{"id":33682,"date":"2014-02-06T04:00:55","date_gmt":"2014-02-06T08:00:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jetwit.com\/wordpress\/?p=33682"},"modified":"2014-02-05T18:32:59","modified_gmt":"2014-02-05T22:32:59","slug":"%e3%80%90rocketnews24%e3%80%9110-weird-and-funny-things-japanese-people-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jetwit.com\/wordpress\/2014\/02\/06\/%e3%80%90rocketnews24%e3%80%9110-weird-and-funny-things-japanese-people-do\/","title":{"rendered":"\u3010RocketNews24\u301110 weird and funny things Japanese people do"},"content":{"rendered":"

Posted by\u00a0Michelle Lynn Dinh\u00a0(Shimane-ken,\u00a0Chibu-mura,\u00a02010\u201313),\u00a0editor and writer for\u00a0RocketNews24.\u00a0The following article was written by\u00a0Philip Kendall\u00a0(Fukushima-ken,\u00a0Shirakawa-shi,\u00a02006\u201311), senior editor and writer for\u00a0RocketNews24,\u00a0a Japan-based site dedicated to bringing fun and quirky news from Asia to English speaking audiences.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/em>\"10<\/p>\n

Not so long ago, a friend of mine from the UK came to visit me here in Japan. After showing him around town and making sure to take him to all of the most popular tourist spots, he remarked that quite a few of the subtle behaviours Japanese people exhibit seemed, while in no way offensive, remarkably different to those of our own countrymen. As we worked through a couple of the more unusual customs and behaviours that my friend had noticed, it struck me that at some point during my eight years of living here I had come to accept the everyday quirks of the people around me as entirely normal and not in the slightest bit odd.<\/p>\n

Last year, we discussed the\u00a010 things that we love<\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a010 things we just can\u2019t stomach<\/a>\u00a0about Japan, but today we at RocketNews24 felt it was time to present you with a list of random but genuine observations, from the peculiar to the downright endearing, about the Japanese people themselves. Enjoy!<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

1. \u201cPolite sharking\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"10<\/p>\n

Yet more proof if it were needed of Japan\u2019s status as the world\u2019s most polite country comes in the form of a gesture people here make when passing in front of someone or between two people who are conversing. An open hand held before one\u2019s own face almost as if chopping through the air, often accompanied by a whispered \u201csumimasen<\/em>\u201d (\u201cexcuse me\u201d) or a tiny bow\/nod to further acknowledge their rudeness, the \u201cpolite shark\u201d as we\u2019re christening it is one of the most endearingly Japanese things you\u2019ll see while out and about or in the office.<\/p>\n

Someone needs to get by while you\u2019re chatting with a co-worker in the hallway? You can expect a sharking. Browsing a rack of DVDs or magazines in a store when a fellow customer wants to slip past? Get your feet out of the water and make some room, boys and girls; there\u2019s a polite shark coming through!<\/p>\n

2. Gesturing \u201cgo away\u201d to communicate \u201ccome here\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"10<\/a><\/p>\n

Depending on your geographical location, the selfsame gesture can mean a variety of very different things, and not being aware of local customs can land you in trouble if you\u2019re not careful. But one gesture that can be both problematic and confusing for foreigners in Japan is the \u201ccome here\u201d hand movement that looks almost identical to the one many of us would use to say \u201cshoo!\u201d or \u201cgo away\u201d.<\/p>\n

In Japan, it is considered rude to beckon to someone with an upturned palm or by using the \u201ccome hither\u201d index finger movement. Instead, one puts out their hand, palm-down, and \u201cpulls\u201d the fingers towards them. The problem is, unless paid extremely close attention to (the Japanese \u201ccome here\u201d uses mainly the fingers, whereas the reverse, a Western \u201cshoo!\u201d, requires full and vigorous wrist movement), this gesture\u00a0looks just like the person is trying to say \u201cAway from me, peasant!\u201d and can lead to all kinds of confusion.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re ever confused just remember: the Japanese are notoriously polite, so even if they\u00a0do<\/em>\u00a0want you to go away, they probably won\u2019t communicate it with a hand movement. Well, unless they\u2019re really angry. Or drunk\u2026<\/p>\n

3. Turning bright red when drinking alcohol<\/strong><\/p>\n

The first time I went drinking with my Japanese bosses, I was concerned that at least a couple of them had overdone it, despite the fact that we\u2019d only been drinking for about half an hour. Even within that short space of time, my supervisor and his own boss\u2019 faces had turned not just red but crimson, the whites of their eyes not much better, yet they were still conversing perfectly normally and able to stand without any trouble.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlcohol flush reaction\u201d, sometimes known as \u201cAsian flush syndrome\u201d, is a condition in which acetaldehyde \u2013 a chemical compound that is produced when the body breaks down alcohol \u2013 causes blotches on the skin or a person\u2019s face to flush bright red, and is\u00a0particularly common<\/a>\u00a0in Asian people.<\/p>\n

Although mostly harmless, it\u2019s nothing to laugh at, especially when one\u2019s very genetic code dictates that they\u2019ll turn as red as Rudolph\u2019s nose after a few sips of beer, but for those who have never seen or encountered it, drinking with Japanese people \u2013 and the Japanese\u00a0do<\/em>\u00a0love a drink \u00a0– is sure to be an eye-opener regarding the effects of alcohol on the human body!<\/p>\n

4. Epic souvenir buying<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"10<\/p>\n

At most Japanese companies, taking time off work is kind of a big deal, and few take more than a couple of days\u2019 holiday at any one time. As a result, people try to squeeze in as much fun and activity as possible into public holidays and long weekends, with the price of accommodation and airfares going through the roof during the \u201cGolden Week\u201d holiday period in particular.\u00a0So when people do take a trip or some time off, they usually feel obliged to bring something back for their coworkers as a way of thanking them for picking up the slack during their absence, or to share a little of the fun they had while away, depending on the situation.<\/p>\n

From a Western perspective, buying souvenirs (or \u201comiyage<\/em>\u201c) for everyone in your department at work \u2013 while admittedly a nice gesture, and something that we could no doubt learn something from \u2013 is a little odd, but even some native Japanese will admit that the practice can be tremendously \u201cmendoukusai<\/em>\u201c, or tiresome, at times and they make the purchases purely because they feel they ought to. Regardless of people\u2019s true feelings on the practice, however, owing to the wide-held belief that purchasing\u00a0omiyage<\/em>\u00a0is an essential part of taking a trip, places such as airports, train stations, popular sightseeing spots and even hotel lobbies in Japan almost always offer a huge variety of souvenirs, and you\u2019d be amazed at the amount some people spend on boxes of cookies, cakes, chocolates, or even fresh seafood shipped in cold packs to people back home.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re looking to get rich quick, you could do a lot worse than opening up a souvenir shop in an area that gets a lot of Japanese tourists. Just be sure to stock plenty of products that can be easily shared between office workers!<\/p>\n

5. Downplaying gifts<\/strong><\/p>\n

And when those souvenirs are dutifully purchased, carried home and taken into work, what do Japanese people more often than not do? Immediately tell the people they\u2019re giving them to that the souvenirs are \u201cnothing special\u201d and completely downplay the entire thing.<\/p>\n

This doesn\u2019t apply solely to\u00a0omiyage<\/em>, however. During my time in Japan, I\u2019ve received numerous, entirely heartfelt gifts from people who on presenting them to me did their best to lower my expectations by saying \u201ctsumaranai mono desu kedo<\/em>,\u201d which literally translates to \u201cthis is a boring thing, but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Of course, like many phrases in the Japanese language, this is said more out of formality than anything else (after all, saying \u201cit was a feast!\u201d after drinking just a single cup of coffee at a cafe, or \u201cexcuse me for intruding\u201d after being openly invited into someone\u2019s home doesn\u2019t make much sense when taken literally either!), but every once in a while, we\u2019d really love a Japanese person who is excited to give us a present to hand it over with a big smile on their face and say, \u201cDude, you\u2019re gonna f#@king love this.\u201d<\/p>\n

6. Watching movies right until the end \u2013 the\u00a0VERY\u00a0end \u2013 at the cinema<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\"10<\/p>\n

While it no doubt irks those who were involved in the production and whose names appears at the end, most moviegoers tend to pack up and leave the moment the screen goes black and a movie\u2019s credits start rolling. Sure, there are a few films that put some outtakes or something for hardcore fans to enjoy in their credits, but more often than not it\u2019s just a list of names (sorry, filmmakers!) that mean nothing to us. Regardless of that fact, and often that all of the names and job titles that appear are written in a foreign language, the vast majority of Japanese people will sit in complete silence in the movie theatre and watch the entire credit roll, right until the projector flicks off and the lights are turned up.<\/p>\n

Some Japanese maintain that watching until the very end is intended as a mark of respect for the makers of the film, or to give themselves time to process what they just watched. Some say that they do kind of want to leave but don\u2019t want to be the first person to do so. Others, meanwhile, suggest that they\u2019d walk out right away if they could, but the auditorium is usually too dark and they don\u2019t want to embarrass themselves by falling over. Whatever the reason, and as admirable as it is to show respect to the people behind the film, the sight of a few hundred Japanese people sitting in silence watching a list of foreign names scroll up the screen is a genuinely odd sight. And yet, after eight years of living here, I have to admit that I\u2019m starting to do it myself. Well, you know, I don\u2019t want to be the\u00a0only<\/em>\u00a0guy who leaves early\u2026<\/p>\n

7. Phantom bowing<\/strong><\/p>\n

Although also common in China, Korea and Taiwan, bowing \u2013 a symbol of humility and respect \u2013 is arguably used more in Japan than anywhere else in the world. Not just reserved for polite greetings and formal occasions, bows (or rather very deep nods as is often the case) are employed everywhere from supermarkets to schools to corporate offices. And they\u2019re so common that people will often, usually quite unintentionally, bow while talking on the phone, despite the fact that the other person is completely unable to see it.<\/p>\n

Yep, phantom bowing can be seen in busy offices, school staff rooms, even on train station platforms as businessmen and women take calls from clients while on the go, bowing their heads furiously and thanking the person on the other end of the line for their time. It\u2019s kind of like how many Europeans and Americans unconsciously gesticulate while telling a story or trying to make a point, except far cuter and, if we\u2019re being honest, infinitely more entertaining.<\/p>\n

8. Gargling like it\u2019s going out of fashion<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"10<\/p>\n

Regardless of numerous studies and medical experts stating that gargling with water, or \u201cugai<\/em>\u201d in Japanese, does little to nothing to prevent the contraction of colds and flu viruses, kids in Japan are routinely taught to head straight to the sink when they come indoors, wash their hands (nothing wrong with that bit!) and gargle. Naturally, those who grew up believing that this practice is a vital part of staying healthy during the colder months also teach it to their kids in turn and practice what they preach, so in workplace restrooms around the country you\u2019ll discover adults with their heads thrown back bubbling liquid at the backs of their mouths during break times or having just come indoors. Whatever makes you feel fit and healthy, we suppose\u2026<\/p>\n

9. The X of denial<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"10<\/a><\/p>\n

Sure, the humble \u201cX\u201d is recognised and used outside of Japan in everything from denoting incorrect answers on a pop quiz to the icon used to close a window on your computer, but Japan\u2019s fondness of\u00a0maru<\/em>\u00a0(circle) and especially\u00a0batsu<\/em>\u00a0(cross\/X) is unmatched. The two symbols are firmly ingrained in society and everyday life, with people making an X with their fingers or hands to tell someone that something is just NG (no good) with surprising frequency. In fact, the lofty status of the Japanese X is so that, if you pick up a PlayStation controller in Japan, you\u2019ll even find that the \u201cX\u201d and \u201cO\u201d buttons perform the exact opposite functions in the same games in the US and Europe, with \u201cO\u201d being used to \u201cconfirm\u201d, and \u201cX\u201d denoting \u201cback\u201d or \u201cundo\u201d, much to the chagrin of gamers who import software and have to keep a mental note of what the buttons do when navigating in-game menus.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll most often see people breaking out \u201cthe X of denial\u201d in places like trade shows and company events to wordlessly inform attendees that a particular action or conduct \u2013 usually photography \u2013 is not permitted. At\u00a0Tokyo Game Show 2013<\/a>, for example, despite clearly displaying my press badge, due to the wishes of some doubly shy game developers, I was met with a barrage of Xs from the hands of the Xbox One booth staff when I tried to grab a photo of visitors enjoying\u00a0Titanfall<\/em>. More so than mere words, the X of denial sends a clear message home, while also looking a bit like a subtle ninja or kung-fu move, and we think it\u2019s kind of awesome.<\/p>\n

10. Unflinching politeness, even in a fight to the death<\/strong><\/p>\n

In our last point today we\u2019d like to pay homage to the ladies and gentlemen of Japan who, when boarding trains or navigating busy stations or public areas, manage to simultaneously appear civilised and polite while actively jostling, shoving and rushing to grab a seat or get through the crowds.<\/p>\n

Take any train from the station it departs from in the morning, and you\u2019ll be amazed at how politely people line up. Even if the train is already at the platform and its doors wide open, smartly dressed commuters will stand \u2013 often in total silence, reading newspapers or playing with their mobile phones \u2013 and wait until the signal is given to board (usually the doors being closed and then immediately opened again). It is then that this bizarre dichotomy of behaviours can be routinely observed. Without uttering a word, and of course remaining in line until stepping over the threshold onto the train, commuters rush forward \u2013 almost running, and yet somehow still appearing to walking all at once \u2013 in order to board and grab a seat. Though their countenance rarely changes, their eyes dart around for the nearest available seat, and decisions are made in a fraction of a second. Ageing businessmen half your size will barge in front of you \u2013 never making direct contact with you but still barging nonetheless \u2013 and cut you off to get the seat that you had assumed would be yours.<\/p>\n

The scramble continues as the seats are filled, and people fly across the car floor, all without raising even the softest shuffle, plonking themselves down with enough force to dislodge the fillings in their own head, and yet never once cracking a smile or allowing a glint of satisfaction to flash across their face. \u201cRush? What rush? I just got on the train and sat down, yo.\u201d<\/p>\n

Japan, your ability to maintain a calm exterior, even in the heat of intense commuter battle, is commendable. Keep it up. Keep it right up!<\/p>\n

Let us know if there\u2019s anything we\u2019ve missed on our list, Rocketeers. We\u2019d love to hear your own subtle observations of life in Japan!<\/em><\/p>\n

Featured image:\u00a0WordPress<\/a><\/em>
\nInset images:\u00a0\u00a0Curtis9Histor<\/a>,\u00a0Michinoeki<\/a>,\u00a0Cinema Today<\/a>,\u00a0Deviantart<\/a>,\u00a0Hinotori<\/a>\u00a0(edited by RocketNews24)<\/em><\/p>\n

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