They approach you so forcefully. That force made me give in a little.
There were all... just so huge.
The way they look out for others is different than in Japan.
Hey YouTube it's CathyCat, many people when they come to Japan
they experience a culture shock.
However Japanese people get the same culture shock when they go abroad
Or when they interact with foreigners who have come to Japan.
This time we are gonna go and Ask Japanese what gave them a culture shock
When they dealt with foreigners.
Look out for things that you should not do when you come to Japan. Let's ask Japanese.
Have you been abroad before?
I have never been abroad.
I have been to China.
I went to Shanghai and such.
Did you go abroad?
I've never been outside Japan yet.
Where would you like to go to? - The UK!
What part of the UK do you want to go to?
I like Harry Potter that's why I want to go.
UK and...
I want to go to Taiwan, even though it's close to Japan.
There is a model place for the movie "Sento Chihiro" from Ghibli.
When you went abroad, what surprised you?
When I went abroad, I realized how much better Japanese food is.
Especially the rice.
I thought how much more I like our rice.
In other countries, the rice is so dry and that's very different.
Different from what you imagined? - Yes a bit.
Was there any cultural difference that surprised you?
The way they catch.
If you go to a tourist or souvenir shop, without mercy
they approach you quite forcefully
That force made me give in a little.
Would you say that was scary?
It's super scary! I got captured alone.
Even though the goods are cheap they try to sell it for a high price.
Made me realize how different our public safety is too.
You said you wanted to go to the UK, what cultural difference is there?
Japanese food is so good, so maybe the food in the UK is not good...
I heard about that...
My recommend would be to ask a local about which place is good and tasty.
I see. Well then I really wanna go. - Please do. I love the UK.
Well so you said Thailand.
My family went to Thailand before.
Even though they went for only one week they gained 7 kilo.
So I thought, the food must be just as good as in Japan then.
Tasty but maybe a bit too oily for them?
Probably. They had a bit too much food there.
Have you ever been abroad?
I have. America and Italy.
America... well actually Saipan
Tropical island? - Yes that's it.
- I have never been abroad. - You will soon. Where do you wanna go?
America ... or Germany?
Wow that makes me happy. Why Germany?
Sexy Zone's Marius comes from there.
There is a Japanese idol group called Sexy Zone and member Marius Yo is from Germany.
A German is inside a Japanese idol group?
He is half Japanese. I really like him.
Made me want to visit his country.
Since you've been abroad, what has surprised you when you went there?
What surprised me.... they were all so huge.
- I admire that. - You prefer that?
I admire that a lot.
What has surprised you about abroad?
Rather than culture, I think they gesticulate in really big motions.
So when they talk, they use a lot of gestures?
It surprised me how big really.
Food portions there are so big.
I looked at the pictures my Sis took abroad.
The drinks at all the fast food stores were so big.
Could you eat all of that?
Impossible!
Have you ever been abroad? - I have! Guam.
- Why there? - End of year trip.
That sounds like a rich kids school.
Yeah that was our graduation trip.
You haven't been so where do you wanna go?
I want to see Australia.
Why so?
When I went to primary school, my favorite teacher was from Australia.
And since then I always wanted to visit.
He left a good impression then. - Yeah.
When you went to Guam did you have culture shock moment?
Counting up the money was really hard.
There was also a gun range.
A place where you could pay money to try shooting a real gun. That was a surprise.
I almost didn't believe it.
Can you buy it there too? - Not buy I think...
But you can try to shoot a gun there.
A shooting trial then.
Were you good or bad at it?
I sucked a little at it.
What things are different from abroad compared to Japan?
Japanese people are holding back a lot with people they meet the first time.
We keep our distance.
But foreigners look out differently for others who they meet the first time.
Because they are more friendly, the other person will find it easier to open up.
I think it's a total opposite to how Japanese people deal with new people.
But if people are friendly at the start, I would be happy to visit other countries.
Are Japanese people surprised when strangers are instantly nice to them?
Yes some are. Also I heard from my friends who went abroad
that the culture is so different that I need to actually experience it once.
Have you ever been abroad - We have.
Where did you go? - Australia.
I never went.
Guam and Hawaii.
If you never went abroad where do you wanna go? - Hawaii!
Hawaii!
I want to swim in the ocean of Hawaii. I really want to swim there.
Where do you wanna go? - Hawaii and America.
Now those who went abroad. What culture shock did you get?
There were barely any traffic lights. So cars and many people were using the same road.
In Sydney, Australia. A place with many shops.
There were so many people and no traffic lights, I was really shocked to see that.
Juice tasted so different that I could absolutely not drink it.
Why not? - It didn't like the taste at all.
Was it too sweet? - Way too sweet.
So people who have not been abroad. What stories from abroad surprised you?
How friendly foreign people like you are.
I am friendly? Glad to hear that!
Foreigners don't take off their shoes.
(to sneaky picture person) PLEASE NOT NOOO
Well that surprised me.
Their eye colors. Foreigners have different eye colors!
Those were our questions, thank you!
Ok culture shock. We asked about Culture Shock in Japan.
Japanese people what culture shock they got.
I would like to ask a couple of culture shock things that foreigners do
IN JAPAN that kind of surprised or shocked me a little bit.
Not what surprised me in Japan because we talked about that before
actually things that foreigners do here that you shouldn't really do here
I was surprised about it. Let me list this down.
One thing: Take pictures without asking. It's kind of rude and really shocking.
Generally Japanese people will always ask you before you take a picture
because it's actually kind of illegal to just take pictures of people
without asking them. There is actually a law against that.
Some tourists think "Hey I am in this country now, I'm gonna take it all without asking"
Don't do that. Always ask when you take pictures of people.
It's very much their privacy. Even when we are shooting out
on the streets for TV or Ask Japanese, there are many people who will cover
their faces when they even go past the camera. Because they don't wanna be in shots
they really protect their privacy so don't go take pictures of people
It's so rude!
I am sorry I don't use the word "hate" much but I hate that, it's so rude.
Next thing: Cutting in line. I am shocked to find some people think they
can cut in line just because that person comes from a different country.
OMG never ever do that.
It will not only make YOU look bad, it will make ALL foreigners look bad.
People will look at this, and thing "foreigners they all do that. They cut in line."
Even if you try to be the best person, you will look bad if someone else
does the same. So please don't cut in line!
This is one of the foundations that Tokyo is build on.
If everyone was going and cutting in line ...
Tokyo would not work. It wouldn't function.
There couldn't be a Tokyo like it is now.
Haggling for a bargain. You don't really see that. You see elderly ladies
... I've actually never seen anyone trying to haggle for a price. Sometimes you see
elderly ladies who try to get away with something but generally don't haggle.
And I've seen it a couple of times when foreigners tried to haggle with the shop staff
to get the price lower for something... and there is a massive cue behind and...
everyone just thinks "You are not cool."
You ... insert swearword here.
Because everyone is waiting, you can't really haggle and
the staff is even sometimes not allowed to give you a discount so
Don't haggle. It just makes you look bad.
And everyone is gonna think that people from your country are all like that.
The next thing is kind of connected. It's a very touchy thing.
I know in some countries you have less large personal space.
In Japan you have moments when you are squished against strangers, that's fine
generally there is a certain amount of personal space after that.
Unless you are riding the train in Japan which apparently overrides every law.
Try and value people's personal space. Don't go too close to people.
Also when people take pictures, people dressed in Harajuku fashion
and ask, love that.
Some people just go and put their arm around you or around your waist.
You don't touch people in Japan, so if you take a picture with a Japanese person
that is not your friend and you start touching them...
They will feel very uncomfortable and to be honest I feel uncomfortable
when people just randomly go "Hey can I take a picture?"
I am like "Yes" and they suddenly touch me and I am just like "Whoa!"
Whoa what'S going on? So that's a culture shock I get
Obviously in Western Societies it's ok but it shocks me a little bit.
Just a couple of things to look out for when you come to Japan.
I hope that helps you. Let me know the culture shock that you get
Maybe with foreigners who come to your country.
Try to be nice to each other.
And... why is there a pumpkin in the picture?
So let us know about your culture shock.
Anyways, have a nice day guys. See you soon on Ask Japanese!