How Foreigners OFFEND Japanese (Unintentionally)
Summary
TLDRThis video humorously highlights cultural differences between Japan and Western countries, particularly in manners and behaviors that can be perceived as rude. The narrator shares personal stories about misunderstandings, such as misinterpreting greetings, gestures, or casual habits like blowing your nose at the table or chewing gum during a class. Through these experiences, the video emphasizes the importance of understanding cultural norms to avoid offense. It also touches on movie theater etiquette and promotes Japanese snack subscription boxes. The narrator reflects on how these differences shaped their perspective during their time abroad.
Takeaways
- đ Cultural misunderstandings can lead to uncomfortable situations; for example, in Japan, pointing at someone with your chin can be seen as rude and disrespectful.
- đł Gestures can have very different meanings across cultures. In Japan, looking someone in the eye and tilting your head can imply a challenge or fight, whereas in Western cultures, it could simply be a greeting.
- đ The word 'ha' in Japan can be perceived as aggressive or challenging, often used before a fight. In contrast, it can simply mean 'huh?' or 'what?' in other cultures like America.
- đ€§ Blowing your nose in public, especially at the dinner table, is considered rude and gross in Japan, as opposed to being generally acceptable in many Western countries.
- đŹ Chewing gum in Japan, particularly in formal settings like classrooms or business meetings, is seen as highly disrespectful and a sign of inattention.
- đż In Japan, people are expected to be punctual when going to the movies and avoid making noise while eating snacks, unlike in Western cultures where eating loudly during a film is common.
- đ Japanese people tend to be quieter when watching movies, avoiding loud laughter, while in other cultures like America, people might openly laugh, clap, or even talk back to the screen.
- đČ Expressing emotions loudly during a movie can be seen as disruptive in Japan, but in countries like New Zealand or the U.S., itâs part of the shared movie-watching experience.
- đ Different cultures have varying classroom norms. In Japan, chewing gum or behaving casually in class is a sign of disrespect, while in other countries, it's seen as normal behavior.
- đ Accidental breaches of privacy, such as walking in on someone in a bath, are handled differently in Japan, where acknowledging the mistake politely is crucial.
Q & A
What gesture did the narrator find offensive when John greeted them?
-The narrator found it offensive when John greeted them by lifting his chin and saying 'g'day,' which was mistaken as 'go die.' In Japan, lifting the chin in such a way is seen as disrespectful, implying a challenge or looking down on someone.
Why did the narrator prepare to fight John after the misunderstanding?
-The narrator prepared to fight John because they misunderstood the gesture and greeting. In Japan, lifting the chin is a very rude gesture that can imply a challenge or a desire to fight. The narrator thought John was trying to provoke them.
How did the narrator feel after learning that John wasnât being rude?
-The narrator felt embarrassed and relieved after learning that John's greeting 'g'day' was an Australian way of saying hello, not an offensive gesture or insult.
What does the word 'ha' imply in Japanese, and why did it scare the narrator when the security guard said it?
-'Ha' in Japanese can mean 'what the hell do you want' or imply rudeness, which scared the narrator when the security guard used it. However, in English, it was simply an informal way of saying 'come again' or 'pardon,' causing a misunderstanding.
Why did the narrator and other Japanese students find it shocking when the American girl blew her nose at the dinner table?
-In Japan, blowing your nose in public, especially at the dinner table, is considered very rude and unhygienic. The narrator and other Japanese students were shocked because they viewed it as a gross and inappropriate action.
Why is chewing gum considered disrespectful in Japan, especially in classrooms or business settings?
-Chewing gum in Japan, particularly in classrooms or business settings, is seen as disrespectful because it gives the impression that the person is not paying attention or taking the situation seriously.
How did the narrator feel when they saw students chewing gum in their Japanese class?
-The narrator felt disrespected and uncomfortable because chewing gum is considered rude in Japanese culture, especially in an educational setting, and they assumed the students werenât serious about learning.
Why did the narrator feel uncomfortable when people were loud and ate snacks during the movie in another country?
-The narrator felt uncomfortable because in Japan, people eat very quietly in theaters, and it's common for them to try to finish their snacks before the movie starts to avoid disturbing others. The loud eating and laughter were unexpected and distracting to the narrator.
How do Japanese moviegoers generally behave in theaters compared to those in other countries?
-Japanese moviegoers are generally very quiet in theaters. They often try to eat snacks discreetly, such as during loud scenes, and avoid making noise. In contrast, moviegoers in some other countries laugh loudly, eat snacks openly, and are more expressive during the film.
Why did the narrator start to appreciate the expressiveness of moviegoers abroad after experiencing it?
-After spending time abroad, the narrator came to appreciate the shared experience of moviegoers who laughed and expressed emotions together, creating a more communal and connected feeling, which they began to miss when they returned to Japan.
Outlines
đ€Ż Miscommunication Leads to a Near Fight in New Zealand
In this paragraph, the speaker recounts a cultural misunderstanding that nearly led to a physical altercation while studying abroad in New Zealand. The speaker recalls an encounter with a fellow student named John, whose greeting gestureâsaying 'good day' with a casual nodâwas misinterpreted as an offensive, fight-provoking gesture in Japanese culture. The speaker was bewildered and prepared for a confrontation until a roommate clarified the cultural difference, resolving the misunderstanding.
đ€ą Blowing Your Nose at the Dinner Table: A Japanese Perspective
This paragraph describes an uncomfortable experience the speaker had during a formal dinner while studying abroad. The speaker and fellow Japanese students were horrified when a popular American girl blew her nose at the dinner table, an act seen as highly improper and unhygienic in Japanese culture. The speaker elaborates on how many Japanese people find blowing their nose in public, especially while eating, to be gross, and they even avoid doing it on public transport. The cultural contrast around hygiene and etiquette highlights differing social norms between Japan and the West.
đŹ The Shock of Seeing Students Chewing Gum in Class
The speaker shares an experience teaching Japanese to high school students abroad, which left them shocked when one of the students started chewing gum in class. In Japan, chewing gum in formal settings like classrooms or business meetings is considered disrespectful, as it conveys a lack of seriousness. The speaker felt disrespected until a supervisor explained that chewing gum is common and not seen as rude in other countries. This interaction underscores the cultural differences in perceptions of respect and formality.
đż Experiencing a Noisy Movie Theater Abroad
This paragraph captures the speaker's surprising experience watching a movie abroad for the first time. Used to the quiet and respectful atmosphere of Japanese cinemas, the speaker was taken aback by the noisy behavior of fellow moviegoers, including late arrivals, loud popcorn munching, and boisterous laughter. In Japan, moviegoers are expected to be quiet and avoid disturbing others. However, the speaker eventually adjusted to this different movie-watching culture, even coming to appreciate the shared emotional experience of Western movie theaters upon returning to Japan.
Mindmap
Keywords
đĄCultural Differences
đĄOffensive Gestures
đĄMiscommunication
đĄPublic Behavior
đĄRespect
đĄSocial Etiquette
đĄJapanese Manners
đĄBlowing Nose in Public
đĄPunctuality
đĄLaughing in Public
Highlights
Itâs important to know cultural differences, especially when visiting Japan, as misunderstandings could lead to conflicts.
In Japan, walking in on someone bathing requires acknowledging the situation differently than in other countries.
The gesture of looking someone in the eye and lifting your chin is considered highly offensive in Japan, symbolizing disrespect or a challenge.
A cultural misunderstanding led a Japanese person to believe an Australian greeting, 'Good day,' sounded like 'Go die,' which caused initial confusion and anger.
Using the expression 'Ha' in Japan can be seen as confrontational, depending on the context, while in some countries it simply means 'Come again' or 'What?'
Blowing your nose at the dining table is viewed as extremely rude in Japan, as itâs considered unhygienic and disruptive.
Chewing gum in a professional or educational setting is seen as disrespectful in Japan because it implies a lack of seriousness.
Being late to a movie or event is considered impolite in Japan, where punctuality is highly valued.
In Japan, people are very mindful of the noise they make while eating in the cinema, often timing their bites with loud scenes to avoid disrupting others.
Laughing loudly or expressing emotions vocally in a movie theater is uncommon in Japan, where audiences remain quiet and focused on the film.
The concept of public decorum in Japan extends to personal habits like eating and emotional expressions, reflecting a collective sense of mindfulness.
Japanese social rules around politeness and etiquette are starkly different from those in many Western cultures, often causing confusion for foreigners.
Even casual gestures that are normal in some countries, such as pointing with the chin, are seen as highly disrespectful in Japan.
Cultural awareness is crucial for foreigners visiting Japan to avoid unintentional offenses, particularly regarding gestures, expressions, and social behavior.
The experience of adjusting to different social norms abroad can lead to reverse culture shock when returning to Japan, as the quiet and restrained environment feels unfamiliar after time abroad.
Transcripts
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there are something that are normal to
do in your country that has seen as rude
and even offensive to Japanese in other
countries if you accidentally walked in
on someone in bath you say oh I'm sorry
but in Japan we
say it's important to know these things
when you visit Japan or meet Japanese
people because if you make a mistake
like this first one you might end up in
a fight I was studying English in New
Zealand and I was staying in a dome and
there was a student called John he is
very tall and he was supposed to be 19
but he actually looked like 35 years old
he looked like a grownup man and you
know I've never really talked to him and
one morning I was passing him Jo was
coming from here and I was like oh okay
this is my chance to say hello he did
something unbelievably offensive to me
he looked me in the eye and he did
this
die why did he do that to me I barely
knew him why did he do such a thing to
me I was like a like a froze completely
and he he passed away and then I was
like passed away and I thought oh okay
he wants to fight you think he's a tough
boy John so after the incident I was
sure someday I will have to fight him so
I have to stop preparing my muscle and
stuff right this movement in Japan is
very very rude offensive gesture that
means they want to fight with you or
they look down on you and at the time my
English wasn't good so when he said gai
it sounded to me like go die I was so
mad and then went to my roommates and
then told everything what happened and
of course they didn't get it they were
like huh then later one of my roommates
came to my room and explained that this
was just a form of creating and Jo Joan
was not mad at me he just wanted to say
hi I couldn't believe it you know why
because John said go die and my roommate
said Okay okay so John is from Australia
he just wanted to say good day like have
a good day and I was like what I felt so
embarrassed and silly of myself but at
the same time I was very relieved that I
didn't have to Cano John and next time
when I passed him I did this and say K
and he smiled not only can this be rude
in Japan but also pointing someone with
your chin or something with your chin is
also very rude and almost you see the
person not like human but you see the
person as a pet or animal or something
so that's why we don't do this but
that's not the only thing that might
make Japanese person mad you definitely
have to watch out for next one one day I
was in a shopping mall in America but
that day I really had to go to bathroom
but American Mall was so big so I
couldn't find a sign of toilet so I
found the security guard there but the
security guard was really tall like
giant man he had tattoo all over his
arms and he had a shaved head he's got a
big beard but he was wearing a security
guard uniform from far away he looked
like he just got out of the prison or
something and I was so scared to talk to
him but I had no choice so I just got
closer and then asked him excuse me
where is the bathroom that giant man
turned around and looked at me and then
said something it's the most scary thing
I've ever Hur in my life he
said huh W I almost PE him my pads
because I was so scared and I was
like sorry and I ran away so so in Japan
ha means many negative meanings of
course it depend on the situation but if
somebody say to you and ha means what
the hell do you want or are you stupid
so that's why we don't really use those
words to anybody else unless you want to
fight with somebody or you you know that
you want to be rude to somebody else so
you might see ha in Japanese movies or
dramas when they're about to fight
that's why I was so scared at the
security guard guy but later I
understood that ha means come again so
now I know when you talk to a Japanese
person please be careful to use huh some
people might feel shocking why did you
say that so please be careful but this
next one won't get you in a fight but
may gross out lot of Japanese people
when I was studying abroad all the
Japanese students were invited to a very
fancy dinner at a very nice restaurant
and then we were just you know 19 20
years old kids that was our first time
to go to such a beautiful western style
restaurant as we entered the decoration
was beautiful fure looks so stylish and
then waiter and waitresses look so cool
and we were so excited but also we were
very excited to meet one of the most
popular girl from the class she was an
American girl we all adored her she's so
so beautiful she's so kind she's so
chatty and luckily she sat just across
from me so I introduced myself and we
were having a really nice conversation
and while we are having a really good
food suddenly I had a very very strange
sound it sounded like
this it sounded like a like a drill that
you get as a dentist the dentist that
drill your teeth like really hard with
the metal thing this is such a fancy
restaurant you shouldn't they shouldn't
make such a weird noise and I was maybe
maybe I misheard something so I okay and
I tried to eat then again second time I
[Applause]
[Music]
heard and it was like oh my God I heard
it and when I looked around all the
Japanese students were like did you hear
that guys we were trying to find where
the sound is from and when I looked at
the American Girl her back was turning
like this and she came back like this
and I oh my God she just blew her nose
at the table I looked at my other
Japanese like what all the Japanese
students I remember after the dinner we
all got together and then she blew her
nose at the table that's so gross
everybody was so shocked because in
Japan blowing your nose why while dinner
or at the table it seem as really really
bad thing or very bad manner for some
Japanese people blowing nose is kind of
like a kind of dirty thing is coming out
from your nose and some people feel like
the the sound feels so gross blowing
nose in public in Japan is also very
rude I got very curious so I actually
found a survey uh done by tissue company
and then they said do you feel blowing
your nose in public is gross or not so
actually 60% of them said yes it's gross
so in Japan some people feel so
embarrassed to blow their nose in public
like on a train on a bus we have a
product that you can put like a small
cotton put it in your mouth and then you
wear a mask so your nose will not come
out but while some people think blowing
your nose in public is gross you
definitely have to be careful doing this
next one one day I was asked to teach
foreign high school student Japanese I
was imagining oh maybe the high
schoolers would be very friendly and
then they are interested in Japanese
they would excited to learn something
from me and then when I entered the room
I was shocked they look like they're
older than me and then they sit like
they are the boss here and I was like oh
can I teach them are they willing to
learn something I got so scared and
nervous to teach them but you know I had
to do it so I was like trying my best to
say with the best SM I could do it was
so quiet that I could hear my own
heartbeat and one student did something
unbelievable he stood up and he
[Music]
said wow he thinks he's a boss of this
class or something the reason why I felt
like that is it's super rude and
disrespectful to chew gum especially in
a class or in a business meeting in
Japan because we believe that if you
like a chewing something or eating
something you don't seem to be paying
attention or you were not very serious
about what you were doing so that's why
I felt so disrespected and in the whole
class until the end of the class I felt
so uncomfortable wow they they are not
here to even want to learn Japanese then
after the class I was so shocked and
then walking very miserably but I had to
tell what happened in the class to my
supervisor and she said oh oh I'm so
sorry I should have told you earlier
chewing gum doesn't mean anything bad in
their country it's just their thing and
it doesn't mean they disrespect you they
don't want to learn from you it's just a
very very casual thing to do really why
you didn't tell me so I was so relieved
and I felt really bad to students after
that too I actually personally never
seen anyone at work who chew gums on the
at the desk or I've never never seen
single person at a business meeting
chewing G and in high school oh you'll
be in big trouble teacher will point it
at you immediately and then go to
bathroom and then spit it out or
something because it's very very big no
no at school but I'm sure this next time
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family when I was studying abro there
was a very popular movie coming up and
all my friends were talking about how
great the movie was it was so cool and
they some of them already watched like
three times or four times and I really
really want to watch that movie I wanted
to have a extra big popcorn extra big
drinks and then other snacks and
chocolate so to do it it took me one
month to save all the money and finally
I got the money and then bought
everything and I was so ready to watch
this Epic movie called Shrek it was my
first time to see movie in abroad so I
was so excited to see oh it's so
different from Japanese movie theater
and then so like a hyped to watch it and
5 minutes after the movie started I
noticed something something really crazy
happening there were some people coming
in from the door and trying to get them
trying to find their seat and some of
them just said excuse me and it passed
right in front of me to get the seat
over there I was like why they late
because in Japan it's important to be on
time even at the movie so I would say
most of Japanese would be at the at
their seat 10 minutes earlier so I was
very very shocked it's not one or two
people like a lot of them like a lot of
them like you know in Japan we they
probably do sorry sorry excuse me they
try to be as small as possible but they
were just like oh it's my 365 365 where
oh oh sorry I paid so much money for
this experience but oh no but finally I
was able to get back to the movie and
then kind of start enjoying the Shrek
but at some point I felt something very
very distracting there were a bunch of
people people around me start eating
popcorn or snacks they just make really
crunchy noise I don't
understand
was what's happening it's that's not the
sound from Shrek is making but it's all
the people around me start eating
something and making weird crazy noise I
was like oh my gosh why I was I thought
I was just finally got back to my movie
and I'm just about to enjoy because in
Japan and you might think it's crazy but
quite a lot of people try to eat popcorn
or snack very very quietly as quiet as
possible like some people even think we
all should finish eating before the
movie starts so we have 10 minutes or 15
minutes before the movie starts so we
have 10 minutes to finish it and when
the movie out we enjoy the movie but of
course not everybody can finish their
popcorn like in 5 minutes or 10 minutes
right so when we want to eat popcorn
during a movie we try to eat as the
explosion starts so when explosion
starts we eat or when very noisy scene
starts we eat so that's how we are very
mindful about making noise to others or
distracting others so going back to the
movie most of people finished eating so
I was able to get back to my favorite
movie and I was enjoying but I I feel
something very distracting because
whenever some funny thing happen in a
Shrek movie Shrek is super funny right
people start laughing out loud it's not
like it's not chuckling it's
like the guy next to me put his hands
like this I could see his hands here in
front of a screen like this and I was
like uh why so loud because in Japan
laughing so loud could disrup other
people's you know moment you know they
don't want to even hear some other
people's voice when they are focusing on
the movie so that's why I was very very
very very very shocked to hear so many
people crapping and laughing hard in
abroad they're like oh no some sometimes
they just curse the character too how
dare you or if you it would never ever
happen in Japan it's just so different
so that's why I think it's a good idea
for you should be aware of when you come
to Japan and then when you go to watch a
movie you will notice how quiet they are
after staying there for a while I
actually got used to those kind of style
of watching movie in a theater and when
I went back to Japan and then I went to
a movie theater I felt actually a little
bit uncomfortable because I couldn't
express my feeling during the movie and
I realized that you know watching a
movie in abroad or America or New
Zealand it was kind of big event all
together when something funny happened
they left together when something sad
happened they cried together it was very
connected I miss those kind of feeling
uh in abroad but if you think these
rules are crazy Japanese laws can be
crazier in fact Japanese man was
arrested for a Pokemon related crime and
I talk all about it and more we thing
that are illegal in Japan in this video
thanks for watching
okin
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