I am SOOO impressed. Not only the depth of your understanding of the Japanese culture, but the strength of your good will behind the production of this video as its driver. Actually I had tears coming up to my eyes towards the end. Micaela, you're the most wonderful and the coolest person on the globe.
3:26 The bit with the "please... obey." I know this was done in jest, but it really does nicely sum up the Japanese "culture" experience. Japan is incredibly restrictive, conformist and insular. That's not to say that there aren't loads of friendly Japanese people who embrace self-expression, but on the whole, the feeling of being in Japan as a foreigner is often "follow the crowd, or get the hell out." Even as a quiet, reserved, and generally polite introvert, it felt stifling compared to China, where I currently live.
I can't imagine ever having the audacity to blatantly take photos of people intentionally without their permission. I don't see how this is okay in any country..
Even worse, taking upskirt photos is actually legal in many states = A =;; I can see the reasoning in making it okay to take pictures of strangers in public places. If you were to take a photo of a landscape, or your kid at a theme park, where it's likely that there are tons of other people walking around and you can't always avoid any strangers wandering into the shot/background. It would be impractical at best to try to legally restrict taking photos of other people in a public space in those cases, and really if they are in the public sphere they should be comfortable with being seen in what they are wearing. However, extending this argument to upskirt photos is absolutely ridiculous. It's how it has been defended in the law and it's positively absurd. You wouldn't take a picture up some guy's pant leg (exposing undergarments) and post it on the internet with the defense that "if they didn't want their picture taken, they shouldn't have worn that in public!'. Why is it so different when it comes to women and young girls?
as a street photographer I take photos of everything and everyone that is around me. but obviously if someone doesn't want to be in the photo, and I will delete the photo even if they don't say anything, if I see or feel like that person was avoiding the camera, I'll delete the photo.
I guess it's mostly north Americans... many of them think it's ok to upload pictures and videos of strangers without permission. I've seen many of them :/
hell yea, i can't go to china, i can't stand their society, it's even worse than the US imo, and that's saying something LOL for example, coz i know i'm gunna get a lot of hate. Chinese people speak very loudly, since they have to because their language is very intonation heavy. i don't like that aspect, but there's nothing they can do, so chinese culture doesnt suit me based on my personality :c
So many true facts! I feel like all these can be considered when going to any country or any public situation as they overall are just polite and considerate towards others :)
I am going to Japan for the first time ever on Friday. I am beyond excited and have been doing more and more research on how to be a good and respectful tourist. Thanks for some great tips.
Wait wait wait wait. Wait. I just saw #4 and I honestly have to say, Japanese people have NO notion of other people's privacy when foreigners are in question. Japanese TV is unbiased - they respect NOBODY'S privacy. I can't even count the times when they took my picture without asking. Even when they ask and I say no (apart from it being creepy when strangers ask to take a picture of you when you're not wearing anything crazy or special, I am a shy person), they look at me like I'm crazy and don't seem to understand why wouldn't I want strangers to take pictures of me. Not that it's an excuse, but if you say "just look at how they are acting and do the same", then it's only natural that foreigners would think: "Hey, well if they can take pictures of me, then why wouldn't I do the same?"
guys dont worry about doing everything perfectly the japanese way. at first just be gaijin just be the you you were in your homecountry. as for customs just look around you'll learn over time.
A thousand claps to you for making this video. A lot of people may think this stuff is common knowledge, and it should be, but for some reason when people come to Japan, they just lose their shit. And it's not at all strict here like people may think. Just read your surroundings and adapt and don't be a dick. The rules are not there to "control the masses of sheeple" or "stop you from being you" (like I've been seeing written in this comment section), they're there to maintain the harmony of people sharing such a small place. Be the best you you can be, just do bother anyone in doing so. (Generally a good life skill) And if being you is so out there that you piss everyone off around you, it's time need to find a new person to be.
"At the end of the day you are a guest in another country & it's not about you" - I think you hit the nail on the head with that statement Micaela. I think that is applicable in any country. I've travelled to many different countries & one of the first things I do after booking my flights/accommodation is to research the country's customs - the do's & don'ts. I don't think being a tourist should be an excuse for bad manners &/or lack of respect. I've travelled to Japan several times & as a tourist myself, cringe at the amount of times I've seen a fellow 'Gaikokujin' talking on their phone on the train/bus...or just being loud in general. I mean take a look around you - be aware of your surroundings! Generally Japanese people are forgiving to foreign tourists, but that doesn't make it right. Great insightful talky video - thanks for sharing :)
Wooooooooooow thank you for this video. You are so sweet because some of this behaviour is sociopathic but so normalized with many tourists. Yet, you break it down and are so patient about it. If I were making a video about what not to do as a tourist, I'd be like "DON'T BE AN A HOLE" but you broke it down so it make sense. 1) Pay attention to your surroundings 2) Remember that even though you are on vacation, locals are just trying to get on with their lives so respect them.
No. 3 feels like every foreign person saying "Tabarnak!" to me every time they hear i'm from Québec or bring up cheese, bérèts, wine and baguette to French people. Every culture is a complex amalgam of different things, not just its clichés. I feel like everything you said in this video applies for every culture, not just Japan.
I think the number 4 happens everywere, but usually tourist seem to be the one who forget the normal manners and just take pictures without asking anything. I guess the logic is that no one back knows/regognices the person anyway which somehow makes it okay. And this applies to Japanese people abroad as well, which is kind of backwards since they value their own privacy so much back at home in Japan. I used to live near a local tourist attraction and I had pictures of me and my dog taken so many times by random japanese tourists without them even trying to be sneaky about it and no one ever asked my permission >.< I also saw them taking pictures of local kids as well...
I agree. Asking permission first is a rule that should apply everywhere, by everyone. When I visited Japan with my 10yr old blonde haired/blue eyed daughter, I lost count of the amount of times Japanese people would take a photo of her without permission! We even had several young girls come up to her for a selfie as we were walking down the street. She felt a little overwhelmed by that.
From Japan. To Every tourists from overseas. You remember she said, Almost Japanese are kindly. It is a reward of Japanese hospitality is your smile and 'Thank you' .
I think my husband's family are a little different with speaking on the trains! I went from Wakayama to Kagawa, and his family were just chatting away loudly, groups of people in front were chatting too. All the old folks around here seem to chat loudly to their friends on the train. I guess that's Wakayama people, Tokyo folks seem completely different.
For me while I was there (1 month so definitely a 'tourist' despite doing an internship) the thing I quickly realized was that I got super flustered when I went inside a store and the clerks would greet me cause I didn't know what to do or say and I'm by no means fluent. After a few days I realized that Japanese people just go by without replying or acknowledging all the greetings because it's just part of the protocol. After that I stopped trying to say hi how are you to all the people working at conbini ^^'
You are correct. You do not need to do. But it is still fun to reply politely with a big smile to them. Do it when you get into a department store at its opening time. All the store staffs line up and say "Iraishaimase". You reply "Ojamashimasu, yoroshiku" or "Ohayougozaimasu, kyoumo ganbattekudasai" or anything to all of them greeting you and enjoy their reactions. The most of them are very positive and some giggles because nobody does. Start a chatting from there.
You say it's rude to take pictures of people, but when i was in Japan, they often took pictures of me without permission. Often it was very obvious. Heck, you'd see it on trains, even in the line for food or at campus. One time a guy even stood up, walked, stopped right in front of me and my friends, and took the picture very loudly on his flip phone and walked back and sat? lol. However, that doesn't make it okay for foreigners or tourists to take pictures of Japanese people like that. Sometimes people asked though, so that was nice.
EmoPrincess I don't expect him to have a strong command of English. I gave him a little help with English. It was a friendly gesture. If you are learning French, and a French person corrects your French, do you see that as an insult or friendly help? Do you curse, ignore, or thank him? In general, if someone points out your mistake, do you see that as a hostile or friendly gesture? Would you want me to come to your "defense" and say, "She's just a kid (or girl). What do you expect?" I am sure you cannot answer my questions or reply to this comment. I have put you into an indefensible position. You would have to be very smart to come up with a good response. Judging by your comment, I don't think you have what it takes. If you choose to ignore, the smartest thing you can do is to delete your comment. By the way, did you know that "jap" is a derogatory term for Japanese?
I think the worst I have seen in Tokyo is foreigners smoking on the streets and walking. It is not allowed but they do it anyway or they go into a shop and respond to the workers when they welcome them with a hello. It seems silly but like the little things make a big difference.
As you said it's not the same being in a country as a tourist than living there, but most of the time people make this kinda mistakes because they don't bother to learn anything about the country where they're traveling to. People just care about where to visit, where to eat, where to sleep, where I can take that amazing I saw on instagram, etc..., on travel guides almost everybody skips that part where they talk about the history, the culture and traditions of the country they're going to, or at least that's the way I feel when I see other tourists during my trips. I'm not the best example myself but I do care to know something about the countries where I'm going to travel, I thing it helps you to understand better everything you see during your trip, why things are one way or another, to interact with local people and many more. On the other hand I think that when you've been living in some country for a while, unconsciously, you tend to be more yourself. Because somehow, you begin to feel more at home. We gotta be always respectful but never stop being ourselves.
About popular things having a quick turnover, here's an example. I am from the Netherlands and when Japanese people here that they like to say the few things they do know about the Netherlands and they'll be like "tullips!!!", "windmills!!!" and it often stops there. During summer time they also often say soccer, while in winter they often say ice skating. But when I mention ice skating or soccer outside of its season, they are often completely puzzled by me mentioning it.
I do the camera eye contact / node thing at cosplay conventions because often its so busy and they are already getting their photo taken but i want to just double check :) Also thanks for the tips!
I agree with all of these, just living here in the US! I'm not a RUclipsr, yet(planning on starting to vlog here, specifically on how to experience Japanese and Korean lifestyle while living in my general area), but it is just common sense and decency, to NOT take photos or video of people you don't know, and even people you do know, without their expressed permission. It really upsets to see photos and video of people I know were not asked if they're ok with it. I also hate loud people when I'm on public transit. When I use transit, I'm always either listening to music, or reading. When I'm with people, I'm very quiet. It's just common courtesy. The "trying to look my best" is something that I have had trouble with in my life, but I'm trying to come more into my own on this in the last few years. The problem I find here that annoys me, is random use of other languages to try and look "cool". If you know the language great. But don't use random terms you don't know how to use. -.-
I would think taking pictures of other people without their permission would be rude in most cultures. From what I've seen, though, people in Japan are much more conscious of it. But, with that in mind, I can't imagine how ANYONE could think taking pictures of school kids would be okay O.O
as a photographer I didn't realize how many people associated taking photos of school kids as something immoral. I took photos of school kids to show the difference between school kids in america and japan as a school assignment. I obviously wasn't shoving a camera in kid's faces but was more on the other side of the street taking photos of the schools and kids that were leaving and coming. I don't see anything wrong with that if you do, you need to clean that dirty head of yours.
+Nonchalant Gaming JKxD I'm sure that will go down well with the police when a concerned parent reports the weird foreigner with the zoom lens taking photos of children from across the road. If someone else is threatened by your behavior you can be in serious trouble, and when that happens, telling police officers or concerned parents/guardians to clean their dirty minds will not go over well, I guarantee you.
While I was in Japan as an exchange student my friends from school and I made plans to go to Harajuku to to hang out after school. Because our plans were right after school hours we were in our school uniforms. A foreigner took a picture of my friends and I, and I don't think the guy noticed I noticed but I noticed. And I was extremely uncomfortable with it but I was not ready to make a scene about that.
I remember when I went to Harajuku in 2004 with the intention of taking street-fashion photos and I simply learned the Japanese for 'photo' and did the asking with my eyes as you suggest and it worked out really well. I'm sure a big part of that is that cosplayers and people with cool fashion in certain areas expect to be asked for photos, but I fully agree that asking permission is best if you're focusing in on a person for a portrait. I feel like that should be true all over the world, but sadly since culture elsewhere isn't founded on respect like Japan it just doesn't happen. I remember that was one of the things I loved most about my visit was the foundation of respect in the culture. Going back home (even after just 10 days in Japan) I suffered serious culture shock due to the rudeness of people in London (where I lived at the time).
Man, I don't get why people feel like it's okay to just whip out the camera and take a picture of a stranger, no matter the city or country. I remember the first time I went to Japan with my best friend, she saw a group of elderly ladies in a shopping center and she really loved what they were wearing, so she wanted to take a picture of them. But she didn't just take one, she asked me how to ask for permission to take a photo (because at that time I was the only one of us two who could speak at least a little bit Japanese) and then she went over there and asked them. Thankfully, they were cool with it (and a bit flattered that she liked their outfits so much) :) But yeah, be polite, everyone!
i think #2 mostly applies to people from North America, because I've never heard anyone else complain/be surprised that people can dress up even when there's not a wedding or prom.
Wherever you travel to in the world, it's so important to pay attention to your surroundings and get a sense for the people and the culture. In Egypt women usually have their arms covered. In Dubai it's not the greatest thing in the world to wear short shorts or show to much skin. It may be a drag for some people, but there's usually a pretty interesting cultural reason behind these unspoken rules. You're right, it's best to realize that it's not all about you, and when in Rome yada yada yada yada.....
Exactly, some people saying I'm trying too hard, or that I'm telling people they can't be themselves, are too stuck in the "me me me" aspect, which is a terrible and dangerous mentality to have as a traveler to any foreign country.
And I remember the times of RUclips when Kozue would always wear a mask when dancing! I also remember other Japanese only doing videos that did not have them in it for a long time but have since changed that.
I am a long term resident in Japan - walked through Tokyo today. Saw lots of foreigners who would throw random words at japanese people (they were talking to earlier). Always makes me smile kinda :D
The talking loud thing is just a general politeness thing. I'm Canadian and i find it unpleasant when people talk loudly. Nothing to do with nationality.The "you're a guest in a foreign country thing" ... Nope. I'm a human being and i live on Planet Earth. By that reasoning, it would mean locals need less to be polite than non-residents of a country. That doesn't make sense. people should be polite and considerate everywhere all the time. IMO. 🌍👍
3:34 Micaela, you talk about fashionability and being underdressed; does this also apply to 田舎? I ask because when I put in my Jet application after I finish university, I will probably list my 3 preferences as 青森県、秋田県、 and 岩手県.
I'm guilty of number 3 in a way, but I didn't show it as often besides someone asking me what I was reading and listening to which was a novelization of Bleach (like a written story of the manga/anime Bleach than the managaka and another person wrote together) and listening to a band called Plastic Tree while in the library at the school I was attending. Most of the girls that asked me (because the boys were apparently "too shy" to talk to me) didn't even know what either of them were. I didn't make a big deal out of it and I didn't make any effort into prying other people for information about either of them, but I still felt like that gap between our cultures was super cringe worthy at the time. Like, I felt really weird to not really keep up with their "pop and drop" culture where you're popular for a short amount of time and then drop off the face of the planet after like two years. But I didn't go out of my way to not conform a little bit, especially after like three months of living there. On the flip side of things. I had a bunch of people stare at me and take pictures of me while I lived there, especially when wearing my school uniform and riding my bike to school or riding the train. I lived in a considerably more rural place than Tokyo or Kyoto, and certainly less touristy- but I had Japanese people try to take photos of me, talk to me (in broken English) and even try to touch my hair (just because it apparently looked really soft and inviting because I had really light blonde hair at the time). I also know that the few people who were honestly harassing me don't speak for the entire country, especially since there was at most 40 instances of harassment (like they were violating portions of this list themselves), but I found that some of the natives don't respect their own social expectations when it comes to foreigners. I mean, I had an anxiety attack on the train once to were I literally couldn't breathe so I had to squat down in the corner at the back of the bus (I know it's not good etiquette, but I literally couldn't help it at the time) but a man from my host mother's work (though he didn't know who I was at the time) took a picture of me in my school uniform while I was having a panic attack at the back of the train, and then bad mouthed me to my school and at his work place for being disgraceful, disrespectful and lazy. My host mother called me up an hour later after hearing about it and I had to explain it to her and the school counselor who was in charge of me that I wasn't disrespecting the social norm and that I was literally panicking. I personally would like to think that had I been a native that was having a panic attack to the point of passing out from hyperventilation, he wouldn't have taken the picture thinking I was just some ignorant Gaijin that was too lazy to stand on the train and would instead probably have gotten help. But that could just be me not fully understanding the culture. Nevertheless, natives can be as equally cringy and ignorant to others as foreigners are to them sometimes, and both instances don't speak for the majority of both sides. There are just as many bad gaikokujin as there are natives in my opinion.
+Azunyan it is, I guess what I meant was, don't expect everything you see overseas to be relevant in Japan. I cut out my anecdote for that part, but before I went to Japan I thought that Japanese people listened to J Rock and Visual Kei, because that was the Japanese culture that I was exposed to. Imagine my surprise when I told my classmates that I liked An Cafe and Gackt and Luna Sea, expecting to meet fans of the same bands... Only to be met by wide eyed gazes and simple questions like, ".... Why?" Turns out the young kids were into Otsuka Ai and Ketsumeishi, two acts which... Now today are also totally obsolete. :p
In my experience it is, but that doesn't mean you're not going to get weird looks and have people talking about you behind your back, especially for younger groups of people. Some of the kids I hung out with got talked about behind their backs for not liking and dropping things. One of my senpai in high school really liked Danganronpa and a bunch of people thought it was weird to like something 'that obscure'. I asked if I got talked about behind my back to some of my class mates, and aside from how I wasn't really included in class work, they didn't find me liking Bleach very weird because they knew I was from an entirely different culture. I don't think they would have much of a problem with it unless you shoved it down their faces to like a variety of things.... Maybe not for doing things attributed to the opposite sex, necessarily, but it should be fine. I also lived in the more rural parts of Ishikawa which may have something to do with it.
When I studied abroad in Tokyo, I definitely felt like I had to invest in some better clothes. It was a pain in the butt to go shopping (I hate shopping, it's tiring). And deciding what to wear took forever for me..... However, I really liked and got used to the feeling of seeing everyone dressed so well. After I returned to my home state, it was difficult to transition back into the whole flip-flops, shorts, and tank top attire that everyone wears here.
Question for you Micaela: As a tourist coming to Japan, how you you recommend packing clothing for the trip? I've been 2x times now and even though I pack what I feel to be nice clothing I still feel completely unkempt and out of place once I get to Japan. Any ideas?
It depends on the season, but bring some simple layers so you can dress yourself up or dress yourself down as needed. When I travel to neighboring Asian countries I like to travel light, so I'll bring one pair of jeans, one pair of shorts, one pair of shoes that goes with both... Then for tops I bring a few shirts, but I also make sure to bring a few light garments I can wear over top to keep my arms and shoulders covered if I have to (an oversized denim button-up shirt, a light rain jacket etc). Then I'll bring one heavier sweater/jacket just in case it's unexpectedly cold... If you're staying for a longer amount of time, pack light and buy something new for your outfits if needed during your trip--makes for a great souvenir. :)
For the point about things not being relevant in current times, I would also add the issue of foreigners looking at Japan through that one specific lens of pop culture, anime, etc. It's awesome people everywhere love these things, but not every Japanese person watches One Piece and other shows like that; people should recognize that Japan is an actual working society and you will appreciate it x1000 more keeping that in mind (I went on a study abroad program and let's just say some people were not mentally prepared lol)
6:12 Hard Gay was hilarious. I have noticed there's a JPop band I like, pretty much the only one I like, called Every Little Thing. I've known them since the late 90s and they still make albums, the last was in 2014, but I don't think they're really popular there. Nobody seems to know who they are when I mention them. 7:50 This doesn't apply to Japan clearly but this reminded me of my college photography classes when I mentioned how I was a little uncomfortable taking pictures of strangers in public, it felt weird. And my teacher said "That's why they invented zoom lenses". lol
Every Little Thing has not released album for awhile, but as they were popular for a long time, I think the most Japanese people know about the band unless you ask the question to people from wrong generations.
By now, after watching your videos for about 3 years now and videos of other people living in Japan and telling about their experience, I've sort of come to the conclusion that yes Japan is very very different but at the same time some parts of Japanese culture are similar to my country's culture (Latvian). Latvians will always dress very well when going to parties or just group meetings and even if just going out for a walk to the local shop a Latvian will dress nice and comfortably. Speaking loudly is also kind of a no no although it's not a huge thing that people shame others constantly about.
I admit I do #3 (bring up outdates pop culture refs) from time to time, just to troll Japanese friends. Admittedly though I wouldn't do with acquaintances though. One lesson I have learned the hard way is that there's a bigger difference than Western culture between how you behave in public with strangers and how you behave with friends. It took me some time to learn how to restrain myself more and not be the nail that sticks out. Still a work in progress.
I know you're getting a lot of shit for this video, but a lot of it IS common sense... which isn't very common nowadays. I think the tips you gave are extremely helpful. I hope to go to Japan and be as respectful there as I would anywhere else in the world, and even as a female, I would be guilty of taking pictures of people (maybe the famous crossing in Shibuya, or even schoolgirls because ~it's like an anime~). This was an educational video. Thank you Micaela! I hope Lon-kun, Kit, and Tatsu are doing well. :) *Edit: I was trying to be silly and make a joke about common sense not being very common. I think you made very good points and almost all of your points were things I didn't reflect on or think about.
If you're taking scenic or landscape photos and a few faces slip in there, I don't think that's a problem. The problem is targeting certain individuals, and making them the focus of your shots without their permission, or sometimes even their acknowledgement, that's the problem.
Glad to hear that! I love the video where you took Kit to the beach, he's so happy! Thank you for the clarification about pictures - privacy is a huge deal to me, and you described it perfectly in the video. I would not want someone else to feel uncomfortable, so I will definitely do the 'cameraman nod' when I go. Thank you for an excellent video, Micaela!
it`s also considered bad manners to eat/drink while walking or on public transportation and there`s a whole lot more that are hard to explain and even harder to understand.
i love these type of videos!! ^_^ i got to that point if being able to tell the difference between temporary and long term foreigners ~ it helped me blen in a little more hahahaha not gonna brag about how much i stood out in my first two months in Tokyo xD
Michaela, my family and I are visiting Japan this October, and I was wondering about childrens behavior on the trains. My husband and I visited 4 years ago, but now we have 2 toddlers. We will of course do our best to keep them as quiet and contained as possible, but is there any leniency for small children? This has been giving me anxiety. lol
I am SOOO impressed. Not only the depth of your understanding of the Japanese culture, but the strength of your good will behind the production of this video as its driver. Actually I had tears coming up to my eyes towards the end. Micaela, you're the most wonderful and the coolest person on the globe.
"don't take pictures of young underage girls" I mean I hope that would be a rule no matter where you are in the world xD. Thanks for the video
Somehow people forget such things when visiting another country. They act creepy without realising it. It's like they left their sanity at home.
if i cant take pictures...,then i have to masturbate in front of them?
Too far.
You do it behind them. Show some respect.
Ahhh I agree so much!! So many things I learned the hard way... lol
you're here too? i can't escape... xD
+LittleGhostCat I can't.... There like the avengers
Plot Twist: The comment is from Jun
You said "unfortunately a thing" for #1, but I think it is actually a great thing there! It's something we are SEVERELY lacking here in the US.
3:26 The bit with the "please... obey." I know this was done in jest, but it really does nicely sum up the Japanese "culture" experience. Japan is incredibly restrictive, conformist and insular. That's not to say that there aren't loads of friendly Japanese people who embrace self-expression, but on the whole, the feeling of being in Japan as a foreigner is often "follow the crowd, or get the hell out." Even as a quiet, reserved, and generally polite introvert, it felt stifling compared to China, where I currently live.
ミカエラさんの動画は自然体で好感がもてます。
I like how you address topics that are not addressed oftenly, like the jokes that are popular overseas or the camera nod!
I can't imagine ever having the audacity to blatantly take photos of people intentionally without their permission. I don't see how this is okay in any country..
Even worse, taking upskirt photos is actually legal in many states = A =;;
I can see the reasoning in making it okay to take pictures of strangers in public places. If you were to take a photo of a landscape, or your kid at a theme park, where it's likely that there are tons of other people walking around and you can't always avoid any strangers wandering into the shot/background. It would be impractical at best to try to legally restrict taking photos of other people in a public space in those cases, and really if they are in the public sphere they should be comfortable with being seen in what they are wearing. However, extending this argument to upskirt photos is absolutely ridiculous. It's how it has been defended in the law and it's positively absurd. You wouldn't take a picture up some guy's pant leg (exposing undergarments) and post it on the internet with the defense that "if they didn't want their picture taken, they shouldn't have worn that in public!'. Why is it so different when it comes to women and young girls?
as a street photographer I take photos of everything and everyone that is around me. but obviously if someone doesn't want to be in the photo, and I will delete the photo even if they don't say anything, if I see or feel like that person was avoiding the camera, I'll delete the photo.
I guess it's mostly north Americans...
many of them think it's ok to upload pictures and videos of strangers without permission. I've seen many of them :/
You definitly haven't been to China :p
hell yea, i can't go to china, i can't stand their society, it's even worse than the US imo, and that's saying something LOL
for example, coz i know i'm gunna get a lot of hate. Chinese people speak very loudly, since they have to because their language is very intonation heavy. i don't like that aspect, but there's nothing they can do, so chinese culture doesnt suit me based on my personality :c
注意するべきポイントがかなり大切な所が凄いです！自分は外国人を見ると「かっこいいな〜」「美人や」って思って見ちゃう笑
前に道歩いてる時に外国の人に「Hello」って言われたのは嬉しかった
日本人からみてもミケイラさんの動画トピックはとっても勉強になります。そして英語の字幕もあり英語の勉強もでき一石二鳥です。ありがとうございます。
So many true facts! I feel like all these can be considered when going to any country or any public situation as they overall are just polite and considerate towards others :)
I am going to Japan for the first time ever on Friday. I am beyond excited and have been doing more and more research on how to be a good and respectful tourist. Thanks for some great tips.
Wait wait wait wait. Wait. I just saw #4 and I honestly have to say, Japanese people have NO notion of other people's privacy when foreigners are in question. Japanese TV is unbiased - they respect NOBODY'S privacy. I can't even count the times when they took my picture without asking. Even when they ask and I say no (apart from it being creepy when strangers ask to take a picture of you when you're not wearing anything crazy or special, I am a shy person), they look at me like I'm crazy and don't seem to understand why wouldn't I want strangers to take pictures of me. Not that it's an excuse, but if you say "just look at how they are acting and do the same", then it's only natural that foreigners would think: "Hey, well if they can take pictures of me, then why wouldn't I do the same?"
100%
guys dont worry about doing everything perfectly the japanese way. at first just be gaijin just be the you you were in your homecountry. as for customs just look around you'll learn over time.
ITT: Weebs getting offended when Japanese society isn't like in animu.
Im a weeb but atleast i do my research. "People dont have nose bleeds and have big bouncy boobs !?"
"Don't worry about it and try not to be a jerk" lol words to live by. Nice video.
A thousand claps to you for making this video. A lot of people may think this stuff is common knowledge, and it should be, but for some reason when people come to Japan, they just lose their shit.
And it's not at all strict here like people may think. Just read your surroundings and adapt and don't be a dick. The rules are not there to "control the masses of sheeple" or "stop you from being you" (like I've been seeing written in this comment section), they're there to maintain the harmony of people sharing such a small place. Be the best you you can be, just do bother anyone in doing so. (Generally a good life skill) And if being you is so out there that you piss everyone off around you, it's time need to find a new person to be.
ありがと、いろいろ日本に来る外国人にマナーを伝えてくれて
"At the end of the day you are a guest in another country & it's not about you" - I think you hit the nail on the head with that statement Micaela. I think that is applicable in any country. I've travelled to many different countries & one of the first things I do after booking my flights/accommodation is to research the country's customs - the do's & don'ts. I don't think being a tourist should be an excuse for bad manners &/or lack of respect. I've travelled to Japan several times & as a tourist myself, cringe at the amount of times I've seen a fellow 'Gaikokujin' talking on their phone on the train/bus...or just being loud in general. I mean take a look around you - be aware of your surroundings! Generally Japanese people are forgiving to foreign tourists, but that doesn't make it right. Great insightful talky video - thanks for sharing :)
lol, ur camera nod was adorable
I see Lon couldn't resist making a debut in the background haha. So cute.
凄い良い動画。 良く日本のこと理解してるでござるな。
Thank you for mentioning about the privacy thing.
People need to keep #4 in mind.
This is really good video, your advice is so spot on! 日本人から見てもすごく的確だと思います！
Sage advice... though I've been guilty of a few of those at one time or another.
I think we all have! It's okay!
Wooooooooooow thank you for this video. You are so sweet because some of this behaviour is sociopathic but so normalized with many tourists. Yet, you break it down and are so patient about it. If I were making a video about what not to do as a tourist, I'd be like "DON'T BE AN A HOLE" but you broke it down so it make sense. 1) Pay attention to your surroundings 2) Remember that even though you are on vacation, locals are just trying to get on with their lives so respect them.
今日のメイク素敵！！
ありがとうございます。まだまだ練習中ですが。笑
It was very easy to understand!!! Thanks a lot!
No. 3 feels like every foreign person saying "Tabarnak!" to me every time they hear i'm from Québec or bring up cheese, bérèts, wine and baguette to French people. Every culture is a complex amalgam of different things, not just its clichés. I feel like everything you said in this video applies for every culture, not just Japan.
I think the number 4 happens everywere, but usually tourist seem to be the one who forget the normal manners and just take pictures without asking anything. I guess the logic is that no one back knows/regognices the person anyway which somehow makes it okay. And this applies to Japanese people abroad as well, which is kind of backwards since they value their own privacy so much back at home in Japan. I used to live near a local tourist attraction and I had pictures of me and my dog taken so many times by random japanese tourists without them even trying to be sneaky about it and no one ever asked my permission >.< I also saw them taking pictures of local kids as well...
I agree. Asking permission first is a rule that should apply everywhere, by everyone. When I visited Japan with my 10yr old blonde haired/blue eyed daughter, I lost count of the amount of times Japanese people would take a photo of her without permission! We even had several young girls come up to her for a selfie as we were walking down the street. She felt a little overwhelmed by that.
From Japan.
To Every tourists from overseas.
You remember she said, Almost Japanese are kindly.
It is a reward of Japanese hospitality is your smile and 'Thank you' .
4 minutes in and I'm loving the editing.
Thanks! Haha, it's 10 minutes long, I had to keep it interesting, for the sake of my own sanity while putting it together.
+Micaela ミカエラ Understandable haha!
I think my husband's family are a little different with speaking on the trains! I went from Wakayama to Kagawa, and his family were just chatting away loudly, groups of people in front were chatting too. All the old folks around here seem to chat loudly to their friends on the train. I guess that's Wakayama people, Tokyo folks seem completely different.
For me while I was there (1 month so definitely a 'tourist' despite doing an internship) the thing I quickly realized was that I got super flustered when I went inside a store and the clerks would greet me cause I didn't know what to do or say and I'm by no means fluent. After a few days I realized that Japanese people just go by without replying or acknowledging all the greetings because it's just part of the protocol. After that I stopped trying to say hi how are you to all the people working at conbini ^^'
You are correct. You do not need to do. But it is still fun to reply politely with a big smile to them. Do it when you get into a department store at its opening time. All the store staffs line up and say "Iraishaimase". You reply "Ojamashimasu, yoroshiku" or "Ohayougozaimasu, kyoumo ganbattekudasai" or anything to all of them greeting you and enjoy their reactions. The most of them are very positive and some giggles because nobody does. Start a chatting from there.
You say it's rude to take pictures of people, but when i was in Japan, they often took pictures of me without permission. Often it was very obvious. Heck, you'd see it on trains, even in the line for food or at campus. One time a guy even stood up, walked, stopped right in front of me and my friends, and took the picture very loudly on his flip phone and walked back and sat? lol. However, that doesn't make it okay for foreigners or tourists to take pictures of Japanese people like that.
Sometimes people asked though, so that was nice.
Sounds like the kinda person who says reverse racism unironically on a daily basis.
I want to hear the anecdotes! 20 minute long video please!~
I don't have he energy or patience to subtitle something that long bahaa
excellent advises!
I second that. ^^
"Advice" has no plural form. Advice/Advise: advice is noun (e.g., she gives advice); advise is verb (e.g., she advises immigrants).
EmoPrincess
I don't expect him to have a strong command of English. I gave him a little help with English. It was a friendly gesture. If you are learning French, and a French person corrects your French, do you see that as an insult or friendly help? Do you curse, ignore, or thank him? In general, if someone points out your mistake, do you see that as a hostile or friendly gesture? Would you want me to come to your "defense" and say, "She's just a kid (or girl). What do you expect?"
I am sure you cannot answer my questions or reply to this comment. I have put you into an indefensible position. You would have to be very smart to come up with a good response. Judging by your comment, I don't think you have what it takes. If you choose to ignore, the smartest thing you can do is to delete your comment.
By the way, did you know that "jap" is a derogatory term for Japanese?
EmoPrincess
L Lawliet is not a douchbag in Death Note. He is an eccentric genius helping the FBI. What is the source of your prejudice against L?
EmoPrincess
Thank you for your apology.
This is sooo true!! Great video!
I think the worst I have seen in Tokyo is foreigners smoking on the streets and walking. It is not allowed but they do it anyway or they go into a shop and respond to the workers when they welcome them with a hello. It seems silly but like the little things make a big difference.
As you said it's not the same being in a country as a tourist than living there, but most of the time people make this kinda mistakes because they don't bother to learn anything about the country where they're traveling to. People just care about where to visit, where to eat, where to sleep, where I can take that amazing I saw on instagram, etc..., on travel guides almost everybody skips that part where they talk about the history, the culture and traditions of the country they're going to, or at least that's the way I feel when I see other tourists during my trips. I'm not the best example myself but I do care to know something about the countries where I'm going to travel, I thing it helps you to understand better everything you see during your trip, why things are one way or another, to interact with local people and many more. On the other hand I think that when you've been living in some country for a while, unconsciously, you tend to be more yourself. Because somehow, you begin to feel more at home. We gotta be always respectful but never stop being ourselves.
How do you get caught up with new Japanese trends/media ?
This is a great video Micaela.
I just discovered your channel after your collaboration with Sharla, and I gotta say I like your "talky videos" the best lol.
your hair looks so good! c:
My wife really likes your video's, so I started watching. Awesome sauce! I can tell that you put the real you into your videos. Thanks!!! ;)
Should have mentionned leaving tips!! I did that in Japan and caused massive embarrassement for the person. :(
About popular things having a quick turnover, here's an example. I am from the Netherlands and when Japanese people here that they like to say the few things they do know about the Netherlands and they'll be like "tullips!!!", "windmills!!!" and it often stops there. During summer time they also often say soccer, while in winter they often say ice skating. But when I mention ice skating or soccer outside of its season, they are often completely puzzled by me mentioning it.
I do the camera eye contact / node thing at cosplay conventions because often its so busy and they are already getting their photo taken but i want to just double check :)
Also thanks for the tips!
"keep going but shut up" hahaaaa!! awesome!
I'm a Japanese guy, Japan is a breathchoking society. I think. I've never felt accustomed to Japan since my birth.
I agree with all of these, just living here in the US! I'm not a RUclipsr, yet(planning on starting to vlog here, specifically on how to experience Japanese and Korean lifestyle while living in my general area), but it is just common sense and decency, to NOT take photos or video of people you don't know, and even people you do know, without their expressed permission. It really upsets to see photos and video of people I know were not asked if they're ok with it. I also hate loud people when I'm on public transit. When I use transit, I'm always either listening to music, or reading. When I'm with people, I'm very quiet. It's just common courtesy. The "trying to look my best" is something that I have had trouble with in my life, but I'm trying to come more into my own on this in the last few years. The problem I find here that annoys me, is random use of other languages to try and look "cool". If you know the language great. But don't use random terms you don't know how to use. -.-
外国人が日本で孤独に感じることがあるとすれば、日本人があまり英語を喋れない事が大きな原因かもしれません。私の友人で外国人を差別するような人はいませんが、話かけられても英語が出来なくて期待に応えられないので少し距離をおいてしまう事があります。いま日本でも英語教育を強化しようという動きがあるので、将来はもっと外国人がすごしやすい国になる事を祈ってます。
"Dont take pictures of young underage girls"
Advice to live by
frame it and hang it in your hallway m8
I would think taking pictures of other people without their permission would be rude in most cultures. From what I've seen, though, people in Japan are much more conscious of it. But, with that in mind, I can't imagine how ANYONE could think taking pictures of school kids would be okay O.O
as a photographer I didn't realize how many people associated taking photos of school kids as something immoral. I took photos of school kids to show the difference between school kids in america and japan as a school assignment. I obviously wasn't shoving a camera in kid's faces but was more on the other side of the street taking photos of the schools and kids that were leaving and coming. I don't see anything wrong with that if you do, you need to clean that dirty head of yours.
+Nonchalant Gaming JKxD I'm sure that will go down well with the police when a concerned parent reports the weird foreigner with the zoom lens taking photos of children from across the road.
If someone else is threatened by your behavior you can be in serious trouble, and when that happens, telling police officers or concerned parents/guardians to clean their dirty minds will not go over well, I guarantee you.
ミカエラさんは日本長いんだね。
日本のことをよくご存知でいらっしゃいます。
今回のはすごい良動画。新鮮な意見だったし全部共感。確かに外国人の旅行客のファッションは、ファッション嫌いな自分から見てもどうなのって思う事多い。でもメンドクサインダヨネー。Ｔシャツジーンズでさまになってる外国人はかっこいい
While I was in Japan as an exchange student my friends from school and I made plans to go to Harajuku to to hang out after school. Because our plans were right after school hours we were in our school uniforms. A foreigner took a picture of my friends and I, and I don't think the guy noticed I noticed but I noticed. And I was extremely uncomfortable with it but I was not ready to make a scene about that.
The effects are nice〰
心は日本人だね✨素晴らしい！
Thanks for the tips!
I remember when I went to Harajuku in 2004 with the intention of taking street-fashion photos and I simply learned the Japanese for 'photo' and did the asking with my eyes as you suggest and it worked out really well. I'm sure a big part of that is that cosplayers and people with cool fashion in certain areas expect to be asked for photos, but I fully agree that asking permission is best if you're focusing in on a person for a portrait. I feel like that should be true all over the world, but sadly since culture elsewhere isn't founded on respect like Japan it just doesn't happen. I remember that was one of the things I loved most about my visit was the foundation of respect in the culture. Going back home (even after just 10 days in Japan) I suffered serious culture shock due to the rudeness of people in London (where I lived at the time).
PS omg how I wish people would be quieter in public everywhere. It's one of my biggest pet peeves!
日本は恥の文化（心を表に出せない・シャイ）なのでそこら辺が外国人にはなじめないところですよねｗ
私も外国人が外を歩いているとつい、チラッとみてしまいますが外国人を見るたびとても嬉しくなります。歓迎という意味で。
ミカエラさんの言ってることは👍
このすばらしい動画（どうが）を たくさんの外国人に見てもらいたいです😄
未看先推~~~~~
I like your videos !!!
Man, I don't get why people feel like it's okay to just whip out the camera and take a picture of a stranger, no matter the city or country.
I remember the first time I went to Japan with my best friend, she saw a group of elderly ladies in a shopping center and she really loved what they were wearing, so she wanted to take a picture of them. But she didn't just take one, she asked me how to ask for permission to take a photo (because at that time I was the only one of us two who could speak at least a little bit Japanese) and then she went over there and asked them. Thankfully, they were cool with it (and a bit flattered that she liked their outfits so much) :) But yeah, be polite, everyone!
i think #2 mostly applies to people from North America, because I've never heard anyone else complain/be surprised that people can dress up even when there's not a wedding or prom.
Wherever you travel to in the world, it's so important to pay attention to your surroundings and get a sense for the people and the culture.
In Egypt women usually have their arms covered. In Dubai it's not the greatest thing in the world to wear short shorts or show to much skin. It may be a drag for some people, but there's usually a pretty interesting cultural reason behind these unspoken rules. You're right, it's best to realize that it's not all about you, and when in Rome yada yada yada yada.....
Exactly, some people saying I'm trying too hard, or that I'm telling people they can't be themselves, are too stuck in the "me me me" aspect, which is a terrible and dangerous mentality to have as a traveler to any foreign country.
And I remember the times of RUclips when Kozue would always wear a mask when dancing! I also remember other Japanese only doing videos that did not have them in it for a long time but have since changed that.
Hardgay and Jinnai Tomonori will always be relevant!!!!
"Trying to manually close the taxi door" was missing from this list.
Oh my god that's a good one too haha.
I am a long term resident in Japan - walked through Tokyo today. Saw lots of foreigners who would throw random words at japanese people (they were talking to earlier). Always makes me smile kinda :D
The talking loud thing is just a general politeness thing. I'm Canadian and i find it unpleasant when people talk loudly. Nothing to do with nationality.The "you're a guest in a foreign country thing" ... Nope. I'm a human being and i live on Planet Earth. By that reasoning, it would mean locals need less to be polite than non-residents of a country. That doesn't make sense. people should be polite and considerate everywhere all the time. IMO. 🌍👍
3:34 Micaela, you talk about fashionability and being underdressed; does this also apply to 田舎? I ask because when I put in my Jet application after I finish university, I will probably list my 3 preferences as 青森県、秋田県、 and 岩手県.
Great advice. Thank you.
I'm guilty of number 3 in a way, but I didn't show it as often besides someone asking me what I was reading and listening to which was a novelization of Bleach (like a written story of the manga/anime Bleach than the managaka and another person wrote together) and listening to a band called Plastic Tree while in the library at the school I was attending. Most of the girls that asked me (because the boys were apparently "too shy" to talk to me) didn't even know what either of them were. I didn't make a big deal out of it and I didn't make any effort into prying other people for information about either of them, but I still felt like that gap between our cultures was super cringe worthy at the time. Like, I felt really weird to not really keep up with their "pop and drop" culture where you're popular for a short amount of time and then drop off the face of the planet after like two years. But I didn't go out of my way to not conform a little bit, especially after like three months of living there.
On the flip side of things. I had a bunch of people stare at me and take pictures of me while I lived there, especially when wearing my school uniform and riding my bike to school or riding the train. I lived in a considerably more rural place than Tokyo or Kyoto, and certainly less touristy- but I had Japanese people try to take photos of me, talk to me (in broken English) and even try to touch my hair (just because it apparently looked really soft and inviting because I had really light blonde hair at the time). I also know that the few people who were honestly harassing me don't speak for the entire country, especially since there was at most 40 instances of harassment (like they were violating portions of this list themselves), but I found that some of the natives don't respect their own social expectations when it comes to foreigners. I mean, I had an anxiety attack on the train once to were I literally couldn't breathe so I had to squat down in the corner at the back of the bus (I know it's not good etiquette, but I literally couldn't help it at the time) but a man from my host mother's work (though he didn't know who I was at the time) took a picture of me in my school uniform while I was having a panic attack at the back of the train, and then bad mouthed me to my school and at his work place for being disgraceful, disrespectful and lazy. My host mother called me up an hour later after hearing about it and I had to explain it to her and the school counselor who was in charge of me that I wasn't disrespecting the social norm and that I was literally panicking. I personally would like to think that had I been a native that was having a panic attack to the point of passing out from hyperventilation, he wouldn't have taken the picture thinking I was just some ignorant Gaijin that was too lazy to stand on the train and would instead probably have gotten help. But that could just be me not fully understanding the culture. Nevertheless, natives can be as equally cringy and ignorant to others as foreigners are to them sometimes, and both instances don't speak for the majority of both sides. There are just as many bad gaikokujin as there are natives in my opinion.
+Azunyan it is, I guess what I meant was, don't expect everything you see overseas to be relevant in Japan. I cut out my anecdote for that part, but before I went to Japan I thought that Japanese people listened to J Rock and Visual Kei, because that was the Japanese culture that I was exposed to.
Imagine my surprise when I told my classmates that I liked An Cafe and Gackt and Luna Sea, expecting to meet fans of the same bands... Only to be met by wide eyed gazes and simple questions like, ".... Why?"
Turns out the young kids were into Otsuka Ai and Ketsumeishi, two acts which... Now today are also totally obsolete. :p
In my experience it is, but that doesn't mean you're not going to get weird looks and have people talking about you behind your back, especially for younger groups of people.
Some of the kids I hung out with got talked about behind their backs for not liking and dropping things. One of my senpai in high school really liked Danganronpa and a bunch of people thought it was weird to like something 'that obscure'.
I asked if I got talked about behind my back to some of my class mates, and aside from how I wasn't really included in class work, they didn't find me liking Bleach very weird because they knew I was from an entirely different culture. I don't think they would have much of a problem with it unless you shoved it down their faces to like a variety of things....
Maybe not for doing things attributed to the opposite sex, necessarily, but it should be fine.
I also lived in the more rural parts of Ishikawa which may have something to do with it.
like become interested in things and then when it falls out of popularity suddenly not be interested in said thing in order to follow the status quo
I agree with these too D: It's so important to know imo!
I guess the fashion thing is more for the big city. When I visit my wife's family in Kagawa nobody cares about fashion.
カメラの話は本当そう思う。勝手にやられると腹立つ。
ひと声かけてくれれば、大体の日本人はOKしてくれるけどね。
そのひと声が無いのが、本当に悲しい。
this video is to the point!!!
I agree with you : )
"Ask with your eyes" I don't know why but I died laughing when you said that lol
When I studied abroad in Tokyo, I definitely felt like I had to invest in some better clothes. It was a pain in the butt to go shopping (I hate shopping, it's tiring). And deciding what to wear took forever for me..... However, I really liked and got used to the feeling of seeing everyone dressed so well. After I returned to my home state, it was difficult to transition back into the whole flip-flops, shorts, and tank top attire that everyone wears here.
Question for you Micaela: As a tourist coming to Japan, how you you recommend packing clothing for the trip? I've been 2x times now and even though I pack what I feel to be nice clothing I still feel completely unkempt and out of place once I get to Japan. Any ideas?
It depends on the season, but bring some simple layers so you can dress yourself up or dress yourself down as needed. When I travel to neighboring Asian countries I like to travel light, so I'll bring one pair of jeans, one pair of shorts, one pair of shoes that goes with both...
Then for tops I bring a few shirts, but I also make sure to bring a few light garments I can wear over top to keep my arms and shoulders covered if I have to (an oversized denim button-up shirt, a light rain jacket etc).
Then I'll bring one heavier sweater/jacket just in case it's unexpectedly cold...
If you're staying for a longer amount of time, pack light and buy something new for your outfits if needed during your trip--makes for a great souvenir. :)
Ok! Thank you for taking the time to respond with such a thoughtful comment! :)
For the point about things not being relevant in current times, I would also add the issue of foreigners looking at Japan through that one specific lens of pop culture, anime, etc. It's awesome people everywhere love these things, but not every Japanese person watches One Piece and other shows like that; people should recognize that Japan is an actual working society and you will appreciate it x1000 more keeping that in mind (I went on a study abroad program and let's just say some people were not mentally prepared lol)
6:12 Hard Gay was hilarious. I have noticed there's a JPop band I like, pretty much the only one I like, called Every Little Thing. I've known them since the late 90s and they still make albums, the last was in 2014, but I don't think they're really popular there. Nobody seems to know who they are when I mention them.
7:50 This doesn't apply to Japan clearly but this reminded me of my college photography classes when I mentioned how I was a little uncomfortable taking pictures of strangers in public, it felt weird. And my teacher said "That's why they invented zoom lenses". lol
Every Little Thing has not released album for awhile, but as they were popular for a long time, I think the most Japanese people know about the band unless you ask the question to people from wrong generations.
Will you stay in japan forever?
By now, after watching your videos for about 3 years now and videos of other people living in Japan and telling about their experience, I've sort of come to the conclusion that yes Japan is very very different but at the same time some parts of Japanese culture are similar to my country's culture (Latvian).
Latvians will always dress very well when going to parties or just group meetings and even if just going out for a walk to the local shop a Latvian will dress nice and comfortably. Speaking loudly is also kind of a no no although it's not a huge thing that people shame others constantly about.
excellent tips thanks!Micaela doumo arigato gozaimasu
プライバシーは尊敬じゃなくて尊重ですよ♪
I admit I do #3 (bring up outdates pop culture refs) from time to time, just to troll Japanese friends. Admittedly though I wouldn't do with acquaintances though.
One lesson I have learned the hard way is that there's a bigger difference than Western culture between how you behave in public with strangers and how you behave with friends. It took me some time to learn how to restrain myself more and not be the nail that sticks out. Still a work in progress.
thanks micaela for posting more content keep it up =D
thanks for amazing video :D
今回の写真の件は本当に大切ですよね(*'ω'*)！「鼻から下芸人(笑)」としても、話してくださりうれしいです！でも最近は日本でもRUclipsrさんが増えて、日本のクリエーターさんがまわりのひとの顔を映しちゃったり、ご自分のお子さんの学校の名札を映して個人情報を特定されたりして…私も気を付けたいと思います。ちなみにドイツに旅行に行った時も動画を撮っていたら笑われたりしたので文化って本当に違うんだな…と勉強になりました(*´ω｀*)
nice video, in my country all this things u said no one will respect probaly, but not all are so (Brazil)
thanks for the tips
Hi Micaela,
Let's Make America Great Again !!
There is a cat pass by 2:55
cute
I know you're getting a lot of shit for this video, but a lot of it IS common sense... which isn't very common nowadays.
I think the tips you gave are extremely helpful. I hope to go to Japan and be as respectful there as I would anywhere else in the world, and even as a female, I would be guilty of taking pictures of people (maybe the famous crossing in Shibuya, or even schoolgirls because ~it's like an anime~). This was an educational video.
Thank you Micaela! I hope Lon-kun, Kit, and Tatsu are doing well. :)
*Edit: I was trying to be silly and make a joke about common sense not being very common. I think you made very good points and almost all of your points were things I didn't reflect on or think about.
If you're taking scenic or landscape photos and a few faces slip in there, I don't think that's a problem. The problem is targeting certain individuals, and making them the focus of your shots without their permission, or sometimes even their acknowledgement, that's the problem.
And thanks! They're all doing great! I just took Kit for his walk actually. Haha.
Glad to hear that! I love the video where you took Kit to the beach, he's so happy!
Thank you for the clarification about pictures - privacy is a huge deal to me, and you described it perfectly in the video. I would not want someone else to feel uncomfortable, so I will definitely do the 'cameraman nod' when I go.
Thank you for an excellent video, Micaela!
it`s also considered bad manners to eat/drink while walking or on public transportation and there`s a whole lot more that are hard to explain and even harder to understand.
i love these type of videos!! ^_^
i got to that point if being able to tell the difference between temporary and long term foreigners ~ it helped me blen in a little more hahahaha
not gonna brag about how much i stood out in my first two months in Tokyo xD
Michaela, my family and I are visiting Japan this October, and I was wondering about childrens behavior on the trains. My husband and I visited 4 years ago, but now we have 2 toddlers. We will of course do our best to keep them as quiet and contained as possible, but is there any leniency for small children? This has been giving me anxiety. lol
確かに、見た目がアジア系じゃない人が、「日本で目立ちたくない」というのは無理ですよね。珍しいですから、どうしてもジロジロ見てくる人もいますし。「病気っぽい白い肌」って自虐ネタですね（笑）
オシャレに関しては、そこまで頑張らなくてもいいと思いますよ。確かに、高級なパーティーみたいなものは、いつもより少し気合を入れた方がいいと思いますが。逆に、あまりオシャレにしすぎても浮いてしまって失敗するかも。日本人でも、合わせるのに失敗して「しまった！」って恥ずかしい思いをする事もありますからね。日本人だって、いつも上手く合わせられているわけじゃありません。
流行の移り変わりは確かに速いですが、若者の文化だったら、どこの国でも同じようなものだと思いますけどね。
それよりも海外の人が気を付けた方がいいのは、自分が「アニメやマンガが好きだから」という理由で、「日本人は、みんなアニメやマンガが好き」だと勘違いして、日本人にそういう話題を振ってしまうことですね。日本人でも、そういうものに全く興味が無い人はたくさんいますし、「趣味はみんな違う」のは日本でも同じですからね。
今の日本人がプライバシーを気にする理由は、今のインターネット社会にもあると思いますよ。
勝手に写真を撮られて、ツイッターとかに乗せられて、悪意のある事を書かれて広められたりすることもありますから。
私も、ネット上で何かやりたいな、と少し思うのですが、ネット上で悪いことをされるのが怖くてできません。ミカエラさんやRUclipsrの人達は、勇気があるんだと思います。
学校等でネットに個人情報を載せるなと教育されるから、無意識にブレーキがかかってるのもあるかもしれませんね。
特に京都などの有名観光地では人が入らない写真を撮るのは通常無理です。夜明け直後に行くとか台風の真っ只中に行くとかしないとね。公に発表しないのであれば仕方ないと思うし、いた方が雰囲気が出る場合が多いし。自分も他のアルバムに載っていると思うけど観光地に行ったらこれは受け入れるしかないですよ。
盗撮は別の話ですが。
「海外」の中には様々な国と人はいるんですし、写真や動画を撮らせられるのが嫌な人もそうでもない人もどこでもいると思いますから、「海外の人」をみんな一緒にしないでください… (⌒-⌒; )
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hi there... would it be ok if I asked questions about Japan... Sorry I don't know things that well