Видео

So when the coworkers go to relax and drink together at an izakaya on Fridays, they still don't talk about their lives? Makes absolutely no f sense to me, tbh... 😂

Good rules to follow anywhere.

i think this applies anywhere with varying degrees. When I first started my first job as an intern in a small graphics design company (it was randomly assigned company during college), my boss sat us interns down and asked us about what we wanted to do in the future. Everyone else said the obvious that they were going to continue pursuing the industry, while I said I wanted to change careers (my grades were mediocre and i was losing passion). THAT just triggered the red flag and a few days later id receive a message from my college lecturer saying that my boss was unhappy about my under performance and tried to kick me out, I had to explain myself and in the end I managed to stay for the term but it was a horrible experience stressed about being back stabbed at any time. Made me realize how naive I was, things can just backfire on u even if it was a honest opinion. Never again Im going to share too much!

I agree with a lot you have said about interactions in the Japanese work place. It feels like a constant psychological game is being played and if you approach the work place in a naive way you will be chewed up. It's sad that you spend so much time surrounded by people you don't know you can trust. This is not how life should be.... I see why now people talk about going back to small communities where people can just be themselves and respect and trust the next person 😢😢😢😢

I mean it sound like socially accepted pettiness- sorry they feel that way when i have no control over their feeling other than my own. But now i had tread and remind myself - they dont deserve your truth when they never earned your trust.

If you are a native English speaker, people will hate you (or at least be extremely jealous) for that. But they will be relieved and forgive you if they realize you are complete dork. If you're fluent in Japanese, it's even worse (because you're a show-off!).

Is there anything good about Japanese working culture, for you as a foreigner? It seems like everything is completely toxic and the only people that benefit are Senpai/superiors at the company.

I am autistic - I can not read the air nor read the room, sometimes I can not quickly decipher facial expressions. Oh and I overshare, like always. Just me I guess. I have not yet been to Japan but have done the Japanese 101 when I was 12 years old and when I was 30 years old, still can't speak or understand any of it.

12:48 what the blazes where'd you learn that?

Never show any weakness to Japan 🇯🇵 ppl I mean never 👎

So don’t talk about anything except for the weather 😂 honestly tho, all those rules sounds exhausting and lonely. I get the whole office politics thing, but you indirectly touched on gossip. And it’s that Japanese gossip behind your back that will kill you. And it’s not just Japan. It’s Thailand and other counties as well. Death by gossip bro.

So you can't talk about that stuff but you're expected to drink alcohol with your manager after hours? What do they talk about at the bar then?

I do not live in Japan but this video contains incredible life advice and is helpful regardless of where I live.

Again, the Japanese society accidentally (or not) fits me like a glove. Cause I forget names and not remember coworkers wifes and kids names. But I do tend to over share. No politics at work is also great.

4:09 nah ! I will pass on that . Find them ,quite annoying and snob . If I wanted to talk to someone acting “ gaijjin” I would chose a random Mate at a pub . Great content! ❤

1:41 For the boys : SDT 🚨　WARNING! Wrap up 😂

Id never work in Japan w their crazy worker abuse,,no paid overtime and forced drinking parties.

I clicked on this video at random, expecting a somewhat stupid video montage and really liked your presence and consistency. So kudos for that. And everything you said is very much true, and should be valid for any office, not just Japanese, especially the workout maniacs endlessly bragging about their bikes, gym, and mountain hikes are truly annoying if you have an invisible disability you've been quiet about. What I really struggle with when working with the Japanese colleagues is discussion of families and children. We spend a lot of social time together travelling in other countries and Westerners like to fill silences with innocent jovial stories about kids and spouses, funny aunts, their childhoods or places where they are from. It's completely normal to ask where people went for vacation or how old their kids are. Even though I know Japanese people don't do that kind of thing, it's a challenge not to try to engage with them in that way because ultimately we work in an international environment and they are in the minority. But alas, I can't resist even though I know it isn't right. Otherwise how do you build a connection with someone? You can't do it while discussing the weather...

I live in a country where there aren't a lot of foreigners. I find that people here often confide in me. I think it's because I'm the outsider who doesn't know their friends and family.

Well done. I am half Japanese, my wife is full, my children are three quarters, we live in Japan, enjoy our lives here as home, and your concepts ring true.

In my country, colleagues don't really share a lot about their personal details unless we've been working together for a while and has built some rapport. But even then, I still don't know any of their very personal details like partners' or children's names, I just know they have one. Religion and politics are a no as well, I myself isn't really up discussing about it. I thought that was fairly normal and this is considering our people are among the "more sociable" among Asians. People from the West must have been very transparent about their lives.

Neatly packed information, good stuff.

So different to china, everyone seemed to know everything about their colleagues haha - back on topic, Japanese people can be so lovely but the total privacy level in japan is a bit too much - i prefer the subtle levels we manage in europe

This has been very enlightening, thank you

If you are talking about prison and drugs in Japan you are so tone deaf you deserve to be ostracized 😂

Hard for more open and verbal North Americans I guess. Easier to just be cool.

So.... be over sensitive and walk on egg shells while living in fear of other people's feelings..... sounds miserable.

You have a great content 😊

In Germany we also separate work and private life. Of course it can happen that your collegue turn into a friend, then you share information, but you always should be careful

Great content mate ! Well I definitely not a weeb nor a living in the bubble ( came here 8 years ago ) . I live among the Japanese don’t mix with another foreigners ( also don’t avoid ) live my life simply and drama free . Also I don’t try to act Japanese or beg their attention . Can’t fit in any of these categories 😂😂 maybe I’m a “ don’t give a damn about other people’s lives minding my own business “ .

So what can you talk about when everything is taboo? This is my dilemma in Japan, and I seem to have put off most Japanese acquaintances by speaking my mind.

What are your thoughts about western gender politics coming to Japan? How would that swing in an office environment.

This Video was really interesting and helpful as i also live in Tokyo currently doing my master and planning to start my career here.

Haha the real cheat for these issues is just don’t speak to Japanese or foreigners . Most people are shite . Japanese are small minded like this island and westerners are obnoxious

Okay so these 9 things are some you don’t wanna talk about in japan work environment. Thank you for this very useful information. If you have anything that are great topics that are commonly talked about or are great conversation topics in japanese work environment, it would be a great squeal to this video

Great, thank you

To be honest a lot of this stuff applies (or should apply) in the west too. Don't overshare, and be judicious about who and when you share information.

There seem to be multiple camps on this. Some say your coworkers are not your friends. Ironically the first Japanese person a got close to was my coordinator. A coworker. She has since left the job and we are still friends. It is very interesting that some of the stuff you brought up, health, family, and relationships. All of which are conversations I have had with her. It’s a bit strange in that our closeness was a bit of an open secret it seems because we were good friends but the people in the office it seems were never allowed to know. Surface level is totally fine. You can talk about music, hobbies, anime, manga, ect. This is how ya build friendships. Just always be mindful of a person’s character, if they seem inconsistent in how they act, it’s probably not someone worth getting close to or else you will be betrayed. Life isn’t so simple it would seem.

I lived in Japan as a teenager in the early 1970s and very quickly learned Tactical Secrecy. While I attended an international school, many aspects of a school bullying and a vicious rat-you-out culture, often seen in anime, existed even back then. I still do it today, no anti-social media, personal information is on a don't need to know basis.

As an American, i don't discuss my personal life at work. People will assume you have no life or girl friend but i just believe in keeping personal stuff private. Coworkers are not my friends and I don't need to share personal details with them. I wish more countries were like this.

I've seen victims of japanese company bullying. Its no joke! To a western view,it would be seen as unprofessional, trival and cowardly,but there it is. Never underestimate the "mob mentality". You have been told!

These failure focused mindset sounds like a faulty apple in their society. No idea how Japan should grow healthy with such issues in their back.

Great video 😊

3:19 Don't you mean "please treat me well?" 😀

mansplaining nonsense

Japanese very cold to each others including family and friends. You never get to share shoulder to lean on each others. They only talk about weather and tv drama.

Hard to accept this as real. In US Everyone lets it all out. We also bond over beers after softball games during weekend. Some of my best friends were/are from work. I mean, you want to be a nice person, but I don’t remember people at work observing all those rules in US. No wonder people are lonely in Japan. You have to live and let live.

Thank you for the great video, even after working in Japan for 6 years some of these points hit deeply as I have been burned several times for sharing even the most minute innocent thing about myself that would never in a million years have caused anyone to even blink back home. It results in a culture where you don’t talk about yourself at all, nor do your coworkers, and the entire environment is very robotic and artificial. Those commenting here how your advice sounds like it applies to any culture or humanity in general, simply haven’t lived through this personally. On some level they’re not wrong, but it’s just a whole other level in Japan. lmportantly, I would also point out the effect this has on one’s mental state, as coming from a more socially open culture, adjusting to work or just daily life in Japan vis-a-vis social relationships and social wellbeing is totally different and frankly can be extremely difficult to adjust to. One needs many, many more outlets and support structures to not get worn out and depressed. Knowing the points you brought up in this video is a great way for people to avoid a lot of problems working here. This video is best watched and appreciated by those who are living and working here long-term, definitely not tourists or non-zairyuu card holders.

Sounds perfect for me. I am an anti-social autist with no social life and 0 communication skills.