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Hey from Ohio! I had to start a channel just to comment LOL! I wanted to say thank you for the videos though. I love your channel! I watch you and Nomad Push the most. I love how you show the real Japan. Most other channels make it seem like everyone is so uptight. I love how you and Robin both show how fun Japan and Japanese people really are!
Filipinos are treated badly in Japan. Japanese feel superior to all other Asians, especially the dark-skinned ones. As a US Military kid growing up in Japan in the 90's and as a US Air Force Officer in the 2000s, I saw this in Sagamihara, Fussa-shi, and especially in Tokyo.
The first time I vacationed in Japan with my family was in 1982. I found the Japanese at that time to be so helpful and happy. My best experience was going to the train station in Osaka trying to go to Kyoto. No English written anywhere and only ticket dispensing machines. I stopped an old lady, pointed to the ticket machines and said "Kyoto". She took me by the hand, took my money and bought the tickets for me. Then on the train I asked a group of businessmen if any spoke English. One man said he did. I asked if it was the right train to Kyoto. He told me that we would have to change trains at a specific station. When we arrived at the station, he got off the train with us to find out which track we had go to for the next train. Then he stood at the platform where he got off and waited for the next train to continue his journey to work. I would never see that level of kindness anywhere else in the world.
I was stationed in Yokosuka in 87. I was still new there at went up to Yokohama. In the morning I catch the train back to Yokosuka. Alcohol was involved and I woke up at the end of that line. No problem, just get on the train to Yokosuka. Well, woke up in Yokohama again. This was early morning Saturday or Sunday and many Japanese men on the train with fishing gear. One older man saw my confusion, got me off the train at Yokosuka and took me to the main gate.
I've had similar experiences as well in Japan and Germany. They're not all as bad as it's said. All countries have issues. For example my country Romania is poor and corrupt and thievery is common. But we don't need female train carts because men here step up and protect women from pervs, saw it with my own eyes. And we have the lowest wage gap in Europe only 5% difference between men and women's wages. Greece has the highest with 28%. And alcoholism is pretty gender equal, both get into fights when drunk, of course the wife looses that fight, it's why boxing is not mix gendered and is separated by weight categories too.
I got back from Kyoto last week. I know the Japanese have crossed a threshold in regards to tolerance of tourists, and absolutely fair enough to them for that. But the reality is (FWIW skinny average height white guy), I found the place incredibly hostile. I found one of the clothing brands and their store on the main strip utterly distasteful. I was coughed at constantly, sneered at by the younger generations and a few times taxis would beep at me when crossing pedestrian crossings. When I landed in Osaka, I was met with a TV crew that were interested in what my travel intentions were. I thought it was a genuine interaction at first, however it became increasingly clear they were only there to mock me, really questioning why I would decide to go to certain places and what I was actually doing there (they had a translator). All 3 of them, including the translator looked at me with cold dead eyes it was very strange. Yeah, give Kyoto a miss if you are a solo traveller, and absolutely refuse the 5 foot tall Japanese man with the microphone if he asks for an interview at Osaka airport. I am probably now on some Japanese TV show with over the top laughing tracks imposed on top of my awkwardness 🤣🤣
In 1998 - 2000 in Ireland, an American work colleague would swing through every 3 months on part of his global work travel. I would take him out for a meal in the evening as he was on his own. A married guy, about 50 years old. 6'2" and 300lbs (very overweight). A really nice guy. He said he always dreaded going to Japan. He said because he was tall, he felt everyone looking at him. When he would wait at a crosswalk, if there was a woman standing next to him, 80% of the time she would touch his arm as discreetly as she could. He thought he was imagining it as if he turned to them, they would stare straight ahead. It happened a couple of times when he was with Japanese work colleagues and they said yes, he wasn't imagining it. "They probably think you're a Sumo wrestler, and it's good luck to touch a Sumo. So they are touching you for good luck" ...
I was stationed in northern Japan in the early 90s and I was friends with a guy who was tall and worked out a lot. We would be out eating or shopping and Japanese people would routinely approach him and ask if he was a foreign wrestler, to take a picture, or if he would be so kind as to touch their child on the arm or hand. But sometimes, he would suddenly turn around because someone had touched him surreptitiously.
My colleague who was just a little shorter than me, maybe around 6ft3 went a few years back and he kept getting stopped for photos and people looking at him, they're obviously not used to seeing tall white European people. I get it though from their perspective
:))) This must be annoying for your friend, but just reading about it made me laugh, basically, they see him as a human lucky charm :))) It's so interesting to learn about other cultures.
I don't think I would care about little superstitions taps, as long as they weren't grabbing downstairs.... 🤣 Now India..... F*** that place, and that annoying "everyone stare at the whitey" culture.... I will never go back there, and theres a mile long list of reasons.
@@doncastrian When I was in central China children would point to me in the street and run in to get their parents to look. I used to joke to myself "I'm the white devil !" haha. Just good natured curiosity
This is exactly what happens in Taiwan. I'm a small, non-threatening guy, conventional looking (no tatts, short hair, etc), polite, clean and well groomed, conservatively dressed, respectful and all that. I catch a highway bus almost every day, which means no standing passengers are allowed. The seat beside mine is ALWAYS the last to be filled. Usually, when the last passenger gets on and they realize that that's the only empty seat, they have an anxiety attack and stand there for a while looking around desperately to confirm that there are no other seats available. I've gotten so used to it now that it just makes me yawn and my only thought is "Grow up, please!" It's the same on the metro.
Yeah, I found this interview about 6 months ago and it really stuck with me. I tried to get an interview with this whole family, but only one sibling agreed and he’s not in Japan right now.
@@OrientalPearl It's a shame that you couldn't get that interview but the clips were very enlightening on how foreigners were treated in the past, I'm glad you included it. I think it shows how far Japanese society has come in accepting foreigners in a very homogenous country especially with them having to adjust to the recent influx in tourism. There will be people who don't like outsiders anywhere but most people in general seem welcoming or indifferent. A few people never represent the society as a whole.
In the days immediately following Covid everyone wore masks on the trains all the time. On a trip through Tokyo suburbia there was a empty seat next to me. Directly opposite was a young maskless Japanese man who also had an empty seat next to him. People got on, looked at me, looked at him, looked back at me, then back at the maskless man. Three times out of three during that long journey they chose to sit next to me, the foreigner, rather than the maskless man. It was like a sociological experiment and all I was doing was sitting there.
well out of all the people on those rocks a foreigner is more likely to socialize outside of the rock people group. can't really blame them. I didn't leave my house during covid because I've been hospitalized twice, once for flu related pneumonia and second for major lymphatic infection that almost killed me. I don't need a 3rd try so I got a work from home job. Not everyone can do that though.
Yes this youtuber doesn't seem to grasp the nuances of Japan's culture.. she just keeps looking to make them or to be racimos hypacrits or something Yet even anyone who grew up with anime Proper understands this has much more to do with perception, cultural norms, taught stereotypes and resourcing Bath culture. That's the real clincher is the sanitation and communal bathing etc. Bath culture is super important I guess this person doesn't know how Europeans made such a horrible barbaric impression upon them that literally half a millenia later and they still have the collective memory of Unwashed sailors eating with their hands and swearing all the time. Can't blame them. That recent Netflix remake did a good job demonstrating the perception a civilized nippon-wa would have when faced with a Europeans behavior. Is like no one understand how Civilization works.. there's legit reasons they run into social conundrums all the time.. it's a very regulated society.. Sry in having trouble summerizing that bit about how regimented and expectant folks are too follow all socialalities etc. It's a very insular culture. It's why you can be rude without knowing.
@@glytchdif only we had a word for misjudging people based on their genetics and ethnicity, because of what other members of that group do... Or did 500 years ago.
@@glytchdso that's ok to have this mentality for Japanese, but when Europeans think the same way about other nations with lower hygiene standards, they become instantly racist..
On very first trip to Japan ten years ago I got lost trying to find my hotel. Jet lagged and tired I decided to catch a taxi instead when an old man in his early seventies speaking no English noticed me. He then proceeded to walk me down three streets until finally arriving at my hotel. It was act of kindness that I shall never forget.
That's probably because you have an inferiority complex from being treated the same way, every time you cross the border into the Prince Of Wales homeland. 😆
I became concerned about my size overnight when landing in Japan. From being "tiny" in The Netherlands to being "giant" in Japan was quite the experience!
I'm happy I could finally find bra sizes for me in Japan, bought a whole bunch. back home I was flat chested but there I was normal. XD I'm only 1.75 but my feet dangled of the bed in some hotels. One of the many reasons my 1.85 doesn't want to visit Japan, he needs a 2m bed.
As an introvert, I don't really mind people avoiding me on trains. But intentionally being rude to others definitely should not have a place in any society.
A Japanese will never be rude to you. They might be the biggest bigot on Earth and despise you with every ounce of their being, but they won't be rude to you. Some people might call it being two faced.
Are they being rude? Or are they just worrying about themselves? If they say something to you or treat you a way, then that's rude, yes. But if they are just moving away from you (for whatever reason) and staying silent, then that isn't rude. You can't really jump inside someone else's head and say, "That person is being rude." Instead you can only perceive them in your OWN mind as rude. This is a different culture, mind you, so I would not say the same about your home country. Mine being the USA, I know how people act here, and I know (from experience) if something is done intentionally rude or racist. But I wouldn't make those assumptions in Japan, Korea, China, or anywhere eastern, because I don't know their culture that closely.
Ahhh but who is to determine what is rude? Cultures, personality differences, different preferences, different character types, the list is too long to say admonish those we perceive to be rude. Are people rude sometimes? Yes. That's just life.
I gotta say something else about this too. A lot of cultures and even some towns I've been to right here in the United states don't really talk or want much to do with outsiders. They don't want people moving to what they feel is their home and way of life and changing it, and in a lot of cases I don't blame them. And you have every right to perceive this as rude. Even if there's a valid excuse if you think it's rude behavior then you're entitled to your opinion but I don't think society as a whole should shun people for rudeness unless they're causing some kind of pain or harassment.
when my bestie and I went to Japan ,our first experience was on the train-we just sat next to a random local girl and passing our phones back and forth for translation and asked where we are supposed to go, she was very nice and helpful, there wasn't any avoidance at all !
It does not happen to 100% of people 100% of the time. But a certain %% of Japanese do avoid you if you do not look like them. You may or may not run into them as a tourist. But it is well documented by residents and there are thousands of such incidents. Just because something did not happen to you, does not mean it does not happen at all.
@@unstoppable_sock You were a tourist. Your exposure was not long enough and not to enough people. The longer you stay, and the more people you are exposed to, the more likely it is to happen. Usually, such experiences are by people who work there and take the train twice a day over years. Note that tourists in America do not experience much racism. They also rarely get shot or robbed. Because their stay is brief. But if they immigrate and stay there, they will see all of it with time.
In 2000 I went to China (Beijing and Wuhan) on a humanitarian mission. I'm a 6' 4" 325 American man and when I walked the streets EVERYONE would stop and stare, gawk and kids would giggle. But I didn't let it bother me. I would always smile and laugh along with them. So many would smile back and make the universal Chinese gesture for big guy, which is hands out to their sides at the waist as they smiled. I was definitely a curiosity to them. You just have to make the best of it and I enjoyed making them laugh and smile. They would even stop and get a picture with me. I felt like a kind of odd celebrity of curiosity. 😂
We went to Japan in Sept and it was humid and warm. I was sweaty, I've always been a sweaty person. I don't have BO but will get a very pink face. Walking through a park in Tokyo an older man who was picnicking with his wife ran up to us with a bag of pears and offered me a slice. It was weird but I accepted, it was a salted nashi pear. It was delicious and I thanked him, and he gave us the whole bag. I felt it would be rude to say no, I shared the fruit with my daughters and husband. We all waved and thanked him. I don't remember anyone shunning us but maybe I did not pay attention.
It's mainly single foreign men who are actively avoided or asked to leave a shop or restaurant. Foreign women, families, and kids are quite welcome in Japan.
I think the comment about the selfie stick nailed it. They don't want to be annoyed by your video and put in the spotlight. Japanese people are very shy aswell
I live in Taipei. Many people think that if you sit by a foreigner you might have to speak to them and they are embarrassed at their English. That's my take. Also kids still shout 'foreigner ' now and again if I'm in a shop for example.
@@jamesdobbs6942 yeh but locals don't know that you speak Chinese. I've been told by adults in my class that they are worried the foreigner will talk to them. And these are adults who want to learn English, lol.
That’s bull. The Taiwanese generally don’t engage with the person sitting next to them, and it’s a given that that person won’t with them. Unless it’s when the obligatory arse is stuck in the other’s face because nobody ever stands up to let the window seat out, just give the old knee swing 😂. The majority are just racist across the East, not necessarily out of malice mind. Often just out of fear of that which they’re not familiar. It’s slowly improving though generationally. Younger people are more likely to not mind sitting. I find when elder people do, it’s because they’re more travelled or worldly wise due to their past experiences or work. They often want to chat. School kids generally engage, but only if they’re with their mates. And of course, just like any toddler worldwide, their fascination trumps any trepidations.
@@jamesdobbs6942 It seems stupid but it fits. I stayed in a dorm in the UK which was shared by many students from Japan and the idea was they'd improve their english skills by being immersed. That failed big time. I am east asian and they assumed I was Japanese but once they realized I wasn't they ignored more even though they could speak some english. There was another Japanese woman but she went to the local UK university with me as opposed to the college for Japanese. She was long accustomed to talking to everyone since she could not avoid it. The Japanese students could literally go back to Japan after several years and their english would have barely improved as they didn't mix. There was another Japanese girl who had been educated in the UK and they didn't mix with her much either even though she spoke fluent Japanese. She was average in terms of socialbility but she said that in Japan she was considered and extrovert and found it hard to fit in Japanese society after being in the UK so long. There were exceptions but by and large they went to great lengths to avoid interaction outside their own.
I've been living in Japan now for almost 2 years and truth be told, it's been a disappointment. I don't have piercings, I don't have tattoos, I am about to turn 70 yrs old and I get stared at a lot and....I do sweat. If I'm sitting in my car in a parking lot with a vacant space next to me, if a Japanese person wanting to park notices me will often keep driving to find a spot much further away. We bought a house 18 months ago, one of my next door neighbours has not said more than 2 words to us. They have 2 children probably 17 and 21 yrs old and have not acknowledged our existence. The wife however will greet us with a smile. We did all the right things, gave presents to our nearest neighbours to introduce ourselves which is the custom in Japan but they make us feel like outsiders. Going to tourist spots where it's important to be friendly to have people want to visit again is not the same as living in the suburbs.
I am Japanese. Without fear of being misunderstood, I believe that the concept of discrimination against foreigners is still very thin in Japan compared to other countries. Most Japanese people have little aversion to foreigners. (Except in China, Korea, etc.) You may think that because you are a foreigner yourself, Japanese people avoid parking their cars next to yours, but it is usually for different reasons. (For example, your car is big, or your car is a foreign car, a luxury car, and you may have to pay a lot of money if you crash it.) Neighborhoods are not very social, even among Japanese (I don't know what my next-door neighbor looks like, nor do I have any interest in him or her).
@@feynman8663 Thank you for your reply but it indeed did not make me feel any better. I was born and lived my whole life in Australia. One of the nice things about living in Australia is the fact that for the most part your neighbours make you feel welcome. Where I lived before coming to Japan I got on well with my neighbours. One of the things you get from being friendly with your neighbours is that you get a good feeling of security. Good neighbours tend to keep an eye on you and your home in case you might need help, become sick or something like that. Your attitude seems quite cold and uncaring and I find that really sad. I hope not all Japanese think like that.
@@williamlewis1592 The majority of Japanese people today do not know the faces of their neighbors. This is one of the achievements of meism. Also, when you need help or get sick, the Japanese think that there is nothing you can do about it, and if it doesn't work, give up. Japan is a country prone to natural disasters, and there is a basic concept of giving up when nothing can be done. This is the psychological defensive instinct of the Japanese people.
Maybe you think you're a saint just because you don't have any piercings or tattoos? Maybe your arrogant attitude is why jpanese people avoid you? first thing you say when you arrive in Japan "E.x.c.u.s.e. m.e?" Or are Japanese people not satisfied unless they say "Welcome, welcome, great master" when a white person comes? Give my regards to the Aborigines. God Save the Queen.
I am a former Japanese lawyer. One day, when I was a lawyer, I took a group of law students from the United States to visit the Tokyo District Court. In front of the escalator, where it was always jam packed, the herd of the crowd opened up like Moses splitting the sea, and we were able to get on smoothly. I thought I really wanted to be a gaijin because being so was quite convenient.
just wear white face, we don't mind, woke ppl call yellows white adjacent anyway. just don't wear it all the time, someone may ask you for reparations, and it's not just the koreans.
It may seem convenient for a day or two, but people avoiding you as if you have leprosy will wear you down over time. it's not a good feeling if you are living in Japan permanently.
Speaking of sweat. When I lived in Korea, they said when we sweat, we smell like cheese. I replied with "when you sweat, you smell like Kimchi". They do and I'm 100% certain they were right about us too. The comments you get are from folks who dont understand their culture or refuse to respect the culture.
True. I had a buddy in grade school who was Korean and ate kimchi almost everyday. He wreaked of it, although it wasn't too bad of a smell. And since we eat alot of cheese and similar, I wouldn't be surprised if that is how we smell to them, lol! I'll take cheese over kimchi anytime 😂
It has some merit, it is not only body odour but the whole house and clothing, this is from cooking smells and also ingestion of certain spices. e.g. India masala curry smells, Chinese and Turkish use alot of garlic, about 8 cloves per day, this is noticable,
I had this kind of experience in Japan, but very rarely. More frequently I encountered people who were super friendly. Like the wife of the barber who translated for me and then was so sweet. Like the restaurant owner who helped to choose food, and then taught me how to eat it. The young couple in the train that started talking to me because I seemed a little lost, and then told me about all the beautiful things to see in Yamaguchi. Japan is a wonderful place to visit. Sometimes strange, but always beautiful.
My daughter did a post graduate student exchange in Yokohama many years ago. On her last night her class went to a local bar. It was a mixed class of Japanese and foreigners. The owner got very upset after a while and started shouting at them. He didn't realise they spoke fluent Japanese. He was quite surprised when not only did they respond to him politely but firmly in Japanese but some of the patrons also came to their defence and told him to stop embarrassing himself. She said that was the only real "foreigner" issue she had the whole time she was there (about 9 months).
As a University student in France I had a similar experience with a hostel manager who was giving a fellow traveler a really hard time, once I started speaking to him in French (which was pretty good at the time) he immediately backed off. Just a kind of arrogance which only works in the proper environment.
I was in Japan 7 years ago...in the large cities, people were not very friendly...in the smaller towns, they were nice, and made eye contact. I enjoyed my visit...such a clean country, with everything designed so well....and you can buy a beer in a vending machine, and drink it while walking down the street.
I’m black and my husband is white. Back in 2012 we were living in LA and decided to go to China for our “baby moon”, one last fun trip in before we had our first child. I had been studying Mandarin on my own for a while and then I found a language exchange partner on Craigslist. His chosen English name was “Kevin” and he had recently moved from China for work and wanted to improve his English skills, so we met up once or twice a week at a coffee shop to practice conversation in both languages and ended up becoming friends. My husband and I even got to hang out with his family when they came to visit. Most of the people I met in China were like Kevin: warm, welcoming, polite, and very appreciative that I had taken time to learn their language and culture. There was A LOT of staring and curiosity and even people asking to take pictures with us but I didn’t really mind it. However I could not have even predicted my one truly bad experience in China. My husband and I were seated in a carriage about to take a ride. I was visibly pregnant and just sitting there waiting for the carriage driver to get going and a man came up to me from the street yelling at me and put his cigarette out on my arm. His face was filled with so much rage and hatred and I will never forget it. I have never been able to erase that scene from my memory. It’s like a photograph that pops into my head once in a while and makes me shudder.
@@Victim_of_Korean_drama thank you. Yes I’m fine and this experience would never deter me from going back to China. It was a horrible incident but it was a fluke, and I wanted to tell that story so that people know you can have a terrible experience in a foreign country and still not allow yourself to paint everyone there with the same brush. I live in the US after all. Racism and violence are an everyday occurrence here. I’m not going to hold another country to higher standards.
When I lived in Korea I got on the subway once, sat next to an older man who was insistent on spreading his legs out. I was at least 6 inches taller than he was. When I sat down he aggressively spread his legs out. I just looked at him and laughed like really? After about a minute he went back to sitting normal. Like what were you trying to prove?
Yah, I have seen this same behavior from men and women. Women typically use a bag or coat more than using their bodies to take up more space. So many different reasons for it…lack of social skills or feeling threatened so staking out their territory….or maybe in that particular moment just being obvious.
These old men are just like these special old men elsewhere.. toxic masulinity. They act like that because they actually think they are worthless, so they want to surpress someone else to feel better.
I lived in Japan for the first time in1955 and was blue eyed and had platinum hair. I was like a rock star, groups would follow me all over, I was only 5 and it was kind of scary for me. They also had no problem touching my hair and pulling on it. I loved Japan though and most of the people were very friendly and kind
I was the first blue eyes blondie many rural turks saw, but fortunately nobody ever touched me. that sounds creepy af. I remember I was around 6, we got lost in some village up in some mountains near Siria and there was one kid with blue eyes and blond hair in that whole area. when he saw me his draw dropped and chased our car out of the village for a while. all the kids chased us in the village but he kept running until he couldn't keep up. I watched him give up.
this happened to friend of mine visiting China in 1986. touching his straw blond hair etc but he was 19 already. they even followed him into the loo. there was literally no moment he was left alone.
I’m a 6 foot 3 aussie with a muscular build as I lift weights and I have tattoos and I didn’t notice this once when I was in Japan. And I caught a lot of public transport. But even if it did happen I would not care in the slightest, how can you be upset about more room hahaha
White -> 90% of Japanese will love you Black -> 30% of Japanese will love you because rap and basketball Brown -> 10% if Japanese will love you When I went, you could deal with racism at least once per day.
I was in Japan last year and just as practically everywhere else, people tend to keep to themselves when making use of public transport. That's pretty fair I'd say. Aside from that, as a Dutch man I found the Japanese to be very kind and willing to help, often even going above and beyond when helping out with directions and such. I had a fantastic experience and will be heading back to Japan next year!
I'm an American and have lived in Japan for 21 years and agree with you. I've always wanted to go to Europe but never had the time / money. Also amazed that most Dutch people I meet how well their English is. (I worked with a woman from Dutch Guyana, although she moved to Holland when she was child, for 3 years and thought she was American). You will find especially as a tourist that the Asians will consider you a guest in their country and so they want you have a good experience. Nice, isn't it.
Your channel is so calming to me because it is a reminder that we're all human. All day long we are bombarded with articles about our differences, and it is nice to come here for a change of pace. It makes me want to travel and find the good in people. Thanks!
I experienced a tiny bit of this in Japan, but it was survivable. And to be completely fair, there are people I avoid sitting next to on trains and buses in my own city. Almost everyone I met there was welcoming; especially other men my age. I suspect that a lot of Japanese people are aware of the issue, and actually go out of their way to not be hurtful.
I was in Japan for about 1.5 years in the late 1980’s - my experience was total acceptance from the Japanese people (even though I was obviously not at all oriental in any way). However, I had friends who were full-blooded Japanese who grew up in a Western culture, and they were discriminated against- with the opinion that they should “know better” how a Japanese person should act/be. I remember once my friend, who was born in Japan but at the age of 7 her family moved to Toronto - when we couldn’t find an address, I simply suggested we stop and ask someone for help. She was in total disbelief when an employee actually left the store to walk us down the street and show us where we were trying to go. This is something she had never before encountered, yet I did all the time. From my point of view, the Japanese people are so nice and really want to help.
I've lived in Japan now for 21 years. I had a student whose grandparents on both sides were Japanese and had moved to Peru. Her parents married and decided to return to Japan. Both were 100% Japanese blood but spoke the language about as well as me. Of course they were fluent in Spanish. Their daughter was my student. She was so annoyed to always have to be available whenever her parents went out and to have to translate constantly for them. Even more difficult her mom was a doctor in Peru and in Japan she would try to argue with the doctors here but my student didn't really have that level of medical vocabulary in either language.
I don't know why content creators have coined the term “gaijin seat” and made it a specific Japanese problem, but it is a universal thing. You know in the West, blacks and Muslims in particular tend to be avoided, and that during the pandemic, Asians were excessively avoided simply because they were Asians
@andersnilsson When I lived in (recently former Soviet) Latvia, I was astonished when , on a virtually empty bus, a person would plop themselves into the seat beside me. In the hyper-individualistic U.S. people like to spread out when given the opportunity. But there it's considered rude.
I'm a 6'5 Black man and weigh just around 245 give or take a few pounds at any given time, and I rarely have people "avoid" me on public transportation or other public seating. When it does happen it's probably usually because it's not a lot of fun sitting next to a man twice as large as the seat he's sitting in. Additionally, in the U.S. people tend to try to pick seats away from others unless there are no others available.
We loved our time in Tokyo and I’m a 6ft. Black guy from the US. I mainly remember how polite everyone was during our visit. We did take a boat ride but it wasn’t full so everyone had space. I avoid subways because I don’t want to be that close to strangers so we enjoyed many taxi rides. Second best taxis after Black Cabs in London. Cheers!
While in Japan back in the late 1970s, I had to commute by train from Tachikawa to Fuchu Hamachi everyday for about 3 weeks. At 6 ft tall and 175 lb, it was rare to run into someone who was bigger than me. When I did, I gave him the right away and he gave me a big smile. As to train seats, I was under the misconception that they were giving me space because I was a big clunky American. And they were trying to be nice to me. My impression of the Japanese people was one of respect and politeness to everyone they meet regardless of where they come from. I worked for the Japanese company NEC for 18 years in Massachusetts. When they moved NECIS to california, they asked me to come along with a good raise. But I didn't want to leave my family here in MA. One of my friends did go to California with NEC, and later became an English teacher in Japan, where he raised his family.
The Japanese aren't being polite to you because they respect you. They are being polite because they respect their culture. They may well despise you, but they will still be polite to you.
@@bugsygoo If it looks like respect and it sounds like respect, it's normally viewed as respect, no matter where it comes from. I grew up in a family that set an example for behavior towards other people. As a child, I learned to respect my elders. Was that because of SW Texas Culture? Was it because I went to church growing up? Was it because I loved my grandparents? Was it because I knew it was the right thing to do? What difference does it make, where my behavior comes from? I'm 78 years old, and I still respect my elders.
There is a large difference between politeness and respect. The things Japanese sometimes say in private about other groups of people are sometimes not so nice.
@@yuyutubee8435 Who doesn't do that? Growing up in Del Rio Tx (70% Mexican population) I learned all the insults and cursing slang that kids used in the 1950s. Guess what, 70 years later, I can still hear that same language being used in the local Boston area. It's kinda funny.
As for trains. this happens once in a while. It isn't a common occurrence. But they'll lead you on to think it happens all the time. That girl got it right. Some foreigners lather on the perfume so much you can taste it in the air. Gives me a headache too.
@@jamesdobbs6942 They snell the perfume when they approach before they sit down. Some put on so much you can smell it a mile away. And I’ve seen plenty of Japanese sit next to foreigners. They’re exaggerating how often it happens. That’s nonsense. You shut your hole.
@jamesdobbs6942 Some may not, but I can guarantee that a good number, if not most, do. I've been living in Japan the past few years. In terms of scents that they prefer for perfumes/deodorants, the Japanese heavily favor more muted scents such as mints and lemon. Foreign perfumes tend to be more impactful, for lack of a better word, and stands out quite a bit from the norm over there.
I've lived in Japan for 21 years now. Before I lived in Nagoya and there was a pretty Japanese woman on the subway who worked in the clubs and was putting on her make-up. As usual everyone ignored her...until she finished and then pulled out a big can of hair spray and did her hair. No one said anything, but people moved pretty quick.
I just came back from a vacation in Japan and I was expecting that no one would sit next to me in public transport because of what I’ve heard on social media. But in reality it wasn’t the case and people sat next to me all the time. They didn’t really seem to care that I’m a foreigner…
I spoke with a Norweigen oil rig worker on a flight to Oslo. He used to work in Japan, at the very south of the southern island. He was a very tall, blonde guy. He said when his son was 4 or 5 ( this would have been about 1995 ), the locals would want to touch the child's blonde hair for luck. This used to freak the child out, as the locals wouldn't ask, or stick around for conversation. They would just approach, smiling, touch the child's head, bow and smile and continue walking.
I have extremely long blonde hair. Well, long for a guy. People where touching my hair all the time. It is understandable with kids. You don't expect children to have impulse control or fully grasp personal boundaries. But the adults would be stroking my hair just as often as the kids, if not more, and I confess it is startling and annoying.
I'm a norwegian too. In 1984 I was 5 years old and had hair so blond, it was almost white. My family and I was on holiday in Tunisia. When we walked around, a lot of grown men would touch my hair (like they were petting a dog) as they passed by. It was a very strange experience.
I'm 6'4 250lbs so wayyyy bigger than most people in Japan, and also pretty obviously military. For about 6 months total I lived in Okinawa and so long as I was respectful no one really avoided me or anything like that but I did enjoy the attention of people looking up when I walked by. And my god, between Japan and Ireland I met my favorite drunk people, everyone got so social after a few drinks, went from quiet shock to wow everyone's my new best friend!
Between 80 and 95% of East Asians have a dysfunction of the ABCCII gene, which is linked to smelly pits, a number of studies say. Body odor is primarily associated with apocrine sweat glands, found in the armpit and groin areas. For those without the mutation in the ABCC11 gene, protein in those sweat glands helps transport fatty compounds, or lipids, from the cell into the sweat. The bacteria on the skin breaks down those lipids in the oilier, thicker sweat to produce body odor. But for those with the mutation, the protein doesn’t function that way. That transporter doesn’t work. And we don’t have those same lipids that cross into the earwax and into the sweat, a dysfunctional ABCC11 gene is also connected to drier, less goopy earwax. So less of that means less body odor, and also translates to dry earwax. While an overwhelming amount of East Asians have the mutation, it is present in only up to 3% of European populations.
Came to say this! Sweat =/= body odor. While I don't think it is right to assume every "foreigner" smells bad, it is a scientific fact that East Asians are less likely to have body odor.
@@TransoceanicOutreach I'm surprised you asked for this, as it's been common knowledge for some time. Here's a title, there are lots more online. Google is your friend, instead of trying to catch people out when you are in the wrong. That's twice you have made comments like this. Martin A, Saathoff M, Kuhn F, Max H, Terstegen L, Natsch A. A functional ABCC11 allele is essential in the biochemical formation of human axillary odor. J Invest Dermatol. 2010 Feb;130(2):529-40. doi: 10.1038/jid.2009.254. Epub 2009 Aug 27. PMID: 19710689.
never had that issue in 2 months of travelling all over japan, though ofc in Shinkansen the seats are reserved... Was conscious about Asian sense of smell though and showered twice each day^^
Yes, she failed to distinguish that sweat doesn't equal body odor in her video. Most Asians don't have it. My Chinese wife even complains about my BO sometimes. I've lived in Japan for 21 years now. Shinkansen is very nice, isn't it? Much better than having to fly to every place or have a car and drive for hours.
When I went to Japan, I had the most wonderful experience. I found them to be the nicest people. I asked a lady who had two little children where the train station was, and she put her two kids on the train alone and walked me down the street to where my train was, it was so kind. Another time I asked a bunch of teenagers where I could get a shirt that had Japan on it in Japanese writing. They got off of the train with me walked me to the store walked me down the aisle and pulled the shirt out from the bottom shelf and gave it to me. When was the last time teenagers that you know of were that kind to any stranger whatsoever. When I got out of the airport and took the train to the big station in Tokyo where 6 million Japanese people travel through there every day or something and every sign was in Japanese and I didn’t know Japanese that well. I spoke some Japanese and said takushii for taxi to a man, and he walked me all the way out of the station and into a taxi cab.
I'm an EXPAT caucasian American retired male and I don't have this same problem for myself. Japanese nationals sit next to me all the time; elderly men & women, salarymen, children and single women. I adopt their mannerisms; I don't talk, I sit up straight, look forward and I don't cross my legs. I give a slight bow of the head if I need to make room for them sitting down next to me and vice versa. I'm average looking, average height, average dressing, with no tattoos or piercings. I've been married to a Japanese national >30 years, but that does not change my appearance; it informs my demeanor.
Yep, the gaijin seat thing is obviously a myth. 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 around you in Japan!" To be honest, everything about Japan tends to be exaggerated on social media.
@@jishani1 I don't care about being "one of them". Why would you move to another country and demand people to call you something you're not? You're a weeb who's just bitter that he doesn't fit in in Japan, or that you'll never even get to go there
Thats not even a valid point. Japan has huge racism issues. They will put up with you but don't take politeness for kindness. Tourism sector employees don't count either, it's in their job description to make you feel at home and they are used to foreign people. Others just aren't and will avoid.
I have been to Japan many times over the past 35 years and have never experienced any of those experiences you refer to in your video - I've even committed some social fauxpas and they were nothing but accepting and a little entertained at my expense, which I never felt bad about. I even let out the water in a family's tub after my soak & bath and I did it properly protocols but, just didn't think about leaving the water in the tub for the next person to soak and bathe. I must admit, I was schooled in detail by my Japanese host on social etiquette but, there is a lot to have to remember and I'm not a robot, which they completely understood.
i'm a big guy and i aways sit next to another guy, just because i'm sure that nothing will happen , it's not that i don't like woman, i like them, i just don't trust in random woman in public transport, i've see some crazy shit and i don't want to be a victim of false acusation specially because my body is big, my legs are big and the sits on the train are small, so we know that if my leg touch some crazy bitch drama happens
About 15 years ago my wife (caucasian) and her friend (black) were on a tour in South Korea. They were in a small village where a couple older women were near. The friend (very dark skn) suddenly found one of the ladies rubbing her arm and then looking at her hand. The friend, who didn't know any Korean, looked over and just said to her "It doesn't come off."" They both had a good laugh.
I can confirm this. I was in the Army stationed in Korea. We would all go out and visit small villages frequently. The locals would yell out summoning everyone and multiple people would come up to my black friends and rub them. It was funny to us at first but after a while we all had to learn how to say "it doesn't come off" in Korean before they started rubbing my friends lol
Can't believe they STILL do this :o There's that story about the African samurai (Yasuke) who came to Japan in the 16th century whom the local Daimyou asked to show he's not just inked all over by washing himself.
@-Subtle- I've seen it countless times with my own eyes. I never saw it in bigger cities, but in small villages many have never seen a black person in real life and rarely on TV.
I remember your shorts about this topic ... i even commented... I'm glad you took your taken time to do a whole video about it ... thank you ... And yes, there are still some more reasons that are beyond our culture or understanding of japanese society , but i truly appreciate your efforts on this topic ... you took your time to talk and ask each side's point of view ...
I've lived in Sapporo for about a year and a half. While I have noticed it a little bit, I don't really have this experience. I'm a big dude by American standards so... 1) Smell. I can (or used to be for some reason it has changed over time) somebody who expires a little quicker than anyone so I am very conscious about it. Every single time I'm in a situation where I'm taking a train, since I'm going out, I shower immediately before it and I use this toner that smells like soap. It's a light and nice scent. No strong cologne or anything. I swear this is the best smell a person can have. It is sooooooooooo humid in Japan. Sapporo is at least cool most of the year. 2) Again, giant dude. I'll try and sit in the corner rather than the middle, but this is a problem in America too. If I'm sitting in the middle its going to be uncomfortable for people next to me. In this case, I'll just let somebody sit down if its the only seat available. 3) This has nothing to do with trains, but just life in general from moving to Japan. I'm 6'4" like 350 lbs and my wife is 4'10" 100 lbs. People stare all the time. This isn't chikan related, but I / we absolutely stand out. It bothered me at first, but I just got over it. I just say hi. 4) Same as #3. That white family explains the odd feeling perfectly, but again like you said, people usually LOVE trying to talk to me. It definitely gives you incentive to upgrade your Japanese level :) In conclusion, I'm not sure if its because I'm a foreigner, a giant person or a combination of both, but you'll experience a little oddities, but for the most part, people will treat you with a lot of respect, and don't take the slight offenses too personally.
A bit exaggerated. Japanese don't always leave a seat next to a foreigner open. Nor is it common for them to get up when you sit down next to them. As for the question of why they don't sit down next to a foreigner? Jesus, do I really have to answer that!?
I'm a very white-skin european fat guy and I've been in japaneese onsen and bathes and I had a wonderfull experience with japanese men who came next to me to socialize and talk in a very friendly and cool way. For me, japaneese people aren't so different than other people on the planet ! I feel super cool and great in Tokyo !
@@jamiehamilton5428I speak japanese and had the same experience. Having a friendly chat in an onsen is quite usual. These stupid „Japan“ channels like this one always spread bullshit about japan because it gets them the most clicks.
@@olfrud Come on man, this "(some) Japanese people not wanting to sit next to Gaijin" is absolutely a thing. As a stereotypical Caucasian male who has rarely had to deal with racism in his life I was surprised to see that this behaviour actually made me angry and not feel welcome. It's happened to many other people, too, and many of these people have felt the same way I have - why not discuss it in the rather nuanced way this video has done? This way, a lot of the negative stereotypes about Japan can be refuted.
My son has been visiting japan for a week of a two week trip. Other than the hotel staff and restaurant staff, no one else has talked to him. Going to Japan has been a childhood dream to him as I exposed him to the culture early. Now he said he can't wait to get home. At least he is seeing the sights inn Kyoto, Tokyo, Nara and Osaka.
Tell him to go to roppongi and shibuya. It's really about where and when you meet people, most people there are living the work life and keep their head down. best time to talk with them are a hole in the wall restaurant after they are decompressing, smoke pit, arcades, and those two parts of Tokyo I listed because they are like party towns made for people to unwind. I lived there for 5 years, it's a great place but 1 that you kind of need to know how to navigate the social atmosphere.
The US is one of a very few places where initiating conversation or lengthy small talk with strangers is the norm. He'd probably hate Sweden and Germany, too. Japanese people don't even speak to each other, when they go out to eat. As others have said, visiting places and attractions that cater to younger people will garner him better luck, but he will likely have to initiate. The Japanese are a quiet people, so things like chatting on the train walking along have a loud conversation with friends are viewed as impolite. They don't chit-chat or make small talk. In future, he should make researching the social and cultural norms of the countries he visits a priority. There are many places in the world, where actions Americans consider common and appropriate may offend locals or even be illegal.
Hello! thanks for a great channel:-) You and your husband are doing a great job:-) A friend of mine said that the reason some Japanese people don't sit next to a stranger on the train is because they want to show you respect. He also said in Japan there is someting they call Japanese only Restaurant. The the reason they wouldn't let no japanes people go into a Japanes restaurant is because that restaurant is only for Japanese locals so that the culture and way of eating the traditional dishes will be kept. You can go in the as foreigners if you have some local with you:-) Before the Japanese only Restuarant was for the wealthy and influential japanese folks for their high-end meetings in both business and politics. It was for the rich Japanese businessman and politicans to discuss important matters that are definitely confidential and controversial at some times. But not anymore. Now it is The discreet and hidden style of Ryötei. In case you wondering Ryötei it is not in any way discriminative towards any nationality or race. Some say that they limit the dinners the diners to local so that the culture and way of eating the traditional dishes will be kept. This is why they still allow tourist to dine in Ryötei. As long as they re accompanied by a local that can surely guide them on what and what not to do in a traditional Japanese restaurant. The locals can also guide them throught the meals and how to eat them to get the best experience possible.
What a great video. Really enlightening. It's always good to understand other cultures. I often wonder if there's another youtuber doing the exact same for the Japanese culture in the west.
I used to live in Kitashinjuku in Tokyo and plenty of people sat by me on the subway. I even conversed with people (I speak Japanese and write/read it) and they were very impressed and also practiced their English with me 😊 Japan is an amazing and wonderful country and if you respect their culture and are willing to learn you’ll find that the people are beyond helpful.
I'm 100% Japanese, born and raised in Japan, but even I sometimes experience the gaijin seat. I mean, Japanese people sometimes keep their distance from other Japanese people, even if they are Japanese. Rather than gaijin seat, Japanese people simply keep their distance from others.
maybe, but isn't the Tokyo metro incredible full with commuters all the time? this 'keeping your distance' shouldn't be a thing in overcrowded public transport unless there is an overwhelming reason to do it anyway.
And about the foreigner avoidance issue, I experienced this maybe a little when I was in S. Korea, but not often! Moreso in Seoul, perhaps, but not in Pohang or Cheong'ju, a bit of the opposite, really, especially in Cheong'ju! That was in 1997 and 2002. When I got older, in China in 2015, I experienced more of that, for sure.
I spent 3 1/2 years in Tokyo in the early 90s. A native Nebraskan, I was mistaken for being Filipino due to my Hispanic heritage, and was kind of given a pass, while my gaijin colleagues were not, openly shunned for their foreign shells, given that they were all mostly American and serving in the military. Sad, but true. I had a friend who guided me through parts of Tokyo and the countryside where few gaijin rarely trod, and the native Japanese looked at us like we were from a different planet. I believe many of the Japanese people, being an island nation rarely encounter foreigners, and that may be a big part of it. Living in rural Nebraska for most of my life, I can see how that works. Many of the white people here stick to the old social norms rarely accepting outsiders.
It was still like this in the 2010s. I am a half Filipino so they always thought I was from Oki. My obviously white friends always used me to score tables to sit at because they would be politely denied. One of my friends was a pretty blonde girl who they either fawned over or spit at her feet.
@@ravenbird3014this is so typical with pretty girls everywhere i swear. it’s suuuuuch a mixed bag, the jealousy can be intense and yet everyone says “pretty privilege” but it only works some times with certain people under certain circumstances
@@freddyrodriguez4732 I think the spitting from older guys was more politically motivated in Oki. I have definitely benefited a lot but also have been sexually assaulted more. Okinawa actually was the worse place for butt grabs. They thought I was from there so I was treated like a local. It is definitely an unreported issue, I believe.
In 1992 i went to tokyo for 1st and only time, and japanese sat next to 14 yr old me. A nice japanese man spoke to me, and i had a really nice conversation, i told him i was fron Texas. My dad was sitting kinda far from me, the man saw my dad and he asked if that was my dad, i said "yes" and he tapped on his forearm and said with a smile "ah, big Texas man" i forever after thought japanese are very nice people. It was the best trip ever.
It is a myth that the Japanese don't sweat or sink first. Even in the wintertime, the gaijin seat happens. My BMI is 22.4, and I am average height, so it is not body size. I have worn casual clothes and suits. It still happens. But I now realize that I enjoy it because when someone does sit there, I wish they did:t.
no its called knowing your identity and wanting to keep it. all foreigners are welcome as long as they leave after they visited...simple. thats why i love the Japanese they dont give two fcks if some snowflake gets offended, they're in their home and you're not, so come see spend the money amd then gtfo
When I was in Japan, I had the exact opposite happen to me. Well, except for a cab driver, a lady at the laundromat and a shop keeper who I later found out had reason to hate Americans. I had people approach me on the street and at the JR stations. I had one beautiful girl approach me when I was out in a very rural part of Japan on the train that is still friends with me. I even had a young lady take a photo of me when I stood up and gave two old ladies a chance to sit on a very crowded train. I'm 6'2" tall and at that time I was about 250lbs. You couldn't miss seeing me on the street, in the store or on the train. But people still had the energy to come up to me and try their English as I tried my very bad Japanese. The girl on the train that's still my friend was looking at me so intently I though I did something wrong and was going to yell at me. Turns out she was just trying to figure out if I might be safe to approach. LOL! I had a taxi driver not want a gaijin in his car. The lady at the laundromat just did not want me around her and her daughter. The guy who owns a shop doesn't like Americans because his grandfather died while in the IJN during WWII. 99% of the people I interacted with was on a very positive level. Hell, I can't get that level here in the States! I think I have about 81%. Give or take a point. So I find it hard to relate to these kinds of vids. I do understand it does happen, but it just really hasn't happened to me. Thank you for the vid!
I’m an ethnic minority in the United States and recently traveled to Japan in September and October 2024. I used the train in most of the 13 ports, including Tokyo and Osaka. I’m a man. People sat next to me on on every ride.
As I read the comments, I don't understand why is this a problem? If they don't want to sit next to you, why do you care? lol People worry too much about the smallest things. If your busy looking at your phone, taking a nap on the train (like everyone does) or busy reading a book, you wouldn't even notice. And about "not being asian" Who cares lol. I love Asian people and respect the culture but I don't want to be asian at all. Just like Japanese people (I'm sure mostly) don't want to be American. People need to love themselves more and stop trying to be something they clearly can't be. Ive been to Japan many, many times and some people didn't want to sit next to me which was totally fine. Then other people did. It just depends on the person. but again who cares lol smh Btw im from New York where we don't care at all 😁
Luckily I didn't have any of these experiences in Japan, not one! I also have to say that I was a very light-skinned, young blonde woman when I was last there. But I have seen negative behavior towards others. Unfortunately, often without any apparent reason (I trust myself to have a good perception because I have been interested in Japanese culture since I was 7 years old). But sometimes with good reason! I and two other German ladies we met there went to an onsen and I explained to them in great detail how thoroughly they had to wash themselves from head to toe beforehand and the whole procedure twice, after which everything that was and could be used was cleaned up properly then, completely clean, into the bath water. The two Japanese women in their 50s who watched us for a while in the wash corner didn't leave the sink! I was so incredibly proud!! Then a young American woman came in, said “screw it” after two pictures of the instructions and wanted to go into the onsen. I went to her and explained to her in English that this was the rudest thing she could do, a no-go and why. I explained to her briefly how to do it, but I could see that she didn't want to do it, when she rolled her eyes and said "That's exaggeration" I needed a new plan, all the talking didn't help. I offered to do the procedure again so she could see it and just copy me. All just to stop her from going to the onsen like that. She actually said: No thanks, in America people go into the bathtub to get clean, they don't shower first, it's totally stupid the way they do it here. Having said that, she pushes me aside (I was literally blocking the way) and goes into the water. If I had been more familiar with the law, I would have wanted to trip her up and pin her naked on the f**king floor of the onsen, that ignorant c*w. Hardly necessary to mention that the Japanese women got out in a hurry. The three of us Germans took the trouble to gossip loudly enough about this woman in English, basically everything about her (only true things), so she should understand it. Not nice, but yeah 🤷🏼♀️ I was hoping for a comment, but somehow it was a mix of meekness and a display of arrogance. Unfortunately, I encountered this more often from other tourists of the same origin on this vacation: It has to run like it does at home otherwise it's obviously stupid, and volume is also a foreign concept. 🤦🏼♀️🤦🏼♀️🤦🏼♀️ So there are such and such experiences. And yes, being pretty and feminine certainly helps to be treated nicely, but I think in Japan you only have a chance if you at least make an effort and are respectful and considerate. Even if it doesn't always work, without it nothing works.
I’ve been to Japan many times and always found the people so polite and welcoming. No one has said anything racist to me verbally or directly in any form. I’ve had that happen more in my own country. Just because someone chooses not to sit next you doesn’t make them racist. They have literally done nothing to you!
It's basically the same people that complain about everything and always like to blame everyone else and pointing the finger at everyone else for their own actions that are making other people uncomfortable They just give off a bad vibe. Other people tend to notice that but they can't seem to notice it themselves being the main problem here.
We humans are social beings remember that. Our systems are designed to connect safely with other beings. This connection is what holds us and carries us through life.
@@MickeyMishra....it's not the same. But ok, you have in your own head tried to compare 2 very different things. Maybe you just don't have the internal capacity to sit with all the feelings and emotions that come with these kind of realness. Let's ignore what's really going on and be positive 😢
@@reenasat Life is also a jungle and like any living being in the jungle we have to protect ourselves and that includes culture and standards. Homogenising and forcing everyone to your utopian ideal is not the solution, protecting, respecting each others traditions and way of life is.
To add to the 'odor' conversation - there's a level of nuance that isn't frankly discussed in an honest way when topics like this come up in ANY country. The reality is that different people from different cultures/ethnicities DO tend to have different scents that are influenced by things like diet, genetics, and hygiene/clothes washing practices that differ from culture to culture. Every person smells different, but different cultures tend to have more in common with each other in this regard due to the aforementioned reasons. That doesn't automatically mean that other people automatically 'stink' to others - it does mean that more conservative/less 'direct' cultures like Japan who value not rocking the boat are a lot more likely to simply avoid being put into a situation that MIGHT be awkward than to try and find out.
You make an excellent point. When I worked one winter in South Korea in the early 2000s I was at first taken aback by the strong garlic odor in the office. I learned to live with it. I love Korean food and about a month later I was alone when I noticed a strong garlic odor. Then I sniffed my shirt and realized that was how I now smelled!
I flew with another pilot when I was doing air charters, and he told me that the Air France planes always smelled bad because the French do not bathe as frequently as others do. I'm not sure if that is true, but he was very insistent about it.
@@NoSugarThanksI've heard someone say Scandinavians smell like sour milk or deary. I had some African friends, and they had a pleasant smell of earthy beans, and they did eat a lot of beans.
When I studied abroad in Japan, I expected the empty seat treatment. But surprisingly, it never happened to me! I sweat, I wear a lot of deodorant, I have smelly perfumes, I’m bigger bodied AND I’m the furthest looking thing from Asian. But six months of riding the train daily, and I was sat next to and sometimes squished. Obviously I’m not saying this never happens but I’m still in shock it never happened to me.
I loved my time in Japan. I was working in an office with perhaps a dozen Japanese and they were really quiet, even on the phone. Once I noticed I was the loudedt person, just typing, breathing and thinking! The people were great, friendly and open
I live in Taiwan and never really noticed anyone avoiding me on public transport, but some foreigners have complained of that here too. It could just be since those people aren't that familiar with foreigners they just feel more comfortable being around what is familiar or normal to them - no need to imagine hostility. The way I think is that people have no ill-will unless they make it very clear to me - it's easier to be happy this way.
@@katzuy5093 or the usual excuse for "non gaijin friendly" places. japanese men were groping girls constantly under everyone´s eyes, let alone the constant presence of porn on the trains, but man what can the possibility of being spoken to in english does! somebody sleeps on your shoulder? thats fine. you have a beard? let´s stand for 30 minutes. why don´t we stop pretending that japan has a huge racism problem?
As a Japanese, I'd like to share my opinion. If you're being avoided, I think the cause might be the perfume. Japanese people don't usually wear much perfume, so they tend to dislike strong fragrances.
I actually like being different in these countries. I feel like a foreigner in my own country these days, but in China especially, which is my favourite country, as I speak a bit, I like listening to what people say!
It may be naive of me, but after 6 years in Japan it has always been my impression that it is very normal that Japanese people leave one empty seat between them and a stranger whenever possible, foreigner or not. Which includes scooting on further away seats when possible. I only get obviously gaijin seated on rare occasions in the deep countryside.
breaking news: nobody in the world sits beside someone else on an empty train, it would be very awkward. this is about not sitting beside you on a packed train if you´re a foreigner, which happened to me basically without exception in my time (3 months) in tokyo
yeah, when you get on a train everyone sits one away from everyone else. The corner seats all fill up first as well, also its the same everywhere, people want space and not to sit next to people they dont know
yeah, not in NYC but I've seen them call other white people over to them while there's an big air pocket around the black people. no big loss because white people conversation is too performative and unnatural imo
@@wasanonymous I am, but that should t matter either…I don’t care how another person looks (except if they look homeless or dirty etc) I’m still gonna sit down
First time in Japan in travel in train and everyone sit next to me I don’t have problems and find nice people help for information and even a police was nice take photos with me😊
As Dutchman with a direct flight from AMS to Japan, one has spend over 13 hours in a plane and more hours in transit before entering public transport to the hotel in Japan. I can imagine not being fruity fresh after such a journey. First thing I'd like to do arriving at the hotel is getting a shower and changing clothes...
i was in the same situation few weeks ago, 23 degrees in november is for me unimaginable for a country that has 4 seasons. but im an dumb orc and i should have checked the weather beforehand.
I had no problem in Tokyo but in Kyoto... ooooh girl many times Yakuza like people looked at me in the train ready to have a fight. It was crazy. Now i clearly prefer Tokyo. Shinjuku is great.
I was in the Navy in the 90's and visited Japan. My all time favorite response to being asked where I was from while drinking at bars was, "Oh, cowboy. Bang,bang!"(in English & followed by the two finger gun gesture). Because I'd say, I'm from Texas. I guess previous westeern movies or other Texans left a good mark that I took advantage of.🤠🤠
I have lived and worked in Japan since 1982 in Sapporo, Yokohama and Tokyo commuting by train or subway everyday. (I am a caucasian male.) "Foreigner avoidance", in my experience, is very rare, especially in the last 20 years or so. If anything, in the 80's, I experienced the opposite of foreigner avoidance, especially in Sapporo where there were very few foreigners at the time.
About chikan - I have a good friend who’s the head of a mid-sized manufacturing company in Japan, and he told me that whenever he rides a crowded train he keeps both hands on the bar or strap so there’s zero chance of anyone accusing him of chikan. It’s not very likely that someone might, but as the head of a company, any accusation would have devastating consequences, regardless of the veracity of the claim. (It’s a sad fact that fully 1/3 of Japanese women experience chikan at some point during their lives :-/)
False accusation can ruin your life. Why take the chance? It's much like having flood insurance. Sure, the chances of you experiencing a flood can be low, but on the off chance your Toilet overflows, or your fridge breaks its water line for he ice machine, better to be safe than sorry. Its like in the military. You are late, you are late. Does not matter what happens, you should have planned for it. The same needs to be said in life. Just as if in the old days, people would travel on waggons. People use to get robbed and ended all the time back in the pioneer days. Its stupid not to plan for these things however unlikely they are. And today? We have the easiest life possible in respects to back then. So taking the precautions is just good measure as this is our version of the wild west being accused of a false allegation or "Chikan"
@@embreis2257 Yeah, chikan happens when people are standing in packed trains, not seated (as far as I know at least, I’m obviously not an expert on the topic, being a male and only having visited there).
@@DaveEtchells I think it has to be way more than that. I lived there for 10 years and it happened multiple times. All my friends said that they have experienced it. Maybe the older women haven’t or the children haven’t (yet).
@@411faithhopelove Wow, that’s sad. I hadn’t thought about it, but it’s possible that the 1/3 number includes people living in less densely populated areas, where the trains and buses are rarely packed. As you suggest, it could be that it’s a snapshot in time, counting everyone currently alive who’s female, even the very young. (Another thought: Are you and your friends westerners? I wonder if it happens even more often to foreign women than native ones?) Whatever the case, it’s a sad indictment of a society that in so many other ways respects individual space 😢
My one visit to Japan was great. The people were always polite and sometimes curious. At one point my wife and I found ourselves travelling through farmland, going from rural Odate to [eventually] Tokyo. The country folk were really nice; it was humorous. Some of them had never actually met a non Japanese person. They elected a young teacher who knew some English to bombard us with all these questions. It made a long trip delightfully 'short' and highly entertaining for us all. The only time I experienced any overt display of dislike was, funnily enough, with 2 taxi drivers. One got frustrated with our lack of Japanese language and basically dumped us on the side of a road. The other refused us service and actively was trying to get the other drivers in the taxi rank to do the same.
I would have loved it if people would avoid me in crowded places. In my experience, being a tall white guy got me enough unwanted attention that I probably won't visit Asia ever again now that I have visited the places I want to see. It's also funny how smell works. I get that East Asian people are genetically different when it comes to sweating, but I can pretty much tell from which part of Asia you are before I can see you based on smell alone.
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Chinese dudes in Japan will sit next to you. 😂😂😂
Hey from Ohio! I had to start a channel just to comment LOL! I wanted to say thank you for the videos though. I love your channel! I watch you and Nomad Push the most. I love how you show the real Japan. Most other channels make it seem like everyone is so uptight. I love how you and Robin both show how fun Japan and Japanese people really are!
I'm white and smell goood. My taiwanese gf stinks! 🤣
You either move out of that racist country or shut up!
Filipinos are treated badly in Japan. Japanese feel superior to all other Asians, especially the dark-skinned ones. As a US Military kid growing up in Japan in the 90's and as a US Air Force Officer in the 2000s, I saw this in Sagamihara, Fussa-shi, and especially in Tokyo.
The first time I vacationed in Japan with my family was in 1982. I found the Japanese at that time to be so helpful and happy. My best experience was going to the train station in Osaka trying to go to Kyoto. No English written anywhere and only ticket dispensing machines. I stopped an old lady, pointed to the ticket machines and said "Kyoto". She took me by the hand, took my money and bought the tickets for me. Then on the train I asked a group of businessmen if any spoke English. One man said he did. I asked if it was the right train to Kyoto. He told me that we would have to change trains at a specific station. When we arrived at the station, he got off the train with us to find out which track we had go to for the next train. Then he stood at the platform where he got off and waited for the next train to continue his journey to work. I would never see that level of kindness anywhere else in the world.
This is is the Japanese way of essence. I love Japan for this kind of attitude.
I was stationed in Yokosuka in 87. I was still new there at went up to Yokohama. In the morning I catch the train back to Yokosuka. Alcohol was involved and I woke up at the end of that line. No problem, just get on the train to Yokosuka. Well, woke up in Yokohama again. This was early morning Saturday or Sunday and many Japanese men on the train with fishing gear. One older man saw my confusion, got me off the train at Yokosuka and took me to the main gate.
I've had similar experiences as well in Japan and Germany. They're not all as bad as it's said. All countries have issues.
For example my country Romania is poor and corrupt and thievery is common. But we don't need female train carts because men here step up and protect women from pervs, saw it with my own eyes. And we have the lowest wage gap in Europe only 5% difference between men and women's wages. Greece has the highest with 28%. And alcoholism is pretty gender equal, both get into fights when drunk, of course the wife looses that fight, it's why boxing is not mix gendered and is separated by weight categories too.
I got back from Kyoto last week. I know the Japanese have crossed a threshold in regards to tolerance of tourists, and absolutely fair enough to them for that. But the reality is (FWIW skinny average height white guy), I found the place incredibly hostile. I found one of the clothing brands and their store on the main strip utterly distasteful. I was coughed at constantly, sneered at by the younger generations and a few times taxis would beep at me when crossing pedestrian crossings. When I landed in Osaka, I was met with a TV crew that were interested in what my travel intentions were. I thought it was a genuine interaction at first, however it became increasingly clear they were only there to mock me, really questioning why I would decide to go to certain places and what I was actually doing there (they had a translator). All 3 of them, including the translator looked at me with cold dead eyes it was very strange. Yeah, give Kyoto a miss if you are a solo traveller, and absolutely refuse the 5 foot tall Japanese man with the microphone if he asks for an interview at Osaka airport. I am probably now on some Japanese TV show with over the top laughing tracks imposed on top of my awkwardness 🤣🤣
We see this level of kindness every single day in most of the US.
In 1998 - 2000 in Ireland, an American work colleague would swing through every 3 months on part of his global work travel. I would take him out for a meal in the evening as he was on his own. A married guy, about 50 years old. 6'2" and 300lbs (very overweight). A really nice guy. He said he always dreaded going to Japan. He said because he was tall, he felt everyone looking at him. When he would wait at a crosswalk, if there was a woman standing next to him, 80% of the time she would touch his arm as discreetly as she could. He thought he was imagining it as if he turned to them, they would stare straight ahead. It happened a couple of times when he was with Japanese work colleagues and they said yes, he wasn't imagining it. "They probably think you're a Sumo wrestler, and it's good luck to touch a Sumo. So they are touching you for good luck" ...
I was stationed in northern Japan in the early 90s and I was friends with a guy who was tall and worked out a lot. We would be out eating or shopping and Japanese people would routinely approach him and ask if he was a foreign wrestler, to take a picture, or if he would be so kind as to touch their child on the arm or hand. But sometimes, he would suddenly turn around because someone had touched him surreptitiously.
My colleague who was just a little shorter than me, maybe around 6ft3 went a few years back and he kept getting stopped for photos and people looking at him, they're obviously not used to seeing tall white European people. I get it though from their perspective
:))) This must be annoying for your friend, but just reading about it made me laugh, basically, they see him as a human lucky charm :))) It's so interesting to learn about other cultures.
I don't think I would care about little superstitions taps, as long as they weren't grabbing downstairs.... 🤣 Now India..... F*** that place, and that annoying "everyone stare at the whitey" culture.... I will never go back there, and theres a mile long list of reasons.
@@doncastrian When I was in central China children would point to me in the street and run in to get their parents to look. I used to joke to myself "I'm the white devil !" haha. Just good natured curiosity
This is exactly what happens in Taiwan. I'm a small, non-threatening guy, conventional looking (no tatts, short hair, etc), polite, clean and well groomed, conservatively dressed, respectful and all that. I catch a highway bus almost every day, which means no standing passengers are allowed. The seat beside mine is ALWAYS the last to be filled. Usually, when the last passenger gets on and they realize that that's the only empty seat, they have an anxiety attack and stand there for a while looking around desperately to confirm that there are no other seats available. I've gotten so used to it now that it just makes me yawn and my only thought is "Grow up, please!" It's the same on the metro.
Im so sorry you experience that
You are the childishly entitled foreigner who needs to grow up
@@selenaclarkethey're just shy. shyness can be mistaken as rudeness
Nahh @@redwinsh258 a whole population is shy? 😅 bro stop the jokes.
WHY do they act like that?? you’re obviously a HUMAN being just like them…not an extraterrestrial from another planet 🤦♀️
The lady talking about her experiences in the 80s seemed so sweet. Must have been a very unique way to grow up.
Yeah, I found this interview about 6 months ago and it really stuck with me. I tried to get an interview with this whole family, but only one sibling agreed and he’s not in Japan right now.
@@OrientalPearl It's a shame that you couldn't get that interview but the clips were very enlightening on how foreigners were treated in the past, I'm glad you included it.
I think it shows how far Japanese society has come in accepting foreigners in a very homogenous country especially with them having to adjust to the recent influx in tourism.
There will be people who don't like outsiders anywhere but most people in general seem welcoming or indifferent. A few people never represent the society as a whole.
Funny, because if you were Asian in US/Australia in the 80s you would be spat on/beat up/accused of stealing jobs/called ‘chink’ etc……
Wow you Accent is very at home to me.
Its like everyday grandma I meet on the street to school. 8:43 Thankyou
Yes!! She had such a good attitude about it too
In the days immediately following Covid everyone wore masks on the trains all the time. On a trip through Tokyo suburbia there was a empty seat next to me. Directly opposite was a young maskless Japanese man who also had an empty seat next to him. People got on, looked at me, looked at him, looked back at me, then back at the maskless man. Three times out of three during that long journey they chose to sit next to me, the foreigner, rather than the maskless man. It was like a sociological experiment and all I was doing was sitting there.
well out of all the people on those rocks a foreigner is more likely to socialize outside of the rock people group. can't really blame them. I didn't leave my house during covid because I've been hospitalized twice, once for flu related pneumonia and second for major lymphatic infection that almost killed me. I don't need a 3rd try so I got a work from home job. Not everyone can do that though.
Yes this youtuber doesn't seem to grasp the nuances of Japan's culture.. she just keeps looking to make them or to be racimos hypacrits or something
Yet even anyone who grew up with anime Proper understands this has much more to do with perception, cultural norms, taught stereotypes and resourcing Bath culture. That's the real clincher is the sanitation and communal bathing etc.
Bath culture is super important
I guess this person doesn't know how Europeans made such a horrible barbaric impression upon them that literally half a millenia later and they still have the collective memory of Unwashed sailors eating with their hands and swearing all the time.
Can't blame them.
That recent Netflix remake did a good job demonstrating the perception a civilized nippon-wa would have when faced with a Europeans behavior.
Is like no one understand how Civilization works.. there's legit reasons they run into social conundrums all the time.. it's a very regulated society..
Sry in having trouble summerizing that bit about how regimented and expectant folks are too follow all socialalities etc. It's a very insular culture.
It's why you can be rude without knowing.
My previous comment got felted automatically. I changed 1 word and now it posts. Can u guess which one
@@glytchdif only we had a word for misjudging people based on their genetics and ethnicity, because of what other members of that group do... Or did 500 years ago.
@@glytchdso that's ok to have this mentality for Japanese, but when Europeans think the same way about other nations with lower hygiene standards, they become instantly racist..
On very first trip to Japan ten years ago I got lost trying to find my hotel. Jet lagged and tired I decided to catch a taxi instead when an old man in his early seventies speaking no English noticed me. He then proceeded to walk me down three streets until finally arriving at my hotel. It was act of kindness that I shall never forget.
We found the Japanese to be very friendly and welcoming to us, visiting Japan 2 years ago as a Welsh couple.
That's probably because you have an inferiority complex from being treated the same way, every time you cross the border into the Prince Of Wales homeland. 😆
I became concerned about my size overnight when landing in Japan. From being "tiny" in The Netherlands to being "giant" in Japan was quite the experience!
You got the Alice in the Wonderland experience.
I'm happy I could finally find bra sizes for me in Japan, bought a whole bunch. back home I was flat chested but there I was normal. XD
I'm only 1.75 but my feet dangled of the bed in some hotels. One of the many reasons my 1.85 doesn't want to visit Japan, he needs a 2m bed.
I am an Australian of Dutch heritage. At 1.75 meters, I towered over everyone in China, except some guys in Beijing, who were probably Manchurian.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure the Netherlands has the tallest people in the world.
Yeah but would you be tiny in the UK? Hmmm, not so sure. Dutch people are giants!
I was in Japan from 1996 to 1999, it was a great time. Nice video, thanks for sharing, subscribed!
As an introvert, I don't really mind people avoiding me on trains. But intentionally being rude to others definitely should not have a place in any society.
A Japanese will never be rude to you. They might be the biggest bigot on Earth and despise you with every ounce of their being, but they won't be rude to you. Some people might call it being two faced.
Are they being rude? Or are they just worrying about themselves? If they say something to you or treat you a way, then that's rude, yes. But if they are just moving away from you (for whatever reason) and staying silent, then that isn't rude. You can't really jump inside someone else's head and say, "That person is being rude." Instead you can only perceive them in your OWN mind as rude. This is a different culture, mind you, so I would not say the same about your home country. Mine being the USA, I know how people act here, and I know (from experience) if something is done intentionally rude or racist. But I wouldn't make those assumptions in Japan, Korea, China, or anywhere eastern, because I don't know their culture that closely.
@@lanekarabani8084 I was referring to 7:47. But yes, I fully agree with you in saying that we should not jump into conclusions based on assumptions.
Ahhh but who is to determine what is rude? Cultures, personality differences, different preferences, different character types, the list is too long to say admonish those we perceive to be rude. Are people rude sometimes? Yes. That's just life.
I gotta say something else about this too. A lot of cultures and even some towns I've been to right here in the United states don't really talk or want much to do with outsiders. They don't want people moving to what they feel is their home and way of life and changing it, and in a lot of cases I don't blame them. And you have every right to perceive this as rude. Even if there's a valid excuse if you think it's rude behavior then you're entitled to your opinion but I don't think society as a whole should shun people for rudeness unless they're causing some kind of pain or harassment.
when my bestie and I went to Japan ,our first experience was on the train-we just sat next to a random local girl and passing our phones back and forth for translation and asked where we are supposed to go, she was very nice and helpful, there wasn't any avoidance at all !
When I went to Chicago I wasn’t shot!
Easier for women but not for a man and a woman passing phones to each other, thinking were pervs and Simps... And I Am! 😂
It does not happen to 100% of people 100% of the time. But a certain %% of Japanese do avoid you if you do not look like them. You may or may not run into them as a tourist. But it is well documented by residents and there are thousands of such incidents.
Just because something did not happen to you, does not mean it does not happen at all.
@@vidong1704 I wasn't discrediting the video, just pointing out an opposite experience
@@unstoppable_sock You were a tourist. Your exposure was not long enough and not to enough people. The longer you stay, and the more people you are exposed to, the more likely it is to happen.
Usually, such experiences are by people who work there and take the train twice a day over years.
Note that tourists in America do not experience much racism. They also rarely get shot or robbed. Because their stay is brief. But if they immigrate and stay there, they will see all of it with time.
In 2000 I went to China (Beijing and Wuhan) on a humanitarian mission. I'm a 6' 4" 325 American man and when I walked the streets EVERYONE would stop and stare, gawk and kids would giggle. But I didn't let it bother me. I would always smile and laugh along with them. So many would smile back and make the universal Chinese gesture for big guy, which is hands out to their sides at the waist as they smiled. I was definitely a curiosity to them. You just have to make the best of it and I enjoyed making them laugh and smile. They would even stop and get a picture with me. I felt like a kind of odd celebrity of curiosity. 😂
I'm a 78 year old American white guy living in Japan. I have to say the people here are amazingly courteous. It's a GOOD place to live.
Unlike amerika witch is now a 3rd world crap hole.
Theyre courteous. Doesnt mean they like you dude.
@@sugarnads TRUE, DUDE
@@sugarnads They're courteous. Doesn't mean they like or dislike me, but I still prefer courteous behavior regardless of their feelings.
@@KarlBergerson i found them to be rude af unless restaurant or tourism staff.
We went to Japan in Sept and it was humid and warm. I was sweaty, I've always been a sweaty person. I don't have BO but will get a very pink face. Walking through a park in Tokyo an older man who was picnicking with his wife ran up to us with a bag of pears and offered me a slice. It was weird but I accepted, it was a salted nashi pear. It was delicious and I thanked him, and he gave us the whole bag. I felt it would be rude to say no, I shared the fruit with my daughters and husband. We all waved and thanked him. I don't remember anyone shunning us but maybe I did not pay attention.
It's mainly single foreign men who are actively avoided or asked to leave a shop or restaurant. Foreign women, families, and kids are quite welcome in Japan.
@@CAHSR2020 That’s interesting. I wonder if that is because foreign men have a reputation of being sex tourists?
We never eat salted pears in Japan. I think it's probably something else.
@@Iajdjrkuf7o6w It was definitely salted Nashi pears.
I think the comment about the selfie stick nailed it. They don't want to be annoyed by your video and put in the spotlight. Japanese people are very shy aswell
Doesn’t explain the lady in the pool incident
I live in Taipei. Many people think that if you sit by a foreigner you might have to speak to them and they are embarrassed at their English. That's my take. Also kids still shout 'foreigner ' now and again if I'm in a shop for example.
Stupid excuse, even the English speaking ones do it...and to foreigners who actually speak their language.
@@jamesdobbs6942 yeh but locals don't know that you speak Chinese. I've been told by adults in my class that they are worried the foreigner will talk to them. And these are adults who want to learn English, lol.
That’s bull. The Taiwanese generally don’t engage with the person sitting next to them, and it’s a given that that person won’t with them. Unless it’s when the obligatory arse is stuck in the other’s face because nobody ever stands up to let the window seat out, just give the old knee swing 😂. The majority are just racist across the East, not necessarily out of malice mind. Often just out of fear of that which they’re not familiar.
It’s slowly improving though generationally. Younger people are more likely to not mind sitting.
I find when elder people do, it’s because they’re more travelled or worldly wise due to their past experiences or work. They often want to chat.
School kids generally engage, but only if they’re with their mates. And of course, just like any toddler worldwide, their fascination trumps any trepidations.
I live in Taipei. People seem to sit next to me much the same as they would a local. I don't think being a foreigner is a factor.
@@jamesdobbs6942 It seems stupid but it fits. I stayed in a dorm in the UK which was shared by many students from Japan and the idea was they'd improve their english skills by being immersed. That failed big time. I am east asian and they assumed I was Japanese but once they realized I wasn't they ignored more even though they could speak some english.
There was another Japanese woman but she went to the local UK university with me as opposed to the college for Japanese. She was long accustomed to talking to everyone since she could not avoid it.
The Japanese students could literally go back to Japan after several years and their english would have barely improved as they didn't mix.
There was another Japanese girl who had been educated in the UK and they didn't mix with her much either even though she spoke fluent Japanese. She was average in terms of socialbility but she said that in Japan she was considered and extrovert and found it hard to fit in Japanese society after being in the UK so long.
There were exceptions but by and large they went to great lengths to avoid interaction outside their own.
Honestly, I don't mind. More space for me in a crowded train
I've been living in Japan now for almost 2 years and truth be told, it's been a disappointment. I don't have piercings, I don't have tattoos, I am about to turn 70 yrs old and I get stared at a lot and....I do sweat. If I'm sitting in my car in a parking lot with a vacant space next to me, if a Japanese person wanting to park notices me will often keep driving to find a spot much further away. We bought a house 18 months ago, one of my next door neighbours has not said more than 2 words to us. They have 2 children probably 17 and 21 yrs old and have not acknowledged our existence. The wife however will greet us with a smile. We did all the right things, gave presents to our nearest neighbours to introduce ourselves which is the custom in Japan but they make us feel like outsiders. Going to tourist spots where it's important to be friendly to have people want to visit again is not the same as living in the suburbs.
I am Japanese. Without fear of being misunderstood, I believe that the concept of discrimination against foreigners is still very thin in Japan compared to other countries. Most Japanese people have little aversion to foreigners. (Except in China, Korea, etc.) You may think that because you are a foreigner yourself, Japanese people avoid parking their cars next to yours, but it is usually for different reasons. (For example, your car is big, or your car is a foreign car, a luxury car, and you may have to pay a lot of money if you crash it.)
Neighborhoods are not very social, even among Japanese (I don't know what my next-door neighbor looks like, nor do I have any interest in him or her).
@@feynman8663 Thank you for your reply but it indeed did not make me feel any better. I was born and lived my whole life in Australia. One of the nice things about living in Australia is the fact that for the most part your neighbours make you feel welcome. Where I lived before coming to Japan I got on well with my neighbours. One of the things you get from being friendly with your neighbours is that you get a good feeling of security. Good neighbours tend to keep an eye on you and your home in case you might need help, become sick or something like that. Your attitude seems quite cold and uncaring and I find that really sad. I hope not all Japanese think like that.
@@williamlewis1592 The majority of Japanese people today do not know the faces of their neighbors. This is one of the achievements of meism. Also, when you need help or get sick, the Japanese think that there is nothing you can do about it, and if it doesn't work, give up. Japan is a country prone to natural disasters, and there is a basic concept of giving up when nothing can be done. This is the psychological defensive instinct of the Japanese people.
@@williamlewis1592ここはオーストラリアではないので日本人に同じ対応を求めるのはさすがに難しいです。特に今の日本は悲しいことに隣人との揉め事がよくあるので、出来る限り関わりを持とうとしないのです。
日本にも勘弁してくれって思うほど人間関係の近い地域があるのですが、そこなら良かったのに…😓
日本は災害大国なので何かあった時に不安ですよね...
日本人として申し訳ないです
Maybe you think you're a saint just because you don't have any piercings or tattoos?
Maybe your arrogant attitude is why jpanese people avoid you?
first thing you say when you arrive in Japan "E.x.c.u.s.e. m.e?"
Or are Japanese people not satisfied unless they say "Welcome, welcome, great master" when a white person comes?
Give my regards to the Aborigines. God Save the Queen.
I am a former Japanese lawyer. One day, when I was a lawyer, I took a group of law students from the United States to visit the Tokyo District Court. In front of the escalator, where it was always jam packed, the herd of the crowd opened up like Moses splitting the sea, and we were able to get on smoothly. I thought I really wanted to be a gaijin because being so was quite convenient.
just wear white face, we don't mind, woke ppl call yellows white adjacent anyway. just don't wear it all the time, someone may ask you for reparations, and it's not just the koreans.
"See the good in the bad" - That asian food cart guy in 5th Element.
@@MickeyMishra LMAO!!!!!! This wins...
It may seem convenient for a day or two, but people avoiding you as if you have leprosy will wear you down over time. it's not a good feeling if you are living in Japan permanently.
Hahaha that's such a lawyer thing to say....
Speaking of sweat. When I lived in Korea, they said when we sweat, we smell like cheese. I replied with "when you sweat, you smell like Kimchi". They do and I'm 100% certain they were right about us too. The comments you get are from folks who dont understand their culture or refuse to respect the culture.
Apparently, a lot of Asians find westerners to smell like sour milk because we have so much dairy in our diets compared to them.
I've heard that black folks say white folks smell like dogs when they get their hair wet. Maybe we do. I like dogs, so no harm, no foul.
I remember in the 90's hearing Westerners called "Butter Stinkers"
True. I had a buddy in grade school who was Korean and ate kimchi almost everyday. He wreaked of it, although it wasn't too bad of a smell. And since we eat alot of cheese and similar, I wouldn't be surprised if that is how we smell to them, lol! I'll take cheese over kimchi anytime 😂
It has some merit, it is not only body odour but the whole house and clothing, this is from cooking smells and also ingestion of certain spices. e.g. India masala curry smells, Chinese and Turkish use alot of garlic, about 8 cloves per day, this is noticable,
I had this kind of experience in Japan, but very rarely. More frequently I encountered people who were super friendly. Like the wife of the barber who translated for me and then was so sweet. Like the restaurant owner who helped to choose food, and then taught me how to eat it. The young couple in the train that started talking to me because I seemed a little lost, and then told me about all the beautiful things to see in Yamaguchi.
Japan is a wonderful place to visit. Sometimes strange, but always beautiful.
My daughter did a post graduate student exchange in Yokohama many years ago. On her last night her class went to a local bar. It was a mixed class of Japanese and foreigners. The owner got very upset after a while and started shouting at them. He didn't realise they spoke fluent Japanese. He was quite surprised when not only did they respond to him politely but firmly in Japanese but some of the patrons also came to their defence and told him to stop embarrassing himself. She said that was the only real "foreigner" issue she had the whole time she was there (about 9 months).
As a University student in France I had a similar experience with a hostel manager who was giving a fellow traveler a really hard time, once I started speaking to him in French (which was pretty good at the time) he immediately backed off. Just a kind of arrogance which only works in the proper environment.
I was in Japan 7 years ago...in the large cities, people were not very friendly...in the smaller towns, they were nice, and made eye contact. I enjoyed my visit...such a clean country, with everything designed so well....and you can buy a beer in a vending machine, and drink it while walking down the street.
I’m black and my husband is white. Back in 2012 we were living in LA and decided to go to China for our “baby moon”, one last fun trip in before we had our first child. I had been studying Mandarin on my own for a while and then I found a language exchange partner on Craigslist. His chosen English name was “Kevin” and he had recently moved from China for work and wanted to improve his English skills, so we met up once or twice a week at a coffee shop to practice conversation in both languages and ended up becoming friends. My husband and I even got to hang out with his family when they came to visit. Most of the people I met in China were like Kevin: warm, welcoming, polite, and very appreciative that I had taken time to learn their language and culture. There was A LOT of staring and curiosity and even people asking to take pictures with us but I didn’t really mind it. However I could not have even predicted my one truly bad experience in China. My husband and I were seated in a carriage about to take a ride. I was visibly pregnant and just sitting there waiting for the carriage driver to get going and a man came up to me from the street yelling at me and put his cigarette out on my arm. His face was filled with so much rage and hatred and I will never forget it. I have never been able to erase that scene from my memory. It’s like a photograph that pops into my head once in a while and makes me shudder.
There are bad people everywhere, i hope you're doing fine 🙏
@@Victim_of_Korean_drama thank you. Yes I’m fine and this experience would never deter me from going back to China. It was a horrible incident but it was a fluke, and I wanted to tell that story so that people know you can have a terrible experience in a foreign country and still not allow yourself to paint everyone there with the same brush. I live in the US after all. Racism and violence are an everyday occurrence here. I’m not going to hold another country to higher standards.
When I lived in Korea I got on the subway once, sat next to an older man who was insistent on spreading his legs out. I was at least 6 inches taller than he was. When I sat down he aggressively spread his legs out. I just looked at him and laughed like really? After about a minute he went back to sitting normal. Like what were you trying to prove?
Yah, I have seen this same behavior from men and women. Women typically use a bag or coat more than using their bodies to take up more space. So many different reasons for it…lack of social skills or feeling threatened so staking out their territory….or maybe in that particular moment just being obvious.
They are racist big time, but somehow only white people can be racist in this modern world which is crazy.
He just didn't want you sitting next to him
I lived in Japan and then Korea...the contrasts are extraordinary
These old men are just like these special old men elsewhere.. toxic masulinity. They act like that because they actually think they are worthless, so they want to surpress someone else to feel better.
I lived in Japan for the first time in1955 and was blue eyed and had platinum hair. I was like a rock star, groups would follow me all over, I was only 5 and it was kind of scary for me. They also had no problem touching my hair and pulling on it. I loved Japan though and most of the people were very friendly and kind
I was the first blue eyes blondie many rural turks saw, but fortunately nobody ever touched me. that sounds creepy af.
I remember I was around 6, we got lost in some village up in some mountains near Siria and there was one kid with blue eyes and blond hair in that whole area. when he saw me his draw dropped and chased our car out of the village for a while. all the kids chased us in the village but he kept running until he couldn't keep up. I watched him give up.
Wow!! Do you remember Japan in the 60's? Did you live there during that decade? If so, what was it like?
22/09/2024 19-35
@@HisameArtworkAww, that's kinda sad. He didn't want to be the only one. When did it happen?
22/09/2024 19-36
@@helenaborgespeixoto7598 no I lived in Singapore then. We did go and visit friends in Japan in 1965 and it was very nice.
this happened to friend of mine visiting China in 1986. touching his straw blond hair etc but he was 19 already. they even followed him into the loo. there was literally no moment he was left alone.
不平不満ばかり言っていると豊かさは逃げていきます、これは自分を含めた全ての人に言いたいです。あなたの持ってるスマホ、平和、友人、綺麗な水が飲める、食べ物が3食食べれること、病気ではない事など、持っている素晴らしいことに目を向けましょうよ。不平不満ではなく、感謝に注意を向けてください。そうしないと、解決してもまた新たな不満が出てきます。
不満という想念の形態エネルギーを生み出し、不満の世界と共鳴し自分を包み込み、不幸なこと、不満は常に解消されないという事態になります。周りに感謝し、今あるものに感謝してください。
I’m a 6 foot 3 aussie with a muscular build as I lift weights and I have tattoos and I didn’t notice this once when I was in Japan. And I caught a lot of public transport. But even if it did happen I would not care in the slightest, how can you be upset about more room hahaha
White -> 90% of Japanese will love you
Black -> 30% of Japanese will love you because rap and basketball
Brown -> 10% if Japanese will love you
When I went, you could deal with racism at least once per day.
Yup, just a bonus to me 🙂 let 'em stand if possible
One time i gave a seat for a family. I sat by myself in a seat row. They thanked very politely. Smiled the whole journey to next station.
I was in Japan last year and just as practically everywhere else, people tend to keep to themselves when making use of public transport. That's pretty fair I'd say. Aside from that, as a Dutch man I found the Japanese to be very kind and willing to help, often even going above and beyond when helping out with directions and such. I had a fantastic experience and will be heading back to Japan next year!
Wow surprising this is still the case, even after smartphones. I grew up in southwest Tokyo during the 90s and early 2000s.
I'm an American and have lived in Japan for 21 years and agree with you. I've always wanted to go to Europe but never had the time / money. Also amazed that most Dutch people I meet how well their English is. (I worked with a woman from Dutch Guyana, although she moved to Holland when she was child, for 3 years and thought she was American). You will find especially as a tourist that the Asians will consider you a guest in their country and so they want you have a good experience. Nice, isn't it.
Your channel is so calming to me because it is a reminder that we're all human. All day long we are bombarded with articles about our differences, and it is nice to come here for a change of pace. It makes me want to travel and find the good in people. Thanks!
I’m so glad that you find my channel calming.
I experienced a tiny bit of this in Japan, but it was survivable. And to be completely fair, there are people I avoid sitting next to on trains and buses in my own city. Almost everyone I met there was welcoming; especially other men my age. I suspect that a lot of Japanese people are aware of the issue, and actually go out of their way to not be hurtful.
I was coming here to say the same thing. Should we shame them for not being comfortable?
AGREED
@@jonathanbowling3129 No one is shaming them, I don't understand why some of you take such a defensive stance.
Love how you discuss the elephant in the room unabashedly. Refreshing while educating.
I was in Japan for about 1.5 years in the late 1980’s - my experience was total acceptance from the Japanese people (even though I was obviously not at all oriental in any way). However, I had friends who were full-blooded Japanese who grew up in a Western culture, and they were discriminated against- with the opinion that they should “know better” how a Japanese person should act/be. I remember once my friend, who was born in Japan but at the age of 7 her family moved to Toronto - when we couldn’t find an address, I simply suggested we stop and ask someone for help. She was in total disbelief when an employee actually left the store to walk us down the street and show us where we were trying to go. This is something she had never before encountered, yet I did all the time. From my point of view, the Japanese people are so nice and really want to help.
I've lived in Japan now for 21 years. I had a student whose grandparents on both sides were Japanese and had moved to Peru. Her parents married and decided to return to Japan. Both were 100% Japanese blood but spoke the language about as well as me. Of course they were fluent in Spanish. Their daughter was my student. She was so annoyed to always have to be available whenever her parents went out and to have to translate constantly for them. Even more difficult her mom was a doctor in Peru and in Japan she would try to argue with the doctors here but my student didn't really have that level of medical vocabulary in either language.
I don't know why content creators have coined the term “gaijin seat” and made it a specific Japanese problem, but it is a universal thing.
You know in the West, blacks and Muslims in particular tend to be avoided, and that during the pandemic, Asians were excessively avoided simply because they were Asians
You’re right, it’s not actually a Japan-specific thing.
Nobody said it's just an Asian problem
No, this is not true. Go see for yourself in Germany, Scandinavia mixed, noone leaves seat empty on full buses/trains next to anyone
@andersnilsson
When I lived in (recently former Soviet) Latvia, I was astonished when , on a virtually empty bus, a person would plop themselves into the seat beside me. In the hyper-individualistic U.S. people like to spread out when given the opportunity. But there it's considered rude.
I'm a 6'5 Black man and weigh just around 245 give or take a few pounds at any given time, and I rarely have people "avoid" me on public transportation or other public seating. When it does happen it's probably usually because it's not a lot of fun sitting next to a man twice as large as the seat he's sitting in. Additionally, in the U.S. people tend to try to pick seats away from others unless there are no others available.
We loved our time in Tokyo and I’m a 6ft. Black guy from the US. I mainly remember how polite everyone was during our visit. We did take a boat ride but it wasn’t full so everyone had space. I avoid subways because I don’t want to be that close to strangers so we enjoyed many taxi rides. Second best taxis after Black Cabs in London. Cheers!
While in Japan back in the late 1970s, I had to commute by train from Tachikawa to Fuchu Hamachi everyday for about 3 weeks. At 6 ft tall and 175 lb, it was rare to run into someone who was bigger than me. When I did, I gave him the right away and he gave me a big smile.
As to train seats, I was under the misconception that they were giving me space because I was a big clunky American. And they were trying to be nice to me.
My impression of the Japanese people was one of respect and politeness to everyone they meet regardless of where they come from. I worked for the Japanese company NEC for 18 years in Massachusetts. When they moved NECIS to california, they asked me to come along with a good raise. But I didn't want to leave my family here in MA. One of my friends did go to California with NEC, and later became an English teacher in Japan, where he raised his family.
.....what are talking about?
The Japanese aren't being polite to you because they respect you. They are being polite because they respect their culture. They may well despise you, but they will still be polite to you.
@@bugsygoo
If it looks like respect and it sounds like respect, it's normally viewed as respect, no matter where it comes from.
I grew up in a family that set an example for behavior towards other people.
As a child, I learned to respect my elders.
Was that because of SW Texas Culture?
Was it because I went to church growing up?
Was it because I loved my grandparents?
Was it because I knew it was the right thing to do?
What difference does it make, where my behavior comes from?
I'm 78 years old, and I still respect my elders.
There is a large difference between politeness and respect. The things Japanese sometimes say in private about other groups of people are sometimes not so nice.
@@yuyutubee8435 Who doesn't do that?
Growing up in Del Rio Tx (70% Mexican population) I learned all the insults and cursing slang that kids used in the 1950s.
Guess what, 70 years later, I can still hear that same language being used in the local Boston area. It's kinda funny.
As for trains. this happens once in a while. It isn't a common occurrence. But they'll lead you on to think it happens all the time. That girl got it right. Some foreigners lather on the perfume so much you can taste it in the air. Gives me a headache too.
They do not smell the perfume before moving so please shut up and stop excusing nonsense!
@@jamesdobbs6942 They snell the perfume when they approach before they sit down. Some put on so much you can smell it a mile away. And I’ve seen plenty of Japanese sit next to foreigners. They’re exaggerating how often it happens. That’s nonsense. You shut your hole.
@jamesdobbs6942 Some may not, but I can guarantee that a good number, if not most, do. I've been living in Japan the past few years. In terms of scents that they prefer for perfumes/deodorants, the Japanese heavily favor more muted scents such as mints and lemon. Foreign perfumes tend to be more impactful, for lack of a better word, and stands out quite a bit from the norm over there.
I've lived in Japan for 21 years now. Before I lived in Nagoya and there was a pretty Japanese woman on the subway who worked in the clubs and was putting on her make-up. As usual everyone ignored her...until she finished and then pulled out a big can of hair spray and did her hair. No one said anything, but people moved pretty quick.
I just came back from a vacation in Japan and I was expecting that no one would sit next to me in public transport because of what I’ve heard on social media. But in reality it wasn’t the case and people sat next to me all the time. They didn’t really seem to care that I’m a foreigner…
I spoke with a Norweigen oil rig worker on a flight to Oslo. He used to work in Japan, at the very south of the southern island. He was a very tall, blonde guy. He said when his son was 4 or 5 ( this would have been about 1995 ), the locals would want to touch the child's blonde hair for luck. This used to freak the child out, as the locals wouldn't ask, or stick around for conversation. They would just approach, smiling, touch the child's head, bow and smile and continue walking.
I have extremely long blonde hair. Well, long for a guy.
People where touching my hair all the time. It is understandable with kids. You don't expect children to have impulse control or fully grasp personal boundaries.
But the adults would be stroking my hair just as often as the kids, if not more, and I confess it is startling and annoying.
I'm a norwegian too. In 1984 I was 5 years old and had hair so blond, it was almost white. My family and I was on holiday in Tunisia. When we walked around, a lot of grown men would touch my hair (like they were petting a dog) as they passed by. It was a very strange experience.
@@AceMoonshot That sounds horrific. Just another reason to never go to Japan.
@@DeceitfulSnake Well, to be fair, it was not just Japan. But all of Asia.
@@AceMoonshot That sounds horrific. Just another reason to never go to East Asia.
I'm 6'4 250lbs so wayyyy bigger than most people in Japan, and also pretty obviously military. For about 6 months total I lived in Okinawa and so long as I was respectful no one really avoided me or anything like that but I did enjoy the attention of people looking up when I walked by. And my god, between Japan and Ireland I met my favorite drunk people, everyone got so social after a few drinks, went from quiet shock to wow everyone's my new best friend!
Oriental Pearl: You are a diamond! Thank you for the rare insights into Japan. You are a treasure!
Thank you! 😃
Between 80 and 95% of East Asians have a dysfunction of the ABCCII gene, which is linked to smelly pits, a number of studies say. Body odor is primarily associated with apocrine sweat glands, found in the armpit and groin areas. For those without the mutation in the ABCC11 gene, protein in those sweat glands helps transport fatty compounds, or lipids, from the cell into the sweat. The bacteria on the skin breaks down those lipids in the oilier, thicker sweat to produce body odor. But for those with the mutation, the protein doesn’t function that way.
That transporter doesn’t work. And we don’t have those same lipids that cross into the earwax and into the sweat, a dysfunctional ABCC11 gene is also connected to drier, less goopy earwax. So less of that means less body odor, and also translates to dry earwax.
While an overwhelming amount of East Asians have the mutation, it is present in only up to 3% of European populations.
Very detailed and fascinating 👌
Additionally, folks from Africa have the most and largest aprocine glands.
Came to say this! Sweat =/= body odor. While I don't think it is right to assume every "foreigner" smells bad, it is a scientific fact that East Asians are less likely to have body odor.
'a number of studies say' - can you perhaps give us the title of one from a peer-reviewed journal?
@@TransoceanicOutreach I'm surprised you asked for this, as it's been common knowledge for some time. Here's a title, there are lots more online. Google is your friend, instead of trying to catch people out when you are in the wrong. That's twice you have made comments like this. Martin A, Saathoff M, Kuhn F, Max H, Terstegen L, Natsch A. A functional ABCC11 allele is essential in the biochemical formation of human axillary odor. J Invest Dermatol. 2010 Feb;130(2):529-40. doi: 10.1038/jid.2009.254. Epub 2009 Aug 27. PMID: 19710689.
never had that issue in 2 months of travelling all over japan, though ofc in Shinkansen the seats are reserved... Was conscious about Asian sense of smell though and showered twice each day^^
Yes, she failed to distinguish that sweat doesn't equal body odor in her video. Most Asians don't have it. My Chinese wife even complains about my BO sometimes. I've lived in Japan for 21 years now. Shinkansen is very nice, isn't it? Much better than having to fly to every place or have a car and drive for hours.
When I went to Japan, I had the most wonderful experience. I found them to be the nicest people. I asked a lady who had two little children where the train station was, and she put her two kids on the train alone and walked me down the street to where my train was, it was so kind. Another time I asked a bunch of teenagers where I could get a shirt that had Japan on it in Japanese writing. They got off of the train with me walked me to the store walked me down the aisle and pulled the shirt out from the bottom shelf and gave it to me. When was the last time teenagers that you know of were that kind to any stranger whatsoever. When I got out of the airport and took the train to the big station in Tokyo where 6 million Japanese people travel through there every day or something and every sign was in Japanese and I didn’t know Japanese that well. I spoke some Japanese and said takushii for taxi to a man, and he walked me all the way out of the station and into a taxi cab.
I'm an EXPAT caucasian American retired male and I don't have this same problem for myself. Japanese nationals sit next to me all the time; elderly men & women, salarymen, children and single women. I adopt their mannerisms; I don't talk, I sit up straight, look forward and I don't cross my legs. I give a slight bow of the head if I need to make room for them sitting down next to me and vice versa. I'm average looking, average height, average dressing, with no tattoos or piercings. I've been married to a Japanese national >30 years, but that does not change my appearance; it informs my demeanor.
@@ricefieldrecords Same. 20 something white dude. People will sit next to me if it's closer, never thought twice about it.
Yep, the gaijin seat thing is obviously a myth. 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 around you in Japan!" To be honest, everything about Japan tends to be exaggerated on social media.
Same here
You'll never be one of them. No matter how much you pretend.
@@jishani1 I don't care about being "one of them". Why would you move to another country and demand people to call you something you're not? You're a weeb who's just bitter that he doesn't fit in in Japan, or that you'll never even get to go there
I went to Japan with my wife. We were treated very kindly and loved every minute of our trip.
Huge difference between being a tourist in Japan and living in Japan. and many other countries.
Thats not even a valid point. Japan has huge racism issues. They will put up with you but don't take politeness for kindness. Tourism sector employees don't count either, it's in their job description to make you feel at home and they are used to foreign people. Others just aren't and will avoid.
I have been to Japan many times over the past 35 years and have never experienced any of those experiences you refer to in your video - I've even committed some social fauxpas and they were nothing but accepting and a little entertained at my expense, which I never felt bad about. I even let out the water in a family's tub after my soak & bath and I did it properly protocols but, just didn't think about leaving the water in the tub for the next person to soak and bathe. I must admit, I was schooled in detail by my Japanese host on social etiquette but, there is a lot to have to remember and I'm not a robot, which they completely understood.
As a bigger dude, people don't want to sit next to me in my country either. Lol. I wouldn't even feel out of place.
😊❤
Hi big dude I’m fat dude….. yay team
i'm a big guy and i aways sit next to another guy, just because i'm sure that nothing will happen , it's not that i don't like woman, i like them, i just don't trust in random woman in public transport, i've see some crazy shit and i don't want to be a victim of false acusation specially because my body is big, my legs are big and the sits on the train are small, so we know that if my leg touch some crazy bitch drama happens
About 15 years ago my wife (caucasian) and her friend (black) were on a tour in South Korea. They were in a small village where a couple older women were near. The friend (very dark skn) suddenly found one of the ladies rubbing her arm and then looking at her hand. The friend, who didn't know any Korean, looked over and just said to her "It doesn't come off."" They both had a good laugh.
I can confirm this. I was in the Army stationed in Korea. We would all go out and visit small villages frequently. The locals would yell out summoning everyone and multiple people would come up to my black friends and rub them. It was funny to us at first but after a while we all had to learn how to say "it doesn't come off" in Korean before they started rubbing my friends lol
Can't believe they STILL do this :o There's that story about the African samurai (Yasuke) who came to Japan in the 16th century whom the local Daimyou asked to show he's not just inked all over by washing himself.
I doubt they're that dumb.
@-Subtle- I've seen it countless times with my own eyes. I never saw it in bigger cities, but in small villages many have never seen a black person in real life and rarely on TV.
wow that's racist. AND dumb
if it's true
I remember your shorts about this topic ... i even commented... I'm glad you took your taken time to do a whole video about it ... thank you ...
And yes, there are still some more reasons that are beyond our culture or understanding of japanese society , but i truly appreciate your efforts on this topic ... you took your time to talk and ask each side's point of view ...
Anming your content is second to none. I love these videos!
I've lived in Sapporo for about a year and a half. While I have noticed it a little bit, I don't really have this experience. I'm a big dude by American standards so...
1) Smell. I can (or used to be for some reason it has changed over time) somebody who expires a little quicker than anyone so I am very conscious about it. Every single time I'm in a situation where I'm taking a train, since I'm going out, I shower immediately before it and I use this toner that smells like soap. It's a light and nice scent. No strong cologne or anything. I swear this is the best smell a person can have.
It is sooooooooooo humid in Japan. Sapporo is at least cool most of the year.
2) Again, giant dude. I'll try and sit in the corner rather than the middle, but this is a problem in America too. If I'm sitting in the middle its going to be uncomfortable for people next to me. In this case, I'll just let somebody sit down if its the only seat available.
3) This has nothing to do with trains, but just life in general from moving to Japan. I'm 6'4" like 350 lbs and my wife is 4'10" 100 lbs. People stare all the time. This isn't chikan related, but I / we absolutely stand out. It bothered me at first, but I just got over it. I just say hi.
4) Same as #3. That white family explains the odd feeling perfectly, but again like you said, people usually LOVE trying to talk to me. It definitely gives you incentive to upgrade your Japanese level :)
In conclusion, I'm not sure if its because I'm a foreigner, a giant person or a combination of both, but you'll experience a little oddities, but for the most part, people will treat you with a lot of respect, and don't take the slight offenses too personally.
Get some LUME 😉
Expire means die. If you expire faster than others try to have the funeral quicker to avoid odours.
He clearly meant perspire 🙄
A bit exaggerated. Japanese don't always leave a seat next to a foreigner open. Nor is it common for them to get up when you sit down next to them. As for the question of why they don't sit down next to a foreigner? Jesus, do I really have to answer that!?
I'm a very white-skin european fat guy and I've been in japaneese onsen and bathes and I had a wonderfull experience with japanese men who came next to me to socialize and talk in a very friendly and cool way. For me, japaneese people aren't so different than other people on the planet ! I feel super cool and great in Tokyo !
They want free English lessons
they probably thought you were a sumo 😭
@@jamiehamilton5428I speak japanese and had the same experience. Having a friendly chat in an onsen is quite usual. These stupid „Japan“ channels like this one always spread bullshit about japan because it gets them the most clicks.
@@olfrud Come on man, this "(some) Japanese people not wanting to sit next to Gaijin" is absolutely a thing. As a stereotypical Caucasian male who has rarely had to deal with racism in his life I was surprised to see that this behaviour actually made me angry and not feel welcome. It's happened to many other people, too, and many of these people have felt the same way I have - why not discuss it in the rather nuanced way this video has done? This way, a lot of the negative stereotypes about Japan can be refuted.
I'm a black guy in the military. People sat next to me all the time.
My son has been visiting japan for a week of a two week trip. Other than the hotel staff and restaurant staff, no one else has talked to him. Going to Japan has been a childhood dream to him as I exposed him to the culture early. Now he said he can't wait to get home. At least he is seeing the sights inn Kyoto, Tokyo, Nara and Osaka.
Tell him to go to roppongi and shibuya. It's really about where and when you meet people, most people there are living the work life and keep their head down. best time to talk with them are a hole in the wall restaurant after they are decompressing, smoke pit, arcades, and those two parts of Tokyo I listed because they are like party towns made for people to unwind.
I lived there for 5 years, it's a great place but 1 that you kind of need to know how to navigate the social atmosphere.
We dont talk that much to strangers, and we are shy and a bit cautious. Its just a culture difference.
@@JMS-O19Yea, your entire culture has xenophobia built in. It's factual.
tell him to get off his phone and actually say hi to the poeple around him in real life.
The US is one of a very few places where initiating conversation or lengthy small talk with strangers is the norm. He'd probably hate Sweden and Germany, too. Japanese people don't even speak to each other, when they go out to eat. As others have said, visiting places and attractions that cater to younger people will garner him better luck, but he will likely have to initiate. The Japanese are a quiet people, so things like chatting on the train walking along have a loud conversation with friends are viewed as impolite. They don't chit-chat or make small talk. In future, he should make researching the social and cultural norms of the countries he visits a priority. There are many places in the world, where actions Americans consider common and appropriate may offend locals or even be illegal.
Hello! thanks for a great channel:-) You and your husband are doing a great job:-) A friend of mine said that the reason some Japanese people don't sit next to a stranger on the train is because they want to show you respect. He also said in Japan there is someting they call Japanese only Restaurant. The the reason they wouldn't let no japanes people go into a Japanes restaurant is because that restaurant is only for Japanese locals so that the culture and way of eating the traditional dishes will be kept. You can go in the as foreigners if you have some local with you:-) Before the Japanese only Restuarant was for the wealthy and influential japanese folks for their high-end meetings in both business and politics. It was for the rich Japanese businessman and politicans to discuss important matters that are definitely confidential and controversial at some times. But not anymore. Now it is The discreet and hidden style of Ryötei. In case you wondering Ryötei it is not in any way discriminative towards any nationality or race. Some say that they limit the dinners the diners to local so that the culture and way of eating the traditional dishes will be kept. This is why they still allow tourist to dine in Ryötei. As long as they re accompanied by a local that can surely guide them on what and what not to do in a traditional Japanese restaurant. The locals can also guide them throught the meals and how to eat them to get the best experience possible.
What a great video. Really enlightening. It's always good to understand other cultures.
I often wonder if there's another youtuber doing the exact same for the Japanese culture in the west.
I used to live in Kitashinjuku in Tokyo and plenty of people sat by me on the subway. I even conversed with people (I speak Japanese and write/read it) and they were very impressed and also practiced their English with me 😊 Japan is an amazing and wonderful country and if you respect their culture and are willing to learn you’ll find that the people are beyond helpful.
Great videos , very useful, informative and easy to follow, thank you
I'm 100% Japanese, born and raised in Japan, but even I sometimes experience the gaijin seat.
I mean, Japanese people sometimes keep their distance from other Japanese people, even if they are Japanese.
Rather than gaijin seat, Japanese people simply keep their distance from others.
maybe, but isn't the Tokyo metro incredible full with commuters all the time? this 'keeping your distance' shouldn't be a thing in overcrowded public transport unless there is an overwhelming reason to do it anyway.
And about the foreigner avoidance issue, I experienced this maybe a little when I was in S. Korea, but not often! Moreso in Seoul, perhaps, but not in Pohang or Cheong'ju, a bit of the opposite, really, especially in Cheong'ju! That was in 1997 and 2002. When I got older, in China in 2015, I experienced more of that, for sure.
I can honestly say from my experiences traveling in Asia they seemed most worried about having to speak English to me.
I think that's a big part of it.
I spent 3 1/2 years in Tokyo in the early 90s. A native Nebraskan, I was mistaken for being Filipino due to my Hispanic heritage, and was kind of given a pass, while my gaijin colleagues were not, openly shunned for their foreign shells, given that they were all mostly American and serving in the military. Sad, but true. I had a friend who guided me through parts of Tokyo and the countryside where few gaijin rarely trod, and the native Japanese looked at us like we were from a different planet. I believe many of the Japanese people, being an island nation rarely encounter foreigners, and that may be a big part of it. Living in rural Nebraska for most of my life, I can see how that works. Many of the white people here stick to the old social norms rarely accepting outsiders.
It was still like this in the 2010s. I am a half Filipino so they always thought I was from Oki. My obviously white friends always used me to score tables to sit at because they would be politely denied. One of my friends was a pretty blonde girl who they either fawned over or spit at her feet.
@@ravenbird3014this is so typical with pretty girls everywhere i swear. it’s suuuuuch a mixed bag, the jealousy can be intense and yet everyone says “pretty privilege” but it only works some times with certain people under certain circumstances
@@freddyrodriguez4732 I think the spitting from older guys was more politically motivated in Oki. I have definitely benefited a lot but also have been sexually assaulted more. Okinawa actually was the worse place for butt grabs. They thought I was from there so I was treated like a local. It is definitely an unreported issue, I believe.
@@freddyrodriguez4732 It must be very frustrating that pretty privilege is not 100% successful all of the time in every circumstance.
In 1992 i went to tokyo for 1st and only time, and japanese sat next to 14 yr old me. A nice japanese man spoke to me, and i had a really nice conversation, i told him i was fron Texas. My dad was sitting kinda far from me, the man saw my dad and he asked if that was my dad, i said "yes" and he tapped on his forearm and said with a smile "ah, big Texas man" i forever after thought japanese are very nice people. It was the best trip ever.
Very well done video as always, very informative as well.
Glad you enjoyed it. I’ve been wanting to make this one for a long time.
It is a myth that the Japanese don't sweat or sink first. Even in the wintertime, the gaijin seat happens. My BMI is 22.4, and I am average height, so it is not body size. I have worn casual clothes and suits. It still happens. But I now realize that I enjoy it because when someone does sit there, I wish they did:t.
Yet another thing I love about Japan. I love the free space.
同じ人種が人口の大半を占める国では大体同じ事が起きます
アジア人がほぼいない国に行くと私の横に座る人は少ないです😂
😂😂😂😂😂😂
truth🤣😂🤣😂
そんなことないですよ。妻は中国人で、イタリアで住んでいますが、地下鉄に乗ったら、人が多いのに隣の席が空いてることは一度もなかったんです。イタリアでの外国人はパーセント的に東京と同じぐらい。とはいえ、日本人のその行動は人種差別だと言えるかどうか。外国人の隣に座ったら自分も目立ってしまう、注目されちゃう、とか思ってるんじゃないですかね。
@@RiccardoGabarriniKazeatari
自分の経験から言ってます
特に東欧はその傾向が強かったですね〜
私は何年もの間、ロングアイランドからニューヨークまで電車で通勤していました。もちろん、満杯のときは違いますが。一般的に、白人の人は私の隣に座りませんでした。もしかしたら、臭いがしそうな顔をしていたのかもしれません。一般的にという意味です。気にしない白人もいます。しかし、時が経つにつれて、白人以外の乗客が増えるように変化していることに気づきました。
大きなターバンを巻いたインド人の男がいました。誰も彼の隣に座りたがらなかった。彼の隣に座っていたのはいつも同じ人々でした(白人)。ある時、何人かの人々が彼に怒鳴っているのを目撃しました。9.11から数ヶ月後のことでした。多くのアメリカ人は、アラブ人はターバンを巻いていると考えています。
Nice to hear pure honesty for an uncomfortable subject and told in a positive sweet way somehow!
Thank you. I’m glad you liked the tone of this video.
Sounds great to me. I would love to have seat space around me on the bus!
TLDR It's hardcore racism.
no its called knowing your identity and wanting to keep it. all foreigners are welcome as long as they leave after they visited...simple. thats why i love the Japanese they dont give two fcks if some snowflake gets offended, they're in their home and you're not, so come see spend the money amd then gtfo
yep
Based
@@AIEnhanced-ts5ko no it aint, its knowing your identity and not letting parasites invade your home
When I was in Japan, I had the exact opposite happen to me. Well, except for a cab driver, a lady at the laundromat and a shop keeper who I later found out had reason to hate Americans. I had people approach me on the street and at the JR stations. I had one beautiful girl approach me when I was out in a very rural part of Japan on the train that is still friends with me. I even had a young lady take a photo of me when I stood up and gave two old ladies a chance to sit on a very crowded train. I'm 6'2" tall and at that time I was about 250lbs. You couldn't miss seeing me on the street, in the store or on the train. But people still had the energy to come up to me and try their English as I tried my very bad Japanese. The girl on the train that's still my friend was looking at me so intently I though I did something wrong and was going to yell at me. Turns out she was just trying to figure out if I might be safe to approach. LOL! I had a taxi driver not want a gaijin in his car. The lady at the laundromat just did not want me around her and her daughter. The guy who owns a shop doesn't like Americans because his grandfather died while in the IJN during WWII. 99% of the people I interacted with was on a very positive level. Hell, I can't get that level here in the States! I think I have about 81%. Give or take a point. So I find it hard to relate to these kinds of vids. I do understand it does happen, but it just really hasn't happened to me. Thank you for the vid!
I’m an ethnic minority in the United States and recently traveled to Japan in September and October 2024. I used the train in most of the 13 ports, including Tokyo and Osaka. I’m a man. People sat next to me on on every ride.
i 100% agree about the perfume because there is some old lady type perfume that will send me packin for the hills🤣
As I read the comments,
I don't understand why is this a problem? If they don't want to sit next to you, why do you care? lol
People worry too much about the smallest things. If your busy looking at your phone, taking a nap on the train (like everyone does) or busy reading a book, you wouldn't even notice. And about "not being asian" Who cares lol.
I love Asian people and respect the culture but I don't want to be asian at all. Just like Japanese people (I'm sure mostly) don't want to be American. People need to love themselves more and stop trying to be something they clearly can't be. Ive been to Japan many, many times and some people didn't want to sit next to me which was totally fine. Then other people did. It just depends on the person. but again who cares lol smh
Btw im from New York where we don't care at all 😁
I think people are just bored and love making propaganda vids... im so tired of these videos
try to think for a minute. reasons matter, not just the result or outcome
From New York, doesn’t care, checks out. New York is an awful place.
...he doesn't speak for us. He's probably from upstate.
@@mikes.3574 you totally right I don’t speak for you. Also 142st and convent Avenue is upstate. 👍🏽
Luckily I didn't have any of these experiences in Japan, not one! I also have to say that I was a very light-skinned, young blonde woman when I was last there. But I have seen negative behavior towards others. Unfortunately, often without any apparent reason (I trust myself to have a good perception because I have been interested in Japanese culture since I was 7 years old). But sometimes with good reason! I and two other German ladies we met there went to an onsen and I explained to them in great detail how thoroughly they had to wash themselves from head to toe beforehand and the whole procedure twice, after which everything that was and could be used was cleaned up properly then, completely clean, into the bath water. The two Japanese women in their 50s who watched us for a while in the wash corner didn't leave the sink! I was so incredibly proud!! Then a young American woman came in, said “screw it” after two pictures of the instructions and wanted to go into the onsen. I went to her and explained to her in English that this was the rudest thing she could do, a no-go and why. I explained to her briefly how to do it, but I could see that she didn't want to do it, when she rolled her eyes and said "That's exaggeration" I needed a new plan, all the talking didn't help. I offered to do the procedure again so she could see it and just copy me. All just to stop her from going to the onsen like that. She actually said: No thanks, in America people go into the bathtub to get clean, they don't shower first, it's totally stupid the way they do it here. Having said that, she pushes me aside (I was literally blocking the way) and goes into the water. If I had been more familiar with the law, I would have wanted to trip her up and pin her naked on the f**king floor of the onsen, that ignorant c*w. Hardly necessary to mention that the Japanese women got out in a hurry. The three of us Germans took the trouble to gossip loudly enough about this woman in English, basically everything about her (only true things), so she should understand it. Not nice, but yeah 🤷🏼♀️ I was hoping for a comment, but somehow it was a mix of meekness and a display of arrogance.
Unfortunately, I encountered this more often from other tourists of the same origin on this vacation: It has to run like it does at home otherwise it's obviously stupid, and volume is also a foreign concept. 🤦🏼♀️🤦🏼♀️🤦🏼♀️
So there are such and such experiences. And yes, being pretty and feminine certainly helps to be treated nicely, but I think in Japan you only have a chance if you at least make an effort and are respectful and considerate. Even if it doesn't always work, without it nothing works.
I’ve been to Japan many times and always found the people so polite and welcoming. No one has said anything racist to me verbally or directly in any form. I’ve had that happen more in my own country. Just because someone chooses not to sit next you doesn’t make them racist. They have literally done nothing to you!
It's basically the same people that complain about everything and always like to blame everyone else and pointing the finger at everyone else for their own actions that are making other people uncomfortable They just give off a bad vibe.
Other people tend to notice that but they can't seem to notice it themselves being the main problem here.
A racist gesture is doing something, what a stupid comment
We humans are social beings remember that. Our systems are designed to connect safely with other beings. This connection is what holds us and carries us through life.
@@MickeyMishra....it's not the same. But ok, you have in your own head tried to compare 2 very different things. Maybe you just don't have the internal capacity to sit with all the feelings and emotions that come with these kind of realness. Let's ignore what's really going on and be positive 😢
@@reenasat Life is also a jungle and like any living being in the jungle we have to protect ourselves and that includes culture and standards. Homogenising and forcing everyone to your utopian ideal is not the solution, protecting, respecting each others traditions and way of life is.
6’1” 220lbs Filipino-American man here. People sit next to me all the time. Sorry if this happens to you, hope it doesn’t ruin your trip.
People don't sit next to me even in my own home-country.
To add to the 'odor' conversation - there's a level of nuance that isn't frankly discussed in an honest way when topics like this come up in ANY country. The reality is that different people from different cultures/ethnicities DO tend to have different scents that are influenced by things like diet, genetics, and hygiene/clothes washing practices that differ from culture to culture. Every person smells different, but different cultures tend to have more in common with each other in this regard due to the aforementioned reasons.
That doesn't automatically mean that other people automatically 'stink' to others - it does mean that more conservative/less 'direct' cultures like Japan who value not rocking the boat are a lot more likely to simply avoid being put into a situation that MIGHT be awkward than to try and find out.
Stereotypes:
East Asia - Fish
Indians -curry
French-onions
anymore??😆
You make an excellent point. When I worked one winter in South Korea in the early 2000s I was at first taken aback by the strong garlic odor in the office. I learned to live with it. I love Korean food and about a month later I was alone when I noticed a strong garlic odor. Then I sniffed my shirt and realized that was how I now smelled!
Genetics? How can you possibly know, have you done some DNA studies recently?
I flew with another pilot when I was doing air charters, and he told me that the Air France planes always smelled bad because the French do not bathe as frequently as others do. I'm not sure if that is true, but he was very insistent about it.
@@NoSugarThanksI've heard someone say Scandinavians smell like sour milk or deary.
I had some African friends, and they had a pleasant smell of earthy beans, and they did eat a lot of beans.
When I studied abroad in Japan, I expected the empty seat treatment. But surprisingly, it never happened to me! I sweat, I wear a lot of deodorant, I have smelly perfumes, I’m bigger bodied AND I’m the furthest looking thing from Asian. But six months of riding the train daily, and I was sat next to and sometimes squished.
Obviously I’m not saying this never happens but I’m still in shock it never happened to me.
I loved my time in Japan. I was working in an office with perhaps a dozen Japanese and they were really quiet, even on the phone. Once I noticed I was the loudedt person, just typing, breathing and thinking! The people were great, friendly and open
I live in Taiwan and never really noticed anyone avoiding me on public transport, but some foreigners have complained of that here too. It could just be since those people aren't that familiar with foreigners they just feel more comfortable being around what is familiar or normal to them - no need to imagine hostility. The way I think is that people have no ill-will unless they make it very clear to me - it's easier to be happy this way.
They fear of you to talk to them in a foreign language
Yes, right??? I am wondering why she didn't mention this in the video. I think this is also a big factor.
@@katzuy5093 or the usual excuse for "non gaijin friendly" places. japanese men were groping girls constantly under everyone´s eyes, let alone the constant presence of porn on the trains, but man what can the possibility of being spoken to in english does! somebody sleeps on your shoulder? thats fine. you have a beard? let´s stand for 30 minutes. why don´t we stop pretending that japan has a huge racism problem?
or maybe she smells
This is the only factor...they are shy and submissive people
As a Japanese, I'd like to share my opinion. If you're being avoided, I think the cause might be the perfume. Japanese people don't usually wear much perfume, so they tend to dislike strong fragrances.
I actually like being different in these countries. I feel like a foreigner in my own country these days, but in China especially, which is my favourite country, as I speak a bit, I like listening to what people say!
This. Very real and exactly how I feel.
It may be naive of me, but after 6 years in Japan it has always been my impression that it is very normal that Japanese people leave one empty seat between them and a stranger whenever possible, foreigner or not. Which includes scooting on further away seats when possible.
I only get obviously gaijin seated on rare occasions in the deep countryside.
breaking news: nobody in the world sits beside someone else on an empty train, it would be very awkward. this is about not sitting beside you on a packed train if you´re a foreigner, which happened to me basically without exception in my time (3 months) in tokyo
yeah, when you get on a train everyone sits one away from everyone else. The corner seats all fill up first as well, also its the same everywhere, people want space and not to sit next to people they dont know
Ha! I go through this in NYC being a black man…a lot of the white people are scared to sit next to me…
yeah, not in NYC but I've seen them call other white people over to them while there's an big air pocket around the black people. no big loss because white people conversation is too performative and unnatural imo
@@wasanonymous I am, but that should t matter either…I don’t care how another person looks (except if they look homeless or dirty etc) I’m still gonna sit down
I have been to Korea 2x and traveled everywhere on the tube line. I never had this problem.
10 years living in Tokyo, the spots next to me in the metro are always taken, never happened to me…. I’m white caucasian for what may matters
First time in Japan in travel in train and everyone sit next to me I don’t have problems and find nice people help for information and even a police was nice take photos with me😊
As Dutchman with a direct flight from AMS to Japan, one has spend over 13 hours in a plane and more hours in transit before entering public transport to the hotel in Japan. I can imagine not being fruity fresh after such a journey. First thing I'd like to do arriving at the hotel is getting a shower and changing clothes...
i was in the same situation few weeks ago, 23 degrees in november is for me unimaginable for a country that has 4 seasons. but im an dumb orc and i should have checked the weather beforehand.
I had no problem in Tokyo but in Kyoto... ooooh girl many times Yakuza like people looked at me in the train ready to have a fight. It was crazy. Now i clearly prefer Tokyo. Shinjuku is great.
I was in the Navy in the 90's and visited Japan. My all time favorite response to being asked where I was from while drinking at bars was, "Oh, cowboy. Bang,bang!"(in English & followed by the two finger gun gesture). Because I'd say, I'm from Texas. I guess previous westeern movies or other Texans left a good mark that I took advantage of.🤠🤠
I have lived and worked in Japan since 1982 in Sapporo, Yokohama and Tokyo commuting by train or subway everyday. (I am a caucasian male.) "Foreigner avoidance", in my experience, is very rare, especially in the last 20 years or so. If anything, in the 80's, I experienced the opposite of foreigner avoidance, especially in Sapporo where there were very few foreigners at the time.
About chikan - I have a good friend who’s the head of a mid-sized manufacturing company in Japan, and he told me that whenever he rides a crowded train he keeps both hands on the bar or strap so there’s zero chance of anyone accusing him of chikan. It’s not very likely that someone might, but as the head of a company, any accusation would have devastating consequences, regardless of the veracity of the claim.
(It’s a sad fact that fully 1/3 of Japanese women experience chikan at some point during their lives :-/)
False accusation can ruin your life. Why take the chance? It's much like having flood insurance. Sure, the chances of you experiencing a flood can be low, but on the off chance your Toilet overflows, or your fridge breaks its water line for he ice machine, better to be safe than sorry.
Its like in the military. You are late, you are late. Does not matter what happens, you should have planned for it.
The same needs to be said in life.
Just as if in the old days, people would travel on waggons.
People use to get robbed and ended all the time back in the pioneer days.
Its stupid not to plan for these things however unlikely they are.
And today? We have the easiest life possible in respects to back then.
So taking the precautions is just good measure as this is our version of the wild west being accused of a false allegation or "Chikan"
this chikan point wouldn't apply to men experiencing empty seats next to them then. yet the reasons are numerous and most likely linked to the R word
@@embreis2257 Yeah, chikan happens when people are standing in packed trains, not seated (as far as I know at least, I’m obviously not an expert on the topic, being a male and only having visited there).
@@DaveEtchells I think it has to be way more than that. I lived there for 10 years and it happened multiple times. All my friends said that they have experienced it. Maybe the older women haven’t or the children haven’t (yet).
@@411faithhopelove Wow, that’s sad. I hadn’t thought about it, but it’s possible that the 1/3 number includes people living in less densely populated areas, where the trains and buses are rarely packed. As you suggest, it could be that it’s a snapshot in time, counting everyone currently alive who’s female, even the very young. (Another thought: Are you and your friends westerners? I wonder if it happens even more often to foreign women than native ones?) Whatever the case, it’s a sad indictment of a society that in so many other ways respects individual space 😢
My one visit to Japan was great. The people were always polite and sometimes curious. At one point my wife and I found ourselves travelling through farmland, going from rural Odate to [eventually] Tokyo. The country folk were really nice; it was humorous. Some of them had never actually met a non Japanese person. They elected a young teacher who knew some English to bombard us with all these questions. It made a long trip delightfully 'short' and highly entertaining for us all. The only time I experienced any overt display of dislike was, funnily enough, with 2 taxi drivers. One got frustrated with our lack of Japanese language and basically dumped us on the side of a road. The other refused us service and actively was trying to get the other drivers in the taxi rank to do the same.
I would have loved it if people would avoid me in crowded places. In my experience, being a tall white guy got me enough unwanted attention that I probably won't visit Asia ever again now that I have visited the places I want to see.
It's also funny how smell works. I get that East Asian people are genetically different when it comes to sweating, but I can pretty much tell from which part of Asia you are before I can see you based on smell alone.