things that you shouldn’t do in Public?

Sorry but you pointed out some items I find just strange or downright odd.

You state:
Going to a tourist spot is a bad idea cuz
1. You may break something seen as sacred.

WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?

Seriously, just because someone goes alone to a tourist spot THEY ARE GOING TO BREAK SOMETHING SACRED BECAUSE THEY ARE ALONE?

Thats the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. As a tourist I have gone to many places alone and never broke something sacred. Just down right ridiculous from my point of view.

I have never broken any thing sacred at tourist attraction by myself, but I know what kawaii eban is talking about. I love ramen and when I first moved to Japan and wanted to go a ramen shop the stares were so unnerving that I was there, that I spilled my soup in my lap. I was trying to behave so well, carefully using my chop sticks slurping the noodles, so worried that I was going to look like an idiot to the elderly woman and the elderly man who were staring at me almost the whole time as if I was a freak show. I felt so much pressure to eat like a normal japanese person without making a mistake, because I was trying to break a gaigin stereotype of foriegners staying in Japan and not able to use chopsticks. Too much pressure, so trying to look at my husband and ignore the staring, I went to take a sip from the spoon, you know the glass ladle spoon type thing, and I missed my mouth and soup dropped in my lap. Of course the elderly couple that were staring at me started staring at me more and even started smiling to eachother. I was so sweaty and red and utterly humiliated. I am sorry I am another contribution to the baka gaigin stereotype. I still get stared at now, but it doesn't rattle me as much. Learning Japanese helps, because you can go into a japanese restaurant and order anything on the menu, with confidence and after you have been to a couple of Japanese restaurants, you get used to it. I thought that kawaii eban's post was really funny and relatable. Dave, your post was hilarious, it was long so I don't think everyone read it, but I lived in Los Angeles area for five years before moving to Japan and I know what your talking about. It was really funny.

sarahck,
How does that defend what he said about "going around alone" are you saying if you were with your friends and not alone you would of never spilled some ramen or whatever?

A statement like "if you go alone you might break something sacred" IS downright ridiculous.

Please don't stick gum on a tree, or underneath the seat of a public transportation vehicle. Also don't carve a heart, Casey plus Rachel equals heart, anarchy rules, or for a good time call.... onto a public bench, tree, or bathroom stall door. Also, don't be a hassle when it comes to the menu. If you have an allergy to something and definitly need it taken off an item, the patrons will be more understanding, but if you go somewhere other than McDonald's, where no pickles and what not is more tolerated. Don't expect to get your food with the sauce on the side or the vegetables substituted to your liking, if you order a dish that contains eggs, but ask for egg beaters instead, forget it clyde.

Yes, I admit I did a semi-frown to that myself, but I overlooked it because of the rest of his posts. You're right it is a more dramatic joke, and foriegners are not apt to break something sacred when they are alone, of course it is ridiculous, but it is funny as well. You will understand if you come to Japan. The first time can be so overwhelming. There is kanji everywhere, and people are staring at you as you have this look of bewilderment while you are very carefully trying to figure out which train you should take and trying to use the best etiquette for Japanese as possible. Foriegners including myself, feel so much pressure to do the right thing and not to offend Japanese while we are in their culture, that we do some clumsey things, while we are trying to withstand the pressure. Don't listen to kawaii eban's remark about breaking sacred things when you are alone, but everything else he posted is very relatable to a foriegner living in Japan.

I so want to go japan. I cant believe how different they're culture is. Its not so bad in HK as I have been there before.
I look oriental but from UK, hopefully people wont think im a wierdo and recognise me as a tourist as well.

I enjoyed reading Daves post - very amusing!!

So does it mean we cant talk ato any japanese strangers? Not even the cute girls in school uniform? lol

Actually from my observations its as overwelming as how the person (visitor, tourist) is accustomed to things. I live in a major metropolitan area in the US, with lots of diversity and asian community, so travelling to Japan wasn't as overwelming as someone who say comes from a smaller city or town outside of Japan. Also being Asian-American I guess I have a one up on that I don't stand out as much. Though it brings up another whole issue of problems.

But in general, i'll repeat what others have said, don't do anything that would be offensive in your own country and it won't be offensive in Japan. NORMALLY you wouldn't stick gum on signposts or seats at home so don't do it in Japan.

It doesn't mean you can't talk to strangers, they might find it strange if you just walked up and started a conversation.

But then again I live here in the USA, and I would find it odd if some random person walked up to me and started a converstation. I guess it would all depend on the place and situation you're in when you start the converstation.

If you look asian, the Japanese will be more strict with you since they will probably assume that you are of Japanese origin and had at least one Japanese parent who should have raised you "properly."

But if you look western, then most Japanese will accept your incorrect behavior as ignorance, and while it may annoy many, they will generally accept it. But there are a few taboos that even westerners must not break:

The Shoes thing
Always take off your shoes when entering a home or Japanese style inn or restaurant (the ones with tatami mats).

The Chopsticks thing
Never stick your chopsticks in the bowl. If you want to put them down on the bowl, place them horizontal across the rim. Also don't give someone else food from chopsticks to chopsticks. Pick up your food with your choptsticks and put it on their plate. Both of these customs have to do with funeral rites.

The Bath thing
Always wash with soap and rinse completely before entering the bath. Baths are for soaking.

Honorary Mention
The Kissing thing
Kissing in public is a no-no for most Japanese, and although most will tolerate it in westerners' behavior, some will call you out on it. Best to leave it for private moments.

I was looking over this old post (one year ^_^;) again and I guess I never returned to clearly explain what I meant by breaking something sacred. I did not mean that if you go alone you will immediately or for sure break something, but often times there are ink paintings on display and some people don't know that flashes on cameras dilute and destroy the ink. As an artist it kills me to see that happen... I, wanting to know what something was, always tend to try and figure it out but end up messing it up in some way. Uhhh... touching the fortune papers at a shrine or the holy paper around a holy tree. I dunno, just stuff you might not think is a big deal may be a big deal to someone else so it is nice to have a native Japanese friend nearby to assist you and to ask before you touch. Understand?

most of this looks like good advice except whoever said that no one wil give a foreigner directions and will "brush you off" I've heard quite the opposite. I've heard separate stories of Japanese people offering to walk the entire distance with someone to make sure they get where they need to go. Maybe its the exception but I got the impression that people will be helpful in the realm of directions for gaijin...

I somewhat agree with Eban. I am so glad I had Japanese friends go with me to different tourist attractions! I would have done some stupid things had they not been there and said not to do that!

I read an article about a young woman who visited France and got arrested...Arrested for picking up a ROCK. Took her quite a while to clear things up.

But that is why it helps to have a native show you around..

For your info., Mister David, we do have and use deodorant in Canada. Just travel or have make-sense canadian friends :). Thanks for the other infos. I just hope they are not as false as that one. lol

I wonder if I'll ever have the gutts to eat in a Japanese restaurant in Japan. Most of the "rules" in Japan were pretty much common sense for me, besides the not eating / drinking while walking down the street thingy. I never did it anyway.

Perhaps I unwittingly violated unwritten social norms on my recent solo trip to Japan, but I visited many places, and was often impressed by the pride taken by Japanese people in learning that I had traveled alone so far to see and experience things that they hold dear. I tried to be respectful - for example, I avoided taking photographs unless I was sure they were permitted, I tried to avoid getting in people's way, and I didn't touch anything unless it was clearly appropriate to do so. I was never given any reason to think that visiting any site alone was unacceptable. Quite in contrast, I was made to feel very welcome.

Adding my experience:

All the advice is spot-on except going to tourist spots by yourself and people not helping you out and brushing you off. I asked for directions several times to complete strangers and was always given help without hesitation. One even walked me to my exit in Shinjuku station and I didn't even ask for her help! Of course it helps that you're holding a map and looking lost and confused!

Also eating ice cream while walking is ok, too. I know cause my girlfriend and I did so in Shibuya and no one seemed to give us evil stares!

I am currently visiting Japan. It's my first trip, I've been here for about three weeks and I have three more weeks to go.

It's my experience that it is pointless to try to not look like a tourist if you're clearly not japanese. Once I accepted that it was obvious to everyone that I was foreign, everything became a learning experience and it took the edge off.

I've never been more comfortable exploring a place on my own. In fact, I get frustrated when I see a huge pack of tourists, and I have to fight through them to get anywhere. Japan is very solo-friendly. And I have more problems asking for directions in the U.S. than I do here.

I also find that people want to talk to me. There have been a number if times that I have been approached and asked if it would be ok if they speak english for a while. This happened at a shrine in Asakusa, and I enjoying having a conversation with a man who wanted to share everything he knew about Buddhism, Shintoism and American movies.

Just don't be a jerk. Smile, be courteous and kind, and you'll be fine. They allow a few slip ups for tourists.

I have enjoyed reading these posts, especially the long one. Being half Japanese and trained to be Japanese by my mom, the list of what not to do has caused all the blood to drain out of my face thinking about doing those things in public. I actually have a couple to add. No dipping french fries in ketchup. Bizzare, I know. It is funny because my relatives tolerate it but when my younger cousins imitate me, they get in trouble. I justlaugh. It is customary to dip McDonald's french fries in ketchup, unless you don't like ketchup.

Oh, and no laughing unless you are laughing AT someone or something. Absolutely no nervous laughing or sarcastic laughing unless you want to be thought of as a nut. There is a Japanese language class online you can download to an IPod which laughs through the entire class. I was shocked, not because they were laughing, but because I thought they sounded like idiots. I guess mom's training stuck.

I almost forgot this one. This is a big no no and even thinking about this one makes all the blood drain out of my face (response to mom's yelling). When someone has spread out a blanket on the beach, or beach towel or picnic blanket, and you are not the owner or one of the guests, for goodness sakes, don't step on it with your shoes!

Basic rule, if it doesn't belong to you, don't touch it. If you need to move it, don't use your feet.

Are you positive that it's actually bad manners in Japan to dip your fries in your ketchup? Or is it possibly just something your relatives don't approve of?

I can't imagine what else you would be expected to do with the ketchup at fast food places -- especially when it's in those itty bitty plastic cups -- I honestly thought they were made for dipping your french fries!