Member-only story
13 Things That Annoy Japanese People
What to avoid when you visit the Land of the Rising Sun
If you are not a member of Medium, considering getting a membership using this link, which allows you to read all my stories and others on this site unlimited.
Each country has its own values, culture, and way of doing things. When you visit a country it’s always good to know what does and doesn’t fly in that country. Japan is no different. A country with its own unique language, food, culture, and way of life, many people visit the country not knowing what types of behavior are acceptable or offensive.
Here are 13 situations that you might come across in Japan and how to handle them. Depending on the person, location in Japan, and social situation, some people might be stricter while other times you might get more leeway because you are not Japanese.
Noise On The Train
Public transportation is a big part of Japanese life. Especially in big cities, most people take buses, trains, subways, and bullet trains rather than drive. With all the massive amount of people commuting throughout the day, the transportation system in Japan is quite efficient. It’s also surprisingly quiet.
Even during rush hour, as thousands of people cram together on trains to get to work and school, noise is at a minimum. Rarely will you find anyone talking out loud with others or on the phone.
Because of overworking, long commutes, and stress, most Japanese people are sleeping. It is their time of day to decompress and get some rest. Others are reading manga, watching something on their phone, listening to music, or playing video games. Even headphone volume is at a minimum to reduce sound pollution.
Any time there is someone on the train talking, laughing, having a conversation, or talking on the phone, the people around seem to get bothered and give lots of dirty looks. To avoid the evil stare, try to stay as quiet and invisible as possible.
