I was away from Japan for a few weeks and now I’m back it seems like everyone is at it. Walk out the station ハローハロー, walk past someone on the street ハローハロー.
Honestly it drives me nuts. What do you do when people do this to you?
The hell kind of places are you going. I haven’t had anyone try to talk to me in years.
Legit question though. I’m curious what station
I usually just greet them back in Japanese. I think it strikes a good balance: polite, but also carries a bit of “speak to me in Japanese if you’re going to talk to me” force.
I usually drop to my knees and disembowel myself with a short sword. That’ll learn ’em.
What the hell are you smoking? Good luck getting away with 職務質問.
I tell them in Japanese : くたばれ
I never get that on looks alone since i blend in quite well having default asian characteristics.
However it has happened several times while i was speaking English either on the phone or with friends in public.
If it’s just a snarky ハロー from teens and dbags just for their shits and giggles from across the way, i like to shout back something in Japanese like:
はぁー? 何だ? ごめん、聞こえなかった。発音ひど過ぎて。
That or i purposely mispronounce a Japanese greeting horribly over and over back to them until they get embarrassed and stop/leave.
That usually shuts them up and i get back to what i was doing.
If it’s a “genuine” ハロー or feels that way… (for example could be a kid or someone who’s doing Eikaiwa and they finally broke out of their comfort zone to try to use English) then I’ll say hello back with a smile and give them a compliment/thank them for saying hi. If im not too busy maybe I’ll ask them something simple in English.
Anyway i feel like genuine friendly ハロー tends to be from a closer distance and you can visibly see that the person is shy or embarrassed while saying it. Maybe even stuttering. I use these moments to acknowledge their attempt to communicate with a foreigner and show them that not all “gaijin” are bad.
Smile, wave, but don’t stop. Unless they’re kids. I’m a softie like that.
People regularly shout “hello!” at you when you are walking the street? Where are you staying? In some tourist area where touts target foreigners?
Put your hands together and slightly bow and give them your best konnichiwar
Usually do breakdance but it doesnt work quite well
OP must live far out of Tokyo to get anyone talking to him.
The only time we have had anyone talk to use in 6 months is at 2M in the morning at Naritasan Shrine on new year’s. Some drunk guy wished us a happy new years in English, very friendly.
Call the cops.
Wtf crazy town do you live in?
Just don’t make eye contact and ignore them
I say hello back. I don’t have a problem with people being friendly when they see me.
15 comments
Ignore, keep walking.
The hell kind of places are you going. I haven’t had anyone try to talk to me in years.
Legit question though. I’m curious what station
I usually just greet them back in Japanese. I think it strikes a good balance: polite, but also carries a bit of “speak to me in Japanese if you’re going to talk to me” force.
I usually drop to my knees and disembowel myself with a short sword. That’ll learn ’em.
What the hell are you smoking? Good luck getting away with 職務質問.
I tell them in Japanese : くたばれ
I never get that on looks alone since i blend in quite well having default asian characteristics.
However it has happened several times while i was speaking English either on the phone or with friends in public.
If it’s just a snarky ハロー from teens and dbags just for their shits and giggles from across the way, i like to shout back something in Japanese like:
はぁー? 何だ? ごめん、聞こえなかった。発音ひど過ぎて。
That or i purposely mispronounce a Japanese greeting horribly over and over back to them until they get embarrassed and stop/leave.
That usually shuts them up and i get back to what i was doing.
If it’s a “genuine” ハロー or feels that way… (for example could be a kid or someone who’s doing Eikaiwa and they finally broke out of their comfort zone to try to use English) then I’ll say hello back with a smile and give them a compliment/thank them for saying hi. If im not too busy maybe I’ll ask them something simple in English.
Anyway i feel like genuine friendly ハロー tends to be from a closer distance and you can visibly see that the person is shy or embarrassed while saying it. Maybe even stuttering. I use these moments to acknowledge their attempt to communicate with a foreigner and show them that not all “gaijin” are bad.
Smile, wave, but don’t stop.
Unless they’re kids. I’m a softie like that.
People regularly shout “hello!” at you when you are walking the street? Where are you staying? In some tourist area where touts target foreigners?
Put your hands together and slightly bow and give them your best konnichiwar
Usually do breakdance but it doesnt work quite well
OP must live far out of Tokyo to get anyone talking to him.
The only time we have had anyone talk to use in 6 months is at 2M in the morning at Naritasan Shrine on new year’s. Some drunk guy wished us a happy new years in English, very friendly.
Call the cops.
Wtf crazy town do you live in?
Just don’t make eye contact and ignore them
I say hello back. I don’t have a problem with people being friendly when they see me.