What is Digg?194 Comments
- mikkee07, on 04/26/2008, -0/+81Club girls are the same in all countries.
- Dumbledorito, on 04/26/2008, -2/+62Time for an internet classic, I think: "So you want to learn Japanese."
http://pepper.idge.net/japanese/ - PalaDigg, on 04/26/2008, -3/+46I live in Japan. This guy makes me sad. I don't live here because of a desire to constantly overcome challenges, or because my libido is sated solely by Japanese women, or for the food. Superficial at best. Guys, if you want to go to Japan for the first time, don't read lists like this on the internet. Go to Japan and be polite as you figure it out. It's not that complicated.
- vurdillac, on 04/26/2008, -1/+41Not only do they not have a word for "no", but in the name of social harmony in a group, all members will fall in line when someone makes a complaint. For example, I had a class where all of the students claimed they wanted more free conversation time. I complied, but when one person wanted less talking and more drills and spoke to the school manager, all the others claimed they agreed. I objected and fortunately had their requests in writing - I showed them to the manager and asked why they are all saying something different now, she said only the one person was really objecting and the rest were just "being Japanese".
Also, don't assume the food is delicious. Unless your idea of delicious is meat and a starch (rice or noodles) EVERY meal. The only salads you will find consist of a little lettuce, cabbage, mayo and corn. Even a place as huge as Shinjuku has exactly ONE salad bar. Also, if you get "foreign food" it will also be Japanese (everyone loves Italian, they just have no idea that what they are eating is a pale imitation catering to J tastes). Any Mexican food is the culinary equivalent of an El Patio frozen dinner. Sometimes it tastes as if their only knowledge of the foreign food they are trying to replicate comes from pictures, as the presentation is OK, but when you bite into it the flavor is VERY off. This even applies to non-Japanese Asian cuisines, so if you like, say, Vietnamese food, you won't find anything authentic then either. And the Japanese will tell you with a straight face that Tokyo has better world cuisine than even New York (you know, that city with all the immigrants cooking their native cuisines instead of a bored Japanese guy?). The food is good, but only the Japanese food, so if you are OK with noodles and rice 24/7 then Japan is for you. All this no veggie action works if you are Japanese- their bodies are used to this. Your white ass is going to be the size of Godzilla's in about six months unless you buy an overpriced gym membership. Oh, and if you do you can't use their locker rooms unless you are OK with people staring at you when you change. I am talking a pull-up-a-chair-sit-down-and-*****-STARE kind of staring.
The TV shows are not wacky or interesting- most consist of panel shows that recycle the same 50 celebrities or involve people eating, usually a bland little vapid girl going around to restaurants, taking bites of food and saying "Oiishii". They never say anything else. The shows never vary. Ever. If they are playing a American film, chances are it will be some super-crap Steven Segal movie or something equally worthless like that Olsen twins TV show. But you will watch it anyway because it's the only thing in English and it's better than the Oiishii girl.
And if you think a big city like Tokyo has lots of things to do- well, no unless you like to dine out or like clubs. But you better be wealthy. Seriously, why do you think most teen girl movements involve girls dressing wacky, going downtown and then just standing around in the streets with a desperate "PLEASE NOTICE ME!!!" look on their faces? Why is anime stuff so big? Because these folks live soul-crushingly boring lives, and thus revert to shallow fantasies to pretend to be someone or somewhere else. And shallowness rules in Japan. Appearance always trumps content. And they are totally ok with this. It's like the 1950s - look one way for conformity's sake and keep everything else on the down-low.
Oh, and Japan didn't enjoy the social progress the west experienced in the 1950-1970s, so misogyny, open racism, and some of the worst homophobia you have ever experienced await you in Japan. Just be glad you aren't gay and Japanese. Because you WILL have to get married- even if you are the butch-est lesbian golf-pro or nelliest leather-bar hopping hair dresser. And I'm not kidding at all- I met both. After talking for a while, they inexplicably start talking about their opposite-sex spouse and kids. I'm thinking YOU??? and really how the hell does anyone think the sham marriage is fooling anyone? But again, appearances only really matter.
Also, the ecological movements never took hold, so the actual atmosphere itself sucks. They burn trash because they have to, so the air it thick with pollution and you will see tons of people walking around casually in surgical masks to block it out. This really sucks when you do laundry as few people have dryers so you have to hang up your clothes to drip dry and the pollution will make them smell worse than before you washed them unless you hang them indoors. And if you thought the summer time heat and humidity (sometimes at Houston levels) was bad before, wait until you are sitting with all that wet laundry around you. If the acrid air wasn't unpleasant enough, you then notice your Japanese co-workers are often coming down with so many mystery ailments that it will convince you to get the ***** out as soon as possible before you start sprouting a new appendage or something. - xptical, on 04/26/2008, -6/+39I've been in Japan for about 7 years now. This list is pretty lame.
1. There is, technically, a word for "no". But it's rarely used. In most cases, someone will tilt their head to the left or right and say "maybe". That can be roughly translated to, "no ***** way in hell."
2. Very few places in Japan require you to remove footwear. If you go in to such a place, it'll be abundantly clear what you should do.
3. Ramen *is* the food of the gods. Just don't eat too much. But most visitors will not eat ramen. They want Sushi, and then they want only McDonalds...
4. They aren't "chopsticks"; they are "hashi". Yes, you need to know how they work. Still, who comes to Japan without learning hashi?
5. Doesn't this apply everywhere? Something he left out is that Ropongi also has tons of shemales and others in various stages of sexual reassignment. If she's hot and talking to you, she ain't a she. - Slagtits, on 04/26/2008, -1/+31#7 Don't mention the war (I did but I think I got away with it)
- Tribis, on 04/26/2008, -1/+30Mistake #6: Buying used panties in bulk
- senae, on 04/26/2008, -1/+29How is that boring exactly?
He's cutting flowers... With an umbrella! - staplez, on 04/26/2008, -1/+27WE WERE INVITED, PUNCH WAS SERVED!!!!
- moantauk, on 04/26/2008, -3/+25I don't think so, last time I checked Japanese girls were the only ones that had tentacles.
- inactive, on 04/26/2008, -0/+21Except they're more likely to have dongs.
- mllawso, on 04/26/2008, -0/+21If you do, you can always try to lighten things up with a silly walk.
- bluemist, on 04/26/2008, -5/+26Mistake #8: Don't be a "weeaboo".
http://www.encyclopediadramatica.com/Wapanese - eihwaz, on 04/26/2008, -2/+21I've been there twice in the last couple of years, and I love it. It's really just like another planet...
And btw, there's a word for "no", it's "iie". But yes, it's very rude to use it so they try to avoid it as much as possible. US: Do you have a pen? No (,sorry). THEM: Do you have a pen? Ohh I'm so sorry I can't help you with your request right now, can I do anything else for you? A pencil maybe? - Deaconstructed, on 04/26/2008, -0/+17Just a guess here but... if a foreigner is hitting on a Japanese club girl, he's probably not looking to 'bring her home to momma'... he's just looking for some poony play.
- Lunitari, on 04/26/2008, -7/+23"Simply put, life in Japan is anything but boring."
Wrong: I'm studying abroad in Japan and the big news on t.v. today was a man cutting flowers with his umbrella. I wish I were making this up. - edebolt, on 04/26/2008, -0/+16hey don't knock Ladyboys until you have tried a few. They are popular for a reason.
- fuhlavaflave, on 04/26/2008, -0/+15Yeah, that was better than the original article.
- inactive, on 04/26/2008, -4/+19Squat toilets greet you.
- notoneofus, on 04/26/2008, -0/+15Most Japanese I know are willing to talk about it. Not a great subject when drunk, though.
- TinternAbbot, on 04/26/2008, -2/+16I'm American and I take my shoes off at home...so does everyone, I think. Why the hell would you walk around in shoes on carpets, etc?
- Ltgeo, on 04/26/2008, -0/+12There is a word for no. It's just considered extremely rude...
- Karasu66, on 04/26/2008, -1/+13I wish life in America was that boring. Instead we have murders, wildfires and overall mayhem. Oh so much better.
- ApocD, on 04/26/2008, -1/+13This list is going on my list of worst lists.
- spudmanster, on 04/26/2008, -0/+11Man, how did becoming an English teacher not make the top of that list.
- breadfred, on 04/26/2008, -0/+11Sounds like an efficient use of language. I'd love to be a fly on the wall in a board meeting from a large coorporation!
- Lunitari, on 04/26/2008, -1/+12I fear the squat toilet. God help me the day it's the only one available to me while all the western-style ones are occupied.
- EmperorAwesome, on 04/26/2008, -0/+10I know I shouldn't judge you just for knowing that, but I still did after the shudder.
- acdcfanbill, on 04/26/2008, -1/+11Apart from the sanitation, medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh water system and public health?
Nothing Reg :) - inactive, on 04/26/2008, -1/+11Too bad it wasn't a mass murder story, huh?
- friedcalamari, on 04/26/2008, -0/+86) Don't sing domo arigato mr robato.
- breezytrees, on 04/26/2008, -2/+10and the only ones that rape each other with their tentacles
- jglaser, on 04/26/2008, -0/+8Did someone just say "Weeaboo?" 'cause I think I just heard someone say "Weeaboo."
WEE-A-BOO! WEE-A-BOO!
http://pbfcomics.com/?cid=PBF071-Weeaboo.gif - inactive, on 04/26/2008, -1/+9It means don't be someone that loves someone JUST BECAUSE it's Japanese. There is a difference between someone that has an interest in Japan and someone that is obsessed with anime and swag.
- jggube, on 04/26/2008, -0/+8Excellent timing! :)
- inactive, on 04/26/2008, -13/+21***** learning chopsticks. Making it harder to eat is ridiculous. Silverware is an innovation over chopsticks.
- rancor01, on 04/26/2008, -0/+7Actually a 50 pack is only 3000 yen in Shibuya at "Rope", the burusera shop. The downside is you dont get photos of the girls that wore them...
- cheekdog, on 04/26/2008, -1/+8dude...you made me tired.
- fumpt, on 04/26/2008, -5/+11ROFL. I disagree, but comment dugg for hilarity.
- rockefeller2, on 04/26/2008, -0/+6To address #5, if she ain't a he, just drink more beer.
- kholburn, on 04/26/2008, -1/+7Yes
- PaulOwen, on 04/26/2008, -0/+6You don't.
Put on an expression as if thinking intensely, at the same time, tilt your head slightly and make an audible breathing in sound. You can optionally say "chotto chigai-masu", which means "... not quite". - edebolt, on 04/26/2008, -1/+7you could have easily changed Japan to Thailand or Philipines. I wouldn't say don't ever date them but keep things in perspective and don't start throwing money at them. For value I would say Thai club girls are pretty damn affordable compared to Japan.
- solid12345, on 04/26/2008, -0/+5About the chopsticks thing, if Americans were using disposable eating utensils out of wood and bamboo, the environmentalists would throw a fit and blame us for chopping down such forests.
But because it is customary in East Asian culture they get away with it. - PaulOwen, on 04/26/2008, -1/+6What you don't realise is that's actually a samurai sword fashioned into an umbrella.
- boobsbr, on 04/26/2008, -1/+6to sum it up:
japanese needs a word meaning NO.
always wear slippers.
eat anything you want as much as you want, it's your life.
chopsticks suck.
don't date prostitutes. - terminalpariah, on 04/26/2008, -1/+6But the English name is chopsticks. It's been chopsticks for as long as the English have known about chopsticks.
- frontporsche, on 04/26/2008, -1/+6"different", and in "different from the correct answer", or in other words, "(you're) wrong"
- davidjunit, on 04/26/2008, -0/+5Shyeah, #5 is universal unless you're maybe talking about a school club.
- MOJIRA, on 05/17/2008, -0/+5Well, next time a Japanese-American tells me no I will take great offense and tell them they've become a rude westerner.
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