Travel is a once in a lifetime experience. Interacting with local people is one of the joys of traveling abroad. A Portuguese person who came to Japan for the first time said that there was one behavior of the Japanese people that bothered him a little during his trip. So what on earth was going on? ◾ “Everything I ate in Japan was delicious!” Rodrigo and his friends came to Japan from Portugal for a two-week stay. The plan is to visit Tokyo, Hakone, Lake Kawaguchi, Kyoto, Nara and Osaka. This was the first time the three of them visited Japan. The reason I decided to go to Japan was because I was interested in anime and Japanese culture. He loves Japanese food and has already tried a variety of dishes. He seemed very satisfied with the Japanese food, saying, “Everything I ate was delicious!” Although Rodrigo and his friends are enjoying their time in Japan, they do experience a bit of culture shock from the way Japanese people behave. ◾Many people are absorbed in using their smartphones “Japanese people are all absorbed in their smartphones, have earphones on, and don’t make eye contact or look at other people… “Why is this happening when there’s someone right in front of me?” Rodrigo said, looking disappointed as he lowered his eyes. Depending on the country or region, some people may voluntarily refrain from using them to prevent theft and other crimes. However, in Japan, a country with a good public safety record, you can find people absorbed in using their smartphones all over the city, including on trains and other public transportation, in restaurants and cafes, and other eating and drinking establishments. “That’s not the case in Portugal. The people there and in front of me are my top priority, so I talk to the person in front of me. It made me feel sad.” Interacting with local people is one of the best parts of traveling. Rodrigo and his team wanted to cherish the things that could only be done in that area and the interactions with people they could not meet otherwise. I hope that during the rest of my stay I can have some experiences that can only be had in Japan. [hint-pot Editorial Department] 2024/10/29 (Tue) 6:10.
>>1 ＞That’s not the case in Portugal. The people there and in front of me are my top priority, so I talk to the person in front of me. It’s a world written about in old novels and essays. A gentleman gets on a train and starts a conversation with the other gentleman sitting opposite him in a box seat. lol. I’m sure there are less than 1% of Japanese people today who can do this. Maybe 0.3%. Japan has always bullied and crushed people who talk to just anyone, telling them they’re annoying and to shoot them. And even people who used to love to talk have now become just people looking at their smartphones.
>>1 This is exactly the same as the skit that was on a language learning video on YouTube yesterday. Japanese people don’t look directly at others (as a rule). Foreigners stare into others’ eyes (as a national trait).
I was looking at some pornographic pictures on my iPad on the subway, and they were reflected clearly in the window behind me, causing the girl sitting opposite to glare at me.
It seems like Japanese people have always disliked foreigners. Even if you don’t normally look at your phone outside, if you see a foreigner who looks at you and seems interested in talking, you might take out your phone.
I try not to stare at black people (because it might be rude), but I can’t help but stare at pretty white people, regardless of gender, but I just sneak a peek at them through my phone.
I don’t mind people using their smartphones while walking, but I really can’t stand people who are so engrossed in their smartphones that they walk slowly.
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