Japanese people are a borg collective that share all thoughts and opinions and react identically in various situations, especially when it concerns interaction with foreigners.
It will solve all your problems by moving here from your home country
That the country is technologically advanced. In some regards, yes (excellent robotics), but many things like weak cybersecurity, lack of extensive digitalization, slowing tech innovation, archaic web design, etc. put it in a negative light compared to other industrialized nations.
That Japanese people are always on time.
That once you move to Japan, you’ll be happy.
Unfortunately, happiness comes from within, and location doesn’t matter as much.
That it’s expensive. Daily life here is surprisingly cheap (offer not valid in central Tokyo).
That rice from different prefectures tastes different.
A lot of sad/depressed people want to move to Japan because they think it’s a paradise, utopia, or some fantasy land… So they arrive in Japan and end up being even more depressed and go back in few months or a year.
That Japanese people don’t like anime and manga. Or, only children like Japanese anime and manga and adults don’t.
Somewhere along the line the nuance of “most Japanese people don’t like/watch those hyper niche anime that become really popular among foreign anime fans, but series like One Piece are super popular” and it became all Japanese people/adults don’t watch any anime and manga.
“Japan is so clean. The Japanese NEVER litter.”
“The Japanese always follow the rules. No one even jaywalks!”
That Japanese are always considerate of others. Spend a few seconds on the road, or a few minutes waiting to cross the road while no one stops, and you will realize how false this is
People need to stop taking japan is always ◯◯ literally. Like no shit there’s always exceptions and “ever” and “always” dont exist
That this is a quiet country.
That it is expensive. This is 30 years out of date.
A lot of things that are true in Tokyo, but not in other places. Pubic transport is gold in Tokyo, but down here in Kyushu, trains are late sometimes, buses are always late, etc. Things are not as efficient once you leave the big cities.
Also, Japanese people and laws. I see them obeying jaywalking laws sure, but they wait for the light to change on the bikes, and then proceed to ride into a no cycling area. They obey what they choose to obey, and for whatever season, the jaywalking thing is one of them.
I don’t know if there is a stereotype of awareness, but boy, spacial awareness is something I never expected to be an issue.
In my case, before moving to Japan, I was told from many of the Japanese people living back in my country that Japanese people are the most polite and kindest people in the world.
And I’d say most of the time people are polite, but I’m not too sure about kind. I have also met the meanest and most asshole bullies here as well. Tbf, it could be the same anywhere. But I feel some people take bullying/assholeness to the next level here.
That it’s ~so clean~. I’ll start considering that when my students aren’t having to pick up bottles of piss off the side of the road during the annual clean up day.
Japanese people are hygienic
Lie? You don’t see anime girls and voluptuous actresses on street, tsunami and fuji mountain behind your room in temple tower. You don’t run like ninja and won’t get a job as hokage.
Not necessarily the biggest, but I did come across a comment on a YouTube video unrelated to Japan and OP was describing to a tee being approached by the Kenshokai people. However OP was a tourist and not really aware what had happened, but got a creepy feeling and declined the offer to go experience “Japanese Culture” and the teachings of a “good Japanese spiritual teacher” and something about MT Fuji. The reply with the most comment chalked it up to Japanese people being lonely and the OP should have taken up the offer to go experience the nice people of Japan. I cackled.
Japanese people (in general) are very friendly. There is a distinction to be made between friendliness and politeness.
That everyone is so polite. No, some people are quite rude.
I think this stems from people not knowing the language and only encountering service staff.
That Japanese people are good at reading between the lines or reading the room. In my experience a lot of Japanese people get it wrong and read the wrong feelings or intent.
“You will lose weight in Japan”
*laughs in karaage
Politeness.
No they aren’t just some mystical super polite people. Quite the opposite. It’s just extreme social pressure that feign politeness.
Once in an environment that has no/few social rules, they’re animals. Supermarket queue being a great example. Them “Obachans” will literally shove you out the way to get to the register before you when all you have is one bottled drink and they have a week’s shopping.
Japanese are considered hard workers (true) but no one says that they are probably the less efficient in the world.
I think I answered “professionalism” the last time I encountered a question like this. 😺
ETA: I have to add “value for honor” to my answer now.
That Japanese are so polite that they don’t even use their phones on the train to respect other people and don’t want to disturb them with noise pollution.
Politician: (Shouts at you through a literal megaphone outside the train station at 6:00 in the morning.)
Anything a fukn “influencer” on Tiktok or Instagram that says “Top 5 things never to do in Japan”….those vids do my fukn head in, painting Japan like some weird place where the people will shrivel up n die if you eat while walking down the street….no one gives a fuck and they leave you alone…I like that
Trains are always on time. The Chuo line would like a word. It actually being on time in the morning is the surprise
“Japan sells (strange thing) in vending machines!!!”
“Japan is giving away FREE HOUSES!!!”
That Japanese people are shy.
Japanese individuals are generally not shy at all; rather, they tend to display a propensity for risk aversion and tend to become quite confused when confronted with unfamiliar circumstances.
Japanese individuals often find themselves perplexed when they are unable to apply the unspoken societal norms that guide their social interactions. This state of confusion is quite distinct from “shy”ness.
That Japan is “heaven for introverts”. Try working/living in a “fully japanese” environment as an introvert instead of working remotely at home and find out how cool the stigma japanese people have towards introverts is.
People follow the rules.
No they don’t, they follow whatever other people are doing no matter what the actual rule is.
Japan is a cash-based society.
Still see that in almost every tourist guide despite there being so many ways to pay here (especially for locals). Then just when you think you’ll never need cash again you come across a cash-only supermarket or something as equally ridiculous.
36 comments
>Besides that it has 4 seasons.
How’s that a lie?
Japanese people are a borg collective that share all thoughts and opinions and react identically in various situations, especially when it concerns interaction with foreigners.
It will solve all your problems by moving here from your home country
That the country is technologically advanced. In some regards, yes (excellent robotics), but many things like weak cybersecurity, lack of extensive digitalization, slowing tech innovation, archaic web design, etc. put it in a negative light compared to other industrialized nations.
That Japanese people are always on time.
That once you move to Japan, you’ll be happy.
Unfortunately, happiness comes from within, and location doesn’t matter as much.
That it’s expensive. Daily life here is surprisingly cheap (offer not valid in central Tokyo).
That rice from different prefectures tastes different.
A lot of sad/depressed people want to move to Japan because they think it’s a paradise, utopia, or some fantasy land… So they arrive in Japan and end up being even more depressed and go back in few months or a year.
That Japanese people don’t like anime and manga. Or, only children like Japanese anime and manga and adults don’t.
Somewhere along the line the nuance of “most Japanese people don’t like/watch those hyper niche anime that become really popular among foreign anime fans, but series like One Piece are super popular” and it became all Japanese people/adults don’t watch any anime and manga.
“Japan is so clean. The Japanese NEVER litter.”
“The Japanese always follow the rules. No one even jaywalks!”
That Japanese are always considerate of others. Spend a few seconds on the road, or a few minutes waiting to cross the road while no one stops, and you will realize how false this is
People need to stop taking japan is always ◯◯ literally. Like no shit there’s always exceptions and “ever” and “always” dont exist
That this is a quiet country.
That it is expensive. This is 30 years out of date.
A lot of things that are true in Tokyo, but not in other places. Pubic transport is gold in Tokyo, but down here in Kyushu, trains are late sometimes, buses are always late, etc. Things are not as efficient once you leave the big cities.
Also, Japanese people and laws. I see them obeying jaywalking laws sure, but they wait for the light to change on the bikes, and then proceed to ride into a no cycling area. They obey what they choose to obey, and for whatever season, the jaywalking thing is one of them.
I don’t know if there is a stereotype of awareness, but boy, spacial awareness is something I never expected to be an issue.
In my case, before moving to Japan, I was told from many of the Japanese people living back in my country that Japanese people are the most polite and kindest people in the world.
And I’d say most of the time people are polite, but I’m not too sure about kind. I have also met the meanest and most asshole bullies here as well. Tbf, it could be the same anywhere. But I feel some people take bullying/assholeness to the next level here.
That it’s ~so clean~. I’ll start considering that when my students aren’t having to pick up bottles of piss off the side of the road during the annual clean up day.
Japanese people are hygienic
Lie? You don’t see anime girls and voluptuous actresses on street, tsunami and fuji mountain behind your room in temple tower. You don’t run like ninja and won’t get a job as hokage.
Not necessarily the biggest, but I did come across a comment on a YouTube video unrelated to Japan and OP was describing to a tee being approached by the Kenshokai people. However OP was a tourist and not really aware what had happened, but got a creepy feeling and declined the offer to go experience “Japanese Culture” and the teachings of a “good Japanese spiritual teacher” and something about MT Fuji. The reply with the most comment chalked it up to Japanese people being lonely and the OP should have taken up the offer to go experience the nice people of Japan. I cackled.
Japanese people (in general) are very friendly. There is a distinction to be made between friendliness and politeness.
That everyone is so polite. No, some people are quite rude.
I think this stems from people not knowing the language and only encountering service staff.
That Japanese people are good at reading between the lines or reading the room. In my experience a lot of Japanese people get it wrong and read the wrong feelings or intent.
“You will lose weight in Japan”
*laughs in karaage
Politeness.
No they aren’t just some mystical super polite people. Quite the opposite. It’s just extreme social pressure that feign politeness.
Once in an environment that has no/few social rules, they’re animals. Supermarket queue being a great example. Them “Obachans” will literally shove you out the way to get to the register before you when all you have is one bottled drink and they have a week’s shopping.
Japanese are considered hard workers (true) but no one says that they are probably the less efficient in the world.
I think I answered “professionalism” the last time I encountered a question like this. 😺
ETA: I have to add “value for honor” to my answer now.
That Japanese are so polite that they don’t even use their phones on the train to respect other people and don’t want to disturb them with noise pollution.
Politician: (Shouts at you through a literal megaphone outside the train station at 6:00 in the morning.)
Anything a fukn “influencer” on Tiktok or Instagram that says “Top 5 things never to do in Japan”….those vids do my fukn head in, painting Japan like some weird place where the people will shrivel up n die if you eat while walking down the street….no one gives a fuck and they leave you alone…I like that
Trains are always on time. The Chuo line would like a word. It actually being on time in the morning is the surprise
“Japan sells (strange thing) in vending machines!!!”
“Japan is giving away FREE HOUSES!!!”
That Japanese people are shy.
Japanese individuals are generally not shy at all; rather, they tend to display a propensity for risk aversion and tend to become quite confused when confronted with unfamiliar circumstances.
Japanese individuals often find themselves perplexed when they are unable to apply the unspoken societal norms that guide their social interactions. This state of confusion is quite distinct from “shy”ness.
That Japan is “heaven for introverts”. Try working/living in a “fully japanese” environment as an introvert instead of working remotely at home and find out how cool the stigma japanese people have towards introverts is.
People follow the rules.
No they don’t, they follow whatever other people are doing no matter what the actual rule is.
Japan is a cash-based society.
Still see that in almost every tourist guide despite there being so many ways to pay here (especially for locals). Then just when you think you’ll never need cash again you come across a cash-only supermarket or something as equally ridiculous.