What Frustrates Foreigners Most in Japan
Wednesday November 5, 2008
I read an interview about what foreign tourists say puzzles them in Japan. Can you guess what is the most common answer? It was about toilets. There are Japanese style toilets that require one to squat, but it was not about those. Most toilets nowadays are "washlets" and have many buttons for various purposes. If you are not used to them, it is hard to know which button to push. When I was little, the toilet was much simpler. When I go back to Japan, I am always surprised that these high tech toilets are everywhere. They are not just for expensive hotels; they are in stations or malls, too. As for me, it took a while to figure out how to flush it at my grandma's house, even though I am Japanese! I can imagine how they could frustrate foreigners.
Japanese translation
Comments
Ah but the best thing about them are the heated ones in the parks and shrines. I almost didn’t want to leave and go back into the cold mountain air!
お～い！
トイレかな。その答えは意外だよ。日本のトイレはハイテックで変なんだけど、本当に便利だと思う。^^
僕にとって、答えはお箸とか毎日のご飯などだろうと思っていたんだ…または、日本人の完璧なサービス精神？;)
What frustrates foreigners the most in Japan is not japanese style toilets, but japanese racism. The japanese feeling of superiority, and the fact that no matter how long foreigners live in Japan they are treated as outsiders (外人), that is really a frustration. It is possible to get used to squat type toilets, but not to being treated as a non human being. Take a look at the poll by the Japanese government ’should foreigners’ human rights be protected in Japan?’, that says enough…
haha thanks for the lessons!
honto ni nihongo suki desu! ^_-
I am a foreigner living in Tokyo. When I first came to Tokyo and stayed in a hotel for three days, I was also confused on the same topic – which button to press. But the common sense helps and the symbols says a lot. It is not that difficult to use Automatic toilets in Japan as written here. It is quite easy and convenient.
I don’t think Toilet is a frustrating thing in Japan. But the inability of Japanese people to communicate with foreigners will frustrate them. But Japanese people are generally helpful. They want to help the foreigners but language becomes a barrier and they keep away from foreigners, sometimes misinterpreted as Japanese racism.
I dodnt have anything against the “washlets”, its cool…what frustrates me is yeah..the racism..though not all Japanese treated foreigners like “doormats” majority of them I think is…though they’ve been smiling you’ll notice that its full of sarcasm and hypocricy..gomenne…minna janai kedo…
I dont have anything against the “washlets”, its cool…what frustrates me is yeah..the racism..though not all Japanese treated foreigners like “doormats” majority of them I think is…though they’ve been smiling you’ll notice that its full of sarcasm and hypocricy..gomenne…minna janai kedo…
I think these allegations of racism are nonsense. While there are some, mostly older, Japanese who resent the gaijin in their onsen, most of my interactions have been with people who sincerely wanted to help make my adjustment to japanese life easier, and I thank them for it. As for the toilets, the survey must have been among North Americans: Europeans are familiar with the symbols on the controls.
Hmm I spent 2 months travelling all over Japan so I got to experience all the wonderful types of toilet from the dreaded hole-in-the-floor to the fancy buttoned ones.
I have to admit though, there seems to be a fairly standard model of washlet with the same symbols on.
I think if youre going to struggle with a symbol of a ‘behind’ and a spray together youre going to struggle with a lot of things in foriegn countries!
I find it funny that even with all the fancy buttons, most of them still have a metal handle for flushing, so I dont see why people would find it difficult. The only difference is it usually pulls both ways, one for big and one for small.
Racism is kind of annoying. I got laughed at by a group of Japanese people when I said ‘Akanko Onsen’ when I was learning Japanese. Apparently I didnt pronounce the first ‘A’ enough and made it sound like ‘Kanko Onsen’ (sightseeing onsen) which I admit is probably funny to hear, but it was unnecesary to laugh at me.
Also, on trains, getting up from a white or black person to go sit next to another japanese person? That ALWAYS happened! Whats with that? You could so not get away with that here in England. But then again, nice to have more space on a train!
Japan is a wonderful country with a lot to offer. I’ve been there several times, and lived there while I was an exchange student. My wife is a native of Kyushu. That being said, yes many Japanese are complete and total racists. It is bad enough in Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, etc. Go to someplace rural (Yamagata comes to mind) and you’ll know how it feels to be a leper with AIDS and tuberculosis. Its funny because the ones who will actually talk to you seem very concerned about racism in the U.S. At least in the USA we acknowledge the problem and address it.
Most Japanese will try to explain that they aren’t racist, but just shy about speaking English, which is a horrible excuse, and an outright lie. I speak basic Japanese at best, but that doesn’t mean I treat people like crap. I’m just as shy about Japanese as they are about their English. At least they are in their homeland, surrounded by other Japanese speakers.
The constant stares, people moving away from you, the “gaijin” comments when you are clearly within earshot of them… it is flat out rude and annoying, and there is NO excuse for it.
These comments about racism are quite interesting to me. I lived in Japan for a couple of years and have a Japanese wife. I would say I understand the culture very well, however, I don’t think they are racist, in fact quite the opposite, more like an inferiority complex. I am ALWAYS treated very well by Japanese people in Japan and I think the root of what appears to be racism is actually that they are shy people, they feel bad or afraid to have to interact with a foreigner and would tend to shy away from a possible encounter where they may be asked a question in English and they are probably terrified to have to speak English. Please try to understand their culture instead of seeing their behavior through your western filters. Japanese truly are wonderful people.
What frustrates me most when I’m in Tokyo is that…I still don’t speak or read Japanese! Eight visits, and I’m a bit ashamed to admit I lack the discipline (please don’t substitute “courtesy”) to learn. It frustrates me because so many people I would enjoy talking with pass me by. I regret I’m missing so many opportunities to grow and share.
Japan hates foreigners because they make up 90 percent of the crime there.
Period. Japan is not perfect, but when a foreigner enters the country, they always worry about what crime he or she is going to commit.
You would to if someone came to your peaceful town.
I’ve lived in and out of Japan for 32 years and I have to agree with Tim. The comments are very ethnocentric and more of our (USA) based politically correct nonsense. Once you’ve lived in Japan long enough to understand more about them, you’ll realize it takes all kinds, but I can hardly imagine someone branding all Japanese as racist. My pet peeve is the male oriented society – I’m a guy, but I can see men take significant gender advantages – simple test, look for guys spread out (literally) legs wide apart on a train, while females crunch up in the tiniest of space.
Look at what kana says
“Japan hates foreigners because they make up 90 percent of the crime there.”
Do I need to say more? For japanese foreigners in their country are criminals. And they treat them like that. Foreigners are fingerprinted on entry to Japan, even if they have permanent residency. Foreigners are harassed by cops on street in Japan, randomly stopped to ask them about their IDs. But according to Kana japanese are perfect and nobody except foreigners commit crimes there. It is an outright lie, unsupported by facts, only their typical prejudice. An I wonder why Ms. Namiko Abe does not say anything on the issue. All she does is writing about how “unique” Japan is, how “only” Japan has 4 seasons and spreading the typical cultural propaganda. Shame on you!
Okay theres alot of opinions here, I figure I add my contribution!
I don’t find Japanese in their normality to be racist people. I think its a sense of living in such a homogenous country compounded with shyness. In the Western world, our cultures are blended enough to see past skin tone. But other countries don’t share that concept. I’m an Americanized hispanic person, and being there I find many, especially in a younger generation, are very open minded and helpful just don’t know where to begin
I’m not saying it DOESNT exist, damn straight it does…like all countries…and this goes back to that Kana comment “Japanese hate foreigners because they make up 90% of all crimes”. That was just not an arguement, no thought in that at all. Our crimes aren’t the most by quantity, but we’re the MOST publisized cause we’re different. Like U.S. soilders committing crime is more interesting than another Japanese person committing a crime. (What did people think about Arabs after 9/11?)
And for Ms. Namiko, I love your posts there very interesting to read, very lighthearted, and I’m always learning! So thanks, appreciate it!
Mansu: “An I wonder why Ms. Namiko Abe does not say anything on the issue. All she does is writing about how “unique” Japan is, how “only” Japan has 4 seasons and spreading the typical cultural propaganda. Shame on you!”
Mansu, ur awesome =D
Japan is the best place for Japanese, nobody else. It has some of the worlds best technologies, but it is the only example in the world that shows that advanced technologies/science do not equate to advanced way of thinking about the world or leading the world. Nobody can dispute, it is a racist nation with its own style. You will not be spit on the back or yelled because you are a foreigner. You will be invited to parties and treated like a king because you are foreigner, but the same guy that treat you will refuse to treat you even equally when he is your employer or your lanlord. Everywhere in Japanese system foreigners are systematically and effectively isolated without violating the law. Most of the Japanese public (I said most, not all) are still at their post-WWII mentality (thanx to the Japanese media and right-wing politics) and look at the world with the old-style internationalism i.e. you don’t go and learn about the world (and teach the world about you, say by learning English), the world should come and learn about you (by learning Japanese). Many still think internationalism is a zero-sum game. You foreigner, if you earn money, that means Japan loses it. Japanese intellectuals, many leaders understand what is good, but nobody want to say what is right. They want their jobs intact, they don’t want to be the nail sticking out which will be hammered by minority but stronger right-wingers. But, better not blame Japanese for what they are and leave them in peace and be ALONE. For that what they deserve.
The kettle calling the pot black.
whoa! PB you took the words right out of my mouth. May I add you put it down in such a genius way too. So funny, I was reading all of your comments. It is quite curious about the the seeming “dislike” for foreigners in Japan. I listened to a video about it on youtube too and am still quite curious about it all. If anyone has any places where i could get more information for my research please put it on here! Also, everyone who commented on here seriously you guys are great and its so funny to read.
All I hear is crying… First of all, it’s their country and you have no obligation to go there, if you don’t like it, just don’t go and enjoy somewhere else instead of complaining. Second, if they treat you like a foreigner, it’s because you are, many poeple don’t even bother to learn their languange and, after all, it would be a nice sign of respect, since you’re in their country. Some of us were born in multirracial countries and are used to see al kinds of people, in Japan that’s not as usual as in America, Australia, etc., so if they act strange, it’s simply natural. If they think their country is the best in the world, well…don’t we all? I’m happy they love the place they live in. So, they laugh at your accent, of course they do if you said something funny. If you don’t have a stupid sense of pride, you can laugh with them, instead of taking offense. In my experience, if you take it easy, you can have a lot of fun and make a good friends, they are very sweet people… if you just relax and break the ice…
Do you go there expecting to find a crowd of like-minded people to greet you straight off the plane with a red carpet and support you and your feelings in your decision to move/sightsee there? That’s totally unrealistic, as is expecting anything from their culture. They don’t owe you anything, not even courtesy… once you accept that you should be able to appreciate how their culture and socialization works.
Here in NY where I live it’s not uncommon to joke about a hispanic person (regardless of how stupid and ignorant that description is) being an illegal immigrant or to pick on his/her english… It sounds like humans being human to me. PERSIST in starting conversations and making contacts until something works.
As this is my first comment I’ll throw a hearty “arigatou” out to Ms. Abe- thanks for your inciteful commentary and keep em’ coming! discussion like this is a compliment! =)
I actually don’t have much bad to say about japanese. They mostly catch my attention for their differences compared to what I see in the US. I admit I don’t know enough about them (thus why I am learning the language and cultures) to say if they’re racist but from the summary of people and their posts on this site; You need to realize. Japan may very well be one of the most unique countries because it was isolated from the world for so long. Into the 1800’s if I’m not mistaken.
You expect them to suddenly open up and say Oh hey! foreigners? My own experiance I can’t walk down the street in Washington Cities without hearing racist based (spoken by the woefully ignorant) comments. Or hear the latest swear words from fools who think cursing is a sign of maturity and the like.
The very concept of what is polite and what is not is nearly 180 opposite between US and much of Asia. Don’t get your head filled with ideas of it being easy to just ‘fit’ in Japan. You don’t. If you are a foreigner brought up in the “melting pot” of the US then I suggest you get used to being treated differently; cause that’s how it will be. Your cultural upbringing is already opposite. It’s time to stop thinking from that viewpoint. And I am glad I am taking Japanese, even through the language I’ve learned to expect something else.
I plan to spend some of my life in Japan and if I’m treated differently so what. For a country so full of ‘be-yourself’ attitudes the US sure is intolerant of being treated differently by someone else. I mean for the love of anything, it IS their country, the US if anything is filled with more racism; of course it’s called “Be American:” Speak English, don’t do anything ‘funny’ and be tolerant of everything. The US can learn so much from those who’ve immigrated from all over the world instead we tell them to change. This is our failing.
Between the two kinds of descrimination I’d rather appreciate a good laugh for my excusable mistakes then get yelled at for not appeasing every US citizen.
I’m sorry but you can’t go to their Country and expect the royal treatment. It’s their home, if you don’t like it don’t go there. There are some good points here, many don’t take the time to learn their language. I know a couple Japanese people who help me out when it comes to learning the culture and the language and I help them out. A lot of the things that I tell them about the English words they have questions about they don’t understand and admit to being shy about speaking English to a native English speaker. That’s just how it is, they distant themselves because they are shy. We live in an imperfect world and so Japan isn’t perfect, some may be a bit raciest, but you know you’re going to find that everywhere. If you don’t like it then don’t go to Japan, they have their own way of life and when you go there you need to be able to change to the way things are there. They shouldn’t have to change for you, and you don’t know them. You’re judging them without knowing, all you are doing is assuming that they are raciest. You do not know for a fact, so why are you seeing yourself as someone who deserves to be treated better. Maybe their assuming as well, you don’t know them and they don’t know you, you can’t just assume that you are correct. I’m sure some Japanese people do it also, but hey, you do it as well. So don’t just bash on them about it.
For those interested in the topic (as I am), please look at http://www.debito.org.
As an American living in Japan, I can certainly vouch for the presence of racism, and not just the “shy” stuff. I have had my own students tell me to go back to America- “we don’t need foreigners here.”
Then you can also look at the Uyoku (right-wingers) on the street corners in Shibuya, screaming about “gaijin hanzai” (crimes by foreigners), which they insist are high and rising. In reality, the crime rate is and historically has been lower than the general Japanese populace (thus, the 90% claim is, of course, pure fiction). Crimes by foreigners are simply focused on by the media, because they seem more sensational, and it preserves the “innocent Japanese” image while trashing the rest of the world.
I believe it comes from a lack of education about the world, and a worldview that sees “Japanese” customs (many of which originated elsewhere in Asia) as being under attack from Western cultures. People seem to think that, like Tokugawa Ieyasu, they can shut the country off from the outside world. In the 21st century, that would be a deathknell for Japan.
Internationalization is an inevitable force, and it can solve some problems in Japan, if the government can take advantage of it. Low and falling birthrate could be solved by bringing in more foreigners. Having them stay, then move abroad, would help increase international interest in tourism in Japan. A smarter cultural export would lead to more interest in Japanese Intellectual Properties and media- movies, games, etc, which could raise revenues and GDP.
Instead, we have people like the governor of Tokyo refusing to talk to foreign press and saying that foreigners are the cause of all crime in Japan. We have 3rd or 4th-generation “Korean-Japanese”, who speak no Korean, denied citizenship and sufferage. There are plenty of people looking at this, foreigners and Japanese alike, so they will (probably) be ironed out in the long run, but they won’t be solved without more input, communication, and interaction with foreigners.