called Japan for 35 years before I retired last year and moved to Denmark. I consider myself an authority on Japan and have the following observations to prove Japan IS NOT a polite country at all: 1) Japanese people follow the Honne/Tatemae rule. This rule is ubiquitous all across Japan. If you invite them to a party or a picnic, they will gleefully say "Yes" as if their life depended on it, even though they have no intentions of coming. This, according to me, is lying and cheating. If you don't want to do something, just come out clean and say it, instead of keeping the other person hanging. Due to this Honne and Tatemae culture among Japanese people, foreigners think Japanese people are not trustworthy. Being untrustworthy is not a sign of being polite. 2) Japanese people are not really very helpful to others, whether it be on roads or trains or even in shopping malls. A person might collapse on the road due to hunger or dehydration, Japanese people will just coldly walk by even without a glance. I have noticed that in a crowded train, Japanese people are so inconsiderate that do not offer their seats even to pregnant women or elderly people. I don't know how many times I have offered my seat to a pregnant woman on the Yamanote train, or offered my winter jacket or gloves to a kid who's shivering in biting cold. Japanese people will never do it. Being aloof, distant, inconsiderate, and unhelpful is not a sign of being polite. 3) Japanese people are like robots, especially in Tokyo, Osaka and Sapporo. There's no eye contact with strangers. They walk the streets just like robots - cold and without feelings. They have a cold, hard stone in their chest instead of a beating heart like us. Lack of compassion is not a sign of being polite. 4) This one is very controversial - racism. Yes, Caucasians (white people) are racist. But Japanese people take racism to a new level. White people have racist tendencies towards people of colour but Japanese people are racist not only to black, brown, Chinese and Korean people, they are racist and discriminatory toward their own people too. Burakumin culture is quite alive and kicking in Japan. I pity the Burakumin people. There are many videos about this dastardly and cruel practice which forces one to think if Japan is really a developed country. Being racist is not a sign of being polite. 5) Gender Imbalance is everywhere in Japan. Women are considered below men, almost worthless. You will hardly ever find a female CEO, CFO, or a VP in any Japanese company. Inequality in society is not a sign of being polite. And then of course, there's Yakuza, Karoshi, Chikaan, smoking in restaurants, overwhelmingly promiscuous men (as to why the population is continuously decreasing despite all the sex-starved, hungry men is beyond my comprehension), sex DVD outlets at every nook and corner, and if that's not enough, ridiculous justice system in which police have 99% conviction rate. Japan is the inventor of Bukkake (ぶっかけ) and Gokkun (ごっくん) - check Wiki - both these genres are the ultimate ways to degrade and humiliate women. Japan is the highest producer of * orn in the world. Infedilty is now at its peak in Japan. Almost everyone cheats on their partner. These are definitely not the signs of being polite. Japanese people do not talk on the phone on busses, trains etc. But when they enter an Izakaya or a small roadside diner, they forget all their etiquette. Trust me, Japanese people are the loudest in the world. Being obnoxious, and being a nuisance to everyone around you (especially foreigners) is not a sign of being polite. If you are a typical "sarariman" who works in an office, you cannot leave the office until the boss calls it a day, even if you have a death in the family or a sick family member to tend to. Japanese bosses are the MOST INCONSIDERATE in the world. They work late and make everyone work late, as if they are taking a revenge. If you miss your target, your boss will come to your desk and yell at you and throw insults at you at the top of his voice in full view of all team members. That's not a sign of being polite. Japan, like Dubai is excellent for tourists. Go there, have fun, spend money in a Pachinko, buy some awesome stuff in Akihabara, visit different places like Hiroshima, Snow Monkey Park in Nagano, Tokyo Tower, Koen Yoyogi, Love Hotels in Ikebukuro or Uguisudani, visit a Maid Cafe and flirt with your maid, visit the Royal Palace, beautiful Niigata and Kanazawa etc, experience the Kabukicho, travel in the beautiful Shinkansen, experience the best and most perfect customer service, have a massage or two, have an afternoon tea with a Geisha that resembles a white-faced ghost in Kyoto, eat delicious foods at Coco Ichibanya or Hinoya Curry, or sandoichi @ 7-Eleven, have some sake in an Izakaya (pub), experience the Shibuya Scramble, take a million pictures, eat weird Kitto Katto (Kit Kat), and get the eff out. Japan can be compared with an iceberg. Only the beautiful, exciting, and polite 10% is visible, the abhorrent, inconsiderate, nasty, and violent 90% is submerged and invisible.
I really loved this video and how gentle and polite these elders were when giving their opinion. They really thought about their words and were considerate. These beautiful people just made my day ❤
I’m the next generation after them in Japan. They use frank language, but they ask the other to use formal language. I’m a bit tired of their generalization personally.
@@spiritual-world-universe Well, isn’t it similar in other countries too? I'm from Spain, and we are expected to use formal language when talking to an elder or a doctor, for example. However, it's true that we are rarely forced to use it. While we are expected to be formal, in Spanish, the tone of voice is often more important than the words themselves. So, if you use a polite and gentle tone, informal language can still sound very polite. That said, we tend to be very direct in how we express things. This can sometimes be a good thing, but it can also come across as rude or even brutal, especially when judging others. In any case, I understand why you feel that way if you’re forced to be polite-it’s not a pleasant feeling. Personally, I believe that politeness should come from a genuine desire to be respectful, not from obligation.
@@dereila12 Thank you for your comment. Your comment is really touching. I appreciate your sympathy and also sharing your cultural experience. I love it. Thinking of Spanish culture and oriental culture, I remind the words that "Blood is thicker than water, but water is wider than blood." and "A neighbor nearby is better than a brother far away.". Also, western culture is more like "Individualism” including family culture. Here is more like ”Collectivism". that's why manner is very important. I respect you found here unique way of "Love" in collectivism country.
I lived in Tokyo for 5 years. I really learned a lot about respect for elders. Elderly people were always super polite to me then, and I didn't always deserve it. I feel by being polite to the elderly back here in Canada, I am giving back what I learned in Japan. Thinking about the feelings of others is an important thing for our young to learn.
One of the elderly gentleman mentioned about the tradition of buying gifts for your neighbours when moving into a new home. I can confirm this still takes place, it just depends where you live in Japan. We also had to introduce ourselves to the head of the neighbourhood committee
I live in an apartment in Tokyo, and I don't even know what my next-door neighbor looks like. Yeah, relationships with neighbors vary a lot depending on where you live.
@@lilithclaws832 what exactly is rude about introducing yourself to your neighbour and at the same time showing kindness in giving them a gift? I don’t think you can speak for the whole of Tokyo, just the neighbourhood where you are living
I used to work night shifts and in the morning im sleeping, then the doorbell blasts only to find my next new neihgbor only saying tonari hikoshi shimashita, yoroshiku onegaishimasu with a whatever their tryin to give me, door slam!
I think some of the depth of these values is lost when translated as "polite". The correct word should be "courteous", being respectful to others in society. I think it's a precious value to have, and a hard one to instill.
They're basically the same word but with polite being more casual and sometimes used passive aggressively so there is that negative perception in 'restraining' yourself like you are held against your will or something. It's two entirely different things.
That's not "the correct word". Politeness is about being "polished", i.e. having had your rough edges smoothed off so that you fit in. That clearly covers part of what we're talking about. Courtesy is not about respect but "courtliness", i.e. being fit for court. This also covers part. But both these terms derive from the dominance of Anglo-Norman aristocratic cultural values and practices, as do the ideas of "ladies" and "gentlemen". Of the various Japanese terms, マナー is probably/usually best translated as "etiquette"; obviously it's a loan word. 礼儀正しい , rather than an explicitly aristocratic flavour, is more redolent of religious rites and correct behaviour. Note that the first character appears in the common expression 失礼, which basically means "Sorry". The "correct translations", insofar as that phrase has any meaning, are variously: polite, well-mannered, nice, courteous, respectful, good, considerate etc. One-to-one conceptual or semantic mappings should not be expected for two languages that are so distant from one another.
The bad foreigners say that as well. Overall people need to learn from japan and admit they have something wrong with in their societies to go forward. Not that i think japanese people are perfect either i have seen bad stuff.
This is partly true - but it really doesn't take much mental effort to separate individual people from entire nations in your thoughts. And frankly, what we are actually talking about is the willingness of some Japanese people to stereotype foreigners negatively. That said, this is a Japanese social problem. It would take Japanese people to solve it.
The Japanese didn’t use flashy violence like the Koreans, but they did a few things too lol. It’s tough because it’s not worth getting prosecuted over that tr@sh.
I lived in Japan (Tokyo area) and also visited several times in Osaka and Kyoto and have always found the Japanese very polite not only to me but it seems to everyone around them. Very respectful and kind. I have always thought that if I needed to move somewhere it would be Japan.🙂
Its interesting how the Interviewer is sitting 'below', or at a lower level than the Elders in this interview video. Its almost like a conversation between a Parent, and their Child. Subtle, yet makes the interviews all that more engaging. I enjoyed this Street Interview very much, and learned a lot.
“When you enter someone else’s home, you will respect their customs.” I was taught this when I was just a child and was reminded about this still in adulthood. I admire the way the Japanese treat each other. Their self respect and dignity shine through their polite manners. I used to have my Business professor in college sitting on his desk and asking us to call him by his first name. I could never do that so I always call him Mr Norman. He always laughed at me for that. With correct understanding and consideration for other cultures, I never consider myself as just a tourist but a visitor who appreciates any welcome from the host. I always leave the place i visited with gratitude for the new enriching experience.
It is just 2 main rules, respect others and be considerate. Most of the actions stem from these ideas. Don't be late, respect another's time. Don't litter, be considerate and keep the place clean for the next user.
Wow these Japanese interviewees were so polite and wise. When I was a student in the 1960s, we were taught not to litter. I grew up with this mindset that it is not right to litter because it dirties the environment and someone else has to clean up after me. I teach my children the same thing never to litter. About punctuality, I used to work in a Japanese company (I am Singaporean). They are obsessed with punctuality, especially in meetings. When I was serving the Army during my National Service, my Sergeant would warn up never to be late - or face punishment. He would say, "If you are late, don't give me excuses. Just apologize." - of course, that would follow with a light punishment like not being able to go home on a weekend. I brought my punctuality with me when I worked in the corporate world. I was never late for my sales appointments except for 2 occasions (bearing in mind I was late on 2 occasions in 30 years working in sales!) and I still remember those occasions where I apologized profusely. Punctuality is the mark of a person's trustworthiness. The Japanese got it right regarding cleanliness and punctuality. I love Japan and the Japanese people.
It would be fascinating to read a study of Japan's gross national time spent being early for appointments every year, together with the punishing social exclusion of people who find clock-based time management extremely difficult, e.g. those with ADHD. Or indeed a study of all those sidelined and disadvantaged by an inflexible dominant culture of indirect speech and reading between the lines, e.g. people with autism.
Those comments about the cellphones are 1000% true. That was the strangest thing about Japan I’ve seen so far,99% of people on the train ,walking or riding will be on their phones. It’s like zombies everywhere honestly. Coming from a country where people are more social with each other,that was truly strange
Is it really "polite" to assume everything your teachers/parents say is right, or is that more so having to obey authority because of filial piety? I'm not sure it would be considered polite to take an authority figure's word as gospel if you know they're wrong but are too afraid to speak up. There's a fine line between being unnecessarily rebellious vs having a healthy degree of skepticism. "And if the other party is late, I'll wait for 30 minutes." But shouldn't the expectation of being punctual be reciprocated? If the person you're meeting is a half hr late, what does that say about their character for you to accommodate and dismiss their tardiness? Japan is the pinnacle of a high-trust society. If everyone collectively agrees to abstain from littering, then those who do litter will automatically be seen as deviant. But in many other places, there is no sense of communal trust, so people just behave in ways that serve their individual needs without considering the consequences of their actions on others. Smartphone addiction is a generational problem, not a Japanese problem, and there doesn't seem to be an antidote for it now that the tech has become widely adopted, at least when it comes to adults. The best thing a parent could do to curb this early is by restricting smartphone use until their kids become teens, at minimum. "I try not to look around and judge other people's behaviors." That's a luxury that only a country like Japan can afford, unfortunately. There are a lot of malicious actors in this world who actively prey on the vulnerable like the elderly. Gotta be acutely aware of your surroundings if you don't want to be rendered an easy target.
Polite language can make you less likely to speak up on a superior/older's mistake or have a misplace sense of trust and if that it's all it is, then of course it's bad. One of the fundamental features of good communication is respect. Polite language is for having that foundation of respect. Polite language is a tool, like anything, that can be used as a front to abuse. Yet for children especially but also adults, it allows confidence and consistency in speaking even in situations that may be completely new and overwhelming to them. Respect has never been about obedience, even if some may try to sell that to you.
Why is it a problem for people to be on their phones when riding the train? What else are you supposed to do? Look at the floor? It's great to be able to use a phone to catch up on personal tasks, read news or emails, browse memes, watch videos, etc. Why would this be an issue? Playing with your phone while someone is speaking with you is rude, of course.
Look at photos of Japanese trains in the 80s, everyone has their head stuck in a newspaper. It’s whatever. They did have a lot of great insights otherwise though.
@@adriancentra Yeah, the cell phone comment is a useless point; it's just the older generation complaining about younger people, just like has happened for millennia.
Ever visited a looney asylum? Well, seen in movies? What's the scariest thing about it? Indifference. Nobody pays attention to you, nobody is making an eye contact. It's a zombieland of smartphone addicts. It's not rude per se (although you can miss a person who needs your seat more than you do), it's emotionally uncomfortable.
@@adriancentra Yes, before people used to read, glancing at what the others were reading - what book or what article in newspaper, exchanging opinions on the news. Not always, but few times I witnessed a public debate spout from a popular article. It was fun. I met my closest friend through that: we were both reading Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut. :))) And we started to talk, exchanged phone numbers and met the following week-end.
There are ways that Japanese people are polite. However it you will often feel left out as a foreigner unless you make the effort to start a conversation with them. Also, there seems to be no etiquette to riding a bike at all. People walk on the left and right. They ride their bikes on both sides. People walk in front of cars and everyone is sharing these narrow streets. You have to stay vigilant always to not get into an accident. Also my Japanese teacher made fun of me on my birthday by calling me fat 3 times. And she's older. Also an older woman at a hotel told me: "It looks like you can eat a lot" after pointing me in the direction of the complimentary donuts. Also while meeting a Japanese guy for dinner he told me his wife couldn't come because she has diarrhea. There isn't always a universal etiquette. It is just best to educate yourself on the country you will visit or live in. "When in Rome" as they say.
The biggest wish I could have for my own country would be for us to adopt Japanese football fan culture wholesale If that were to happen, I might actually start to enjoy the game
This is the one thing keeping me from actually working towards visiting: I am absolutely terrified of offending someone or doing something considered wrong or rude. I would absolutely wilt inside if I went to a country I’ve been dying to see and left someone with a bad feeling. 😭
I don't think you should be so afraid of unintentionally offending Japanese locals. I'm sure you are taught some basic manners and etiquettes in your own native land. That's what you should remember to stay with. The only thing that you might want to look into is in regards to food culture and manners which is very easily study on UA-cam. And even then only what information you can gather. Locals will give you a lot of slack seeing you are not native. Relax and be open minded and take it all in or not take it if you don't like certain food and stuff. It's natural ther are things that are too weird. Remember that the sun rises again tomorrow.
Japanese people are far more forgiving to foreigners because they generally understand you’re not local or use to Japanese customs. If you show effort of politeness, you will be greatly appreciated and admired by the Japanese. Just try, that’s all!
Definitely come visit. If you just learn a few basic phrases in Japanese and look like you're at least trying to be respectful towards people, you'll already be doing better than the majority of tourists and the locals will appreciate it.
The fact that you care about not causing offense show's you'll be fine. The Japanese are very forgiving of foreigners and anyone is appreciative of those who offer sincere apologies. Just watch a few videos about their customs and etiquette before going. It's worth it.
This really goes for any country you go to. As a Czech, I know that foreign tourists, especially in Prague, Pilsen, Brno, Karlovy Vary (my town💪), will get drunk at a stag do/bachelor party or something and just cause an absolute ruckus at night, in the historical town centers, because they think since it's got pretty buildings and fast food restaurants, that no one lives there. This is, in fact, not the case. People do very much live there, and by screaming under their windows at 2 in the morning, you're not only probably waking them up when they might have to go to work or something, you're commiting an actual crime by disturbing the peace. So please, do not scream at night. I don't know who needs to hear this, honestly. You'll get yelled at to shut the hell up at best, or get fined or possibly taken to, what we here call Záchytka, basically a small medical center meant for people who are so drunk they're endangering themselves and/or others. The cops will usually take you there if they think it's necessary, and then they'll give you some IV fluids to make sure you don't die of alcohol poisoning and then keep you there until the morning when you sober up. Yes, we do in fact collectively consume so much alcohol that we have need for a medical establishment with the express purpose of caring for extremely drunk people. It's not a great fact about this country, but hey, now that you know those exist, you might be cautious enough not to find out what one looks like on the inside.
In Poland we call these "izba wytrzeźwień", so like sobering room or colloquially "wytrzeźwiałka" 😂 Not super common for average person to have been there but most people probably know a guy or two who had unwillingly hitched a ride there once or twice in their student days 🙈 And tourists should remember that while we generally have free emergency care the sobering centre is coming with a receipt from the police/city guards even if you weren't loud or aggressive, so it's better to know when to stumble back into your own room and save that money for a second night out! 😂
I've been coming to Japan since the 90s and this interview must apply to mostly the elderly generation as my most recent visit to Japan had countless younger Japanese (mostly families) who either cut in line or save spots for their entire group. Maybe amusement parks or attractions are a free for all and don't count. 🙄
Well that's because Japan has comedy. It levies the structure. Not to say Germans don't have comedy but its leans too much into sarcasm and irony. What the best compliment from a German is "there is nothing to complain about"?
@@aaronmontgomery2055 There is all sorts of comedy in Germany, comedy leaning to much into sarcasm and irony was something done in the 80s or 90s lol. The most popular type of comedy consumed in Germany is probably satire but the day to day comedy of casual Germans is more like situational comedy or word play. So yeah, whenever I try to do wordplay jokes even in english with my european friends they mostly don't understand it immediately which makes the jokes less funny.
@@RealTaIk Cultural misconceptions exist for every well-known nation. The more powerful or popular you are as a nation, the more odd stereotypes will exist. It's inevitable. The popular misconceptions about Germany are very widespread. Yes. However, the overall opinion of German culture in the world is quite positive. The 'humorless" German stereotype is certainly the oddest one since it strikes me as very much incorrect. But I suppose it is somewhat true that German culture does still tend to emphasize order and rules a bit more than many others.
@@RealTaIkAlso ... I would rank satire very high as a form of comedy. It requires greater levels of intelligence and wit. "Sarcasm" is quite different and the word has a negative connotation in English. I've noticed many people (including young native speakers of English) misusing this word quite a bit recently, when they simply mean "irony" or "parody." I didn't notice much actual sarcasm in Germany during my time there. Perhaps it was my language ability in German which is only B1 - not quite enough to always pick up on subtext. But German satire is excellent.
Order and harmony is paramount, sincerity, not so much. Remember, these old folks are aware they are being video recorded for the world. Appearing self-deprecating is the norm, otherwise it sounds like boasting.
Not at all. The central tenet of classical liberalism is that each individual's freedom is intrinsically limited by everyone else's. If *anyone* is free to do anything, then *everyone* is free to do anything, which will lead to chaos and despotism. So-called individualist societies require mutual respect and social cohesion at least as much as any other type of society. You're mistaking normative rigidity and social hierarchy for cohesion. Over the centuries, English culture has been in many ways similar to Japanese: arcane unwritten rules and unbending social structures. Such things have the advantage of continuity and predictability but the disadvantage of inflexibility and brittleness, hence disasters like England's inept aristocratic officer class in WW1 and the Japanese fanatical dedication to imperial rule in WW2.
@@EdwardLindon Interesting take. I like it! I was thinking more along the line of Japan's idea of social responsibility and cohesion vs let's say a country like the US where millions of Americans were up in arms over the mask mandate and refusing to be vaccinated citing their personal freedom and rights. In the US the premium is put on personal rights and privileges to the detriment of societal well being. We can see the breakdown of that society right before our eyes right now.
I'm in my 20s and the degree to which my friends are totally addicted to their phones is unbelievable. They're basically on their phones every waking moment of their day, whether they're with other people or not. Very often I'll be the only person in a group not on my phone and just like the woman in the video says, that means we don't even have conversations with each other even though we're right next to each other. It's so sad.
I kept thinking about exactly this. You show up on time to a house party and you've actually shocked your host by showing up hours too early. When I became friends with someone from Peru, my inner clock was changed, and now I can't reset to American time, forget Japan.
I really liked what the last gentleman said about adapting to a new culture and how it takes a lot of time (and is learned in childhood). I particularly agreed with the ‘when in Rome’ statement - it’s not that simple, especially if you’re really trying to integrate (language and behaviour) but constantly fail due to your appearance (Caucasian westerner here). It’s pretty much impossible, and you get scapegoated a lot :(
15:00 👍 Personally I like her way to approach life :) Let others be and not judge them all the time. Allow diversity and freedom to be unique/different as long as actions doesn't directly annoy or harm others :) And 19:20, that guy makes sense, is understanding and considerate 👍
Everybody is taught different things depending on where they were born. Manners and gratitude are very important, but doing everything by the book in order to be considered a good person can wear a person out, because who is the absolute ruler to decide what is the standard. Every culture in the world has a different standard. I respect the cultures I visit and try to understand them so I don’t accidentally disrespect them. I loved my time in Japan and feel I would like to live there in a rural area.
In fact many Japanese people are rude and immoral, but why are only foreigners always given special attention, is it because they are foreigners, even though more crimes are committed by native Japanese people than foreigners, I tell you Japanese people You are not the only nation that has manners and upholds politeness. There are many other countries that are much friendlier and kinder
Exactly, parts of Japan have been closed to tourists because of a small number of them not following the rules. It's a shame, but I can understand why Japan has made these decisions. People must respect the places they visit.
With a channel name like "Asian Boss," they should focus more on places like Southeast Asia, South Asia, or even North Asia (though I only really know about Mongolia). Southeast Asia is super hot right now. Thailand is popular, and Indonesia's economic growth is impressive.They don't need to cover Japanese topics anymore, and honestly, I'd be happier if they stopped. There are too many trolls, and even people pretending to be Japanese just to write negative things about Japan. Native speakers can spot the fakes right away.
Beautiful harmony in Japan society, exactly the opposite what’s happening in Germany with the transformation to a multicultural society. No trust and shared values anymore just competition and parallel societies.
I'll say it only once. The whole world (especially the US) needs to understand that interfering in the social structure of other societies is not right (with the possible exception of radical Islamic societies). No one has the right to judge others if they're not unaliving people. No one. Yes, there are many Japanese rules that wouldn’t suit me, but if I made the decision to live there, I’d have to accept them. They are the way they are because their collective mindset allows them to survive on such a small land with frequent seismic activity. I hope that neither China nor the USA will ever succeed in changing the Japanese people. There’s no need to turn them into either a dictatorship or an overly liberal country with pronounced individualism. Every single screw and bolt in that country has been tightened by people who think about their nation. They do what is best for them, and no one has the right to express dissatisfaction with their internal affairs.
I just want to say two things. 1) In the beginning you said "I'll say it only once.". Why only once? Are you going to die soon? Are you involved in some kind of dare? What is it? 2) You said "The whole world (especially the US) needs to understand that interfering in the social structure of other societies is not right". I completely agree. But please remember this: what goes around, comes around. Karma is a female dog. Please go back in history and see what the Japanese did to Korea when they occupied it. It's absolutely deplorable, disgusting, and shameful (and I am not even referring to the Korean Comfort Women). I will not be surprised if the US or emerging superpower China does the same to Japan. After all, what goes around, comes around.
The attitude in Japan is similar to Great Britain or Germany, the levels or unspoken rules of behaviour, etiquette, centuries of respect and understanding of the interactions that outsiders are totally oblivious to.
I really like the ending topic of this video. immigration/tourism. In my opinion, I think a higher level of cultural learning is needed for immigrants all over the world. It is a big issue and will become bigger in the future. Regardless if people are forced to immigrate or choose to immigrate, a higher standard for cultural integration is crucial for the peace and development of that land.
i hate everyone in my country are always late for everything, like my time is less important than theirs, I've lost friends because i couldn't deal with their tardiness anymore.
They are being very polite indeed. I never wait for anyone past 30mins without being informed beforehand. I just take it that they aren't meeting me anymore and I'll go ahead with my day.
When they said that I was reminded of the several occasions I've come to a place early (like one does) only for the other party to not be just a few minutes late, but rather over an hour late. The longest was a lunch we planned at 1, they came at 4 :)
Yes Japanese people are so polite, they would never challenge domestic violence which is so rampant over there... As for everyday politeness, I find it funny that westerners love going to a polite country but they themselves would never tolerate it if they were expected to act in the same manner
As a Japanese woman who looks SouthAsian and is disabled, I really don’t like that both Japanese and foreigners think 〝Racism in the West comes from who you are but xenophobia in Japan comes from what you do〟. I don't understand why both Japanese and foreigners say〝Foreigners don't follow Japan's rules, so it's no wonder Japanese people don't like them〟. That logic only works when 〝That foreigner who doesn't follow Japanese rules〟is treated badly.〝I heard about foreigners causing us trouble online, so I can't help it if you get revenge〟is undeniably discrimination. I lived in America, Japanese and Americans are very very different on 〝If they think their own people are good〟. I’ve never seen any Americans who don’t admit that there is racism in their country. Japanese people claim that the reason they discriminated against, even if their 〝friend〟who was discriminated against was a native Japanese speaker who was born and raised in Japan, was because that 〝friend〟did not follow Japanese rules. So, will foreigners from other countries admit Japan's discrimination against them？ No, unlike in Europe and America, discrimination against foreigners in Japan is so insidious that foreigners do not realize that they are being discriminated against. Instead of yelling, they curse you in their whisper.
@@CB73666 Sorry for long sentences in bad English…… I have a question. Why do many Westerners think that sexism is worse but racism is better in Japan than those in the West？ I think that the difference between Western sexism and Japanese sexism and the difference between Western racism and Japanese racism are similar. Very few Japanese strangers attack a woman walking alone at night(If she looked Japanese, white or black). Our sexism caused by guys close to us. Boss don’t promote female subordinate, husband make his wife do all house chores, man mock the look or age of female colleague and friend very persistently. 〝If the victims raise their voice〟are common difference too…There’s a reason why Japanese victims don’t raise their voice. Actually Japanese guys who have suddenly touched my body on the street were only about 50. Only 5 of them kicked my legs when I ignored them. 4 of them weren’t serious. When guys repeatedly kicked my body talked to me with Tagalog accent at first(That’s what many Japanese guys do to mock them). When I screamed やめて、お願いやめて！ they said 日本人だ！ and ran away. At that time, I didn’t imagine that would make me quit my job. I had walked with a limp for a while. When I said to one colleague why, he got mad and said 〝It wasn’t because you looked SouthAsian but you looked a sl*t！ We Japanese people never discriminate people！〟 He talked about it to all workers and many of them started bullying me(I was told not to report police). Isn’t it the reason why Japanese violent racism(xenophobia) isn’t well known？？ Japanese people spend years talking about crimes committed by foreigners, but they quickly forget when the victims are foreigners. This year, one Japanese guy suddenly killed a Phillipena woman on the street but no one said it’s racism. I help foreign residents voluntarily. Many of them have been bullied by their colleagues but scared to raise their voice because they don’t want more colleagues to bully them.
I honestly appreciate your comment. I'm like I'm pretty sure Japanese people are just as disrespectful. I think because anime and manga became so popular it's all over the world and people who are not from Japan have a bad habit of infantilizing, and fetishizing Asian people and it's getting weird.
@@noripee8278 What you told us about bullying at work in which you suffered, is very sad! You may not believe it but in China, the people are more free spirited and relaxed about following rules. There is also greater equality between men and women. People are there are usually kind and nice to others with a disability.
It might be polite but if you go on the Tokyo trains, young people and business people sit in priority seats even when there are clearly pregnant women, disabled people and the elderly standing there and do not offer their seats. Almost never seat the needy get offered a seat, that’s not polite at all
I agree. The manners and politeness of Japanese are over exaggerated. I just think people tend to put Japan on a pedestal. There are ways they are very polite and ways they are also impolite.
Because many salarymen in Tokyo are exhausted. I can understand why they want to sit down and rest And many of the elderly, pregnant women and the disabled are well rested at their home
The difference between Japan / S.Korea from the rest is that Koreans and Japanese think collectively . The western culture is more of individulism . Downside of individulism , pick pocketers , protesters breaking into stores , more violence . Upside of individualism , more freedom . Downside of collective culture , less freedom . Upside of collective culture are Honesty , Safety and trustworthy .
Nah, you really have to be careful at work, your reputation may suffer and no one tells you about it. Ghosting and pretend friendships are the same as anywhere else but the outward politeness makes you less aware. They can throw shade and make it sound like a compliment.
I love both Korea and Japan but they're very different in a lot of regards. I wish Korea had more of that: "let's not litter", "let's not bother everyone else and let's keep our voice down", "let's apologize when we bump into other people" though.
But if everyone, or even a high majority is polite... don't you think that when someone lowers their level of politeness just a bit it could be considered impolite. We're all human... they're thinking the same things as everyone else in the world, so when I hear polite in Japan, I do not draw any major conclusions from it.
And in a couple blinks… the younger becomes the older. It will feel strange but it catches up with everyone. In my view, mutual understand of multigenerations as they evolve is the civil way.
Eating too quickly in a group setting is not unique to Japan only. Many people around the world adjust their eating speed to others to be polite in a group setting. Japanese really think they're special and superior to others around the world....
So the one guy said foreigners shouldn't drink in public..... but tons and tons of Japanese salary men drink, misbehave, smoke and vomit in public in Japan. Even during covid restrictions...... why should foreigners follow one rule, but Japanese people don't have to. Is that the way we treat Japanese in our countries? The Japanese guy with glasses and who spoke about the Showa era was most intelligent in this video.
I’m foreigner living in Japan for about 19yrs indeed Japanese people are so polite other country who is first time come to Japan think Japanese is so kind! Because there are so polite because of their politeness!! Don’t fool of their politeness majority of japanese is hiding their thinking about you they are so fake first giving you a good impression etc etc but when you turn back they will tell you so many bad impression if they see you a simple wrong doing compare to other country it’s not a big deal japanese is so polite that’s all!! But majority of them don’t have a true kindness of heart!! Only2 or 3 when you scale it to 10.
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I have lived and worked in the most weird country called Japan for 35 years before I retired last year and moved to Denmark. I consider myself an authority on Japan and have the following observations to prove Japan IS NOT a polite country at all:
1) Japanese people follow the Honne/Tatemae rule. This rule is ubiquitous all across Japan. If you invite them to a party or a picnic, they will gleefully say "Yes" as if their life depended on it, even though they have no intentions of coming. This, according to me, is lying and cheating. If you don't want to do something, just come out clean and say it, instead of keeping the other person hanging. Due to this Honne and Tatemae culture among Japanese people, foreigners think Japanese people are not trustworthy. Being untrustworthy is not a sign of being polite.
2) Japanese people are not really very helpful to others, whether it be on roads or trains or even in shopping malls. A person might collapse on the road due to hunger or dehydration, Japanese people will just coldly walk by even without a glance. I have noticed that in a crowded train, Japanese people are so inconsiderate that do not offer their seats even to pregnant women or elderly people. I don't know how many times I have offered my seat to a pregnant woman on the Yamanote train, or offered my winter jacket or gloves to a kid who's shivering in biting cold. Japanese people will never do it. Being aloof, distant, inconsiderate, and unhelpful is not a sign of being polite.
3) Japanese people are like robots, especially in Tokyo, Osaka and Sapporo. There's no eye contact with strangers. They walk the streets just like robots - cold and without feelings. They have a cold, hard stone in their chest instead of a beating heart like us. Lack of compassion is not a sign of being polite.
4) This one is very controversial - racism. Yes, Caucasians (white people) are racist. But Japanese people take racism to a new level. White people have racist tendencies towards people of colour but Japanese people are racist not only to black, brown, Chinese and Korean people, they are racist and discriminatory toward their own people too. Burakumin culture is quite alive and kicking in Japan. I pity the Burakumin people. There are many videos about this dastardly and cruel practice which forces one to think if Japan is really a developed country. Being racist is not a sign of being polite.
5) Gender Imbalance is everywhere in Japan. Women are considered below men, almost worthless. You will hardly ever find a female CEO, CFO, or a VP in any Japanese company. Inequality in society is not a sign of being polite.
And then of course, there's Yakuza, Karoshi, Chikaan, smoking in restaurants, overwhelmingly promiscuous men (as to why the population is continuously decreasing despite all the sex-starved, hungry men is beyond my comprehension), sex DVD outlets at every nook and corner, and if that's not enough, ridiculous justice system in which police have 99% conviction rate. Japan is the inventor of Bukkake (ぶっかけ) and Gokkun (ごっくん) - check Wiki - both these genres are the ultimate ways to degrade and humiliate women. Japan is the highest producer of * orn in the world. Infedilty is now at its peak in Japan. Almost everyone cheats on their partner. These are definitely not the signs of being polite.
Japanese people do not talk on the phone on busses, trains etc. But when they enter an Izakaya or a small roadside diner, they forget all their etiquette. Trust me, Japanese people are the loudest in the world. Being obnoxious, and being a nuisance to everyone around you (especially foreigners) is not a sign of being polite.
If you are a typical "sarariman" who works in an office, you cannot leave the office until the boss calls it a day, even if you have a death in the family or a sick family member to tend to. Japanese bosses are the MOST INCONSIDERATE in the world. They work late and make everyone work late, as if they are taking a revenge. If you miss your target, your boss will come to your desk and yell at you and throw insults at you at the top of his voice in full view of all team members. That's not a sign of being polite.
Japan, like Dubai is excellent for tourists. Go there, have fun, spend money in a Pachinko, buy some awesome stuff in Akihabara, visit different places like Hiroshima, Snow Monkey Park in Nagano, Tokyo Tower, Koen Yoyogi, Love Hotels in Ikebukuro or Uguisudani, visit a Maid Cafe and flirt with your maid, visit the Royal Palace, beautiful Niigata and Kanazawa etc, experience the Kabukicho, travel in the beautiful Shinkansen, experience the best and most perfect customer service, have a massage or two, have an afternoon tea with a Geisha that resembles a white-faced ghost in Kyoto, eat delicious foods at Coco Ichibanya or Hinoya Curry, or sandoichi @ 7-Eleven, have some sake in an Izakaya (pub), experience the Shibuya Scramble, take a million pictures, eat weird Kitto Katto (Kit Kat), and get the eff out. Japan can be compared with an iceberg. Only the beautiful, exciting, and polite 10% is visible, the abhorrent, inconsiderate, nasty, and violent 90% is submerged and invisible.
4:09
ここカットしてます？「いい例が、、、」って言った後、その例を出てこないし、その後も「実力もあるけれど」とか文章が不自然で違和感があるんですけど。
「ゴミ拾うとか」って言ってるからこの人が言ったのは大谷翔平選手の事について話してるのかなと予想してるんですけど、、、
編集や英訳はどこまで正確なものなのだろう。。。
I really loved this video and how gentle and polite these elders were when giving their opinion. They really thought about their words and were considerate. These beautiful people just made my day ❤
I’m the next generation after them in Japan.
They use frank language, but they ask the other to use formal language.
I’m a bit tired of their generalization personally.
@@spiritual-world-universe Well, isn’t it similar in other countries too? I'm from Spain, and we are expected to use formal language when talking to an elder or a doctor, for example. However, it's true that we are rarely forced to use it. While we are expected to be formal, in Spanish, the tone of voice is often more important than the words themselves. So, if you use a polite and gentle tone, informal language can still sound very polite.
That said, we tend to be very direct in how we express things. This can sometimes be a good thing, but it can also come across as rude or even brutal, especially when judging others.
In any case, I understand why you feel that way if you’re forced to be polite-it’s not a pleasant feeling. Personally, I believe that politeness should come from a genuine desire to be respectful, not from obligation.
@@dereila12 Thank you for your comment. Your comment is really touching.
I appreciate your sympathy and also sharing your cultural experience. I love it.
Thinking of Spanish culture and oriental culture, I remind the words that "Blood is thicker than water, but water is wider than blood." and "A neighbor nearby is better than a brother far away.".
Also, western culture is more like "Individualism” including family culture. Here is more like ”Collectivism". that's why manner is very important.
I respect you found here unique way of "Love" in collectivism country.
I lived in Tokyo for 5 years. I really learned a lot about respect for elders. Elderly people were always super polite to me then, and I didn't always deserve it. I feel by being polite to the elderly back here in Canada, I am giving back what I learned in Japan. Thinking about the feelings of others is an important thing for our young to learn.
One of the elderly gentleman mentioned about the tradition of buying gifts for your neighbours when moving into a new home. I can confirm this still takes place, it just depends where you live in Japan. We also had to introduce ourselves to the head of the neighbourhood committee
I live in an apartment in Tokyo, and I don't even know what my next-door neighbor looks like.
Yeah, relationships with neighbors vary a lot depending on where you live.
We don't do that here in Tokyo, it's rude.
@@lilithclaws832 what exactly is rude about introducing yourself to your neighbour and at the same time showing kindness in giving them a gift? I don’t think you can speak for the whole of Tokyo, just the neighbourhood where you are living
@@OldBridgeDork
it's rude especially when they are sleeping after the night shift.
I used to work night shifts and in the morning im sleeping, then the doorbell blasts only to find my next new neihgbor only saying tonari hikoshi shimashita, yoroshiku onegaishimasu with a whatever their tryin to give me, door slam!
I think some of the depth of these values is lost when translated as "polite". The correct word should be "courteous", being respectful to others in society. I think it's a precious value to have, and a hard one to instill.
They're basically the same word but with polite being more casual and sometimes used passive aggressively so there is that negative perception in 'restraining' yourself like you are held against your will or something.
It's two entirely different things.
That's not "the correct word". Politeness is about being "polished", i.e. having had your rough edges smoothed off so that you fit in. That clearly covers part of what we're talking about. Courtesy is not about respect but "courtliness", i.e. being fit for court. This also covers part. But both these terms derive from the dominance of Anglo-Norman aristocratic cultural values and practices, as do the ideas of "ladies" and "gentlemen".
Of the various Japanese terms, マナー is probably/usually best translated as "etiquette"; obviously it's a loan word. 礼儀正しい , rather than an explicitly aristocratic flavour, is more redolent of religious rites and correct behaviour. Note that the first character appears in the common expression 失礼, which basically means "Sorry".
The "correct translations", insofar as that phrase has any meaning, are variously: polite, well-mannered, nice, courteous, respectful, good, considerate etc. One-to-one conceptual or semantic mappings should not be expected for two languages that are so distant from one another.
4:09
ここカットしてます？「いい例が、、、」って言った後、その例を出てこないし、その後も「実力もあるけれど」とか文章が不自然で違和感があるんですけど。
「ゴミ拾うとか」って言ってるからこの人が言ったのは大谷翔平選手の事について話してるのかなと予想してるんですけど、、、
編集や英訳はどこまで正確なものなのだろう。。。
Rude foreigners give other foreigners that want to have fun in Japan a bad name.
Bro fix your English
The bad foreigners say that as well.
Overall people need to learn from japan and admit they have something wrong with in their societies to go forward.
Not that i think japanese people are perfect either i have seen bad stuff.
Just came back from Japan. Rude japanese give good japanese a bad name too.
Its all the same everywhere.
This is partly true - but it really doesn't take much mental effort to separate individual people from entire nations in your thoughts. And frankly, what we are actually talking about is the willingness of some Japanese people to stereotype foreigners negatively.
That said, this is a Japanese social problem. It would take Japanese people to solve it.
@@RobespierreThePoof I understand that but at this time i am choosing wiser where i spend my time and money. Best to all.
If only the Japanese weren't so polite and done what the Koreans just done to Johnny Somali.
I agree. 💯
jp polite but more too scared to act.
The Japanese didn’t use flashy violence like the Koreans, but they did a few things too lol. It’s tough because it’s not worth getting prosecuted over that tr@sh.
Funny thing is Korean streamers are doing this in Japan too but more low key, like Joel Kang.
@sara.cbc92 awww having trouble coping ever since he dumped you. Can't blame him.
"Being late undermines your own credibility". Well said.❤ Also, they can still impact their children and grandchildren. 😊
Japan is my kind of society in which I want to live.
Seeing Kei eats the snack within autumn breeze made want to back to japan again this year...😭
I lived in Japan (Tokyo area) and also visited several times in Osaka and Kyoto and have always found the Japanese very polite not only to me but it seems to everyone around them. Very respectful and kind.
I have always thought that if I needed to move somewhere it would be Japan.🙂
I really really agree with you only when in JAPAN. if you serve Japanese in other countries, you definitely change your mind a little bit.🥲I bet.
Its interesting how the Interviewer is sitting 'below', or at a lower level than the Elders in this interview video. Its almost like a conversation between a Parent, and their Child. Subtle, yet makes the interviews all that more engaging. I enjoyed this Street Interview very much, and learned a lot.
“When you enter someone else’s home, you will respect their customs.” I was taught this when I was just a child and was reminded about this still in adulthood.
I admire the way the Japanese treat each other. Their self respect and dignity shine through their polite manners.
I used to have my Business professor in college sitting on his desk and asking us to call him by his first name. I could never do that so I always call him Mr Norman. He always laughed at me for that.
With correct understanding and consideration for other cultures, I never consider myself as just a tourist but a visitor who appreciates any welcome from the host. I always leave the place i visited with gratitude for the new enriching experience.
It is just 2 main rules, respect others and be considerate.
Most of the actions stem from these ideas.
Don't be late, respect another's time.
Don't litter, be considerate and keep the place clean for the next user.
Wow these Japanese interviewees were so polite and wise. When I was a student in the 1960s, we were taught not to litter. I grew up with this mindset that it is not right to litter because it dirties the environment and someone else has to clean up after me. I teach my children the same thing never to litter. About punctuality, I used to work in a Japanese company (I am Singaporean). They are obsessed with punctuality, especially in meetings. When I was serving the Army during my National Service, my Sergeant would warn up never to be late - or face punishment. He would say, "If you are late, don't give me excuses. Just apologize." - of course, that would follow with a light punishment like not being able to go home on a weekend. I brought my punctuality with me when I worked in the corporate world. I was never late for my sales appointments except for 2 occasions (bearing in mind I was late on 2 occasions in 30 years working in sales!) and I still remember those occasions where I apologized profusely. Punctuality is the mark of a person's trustworthiness. The Japanese got it right regarding cleanliness and punctuality. I love Japan and the Japanese people.
It would be fascinating to read a study of Japan's gross national time spent being early for appointments every year, together with the punishing social exclusion of people who find clock-based time management extremely difficult, e.g. those with ADHD. Or indeed a study of all those sidelined and disadvantaged by an inflexible dominant culture of indirect speech and reading between the lines, e.g. people with autism.
Those comments about the cellphones are 1000% true. That was the strangest thing about Japan I’ve seen so far,99% of people on the train ,walking or riding will be on their phones. It’s like zombies everywhere honestly. Coming from a country where people are more social with each other,that was truly strange
Is it really "polite" to assume everything your teachers/parents say is right, or is that more so having to obey authority because of filial piety? I'm not sure it would be considered polite to take an authority figure's word as gospel if you know they're wrong but are too afraid to speak up. There's a fine line between being unnecessarily rebellious vs having a healthy degree of skepticism.
"And if the other party is late, I'll wait for 30 minutes." But shouldn't the expectation of being punctual be reciprocated? If the person you're meeting is a half hr late, what does that say about their character for you to accommodate and dismiss their tardiness?
Japan is the pinnacle of a high-trust society. If everyone collectively agrees to abstain from littering, then those who do litter will automatically be seen as deviant. But in many other places, there is no sense of communal trust, so people just behave in ways that serve their individual needs without considering the consequences of their actions on others.
Smartphone addiction is a generational problem, not a Japanese problem, and there doesn't seem to be an antidote for it now that the tech has become widely adopted, at least when it comes to adults. The best thing a parent could do to curb this early is by restricting smartphone use until their kids become teens, at minimum.
"I try not to look around and judge other people's behaviors." That's a luxury that only a country like Japan can afford, unfortunately. There are a lot of malicious actors in this world who actively prey on the vulnerable like the elderly. Gotta be acutely aware of your surroundings if you don't want to be rendered an easy target.
Polite language can make you less likely to speak up on a superior/older's mistake or have a misplace sense of trust and if that it's all it is, then of course it's bad.
One of the fundamental features of good communication is respect. Polite language is for having that foundation of respect.
Polite language is a tool, like anything, that can be used as a front to abuse. Yet for children especially but also adults, it allows confidence and consistency in speaking even in situations that may be completely new and overwhelming to them.
Respect has never been about obedience, even if some may try to sell that to you.
Why is it a problem for people to be on their phones when riding the train? What else are you supposed to do? Look at the floor? It's great to be able to use a phone to catch up on personal tasks, read news or emails, browse memes, watch videos, etc. Why would this be an issue?
Playing with your phone while someone is speaking with you is rude, of course.
It's not a problem, objectively speaking. But it fails to uphold the worldview of a certain sort of hidebound traditionalist.
Look at photos of Japanese trains in the 80s, everyone has their head stuck in a newspaper. It’s whatever.
They did have a lot of great insights otherwise though.
@@adriancentra Yeah, the cell phone comment is a useless point; it's just the older generation complaining about younger people, just like has happened for millennia.
Ever visited a looney asylum? Well, seen in movies? What's the scariest thing about it? Indifference. Nobody pays attention to you, nobody is making an eye contact. It's a zombieland of smartphone addicts.
It's not rude per se (although you can miss a person who needs your seat more than you do), it's emotionally uncomfortable.
@@adriancentra Yes, before people used to read, glancing at what the others were reading - what book or what article in newspaper, exchanging opinions on the news. Not always, but few times I witnessed a public debate spout from a popular article. It was fun. I met my closest friend through that: we were both reading Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut. :))) And we started to talk, exchanged phone numbers and met the following week-end.
There are ways that Japanese people are polite. However it you will often feel left out as a foreigner unless you make the effort to start a conversation with them. Also, there seems to be no etiquette to riding a bike at all. People walk on the left and right. They ride their bikes on both sides. People walk in front of cars and everyone is sharing these narrow streets. You have to stay vigilant always to not get into an accident. Also my Japanese teacher made fun of me on my birthday by calling me fat 3 times. And she's older. Also an older woman at a hotel told me: "It looks like you can eat a lot" after pointing me in the direction of the complimentary donuts. Also while meeting a Japanese guy for dinner he told me his wife couldn't come because she has diarrhea. There isn't always a universal etiquette. It is just best to educate yourself on the country you will visit or live in. "When in Rome" as they say.
The biggest wish I could have for my own country would be for us to adopt Japanese football fan culture wholesale
If that were to happen, I might actually start to enjoy the game
Amazing, I will apply these gems 💎
This is the one thing keeping me from actually working towards visiting: I am absolutely terrified of offending someone or doing something considered wrong or rude. I would absolutely wilt inside if I went to a country I’ve been dying to see and left someone with a bad feeling. 😭
I don't think you should be so afraid of unintentionally offending Japanese locals.
I'm sure you are taught some basic manners and etiquettes in your own native
land. That's what you should remember to stay with. The only thing that you might want to look into is in regards to food culture and manners which is very
easily study on UA-cam. And even then only what information you can gather.
Locals will give you a lot of slack seeing you are not native.
Relax and be open minded and take it all in or not take it if you don't like certain
food and stuff. It's natural ther are things that are too weird.
Remember that the sun rises again tomorrow.
Japanese people are far more forgiving to foreigners because they generally understand you’re not local or use to Japanese customs. If you show effort of politeness, you will be greatly appreciated and admired by the Japanese. Just try, that’s all!
Cringe. Just read a few rules on the internet ans then enjoy your time
Definitely come visit. If you just learn a few basic phrases in Japanese and look like you're at least trying to be respectful towards people, you'll already be doing better than the majority of tourists and the locals will appreciate it.
The fact that you care about not causing offense show's you'll be fine. The Japanese are very forgiving of foreigners and anyone is appreciative of those who offer sincere apologies. Just watch a few videos about their customs and etiquette before going. It's worth it.
This really goes for any country you go to. As a Czech, I know that foreign tourists, especially in Prague, Pilsen, Brno, Karlovy Vary (my town💪), will get drunk at a stag do/bachelor party or something and just cause an absolute ruckus at night, in the historical town centers, because they think since it's got pretty buildings and fast food restaurants, that no one lives there. This is, in fact, not the case. People do very much live there, and by screaming under their windows at 2 in the morning, you're not only probably waking them up when they might have to go to work or something, you're commiting an actual crime by disturbing the peace. So please, do not scream at night.
I don't know who needs to hear this, honestly. You'll get yelled at to shut the hell up at best, or get fined or possibly taken to, what we here call Záchytka, basically a small medical center meant for people who are so drunk they're endangering themselves and/or others. The cops will usually take you there if they think it's necessary, and then they'll give you some IV fluids to make sure you don't die of alcohol poisoning and then keep you there until the morning when you sober up.
Yes, we do in fact collectively consume so much alcohol that we have need for a medical establishment with the express purpose of caring for extremely drunk people. It's not a great fact about this country, but hey, now that you know those exist, you might be cautious enough not to find out what one looks like on the inside.
In Poland we call these "izba wytrzeźwień", so like sobering room or colloquially "wytrzeźwiałka" 😂 Not super common for average person to have been there but most people probably know a guy or two who had unwillingly hitched a ride there once or twice in their student days 🙈
And tourists should remember that while we generally have free emergency care the sobering centre is coming with a receipt from the police/city guards even if you weren't loud or aggressive, so it's better to know when to stumble back into your own room and save that money for a second night out! 😂
I've been coming to Japan since the 90s and this interview must apply to mostly the elderly generation as my most recent visit to Japan had countless younger Japanese (mostly families) who either cut in line or save spots for their entire group. Maybe amusement parks or attractions are a free for all and don't count. 🙄
As a German I feel like we have a lot in common with Japan but the whole world rather sees us as angry and harsh :D
You have zero in common with them as a westerner. 黙ってくれる馬鹿外人
Well that's because Japan has comedy. It levies the structure. Not to say Germans don't have comedy but its leans too much into sarcasm and irony. What the best compliment from a German is "there is nothing to complain about"?
@@aaronmontgomery2055 There is all sorts of comedy in Germany, comedy leaning to much into sarcasm and irony was something done in the 80s or 90s lol. The most popular type of comedy consumed in Germany is probably satire but the day to day comedy of casual Germans is more like situational comedy or word play.
So yeah, whenever I try to do wordplay jokes even in english with my european friends they mostly don't understand it immediately which makes the jokes less funny.
@@RealTaIk Cultural misconceptions exist for every well-known nation. The more powerful or popular you are as a nation, the more odd stereotypes will exist. It's inevitable.
The popular misconceptions about Germany are very widespread. Yes. However, the overall opinion of German culture in the world is quite positive. The 'humorless" German stereotype is certainly the oddest one since it strikes me as very much incorrect. But I suppose it is somewhat true that German culture does still tend to emphasize order and rules a bit more than many others.
@@RealTaIkAlso ... I would rank satire very high as a form of comedy. It requires greater levels of intelligence and wit.
"Sarcasm" is quite different and the word has a negative connotation in English. I've noticed many people (including young native speakers of English) misusing this word quite a bit recently, when they simply mean "irony" or "parody."
I didn't notice much actual sarcasm in Germany during my time there. Perhaps it was my language ability in German which is only B1 - not quite enough to always pick up on subtext.
But German satire is excellent.
Order and harmony is paramount, sincerity, not so much. Remember, these old folks are aware they are being video recorded for the world. Appearing self-deprecating is the norm, otherwise it sounds like boasting.
This highlights the difference between a society that values social cohesion vs one that values individual freedom.
Not at all. The central tenet of classical liberalism is that each individual's freedom is intrinsically limited by everyone else's. If *anyone* is free to do anything, then *everyone* is free to do anything, which will lead to chaos and despotism. So-called individualist societies require mutual respect and social cohesion at least as much as any other type of society.
You're mistaking normative rigidity and social hierarchy for cohesion. Over the centuries, English culture has been in many ways similar to Japanese: arcane unwritten rules and unbending social structures. Such things have the advantage of continuity and predictability but the disadvantage of inflexibility and brittleness, hence disasters like England's inept aristocratic officer class in WW1 and the Japanese fanatical dedication to imperial rule in WW2.
@@EdwardLindon Interesting take. I like it!
I was thinking more along the line of Japan's idea of social responsibility and cohesion vs let's say a country like the US where millions of Americans were up in arms over the mask mandate and refusing to be vaccinated citing their personal freedom and rights.
In the US the premium is put on personal rights and privileges to the detriment of societal well being. We can see the breakdown of that society right before our eyes right now.
I'm in my 20s and the degree to which my friends are totally addicted to their phones is unbelievable. They're basically on their phones every waking moment of their day, whether they're with other people or not. Very often I'll be the only person in a group not on my phone and just like the woman in the video says, that means we don't even have conversations with each other even though we're right next to each other. It's so sad.
Japanese seniors: being late undermines your credibility
Latin people (Spaniards, Portuguese, Italians, Brazilians): * leave the room
I kept thinking about exactly this. You show up on time to a house party and you've actually shocked your host by showing up hours too early. When I became friends with someone from Peru, my inner clock was changed, and now I can't reset to American time, forget Japan.
Frankly, people who are not punctual would not be liked or trusted in many first world countries, not just Japan.
I really liked what the last gentleman said about adapting to a new culture and how it takes a lot of time (and is learned in childhood).
I particularly agreed with the ‘when in Rome’ statement - it’s not that simple, especially if you’re really trying to integrate (language and behaviour) but constantly fail due to your appearance (Caucasian westerner here). It’s pretty much impossible, and you get scapegoated a lot :(
15:00 👍 Personally I like her way to approach life :) Let others be and not judge them all the time. Allow diversity and freedom to be unique/different as long as actions doesn't directly annoy or harm others :)
And 19:20, that guy makes sense, is understanding and considerate 👍
Everybody is taught different things depending on where they were born. Manners and gratitude are very important, but doing everything by the book in order to be considered a good person can wear a person out, because who is the absolute ruler to decide what is the standard. Every culture in the world has a different standard. I respect the cultures I visit and try to understand them so I don’t accidentally disrespect them. I loved my time in Japan and feel I would like to live there in a rural area.
Please foreigner in Japan. Follow the rules...
In fact many Japanese people are rude and immoral, but why are only foreigners always given special attention, is it because they are foreigners, even though more crimes are committed by native Japanese people than foreigners, I tell you Japanese people You are not the only nation that has manners and upholds politeness. There are many other countries that are much friendlier and kinder
Exactly, parts of Japan have been closed to tourists because of a small number of them not following the rules. It's a shame, but I can understand why Japan has made these decisions. People must respect the places they visit.
Tourists* Not foreigners. Foreigners living in Japan would never
@@cooliipie Sorry that's what I meant. I've corrected my comment.
Japanese people.... why should foreigners respect you and your country when you're racist and xenophobic to us no matter what....
With a channel name like "Asian Boss," they should focus more on places like Southeast Asia, South Asia, or even North Asia (though I only really know about Mongolia). Southeast Asia is super hot right now. Thailand is popular, and Indonesia's economic growth is impressive.They don't need to cover Japanese topics anymore, and honestly, I'd be happier if they stopped. There are too many trolls, and even people pretending to be Japanese just to write negative things about Japan. Native speakers can spot the fakes right away.
Those were great interviews. Honto ni kandou shimashita.
They really value time. In my country, being late is a must, otherwise you end up being the only one on time 😂
Values like these are never a bad thing.
Meanwhile, in France, if you're not 15 minutes late, people will wonder why you're early haha
A lot of us Frenchies hate people who are late though. I'm not friend with "retardataires". ^^
Thanks for this non-politically-motivated video! it's appreciated
How to be rude in Japan? Just watch Logan Paul’s Japan visit video
reminder that it's these elders that raised these youngsters with these problems :)
environment has a significant influence
my only regret watching this video is that i can only like it once.
such gems.
How unoriginal
Go create multiple YT accounts and like as many times you want
Its VERY RUDE FOR A UA-camR to make a CLICKBAIT video like THIS, with terrible broken translations.
Beautiful harmony in Japan society, exactly the opposite what’s happening in Germany with the transformation to a multicultural society. No trust and shared values anymore just competition and parallel societies.
I'm really sick of the manners of some foreign tourists…
How do the Japanese handle rudeness while visiting or living in other countries with different cultures and customs?
I guess that's why most of them they just stay in Japan .
They rant with other expats and console themselves for being superior. (In my old workplace, Japanese company in the US).
they don't go out of Japan or, if they do, they stick to their buddies and create a team to get judged together.
@@yumibelle_j Getting back, they show off their experience as an expat to other Japanese.
Japan : they leave things around ..
Me: They haven't seen NYC yet
That was delightful.
Japan is a patriarchal society with hierarchy. "Superiors" means men mostly.
Korea says hello
they treat women like objects
I'll say it only once. The whole world (especially the US) needs to understand that interfering in the social structure of other societies is not right (with the possible exception of radical Islamic societies). No one has the right to judge others if they're not unaliving people. No one. Yes, there are many Japanese rules that wouldn’t suit me, but if I made the decision to live there, I’d have to accept them. They are the way they are because their collective mindset allows them to survive on such a small land with frequent seismic activity. I hope that neither China nor the USA will ever succeed in changing the Japanese people. There’s no need to turn them into either a dictatorship or an overly liberal country with pronounced individualism. Every single screw and bolt in that country has been tightened by people who think about their nation. They do what is best for them, and no one has the right to express dissatisfaction with their internal affairs.
In what ways have China been influencing Japan?
All I see is USA has a base in Japan
I just want to say two things.
1) In the beginning you said "I'll say it only once.". Why only once? Are you going to die soon? Are you involved in some kind of dare? What is it?
2) You said "The whole world (especially the US) needs to understand that interfering in the social structure of other societies is not right". I completely agree. But please remember this: what goes around, comes around. Karma is a female dog. Please go back in history and see what the Japanese did to Korea when they occupied it. It's absolutely deplorable, disgusting, and shameful (and I am not even referring to the Korean Comfort Women). I will not be surprised if the US or emerging superpower China does the same to Japan. After all, what goes around, comes around.
The attitude in Japan is similar to Great Britain or Germany, the levels or unspoken rules of behaviour, etiquette, centuries of respect and understanding of the interactions that outsiders are totally oblivious to.
@@Colourmad314 nope it’s totally similar to other Asian countries such as Singapore or Korea those two are very discipline and also rules like Japan
@@Colourmad314 I’ve been to the uk
It’s nothing like Japan at all
People talk openly to you
Strangers btw
I really like the ending topic of this video. immigration/tourism.
In my opinion, I think a higher level of cultural learning is needed for immigrants all over the world. It is a big issue and will become bigger in the future. Regardless if people are forced to immigrate or choose to immigrate, a higher standard for cultural integration is crucial for the peace and development of that land.
0:01
That word hit me , ❤❤
Can u make video on how to move to singapore 🇸🇬 for studying md plese........
i hate everyone in my country are always late for everything, like my time is less important than theirs, I've lost friends because i couldn't deal with their tardiness anymore.
Is there a full interview?
phew, "15 minutes is very late". While I'm typically early, SO many Americans are late by a lot more than 15 minutes to things repeatedly.
What is the definition of "superiors" in Japan?
Any senior role like managers, supervisors, CEO?
Does interviewer know that polite and Japanese ‘reigi-tadasii’ (礼儀正しい) are quite different?
They are being very polite indeed. I never wait for anyone past 30mins without being informed beforehand. I just take it that they aren't meeting me anymore and I'll go ahead with my day.
When they said that I was reminded of the several occasions I've come to a place early (like one does) only for the other party to not be just a few minutes late, but rather over an hour late. The longest was a lunch we planned at 1, they came at 4 :)
4:09
ここカットしてます？「いい例が、、、」って言った後、その例を出てこないし、その後も「実力もあるけれど」とか文章が不自然で違和感があるんですけど。
「ゴミ拾うとか」って言ってるからこの人が言ったのは大谷翔平選手の事について話してるのかなと予想してるんですけど、、、
編集や英訳はどこまで正確なものなのだろう。。。
Yes Japanese people are so polite, they would never challenge domestic violence which is so rampant over there...
As for everyday politeness, I find it funny that westerners love going to a polite country but they themselves would never tolerate it if they were expected to act in the same manner
4:18 YEAHH FR
Thank you asian boss cute program
As a Japanese woman who looks SouthAsian and is disabled, I really don’t like that both Japanese and foreigners think 〝Racism in the West comes from who you are but xenophobia in Japan comes from what you do〟.
I don't understand why both Japanese and foreigners say〝Foreigners don't follow Japan's rules, so it's no wonder Japanese people don't like them〟. That logic only works when 〝That foreigner who doesn't follow Japanese rules〟is treated badly.〝I heard about foreigners causing us trouble online, so I can't help it if you get revenge〟is undeniably discrimination.
I lived in America, Japanese and Americans are very very different on 〝If they think their own people are good〟. I’ve never seen any Americans who don’t admit that there is racism in their country.
Japanese people claim that the reason they discriminated against, even if their 〝friend〟who was discriminated against was a native Japanese speaker who was born and raised in Japan, was because that 〝friend〟did not follow Japanese rules.
So, will foreigners from other countries admit Japan's discrimination against them？ No, unlike in Europe and America, discrimination against foreigners in Japan is so insidious that foreigners do not realize that they are being discriminated against. Instead of yelling, they curse you in their whisper.
@@CB73666 Sorry for long sentences in bad English……
I have a question.
Why do many Westerners think that sexism is worse but racism is better in Japan than those in the West？ I think that the difference between Western sexism and Japanese sexism and the difference between Western racism and Japanese racism are similar.
Very few Japanese strangers attack a woman walking alone at night(If she looked Japanese, white or black). Our sexism caused by guys close to us. Boss don’t promote female subordinate, husband make his wife do all house chores, man mock the look or age of female colleague and friend very persistently.
〝If the victims raise their voice〟are common difference too…There’s a reason why Japanese victims don’t raise their voice.
Actually Japanese guys who have suddenly touched my body on the street were only about 50. Only 5 of them kicked my legs when I ignored them. 4 of them weren’t serious.
When guys repeatedly kicked my body talked to me with Tagalog accent at first(That’s what many Japanese guys do to mock them). When I screamed やめて、お願いやめて！ they said 日本人だ！ and ran away.
At that time, I didn’t imagine that would make me quit my job.
I had walked with a limp for a while. When I said to one colleague why, he got mad and said 〝It wasn’t because you looked SouthAsian but you looked a sl*t！ We Japanese people never discriminate people！〟
He talked about it to all workers and many of them started bullying me(I was told not to report police).
Isn’t it the reason why Japanese violent racism(xenophobia) isn’t well known？？
Japanese people spend years talking about crimes committed by foreigners, but they quickly forget when the victims are foreigners. This year, one Japanese guy suddenly killed a Phillipena woman on the street but no one said it’s racism.
I help foreign residents voluntarily. Many of them have been bullied by their colleagues but scared to raise their voice because they don’t want more colleagues to bully them.
I honestly appreciate your comment. I'm like I'm pretty sure Japanese people are just as disrespectful. I think because anime and manga became so popular it's all over the world and people who are not from Japan have a bad habit of infantilizing, and fetishizing Asian people and it's getting weird.
@@noripee8278 What you told us about bullying at work in which you suffered, is very sad! You may not believe it but in China, the people are more free spirited and relaxed about following rules. There is also greater equality between men and women. People are there are usually kind and nice to others with a disability.
It might be polite but if you go on the Tokyo trains, young people and business people sit in priority seats even when there are clearly pregnant women, disabled people and the elderly standing there and do not offer their seats. Almost never seat the needy get offered a seat, that’s not polite at all
I agree. The manners and politeness of Japanese are over exaggerated. I just think people tend to put Japan on a pedestal. There are ways they are very polite and ways they are also impolite.
Because many salarymen in Tokyo are exhausted. I can understand why they want to sit down and rest
And many of the elderly, pregnant women and the disabled are well rested at their home
I'm curious what ethnicity is he
He's half Japanese and half German
Ironically, I think it's kind of wasteful with time to be an hour early for everything
Unless you do something with that time. I'm always super early to things and I use this opportunity to get more work done.
The difference between Japan / S.Korea from the rest is that Koreans and Japanese think collectively . The western culture is more of individulism . Downside of individulism , pick pocketers , protesters breaking into stores , more violence . Upside of individualism , more freedom .
Downside of collective culture , less freedom . Upside of collective culture are Honesty , Safety and trustworthy .
Nah, you really have to be careful at work, your reputation may suffer and no one tells you about it. Ghosting and pretend friendships are the same as anywhere else but the outward politeness makes you less aware. They can throw shade and make it sound like a compliment.
Japan and South Korea are completely different countries. They don't even share a border.
I love both Korea and Japan but they're very different in a lot of regards. I wish Korea had more of that: "let's not litter", "let's not bother everyone else and let's keep our voice down", "let's apologize when we bump into other people" though.
@@sara.cbc92they are similar idiot
East Asian culture is basically the same
We foreigners are SOOOOO lucky this isn't Imperial Japan, anymore.
The world is forever grateful to the United States.
@@hitthedeck4115yes but let’s not lie USA has become evil these past years
But if everyone, or even a high majority is polite... don't you think that when someone lowers their level of politeness just a bit it could be considered impolite. We're all human... they're thinking the same things as everyone else in the world, so when I hear polite in Japan, I do not draw any major conclusions from it.
I know this will be controversial but it is the younger generation's perspective that matters in any society.
And in a couple blinks… the younger becomes the older. It will feel strange but it catches up with everyone. In my view, mutual understand of multigenerations as they evolve is the civil way.
I really don’t understand why they are ok with talking to YOUNG strangers without the „polite language “
Bro looks like an Asian mix of Elon musk and Seth McFarlane
Eating too quickly in a group setting is not unique to Japan only. Many people around the world adjust their eating speed to others to be polite in a group setting. Japanese really think they're special and superior to others around the world....
They don't know anything about outside japan.
I dont understand why they don't think groping women on public transportation is rude?!?!
So the one guy said foreigners shouldn't drink in public..... but tons and tons of Japanese salary men drink, misbehave, smoke and vomit in public in Japan. Even during covid restrictions...... why should foreigners follow one rule, but Japanese people don't have to. Is that the way we treat Japanese in our countries?
The Japanese guy with glasses and who spoke about the Showa era was most intelligent in this video.
Honestly like a clear example "of rules for thee but not for me."
Such an aging population when all random interviewers are seniors.
Have you read the title of this video?
To.pay.tax
I’m foreigner living in Japan for about 19yrs indeed Japanese people are so polite other country who is first time come to Japan think Japanese is so kind! Because there are so polite because of their politeness!! Don’t fool of their politeness majority of japanese is hiding their thinking about you they are so fake first giving you a good impression etc etc but when you turn back they will tell you so many bad impression if they see you a simple wrong doing compare to other country it’s not a big deal japanese is so polite that’s all!! But majority of them don’t have a true kindness of heart!! Only2 or 3 when you scale it to 10.
I think you might want to brush up on where to put periods before diving into the Japanese culture.
Fake??
That’s incredibly rude to describe them
You are Korean
@@sara.cbc92 stop being anti Korean bruh
Just because you met bad Koreans does not mean every Koreans are bad people there’s also good people too
@@sara.cbc92 like everywhere in the world there’s good and bad people