These are all rude fuck ups that take effort to do. Also fuck those guys, especially the one who did the number 2. thing. The number 3. thing guy is also a huge asshole. It's on sight if I ever come across number 2 guy though.
I totally agree with her and your statement. The only thing is that some people (like me) having the language stick in my brain (even just a very basic selection of words) is quite difficult. And it seems it's only somewhat starting to come up a bit what I have learned now that it is my 4th day in Japan. (And still it is mostly very basic words) I did and am doing my best to learn the language in multiple ways, my brain just doesn't allow me to absorb it good enough in a useful way. Besides that I find it quite interesting that quite a few Japanese you come across who start talking to you, speak full on regular Japanese to you as a foreigner. Somewhere that is great, on the other hand, it feels that there is an assumption that you as a foreigner should be fuent in Japanese. No matter the low level of my Japanese I have, I have a great time here and the people are great, even with the language barrier (that I hoped I could have learned away, but sadly failed). Still many days to go before leaving, so I hope day by day my Japanese will improve a bit, because I do definitely believe that a amazing world opens up when you are able to communicate better. (Btw, Japanese would be my 3th and a bit language after Dutch, English and (a bit of) German. All languages beside Japanese I learned at school, Japanese I now try to learn in the little time I have after work and just life )
I disagree for folx who are just visiting. It’s not a duck thing to not learn the language before visiting. You’re a tourist, and are only there for a limited amount time, and if you don’t know if you are going back, then chill out. However, folx should be using their phones to get around nonetheless. Google Translate has helped me communicate with foreigners. I’m from Chicago, which a tourist city and I never take issue with them not knowing English. They are not moving here, so, no big deal. Be patient and bridge the gap by being hospitable. All I would ask is that tourists not litter, tear up anything or cause issues. Other than that, Welcome to Chicago, have fun. However, if folx are planning on visiting places regularly, or moving to a country, definitely learning some basic phrases should on one’s agenda. Either that, or use translation apps to help. No one should be playing charades, unless they are technologically challenged. And then learning phrases is a must.
@JRCGuitarist i think you misunderstood. They said don't be a dick. As in dont be rude. Has nothing to do with language, however its a good idea to know basic phrases . I would never advise to solely rely on your phone. Even if only for short travel.
@@bunnyrabiLive here long enough, you find that "rude" and "disruptive" is anything that would exist beyond their comfort zone or level of information. Don't dress "too well", don't have hair "too different", don't walk "too masculine", don't be "too quiet"...etcetera and etcetera. Ad Infinitum.
Also there are some really good translator apps! my mom knows 2 words in Japanese but she was able to talk with this sweet older couple who didn't know much English in a dish store for hours with voicetra
People in Japan DO silently judge you they just won’t confront you or say anything to you. Follow etiquette and do more then 30 seconds of research and you’ll be fine
But who cares though? If you're living rent free in the minds of strangers that's a them issue not a you issue. People who fixate on strangers are usually incredibly bitter and hard to make happy regardless of what you do, so why jump through hoops to do so, just because they're of a certain nationality.
So just like anywhere in the world? As someone who lives in America who has a Gothic fashion choice I'm sure I get lots of people silently judging me or saying very rude things. But who gives a fuck? I've never been confronted by anyone being rude to me either. But the people who do have been very lovely and polite. And if I do get a rare rude comment I just ignore and walk away. There's shitty people in every culture and country as well as very lovely and amazing people. You can't be friends with everyone, so who cares if you're a foreigner in Japan and some Japanese people are silently judging you. Not every Japanese person is like that. It's the same thing in America too, it's just people being people
@ “so just like anywhere in the world” yes because Japan is just a place in the world. People forget Japan isn’t some magical fairytale land with talking animals and magical teenage girls everyone sucks everywhere and I’m glad I see someone else who can also recognize that :D
@@Bocchi-d7c I rarely ever see people who genuinely thinks Japan is a utopia. It's usually other people who are just mad that people are excited about visiting Japan because a lot of their favorite hobbies come from there who say that and overly exaggerate it. Or maybe it's because I'm not on social media everyday so I don't notice it. But yes obviously Japan is flawed, humans in general are flawed. Just let people be excited to visit a country and have hobbies.
On my flight home to germany from japan the lady in front of me had perfume on so strong it was making me naseous and giving me a sore throat I had to put a mask on. One of the biggest things coming back from Japan was missing how generally scentless it was compared to germany. Everyone here wears cologne/perfume so strong and so much smoking and BO i'm constantly overwhelmed and reeling from it.
I love how deliberately applied fragrant chemicals on the person is not a thing in Japan. Nobody smells. When you're in a very crowded area it's INCREDIBLY courteous to keep noise to a minimum and not invade a communal sensory field: smell. This is how to keep people relaxed and calm when living in overpopulated cities. Nowhere else on Earth has figured this out it seems.
Why do people make such a big deal out of 'looking like a tourist'? You arent fooling anyone, most of them still can tell you are a tourist. And they will be more forgiving if you accidentally break social etiquette or rules as a tourist. Some of these social etiquette rules are only more important if you are working or living in Japan and have to try to blend in.
Hell, in Japan if you're a foreigner people will automatically assume you're a tourist even if you've lived there or was even born there. It doesn't matter, just don't be obnoxious.
literally living in asia i pretty much wear what i want/like (within reason ofc) bc i stick out like a sore white thumb and everyones staring at me already anyway so why not just wear what i feel comfortable in lol
it's mostly US white people who say this because there's this pervasive idea that ppl will try to take advantage of them if they "look like tourists". Which, isn't altogether a lie/stereotype, it's rooted in truth, but it's not JUST towards them, it's towards ANYONE tourist or not. Waipipo just think they're special...
I lived in a year and id say these are the most important. 1:Dont be loud(especially on trains/buses) 2:•Don't throw trash on the floor. 3:Use a translation app(DeepL is preferable) if things are an issue. 4:Learn to line up for the trains properly. 5:DON'T STAND ON THE WALKING SIDE OF THE ESCALATORS.
I was there 2 weeks ago. I violated the 1st rule eventhough its common courtesy. We were so excited laugh and talk loud everywhere. Sounding like weebs.
I feel like American people (especially those who don't travel outside of their state & the US) don't understand #5, they're like "escalators going up or down automatically, why should I move?"
Honestly a lot of those reels look like people who are in Japan for a few weeks and start generalizing personal experiences, encounters and a lot of assumptions. Some of the "rules" got me off guard because "wow so I've been breaking that rules for 10 plus years? Wow! What to do." The most helpful advice and "rules" are to be respectful to the people, the culture, follow the written rules at any public or private areas, learn general Japanese phrases and utilize a translation app (which can be helpful in so many ways) and don't go around taking pictures of strangers without asking permissions because they are dressed in "interesting costumes" and try not to fall for tourist traps (which is a common sense for travelling to every country).
13:20 some people do DROWN themselves in perfume and just 🤮 it’s too strongggf 😭 it’s just basic thing to not douse yourself in an entire perfume bottle. If your perfume is good, you won’t need more than a couple small applications of it. Trust me.
I've seen a lot of complains on perfumes not lasting as much as before and while I agree they might not last as before since they must've changed the formula to have a bit more water, I blame the people for not knowing how to wear them. There are too many people out there who don't properly take care of themselves and expect a perfume to make them smell nice throughout the day.
That usually happens due to sensory adaptation. If you wear the same exact perfume every day then your brain gets so used to smelling that scent that it filters it out. They literally cannot smell it anymore, so they keep dumping more and more on until they can get a whiff of it That’s why it’s important to have a few different scents you rotate between, and/or take breaks from wearing perfume
Maaaan, you just reminded me, sometimes when I go to the gym and I'm on the treadmill, a younger dude who must throw on a whole can of spray-on deodorant likes to run next to me. I can TASTE it. And my asthma doesn't particularly agree with it either...
My housemate's boyfriend does that. Every time he comes over, my partner and I get drowned in his body spray when he walks past. I don't know how my housemate copes with the smell because they're usually locked in her bedroom most of the time. To me, it feels like overcompensating.
I went in July and pretty much forgot about all these “rules” aside from speaking simple Japanese terms and did not once feel like anyone was judging. It was the opposite. Everyone was so welcoming and kind! And it was SO hot I wore shorts 85% of the time. We loved it so much we can’t wait to go back!
Honestly, give winter a try in Tokyo. It's beautiful with all the white snow and it's very cheap accommodation. I pad $600 for 10 days in a 5 star hotel.
His was a TAD bit satire but yeah still so funny I even commented over there saying that it’s not that really RUDE to do stuff it’s more ODD And I feel like people make these videos make it seems like you are going to GREATLY offend someone Like “baby people in Japan are BUSY To care” haha
I was thinking this also and had a good laugh! Chris/AiJ actually lives there, though, and I notice many of these list creators do NOT. They’ve had one visit - maybe - but are otherwise just regurgitating something they’ve heard 2nd hand.
As a Japanese, the last one is occasionally right. In places like fine sushi restaurants, you should NOT wear perfume at all because the strong scent could ruin the delicate flavor of sushi, not only yours but also other customers’. Other than that, you’ll be completely fine wearing perfume or cologne. Edit : For those who would like to experience high-end sushi restaurants(this video has nothing to do with it tho), the best tip for you is to eat sushi as soon as the chef put it in front of you. Of course its okay to take photos as long as the chef says so BUT you dont wanna take much cuz sushi rice is getting pressed down by its own weight and the texture gets worse(slightly though). So dont take much time to take pics and put sushi into your mouth as soon as possible.
Generally speaking, a Japanese is sensitive to a fragrance. I get a headache with some perfume. (My mom is same.) In my last office, one female worker was wearing strong perfume, and she received a complaint with smell harassment. Strong smell recognizes one of "smell harassment".
True, a lot of fancy Omakase restaurants tell you about this before coming in. I imagine in a conveyor belt chain it doesn't matter as much, but still be reasonable.
It's bizzare these influencers talk about Japan like its a singular city, and not a huge country. It is even slightly larger than the UK, so having a list of rules to follow when you visit Japan is stupid. That really depends on which part of Japan you are visiting, even the districts in Tokyo have pretty difficult atmospheres to one another.
Although this is true, in fairness, the vast majority of tourism in Japan centers on Tokyo, with lesser amounts going to Kyoto ("the anagram-lover's Tokyo", in the words of an old Simpsons joke). Compared to the millions who flood into Tokyo every year, those going to Sendai are few and far between.
They don't even know Okinawa is a different environment barely accepting Mainland Japanese practices altogether, let alone that it even exists. And that's where my family migrated from after 1945.
Using too much cologne or perfume is a social faux pas worldwide, not specifically to Japan. I think everyone who uses perfume or cologne needs to be educated on how much is too much.
This is true but is more so the case in Japan where people aren't used to strong body smells (good or bad). I imagine many places in South Asia and Europe are more tolerant of such smells.
"Imagine you're going to have one of those tender, romantic, Hollywood kissing scenes.. Do you catch that elusive, fragrant scent just as you're about to hug your partner, with their neck right there OR does it smell like every Teenagers Room filled with that lovely AXE body spray smell.. Two blocks before you even meet."
in gulf countries it’s very common for people to wear extremely strong perfumes, so much that you even know if a woman or man was in the elevator before you
I heard it was bad manners to do it in a sushi place, probably fancy because your perfume would overwhelm natural smells and flavors for other diners. Which makes sense if you are all pretty close, sitting at a bar and the food is more subtle. You wouldn't smoke either.
Regarding the part where no one would sit beside you, I probably wouldn’t questioned it. I’m Danish and have lived in Denmark my entire life. And let me tell you, it’s basically an unwritten rule to not sit beside strangers unless you don’t have much other options. Like seriously, if someone comes to sit by us, we will not say anything, but we will be thinking something like “Dammit, was there really no other place for them to sit? I don’t like this.”. I’d likely just enjoy the extra space.
I concur. I’m a Belgian living in Norway for the past 8 years and boy do we hate it here too. They would rather stand than sit next to someone unless there isn’t a choice. So when living in Japan I just thought ‘hallelujah’ 😅
Right, I'd say that's like that everywhere. But I think in the cases they are talking about, people avoid sitting next to you even in a full train. I never noticed that happening to me in jp, maybe it did idk, but people definitely sat next to me. But one of the things is, japanese trains mostly have benches with no separated seats. So if someone feels like you take too much space into what could be the next person's seat, they maybe don't wanna squeeze too close to you. But I am a petite person, and I obviously always try to keep my backpack straps and coat tails close to me, so it wouldn't go beyond what should be my space. So maybe ppl felt more comfortable. It's a bit harder to see how much space you can take up with a bench
my argentinian loud mouth probably will say " if you dont like that if a stranger is seatted close to you in a train buy a car or take a taxi jack@ss "
Growing up in Sweden I'm also used to sitting alone on the bus seat, but that's okay in the Nordics because everyone is doing that. The year I lived in Japan, after days and days of being the only one wih no one sitting next to me in a completely full bus (sitting and standing), I felt extremely ostracized. It didn't feel good at all. I kept thinking what I did wrong, but I'm super petite (shouldn't be scary or take a lot of space), dressed in Japanese proper fashion, no perfume, nothing. Funny thing is, the few times I wore sunglasses, people sometimes sat next to me. I'm guessing that when they couldn't see my blue eyes, they just took me for a Japanese person with dyed hair, maybe?
The eye color thing is so real though. It's borderline dangerous for me to ride my bike during the day, because my eyes are insanely sensitive to sunlight so I have to half close them or it's just agonizingly painful.
I recently had a conversation with one of my Japanese friends about this and she said the same thing about eye color lol. All my students think I look cool when they see me wearing sunglasses while I'm driving (which I do for safety reasons), so yeah, no Japanese person is going to be like "you look shady" if you were sunglasses
Also a foreigner who has been living here for 6+ years and my take is.. 1. Girls’ fashion: Depends on the area. If you’re in a residential or smaller city, people typically dress more conservative. Before I moved to Tokyo I was living in a smaller city which was WAY more conservative fashion-wise. If you go to Shibuya, Shinjuku or even just Tokyo and Osaka, then you can expect a lot more funky and less conservative fashion. 2. Shorts - lmao my Japanese guy friends who are 30+ always wear shorts in the summer and I hadn’t even heard of this?? 3. Sunglasses: I think it’s less common to wear them here, but slowly increasing esp if you go to places that are really sunny like the beach, etc. 4. Hot pepper beauty - My girlfriends and I all use this. If you do want to book hair salon/nail appointments, I highly recommend cause they have tons of coupons on there. It’s not too difficult to book even if you don’t know Japanese, but just be aware that if you book from there, most of the salons won’t speak any English.
Second this! Also a foreigner living in Japan. I use Hot pepper beauty all the time! So good for hair and nail salon appointments and great deals. Can't recommend enough. It's weird she said she didn't know anyone around her who uses this... everyone around me uses this. But then again most people around me are long term residents so maybe it's not for tourists but definitely used by foreigners living in Japan.
The more I live here the more I realize 90% of these people are full of crap. I wear cologne all the time now in Japan. I usually get positive reactions.
There's a literal video, it says about shocking things that Japanese didn't do for you, and it's not holding the door for you when they enter. Like, does the person has to wait for you when you are still a bit far? And it's normal, I won't do that either if the person is still far and if another people is going to walk out.
An actual useful list of 5 things to do when visiting Japan: 1. Learn the language before going, even if just a bit; 2. Plan your schedules with someone who knows the area if possible; 3. Ask for help and information when dealing with aspects of Japanese culture you don't understand, don't just assume things and try to execute them based on what you thought, you are probably wrong; 4. Do dress up according to the climate, Japan has very defined seasons and each requires its own care with your health; 5. Always ask for permission before filming or taking pictures, depending on the situation taking pictures without permission can be illegal!
I don't know if it has changed since 2011, but I hated the pads in Japan. They were so thick, it felt like wearing a diaper imo. But I guess it all depends on what you prefer and what you are used to. I'm used to Swedish pads.
Are there a range of tampons or only very few? I've was in Korea for 11 months and was surprised that the only tampons I could find were ones with applicators. In Germany we don't have those at all, but a wide range of different tampons and other period products. Applicators are really stupid and wasteful and the tampons were also not that great. Thankfully my parents just added a box of German tampons when they sent me a package so I could use those. I wondered if it's similar in Japan.
my family is hispanic, we absolutely do not look japanese. when we went to japan, we didn't experience the gaijin seat at all. My dad is a tall, burly, dark skinned hispanic man with a big beard and he'd often have older ladies sit next to him or he'd talk to the older women on the train to give up his seat for them and they were all so friendly. I would often give up my seat to old women who would laugh and even try to push me back into the seat because they didn't wanna take it from me. I was super surprised to see the gaijin seat thing all over the internet and was expecting that was going to happen but it didn't to any of us! i remember even being squeezed between two people on the train and they never hesitated to sit next to any of us. We went to tokyo and osaka though so maybe it's bigger cities.
About the last one, as someone who has gotten sick due to peoples' perfumes, people getting on crowded trains or sitting near you in a music/movie venue or restaurant is really really terrible. I know lots of people like perfumes but a lot of people are sensitive to strong scents. And a lot of people wear way too much perfume. Nobody needs to be smelling you from meters away. Both foreigners and Japanese people do this. Though in my experience foreigners tend to wear "the most artificial chemical sour ass smell ever" and Japanese people tend to go towards "let me just rub my entire body in vanilla and flower shit". Yes everyone is free to wear what they want but I will be choking thank you.
EXACTLY. This is just good advice for being ANYWHERE crowded--so unless you're only going to be in your own space the whole time, please do not drown yourself in a scent, because you don't know who you are going to make suffer with difficulty breathing! And excessive fancy smell is simply not more important than others being able to frikkin breathe.
The worst perfumes ive ever smell were one from the middle east and south asia(and some southeast Asian countries too)the smell are so potent that my nose hurts just by smell. But that still nothing compared to body odor its always guys on crowded trains for some odd reason.
Yes. That's totally fair. There is a movement in some work places for people not to wear scented products out of respect for people who have "scent allergies" even though there is no such thing as a "scent allergy" because an allergy requires a protein and a scent in itself is not a protein. But I digress. I find BO and musty smelling clothes not washed regularly far worse, and more offensive, than scented products but the rule of thumb is keep it light. Don't leave a puddle of perfume or cologne when you stand still.
So true. I currently can't sleep cuz I have massive sinus headache from being around perfume yesterday. It's so painful, I'm laying here with an ice pack on my face attempting to distract myself from it with YT. I also feel like I want to throw up.
Its honestly SCARY how nobody talks about learning at least a little-the TINIEST bit of Japanese before going!! I dont even know what these people who havent touched up on anything do when they get there, i could only assume STRUGGLE IMMENSELY with just about EVERY situation lmao
I’ve had friends who have lived there 10+ years and couldn’t speak a lick. How did they get by? By placing themselves in a “Gaijin Bubble”, and never really interacting over anything other than a superficial level (conbini, etc) outside of that bubble.
My buddy last year came with me knowing not a word, he got by fine. There's a ton of English in Tokyo actually. Edit: he could say "hello", "please", and thank you" but like to get by for ordering food and stuff yeah tons of English signage.
Normally comes from English native speakers, because they think everubody in the world should speak English ahahaha if you watch content in other languages, everybody will tell you to learn a little of the language, mainly polite words
@@samanthaabreu782No, as an American, many foreigners come to the US and not learn a lick of English. And a lot of us don’t really care. Because they basically live in a bubble where only their longhair is spoken. And that’s fine for them. Just as I respect it if folx live an English speaking bubble when living overseas, that’s up to them. Other than that, many English speakers pick up other mandates to some extent.
There’s nothing scary about that, folx can just use translation apps to get around and order things. As an American, I’ve communicated with foreigners using Google translate. It’s pretty easy. With this said, I don’t believe folx have to learn the language if they are only visiting and don’t know if they are going back. Now, if you know you are moving to Japan, definitely learn some phrases of get a translation app, you shouldn’t be “playing charades” anyone honestly.
I have blue eyes , so even on a cloudy day I have to wear my sunglasses because the sun or any bright lights hurt my eyes(it's not to be rude or otherwise), even my eye doctor is surprised by how my eyes are.
Same. I can’t do bright sunlight outside without sunglasses unfortunately. Even on overcast days white cloud cover bothers my eyes especially while driving.
Every year or two when I go to the optometrist, I always end up with a stronger and stronger prescription with my slowly deteriorating eyes. I'm going to wear sunglasses regardless of what other people think of me.
Even in Japan, it is known that people with low melanin need sunglasses. Many Japanese people also wear sunglasses when running or cycling. Pitch black sunglasses that look like yakuza or military men give a bad impression. People who were blind or had eye problems wore round sunglasses as a sign of their condition. Round shapes are now popular in fashion. It would be a good idea to refer to the sunglasses and fashion that Pewdiepie wears. He is very aware of the way white people dress and behave in Japan. If you are a tourist, take it off indoors and before greeting people, just like a hat.
@yokosasaki-m5f I do when I go indoors but if I know people or say hi(where I live I live them on) and I need to wear ones that cover the corners has well it's that bad( but at least I can see in the dark)
@@lovexeden1207 In California it is actually like this, one of my teachers has an allergy to some perfumes due to a certain ingredient so we don’t spray perfume or wear heavy cologne in his class. Even if you don’t have an allergy we all don’t wear a lot of perfume or cologne and if you do wear a lot, (especially cologne) you will stand out. So I guess it is very different based on area
@@narikojozai2974 idk what part you in but thas not the california i went to either. pple have trends on tiktok dedicated to smells that stay for long periods nd smell enough for pple to notice
I for sure have heard people whisper about someone wearing too strong of perfume, and wearing smells not common in the area. People also whisper about bodily odors. I personally find it most rude when people smell like a middleschool locker room, whole bottle of cologne/perfume, but that is mostly because allergies make it hard to breathe, and sensory sensitivity makes it really overwhelming and hard to think. I think a good general rule is don't be disruptive, with smelling or sounding too loud. And for the unfamiliar smells, if you don't conform to the norms of the area, bigots/prudes will be rude
Chopstick rules are absolutely a thing in japan. I lived there 3 years and my wife is native Japanese, the sticking chopsticks in a bow of rice and passing things chopsticks to chopsticks are things only done at funerals. I've gotten in trouble many times about it.
As someone who also lives in Japan, I will say that it also depends on where you are. Aki lives in Tokyo and things are more relaxed and modern there as far as fashion. If you don’t live in a tourist city you do need to make more of an effort to fit in style wize. There is no one set way to behave in Japan just do your best to do what others are doing, be attentive and pay attention and try to follow the rules as best you can and you will be fine.
If you are a foreigner, who cares? Hell it's October and I"m still wearing shorts. Even at my school. They do not care. Even if I tried to fit in, I would never be in. I will foreigner be the big white guy here.
@@monkeyboyjonathan42 Honestly, tourists almost always get a pass when it comes to clothing choices because, well, they're tourists. As long as you're not a dick, you'll be fine.
That "don't pass food from your chopsticks to someone else's chopsticks" is something so baffling to me. WHO WOULD THINK OF DOING THAT!? You don't pass food from your fork to someone else's fork, why would you even think about doing that with hashi!?
Have you never used chopsticks? They have a pincer motion, like a finger and thumb, which makes it easy to pass things using them, like you can using tongs or your hands. Forks only pierce, so it would simply be impractical to try to pass fork to fork. My kids have been using chopsticks since before they were 2- they needed to be taught not to pass things chopsticks to chopsticks :)
It’s a really specific thing because it’s part of a funeral ritual but it doesn’t make much sense to do anyway. It’s analogous to something like the western table manner rule about making sure the knife blade should always face you rather than the other person… which would never happen because it would be really difficult to cut your food that way.
I’m an American who spent two years in Japan and my advice for anyone visiting is that if you aren’t ethnically Asian, clothing-wise it doesn’t really matter what rules you follow or don’t follow. You are going to stick out and people will stare. For me it was actually really freeing because I learned to stop caring about people staring at me (which has helped in my life back home as a gender nonconforming person). Anyway, my advice is to focus less on trying to dress a certain way and instead focus on learning the language and politeness culture.
The perfume tip (no strong fragrance) and don’t stick your chopsticks in the rice/don’t pass food using chopsticks are REAL. If you mix with Japanese people in Japan you’ll quickly learn. I think the reason she’s never noticed them is that it’s hard to notice something that isn’t there (such as strong scents).
@3:30 Also, if you're a person with strong BO and need a quality deodorant or anti-perspirant, good luck finding something that works for you in Japan. Bring your toiletries. lol
Hair products also may vary. They work fine if you’re also of Asian descent but I’ve heard hair color products in Japan are too aggressive for European hair types, which are usually thinner.
I'm not too fine on the details of it but a lot of East Asians have this gene sequence that pretty much means that a number of them don't sweat a lot or have B.O. In SK, deodorant is RARE and you're gonna have a very hard time looking for one to buy.
Very true, still bring your own toiletries please! On our trip last year, my boyfriend forgot his aftershave product. Try to find aftershave in Japan! Apparently they don't use that a lot either. 😂 We managed to find something that came close to it, but even the shop owner had a hard time understanding what we were searching for exactly 😂
'Scandalous in Shinjuku' just sounds like a fun, unexpectedly warm comfort anime. I feel like the rules are always at awareness, like when I go to Mexico. Learn a big armful of the language, be aware and polite, and just be a good citizen of the planet. Maybe I'll visit Japan someday, I'd like that. It seems like a very busy place, but what am I gonna do, sweat every detail? Folks are just trying to get by
Everything else to the side…saying “Scandalous in Shinjuku” sounds like a title for a wholesome anime feels like someone saying “Bible Black” sounds like a title for a cute wholesome anime 😅😅
Nah man its not about that. Ppl are being too literal about it. it's about that rejected feeling you get, like "man, people are actively avoiding me bc I'm another race :/" and it's something a few people, especially from a mixing pot like America, might struggle with a little bit
The reason sunglasses are perceived as "shady" is because of their association with the Yakuza. It's the same reason that hot springs often don't allow people with tattoos. However, people do wear sunglasses sometimes, and it's not as though anybody is going to be upset about a foreigner wearing them. So as a "tip" for tourists it's completely useless.
I have a feeling the sunglasses thing isn’t just about the sunglasses but it also being paired with a suit (yakuza) or in jeans and a leather jacket (Yanki) which might make people paranoid
Omg the moment you explained about Migaku, I immediately went and got a subscription. Ive been looking for an extension that gives meaning when you hoover and a double subtitle, both for Chinese and Japanese learning. Thank you so much!
One thing my dad thought was strange in Japan was the fact that people commonly use umbrellas when it's sunny. He loves to sunbathe and get tanned. Here in Sweden, tann is the beauty standard. I myself are not very fond of getting tanned
I'm Japanese. It's well known to us that burning causes skin damage and makes aging faster, and we want perfect skin that ages slowly. I'm also pretty sure the ganguro subculture died with that becoming well known. In the 90s to 2010, it was pretty common to see people who go to tanning salons. And Japan has a high UV index.
It’s an Asian thing. Asian summers can be real humid and the sun can hurt. Even in the Philippines people use umbrellas in sunny days especially older ladies. You won’t understand til you’ve experienced the warmest summer days in Asia. Plus umbrellas came from parasols. It’s not like we’re using umbrellas wrong.
In the end, the influencers were not lying. Ofcourse you don't have to know all that, but its still a thing. The problem is, that many tourists don't seem to have common sense and think they can do everything like in their home country. This seems to be especially true for Americans, French and Chinese - they even get angry when they can not use their own language. Ofcourse you don't have to take a shower every day and can be loud in a train - but yes, people will hate you. Even other tourists will hate you. And yes, overuse of smelly parfume is absolutely bad manners. People will get a hadache because of this. Just leave the parfume at home and stay clean. End of story.
Misinformation about Japan has been around for so long, but seems like it's at a whole nother level right now. Japan according to the internet and real Japan are basically two different things
It’s the same for other countries I think .. like if you come to the U.K. and you visit London everyone talks about it like London represents the whole of England and because they only visit that city they think it’s true but if you travel outside of London you’ll see so many different towns and city’s do things different act different and even speak different. It does get very annoying with misinformation and people just assuming stuff about you because of what they have heard online,
I didn't even have to hear him speak. Pretty much every time I see that kind of editing and tone of voice, I already know there's a 99.9% chance the person is full of crap.
Just a quick note, the perfume thing is true. But mostly in high end restaurant (kaiseki or sushi omakase places.) often on the reservation sit will say to not wear perfume and in certain cases it actually says that you can be refuses entry if your perfume is too strong. It's because those places are usually small and strong scent can be an issue for the other patrons, and also it can be detrimental to the delicate aroma of the food. It's the same reason that most high-end fine dining restaurant in the west do not put flowers on the table.
I'm Japanese myself. I wear shorts everyday except in winter. Japanese men prefer to wear pants. That's right. But I guess this is partially becuase Japanese men are mostly slim, some even scrawny. These men look silly wearing shorts. Japanese people in general care a lot about how others think about them. They don't want to look lame in a public sphere. If you are somewhat mascular you look good in shorts.
If shorts were so bad hey wouldn't sell them, yeah? But they do! Most people don't care. If you want to look trendy like some model or actor then maybe not, but consider how many times you've seen an old aged man going to the conbini wearing shorts!!??!!
No because I keep seeing people say that Japan is racist to black people, but I just went there over the summer and everyone was SO FREAKING NICE! granted Japan is being more open to black people now, and past encounters with racism could’ve been made, but if you wanna go to Japan now then go for it! ITS A LITERAL A BLAST
Unfortunately many Asian countries do have colorist feelings towards dark skin in general. However if you aren't planning to live or stay long time in Asia as a black person then the likelihood of you experiencing any racism is low. However Unfortunately yea, black people are often looked down upon and only really praised for our stereotypes in Asia. That may change in future, but won't be easy since our current culture kind of doesn't help our overall imagine.
In relation to this, I think it is simultaneously understated and overstated by different groups of people. Understated by reactionary weirdoes who want to defend their precious sugoi Japan (even tho they are racist themselves), but overstated by certain people whose impressions of racism in Japan are just built off of Tiktoks and not real experience. The reality is somewhat complicated; I do think racism is a pretty substantial issue in Japan (like it is in any country), however it's not like Italy where people might call you a slur and throw banana peels at you at a football game. You will almost never encounter that kind of virulent racism in Japan. What you may encounter (if you do have a negative experience) are just the things all foreigners may experience, except it's gonna happen to you more often because you're black lol Things like stares, people not sitting next to you, etc. though ofc these issues are a lot less common in the big cities where heavy tourism is expected. So I would definitely say to POC who want to come to Japan, come! The most that's gonna happen most likely is a few people being weird.
When I was a student, a black girl did an exchange trip to Japan. She said she never experienced any overt racism though she of course got stared at a lot, especially when she visited small towns and rural areas. The most awkward thing she experienced was a bunch of older men calling her "Tina Turner" because she had blonde streaks in her hair but she never detected any malice.
If you go to any country in the world, there will be a fraction of them who will be unfriendly to someone of a different skin colour. Even within the US, you can find places where blacks aren't welcome, and places where whites aren't welcome. It's all about how you react to it, and how you let it affect you (or not).
Maybe not your experience, but Japan can become very xenophobic and racist. I and a lot of other people had a pretty crap time because of it, but yes, it does exist
People should keep in mind that living in Japan isn't like how these big youtubers portray it either. There's certain privileges youtubers have such as not working in the regular Japanese workforce / experiencing as much enforced Japanese work culture that impacts a lot of how your life in Japan will be.
Really appreciate this video and your comment on these new “creators” treating Japan like Disney land. One thing I do want to add is about perfume/cologne is actually a huge no-no at nice sushi restaurants and some places will ask you to leave if it’s tainting the experience for the others that have to sit next to you or if it’s strong enough that the chef can smell you then it’s probably tainting the sushi is what they say.
Take my words with a grain of salt but at least in Kansai where I am, the last one about perfume and cologne especially in sushi places is definitely a thing. I've also heard general grumbles about it on public transportation, but like, I think that's not just a Japan thing.
3:07 in western australia thats just how most people sit in trains here they'll usually avoid sitting directly next to you unless they know you so I wouldn't find a big deal also I like the space
The point is that they rather stand or sit in a really cammed place instead of in free seats next to a foreigner. I already had the same happen to me multiple times in Korea and it's not "oh it's a homogeneous society" it's just racism. Trying to make racism sound good just because it's Japan or Asia is just demented
@@JPunkt1 Of course my experience is also just personal experience but I was in Korea for 11 months (mostly in Busan) and never experienced this. If you talk in the subway you have to be very careful to speak as quietly as possible but otherwise I've never had any issues like these. Even in the summer where I was really worried I might smell bad after being outside in the heat before going into the subway.
Sorry but this is ridiculous and is splitting hairs. On an empty train, no one is going to sit next to you. But on a packed train where people are ALREADY sitting next to people? I don't think you were actually listening to the situation described. We do the same in the UK. People don't sit directly next to someone they don't know IF there's other free spaces. The specific point being made here is that there are NO other free spaces. So people are actively choosing to avoid you specifically. Are you seriously saying that would feel normal to you?
The chopsticks etiquette thing is actually pretty serious. Rules 1 and 2 (don't rub them together and don't dig in your bowl with them) are more about just having good manners (like not slurping your soup or not eating with your elbows on the table in the West) but Rules 3 and 4 (don't stick them vertically in rice and don't pass food chopstick to chopstick) are taken very seriously and if a Japanese person did them, people would automatically assume they were raised in the streets.
Exactly. It’s all related to funerals. That and wearing your yukata right over left, which is also to do with how corpses are dressed at funerals. People will forgive you if you break these rules as they will assume you didn’t know any better, but there’s nothing wrong with spreading the word and making tourists aware of the do’s and don’ts in these instances.
I have motion sickness so I personally like the toned-down-cologne or no cologne unspoken rule especially in public transportation or places that tends to get crowded or enclosed spaces. I have a lot of experiences with car fresheners or riding with people with strong smelling cologne and it really gives me headache and makes me feel extra nauseous. Maybe I have sensitive nose for scents🤷🏻♀️
Omg, we're the same. I have motion sickness and always struggle with strong scents, even some of the times I'm smelling scents that other ppl around me aren't smelling and it just makes me nauseous 🥲
Ive seen it a few times when someone was wearing too much perfume or cologne, and the chef had them sit soemwhere else away from others. Usually happens in a sushi restaurant.
03:00 If this happened in Norway where I live, I'd immediately tell the truth that we never sit next to each other, even if all the rows in public transport only has one seat available per side of the transport, we would much rather stand for however long it takes to get to point B. Sitting next to each other is something that generally only happens if the standing portions of the transport are full and seats are the only available options, or you are old or disabled person and need to sit down, possibly if you are pregnant, too. This is an act of showing respect to your fellow passengers, as we Norwegians tend to appreciate and respect each other's personal space and privacy, and sitting next to someone unless it is necessary feels like an intrusion into that person's personal space and privacy.
08:15 I forgot, Japan drives on the left side of the road, which makes sense that you stand on the left side of the escalator. The reason I think that makes sense for me is that we drive on the right side of the road in Norway, and we stand on the right side of the escalator.
Before Covid, I used to be in Japan 4 to 5 times a year. I've come to shrug at these videos. I think even though it's been awhile I don't think much has changed. Thank goodness I know or knew enough Japanese to get around and even I still had trouble. But it helped and I even was able to get a few Japanese to speak English back when I had trouble or tripped over my speaking( those that could understand or make it out). It's called respect and at trying cause even my experience was easier when I tried cause they tried back in the end. Thanks for the video. We needed this video. I miss Japan and can't wait to return in the future. I've been trying to get back into my speaking and though it's tough it'll be worth it in the end.
@@missplainjane3905I know for a fact that talking on the train is a no no thar stayed basically the same. Blowing you nose is not good either on the train much less in public but I have seen tourist do it but they got looks by the older folks. The sides of the escalators are the same got the confirmed from a friend who just got back. There's a few im not certain of though cause I get mixed answers. Oh well ill be back there soon so no worries.
Honestly what country doesn’t have social rules? I don’t know why people stress over Japan specifically. Here in Canada, you can easily piss someone off if you don’t hold a door for someone if you’re directly behind them and are clearly going to the same building. No one would say anything most likely. But they will be upset with you. I tell people “you’re welcome” if they don’t say thank you for holding the door for them😹 The thing is too that the locals will also not follow the social rules too. So why stress? Manners are good and you should try. But if you’re not being an a hole then you should be fine
Particularly like, the fact that American tourists dress inappropriately, I think we're just globally legendary for dressing like hobos when we travel? So yeah, something to probably pay attention to, but not in a way that is some secret special issue in Japan.
Japan actually have no problem with short skirts, maybe not mini skirts but bare legs are totally accepted. However, shoulders, cleavage, stomach is more frowned on.
because the gaijin seat thing is obviously a meme. For example, if you ride a train in Japan 10 or 20 times, there might be one time where no one sits around you, but people on social media bring up this partial experience and say things like "Nooooooo Japanese people are racist! No one sits next to me!" To be honest, everything about Japan tends to be overhyped on social media.
For real I've seen so many times where there's just random empty seats in trains in Saitama and people are still standing around when there's only Japanese people in the seats. It's not about being a foreigner, it's just something that happens sometimes
YES THANK YOU FOR THIS VIDEO!! I had my run of the mill of “Japan this and Japan that” videos. One of which told me that Japanese people don’t want to talk to you. I had a middle aged lady in KARUMAI (literally in the middle of nowhere) come up to me and ask me if I was ok. Most people I see that are “ambassadors” are white people from different countries that haven’t lived in Japan for a long time.
Whilst Japanese people tend to not wear much perfume, the fabric softeners they use are as strong, if not stronger than many perfumes, and often very shrill and artificial smelling.
I went out one evening in tokyo with my friend for drinks. Just threw on shorts, sneakers and hoodie and got called ''old man'' by some chicks passing by, im 27, full beard, and im not even balding or wearing glasses etc
Beards, especially full/fuller ones, are often seen on elderly men in JP. YA to middle aged men usually avoid wearing beards, or keep them very very light.
I had this one time where I decided to put some Axe, not much, on a hot summer day and guy next to me in train complained to her mother in Japanese repeatedly "Foreigners really smell bad, really, I'm going die". After a while I bowed and said "くさいくてごめん” and guy went white than red, mother went into total apology mode and they just stormed out of train on next station.
I really hope more influencers continue to call these kinds of things out. Japanese people already know someone's a foreigner and give them a lot more grace about cultural norms than locals.
Literally ALL the Japan travel short form content has been geared towards every topic except anything actually relevant or insightful. It's regurgitated from creator to creator, and I'm glad you're dispelling some of it. Also, I've noticed that it's always geared towards trying to 'blend in' (e.g the clips that say "don't wear these things because Japanese locals don't"). I found it very obvious (asian or not) who were the tourists whenever I've been to the country LOL. Imo, be kind/respectful/cognizant and anyone will have a good time (: And extra yes to the point about learning simple phrases in the local language! So simple, and I didn't even memorize the more complex ones, I just had it in my notes app to reference! I did most of my location scouting on IG as well since all the 20-somethings are tagging great places to eat/shop/get pampered there.
I've been here in Japan 19 years, perfume and cologne CAN be a problem. I have heard of being barred entrance somewhere, though I've never seen it myself, though if you work at some Japanese companies they WILL tell you not to wear perfume or cologne to work or you'll be sent home. I had that one at a wedding venue I worked at in Sapporo Japan
7:39 Anyone else think it's weird to talk about etiquette while crossing the road while someone might be walking backwards with that camera? And everyone else is pretty quiet in public, she's not even dubbing over that clip.
While some portrayals may be superficial, there are also many creators who genuinely appreciate and respect Japanese culture, using their platforms to share authentic experiences and foster cultural exchange.
It isn't generally done, but that is not in fact a popular saying. 😆 Like people will judge you for it because it looks dumb and makes no sense to do, if you don't have a medical reason? But it's really not a "trust" thing.
In the states if a dude is wearing sunglasses indoors,he’s either intoxicated,doing some shady business and keeping an eye on the entire room,or have a black eye
@@Nassifehnah this is true,people used to wear sunglasses at one of my old jobs because they were intoxicated and their eyes were red. Usually that’s a sign that someone’s doing something shady regardless of
Came to watch Aki’s new video posted today, but when I clicked on it it said the video was private. Just writing this comment to see if anyone else noticed and if it’s a region blocked thing
Former Japan dweller here: trust Rachel/Jun, Sharla/Chris Broad, Dogen, Paolo from Tokyo, John Daub, Life Where I’m From. These folks prepared me 7 years ago with the most realistic experiences.
I often saw comments in Japanese talking abt foreign tourists with suitcases who take the buses (instead of taxi) in Kyoto. It hinders ppl who're getting out of the bus, and may also hinder evacuation in emergencies. Take the taxi (or train), or put the suitcases in lockers. Also don't do phone calls in public transports. As long as you have basic manners and common sense, I don't think Japan is a difficult country to travel to.
@@innitbruv-lascocomics9910 apparently some tourists claimed they didn't want to take taxi because it's more expensive than bus, so no, it's not abt getting scammed.
Although not really a rule, but as someone allergic to chemical scents, I would advise still not wearing perfume or cologne. Especially since people will definitely be more sensitive in Japan due to the fact that most products here smell very little compare to foreign countries. The strongest smelling people are old aunties and foreigners, and the contrast is jarring lol. So, maybe not a rule, but definitely just polite etiquette. Don't be that obnoxious person that stink up the whole train. Just be aware that other people may not want to smell you hours after you've left the compartment. The same applies to loud music. Not everyone has to know what song is your favorite lol
With the perfume thing I get. One time at college I attended a class and one student who sat behind me had THE WORST smelling perfume ever that everyone around us could smell it. It was honestly hard for us to focus.
I hate the implication in the modesty videos that Japan has actual laws against leggings and things like that. There actually are places with strict modesty laws that absolutely do dictate what types of clothing some can and cannot wear. I read a news story not long ago about a tourist getting arrested in Greece for wearing booty shorts. Things shouldn't be addressed in any way that can be conflated into something else when it comes to laws and customs that tourists to a country should know about. It gets people in a lot of trouble. The number of stories I've heard of tourists to my country, America, where they get scammed out of a ton of money because they don't understand our tipping laws and expectations, for example, is extremely disheartening. We don't really talk about it for what it actually is (non-mandatory but expected, 10%-20% is the standard amount but you can give more or less if you want, sit-down restaurants are the only restaurants that actually have waitstaff specifically relying on tips as part of their income and maybe bartenders, you can tip on a card if you are able to pay the bill with a card - staff that tells you otherwise are trying to dodge their taxes). Now foreigners in Japan are doing similar with Japanese rules and expectations. At least I haven't seen anyone saying that you can do something that is actually illegal yet, as far as I'm aware.
It's funny that I got recommended this video where Aki basically says the exact opposite of several things that Chris Broad literally just talked about in a video which he based on living in Japan for 10 years. The biggest problem here to me is the mixed messaging as Aki is basically going against what others are agreeing on with the somewhat clickbaity title of "Japan Influences are Lying to You." But really, is it LYING when they're speaking from their own personal experiences? In the end, I think that's all we can really go on until we have a chance to experience Japan for ourselves.
The other difference is, and this has been discussed in Chris' videos and others, that Aki is obviously Asian, Chris a white foreigner. Their experiences will be different as to who gets away with what, it is definitely different for each person's experience
There’s also a big problem with a lot of foreign influencers and UA-camrs et cet trying to gatekeep Japan because they wanna be the only gaijin in the village. Apply common sense. Are Japanese people? Yes and Therefore are capable of understanding foreigners might be unfamiliar with the customs and give you a free pass. It’s not that serious, don’t sweat it, if you unknowingly break a serious enough rule someone will ‘correct’ you. If it’s forgivable because ‘foreigners don’t know better’ the worst you’ll get is looked at funny. Use good manners, learn a little Japanese, don’t throw poke balls a people and film no longer with us people. You know…common sense. Japanese are not stern monsters waiting to scold you for every little thing- and that’s why you shouldn’t believe all the other rules given, they are only ‘nice to haves’ not needs. If you live here and the same people recognise you making the same mistake everyday for years that’s another story but you’ll have friends by then to help you with the real rules they care about in your area. I hope you enjoy Japan while you are there.
It's interesting that you talked about the sunglasses and shorts thing as I just watched Chris talk about the sunglasses and shorts and he said the opposite sort of. It is nice getting two different views on the situation but I also wonder if its because of gender as well. With Japan treating guys and girls differently, I wonder if it might be more frowned upon for guys then for girls in some cases or its a case by case situation. Still a really awesome video and thank you for making it!
I’d say it’s true that it’s a bit different for men and women. Though, my (Japanese) husband wears sunglasses (kid’s sports’ day event included :P..and no, he’s not yakuza)and used to wear shorts too. Shorts on Japanese men really depend on their self-esteem, are they into fashion or not, and leg shape. Also the, to go hairless or not thing.
1. Don't ride the train for free.
2. Don't scream Hiroshima-Nagasaki inside the train.
3. Don't go to forests looking for dead bodies.
😂
Three guys popped up in my mind...
If you can do not eat shark fins with golddust. Like, ew.
These are all rude fuck ups that take effort to do. Also fuck those guys, especially the one who did the number 2. thing. The number 3. thing guy is also a huge asshole. It's on sight if I ever come across number 2 guy though.
4. Don't bother religious people in their sacred places
5. Don't throw dead fish on cars
6. Take your Instagram photo quickly and respectfully
"Five different Japan that you shouldn't Japan" is so real
It’s Japanin’ time and now I Japan all over the places
I laughed REALLY hard at that!
DO NOT THE JAPAN 🗣🗣🗣
Don't Japan while Japaning
Japan do not the
"Learn a bit of the language and don't be a dick."
That works for pretty much everywhere. Good advice.
I totally agree with her and your statement. The only thing is that some people (like me) having the language stick in my brain (even just a very basic selection of words) is quite difficult. And it seems it's only somewhat starting to come up a bit what I have learned now that it is my 4th day in Japan. (And still it is mostly very basic words)
I did and am doing my best to learn the language in multiple ways, my brain just doesn't allow me to absorb it good enough in a useful way.
Besides that I find it quite interesting that quite a few Japanese you come across who start talking to you, speak full on regular Japanese to you as a foreigner. Somewhere that is great, on the other hand, it feels that there is an assumption that you as a foreigner should be fuent in Japanese.
No matter the low level of my Japanese I have, I have a great time here and the people are great, even with the language barrier (that I hoped I could have learned away, but sadly failed).
Still many days to go before leaving, so I hope day by day my Japanese will improve a bit, because I do definitely believe that a amazing world opens up when you are able to communicate better.
(Btw, Japanese would be my 3th and a bit language after Dutch, English and (a bit of) German. All languages beside Japanese I learned at school, Japanese I now try to learn in the little time I have after work and just life )
I disagree for folx who are just visiting. It’s not a duck thing to not learn the language before visiting. You’re a tourist, and are only there for a limited amount time, and if you don’t know if you are going back, then chill out. However, folx should be using their phones to get around nonetheless. Google Translate has helped me communicate with foreigners. I’m from Chicago, which a tourist city and I never take issue with them not knowing English. They are not moving here, so, no big deal. Be patient and bridge the gap by being hospitable. All I would ask is that tourists not litter, tear up anything or cause issues. Other than that, Welcome to Chicago, have fun.
However, if folx are planning on visiting places regularly, or moving to a country, definitely learning some basic phrases should on one’s agenda. Either that, or use translation apps to help. No one should be playing charades, unless they are technologically challenged. And then learning phrases is a must.
@JRCGuitarist i think you misunderstood. They said don't be a dick. As in dont be rude. Has nothing to do with language, however its a good idea to know basic phrases . I would never advise to solely rely on your phone. Even if only for short travel.
@@bunnyrabiLive here long enough, you find that "rude" and "disruptive" is anything that would exist beyond their comfort zone or level of information. Don't dress "too well", don't have hair "too different", don't walk "too masculine", don't be "too quiet"...etcetera and etcetera. Ad Infinitum.
Also there are some really good translator apps! my mom knows 2 words in Japanese but she was able to talk with this sweet older couple who didn't know much English in a dish store for hours with voicetra
The tips for visiting Japan can be boiled down to this:
1. Don't be a jerk.
2. Don't be a douche.
3. When in doubt, see #1 & 2
100000000%
This applies to EVERY country...
Not just Japan, It happens here in Puerto Rico, it also happens in the US, it happens everywhere in the world.
Basically lol
Instructions unclear. I have made a severe and continuous lapse in judgement.
People in Japan DO silently judge you they just won’t confront you or say anything to you. Follow etiquette and do more then 30 seconds of research and you’ll be fine
But who cares though? If you're living rent free in the minds of strangers that's a them issue not a you issue. People who fixate on strangers are usually incredibly bitter and hard to make happy regardless of what you do, so why jump through hoops to do so, just because they're of a certain nationality.
@ you won’t live in their minds but they will judge you for a bit. Respecting the culture of a country your visiting isn’t jumping through hoops
So just like anywhere in the world? As someone who lives in America who has a Gothic fashion choice I'm sure I get lots of people silently judging me or saying very rude things. But who gives a fuck? I've never been confronted by anyone being rude to me either. But the people who do have been very lovely and polite. And if I do get a rare rude comment I just ignore and walk away. There's shitty people in every culture and country as well as very lovely and amazing people. You can't be friends with everyone, so who cares if you're a foreigner in Japan and some Japanese people are silently judging you. Not every Japanese person is like that. It's the same thing in America too, it's just people being people
@ “so just like anywhere in the world” yes because Japan is just a place in the world. People forget Japan isn’t some magical fairytale land with talking animals and magical teenage girls everyone sucks everywhere and I’m glad I see someone else who can also recognize that :D
@@Bocchi-d7c I rarely ever see people who genuinely thinks Japan is a utopia. It's usually other people who are just mad that people are excited about visiting Japan because a lot of their favorite hobbies come from there who say that and overly exaggerate it. Or maybe it's because I'm not on social media everyday so I don't notice it. But yes obviously Japan is flawed, humans in general are flawed. Just let people be excited to visit a country and have hobbies.
I feel like not overdoing cologne/perfume is just a universal courtesy.
Overdoing it = too strong of a scent
@@ChimozeChum
Or way too much of even a milder scent.
You would think
On my flight home to germany from japan the lady in front of me had perfume on so strong it was making me naseous and giving me a sore throat I had to put a mask on. One of the biggest things coming back from Japan was missing how generally scentless it was compared to germany. Everyone here wears cologne/perfume so strong and so much smoking and BO i'm constantly overwhelmed and reeling from it.
I love how deliberately applied fragrant chemicals on the person is not a thing in Japan. Nobody smells. When you're in a very crowded area it's INCREDIBLY courteous to keep noise to a minimum and not invade a communal sensory field: smell. This is how to keep people relaxed and calm when living in overpopulated cities. Nowhere else on Earth has figured this out it seems.
Why do people make such a big deal out of 'looking like a tourist'? You arent fooling anyone, most of them still can tell you are a tourist. And they will be more forgiving if you accidentally break social etiquette or rules as a tourist. Some of these social etiquette rules are only more important if you are working or living in Japan and have to try to blend in.
Hell, in Japan if you're a foreigner people will automatically assume you're a tourist even if you've lived there or was even born there. It doesn't matter, just don't be obnoxious.
literally living in asia i pretty much wear what i want/like (within reason ofc) bc i stick out like a sore white thumb and everyones staring at me already anyway so why not just wear what i feel comfortable in lol
Exactly, there's no way I'm fooling anyone. I'm so white
it's mostly US white people who say this because there's this pervasive idea that ppl will try to take advantage of them if they "look like tourists". Which, isn't altogether a lie/stereotype, it's rooted in truth, but it's not JUST towards them, it's towards ANYONE tourist or not. Waipipo just think they're special...
"foreigner" "born there" ... What? How can someone be a foreigner in the country they were born in?@@Jhud69
I lived in a year and id say these are the most important.
1:Dont be loud(especially on trains/buses)
2:•Don't throw trash on the floor.
3:Use a translation app(DeepL is preferable) if things are an issue.
4:Learn to line up for the trains properly.
5:DON'T STAND ON THE WALKING SIDE OF THE ESCALATORS.
I was there 2 weeks ago. I violated the 1st rule eventhough its common courtesy. We were so excited laugh and talk loud everywhere. Sounding like weebs.
I feel like American people (especially those who don't travel outside of their state & the US) don't understand #5, they're like "escalators going up or down automatically, why should I move?"
Honestly a lot of those reels look like people who are in Japan for a few weeks and start generalizing personal experiences, encounters and a lot of assumptions.
Some of the "rules" got me off guard because "wow so I've been breaking that rules for 10 plus years? Wow! What to do."
The most helpful advice and "rules" are to be respectful to the people, the culture, follow the written rules at any public or private areas, learn general Japanese phrases and utilize a translation app (which can be helpful in so many ways) and don't go around taking pictures of strangers without asking permissions because they are dressed in "interesting costumes" and try not to fall for tourist traps (which is a common sense for travelling to every country).
Yes
I wish these rules were applied worldwide...
13:20 some people do DROWN themselves in perfume and just 🤮 it’s too strongggf 😭 it’s just basic thing to not douse yourself in an entire perfume bottle. If your perfume is good, you won’t need more than a couple small applications of it. Trust me.
I've seen a lot of complains on perfumes not lasting as much as before and while I agree they might not last as before since they must've changed the formula to have a bit more water, I blame the people for not knowing how to wear them. There are too many people out there who don't properly take care of themselves and expect a perfume to make them smell nice throughout the day.
@@tunamayhoe I think people's senses are so dull they don't realize they actually stink of perfume.
That usually happens due to sensory adaptation. If you wear the same exact perfume every day then your brain gets so used to smelling that scent that it filters it out. They literally cannot smell it anymore, so they keep dumping more and more on until they can get a whiff of it
That’s why it’s important to have a few different scents you rotate between, and/or take breaks from wearing perfume
Maaaan, you just reminded me, sometimes when I go to the gym and I'm on the treadmill, a younger dude who must throw on a whole can of spray-on deodorant likes to run next to me. I can TASTE it. And my asthma doesn't particularly agree with it either...
My housemate's boyfriend does that. Every time he comes over, my partner and I get drowned in his body spray when he walks past. I don't know how my housemate copes with the smell because they're usually locked in her bedroom most of the time. To me, it feels like overcompensating.
I went in July and pretty much forgot about all these “rules” aside from speaking simple Japanese terms and did not once feel like anyone was judging. It was the opposite. Everyone was so welcoming and kind! And it was SO hot I wore shorts 85% of the time. We loved it so much we can’t wait to go back!
Honestly, give winter a try in Tokyo. It's beautiful with all the white snow and it's very cheap accommodation. I pad $600 for 10 days in a 5 star hotel.
*Seriously. We’re not that uptight to tourists.*
*Just don’t be a obnoxious jerk*
Why are they lying?
@@RinaRetro chasing clout with false negative dramas
Yeah, I think most countries are like this. I apologize as an American for Logan Paul though, he’s such a shit.
can i say the n word
Thank you! This puts my mind at ease!
i love how this came out a day after abroadinjapan's 12 things not to do in japan video haha
His was a TAD bit satire but yeah still so funny
I even commented over there saying that it’s not that really RUDE to do stuff it’s more ODD
And I feel like people make these videos make it seems like you are going to GREATLY offend someone
Like “baby people in Japan are BUSY To care” haha
Chris also is on the side of having been called out for wearing shorts before and the whole sunglass thing, both of which Aki says isn't a thing. xD
I was thinking this also and had a good laugh!
Chris/AiJ actually lives there, though, and I notice many of these list creators do NOT. They’ve had one visit - maybe - but are otherwise just regurgitating something they’ve heard 2nd hand.
Obviously some affable people of taste here 🧐
@@therealshadow99 Yeah, exactly. My take is it will greatly depend on things like where you're going, who you're with, your age, etc.
As a Japanese, the last one is occasionally right. In places like fine sushi restaurants, you should NOT wear perfume at all because the strong scent could ruin the delicate flavor of sushi, not only yours but also other customers’.
Other than that, you’ll be completely fine wearing perfume or cologne.
Edit : For those who would like to experience high-end sushi restaurants(this video has nothing to do with it tho), the best tip for you is to eat sushi as soon as the chef put it in front of you. Of course its okay to take photos as long as the chef says so BUT you dont wanna take much cuz sushi rice is getting pressed down by its own weight and the texture gets worse(slightly though). So dont take much time to take pics and put sushi into your mouth as soon as possible.
It also is hard to breathe in general when such a potent smell is prevalent.
what kinda perfume are y'all putting on lmao
Generally speaking, a Japanese is sensitive to a fragrance. I get a headache with some perfume. (My mom is same.) In my last office, one female worker was wearing strong perfume, and she received a complaint with smell harassment.
Strong smell recognizes one of "smell harassment".
@@corotor I'm an American and certain perfumes and colognes and scented candles also give me headaches. I think it's an allergy to an ingredient.
True, a lot of fancy Omakase restaurants tell you about this before coming in. I imagine in a conveyor belt chain it doesn't matter as much, but still be reasonable.
It's bizzare these influencers talk about Japan like its a singular city, and not a huge country. It is even slightly larger than the UK, so having a list of rules to follow when you visit Japan is stupid. That really depends on which part of Japan you are visiting, even the districts in Tokyo have pretty difficult atmospheres to one another.
Although this is true, in fairness, the vast majority of tourism in Japan centers on Tokyo, with lesser amounts going to Kyoto ("the anagram-lover's Tokyo", in the words of an old Simpsons joke). Compared to the millions who flood into Tokyo every year, those going to Sendai are few and far between.
They don't even know Okinawa is a different environment barely accepting Mainland Japanese practices altogether, let alone that it even exists.
And that's where my family migrated from after 1945.
Kinda funny when the recommended video right under this one is 12 reasons not to move to japan by Chris Broad lmao 0:13
I used to watch him but he just moans too much for my liking
@@liamcollinson5695 I mean that's just British
@@Iluvatar196 Yeah brits are so full of yourself
Using too much cologne or perfume is a social faux pas worldwide, not specifically to Japan.
I think everyone who uses perfume or cologne needs to be educated on how much is too much.
This is true but is more so the case in Japan where people aren't used to strong body smells (good or bad). I imagine many places in South Asia and Europe are more tolerant of such smells.
As a waitress I sometimes have customers come in and I'm like: Wow! Did they bathe in the perfume or what?? And I go have a goughing fit in the back 😂
"Imagine you're going to have one of those tender, romantic, Hollywood kissing scenes.. Do you catch that elusive, fragrant scent just as you're about to hug your partner, with their neck right there OR does it smell like every Teenagers Room filled with that lovely AXE body spray smell.. Two blocks before you even meet."
in gulf countries it’s very common for people to wear extremely strong perfumes, so much that you even know if a woman or man was in the elevator before you
I heard it was bad manners to do it in a sushi place, probably fancy because your perfume would overwhelm natural smells and flavors for other diners. Which makes sense if you are all pretty close, sitting at a bar and the food is more subtle. You wouldn't smoke either.
Regarding the part where no one would sit beside you, I probably wouldn’t questioned it. I’m Danish and have lived in Denmark my entire life. And let me tell you, it’s basically an unwritten rule to not sit beside strangers unless you don’t have much other options. Like seriously, if someone comes to sit by us, we will not say anything, but we will be thinking something like “Dammit, was there really no other place for them to sit? I don’t like this.”. I’d likely just enjoy the extra space.
I concur. I’m a Belgian living in Norway for the past 8 years and boy do we hate it here too. They would rather stand than sit next to someone unless there isn’t a choice. So when living in Japan I just thought ‘hallelujah’ 😅
Right, I'd say that's like that everywhere. But I think in the cases they are talking about, people avoid sitting next to you even in a full train.
I never noticed that happening to me in jp, maybe it did idk, but people definitely sat next to me.
But one of the things is, japanese trains mostly have benches with no separated seats. So if someone feels like you take too much space into what could be the next person's seat, they maybe don't wanna squeeze too close to you.
But I am a petite person, and I obviously always try to keep my backpack straps and coat tails close to me, so it wouldn't go beyond what should be my space. So maybe ppl felt more comfortable.
It's a bit harder to see how much space you can take up with a bench
my argentinian loud mouth probably will say " if you dont like that if a stranger is seatted close to you in a train buy a car or take a taxi jack@ss "
Growing up in Sweden I'm also used to sitting alone on the bus seat, but that's okay in the Nordics because everyone is doing that. The year I lived in Japan, after days and days of being the only one wih no one sitting next to me in a completely full bus (sitting and standing), I felt extremely ostracized. It didn't feel good at all. I kept thinking what I did wrong, but I'm super petite (shouldn't be scary or take a lot of space), dressed in Japanese proper fashion, no perfume, nothing. Funny thing is, the few times I wore sunglasses, people sometimes sat next to me. I'm guessing that when they couldn't see my blue eyes, they just took me for a Japanese person with dyed hair, maybe?
true, in Nordic countries social distancing is the norm even before Covid
The eye color thing is so real though. It's borderline dangerous for me to ride my bike during the day, because my eyes are insanely sensitive to sunlight so I have to half close them or it's just agonizingly painful.
Fellow blue eyes represent
I recently had a conversation with one of my Japanese friends about this and she said the same thing about eye color lol. All my students think I look cool when they see me wearing sunglasses while I'm driving (which I do for safety reasons), so yeah, no Japanese person is going to be like "you look shady" if you were sunglasses
My eyes have changed from the darkest of browns during childhood to like deep green-ish now, and now I can completely understand this feeling too. 😅
My eyes are dark brown and bright light bugs me.
I have lighter grey eyes and I never need sunglasses
Also a foreigner who has been living here for 6+ years and my take is..
1. Girls’ fashion: Depends on the area. If you’re in a residential or smaller city, people typically dress more conservative. Before I moved to Tokyo I was living in a smaller city which was WAY more conservative fashion-wise. If you go to Shibuya, Shinjuku or even just Tokyo and Osaka, then you can expect a lot more funky and less conservative fashion.
2. Shorts - lmao my Japanese guy friends who are 30+ always wear shorts in the summer and I hadn’t even heard of this??
3. Sunglasses: I think it’s less common to wear them here, but slowly increasing esp if you go to places that are really sunny like the beach, etc.
4. Hot pepper beauty - My girlfriends and I all use this. If you do want to book hair salon/nail appointments, I highly recommend cause they have tons of coupons on there. It’s not too difficult to book even if you don’t know Japanese, but just be aware that if you book from there, most of the salons won’t speak any English.
Osaka and Tokyo women are so fashionable to me in Sweden 🇸🇪
Second this! Also a foreigner living in Japan. I use Hot pepper beauty all the time! So good for hair and nail salon appointments and great deals. Can't recommend enough. It's weird she said she didn't know anyone around her who uses this... everyone around me uses this. But then again most people around me are long term residents so maybe it's not for tourists but definitely used by foreigners living in Japan.
Anytime anyone who bases their personality around social media is a warning signal.
Yeah we know
A guide to Japan, by Akidearest:
It’s one page and reads, “Don’t be a dick.”
🤣
That's just the guide to social interaction really xD
Don't be like that Somali dude
@@falconeshield
Never in life!
Owh... _puts away dick costume_
@@falconeshield He got his karma in South Korea in the end. 😂
I don’t listen to them also. They’re often misinformed or exaggerated
The more I live here the more I realize 90% of these people are full of crap. I wear cologne all the time now in Japan. I usually get positive reactions.
Also racist.
There's a literal video, it says about shocking things that Japanese didn't do for you, and it's not holding the door for you when they enter. Like, does the person has to wait for you when you are still a bit far? And it's normal, I won't do that either if the person is still far and if another people is going to walk out.
A lot of these UA-camr influencers are full of crap
5 things to NOT do in Japan!
-Drink Water
-Breath
-Interact with humans
-Show yourself in public
-Visit the country
But yeah! Thats all!!!
Enjoy ❤!
To be fair, this is quite a useful advice, considering how Japanese people will always blame the gaijin for all the problems in their country.
NEET
An actual useful list of 5 things to do when visiting Japan:
1. Learn the language before going, even if just a bit;
2. Plan your schedules with someone who knows the area if possible;
3. Ask for help and information when dealing with aspects of Japanese culture you don't understand, don't just assume things and try to execute them based on what you thought, you are probably wrong;
4. Do dress up according to the climate, Japan has very defined seasons and each requires its own care with your health;
5. Always ask for permission before filming or taking pictures, depending on the situation taking pictures without permission can be illegal!
😂👍
@@TwilightWolf032 Uhm... mine was more accurate 🤨😒 (I'm kidding lol, will definitely save your list for when I go to Japan!)
3:57 tampons were harder to find, but I’m not gonna lie you should definitely try the pads there they’re REALLY comfortable
Ahh I can’t stand pads. I hate the feeling of blood all over me . Grosses me out
I don't know if it has changed since 2011, but I hated the pads in Japan. They were so thick, it felt like wearing a diaper imo. But I guess it all depends on what you prefer and what you are used to. I'm used to Swedish pads.
@@Narnendil2011....in 13 years things have changed in Sweden too 😂
Are there a range of tampons or only very few? I've was in Korea for 11 months and was surprised that the only tampons I could find were ones with applicators. In Germany we don't have those at all, but a wide range of different tampons and other period products. Applicators are really stupid and wasteful and the tampons were also not that great. Thankfully my parents just added a box of German tampons when they sent me a package so I could use those.
I wondered if it's similar in Japan.
@shanboo1995
Interesting! Most girlies have a preference, I only use pads, really hate tampons.
my family is hispanic, we absolutely do not look japanese. when we went to japan, we didn't experience the gaijin seat at all. My dad is a tall, burly, dark skinned hispanic man with a big beard and he'd often have older ladies sit next to him or he'd talk to the older women on the train to give up his seat for them and they were all so friendly. I would often give up my seat to old women who would laugh and even try to push me back into the seat because they didn't wanna take it from me. I was super surprised to see the gaijin seat thing all over the internet and was expecting that was going to happen but it didn't to any of us! i remember even being squeezed between two people on the train and they never hesitated to sit next to any of us. We went to tokyo and osaka though so maybe it's bigger cities.
About the last one, as someone who has gotten sick due to peoples' perfumes, people getting on crowded trains or sitting near you in a music/movie venue or restaurant is really really terrible. I know lots of people like perfumes but a lot of people are sensitive to strong scents. And a lot of people wear way too much perfume. Nobody needs to be smelling you from meters away. Both foreigners and Japanese people do this. Though in my experience foreigners tend to wear "the most artificial chemical sour ass smell ever" and Japanese people tend to go towards "let me just rub my entire body in vanilla and flower shit". Yes everyone is free to wear what they want but I will be choking thank you.
EXACTLY.
This is just good advice for being ANYWHERE crowded--so unless you're only going to be in your own space the whole time, please do not drown yourself in a scent, because you don't know who you are going to make suffer with difficulty breathing! And excessive fancy smell is simply not more important than others being able to frikkin breathe.
The worst perfumes ive ever smell were one from the middle east and south asia(and some southeast Asian countries too)the smell are so potent that my nose hurts just by smell. But that still nothing compared to body odor its always guys on crowded trains for some odd reason.
Yes. That's totally fair.
There is a movement in some work places for people not to wear scented products out of respect for people who have "scent allergies" even though there is no such thing as a "scent allergy" because an allergy requires a protein and a scent in itself is not a protein. But I digress.
I find BO and musty smelling clothes not washed regularly far worse, and more offensive, than scented products but the rule of thumb is keep it light. Don't leave a puddle of perfume or cologne when you stand still.
That's why I aim to just smell like clean laundry.
I found a few deodorants / anti-persperants that do that pretty well.
So true. I currently can't sleep cuz I have massive sinus headache from being around perfume yesterday. It's so painful, I'm laying here with an ice pack on my face attempting to distract myself from it with YT. I also feel like I want to throw up.
Its honestly SCARY how nobody talks about learning at least a little-the TINIEST bit of Japanese before going!!
I dont even know what these people who havent touched up on anything do when they get there, i could only assume STRUGGLE IMMENSELY with just about EVERY situation lmao
I’ve had friends who have lived there 10+ years and couldn’t speak a lick.
How did they get by?
By placing themselves in a “Gaijin Bubble”, and never really interacting over anything other than a superficial level (conbini, etc) outside of that bubble.
My buddy last year came with me knowing not a word, he got by fine. There's a ton of English in Tokyo actually.
Edit: he could say "hello", "please", and thank you" but like to get by for ordering food and stuff yeah tons of English signage.
Normally comes from English native speakers, because they think everubody in the world should speak English ahahaha if you watch content in other languages, everybody will tell you to learn a little of the language, mainly polite words
@@samanthaabreu782No, as an American, many foreigners come to the US and not learn a lick of English. And a lot of us don’t really care. Because they basically live in a bubble where only their longhair is spoken. And that’s fine for them. Just as I respect it if folx live an English speaking bubble when living overseas, that’s up to them. Other than that, many English speakers pick up other mandates to some extent.
There’s nothing scary about that, folx can just use translation apps to get around and order things. As an American, I’ve communicated with foreigners using Google translate. It’s pretty easy.
With this said, I don’t believe folx have to learn the language if they are only visiting and don’t know if they are going back. Now, if you know you are moving to Japan, definitely learn some phrases of get a translation app, you shouldn’t be “playing charades” anyone honestly.
I have blue eyes , so even on a cloudy day I have to wear my sunglasses because the sun or any bright lights hurt my eyes(it's not to be rude or otherwise), even my eye doctor is surprised by how my eyes are.
I' have dark brown eyes but I got optical neuritis in 2022 so I am slightly sensitive to too much bright light. So i wear them in the sun
Same. I can’t do bright sunlight outside without sunglasses unfortunately. Even on overcast days white cloud cover bothers my eyes especially while driving.
Every year or two when I go to the optometrist, I always end up with a stronger and stronger prescription with my slowly deteriorating eyes. I'm going to wear sunglasses regardless of what other people think of me.
Even in Japan, it is known that people with low melanin need sunglasses. Many Japanese people also wear sunglasses when running or cycling. Pitch black sunglasses that look like yakuza or military men give a bad impression. People who were blind or had eye problems wore round sunglasses as a sign of their condition. Round shapes are now popular in fashion.
It would be a good idea to refer to the sunglasses and fashion that Pewdiepie wears. He is very aware of the way white people dress and behave in Japan. If you are a tourist, take it off indoors and before greeting people, just like a hat.
@yokosasaki-m5f I do when I go indoors but if I know people or say hi(where I live I live them on) and I need to wear ones that cover the corners has well it's that bad( but at least I can see in the dark)
13:12 not wearing too strong of a perfume or cologne is a social etiquette here in America as well, mainly due to allergies but still-
No it isn't 😂 everyone smells loud in Louisiana, and you get laughed at if you don't have a noticeable smell
@@lovexeden1207 In California it is actually like this, one of my teachers has an allergy to some perfumes due to a certain ingredient so we don’t spray perfume or wear heavy cologne in his class. Even if you don’t have an allergy we all don’t wear a lot of perfume or cologne and if you do wear a lot, (especially cologne) you will stand out. So I guess it is very different based on area
@@narikojozai2974 idk what part you in but thas not the california i went to either. pple have trends on tiktok dedicated to smells that stay for long periods nd smell enough for pple to notice
I for sure have heard people whisper about someone wearing too strong of perfume, and wearing smells not common in the area. People also whisper about bodily odors. I personally find it most rude when people smell like a middleschool locker room, whole bottle of cologne/perfume, but that is mostly because allergies make it hard to breathe, and sensory sensitivity makes it really overwhelming and hard to think.
I think a good general rule is don't be disruptive, with smelling or sounding too loud. And for the unfamiliar smells, if you don't conform to the norms of the area, bigots/prudes will be rude
Chopstick rules are absolutely a thing in japan. I lived there 3 years and my wife is native Japanese, the sticking chopsticks in a bow of rice and passing things chopsticks to chopsticks are things only done at funerals. I've gotten in trouble many times about it.
As someone who also lives in Japan, I will say that it also depends on where you are. Aki lives in Tokyo and things are more relaxed and modern there as far as fashion. If you don’t live in a tourist city you do need to make more of an effort to fit in style wize. There is no one set way to behave in Japan just do your best to do what others are doing, be attentive and pay attention and try to follow the rules as best you can and you will be fine.
If you are a foreigner, who cares? Hell it's October and I"m still wearing shorts. Even at my school. They do not care. Even if I tried to fit in, I would never be in. I will foreigner be the big white guy here.
@@monkeyboyjonathan42 Honestly, tourists almost always get a pass when it comes to clothing choices because, well, they're tourists. As long as you're not a dick, you'll be fine.
@aaron-kr7rj
Are you, by any chance, from Bristol, UK?
Also depends on what you look like,an Asian immigrant is Japan is much less likely to get criticized and talked about compared to a white guy
That "don't pass food from your chopsticks to someone else's chopsticks" is something so baffling to me.
WHO WOULD THINK OF DOING THAT!? You don't pass food from your fork to someone else's fork, why would you even think about doing that with hashi!?
It's usually more of "don't touch foods with chopsticks at the same time with someone else."
No the reason is because it resembles a funeral ritual. This rule is one i would definitely remember tbh @YEBISU38
Have you never used chopsticks? They have a pincer motion, like a finger and thumb, which makes it easy to pass things using them, like you can using tongs or your hands. Forks only pierce, so it would simply be impractical to try to pass fork to fork. My kids have been using chopsticks since before they were 2- they needed to be taught not to pass things chopsticks to chopsticks :)
It’s a really specific thing because it’s part of a funeral ritual but it doesn’t make much sense to do anyway. It’s analogous to something like the western table manner rule about making sure the knife blade should always face you rather than the other person… which would never happen because it would be really difficult to cut your food that way.
@@harukanoe absolutely never heart about that knife "rule" lol
I’m an American who spent two years in Japan and my advice for anyone visiting is that if you aren’t ethnically Asian, clothing-wise it doesn’t really matter what rules you follow or don’t follow. You are going to stick out and people will stare. For me it was actually really freeing because I learned to stop caring about people staring at me (which has helped in my life back home as a gender nonconforming person). Anyway, my advice is to focus less on trying to dress a certain way and instead focus on learning the language and politeness culture.
The perfume tip (no strong fragrance) and don’t stick your chopsticks in the rice/don’t pass food using chopsticks are REAL. If you mix with Japanese people in Japan you’ll quickly learn.
I think the reason she’s never noticed them is that it’s hard to notice something that isn’t there (such as strong scents).
寿司店(特に高級店)や結婚披露宴では香水のつけ過ぎはタブーとされてますね。勿論、入店拒否はされませんがマナーとして控えるべきという暗黙のルールは存在します。
@3:30 Also, if you're a person with strong BO and need a quality deodorant or anti-perspirant, good luck finding something that works for you in Japan. Bring your toiletries. lol
Hair products also may vary. They work fine if you’re also of Asian descent but I’ve heard hair color products in Japan are too aggressive for European hair types, which are usually thinner.
I'm not too fine on the details of it but a lot of East Asians have this gene sequence that pretty much means that a number of them don't sweat a lot or have B.O. In SK, deodorant is RARE and you're gonna have a very hard time looking for one to buy.
Very true, still bring your own toiletries please! On our trip last year, my boyfriend forgot his aftershave product. Try to find aftershave in Japan! Apparently they don't use that a lot either. 😂 We managed to find something that came close to it, but even the shop owner had a hard time understanding what we were searching for exactly 😂
baking soda with scentless skin cream works in a pinch, and scentless creams are easier to find in japan.
'Scandalous in Shinjuku' just sounds like a fun, unexpectedly warm comfort anime.
I feel like the rules are always at awareness, like when I go to Mexico. Learn a big armful of the language, be aware and polite, and just be a good citizen of the planet. Maybe I'll visit Japan someday, I'd like that. It seems like a very busy place, but what am I gonna do, sweat every detail? Folks are just trying to get by
Bingo.
Everything else to the side…saying “Scandalous in Shinjuku” sounds like a title for a wholesome anime feels like someone saying “Bible Black” sounds like a title for a cute wholesome anime 😅😅
@ApaniVA oh, like I'm sure Women at Work is just a story about ladies workplace dynamics and such.
Why would you want a stranger to sit next to you though, weirdest thing to complain about.
😂😂you are so righttt
Nah man its not about that. Ppl are being too literal about it. it's about that rejected feeling you get, like "man, people are actively avoiding me bc I'm another race :/" and it's something a few people, especially from a mixing pot like America, might struggle with a little bit
@briannawatt4741 I guess Americans are different. I don't get it because I always hope no one sits next to me 🤣🙈.
@@cinziasmith2203Not ‘Americans’…merely the Karens/‘social justice’ wankers🤡/always-the-victim types looking for something to complain about. 🙄
That one gave off "I'm the main character" energy to me.
The reason sunglasses are perceived as "shady" is because of their association with the Yakuza. It's the same reason that hot springs often don't allow people with tattoos. However, people do wear sunglasses sometimes, and it's not as though anybody is going to be upset about a foreigner wearing them. So as a "tip" for tourists it's completely useless.
I have a feeling the sunglasses thing isn’t just about the sunglasses but it also being paired with a suit (yakuza) or in jeans and a leather jacket (Yanki) which might make people paranoid
Thank you aki, there’s so much stuff on tik tok and it get overwhelming 😅
Omg the moment you explained about Migaku, I immediately went and got a subscription. Ive been looking for an extension that gives meaning when you hoover and a double subtitle, both for Chinese and Japanese learning. Thank you so much!
They have a very helpful discord community too!
One thing my dad thought was strange in Japan was the fact that people commonly use umbrellas when it's sunny. He loves to sunbathe and get tanned. Here in Sweden, tann is the beauty standard. I myself are not very fond of getting tanned
I'm Japanese. It's well known to us that burning causes skin damage and makes aging faster, and we want perfect skin that ages slowly. I'm also pretty sure the ganguro subculture died with that becoming well known. In the 90s to 2010, it was pretty common to see people who go to tanning salons.
And Japan has a high UV index.
It’s an Asian thing. Asian summers can be real humid and the sun can hurt. Even in the Philippines people use umbrellas in sunny days especially older ladies. You won’t understand til you’ve experienced the warmest summer days in Asia. Plus umbrellas came from parasols. It’s not like we’re using umbrellas wrong.
あなたの国では「日傘」というものが無いのでしょうか？
They probably mistaken the word. @@NekoNekoKainushi
And people wonder why "asian's look young", No, you white people just look old and apparently like to sunbathe so they can age their skin faster.
I'm American. I've lived in Japan for 16 years. I roll my eyes at any influencer video period.
So do I and I do not even live there xD
In the end, the influencers were not lying. Ofcourse you don't have to know all that, but its still a thing. The problem is, that many tourists don't seem to have common sense and think they can do everything like in their home country. This seems to be especially true for Americans, French and Chinese - they even get angry when they can not use their own language. Ofcourse you don't have to take a shower every day and can be loud in a train - but yes, people will hate you. Even other tourists will hate you. And yes, overuse of smelly parfume is absolutely bad manners. People will get a hadache because of this. Just leave the parfume at home and stay clean. End of story.
Misinformation about Japan has been around for so long, but seems like it's at a whole nother level right now. Japan according to the internet and real Japan are basically two different things
It's because Japanese people live in 2069 that's why there's a difference
It’s the same for other countries I think .. like if you come to the U.K. and you visit London everyone talks about it like London represents the whole of England and because they only visit that city they think it’s true but if you travel outside of London you’ll see so many different towns and city’s do things different act different and even speak different. It does get very annoying with misinformation and people just assuming stuff about you because of what they have heard online,
Yeah I saw some these what not to do in Japan videos & after a few seconds I clicked away lol 🤣🤣🤣
@@NuukaYTfax machines so advanced 😮
@@kmo20794
Still useful though
the guy talking about shorts is peak example of a "rizzless otaku"
He gives pick up artist vibes but for weebs
I didn't even have to hear him speak. Pretty much every time I see that kind of editing and tone of voice, I already know there's a 99.9% chance the person is full of crap.
I show my legs off all the time in Japan and that is with my effed up leg. XD
Chris Broad had that happen to him so that’s not exactly false
TikTok will always be a mistake.
Just like twitter/facebook
itsnnot the platform, its the people.
@@vioIetharmon And the platform is meant to bring out the worst in people.
@@nont18411 no its not, it was literally a dancing app before, people can just do whatever they want now
Apparently china knows what they are doing, look what they are having in their own version of tiktok douyin
Just a quick note, the perfume thing is true. But mostly in high end restaurant (kaiseki or sushi omakase places.) often on the reservation sit will say to not wear perfume and in certain cases it actually says that you can be refuses entry if your perfume is too strong. It's because those places are usually small and strong scent can be an issue for the other patrons, and also it can be detrimental to the delicate aroma of the food. It's the same reason that most high-end fine dining restaurant in the west do not put flowers on the table.
1:09 ummm ma’am as someone who been raised in Japan I saw a LOT of 3rd graders who wear short skirts too like what 😭😭
I'm Japanese myself. I wear shorts everyday except in winter. Japanese men prefer to wear pants. That's right. But I guess this is partially becuase Japanese men are mostly slim, some even scrawny. These men look silly wearing shorts. Japanese people in general care a lot about how others think about them. They don't want to look lame in a public sphere. If you are somewhat mascular you look good in shorts.
Agree in general about shorts looking good on muscular legs, it's true
If shorts were so bad hey wouldn't sell them, yeah? But they do! Most people don't care. If you want to look trendy like some model or actor then maybe not, but consider how many times you've seen an old aged man going to the conbini wearing shorts!!??!!
I think some Japanese men are also self-conscious about leg hair
This video came at a perfect time for me since I’m leaving for Japan next week!
same, i'm visiting in about a month!! have a great time! :)
@@orange_piano thanks! Same to you!
I hope you have fun! I'm saving up so that I can visit Japan one day ^_^
No because I keep seeing people say that Japan is racist to black people, but I just went there over the summer and everyone was SO FREAKING NICE! granted Japan is being more open to black people now, and past encounters with racism could’ve been made, but if you wanna go to Japan now then go for it! ITS A LITERAL A BLAST
Unfortunately many Asian countries do have colorist feelings towards dark skin in general. However if you aren't planning to live or stay long time in Asia as a black person then the likelihood of you experiencing any racism is low.
However Unfortunately yea, black people are often looked down upon and only really praised for our stereotypes in Asia. That may change in future, but won't be easy since our current culture kind of doesn't help our overall imagine.
In relation to this, I think it is simultaneously understated and overstated by different groups of people. Understated by reactionary weirdoes who want to defend their precious sugoi Japan (even tho they are racist themselves), but overstated by certain people whose impressions of racism in Japan are just built off of Tiktoks and not real experience.
The reality is somewhat complicated; I do think racism is a pretty substantial issue in Japan (like it is in any country), however it's not like Italy where people might call you a slur and throw banana peels at you at a football game. You will almost never encounter that kind of virulent racism in Japan. What you may encounter (if you do have a negative experience) are just the things all foreigners may experience, except it's gonna happen to you more often because you're black lol
Things like stares, people not sitting next to you, etc. though ofc these issues are a lot less common in the big cities where heavy tourism is expected. So I would definitely say to POC who want to come to Japan, come! The most that's gonna happen most likely is a few people being weird.
When I was a student, a black girl did an exchange trip to Japan. She said she never experienced any overt racism though she of course got stared at a lot, especially when she visited small towns and rural areas. The most awkward thing she experienced was a bunch of older men calling her "Tina Turner" because she had blonde streaks in her hair but she never detected any malice.
If you go to any country in the world, there will be a fraction of them who will be unfriendly to someone of a different skin colour. Even within the US, you can find places where blacks aren't welcome, and places where whites aren't welcome. It's all about how you react to it, and how you let it affect you (or not).
Maybe not your experience, but Japan can become very xenophobic and racist. I and a lot of other people had a pretty crap time because of it, but yes, it does exist
People should keep in mind that living in Japan isn't like how these big youtubers portray it either. There's certain privileges youtubers have such as not working in the regular Japanese workforce / experiencing as much enforced Japanese work culture that impacts a lot of how your life in Japan will be.
That would apply anywhere right
Really appreciate this video and your comment on these new “creators” treating Japan like Disney land. One thing I do want to add is about perfume/cologne is actually a huge no-no at nice sushi restaurants and some places will ask you to leave if it’s tainting the experience for the others that have to sit next to you or if it’s strong enough that the chef can smell you then it’s probably tainting the sushi is what they say.
Take my words with a grain of salt but at least in Kansai where I am, the last one about perfume and cologne especially in sushi places is definitely a thing. I've also heard general grumbles about it on public transportation, but like, I think that's not just a Japan thing.
3:07 in western australia thats just how most people sit in trains here they'll usually avoid sitting directly next to you unless they know you so I wouldn't find a big deal also I like the space
I live in the US. I believe people need their person space. I do the same unless it's really crowded.
The point is that they rather stand or sit in a really cammed place instead of in free seats next to a foreigner. I already had the same happen to me multiple times in Korea and it's not "oh it's a homogeneous society" it's just racism. Trying to make racism sound good just because it's Japan or Asia is just demented
@@JPunkt1 Of course my experience is also just personal experience but I was in Korea for 11 months (mostly in Busan) and never experienced this. If you talk in the subway you have to be very careful to speak as quietly as possible but otherwise I've never had any issues like these. Even in the summer where I was really worried I might smell bad after being outside in the heat before going into the subway.
Sorry but this is ridiculous and is splitting hairs. On an empty train, no one is going to sit next to you. But on a packed train where people are ALREADY sitting next to people? I don't think you were actually listening to the situation described. We do the same in the UK. People don't sit directly next to someone they don't know IF there's other free spaces. The specific point being made here is that there are NO other free spaces. So people are actively choosing to avoid you specifically. Are you seriously saying that would feel normal to you?
The chopsticks etiquette thing is actually pretty serious. Rules 1 and 2 (don't rub them together and don't dig in your bowl with them) are more about just having good manners (like not slurping your soup or not eating with your elbows on the table in the West) but Rules 3 and 4 (don't stick them vertically in rice and don't pass food chopstick to chopstick) are taken very seriously and if a Japanese person did them, people would automatically assume they were raised in the streets.
Exactly. It’s all related to funerals. That and wearing your yukata right over left, which is also to do with how corpses are dressed at funerals. People will forgive you if you break these rules as they will assume you didn’t know any better, but there’s nothing wrong with spreading the word and making tourists aware of the do’s and don’ts in these instances.
Yeah the chopstick rule is very important and people don’t take it lightly
Your research is next-level appreciate the effort
It’s always funny to me that anyone in Aki’s circle refuses to call Japan out for being racist and just calls it’s something else for cope.
I have motion sickness so I personally like the toned-down-cologne or no cologne unspoken rule especially in public transportation or places that tends to get crowded or enclosed spaces. I have a lot of experiences with car fresheners or riding with people with strong smelling cologne and it really gives me headache and makes me feel extra nauseous. Maybe I have sensitive nose for scents🤷🏻♀️
Omg, we're the same. I have motion sickness and always struggle with strong scents, even some of the times I'm smelling scents that other ppl around me aren't smelling and it just makes me nauseous 🥲
Woooah that caption extension is absolutely rad!!
Ive seen it a few times when someone was wearing too much perfume or cologne, and the chef had them sit soemwhere else away from others. Usually happens in a sushi restaurant.
Yooo I love Migaku!! It's been SUCH a great tool for me to get some major japanese immersion going on.
03:00 If this happened in Norway where I live, I'd immediately tell the truth that we never sit next to each other, even if all the rows in public transport only has one seat available per side of the transport, we would much rather stand for however long it takes to get to point B. Sitting next to each other is something that generally only happens if the standing portions of the transport are full and seats are the only available options, or you are old or disabled person and need to sit down, possibly if you are pregnant, too. This is an act of showing respect to your fellow passengers, as we Norwegians tend to appreciate and respect each other's personal space and privacy, and sitting next to someone unless it is necessary feels like an intrusion into that person's personal space and privacy.
08:15 I forgot, Japan drives on the left side of the road, which makes sense that you stand on the left side of the escalator. The reason I think that makes sense for me is that we drive on the right side of the road in Norway, and we stand on the right side of the escalator.
I'm so glad you are so real about this.
Before Covid, I used to be in Japan 4 to 5 times a year. I've come to shrug at these videos. I think even though it's been awhile I don't think much has changed. Thank goodness I know or knew enough Japanese to get around and even I still had trouble. But it helped and I even was able to get a few Japanese to speak English back when I had trouble or tripped over my speaking( those that could understand or make it out). It's called respect and at trying cause even my experience was easier when I tried cause they tried back in the end. Thanks for the video. We needed this video. I miss Japan and can't wait to return in the future. I've been trying to get back into my speaking and though it's tough it'll be worth it in the end.
@@missplainjane3905I know for a fact that talking on the train is a no no thar stayed basically the same. Blowing you nose is not good either on the train much less in public but I have seen tourist do it but they got looks by the older folks. The sides of the escalators are the same got the confirmed from a friend who just got back. There's a few im not certain of though cause I get mixed answers. Oh well ill be back there soon so no worries.
This deserves way more attention excellent job
... in germany its pretty normal to just stand instead of sitting besides a total stranger...
Too much perfume will get you kicked out of an expensive sushi restaurant. But that's it.
Honestly what country doesn’t have social rules? I don’t know why people stress over Japan specifically. Here in Canada, you can easily piss someone off if you don’t hold a door for someone if you’re directly behind them and are clearly going to the same building. No one would say anything most likely. But they will be upset with you. I tell people “you’re welcome” if they don’t say thank you for holding the door for them😹 The thing is too that the locals will also not follow the social rules too. So why stress? Manners are good and you should try. But if you’re not being an a hole then you should be fine
Particularly like, the fact that American tourists dress inappropriately, I think we're just globally legendary for dressing like hobos when we travel? So yeah, something to probably pay attention to, but not in a way that is some secret special issue in Japan.
Wow this content keeps raising the bar every time
Japan actually have no problem with short skirts, maybe not mini skirts but bare legs are totally accepted. However, shoulders, cleavage, stomach is more frowned on.
i was living in tokyo and i never had an empty seat next to me wtf
Same here! In the times I’ve lived there and all my other trips over I’ve rarely had an empty seat!
Same. Been here almost 10 years and I swear people sit next to me before they sit next to other people with shocking regularity
because the gaijin seat thing is obviously a meme. For example, if you ride a train in Japan 10 or 20 times, there might be one time where no one sits around you, but people on social media bring up this partial experience and say things like "Nooooooo Japanese people are racist! No one sits next to me!" To be honest, everything about Japan tends to be overhyped on social media.
Do you by any chance happen to be not male
For real I've seen so many times where there's just random empty seats in trains in Saitama and people are still standing around when there's only Japanese people in the seats. It's not about being a foreigner, it's just something that happens sometimes
aki does the best ad transitions dude
YES THANK YOU FOR THIS VIDEO!! I had my run of the mill of “Japan this and Japan that” videos. One of which told me that Japanese people don’t want to talk to you. I had a middle aged lady in KARUMAI (literally in the middle of nowhere) come up to me and ask me if I was ok. Most people I see that are “ambassadors” are white people from different countries that haven’t lived in Japan for a long time.
aki is the only influencer I need!
i haven’t seen you in so long, i used to love watching you 😭🙏🏽💜
Whilst Japanese people tend to not wear much perfume, the fabric softeners they use are as strong, if not stronger than many perfumes, and often very shrill and artificial smelling.
Also shampoos and other hair products.
I went out one evening in tokyo with my friend for drinks. Just threw on shorts, sneakers and hoodie and got called ''old man'' by some chicks passing by, im 27, full beard, and im not even balding or wearing glasses etc
おじいちゃん🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
It was probably the beard tbh
おじちゃん or おじいちゃん？
Beards, especially full/fuller ones, are often seen on elderly men in JP. YA to middle aged men usually avoid wearing beards, or keep them very very light.
The cologne thing I have heard many japaneses complain about it.
I had this one time where I decided to put some Axe, not much, on a hot summer day and guy next to me in train complained to her mother in Japanese repeatedly "Foreigners really smell bad, really, I'm going die". After a while I bowed and said "くさいくてごめん” and guy went white than red, mother went into total apology mode and they just stormed out of train on next station.
Honestly kinda want a part 2 i was just so intersted in you reacting to these WE NEED MORE AKI😂😂💖
Thanks for sharing your browser extension will be needing this for my studies in next yr😎😎😎👍👍👍
If you are a tourist, japanese people don't care. If you work and live there, they do expect many of these things from you.
I really hope more influencers continue to call these kinds of things out. Japanese people already know someone's a foreigner and give them a lot more grace about cultural norms than locals.
Literally ALL the Japan travel short form content has been geared towards every topic except anything actually relevant or insightful. It's regurgitated from creator to creator, and I'm glad you're dispelling some of it. Also, I've noticed that it's always geared towards trying to 'blend in' (e.g the clips that say "don't wear these things because Japanese locals don't"). I found it very obvious (asian or not) who were the tourists whenever I've been to the country LOL. Imo, be kind/respectful/cognizant and anyone will have a good time (: And extra yes to the point about learning simple phrases in the local language! So simple, and I didn't even memorize the more complex ones, I just had it in my notes app to reference! I did most of my location scouting on IG as well since all the 20-somethings are tagging great places to eat/shop/get pampered there.
Thank you for this! Great video ❤
I've been here in Japan 19 years, perfume and cologne CAN be a problem. I have heard of being barred entrance somewhere, though I've never seen it myself, though if you work at some Japanese companies they WILL tell you not to wear perfume or cologne to work or you'll be sent home. I had that one at a wedding venue I worked at in Sapporo Japan
7:39 Anyone else think it's weird to talk about etiquette while crossing the road while someone might be walking backwards with that camera? And everyone else is pretty quiet in public, she's not even dubbing over that clip.
yeah this is exactly what i was thinking
While some portrayals may be superficial, there are also many creators who genuinely appreciate and respect Japanese culture, using their platforms to share authentic experiences and foster cultural exchange.
Sunglasses are seen as shady over in America as well
Don’t trust a guy who wears sunglasses indoors Something like that is a popular saying
It isn't generally done, but that is not in fact a popular saying. 😆 Like people will judge you for it because it looks dumb and makes no sense to do, if you don't have a medical reason? But it's really not a "trust" thing.
Funny story though when i was a kid I used to wear them all the time because I thought they were cool 💀
In the states if a dude is wearing sunglasses indoors,he’s either intoxicated,doing some shady business and keeping an eye on the entire room,or have a black eye
@@Nassifehnah this is true,people used to wear sunglasses at one of my old jobs because they were intoxicated and their eyes were red. Usually that’s a sign that someone’s doing something shady regardless of
Came to watch Aki’s new video posted today, but when I clicked on it it said the video was private. Just writing this comment to see if anyone else noticed and if it’s a region blocked thing
i cant see it either ..maybe she had to remove it for whatever reasons?
Former Japan dweller here: trust Rachel/Jun, Sharla/Chris Broad, Dogen, Paolo from Tokyo, John Daub, Life Where I’m From. These folks prepared me 7 years ago with the most realistic experiences.
I often saw comments in Japanese talking abt foreign tourists with suitcases who take the buses (instead of taxi) in Kyoto. It hinders ppl who're getting out of the bus, and may also hinder evacuation in emergencies. Take the taxi (or train), or put the suitcases in lockers. Also don't do phone calls in public transports. As long as you have basic manners and common sense, I don't think Japan is a difficult country to travel to.
That's just a common understanding with all travelers but some people don't wanna be scammed by taxis so they opt for local transportation.
@@innitbruv-lascocomics9910 apparently some tourists claimed they didn't want to take taxi because it's more expensive than bus, so no, it's not abt getting scammed.
Calling out Chris the day after he releases a video that's ballsy.
Although not really a rule, but as someone allergic to chemical scents, I would advise still not wearing perfume or cologne. Especially since people will definitely be more sensitive in Japan due to the fact that most products here smell very little compare to foreign countries. The strongest smelling people are old aunties and foreigners, and the contrast is jarring lol. So, maybe not a rule, but definitely just polite etiquette. Don't be that obnoxious person that stink up the whole train. Just be aware that other people may not want to smell you hours after you've left the compartment. The same applies to loud music. Not everyone has to know what song is your favorite lol
With the perfume thing I get. One time at college I attended a class and one student who sat behind me had THE WORST smelling perfume ever that everyone around us could smell it. It was honestly hard for us to focus.
Glad she's on my side of going to japan
I hate the implication in the modesty videos that Japan has actual laws against leggings and things like that. There actually are places with strict modesty laws that absolutely do dictate what types of clothing some can and cannot wear. I read a news story not long ago about a tourist getting arrested in Greece for wearing booty shorts. Things shouldn't be addressed in any way that can be conflated into something else when it comes to laws and customs that tourists to a country should know about. It gets people in a lot of trouble. The number of stories I've heard of tourists to my country, America, where they get scammed out of a ton of money because they don't understand our tipping laws and expectations, for example, is extremely disheartening. We don't really talk about it for what it actually is (non-mandatory but expected, 10%-20% is the standard amount but you can give more or less if you want, sit-down restaurants are the only restaurants that actually have waitstaff specifically relying on tips as part of their income and maybe bartenders, you can tip on a card if you are able to pay the bill with a card - staff that tells you otherwise are trying to dodge their taxes). Now foreigners in Japan are doing similar with Japanese rules and expectations. At least I haven't seen anyone saying that you can do something that is actually illegal yet, as far as I'm aware.
It's funny that I got recommended this video where Aki basically says the exact opposite of several things that Chris Broad literally just talked about in a video which he based on living in Japan for 10 years. The biggest problem here to me is the mixed messaging as Aki is basically going against what others are agreeing on with the somewhat clickbaity title of "Japan Influences are Lying to You." But really, is it LYING when they're speaking from their own personal experiences? In the end, I think that's all we can really go on until we have a chance to experience Japan for ourselves.
The other difference is, and this has been discussed in Chris' videos and others, that Aki is obviously Asian, Chris a white foreigner. Their experiences will be different as to who gets away with what, it is definitely different for each person's experience
There’s also a big problem with a lot of foreign influencers and UA-camrs et cet trying to gatekeep Japan because they wanna be the only gaijin in the village. Apply common sense. Are Japanese people? Yes and Therefore are capable of understanding foreigners might be unfamiliar with the customs and give you a free pass. It’s not that serious, don’t sweat it, if you unknowingly break a serious enough rule someone will ‘correct’ you. If it’s forgivable because ‘foreigners don’t know better’ the worst you’ll get is looked at funny. Use good manners, learn a little Japanese, don’t throw poke balls a people and film no longer with us people. You know…common sense. Japanese are not stern monsters waiting to scold you for every little thing- and that’s why you shouldn’t believe all the other rules given, they are only ‘nice to haves’ not needs. If you live here and the same people recognise you making the same mistake everyday for years that’s another story but you’ll have friends by then to help you with the real rules they care about in your area. I hope you enjoy Japan while you are there.
It's interesting that you talked about the sunglasses and shorts thing as I just watched Chris talk about the sunglasses and shorts and he said the opposite sort of. It is nice getting two different views on the situation but I also wonder if its because of gender as well. With Japan treating guys and girls differently, I wonder if it might be more frowned upon for guys then for girls in some cases or its a case by case situation. Still a really awesome video and thank you for making it!
If you are Japanese and wear sunglasses, it really gives a yakuza vibe, especially in the evening. But otherwise, no.
@@jalava78 I feel like unless you have a really good reason for sunglasses at night, anyone would seem a bit sketchy with sunglasses that late, lol.
@@angelsinthewindow also, in Japanese TV Dramas, only sketchy (not necessarily criminal but definite heel) characters wear sunglasses.
I’d say it’s true that it’s a bit different for men and women. Though, my (Japanese) husband wears sunglasses (kid’s sports’ day event included :P..and no, he’s not yakuza)and used to wear shorts too. Shorts on Japanese men really depend on their self-esteem, are they into fashion or not, and leg shape. Also the, to go hairless or not thing.
Think it’s a race thing,an Asian immigrant will always be judged differently than a white immigrant