When my wife and I were visiting Japan I held a door open at a restaurant for an elderly Japanese woman. It made her day! She kept talking about how nice the foreigners were.
elderly japanese women are so sweet. i was walking in a non touristy area in a kimono and feeling kind of down, an older japanese woman saw and walked up to me and complimented me on my kimono. it was so sweet i almost cried right then and there lol
@@noah3655 That was so kind of her! They can be so sweet! We did see an elbow war between an elderly woman and man on a train when it was really packed lol They can also be vicious haha
In my experience, older women loved any extra help, like giving up a seat on the train or holding a door for them. The older men? They have too much pride and won’t be as receptive 😂
The old ladies in Japan were so delighted by me, one squealed and laughed so hard when I let her wiggle my septum ring at an onsen in Hakone. So many approached me on the train with questions and were so surprised when I offered to help them down the stairs and stuff (even though I myself have limited mobility). I loved my time randomly wandering around the cities and villages seeing what we could find and who we would meet!
What not to do in Japan: Don't be an insufferable jackass. There, done. People are people wherever you go, so as long as you are polite you should be fine.
@@ladyethyme It's why I used "should". Things don't always turn out how we expect them to. Also I'm sorry that you had to go through those bad experiences. Again people are people. No matter what, there will always be idiots making trouble for others. And grabbing a stranger's hair because it looks pretty is pretty up there in terms of stupid.
I had a good 20-30 minute conversation with a man who was sitting at a bus stop in Japan. I did my best in the little Japanese I knew and he was very patient with me. Thank you random 9am drunk bus stop man in Kawasaki. I will never forgot you ❤😂
I’m a foreigner living in Osaka and those TikTok videos are hilarious. Most of these videos there and on RUclips have so much disinformation and exposition. This was a fun video Aki 👏🏾
I am in Osaka too and when I see those stupid videos about one specific thing an "influencer" saw in Tokyo and saying don't do this in Japan or do this in Japan, I am like "dude Osaka doesn't even give a f***k" lol
I mean, some of them may be true, but the problem is that content creators bring up some extreme examples and generalize as if they are the norm in Japan or as if all Japanese are like that.
I was going to say this as well. Like in the midwest I’m pretty sure a lot of people say ‘howdy’ still. And the friendly ‘hey y’all’. At least no one ever thought I was less American for saying it.
What I always find peculiar is how there are so many videos about "do's and dont's when visiting Japan" where indeed, they are mostly just "general knowledge while traveling" which is not specific to Japan. Do and dont vids can be useful to highlight specific peculiarities that can get you in trouble. Such as (e.g.,) when you go to France, you are apparently obliged by law to have a throwaway BAC test tube thingy in your car. That's a very specific thing that's not really a law in many other countries, so tourists may be taken by surprise and fined. But stuff like "Say 'hello' and 'thank you' in the local language, figure out how to deal with your luggage in your hotel room" etc. applies everywhere. Yet I don't come across as many of these type of vids for, say, going on a trip to Latvia or Brazil.
Cause I swear weebs act like Japan is like some secret land and that we must be taught these rules. Normal people know how to act normal in other countries. If you didn’t know something and a local tells you, then you just learned something new lol
Most of the ones that give "advice" about how to travel - when it's just basic info - might be AI generated, which would explain why they're so basic sounding.
Im a foreigner living in rural japan and those type of videos truly make me so angry. Bigger tips to give would be like “follow the flow of traffic. Stick to the left on escalators unless otherwise instructed. If you are lost in a train station looking for directions DO NOT stand in the center of the station and just stand near a wall or something. Do not cut in line. Etc.”
Very true. My boyfriend and I visited Japan last year in November (we visited the typical tourists places but also more rural Japan (Izu, which we liked a lot). During our preparation for our trip I found so much of these type of videos with 'do's and dont's'. I am by no means an expert on Japan but since our trip last year I understand more how stupid these kinds of videos really are since 1) the are often generic information not specific to Japan, 2) sometimes it is specific information but not nuanced enough and 3) sometimes they make big exaggerations that are really not that big of a deal anyway. I also feel that Japanese inhabitants are more forgiving towards tourists (how we experienced it anyway), but they are more strict towards foreigners who lives in Japan (is that true?). I feel like information about laws or important practical knowledge that is specific to Japan (or any country you want to visit) would be way more interesting so you can keep yourself out of unwanted trouble or confusion. That would help way more than some generic 'advice' that should be common sense like: 'learn some Japanese words and phrases'. I can't be the only one who thinks it's logical when traveling to a foreign country, you would at least do some research about the country and learn some words in that language that you will need often to get around ...
@@LinkOfLegendOfZelda Agreed. A good tip would be walking with your passport at all times because the police might stop you for whatever reason and ask for your documents or if you go to a store and want to get tax-free purchases. The issue is not only them saying the most basic stuff but also they all regurgitate the same things over and over again.
Those tips are like common sense in any country lol people just need to stop idealizing this place it’s why they make those videos anyways and why the misinformation spreads easily
Most of those are common sense, just like if you are lost, don't stand on the middle of the stairs, that's a great way to be annoying no matter what country you're in.
I'm glad this video was made. I hate seeing so much misinformation go unchecked. I once saw a video of some girl saying that you can rent a regular apartment without having proof of a job, Work visa, or being a student because "Japan doesn't care about that" lol
I'd like to see anyone rent an apartment in any country and not provide proof of income, lol. The landlord needs to know your income to assess if you can even afford the apartment because nobody likes a tenant that they have to harrass to pay rent.
It's actually eypecially hard to rent in Japan, because proof of income often is not enough even if you could pay a years worth of rent upfront, but you also need a guarantor who has to be Japanese.
@@pepinella5624can you explain what that is? is it kinda like a second opinion or something? like because this japanese citizen agrees the foreign tenet is trustworthy to be renting? i don’t know thats what i got out of that lol pls correct me if im wrong.
LOL as a tourist I was actually surprised that my Japanese friends from Osaka greeted me with a hug. I already mentally prepared myself to stop myself from hugging and just bow and wave at them. It was a good thing thooo!
I live in Cape Town South Africa and I get such kick out of watching the so called influencers getting all giddy about telling us locals about the hidden gem they just found. Then it turns out to be a little coffee shop that's been around for decades. These "influencers" are from my city.
@@nicolenelourens565 they influence other “influencers” tbh the general public doesn’t take any of that seriously or into account unless you’re the type to believe and want everything u see on the internet 😭 i think we’re better off js calling them content creators at this point
Every time I try to tell people on Tiktok that these influencer are spreading lies, I am being labeled as a "Japan-obsessed teen, who doesn't know the reality of things". I study Japanology at university, it is literally studying Japan's history, culture and society. I love and hate Tiktokers tryna fight me like they're experts. I am moving to Japan to study for half a year soon, so I plan on making a RUclips and Tiktok account to document my life there and talk about my experience.
@@Pratt11 My mom came up with the idea after she caught me talking a lot about Japan. I was at a loss for what I could do at university, and mom showed up with just the right thing for me.
You seem to be obsessed with Japan though. You Americans have the entire world in your country but you're obsessed with Japan. Must be cool to be No 1 MAGA American eh. You guys drain the whole world with those printed US dollars, even your beloved Japan.
The nod thing is so real. I once was leaving a restaurant after shopping. I went to bow slightly but I forgot how heavy my backpack was so I ended up bowing deeper than necessary. Staff got a kick out of that one 😂
I live in Tokyo, Japan and I would say all J-vloggers are part of the problem too Because almost all of them have been guilty of both misinformation and creating this out for touch narrative of the country Because they don't have real jobs in Japan 😅
Japanese often exchange business cards in casual meetups. I've gotten many from people i met at bars or out on the town. I made my own for that reason.
Yeah, idk where the other people responding to you were going, but I lived there for 3 years both studying and working, and received maybe 5 business cards *total* over those years. Most people under the age of 50 exchange contact info with their phones, unless you are specifically meeting them for work. They also will give zero damns if you fail to take it with both hands while bowing--there are way more offensive things foreign tourists are doing on the regular.
I received one! I was in Yokohama about to enter legendary race car driver Max Orido's car shop called 559 and a SUPER enthusiastic guy came up to me, not able to speak a word of English but I could make out that he was asking about exporting Japanese cars overseas and gave me his card, lol. It was very funny, and sadly I didn't have a business card of my own to give to him.
So as someone who is currently studying to get my Japanese driving license, I can confirm that at least within my course, I was taught to just ignore the honking until either I am in the road where they are allowing honking or I really want to signal to others about a potential danger, which in the video Aki shown does do that. So yeah, you might not see a lot of honking on the street during the day, but during the night when vision is low, or any sharp curve, or mountain road, you might hear a lot of honking, just to signal
Sorry for your loss and happy for the warm memories you’ll always have of Flurry. Having lived in Japan as an exchange student and now as an adult, seeing people say silly things about Japan always causes me to side eye their content. This is why I enjoy both your and Joey’s content (along with a few others). Keep up the super work and thank you for posting this💜
On the “say thank you” bit it made me think of the fact that Japanese people already say the English thank you sometimes even to each other! We say it more like “sankyou” but still
About the coin situation. one thing I learned that’s really good is that if you have a lot of small coins you can go to the konbini buy something cheap, then put all of your coins into the machine and it will give you change into 50/100/500 yen coins. Depending on how much you have so the more you know.
Walmart has similar machines through Coinstar, I think it's called. They do take a bit of a fee, though, so it's best if you're going to be getting back probably more than $5 or $10. Like a piggy bank filled with pennies that you want to convert to cash.
The irony is while foreigners are stressed out about these rules being exagerated by tiktokers and youtubers, there are rules that are written explicitly on signboards in Japan that they purposedly ignore such as "don't take photos in private roads" "don't take photos of geisha" in Kyoto or "don't go into the street to take photos" in front of that stupid Lawson conbini near Mt. Fuji! I was watching the morning news with my friend's family while the updates came up about local authorities installing new fences in front of Lawson to prevent tourists from dangerously running into the street to take photos. As I was technically a tourist, my friend's parents (they're in their 60s) asked me why tourists would do that. And when I explained that it was to show off on social media, they were so puzzled and found it unfanthomable =)))
the geisha rule reminds me of a video i saw of what seemed like a american woman running after a geisha and shoving the camera in her face when she was just simply minding her business :/ she was trying to avoid her by walking a different direction and covering her face with what i remember was a fan or her hands but still this woman was blocking her way all to get a picture, second hand embarrassment for sure.
Do not rush into the train? Tell that to the businessman who shoulder checked me out of the way to get onto the train. I'm 6'2" 260lbs, he ran up the stairs, bounced off of me to get onto the train as the doors closed. I bounced off the side of the gate and backwards as the doors closed. Dude was hauling when he heard the chime for the train. Worst of all he didn't even signal an apology through the window.
There's always going to be outliers but a majority of people don't rush. It's like when people say Japanese people don't jaywalk and cross on a red light, most wait but a few don't.
The one thing that I don't agree is the just go to 7/11 and use the ATM; not all Japanese stores have contracts with banks that do overseas atm services. The easiest way to see if you can do transactions is if it has the green JP Post logo; but it is definitely not 100% certain
I went to a 7/11 atm in the middle of nowhere at mt aso and they still took my mastercard. What's more common is that and atm can have closing/operating times.
@@siedenburg1 they are more likely to take credit cards but Europeans tend to not have a credit but rather use debit cards instead. For those a contract between issuer and whatever atm operator needs to be there otherwise it won't let you. I lived rural outskirts of Kyoto and Fukuoka (Kurume area) ... was super annoying
@@DrazCreates I'm european (germany, where everything banking related is as unnecessarily complicated as in japan). I mainly use my normal credit card because there aren't any fees on that, but other people i travel with use debit (also at mt aso) and everything worked.
also in Japan at the Gundam Base shops you can't buy the two same Gunpla due to fear of scalpers which is funny as some of the Gunpla has a gimmick that if you buy two or more of the same Gunpla you can combine them together into a super Gunpla or that the staff member did not read the gimmick on the box, lol.
10:47 No way I totally disagree with this, with all due respect lol, but take it from my perspective, we were coming from just visiting the Philippines where people honk at the freaking wind over there, they honk every hour of every day, they honk like they breathe air, Tokyo was dead silent in comparison. Is there some honking sometimes? Of course! But compared to the US and especially some other Asian countries, def a lot quieter!
Thank you for this. I’ve lived in Japan for almost 10 years and the things people are posting these days are just so inaccurate. It’s also harmful cause people Japanese culture and Japan and look these people up for reference when they’re thinking of visiting and they’re just being fed a lot of misinformation.
9:09 人間ドッグ this is a thing and still very common in corporate Japanese jobs. I know because I’ve experienced it. Usually once the staff reaches the age of 35 this annual health check is required.
honestly, if i want advice on what you should/shouldn't do in other countries...i rather take it from foreigners actually living in that area and not some random tiktok people that was just visiting the area. also rip flurry, i almost forgot about the boy
It’s super annoying because when I was learning Japanese from an actual Japanese person that was born and raised IN Japan their ENTIRE life, these videos r just telling me to FORGET everything she taught me, like bffr.
I love how she reminds you to say thank you 😂 you should do this whatever country you visit. Some of the most important phrases to learn in different languages: please, thank you, hello, where are the toilets?
6:35 that also applies to SEA countries, people avoiding taking the last piece. But really depends on the individual. I guess I hang with a pretty casual crowd who will not hesitate to take the last piece. We're still polite but we don't hesitate to say I'll take it. And these are japanese people. So no social faux pas there
Shibuya melt down is probably one of my favorite Instagram account 😂😂 haven't checking it in a whole tho, thanks for the reminder 😂 Much love from Arizona 💜💜
Idk what to say to these foreigners that do breaking boundaries in every possible through internet which is getting sadder the time passes by is just too much~ :c
Right? It's suppossed to work in a chain! You hold the door for me behind you. I hold the door for the person behind me. They hold the door for the one behind them and so on.
Thank you. It’s not just influencers-somehow, even people who’ve never been to Japan become “experts.” I haven’t seen this happen with other destinations. I’m not Japanese or an expert, nor do I want to be, but I’ve visited Japan many times and traveled to many cultures very different from my own. It frustrates me when people portray Japan as a utopia or “living in 2050.” Japan has wonderful aspects, but like anywhere, it also has its flaws. I’ve also seen people stress themselves out trying to learn everything about Japan, feeling like they need to assimilate. Yes, educate yourself on basic cultural norms and dos and don’ts, but don’t overdo it. And definitely don’t over-plan your trip-packing in too much will leave you navigating more than actually enjoying the experience.
These types of videos always pop up where someone visits another country and suddenly thinks they know the dos and don'ts of said country. As an Australian, I see these videos pop up all the time for Australia and most of the advice is actually nonsense or just globally common sense.
Texas Aggies say howdy! Japan is getting a lot of negative publicity from influencers always telling us what not to do. They definitely don’t give a positive impression of Japan. I spent a month on a small island. It was rural and most locals were older and spoke no English, but they were kind and patient with me as I used my limited Japanese. I am renovating an abandoned 200 year old home and garden there to save its history.
These "what not to do on Japan" have been showing up on my fyp lately, then this shows up, never seen this tuber before but I just live her no-nonsense attitude. Thank you for educating us. 🥰👍😄
Lived on Okinawa for 3 years. I'll make it easier for you. Rules for living in Japan 1. Treat locals like normal people 2. Don't be an asshole You're welcome
Sorry about your loss. Thank you for this! Although I'm not watching those tiktok videos but reels instead...I really skip them since I believe not all of them live in the place they're mentioning to be an expert to what we all should do and don't. Sometimes it's just common sense. Make more of this please!
I’m so sorry about Flurry! I want to thank you for making my day and giving me great advice for my upcoming trip to Japan with my son in the next several months!! ❤❤❤❤
4:24 on that note about the countryside in Japan. Even knowing a small amount of Japanese can go a long way, and the locals will really respect the effort depending on where you are. My wife's family is in Fukui, and out there they're so welcoming of tourists. I was asked quite a few times to spread the footage and photos I had taken to try to bring in more tourists.
Thanks for recommending those extensions to learn. I've been wanting to get back to learning Japanese after high school and hadn't found anything nearly that useful. Its wild to see those types of videos (the ones that are flat out wrong or just don't recognize basic manners as normal in Japan for some reason).
when I went last year, some shops that were very touristy or just were used to seeing tourists would tell me to just empty my coin purse on their tray, even if I had the correct amount, and they'd take all the 1 yens off my hands. They KNOW you'll get way too many at some point. I found this to be very nice of them to do.
Ehhh, I meeeaaaaan, 'Howdy' and 'Hi' wasn't a very good example though as they're not even different languages, just how people greet each other within the States. People actually do say 'howdy'. While it's a stereotype against southern folks, you'll still witness people saying it.
7:40 it is actually kinda xenophobic, in some Asian and African cultures eating with your hand is traditional, why must we enforce our rules to others plates?
Eating is a personal thing. As long as you clean your hands properly after eating with your hands and touching other stuff like door knows, it shouldn't be an issue.
Japan is a country where online business will lie to your face about product release dates. They take the money and then shift the dates endlessly. And because they apologise 5 times they think it's OK to mistreat paying customers. Japan is overhyped and one has to be very careful when interacting with them, same as everyone else.
My co worker straight up asked me how it was like living in a communist country (I’m Japanese) so I believe that there are some idiots that would say “ni-hao” in Japan
I lived in Japan for a bit and these tiktoks pissed me off because the places that were hidden gems or must trys were not that good😭 like they def dont know what theyre talking about
Drivers almost never honk in Japan. If you search for it online, you will find the rare occasions where they do but it is far from the norm. I went back to NY recently and i was annoyed at how often people honk there.
I wish i hadn't watched so many of those videos before coming to japan, they stressed me out so much. As long as youre aware of the culture, it feels pretty normal here, like any other country ive visited. I learnt a few basic phrases/words and im getting by. Everyone here is so friendly and helpful. Id definitely recommend visiting
Lots of internet hugs for the loss of your furry baby. I hope the rest of the holiday season has been treating you well. I don't click on most of those silly videos for a reason. Thankful for your honest experience. Your content always seemed more grounded to me than most of the people just trying to press for views in regards to what not to do in various locales. I love your silly videos, but they're not the same kind of vibe, so they don't give me the same feeling I get from those influencers. I appreciate they're trying to help and be informative, but their limited experience often makes them unreliable narrators and they tend to sensationalize for the sake of appeal.
I spent a week in Japan last year and especially if you look like an obvious foreigner (like I do) most people, at least in Tokyo, aren’t going to expect you to know or follow all the rules. Just use common courtesy and follow what others are doing, and you’ll be daijoubu.
Thank you for the Japanese your helping me learn aki every video I learn new phrases , I even end my livestreams with either Daijoubu desu or Itadakimasu
When I was in Japan a month ago I really didn't use much Japanese. I used Sumimasen the most to escape the train. Daijubu desu when asked if I needed a plastic bag and I Kawaii ne when I bought a Pikachu plushie. For the most part in Tokyo if you don't speak Japanese they know enough english to help you and most things you can point to. I used Google Translate for the toilets since the flush button can be in different locations. Other than that the Hotel staff also had their own translating device to help me. However going further out to Chiba was a little more difficult to communicate but most things are pretty easy to plan out since you literally use a kiosk to order food at most restaurants. I never even sat down with a menu in front of me. It's crazy man, crazy.
With coins, you need a strategy for any trip over a week. Stayed a month once and one kid was not used to giving exact change (or slightly over to get a round number back). He had so much change when leaving. I bowed exactly one time, when my class met the town mayor at "graduation." Re: holding a door, I've done it for grannies a couple times, they really appreciate it. But a lot of doors are automatic.
Recently went to Katsuyama (Fukui) and Kinokawa (Wakayama). These places are literal middle of nowhere, but are still tourist destinations due to the Fukui Dinosaur Museum and Kishi Station (home of the cat station master trend). Much effort was made in both locations to provide English communication for non-Japanese tourists. More effort than I probably would have expected to see there when I was still living in Japan 10 years ago. There was much back and forth - the people working at such places did their best to practice their English skills and also appreciated our group trying out a little Japanese. It goes both ways and it is happening outside the big tourist destinations. So get out there and visit other places! I highly recommend the Fukui Dinosaur Museum to absolutely everyone.
Tokyo is super quiet and most people don't honk their horns. They also don't have noisy, broken exhausts. Multiple times in Tokyo I found myself thinking about how delightfully quiet it was. Videos of some drivers honking doesn't prove anything. Go to Manila and you'd hear 1000 horns honked in the same time it'd take to hear one in Tokyo. I'm not kidding.
When my wife and I were visiting Japan I held a door open at a restaurant for an elderly Japanese woman. It made her day! She kept talking about how nice the foreigners were.
elderly japanese women are so sweet. i was walking in a non touristy area in a kimono and feeling kind of down, an older japanese woman saw and walked up to me and complimented me on my kimono. it was so sweet i almost cried right then and there lol
@@noah3655they’re lovely. So polite.
@@noah3655 That was so kind of her! They can be so sweet! We did see an elbow war between an elderly woman and man on a train when it was really packed lol They can also be vicious haha
In my experience, older women loved any extra help, like giving up a seat on the train or holding a door for them. The older men? They have too much pride and won’t be as receptive 😂
The old ladies in Japan were so delighted by me, one squealed and laughed so hard when I let her wiggle my septum ring at an onsen in Hakone. So many approached me on the train with questions and were so surprised when I offered to help them down the stairs and stuff (even though I myself have limited mobility). I loved my time randomly wandering around the cities and villages seeing what we could find and who we would meet!
What not to do in Japan: Don't be an insufferable jackass. There, done. People are people wherever you go, so as long as you are polite you should be fine.
But this is too difficult for many tourists.
@@smithdan5729any tourist in any country not just japan. It’s like people think they should only be polite in Japan 😂
That should be every
Not necessarily true. Being a redhead, I've had completely strange men come up and grabbed my hair.
@@ladyethyme It's why I used "should". Things don't always turn out how we expect them to. Also I'm sorry that you had to go through those bad experiences.
Again people are people. No matter what, there will always be idiots making trouble for others. And grabbing a stranger's hair because it looks pretty is pretty up there in terms of stupid.
I had a good 20-30 minute conversation with a man who was sitting at a bus stop in Japan. I did my best in the little Japanese I knew and he was very patient with me. Thank you random 9am drunk bus stop man in Kawasaki. I will never forgot you ❤😂
Why do you worship Japanese people so much? Don't put a nation on a pedestal. Treat people as individuals.
I’m a foreigner living in Osaka and those TikTok videos are hilarious. Most of these videos there and on RUclips have so much disinformation and exposition. This was a fun video Aki 👏🏾
"Don't say konnichi wa, EVER! Just use this very slang form to communicate with your boss and you'll be fine. 🤪
Ah! I live in kyoto! Foreigners unite
I live in Kyoto and those TikTok videos are funny
I am in Osaka too and when I see those stupid videos about one specific thing an "influencer" saw in Tokyo and saying don't do this in Japan or do this in Japan, I am like "dude Osaka doesn't even give a f***k" lol
I mean, some of them may be true, but the problem is that content creators bring up some extreme examples and generalize as if they are the norm in Japan or as if all Japanese are like that.
"In America we say hello, not howdy" speak for yourself, I've been on that Howdy vibe for years
Ayyyyy cheerful Honda on pfp!
I was going to say this as well. Like in the midwest I’m pretty sure a lot of people say ‘howdy’ still. And the friendly ‘hey y’all’. At least no one ever thought I was less American for saying it.
And the rest of us judge you as funny for it.
I use it on slack... I have no Idea why lol
wait you greet people verbally? i just nod
What I always find peculiar is how there are so many videos about "do's and dont's when visiting Japan" where indeed, they are mostly just "general knowledge while traveling" which is not specific to Japan. Do and dont vids can be useful to highlight specific peculiarities that can get you in trouble. Such as (e.g.,) when you go to France, you are apparently obliged by law to have a throwaway BAC test tube thingy in your car. That's a very specific thing that's not really a law in many other countries, so tourists may be taken by surprise and fined.
But stuff like "Say 'hello' and 'thank you' in the local language, figure out how to deal with your luggage in your hotel room" etc. applies everywhere. Yet I don't come across as many of these type of vids for, say, going on a trip to Latvia or Brazil.
Americans discover there are other countries than America in a nutshell.
Cause I swear weebs act like Japan is like some secret land and that we must be taught these rules. Normal people know how to act normal in other countries. If you didn’t know something and a local tells you, then you just learned something new lol
Most of the ones that give "advice" about how to travel - when it's just basic info - might be AI generated, which would explain why they're so basic sounding.
I think it is because they know trading in on the orientalist troupes about Japan and its rules is easy click bait.
For real the advice in some of these things is like "don't be awful."
Im a foreigner living in rural japan and those type of videos truly make me so angry. Bigger tips to give would be like “follow the flow of traffic. Stick to the left on escalators unless otherwise instructed. If you are lost in a train station looking for directions DO NOT stand in the center of the station and just stand near a wall or something. Do not cut in line. Etc.”
Very true. My boyfriend and I visited Japan last year in November (we visited the typical tourists places but also more rural Japan (Izu, which we liked a lot). During our preparation for our trip I found so much of these type of videos with 'do's and dont's'. I am by no means an expert on Japan but since our trip last year I understand more how stupid these kinds of videos really are since 1) the are often generic information not specific to Japan, 2) sometimes it is specific information but not nuanced enough and 3) sometimes they make big exaggerations that are really not that big of a deal anyway. I also feel that Japanese inhabitants are more forgiving towards tourists (how we experienced it anyway), but they are more strict towards foreigners who lives in Japan (is that true?).
I feel like information about laws or important practical knowledge that is specific to Japan (or any country you want to visit) would be way more interesting so you can keep yourself out of unwanted trouble or confusion. That would help way more than some generic 'advice' that should be common sense like: 'learn some Japanese words and phrases'. I can't be the only one who thinks it's logical when traveling to a foreign country, you would at least do some research about the country and learn some words in that language that you will need often to get around ...
@@LinkOfLegendOfZelda Agreed. A good tip would be walking with your passport at all times because the police might stop you for whatever reason and ask for your documents or if you go to a store and want to get tax-free purchases. The issue is not only them saying the most basic stuff but also they all regurgitate the same things over and over again.
Those tips are like common sense in any country lol people just need to stop idealizing this place it’s why they make those videos anyways and why the misinformation spreads easily
This advice shouldn’t even be for japan only. This should be common sense for everyone but apparently it isn’t.
Most of those are common sense, just like if you are lost, don't stand on the middle of the stairs, that's a great way to be annoying no matter what country you're in.
I'm glad this video was made. I hate seeing so much misinformation go unchecked. I once saw a video of some girl saying that you can rent a regular apartment without having proof of a job, Work visa, or being a student because "Japan doesn't care about that" lol
I'd like to see anyone rent an apartment in any country and not provide proof of income, lol. The landlord needs to know your income to assess if you can even afford the apartment because nobody likes a tenant that they have to harrass to pay rent.
@BewareTheLilyOfTheValley I know right lol. That's why I immediately pointed that out in her video. She was clearly lying her ass off
@@BewareTheLilyOfTheValleyliterally- I don’t get how people think a country or a landlord doesn’t need proof of income, that shit is insane 😂
It's actually eypecially hard to rent in Japan, because proof of income often is not enough even if you could pay a years worth of rent upfront, but you also need a guarantor who has to be Japanese.
@@pepinella5624can you explain what that is? is it kinda like a second opinion or something? like because this japanese citizen agrees the foreign tenet is trustworthy to be renting? i don’t know thats what i got out of that lol pls correct me if im wrong.
LOL as a tourist I was actually surprised that my Japanese friends from Osaka greeted me with a hug. I already mentally prepared myself to stop myself from hugging and just bow and wave at them. It was a good thing thooo!
My friends told me they gave me hugs because they know that’s part of my culture lol
As an american i hold the door for everyone. Then pretend to not see the last person scrambling to catch it as i walk away.
something about holding the door for someone brings out the strong respectable gentleman in me .( im a 17 yr old girl.)
@@k.a.w177 everyone can be a Gentleman Independent from the gender
As an American you also start wars to change regimes and cause a lot of collateral damage. All in your name.
RIP little guy - it doesn't matter the size your of pet; their love and impact on your life is all the same.
I live in Cape Town South Africa and I get such kick out of watching the so called influencers getting all giddy about telling us locals about the hidden gem they just found. Then it turns out to be a little coffee shop that's been around for decades. These "influencers" are from my city.
It's called sensationalism. No one is gonna watch a video not titled "best thing ever"
lekker! I live here too but I don't know of any real "influencers" here
@@Noimgam that’s why call them so called influencers. They aren’t actual influencers. They just pretend to want to be influencers.
@@nicolenelourens565 they influence other “influencers” tbh the general public doesn’t take any of that seriously or into account unless you’re the type to believe and want everything u see on the internet 😭 i think we’re better off js calling them content creators at this point
Every time I try to tell people on Tiktok that these influencer are spreading lies, I am being labeled as a "Japan-obsessed teen, who doesn't know the reality of things". I study Japanology at university, it is literally studying Japan's history, culture and society. I love and hate Tiktokers tryna fight me like they're experts. I am moving to Japan to study for half a year soon, so I plan on making a RUclips and Tiktok account to document my life there and talk about my experience.
Japanology? Damn, would've gotten that if it weren't for the engineering major of mine lol
@@Pratt11 My mom came up with the idea after she caught me talking a lot about Japan. I was at a loss for what I could do at university, and mom showed up with just the right thing for me.
You seem to be obsessed with Japan though. You Americans have the entire world in your country but you're obsessed with Japan. Must be cool to be No 1 MAGA American eh. You guys drain the whole world with those printed US dollars, even your beloved Japan.
The nod thing is so real. I once was leaving a restaurant after shopping. I went to bow slightly but I forgot how heavy my backpack was so I ended up bowing deeper than necessary. Staff got a kick out of that one 😂
The flurry death jumpscare at the end was so sad. Rip my boy 🐹🪦
When did Aki get the hampster since I only follow her on yt
@Gamer_Wolf19 i think back in either 2021 or 2022. Flurry only lived for 2 years, passing away after her birthday.
@@MxPotato84honestly hamsters have very short life spans so it's understandable.
I live in Tokyo, Japan and I would say all J-vloggers are part of the problem too
Because almost all of them have been guilty of both misinformation and creating this out for touch narrative of the country
Because they don't have real jobs in Japan 😅
yeah people whos main job is to stream and make videos about a country have a weird bubble in that country.
Aki is a J-vlogger.
It’s what happens when people idealize the country. J-vloggers will forever be around so long as people push the idealization *shrug*
Saw an article for tourists saying use two hands when taking business cards, when they hell are average tourists gonna be receiving business cards
Surprisingly, all the time. Store employees, cafe staff, etc, frequently hand out business cards. Sometimes along with store point cards
Japanese often exchange business cards in casual meetups. I've gotten many from people i met at bars or out on the town. I made my own for that reason.
Yeah, idk where the other people responding to you were going, but I lived there for 3 years both studying and working, and received maybe 5 business cards *total* over those years. Most people under the age of 50 exchange contact info with their phones, unless you are specifically meeting them for work.
They also will give zero damns if you fail to take it with both hands while bowing--there are way more offensive things foreign tourists are doing on the regular.
I received one! I was in Yokohama about to enter legendary race car driver Max Orido's car shop called 559 and a SUPER enthusiastic guy came up to me, not able to speak a word of English but I could make out that he was asking about exporting Japanese cars overseas and gave me his card, lol. It was very funny, and sadly I didn't have a business card of my own to give to him.
Ive gone to tokyo game show on business days and got a ton. I knew..no japanese. Frankly would not recommend without knowing the language.
Chris Broad: exists.
No other influencer required.
Some of the advice is more "how to be a normal human" haha
"how to live around other people"
Aww RIP Flurry 😢 I can only hope you're healing and not taking it too hard. You were an amazing momma.
I'm starting to think some of these tik tok / short influencers are under China's payroll.
Nah, there Just there for the clout, and it will attract more people who are there for the clout
??? This is a WILD assumption. It’s just people feeding off the Japan clout
@@thelittleal1212Sums up Content creators nowadays.
@@thelittleal1212 Which are potentially under China's payroll 🙁
You just noticed now? It's been a conspiracy theory for years.
In any country I'm not native to I behave like I'm a guest in someone's house.
So as someone who is currently studying to get my Japanese driving license, I can confirm that at least within my course, I was taught to just ignore the honking until either I am in the road where they are allowing honking or I really want to signal to others about a potential danger, which in the video Aki shown does do that. So yeah, you might not see a lot of honking on the street during the day, but during the night when vision is low, or any sharp curve, or mountain road, you might hear a lot of honking, just to signal
Sorry for your loss and happy for the warm memories you’ll always have of Flurry.
Having lived in Japan as an exchange student and now as an adult, seeing people say silly things about Japan always causes me to side eye their content. This is why I enjoy both your and Joey’s content (along with a few others). Keep up the super work and thank you for posting this💜
On the “say thank you” bit it made me think of the fact that Japanese people already say the English thank you sometimes even to each other! We say it more like “sankyou” but still
About the coin situation. one thing I learned that’s really good is that if you have a lot of small coins you can go to the konbini buy something cheap, then put all of your coins into the machine and it will give you change into 50/100/500 yen coins. Depending on how much you have so the more you know.
Walmart has similar machines through Coinstar, I think it's called. They do take a bit of a fee, though, so it's best if you're going to be getting back probably more than $5 or $10. Like a piggy bank filled with pennies that you want to convert to cash.
Exactly and more and more places are using the self-registers, it's a great place to get rid of your change.
The irony is while foreigners are stressed out about these rules being exagerated by tiktokers and youtubers, there are rules that are written explicitly on signboards in Japan that they purposedly ignore such as "don't take photos in private roads" "don't take photos of geisha" in Kyoto or "don't go into the street to take photos" in front of that stupid Lawson conbini near Mt. Fuji! I was watching the morning news with my friend's family while the updates came up about local authorities installing new fences in front of Lawson to prevent tourists from dangerously running into the street to take photos. As I was technically a tourist, my friend's parents (they're in their 60s) asked me why tourists would do that. And when I explained that it was to show off on social media, they were so puzzled and found it unfanthomable =)))
the geisha rule reminds me of a video i saw of what seemed like a american woman running after a geisha and shoving the camera in her face when she was just simply minding her business :/ she was trying to avoid her by walking a different direction and covering her face with what i remember was a fan or her hands but still this woman was blocking her way all to get a picture, second hand embarrassment for sure.
the transition to sponsor was smooth😂. love itttt
Do not rush into the train? Tell that to the businessman who shoulder checked me out of the way to get onto the train. I'm 6'2" 260lbs, he ran up the stairs, bounced off of me to get onto the train as the doors closed. I bounced off the side of the gate and backwards as the doors closed. Dude was hauling when he heard the chime for the train. Worst of all he didn't even signal an apology through the window.
There's always going to be outliers but a majority of people don't rush. It's like when people say Japanese people don't jaywalk and cross on a red light, most wait but a few don't.
he gamified his rush & saw you as a springboard 😭
i hope you weren't hurt
@a-goblin Nah, surprised really. I probably outweighed the guy by 80 or 90 lbs.
The one thing that I don't agree is the just go to 7/11 and use the ATM; not all Japanese stores have contracts with banks that do overseas atm services. The easiest way to see if you can do transactions is if it has the green JP Post logo; but it is definitely not 100% certain
I went to a 7/11 atm in the middle of nowhere at mt aso and they still took my mastercard. What's more common is that and atm can have closing/operating times.
@@siedenburg1 they are more likely to take credit cards but Europeans tend to not have a credit but rather use debit cards instead. For those a contract between issuer and whatever atm operator needs to be there otherwise it won't let you. I lived rural outskirts of Kyoto and Fukuoka (Kurume area) ... was super annoying
@@DrazCreates I'm european (germany, where everything banking related is as unnecessarily complicated as in japan). I mainly use my normal credit card because there aren't any fees on that, but other people i travel with use debit (also at mt aso) and everything worked.
The mini stop near me stopped taking my american card T_T so now I have to go to 7/11...so annoying!!
Merry Christmas Aki! ❤
also in Japan at the Gundam Base shops you can't buy the two same Gunpla due to fear of scalpers which is funny as some of the Gunpla has a gimmick that if you buy two or more of the same Gunpla you can combine them together into a super Gunpla or that the staff member did not read the gimmick on the box, lol.
10:47 No way I totally disagree with this, with all due respect lol, but take it from my perspective, we were coming from just visiting the Philippines where people honk at the freaking wind over there, they honk every hour of every day, they honk like they breathe air, Tokyo was dead silent in comparison. Is there some honking sometimes? Of course! But compared to the US and especially some other Asian countries, def a lot quieter!
Thank you for this. I’ve lived in Japan for almost 10 years and the things people are posting these days are just so inaccurate. It’s also harmful cause people Japanese culture and Japan and look these people up for reference when they’re thinking of visiting and they’re just being fed a lot of misinformation.
Tell em Aki 🗣️
The ad transition was smooth no lie
It’s not just japan too. Ive seen a bunch on the UK as well, lots of wrong info. Its so annoying.
0:05 You could have stopped the video right here and I would have understood, because that impeccable cut says it all.
9:09 人間ドッグ this is a thing and still very common in corporate Japanese jobs. I know because I’ve experienced it. Usually once the staff reaches the age of 35 this annual health check is required.
honestly, if i want advice on what you should/shouldn't do in other countries...i rather take it from foreigners actually living in that area and not some random tiktok people that was just visiting the area.
also rip flurry, i almost forgot about the boy
It’s super annoying because when I was learning Japanese from an actual Japanese person that was born and raised IN Japan their ENTIRE life, these videos r just telling me to FORGET everything she taught me, like bffr.
Sorry for your loss. Excellent work, as always!
I love how she reminds you to say thank you 😂 you should do this whatever country you visit. Some of the most important phrases to learn in different languages: please, thank you, hello, where are the toilets?
So sorry to hear about Flurry's passing on. And thank you clearing up some of the confusion and cutting through the misconceptions about Japan.
6:35 that also applies to SEA countries, people avoiding taking the last piece. But really depends on the individual. I guess I hang with a pretty casual crowd who will not hesitate to take the last piece. We're still polite but we don't hesitate to say I'll take it. And these are japanese people. So no social faux pas there
Shibuya melt down is probably one of my favorite Instagram account 😂😂 haven't checking it in a whole tho, thanks for the reminder 😂
Much love from Arizona 💜💜
Idk what to say to these foreigners that do breaking boundaries in every possible through internet which is getting sadder the time passes by is just too much~ :c
Premieres are so annoyinggggg
K
You only hold the door open the person or people directly behind you. You don't just stand there for the entire day just holding the door.
Right? It's suppossed to work in a chain! You hold the door for me behind you. I hold the door for the person behind me. They hold the door for the one behind them and so on.
1:53 I mean...Denny's
Waffle House lol
Thank you. It’s not just influencers-somehow, even people who’ve never been to Japan become “experts.” I haven’t seen this happen with other destinations. I’m not Japanese or an expert, nor do I want to be, but I’ve visited Japan many times and traveled to many cultures very different from my own. It frustrates me when people portray Japan as a utopia or “living in 2050.” Japan has wonderful aspects, but like anywhere, it also has its flaws.
I’ve also seen people stress themselves out trying to learn everything about Japan, feeling like they need to assimilate. Yes, educate yourself on basic cultural norms and dos and don’ts, but don’t overdo it. And definitely don’t over-plan your trip-packing in too much will leave you navigating more than actually enjoying the experience.
RIP to Fluffy!
Also thank you Aki, it’s nice to get actual tips for Japan. I’m going to Japan next year and I love seeing tips that are actually true!
These types of videos always pop up where someone visits another country and suddenly thinks they know the dos and don'ts of said country. As an Australian, I see these videos pop up all the time for Australia and most of the advice is actually nonsense or just globally common sense.
thank you aki for todays video and merry christmas
Yoo!! I love your videos
Texas Aggies say howdy! Japan is getting a lot of negative publicity from influencers always telling us what not to do. They definitely don’t give a positive impression of Japan. I spent a month on a small island. It was rural and most locals were older and spoke no English, but they were kind and patient with me as I used my limited Japanese. I am renovating an abandoned 200 year old home and garden there to save its history.
After two decades of living in Japan, I think those influencer videos are hilarious. They are so bad that I’m starting to think they are trolling.
“So are you Chinese or Japanese?” One of my favorite lines on King of the Hill. And his dad is like “nope, He’s Laotian…ain’t ya Mr khan” 😂
The time I bowed lower than expected of a tourist was when I accidentally bumped into an elderly Japanese lady 😂
2:55 literally yes. Just do what you see others doing and you'll be fine.
These "what not to do on Japan" have been showing up on my fyp lately, then this shows up, never seen this tuber before but I just live her no-nonsense attitude. Thank you for educating us. 🥰👍😄
Lived on Okinawa for 3 years. I'll make it easier for you. Rules for living in Japan
1. Treat locals like normal people
2. Don't be an asshole
You're welcome
*People who have no skills or talent resort to manufactured dramas to get clout*
Sorry about your loss.
Thank you for this! Although I'm not watching those tiktok videos but reels instead...I really skip them since I believe not all of them live in the place they're mentioning to be an expert to what we all should do and don't. Sometimes it's just common sense. Make more of this please!
I’m so sorry about Flurry! I want to thank you for making my day and giving me great advice for my upcoming trip to Japan with my son in the next several months!! ❤❤❤❤
4:24 on that note about the countryside in Japan. Even knowing a small amount of Japanese can go a long way, and the locals will really respect the effort depending on where you are.
My wife's family is in Fukui, and out there they're so welcoming of tourists. I was asked quite a few times to spread the footage and photos I had taken to try to bring in more tourists.
Thanks for recommending those extensions to learn. I've been wanting to get back to learning Japanese after high school and hadn't found anything nearly that useful. Its wild to see those types of videos (the ones that are flat out wrong or just don't recognize basic manners as normal in Japan for some reason).
when I went last year, some shops that were very touristy or just were used to seeing tourists would tell me to just empty my coin purse on their tray, even if I had the correct amount, and they'd take all the 1 yens off my hands. They KNOW you'll get way too many at some point. I found this to be very nice of them to do.
Merry Christmas, Aki.
Hope yer having tons of fun with family and friends.
5:01 ...violet evergreen made me so mad...
Love ate aki you keep me in check about japan advice!
This new ai voicetrack thing scared me 💀i may be german but I only watch other language videos.
Same and it is super bad in general... Das Feature nutzen immer mehr RUclipsr und es ist einfach nur schrecklich...
Ehhh, I meeeaaaaan, 'Howdy' and 'Hi' wasn't a very good example though as they're not even different languages, just how people greet each other within the States. People actually do say 'howdy'. While it's a stereotype against southern folks, you'll still witness people saying it.
7:40 it is actually kinda xenophobic, in some Asian and African cultures eating with your hand is traditional, why must we enforce our rules to others plates?
I was JUST thinking abt that 😭
Eating is a personal thing. As long as you clean your hands properly after eating with your hands and touching other stuff like door knows, it shouldn't be an issue.
Japan is a country where online business will lie to your face about product release dates. They take the money and then shift the dates endlessly. And because they apologise 5 times they think it's OK to mistreat paying customers. Japan is overhyped and one has to be very careful when interacting with them, same as everyone else.
"Ok, Im not funny" as I'm sitting there laughing my ass off😂😂
My co worker straight up asked me how it was like living in a communist country (I’m Japanese) so I believe that there are some idiots that would say “ni-hao” in Japan
Thank you for this. It's about time someone addressed this bullsh*t.
I lived in Japan for a bit and these tiktoks pissed me off because the places that were hidden gems or must trys were not that good😭 like they def dont know what theyre talking about
Drivers almost never honk in Japan. If you search for it online, you will find the rare occasions where they do but it is far from the norm. I went back to NY recently and i was annoyed at how often people honk there.
10:53 this guy KNOWS exactly what he is talking about
At 11:40 Akidearest what are the 10 words/sentence that you recommend for tourist to know ? Im going on vacation in February to Japan 🙏🏽
I did learn from an influencer the cliche about Mt Fuji: everyone should do it once, nobody needs to do it twice
I wish i hadn't watched so many of those videos before coming to japan, they stressed me out so much. As long as youre aware of the culture, it feels pretty normal here, like any other country ive visited. I learnt a few basic phrases/words and im getting by. Everyone here is so friendly and helpful. Id definitely recommend visiting
Lots of internet hugs for the loss of your furry baby. I hope the rest of the holiday season has been treating you well.
I don't click on most of those silly videos for a reason. Thankful for your honest experience. Your content always seemed more grounded to me than most of the people just trying to press for views in regards to what not to do in various locales. I love your silly videos, but they're not the same kind of vibe, so they don't give me the same feeling I get from those influencers. I appreciate they're trying to help and be informative, but their limited experience often makes them unreliable narrators and they tend to sensationalize for the sake of appeal.
Tbh we do say howdy a lot even on the west coast 😂
I spent a week in Japan last year and especially if you look like an obvious foreigner (like I do) most people, at least in Tokyo, aren’t going to expect you to know or follow all the rules. Just use common courtesy and follow what others are doing, and you’ll be daijoubu.
Thank you for the Japanese your helping me learn aki every video I learn new phrases , I even end my livestreams with either
Daijoubu desu or Itadakimasu
1:30 did you say "howdy"? Because where I live tons of people definitely do say that instead of "hello" 😂
Merry Christmas aki
I'm sorry for your loss. May they rest in peace ❤
Glad to see you are ok, the death of a loved one should be private for the family only ❤ hope your new year is full of blessings and cheer🎉
Sorry for your loss❤RIP Flurry. Great video as well
When I was in Japan a month ago I really didn't use much Japanese. I used Sumimasen the most to escape the train. Daijubu desu when asked if I needed a plastic bag and I Kawaii ne when I bought a Pikachu plushie. For the most part in Tokyo if you don't speak Japanese they know enough english to help you and most things you can point to. I used Google Translate for the toilets since the flush button can be in different locations. Other than that the Hotel staff also had their own translating device to help me. However going further out to Chiba was a little more difficult to communicate but most things are pretty easy to plan out since you literally use a kiosk to order food at most restaurants. I never even sat down with a menu in front of me. It's crazy man, crazy.
With coins, you need a strategy for any trip over a week. Stayed a month once and one kid was not used to giving exact change (or slightly over to get a round number back). He had so much change when leaving. I bowed exactly one time, when my class met the town mayor at "graduation." Re: holding a door, I've done it for grannies a couple times, they really appreciate it. But a lot of doors are automatic.
Keep up the amazing work and videos Aki love the video
Recently went to Katsuyama (Fukui) and Kinokawa (Wakayama). These places are literal middle of nowhere, but are still tourist destinations due to the Fukui Dinosaur Museum and Kishi Station (home of the cat station master trend). Much effort was made in both locations to provide English communication for non-Japanese tourists. More effort than I probably would have expected to see there when I was still living in Japan 10 years ago. There was much back and forth - the people working at such places did their best to practice their English skills and also appreciated our group trying out a little Japanese. It goes both ways and it is happening outside the big tourist destinations. So get out there and visit other places! I highly recommend the Fukui Dinosaur Museum to absolutely everyone.
1:25
Say hello! We do not say howdy
Me who says howdy all the time…
Tokyo is super quiet and most people don't honk their horns. They also don't have noisy, broken exhausts. Multiple times in Tokyo I found myself thinking about how delightfully quiet it was. Videos of some drivers honking doesn't prove anything. Go to Manila and you'd hear 1000 horns honked in the same time it'd take to hear one in Tokyo. I'm not kidding.
It's"hidden gems" because these tiktokers have been living under a rock when it comes to their knowledge of Japan.