I wouldn't walk down those streets alone.
I am surprised there are places like that in America
You didn't know?
This movie shows a variety of thing on the street
Hey guys and girls on Ask Japanese greeting from our office here in Tokyo
We went to the streets of Tokyo and interviewed Japanese people this time
about Philadelphia's Kensington Avenue.
Now the videos of Kensington Avenue have been going viral on Youtube
and we were wondering, what do Japanese boys and girls
think when they see those videos because Japan is one of the top 10 savest countries in the world
What do Japanese boys and girls think when they see those videos on youtube?
Let's go and find out. Don't forget...
Please sub for more information, coming out from Tokyo to you
and warm thank you for our Ask Japanese members, supporting us that little bit extra
It makes a big change. So let's go.
This is a walk-around video of Philadelphia's Kensington Avenue. - Oh I know.
You know it? - I have heard its not very safe there.
That whole place is known for not being very safe.
So even in Japan that is known.
Looking at this lady, what do you think
Girls don't walk around like that in Japan.
Philadelphia is in America right? - It is.
I only know American on the surface level of being a fun and flashy country.
I am surprised that there are also less wealthy and flashy places in America.
You didn't know? - Yes.
Why are they wearing belly bottom showing clothes?
What title would you give this video?
An American slum... but then normal people are there too...
I didn't expect America to be perfect wherever I go but...
I had the image that America is clean and pretty wherever you go.
Does Japan's media only show positive images of America then? - Yeah
Yeah my perfect image of America was definitely influenced by that.
Like images of the crowded busy Times Square and
a blonde beauty walking there, wearing sunglasses,
that was my image of America.
Yeah or images of Times Square on New Year's Eve. - That's right.
I heard that in Philadelphia, caucasians also live in slum like circumstances
but seeing that on YouTube is the fist time for me.
I am a bit surprised that there are places like that in America too.
Do you think places like Tokyo's Harajuku could become like this?
Before Harajuku, I think Shinjuku would become like that. - I thought so too.
Shinjuku, Takadanobaba and Shin-Okubo are parts of Tokyo that could become like that.
Those areas could become dangerous. - Right.
Shinjuku would become like that first.
In Shinjuku we already have people hanging around like that.
The only difference is that we don't have young girls who do that yet.
In Japan you don't see homeless women. - True, now that you say it!
Doesn't matter what gender, they are all hanging out there.
If push comes to shove, Shinjuku in Tokyo could like that in the future.
I think Tokyo is a city that could produce circumstances like that.
What do you mean? - Well in Tokyo there are also people doing shady business
selling cheap things for a high price and such
Places like host-clubs and hostess-clubs are there too...
There are a lot of establishments like that in Shinjuku. I don't know how they look from the inside but
there are orders and hierarchy there too. I don't know how they deal with money there
But people there could get deeper and deeper into debt and then end
in a place on the streets like that too.
Not just in Tokyo, I think stuff like that can happen in the whole Kanto region too.
Also in Osaka, there is no guarantee that it will not become a place like that too.
Seeing the video, what did you think?
Not just "WHY" but also "How did you end up there?"
It feels strange. I am sure they have their reasons but...
I wonder why so many people like that assembled there, how the city became like that.
So much garbage. - Garbage?
But the morning in Shinjuku looks like that too. - I see.
I went to America for 40 days.
I went to many different parts of America and I saw similar places like that.
What did you see?
It's a very stratified society.
It's easier to show the idealized parts of American society on the media.
So in the US and in Japan only positive things get caught by the media.
This type of backstreet society is very underground, and the media won't show it.
In America there is a big discrimination between race as well.
I unfortunately heard about that and saw that when I went too.
Compared to the US and EU, Japan is still a very protected society.
I really believe that.
During corona I stopped going out at night
but in the US I wouldn't even dare to walk around at night.
Especially girls. - Same for Europe.
America doesn't sell alcohol at night. That is decided by law.
There is a home-party culture in the US.
The fact that we can drink alcohol any time of the day in Japan, I personally think is dangerous.
A lot of crime happens because of alcohol and she said you see similar stuff in Shinjuku too
I think Shinjuku is quite dirty too.
I think there are points to both sides. Yes Japan is a very protected society
but then America has many good things too.
In America you cannot buy alcohol at night and you will get arrested for drinking on the street
I think that is really good and I wish Japanese people did that too.
Limit alcohol by time? - Yes.
And then go home.
I think it's too easy. - Japanese law it too weak? - Yes too weak
But Japanese national character traits are quite reserved.
Japanese people are not as offensive in their behavior, so it would not become like that just yet.
But because America is quite offensive in their behavior, and they battled with racism for years, that is why things are like that
that is why when something happens people attack each other.
And that is why I think there is such a large class divide too.
What did you think when looking at it?
I thought that I would not walk there by myself.
There are a lot of people that can't walk straight.
This YouTube video shows a lot of different scenes. Some look like they have drug problems
some look like they might not have a home
it's dirty and there is a lot of garbage. However earlier there was a shot
of people helping each other out
There was a scene of people having food together or looking after each other
I believe that people look after each other more in the US
You think so? - I certainly do.
Japanese people just focus on themselves
We don't help others. Not that much at least. We won't take direct action.
We try to protect ourselves first. But people abroad try to help each other right away.
Even if they don't have much money, they try to help another.
I think that is different compared to Japan. There is no right and wrong
In a good and bad way, there are a lot of lives on that video.
But I would not walk there by myself
You said it looks like Shinjuku's Kabukicho in the morning. Have you seen it? - I have
Drunken men will try and talk with me.
I think that is scary.
What did you do?
I tried to walk faster. - Dash away - Yes.
There are some super cute looking girls in that video too
What did you think when you saw them there?
I think they are putting themselves in a dangerous situation.
They might get attacked.
We were positively surprised
how Japanese people reacted to the video.
We didn't know what kind of reactions we were gonna get. Everyone
was careful and as much as possible respectful
towards the american culture and
tried to supply us with extra information how they compared it to Japan
You might agree or disagree with some of the things they were saying
Let us know in the comments, how safe is your city?
Are there certain areas in your city you would not go to and why?
What can you do to protect yourself or maybe even make your city a little bit better
If you have ideas let us know in the comments
If you haven't subscribed you're missing out
And check out this video if you haven't seen it already!