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Big in Japan: 5 mistakes made by first-timers in Japan
One of the main questions that ex-pats in Japan are often asked is simply this: "Why Japan?"And, truth be told, most of us just shrug our shoulders and give some sort of trite answer like: "The food here sure is delicious!" Or, depending on the temperament of the audience: "The women here sure are beautiful!"
You get the picture....
As for me, I've always argued that the real appeal of Japan is simply that it's an incredibly interesting country to explore. Even after living here for more than five years, and spending literally thousands of hours jumping over the linguistic hurdles of Japanese grammar, I still suffer from a fair bit of culture shock on a day-to-day basis.
You see, I guess that's really the gist of why Japan is so appealing to foreigners like myself. No matter how hard you try to assimilate, there will always be more challenges to overcome, especially if you want to penetrate the heart of one the world's most closed societies. Simply put, life in Japan is anything but boring.
Of course, there are dozens of cultural landmines that must be dodged on a daily basis here. And on that note, I present to you today five mistakes made by first-timers in Japan.
1) There is no word for no.
Japanese has something of a steep learning curve (to say the least!). Of course, one thing you'd better learn if you want to survive here is that there is no word for no. Yes can mean no, maybe most likely means no, but saying no directly pretty much informs those around you that you have about as much social grace as a bovine.
2) Be mindful of your footwear.
The Japanese don't take kindly to foreigners who forget to take off their shoes when entering private spaces. Use the slippers - that's why they're there - though be mindful that no two pairs of slippers are created equal. After all, the Japanese especially don't take kindly to foreigners who walk through the kitchen in toilet slippers.
3) Go easy on the ramen.
I love ramen. You probably love ramen. And yes, the ramen in Japan is damned near the food of the gods. But seriously, after eating the stuff three times a day for a week on end, your gastrointestinal system will start to hate you. Assuming you haven't figured out what toilet slippers look like, this can quickly become a serious problem.
4) Learn how to use chopsticks.
At your local cheap Chinese restaurant in North America, there's a good chance that a fo
rk and knife are always on hand. However, this doesn't mean that this convenient culinary option is readily available in Japan. Although you might not be the most dexterous diner in the restaurant, you'll look like an overgrown child until you indulge in the fine art of Zen chopstick mastery.5) Don't date club girls.
If there is one bit of advice that I can impart to you now, it's to never date club girls. Yes, women in Japan are beautiful, and yes, they do tend to be attracted to foreigners. However, keep in mind that just because they have a cute and smiling face, doesn't mean that they're all-together innocent. If a girl you meet in a club speaks fluent English, is decked out in designer labels, and keeps reaching for your wallet, steer clear! Chances are that she's been around the block a few dozen times, which means you're just moments from getting fleeced. Trust me - she's not the one you want to bring home to meet mom!
As this list can go on and on and on, feel free to chime in with your own words of wisdom for new arrivals in Japan!
Filed under: Asia, Japan, Big in Japan
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Chris Apr 25th 2008 2:49PM
Great post Matt! Just one questions, what does it mean if one is about to get "fleeced?"
Matthew Firestone Apr 25th 2008 2:50PM
Fleeced means that someone is about to rob you of all your money, just like a shepherd robs a lamb of its wool (^_^)
paul Apr 25th 2008 4:17PM
That woman in the photo can fleece me any day.
ji.guo Apr 25th 2008 9:38PM
"Assuming you haven't figured out what toilet slippers look like, this can quickly become a serious problem."
lov the lulz
Ayman Apr 26th 2008 4:11AM
What is ramen?
Niklas Apr 26th 2008 7:09AM
"Ramen (ラーメン or 拉麺 rāmen?, IPA: ['Ramen], listen (help·info)) is a Japanese dish of noodles served in broth that originated in China. It tends to be served in a meat-based broth, and uses toppings such as sliced pork..."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramen
Ayman Apr 26th 2008 8:06AM
Thanks Niklas,
Anon Apr 26th 2008 7:09AM
Dude, stop being a weeaboo. You're disgracing the rest of us foreigners in Japan.
Matt L. Apr 26th 2008 7:50AM
Actually, while they might not say no outright, they'll usually give you an "Ehhh..." or a "Mmmm...." and shake their head to say no.
Regardless, you know when they're telling you no.
Chris Leone Apr 26th 2008 10:35AM
To add to the list; KEEP QUIET! I remember being on trains at any time in the day when people were sitting or standing peacefully and quiet. Enter a group of Geijin (foreigners) who get on and start talking loudly and disruptively. Most people using the trains are going to or from work or school. Considering the ridiculous hours most people work in Japan, they are typically very tired when they travel. So make sure to be respectful and observe your surroundings before "letting loose."
Argh May 8th 2008 11:36AM
Some of those trains in Osaka though...man, are they talkative!
Me in Japan Apr 26th 2008 10:55AM
My favorite was when I had to take off my shoes and put on slippers to walk over to where the slippers were and then put those on to walk over to the part where I took them off and went barefoot because you couldn't wear slippers.
Never accuse of having a culture hostile to the industry of slippers makers.
Will Apr 26th 2008 11:25AM
Very good post, I knew that Japanese people really took the whole shoe thing in homes personally but not as much as you said it would
and the train thing I definitely agree, even here in Australia
jeremy douglass Apr 26th 2008 11:37AM
in the states it's common when walking down the street to make eye contact with people passing by, a nod of the head, some form of acknowledgment, maybe a "how you doin'?" or something like that. my first visit to japan, i noticed that i was doing this like i was in the states and i also noted the uncomfortable responses i got. keep to yourself. keep your elbows in. keep to the left even when walking and remember that casual public discourse is not common social behavior in japan.
B Takemori Apr 26th 2008 1:35PM
I totally agree with you. That was the only thing about Japan that I hated! Well.. that and the Capsule Hotel in Asakusa.
itsalljustaride Apr 26th 2008 3:18PM
"No matter how hard you try to assimilate, there will always be more challenges to overcome, especially if you want to penetrate the heart of one the world's most closed societies."
And that's the problem with foreigners in Japan. They all think they're Admiral Perry coming to penetrate the "mysterious orient".
And to Jeremy Douglas - "in the states it's common when walking down the street to make eye contact with people passing by, a nod of the head, some form of acknowledgment, maybe a "how you doin'?" or something like that."
No, it isn't. City life in the U.S. or other western countries isn't much different in this respect than city life in Japan. When you live in a city of millions, all faces blend together. i don't acknowledge most people in my city, they don't acknowledge me. Yes there are some more intricacies to life in Japan, like keeping to one side of the stairs, etc, but this whole eye contact-saying hi, thing is bogus.
Ry Apr 26th 2008 1:54PM
Just because someone doesn't specifically say something is wrong, or even if they say nothing is wrong....something can still definitely be wrong, haha.
You've got to sort of learn to feel those situations out. I went to study over a summer with a few other students from my university. Every lunch we'd eat together in our classroom (that was also partly a library for foreign books) and sometimes this professor would come in and sit at this table. He never said a word to anyone, not even our professor.
Turns out we made that professor verrrrrry uncomfortable, and we weren't supposed to be in the room during that hour. Somehow we were supposed to just figure that out on our own...
Oh, and don't try natto. It's seriously the worst thing that every Japanese person loves to eat.
ナットヌッター Jun 27th 2009 5:16PM
Eeeehh? What are you talking about? Natto is delicioius. Maybe you had it the wrong way. Try it with some Rayu or Wasabi and mixed with lots of rice.
If I got a Euro everytime I heard a foreigner complain that Natto is the worst food in the world, I would have made 543.00 Euros by now.
The problem is just you fratboys are probably taking a shovel of raw Natto in your mouth which of course isn't very appealing.
It's an acquired taste, and acquiring tastes is something an adult should be able to do, unless you always want to be called "that big American man-baby with no culture" when you're out of the room.
Michael Reiley Apr 26th 2008 4:41PM
A word of caution, it is VERY disrespectful to make eye contact in Japan. Don't try the "wazzup" nod that's popular here in America.
Shane Apr 26th 2008 5:34PM
I would add - get used to bowing. After living in Japan for a while you will find yourself emulating the slight bow of thanks/apology that is so common. You will also say "gomen nasai" (sorry) and "sumimasen" (excuse me) a lot more that you would at home.
Also, the subtle signs of "no" are usually accompanied by a slight sideways tilt of the head combined with an intake of breath through the teeth that emits a very distinctive sound.
I would definitely agree that Japan is a great country to live in and explore but it is a hard nut to crack sometimes and I think that's what makes it so intriguing to foreigners.
Thanks for the post Matthew!
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