Bad Japanese manners

[Davey]

Compairing bad manners to my country... I like Japan

 

[gaijinalways]

Well, annoying sometimes, but not necessarily rude.

Slurping (in China too).

people carrying an umbrella, people seem to do it here more often, especially swinging them (when it should be obvious there are other people around who will/may get hit by them)

people pushing in/out - didn't ever see this in London, I think it's rare
worse in Hong Kong, India

Being loud - have to laugh, I'm pretty loud myself at times, goes both ways

Touts and salespeople - don't have any problem with them (but I am big enough to have my own ward named after me !)!

 

[ludoNL]

Compairing bad manners to my country... I like Japan

Although I've never been to Japan; from what I've read here... I totally agree with you.

People who refuse to stand up for old ladies in a bus.
Getting beat up just because you looked at somebody.
And worst of all.... people who let their dogs **** all over the sidewalk.

 

[Minty]

Manners are culturally biased. Even more than that, they depend on individual sensibility.
Here are a few things the average Japanese tend to do and which I personally find ill-mannered. As you read this, remember that I am not American and even as a European, probably not from the same country as you, and even if you were, you surely don't have the same social background and personal sensitivity. As a result, you may find that other Westerners behave the same way or even worse than Japanese, but these are things I don't like and don't do
1) Being loud in places like restaurants, cafes, etc. Especially laughing very loud. This is true for most people, from little children shouting and running, to groups of teenage girls, to business people to women on their 50's or 60's. I don't mind laughing in a movie theatre, but not in an expensive restaurant. Japanese tend to be amazingly quiet in cinemas and too noisy elsewhere..

:gohan: :joyful: Chinese do the same. My husband was so annoyed by the loud talking in the food halls when we were travelling in Taiwan.

Interestingly Japanese seem not to be very sensitive to noise, and the one I know do not care much about being quiet when people are sleeping (eg. coming back late and talking loud on the phone so that even the neighbour can hear).

This is funny I talk loud (in his opinion) to my parents on long distance phone calls and my Western European Husband always complaint, "shhhh this is not China!" I am not from or born in China. He knows this of course but he just never said "Shh, this is not Malaysia", for some reason. But I don't talk loud in public areas. Also I don't talk loud in the middle of the night like our neighbour upstairs. Their children is mostly noisy too throughout the day I never complaint.

2) People carrying an umbrella when it is (almost) not raining. What can be more annoying on a crowded pavement/sidewalk, especially when you are riding a bicycle and those umbrella-carriers do not care about people around and suddenly wave it into your face or arm.

Not just Japanese people do this throughout East to South East Asia everybody does this, not sure about South Asia though.

3)In general, I found Japanese to have a bad "street behaviour", not caring at all about other people, like when 5 people walk side by side taking all the pavement for them and you can't pass when you come opposite them, but they won't open up.
Pushing people to get in or out of the train. Shall I also mention men groping women ?

A lot of Asian countries do that I think but not Thailand for some reason.

4) Slurping noisily their tea and their food (not just ramen, but everything). This is particularily true of elderly people.

Again same in Chineseﾂ…

Also, another thing that irritates the hell out of me is his inability to be on time for appointments. I don't know if this is a Japanese thing or just a guy thing or what, but he seems to think he can take his time getting to an appointment. If I have to depend on him to take one of the kids or me to the doctor or somewhere, I might as well count on being at least 10 minutes late. We have had terrible fights over that. My main point is that it is an appointment. That means you're supposed to be there on time or better yet, several minutes before the appointment time. It's common courtesy! He seems to think that because you have an appointment, you are allowed to be late? Oh, it drives me crazy.

No it is not a guy thing. Not sure about the Japanese thing because I am always the one who is late because I take long to get ready and my husband is always the one who hurries me.

I find that being tall, people tend to stay out of my way if I walk towards them. My wife has more stories about being smushed by people in the supermarket or on the street.

Yeah probably, my husband who is tall push his way around if people refuse to give way and people don't dare to do anything back where as with me I have to wait till people get out of the way and sometimes that could take a while!

With the smoking thing, i dont see a problem with it as long as the people smoking are doing in a smoking area/room(which are usually conviently placed near a door or fan/air vent or whatever etc), because its a located area where they are supposed to do it if they want to- i agree though if the person is smoking in area where they shouldn't, or it doesn't say(which usually means they shouldn't) then i agree its quite rude.

Yeah same goes for people who use mobile phones and eat at a place they shouldn't.

What also annoys me is when a bloke is clearly checking out my girlfriend on the train, and is aware that im noticing it, but continues regardless i mean what?....i know it isnt a crime to find a woman attractive, no matter who she is with, but you can at least try and show me some f***ing respect and not drool over my woman when you know fine and well i am noticing it.

Men do that from many other cultures too from my personal experiences. Guys will always be guys.

 

[SortOf]

When I was in Japan I went to a McDonalds, I was second in line and let out a gigantic fart. Some Japanese guy behind me backed up, holding his nose and made soome "ahghhhh" sound. He bumped into the lady behind her and she dropped some papers she was holding, given my western nature I started laughing loudly. Everybody was looking at me, and I just kinda shook my head, freaking hilarious.

 

[yidaki]

This thread seems more about the bad behaviour of westerners.
Makes me feel kind of ashamed, as people might think I'm the same.

I'm swedish, but given the descriptions at the top of this thread, I think swedes are alot like japanese. Being loud in the cinema is amongst the rudest things I know, people just don't have any consideration of others. And I laugh out loud anywhere else. It's probably not very japanese, but I can sit in the bus and laugh because the book/manga I'm reading is so funny. But always quiet in the cinema. It ruins the movie when someone crumbles a paper, laughs, talks, make unnecessary noises.

 

[Kinsao]

people pushing in/out - didn't ever see this in London

Really?! I find it all the time in London and in my city, too.

like when 5 people walk side by side taking all the pavement for them and you can't pass when you come opposite them, but they won't open up.

I find people do that all the time here... It amazes me how easily a small number of people can take up the width of a wide walkway. Yet, at a time if I am carrying 6 carrier bags or something like that, no one will ever shift themself so much as an inch to make it easier for me to get past them... I end up banging their leg with one of my bags, even if I'm trying hard to sidle past them in a shop or something... ><

Haha, Sortof... I have to admit I hate it when people fart in a public place... ewww....

It's probably not very japanese, but I can sit in the bus and laugh because the book/manga I'm reading is so funny. But always quiet in the cinema.

Ahh, I laugh out loud at some times, too... I laugh at work, and people look at me and I have to tell them what is funny... ^^ And sometimes if I am smiling, and walking down the street, you know, other people coming towards me, they catch my eye and start to smile as well! I noticed this and now I try and smile more... it really does not take much to make people smile at you, here... I don't know why... it seems like everyone normally goes around with such a downcast expression that they are really surprised to see someone looking happy...

I hate people being noisy in the cinema.

 

[Maciamo]

When I was in Japan I went to a McDonalds, I was second in line and let out a gigantic fart. Some Japanese guy behind me backed up, holding his nose and made soome "ahghhhh" sound. He bumped into the lady behind her and she dropped some papers she was holding, given my western nature I started laughing loudly. Everybody was looking at me, and I just kinda shook my head, freaking hilarious.

Western or not, I think that everyone here would have been shocked by your attitude too (both the fart and the loud laugh).

 

[Philip]

Well, dansih peolple are also loud. But that is only when we are drunk Actually we sing a lot when we are drunk.

 

[MajideSaiaku]

I'm so intolerant to noise I will close my double-glazed south-facing window every night durring a heatwave so I can sleep, rather then risk the sound of a passing car or something.

My girlfriend has the comfiest bed ever and her room seems well insulated from most destracting noise, apart from her own family fuffing about the place.

If her family came to Aberdeen they'd probably be amazed how quiet it is in comparrison....and then be even more suprised to see I wont even tolerate a passing car durring my sleep, when they live on a main-road in mega-tokyo.

 

[gaijinalways]

Noise tolerance is a cultural and personal thing. City dwellers get used to mechanical noise, whereas country folk are used to natural noise (crickets, birds, etc).

I myself am not too tolerant to noise myself, though my wife thinks I am noisy, yet she vacuums the house at 2 a.m. because the neighbors never say anything (at least not directly).

 

[kirby36]

I've eyewitnessed some Japanese expressed facial discomforts toward nationalities they see as undesirable !

 

[jaytee]

When i was in Osaka, i seen people urinating in the streets all the time, i was qute surprised at first but i just grew accustomed to it. Doesn't mean that it's okay though.

With regards to England, a number of my Japanese mates have been shouted at or had young lads swearing at them in Liverpool, calling them chinkys and telling them to F**k off back to China etc. One friend of mine had two lasses sitting behind her tugging her hair and calling her a chinky, she turned around told them that she was Japanese and told them to stop, they thought it was funny, and she eventually turned around and told them to f**k off.

On the bus just 2 days ago there was 3 drunk young people, two lads and one lass. The lass was shouting at her boyfriend for something he had done and was full on hitting him in the face and telling him to f**k off etc in front of old women that were on the bus. When they sat down the lass kept telling him how much she loved him and that's why he was 'making' her behave like this!? She kept saying, "i really love you, you know" then throwing punches at him because he was indifferent to what she was saying! Then the 3rd guy sat behind me trying to chat up some young girl and thinking i couldn't hear him because i had my headphones in my ears dared her to pull my hair and that he would take the blame because he was going to jail soon. haha

And then he started saying rude things to passengers who got on the bus, asking him if he was a donkey? And saying i hope you don't get kncoked over by a joy rider tonight and laughing at him.

Oh i just love England

 

[yamada]

It's intolerable to noise for me on a platform.

 

[Maciamo]

In all my years living in, and visiting, Japan not once was I ever mugged.

And have you been mugged anywhere else ? My impression of an unsafe country is one where one get shortchanged in shops or pickpocketed in public transports, where people spit in the street and the police might annoy you. I guess that's the difference between a Belgian and an American. So after all there is some truth is all the street violence we see in American movies and series. :auch:

 

[yamada]

Why a japanese woman covers the mouth with her hand, when she laughs? A korean tv comentater who often appears in alot of japan tv shows. Even she does the same thing.

 

[ricecake]

I've followed both Japanese and Korean TV programs for much of my adulthood,I've never seen a clip of any Korean or Japanese woman in such scenerio.

If you're referring to Akiko Wada,she isn't Korean rather a Japanese woman of Korean extraction.Yes,she often appears on Japanese TV shows as commentator or entertainer of some sort.

 

[MajideSaiaku]

When i was in Osaka, i seen people urinating in the streets all the time, i was qute surprised at first but i just grew accustomed to it. Doesn't mean that it's okay though.
With regards to England, a number of my Japanese mates have been shouted at or had young lads swearing at them in Liverpool, calling them chinkys and telling them to F**k off back to China etc. One friend of mine had two lasses sitting behind her tugging her hair and calling her a chinky, she turned around told them that she was Japanese and told them to stop, they thought it was funny, and she eventually turned around and told them to f**k off.
On the bus just 2 days ago there was 3 drunk young people, two lads and one lass. The lass was shouting at her boyfriend for something he had done and was full on hitting him in the face and telling him to f**k off etc in front of old women that were on the bus. When they sat down the lass kept telling him how much she loved him and that's why he was 'making' her behave like this!? She kept saying, "i really love you, you know" then throwing punches at him because he was indifferent to what she was saying! Then the 3rd guy sat behind me trying to chat up some young girl and thinking i couldn't hear him because i had my headphones in my ears dared her to pull my hair and that he would take the blame because he was going to jail soon. haha
And then he started saying rude things to passengers who got on the bus, asking him if he was a donkey? And saying i hope you don't get kncoked over by a joy rider tonight and laughing at him.
Oh i just love England

D=Sad to hear this, if it makes you feel any better, most British folk find these people pathetic and shameful aswell, the worst part is we have to live with them all our lives, while others can return to another country.

They are called Chavs, and they are a real social blight on our country, looking at Japan, and then at Britain, I can only assume they were of our own making, but Middleclass and normal Britons everywhere yearn for the day these pimples on society are removed.

 

[RockLee]

Oh noes! Not Chavs! I've read about those dorks.

HeeHee

A video bout these "chavs" : http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8212038174455494428&q=devvo

 

[ArmandV]

Why a japanese woman covers the mouth with her hand, when she laughs? A korean tv comentater who often appears in alot of japan tv shows. Even she does the same thing.

That's something left over from the old days about "not showing bone" when laughing.

 

[gaijinalways]

Well, though this seems gettting away from manners, but my wife was mugged in Paris, and pick pocketed in London. In America, uh just annoyed with my family and surprised that they don't lock their doors.

So Japan is okay, except for the traditional 'racism'.

 

[pbjsandwich]

Slurping noisily their tea and their food (not just ramen, but everything). This is particularily true of elderly people.

I'm not sure if anyone explained this yet. *Is too lazy to read through all the posts* But my parents told me that the Japanese slurp their soup/noodles to show that they like the food. It's to show respect to the chefs and it's actually considered rude if you don't do it.... Like you're insinuating that the food isn't delicious if you don't slurp.

And it makes sense that it's the elders who do this especially because this is a traditional courtesy. Now the younger generation have pretty much done away with the custom, because it would be like... uh, how should I say... a woman curtsy-ing by way of greeting. It just isn't done anymore by most of the younger people.

 

[Maciamo]

I'm not sure if anyone explained this yet. *Is too lazy to read through all the posts* But my parents told me that the Japanese slurp their soup/noodles to show that they like the food. It's to show respect to the chefs and it's actually considered rude if you don't do it....

That is not true. They do it at home too (I have lived with my in-laws in a while), even when they cook it themselves. So it's definitely not to show appreciation. They slurp any liquid that it hot because it is hot. I noticed that the Japanese have an amazing ability to eat or drink anything at a much hotter temperature than I could ever do. For them I am "nekojita" (lit. "cat's tongue", which means having a tongue sensitive to heat).

I noticed that quite a few other Europeans I know were also said to be "nekojita" in Japan. I guess that is because the Japanese have developed a skill to absorb air while drinking their hot tea or ramen soup, so that the coolig process takes place inside the mouth. I prefer to hold my noodles above the bowl for a few seconds and even blow some air on it until it has cooled down a bit. Japanese people rarely do that.

I am not sure they should be proud of this ability to eat/drink too hot; after all the Japanese have a much higher rate of oesophagus and stomach cancer than Westerners, and this is probably the main cause.

 

[Maciamo]

Well, though this seems gettting away from manners, but my wife was mugged in Paris, and pick pocketed in London. In America, uh just annoyed with my family and surprised that they don't lock their doors.
So Japan is okay, except for the traditional 'racism'.

Pickpocketing also happens in Japan. In fact I saw many police signs warning of pickpockets in banks and bag snatchers in the streets. Bicycle and umbrella thefts are rampant in Japan... (not that bad, but it is still theft)

 

[gaijinalways]

Definately, didn't mean to imply it never happens here, just less likley. They also give warnings about pickpockets at the airports and on the trains to the airports.