One Behavior To Sum Up the Foreigners in Japan?

[captain harry]

I have been thinking about this for some months now and didn't really get it. Why are some foreigners so aloof?

I saw this video (am a big fan of J Vloggers) and think Joe gets it right with this: http://youtu.be/3tz5ueq0J3g

Why are foreigners always trying to be so cool and aloof?

[Hijinx]

Sorry man, vlogging is so square.

[hennagaijin]

The video is only one hour old and has had zero views...
so you didn't watch it - you made it..

Nice one Mr Harry-Joe... or is that Mr Joe-Harry?

Captain Harry-Joe? Captain Joe-Harry?

Harry Captain-Joe? Joe Captain-Harry?

Remember before the internet when people only had real names and only criminals had aliases?

[edin日本]

Sorry man, vlogging is so square.

It depends on who is doing it. Takeshi Amano's vlogs are usually interesting, Heiko Bleher's are always interesting and Gary Connery's vlog is always great!

[captain harry]

@hen na gaijin

i think it had like around 12 views by the time i saw it - i believe that youtube viewcounts can be laggy

i've actually met Joe - he helped me when i first came to tokyo - and subscribe to his email bulletin

if you contact him on the tokyo forum he will send you a pm there when he releases his latest podcast/vlog

vlogging is cool - see my other post i like these vloggers almost as much as i like double d fresh off the boat gaijin

what i will say is that he hits the issue square on - this is a real problem around tokyo with other foreigners here

[madazzahatter]

@hen na gaijin

i think it had like around 12 views by the time i saw it - i believe that youtube viewcounts can be laggy

i've actually met Joe - he helped me when i first came to tokyo - and subscribe to his email bulletin

if you contact him on the tokyo forum he will send you a pm there when he releases his latest podcast/vlog

vlogging is cool - see my other post i like these vloggers almost as much as i like double d fresh off the boat gaijin

what i will say is that he hits the issue square on - this is a real problem around tokyo with other foreigners here

People are strange,when you're a stranger........

[captain harry]

People are strange,when you're a stranger........

There are strange behaviors but I think the point being made by Joe and I agree witih this is that it's like the sketch from Little Britain - every gaijin thinks they are the only gai in the village

This part cracks me up https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...ueq0J3g#t=478s

[paradoxbox]

gaijin i've met in tokyo have generally been d1cks, or total otaku who don't fit into normal society

often even those that have been here 5-10 years have no japanese ability and still look down on japanese, and still dress like sloths

very rarely i come across a nice gaijin that has their head on straight. i've only met 2 or 3 in my years here. TJRandom seems to be one of these dudes, never met him though. most of the people on this forum fall into the former category IMO

[Hijinx]

gaijin i've met in tokyo have generally been d1cks, or total otaku who don't fit into normal society

often even those that have been here 5-10 years have no japanese ability and still look down on japanese, and still dress like sloths

very rarely i come across a nice gaijin that has their head on straight. i've only met 2 or 3 in my years here. TJRandom seems to be one of these dudes, never met him though. most of the people on this forum fall into the former category IMO

Which category do you fall into?

[paradoxbox]

i'm a decent person that respects other japanese people in general, don't talk in a loud voice on the train or make waves when out in public

how about you?

[Hijinx]

i'm a decent person that respects other japanese people in general, don't talk in a loud voice on the train or make waves when out in public

how about you?

I sometimes make waves when I'm in the water.

[Pinkerton]

gaijin i've met in tokyo have generally been d1cks, or total otaku who don't fit into normal society

often even those that have been here 5-10 years have no japanese ability and still look down on japanese, and still dress like sloths

very rarely i come across a nice gaijin that has their head on straight. i've only met 2 or 3 in my years here. TJRandom seems to be one of these dudes, never met him though. most of the people on this forum fall into the former category IMO

paraoxbox, I've met quite a few people from the pot, around 2 dozen, in a few cities and for the most part everyone was cool, with the exception of one person. people can act like asses on the forum but generally behave in person.

vlogging is pretty lame btw.

[twelvedown]

I actually made it through the whole first minute before I died of boredom.

[Hijinx]

I actually made it through the whole first minute before I died of boredom.

"Cowards die many times before their deaths,
The valiant never taste of death but once."

[twelvedown]

"Cowards die many times before their deaths,
The valiant never taste of death but once."

"A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song."

[Pinkerton]

I actually made it through the whole first minute before I died of boredom.

how did you make it so long?

[edin日本]

how did you make it so long?

Obviously twelvedown took 100 times the recommended dosage of excess stomach alcohol and was too blitzed to close the window promptly.

[liamoko]

Tokyo Joe is an utter tool, and a hoser to boot. But hey he see's how gaijins think, so that must be worth something, if not telepathic...

[liamoko]

and think Joe gets it right

Are you frigging kidding me?

[ThaHamburgler]

Tokyo Joe is an utter tool, and a hoser to boot. But hey he see's how gaijins think, so that must be worth something, if not telepathic...

You can't spell omnipotent without the impotent.

[Since1990]

People are strange,when you're a stranger........

People don't remember you're name... when you're strange...

[liamoko]

You can't spell omnipotent without the impotent.

Huh?........

[Pinkerton]

Obviously twelvedown took 100 times the recommended dosage of excess stomach alcohol and was too blitzed to close the window promptly.

where can i get some of that????

[Hijinx]

where can i get some of that????

Maybe if you smile enough at Tokyo Blow.

[kurogane]

i'm a decent person that respects other japanese people in general, don't talk in a loud voice on the train or make waves when out in public

Well, even allowing for your occasional subliterate tendencies, as far as delusional over-identification goes, you fit right into Tokyo Joe's definition.


Anyways, I agree with Pinkerton: I would say most of the foreigners I meet in Japan are at least decent and good enough, though I admit I find a lack of common interests, and that one where longer term residents act like they are at the Kalkotta Kolonial Klub every day all day makes me wonder how they managed to stick their brains that far up.

Still, you have a rather obvious Newbie Fervour that probably makes you the more socially awkward in mixed social settings.

You're the sort that tries to run a Kanji test on people like me when my Japanese ability is obviously closer to Theirs than Yours.

You probably just need to learn to let the trivial crap slide; it usually comes with age and experience.

[coolgaijin]

For me it was when I saw two soldiers walking in Roppongi, and one had a double collared shirt, both collars were popped and he was walking like he thought he was a really cool guy. His friend chimed in "Yeah bra, all these chicks are looking at us" and he answered "of course they are mang". Both were blissfully unaware of the realities of Roppongi, or why these girls were "checking them out".

[Pinkerton]

the rule of thumb, if you see someone who is acting like a jerk here, its not cause they are in japan or have anything to do with japan. they will be a jerk in any and all environments.

[Wavey Man]

We have a Japanese pretending to be a foreigner asking foreigners why they're so stuck up?

What's that old Japanese saying? "The traveller has no no shame."

We have a saying too: "People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones."

[Pinkerton]

Maybe if you smile enough at Tokyo Blow.

maybe i don't smile enough these days....

[Hijinx]

I know I've mentioned this before, but why do J-jins insist on cutting in front of you? Today in the supermarket, I was checking out some item and some woman came up to my right expecting to cut in front of me to get to the product she wanted on the other side--I refused to move. Finally, she walked around the back of me--plenty of room--and got to where she was going. This also happens when I'm walking: some J-jin comes up the side of me, quickens their pace, then cuts in front of me, making me have to hold up to keep from running into him/her. Just cut over behind me!!!! Why does it seem beyond the ability of J-jins to slow up a pace--pause for just a second? I don't get it.

[Pinkerton]

I know I've mentioned this before, but why do J-jins insist on cutting in front of you? Today in the supermarket, I was checking out some item and some woman came up to my right expecting to cut in front of me to get to the product she wanted on the other side--I refused to move. Finally, she walked around the back of me--plenty of room--and got to where she was going. This also happens when I'm walking: some J-jin comes up the side of me, quickens their pace, then cuts in front of me, making me have to hold up to keep from running into him/her. Just cut over behind me!!!! Why does it seem beyond the ability of J-jins to slow up a pace--pause for just a second? I don't get it.

i never have this problem. I walk quick, and think even faster.

[Hijinx]

i never have this problem. I walk quick, and think even faster.

Guess I'm getting old...and drunker.

[Pinkerton]

Guess I'm getting old...and drunker.

i was riding my bike to work 2 weeks ago, and some brokeass j-hoe was on the side of the road. she was stopped and had 3 kids on her bike. as I approached she decides to dart out into the road. Now, i see her getting ready to do this, and I ring my bell and yell out to her, but like the dumb bitchh she is, she pays no attention. mind you, this is on a smaller road, no traffic and nothing to obstruct her hearing. I slam on the brakes and skid, almost slamming into her and her three kids on the bike. still, she acts like i'm not there. doesn't even turn her head to look at me. I yell at her and still she acts like I'm not there, even though i'm less than a foot away from her. I'm super pissed now. i start on my way again and decide I can't let this go. I u-turn and head back towards this bitchh. she went down some one lane side road, so I get up to her and pull right in front of her and cut her off forcing her to stop. she basically can't go around me cause the road is too small. I went off for like a solid minute yelling at her. that felt good, until I realized that she has polluted the population by already $hitting out 3 kids.

[Hijinx]

i was riding my bike to work 2 weeks ago, and some brokeass j-hoe was on the side of the road. she was stopped and had 3 kids on her bike. as I approached she decides to dart out into the road. Now, i see her getting ready to do this, and I ring my bell and yell out to her, but like the dumb bitchh she is, she pays no attention. mind you, this is on a smaller road, no traffic and nothing to obstruct her hearing. I slam on the brakes and skid, almost slamming into her and her three kids on the bike. still, she acts like i'm not there. doesn't even turn her head to look at me. I yell at her and still she acts like I'm not there, even though i'm less than a foot away from her. I'm super pissed now. i start on my way again and decide I can't let this go. I u-turn and head back towards this bitchh. she went down some one lane side road, so I get up to her and pull right in front of her and cut her off forcing her to stop. she basically can't go around me cause the road is too small. I went off for like a solid minute yelling at her. that felt good, until I realized that she has polluted the population by already $hitting out 3 kids.

That'll endear you to the population.

Have you noticed that bells aren't used as much anymore? As a frequent pedestrian, I'm getting sick of these bicyclists who come up behind you on a narrow sidewalk without ringing their bell. Just a matter of time before this comes to an unfortunate end for one of them.

[Pinkerton]

That'll endear you to the population.

Have you noticed that bells aren't used as much anymore? As a frequent pedestrian, I'm getting sick of these bicyclists who come up behind you on a narrow sidewalk without ringing their bell. Just a matter of time before this comes to an unfortunate end for one of them.

can't live your life trying to impress everyone

I hardly ever use a sidewalk to ride my bike, unless the road is too dangerous. when I am on a sidewalk I don't use my bell. I'll stop my bike or slow down, as I am guest on the sidewalk and its for the pedestrians. all that being said, people in tokyo have terrible biking habits. can't blame them entirely though. the gov't has done little (to be honest, nothing) to aid people that use bikes to commute. little to no bike lanes, not clear about the laws or enforcing the laws. people here seem confused as to what side of the road they should be on.