Konnichi wa, Fatso! Cultural Sensitivty and an Intro to SUMO

[leah97462]

I think it makes more sense to be blunt about something you can control, such as weight, rather than criticize someone over something they cannot control like height and age. I still think its rude to tell someone they're short or getting old in America, but it is less offensive than calling me a fatty. I agree with you though that if I had someone telling me that I need to lose weight and that I'm getting chubby than I would be inspired to care more about my health.

[alexandria332bc]

Lol! It's similar here in the Philippines too. It's quite common for a person to comment on your looks if, for instance, you haven't seen him/her for some time. People would casually say things like "wow, you've gotten fat over the summer," or "you need to exercise," and this has shocked some of my foreign colleagues. It isn't considered rude here to say things like that although I have to admit that it's no fun being on the receiving end of such comments!

By the way, awesome videos! :-)

[edtomorrow]

Yeah the things people do.... From what Ive heard so far about it being (more or less) ok to urinate in the streets, slurp your noodles in a resturant and apparently call people FAT!!! LOL!! And what I experenced myself which I was shocked/humored and supprised at a Onnako hito passing gas at a shrine at a volumus level. I just kept saying to myself... When in Rome,,, But Im in knots before entering a resturant fearing I might perform the greatest of all fau paux's... Whatever that might be.

[Jashawnvids]

hey man really enjoy your vids spend hours watching them and i'm really trying to learn japanese so i can go so i couldn't pass up watching this vid about certain attitudes but i must ask you said something about public nudity what did you mean you had to get used to it? please do explain!

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Sent from my Helio Ocean

[Hikosaemon]

Hey there, glad you are enjoying the vids. The public nudity is about "onsen" or public hotspring bathing. Basically, these are baths that you shower first and get into like a bathtub at home - ie, naked. Mixed bathing exists but 99% is separated, so it is only being naked around other dudes, but it took some getting used to for me, especially on a company vacation where all my coworkers went in together at once.

Peace!

[wolfynessness]

buttpirates*を隠す*opensの直腸 Buttholeの島に進展される! 私が利得あるときだけ!

[twijnstra]

truely wish more gaijin would be as intrigued and open minded about those "differences" you describe. What the hell is up with long-stay-foreigners in Tokyo being so grumpy and distant??? is it really the effect of wrong expectations about everything being familliar here?

[Hikosaemon]

Hey twijnstra! I'm sorry to hear you have run into so many grumpy long termers. I guess that it depends in part on the background of those people, but there are certainly phases everyone goes through of optimism turning to cynicism, turning to a kind of acceptance. I guess it is like a marriage - some people keep the magic alive, some people do a deal to live even without the magic, and some people just end up feeling trapped and miserable... and some leave.

[Hikosaemon]

I think that expectations play a part of that, but I think there is also an element of exhaustion just with the extra cultural requirements of constantly being aware of others, doing whatever your superiors tell you to do, and millions more, that Japanese are conditioned too all their lives (and even then some need to escape) but that can be hard to sustain once the initial burst of enthusiasm wears off.

[Hikosaemon]

Japan's a nice place, but it demands a lot in return - most long term expats discover that after trying to be Japanese for too long, it is easier and better to be a gaijin, and I guess they then end up a bit distant from enthusiastic newcomers. That said, it isn't everyone - I hope I'm not like that (hehe). Hmmm, another good topic for a vid there, methinks.

Thanks for the idea!

Peace

[tombagsh]

My first week in Japan I saw another teacher get a Kanchoo from a 5 year old with a toy shinkansen. Bizarre at the time, fuckin' hilarious in hindsight!

[Hikosaemon]

Ah, I remember learning Kancho - it was overseas on a nihongo test. We were learning Kacho, Bucho, Shacho, Kaicho, and on the list, the head of a public building like a library "Kancho"... My Japanese flatmates couldn't contain themselves laughing - I asked them why, and they told me to look the other way and the would show me what it meant.

WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?! I think was my first reaction... Yep, never go near a five year old running round pointing a finger up!

Peace

[tombagsh]

hahhahhahaa! How "nice" of them to show you! It is pretty funny to try and explain a wedgie to Japanese, though.