Japanese manners

[Mr.D]

I got so annoyed today that I thought it was time to air my views on this subject.

Before I came to Japan I was made aware of the culture and manners, rules etc.

As a Gaijin I always make sure that I am very polite, give up my seat on the train to older people. I always put my rubbish in the correct recycle bins. I never spit in public or eat in public. I never cough or sneeze out loud etc, etc.

I notice that a lot of Japanese people do not do the above mentioned. They seem to always push and shove past you, cough out loud without covering their mouths, stare at you in a rude manner and don't even get me started on the driving! So I ask myself, why as Gaijins are we so polite and rule abiding when Japanese people (who we are trying to please)are not.

[ericsson]

Why ask yourself when you could ask all of us and/or those Japanese?

[Krobin]

So I ask myself, why as Gaijins are we so polite and rule abiding when Japanese people (who we are trying to please)are not.

Because the stereotypical gaijin has no manners and will never really understand Japanese society or culture. If you even do the slightest thing wrong, you will live up to that stereotype. The only way to prove them wrong is to be very polite, give up your seat on the train to older people, always put your rubbish in the correct recycle bins, never spit or eat in public, never cough or sneeze out loud etc, etc. If enough of us does this, just maybe a few Japanese people will think, "Hey, there actually are some good gaijin around".

Long story short: Gaijin have something to prove. Dirty old jijis don't.

[Mr.D]

Because the stereotypical gaijin has no manners and will never really understand Japanese society or culture. If you even do the slightest thing wrong, you will live up to that stereotype. The only way to prove them wrong is to be very polite, give up your seat on the train to older people, always put your rubbish in the correct recycle bins, never spit or eat in public, never cough or sneeze out loud etc, etc. If enough of us does this, just maybe a few Japanese people will think, "Hey, there actually are some good gaijin around".

Long story short: Gaijin have something to prove. Dirty old jijis don't.

Perfect answer!
Yes you're right. There is so many gaijins here that have no idea about Japanese culture etc that I suppose we are all painted with the same brush until we prove we are not all the same.

Actually I was on the train yesterday and I was practising Hiragana in my notebook and a little old lady that was sitting next to me was watching and laughing at me, so I struck up a conversation with her and she was awesome! She was correcting the smallest of mistakes but it was a lot of fun and I thought to myself not all Japanese are the same.

[RoarDBL]

The first time I saw a jiji urinating in the street I was shocked. 2nd time I thought it was crazy. After about the 20th time, including watching jiji's walk out of pachinko parlors to urinate on the outside wall, I gave up and decided that it was normal over here.

But..... if I walked out the front of my house and urinated on the street the cops would be here in 5mins, guaranteed.

There is one rule for locals and another for Gaijin in everything we do. Get used to it. よこそ日本！

[rubirosa]

But..... if I walked out the front of my house and urinated on the street the cops would be here in 5mins, guaranteed.

Geez, where do you live dude?

I ____ in the streets here all the time.

[JBS3009]

The first time I saw a jiji urinating in the street I was shocked. 2nd time I thought it was crazy. After about the 20th time, including watching jiji's walk out of pachinko parlors to urinate on the outside wall, I gave up and decided that it was normal over here.
What's the problem? As long as I'm wearing sunglasses, I urinate in public all the time. It's my right as a tax-paying citizen, and I'm proud to say I've urinated in places as diverse as:

- On the train tracks at Ebisu station;
- In the ball-returning conveyor belt at the Kabukichou batting center;
- At the front bar of Club Muse in Roppongi (I didn't want to lose my seat);
- From the stern of a Sumida river Night Cruise boat;
- In the hand basins of the 54th floor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building's restrooms.

And GaijinPot should thank me for it!

[Uncle Fester]

What's the problem? As long as I'm wearing sunglasses, I urinate in public all the time. It's my right as a tax-paying citizen, and I'm proud to say I've urinated in places as diverse as:

- On the train tracks at Ebisu station;
- In the ball-returning conveyor belt at the Kabukichou batting center;
- At the front bar of Club Muse in Roppongi (I didn't want to lose my seat);
- From the stern of a Sumida river Night Cruise boat;
- In the hand basins of the 54th floor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building's restrooms.

And GaijinPot should thank me for it!

You're a fcking disgrace.

Now Sonny Jim, reveal to avid GP readers the places in which you've jerked the gherkin.

[Uncle Fester]

So I ask myself, why as Gaijins are we so polite and rule abiding when Japanese people (who we are trying to please)are not.

Coz you are an eager-to-please doofus who tries to act Japanese?

[Hijinx]

The first time I saw a jiji urinating in the street I was shocked. 2nd time I thought it was crazy. After about the 20th time, including watching jiji's walk out of pachinko parlors to urinate on the outside wall, I gave up and decided that it was normal over here.

Dude, does this fetish have a name? Watching men pee? ;):D

[Uncle Fester]

Dude, does this fetish have a name? Watching men pee? ;):D

Male voyeuristic urophilia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urophilia

I trust that will help your further explorations of the matter. If you want to watch me pee, just let me know. I can travel.

[Hijinx]

Male voyeuristic urophilia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urophilia

I trust that will help your further explorations of the matter. If you want to watch me pee, just let me know. I can travel.

Heheheheh. No, I'll pass this time.

[RoarDBL]

Dude, does this fetish have a name? Watching men pee? ;):D

LOL, better watch what I post here. I might get a reputation... ;)

[Hijinx]

LOL, better watch what I post here. I might get a reputation... ;)

Just posting here will get you one.

[RoarDBL]

Just posting here will get you one.

hehe, when asked in public if I use Gaijinpot I feign ignorance and say "what is this Gaijinpot you speak of??"

Works almost every time :)

[the_pink_tako_yaki]

Man I was at Sushi Zanmai in Roppo gi on Sunday morning and one of my friends looked out the window because she saw our other friend across the street, but then she noticed this filfthy old jiji fiddling with his shriveled old c0ck on the sidewalk right in front of the restaurant. He didn't seem to be whacking off, just fiddling with it, and I think eventually he pissed and put it away. Yuck. Thank God I had already finished eating at that point.

[Jacque_S]

then she noticed this filfthy old jiji fiddling with his shriveled old c0ck

How rude of her.

[Mr.D]

Coz you are an eager-to-please doofus who tries to act Japanese?


I'm sorry, is that a question?

[Uncle Fester]

I'm sorry, is that a question?

Looks like I can add over-apologetic to your list of short-comings as well.

Nancy-boy, you shouldn't walk around thinking you can't eat in public or sneeze out-loud, repressing all your urges to let it hang out, coz it'll make you more uptight than a Mormon at a Porn Convention.

You'll always be a dirty, rude, ugly, smelly, stupid gaijin in the eyes of the Public. They don't recognise that you are polite well brought up reserved quiet passive aggressive affluent over-educated indignant WASPy harboring deep dark resentments hatreds and desires.

Uncle Festy knows all about nancy-boys, Sonny Jim. Yes he does.

[Mr.D]

Looks like I can add over-apologetic to your list of short-comings as well.

Nancy-boy, you shouldn't walk around thinking you can't eat in public or sneeze out-loud, repressing all your urges to let it hang out, coz it'll make you more uptight than a Mormon at a Porn Convention.

You'll always be a dirty, rude, ugly, smelly, stupid gaijin in the eyes of the Public. They don't recognise that you are polite well brought up reserved quiet passive aggressive affluent over-educated indignant WASPy harboring deep dark resentments hatreds and desires.

Uncle Festy knows all about nancy-boys, Sonny Jim. Yes he does.

hahahahahha

Uncle Fester, I have to admit I like your humour! Trust me I'm no nancy boy, just polite and respectful. Especially when I'm living abroad. I suppose I should either act like I'm expected to or tone down my politeness.

So if you see a gaijin peeing on the sidewalk, it's probably me!

[quato]

What's the problem? As long as I'm wearing sunglasses, I urinate in public all the time. It's my right as a tax-paying citizen, and I'm proud to say I've urinated in places as diverse as:

- On the train tracks at Ebisu station;
- In the ball-returning conveyor belt at the Kabukichou batting center;
- At the front bar of Club Muse in Roppongi (I didn't want to lose my seat);
- From the stern of a Sumida river Night Cruise boat;
- In the hand basins of the 54th floor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building's restrooms.

And GaijinPot should thank me for it!

Were you the one who explained the method of pissing out the doors when they open at the station and then stopping mid-stream when they close and holding the rest until the next station? I saw that a while ago at night on the Seibu Shinjuku line.

[rubirosa]

So if you see a gaijin peeing on the sidewalk, it's probably me!

Since you are a dumb gaijin with no manners, you'll be fine.

Now, if you are really tired of old men pissing in the streets there are a couple of actions you can take. When you are on your bicycle, shout and point at the ferker peeing: "hey, wtf is wrong with you, pissing in the goddam street in front of my ol' lady". If you are driving your car honk your horn, this works best when you are stopped and you can just lay on your horn until the bastards pisses on his hands as he looks around to see what the hell is going on.

[JBS3009]

Were you the one who explained the method of pissing out the doors when they open at the station and then stopping mid-stream when they close and holding the rest until the next station?
No... that would be unnecessarily uncomfortable, and perhaps even painful.

Remember the age-old adage? You can't stop - it stings!

[davai.davai]

When in Rome...

[ericsson]

Pardon my French but, who the fcuk said anything about Rome?!

[Mr.D]

[QUOTE=rubirosa]Since you are a dumb gaijin with no manners, you'll be fine.


Did you read what I wrote before?

[rubirosa]

Yes, I did.

That's why I said you are dumb and don't have manners.

While I salute your strong sense of altruism by trying to act politely here, you've got it all wrong.

You were actually being rude by being polite, this is Japan for godsake.

When in Japan, do as the Japanese do.

Spit, ____ and puke in the streets. Shove and push people out of your way. Cut into line. Slurp your noodles. Suck on your teeth and above all don't forget to read porno on crowded trains.

[redjack201]

Because the stereotypical gaijin has no manners and will never really understand Japanese society or culture. If you even do the slightest thing wrong, you will live up to that stereotype.

I agree with your message, many gaijins just roam the streets believing they are God's gift to Japan, and America's gift to Japanese women. Being generally respectful is good social engineering in any country I think...

[QUOTE=Krobin]give up your seat on the train to older people

Yep... respect old people.

1 Exception... the old grumpy ladies who always stand behind me and think it's their right to give me pretty serious shoves in the back (quite a few times I've nearly fallen flat on my face thanks to them, and nearly injured other people in my path). Once I saw one of them in public giving her husband a big punch in the face because there were 2 ticket lines and she thought the one he chose was slower. They're spoiled 70y/o brats who’ve got hard working husbands working into their late 70’s to support their wife’s passion for tacky but expensive Louis Vuitton handbags rather than retiring and living out their life long passion to travel the world (or whatever it is... not having 90% of their pay going to Louis Vuitton). They are rude to everybody, so everybody knows it and will understand if you don't go out of your way to respect them...

The same type of lady is known to stand behind me in the supermarket and say out loud "WHY DO I HAVE TO WAIT BEHIND AN ALIEN?!?!?". They're very surprised when I turn around and say "be quiet you racist old lady"... why can the alien speak Japanese? :P

Respect these ladies as you would anybody else, but don't take junk from them just because you're a foreigner. Nobody will look down on you for sticking up for yourself... just do it politely, don't chuck a psycho like some fellow foreigners I've seen.


never spit or eat in public

People always told me this when I first came, but I think it's a myth based on what all my Japanese friends tell me. It's still not cool to hawk out a big golly, but nobody minds you walking down the main street munching on a big fat McDonald's burger while slurping on your coke.

The big one is don't eat or drink on a train unless it's a shinkansen or long-distance local train. Subways are a big no no!

The other one they hate on the subway is people listening to music too loud or having sounds blinging out of their phones.

[Mr.D]

Yep... respect old people.


The same type of lady is known to stand behind me in the supermarket and say out loud "WHY DO I HAVE TO WAIT BEHIND AN ALIEN?!?!?". They're very surprised when I turn around and say "be quiet you racist old lady"... why can the alien speak Japanese? :P

Laughing a lot!!!!

[ericsson]

The same type of lady is known to stand behind me in the supermarket and say out loud "WHY DO I HAVE TO WAIT BEHIND AN ALIEN?!?!?". They're very surprised when I turn around and say "be quiet you racist old lady"... why can the alien speak Japanese? :P
Some people... *shakes head in disbelief*

Alien?? She's the one who seems to think she's the fcuking center of the universe.

damatte! sabetsu baba:D :D :D

[JBS3009]

The same type of lady is known to stand behind me in the supermarket and say out loud "WHY DO I HAVE TO WAIT BEHIND AN ALIEN?!?!?". They're very surprised when I turn around and say "be quiet you racist old lady"... why can the alien speak Japanese? :P
To be fair to the old cvntfart, I'd be quite upset if I had to wait behind an alien in the supermarket.

http://www.mccullagh.org/db9/1ds-7/alien-mannequin-exhibit.jpg

Unless it was Alf. In which case, I'd be delighted.


damatte! sabetsu baba
That would absolutely crush her. Why not just stare at her menacingly?

[tono_sama]

Is it ok to let a fart out on a packed train? As long as you don't make a noise, how can they pinpoint it on you...

[Travlrsong]

Is it ok to let a fart out on a packed train? As long as you don't make a noise, how can they pinpoint it on you...

Wait... I thought that was a really common game that everybody played. Noisy ones make it more challenging and daring.


As for dudes pissing in the street/park/plaza, that's pretty much universal. Of the 22 countries I've been in, I think England and Australia are the only two where I haven't seen sober daylight pissers. Hell, I have an uncle in the states. Man's very successful in business. Like owns an insurance company successful. I'm pretty sure the only reason he plays golf is to take a ____ from as many tee boxes as he can.

[JBS3009]

Is it ok to let a fart out on a packed train? As long as you don't make a noise, how can they pinpoint it on you...
On a train?

Pffft... try pushing out a frighteningly audible fart within the compounds of a 1.5m x 2m enclosed capsule on the Yokohama Cosmo World Ferris wheel... while another couple is present!!!

That, my friend, is ballz.

Pffft!


Wait... I thought that was a really common game that everybody played. Noisy ones make it more challenging and daring.
Sometimes, you make me proud to be a gaijin.

So how's wifey? Any progress?

[RonBurgundy]

I"m notexacrly sure which I prefer.

A. Peeing in public, while playing the two finger fiddle with my little amigo. (preferably inebriated)
or

B. Passing gas down a crowded sidewalk and having the person behind you eat just a mouthful.

[nynapaj]

I think the reason that Gaijin (especially those from Western countries) get so easily pissed about rude Japanese is because we made one big mistake before coming... we bought into the fantasies about perfect mannered Asian cultures. Then, when we see normal Japanese doing the common rude things that people do in our own countries just as much, we get all bent out of shape about it.
Ask yourself, is it any MORE rude than people back home??
In my experience, it's not.

[deleted by request]

I think the reason that Gaijin (especially those from Western countries) get so easily pissed about rude Japanese is because we made one big mistake before coming... we bought into the fantasies about perfect mannered Asian cultures. Then, when we see normal Japanese doing the common rude things that people do in our own countries just as much, we get all bent out of shape about it.
Ask yourself, is it any MORE rude than people back home??
In my experience, it's not.
Define 'back home'.