DC and culture

[mangaluva]

After watching ep. 565 today a question came to my mind. May be we can see this in other cultures, but I do not know any except Japan so far, so if you know another one please share your info.

Wearing a mask when you have a cold. I thought it was a personal choice( that's why I did not ask before), but Meguri has asked the culprit today, when he was a suspect about his mask, when he knew he got a cold, so is it a rule? or a personal choice? 

I don't think it's an actual rule, more of "the done thing". Like how I understand that in Japan, you don't take a bath when you've got a cold. It's not a rule or anything, you just don't.

[kaitoushinichi]

I don't think it's an actual rule, more of "the done thing". Like how I understand that in Japan, you don't take a bath when you've got a cold. It's not a rule or anything, you just don't.

Not taking a bath when you have a cold is just a health issue. Your body just gets colder when it's wet (especially hair) so you don't really want to take a bath when you have a cold because it might get worse.

[kholoudsafir]

There has been lately discussions in other threads about the amount of English that Japanese people know, for example JD said while discussing ep565. not to over estimate the amount of English that Japanese people know.

When Shinichi was going to New York, he was the one who asked the American suspect the questions, while inspector Meguri was happy with Shinichi translation services, add to Joudi correcting the pronunciation of 'dying message'.

so is that the case in Japan? Do people have to take Japanese classes to communicate before going there even for a holiday?

what about places where foreign tourists are expected to go? Do the people or mainly the ones who work in the tourism industry speak good English?

[Abs.]

so is that the case in Japan? Do people have to take Japanese classes to communicate before going there even for a holiday?

what about places where foreign tourists are expected to go? Do the people or mainly the ones who work in the tourism industry speak good English?

You would probably make it out alive even if you go on a holiday to Japan alone, and not with a group (tour or otherwise.)  Assuming you stay at hotels that seem like they would get a good number of overseas guests, and don't try to go to places that are too out-of-the-way.  At most of the larger train stations, if the person you are speaking to doesn't speak English, they are able to call someone over who does (this to get reserved seats on long-distance trains.)  Otherwise, in the cities, there is English romanization on most signs and maps.  There are usually English guidebooks for most of the tourist spots.  Many restaurants have point-at-what-you-want menus.  Don't expect to be able to get any lengthy explanations or instructions in English, though.

[GinRei]

Don't expect to be able to get any lengthy explanations or instructions in English, though.

This is true in Tokyo.  This is even more true in Kansai.

[acerola21]

It seems like a lot of you guys have been to Japan - that's pretty cool.  As a person who grew up in Japan, I want ask a question - how do you guys view Japan?  Any cultural shocks (other than the ones already discussed, like the whole taking off shoes at the door thing)?  I'm curious.

[GinRei]

Only one that got me was Pachinko.  I just don't understand it, it seems silly, and I wanted to play some Japanese Poker or something.

[c-square]

It seems like a lot of you guys have been to Japan - that's pretty cool.  As a person who grew up in Japan, I want ask a question - how do you guys view Japan?  Any cultural shocks (other than the ones already discussed, like the whole taking off shoes at the door thing)?  I'm curious.

Wow..  where to start?  Hearing "irasshaimase" every time I stepped into a store.  Never handing money to someone directly, and never getting it directly back.  All the bowing.  How hugging and touching is almost taboo, yet people are okay with being pressed up against six other people, body-to-body, inside a train.  How a train will start off being a JR line, run underground and become part of the subway system, and then pop out above ground again and become a private line.  How going out for drinks is so important to networking and moving up in social and work cirlces.  How everything is small and tight.  The streets are really narrow.  Often, the sidewalks aren't raised above the roads.  How I would see men taking a piss late at night by the side of the road, or off a train platform.  How people would stare at westerners.  The lack of napkings (and sometimes lack of toilet paper in public bathrooms).  Riding home in a train late at night, and seeing a drunk man passed out at the end of the car, vomit all over the train floor.  How small portion sizes are as compared to what I was used to.  All the rules surrounding gift giving, and how I could never, ever, win a gift-giving war.  Sitting in a fast-food restaurant, chatting with friends and finally realizing that they had been playing Auld Lang Sine for the past 20 minutes.  Turned out that the restaurant had closed 30 minutes earlier, but they wouldn't tell us that it was time to leave.  Being served tendon, and being terrified of it because I thought it was going to be some sort of ligament.  Ending up becoming one of my favourite Japanese foods of all time!  Seeing a little old lady leave a bank holding an envelope that looked like it contained at least 200,000 yen ($2000) and just walking down the street with it.  I'm sure I could come up with lots more if I had time!!

[acerola21]

Only one that got me was Pachinko.  I just don't understand it, it seems silly, and I wanted to play some Japanese Poker or something.

Lol I've never played that either.  I don't even know how it works.

All the bowing.

That's quite funny, because I've had the exact opposite experience coming to the US. X3  I used to bow from time to time and people would stare at me, lol.

How going out for drinks is so important to networking and moving up in social and work cirlces.

Yeah most people don't realize that alcohol is a big part of Japanese (and even Chinese) culture - I mean, in Conan, the important B.O. members are named alcohols and everything, lol.

How everything is small and tight.  The streets are really narrow.  Often, the sidewalks aren't raised above the roads.

Japan is a really small country. ^^;  I'm living in the suburbs in the US right now, so I was surprised how un-crowded everything is here.

How I would see men taking a piss late at night by the side of the road, or off a train platform.  How people would stare at westerners.  The lack of napkings (and sometimes lack of toilet paper in public bathrooms).  Riding home in a train late at night, and seeing a drunk man passed out at the end of the car, vomit all over the train floor.

Ha ha, you seemed to have lived in a completely different part of Japan from me!  I'm glad I stayed in my small little suburb up in Hokkaido (I've never really stayed in Honshuu for any extended amount of time, lol).

Culture shocks suck most of the time, for sure.  I guess that it's not pleasant to experience anywhere.

[kholoudsafir]

@ c-square wow too many interesting info to swallow  .

But I wonder if the roads there as narrow as the ones in London

From your previous posts as well as watching DC, Japan does not seem to be a diverse community, race wise, Is it? Or would I find Chinese or people from surrounding countries live there?

[Abs.]

Or would I find Chinese or people from surrounding countries live there?

Thishilarious movie says, "Yes!"

[c-square]

All the bowing.

That's quite funny, because I've had the exact opposite experience coming to the US. X3  I used to bow from time to time and people would stare at me, lol.

The funniest was seeing people bowing when they were talking on the phone.  The other person couldn't see them and they still bowed.  Funnier still is how I found myself doing it subconsiously after a while!  After I returned home, I found I had a similar experience to yours, where I found myself wanting to bow out of habit, and my friends and family looking at me strangely.

Oh, I also found it interesting how when women talked on the phone, their voices would go up an octave, so they were talking in a higher-pitched voice.

Ha ha, you seemed to have lived in a completely different part of Japan from me!  I'm glad I stayed in my small little suburb up in Hokkaido (I've never really stayed in Honshuu for any extended amount of time, lol).

Cool!  Where about in Hokkaido?  One of my favourite Hokkaido experiences has got to be Jingisukan!!  Is it really as popular up there as it seems?  (If people don't know what it is, click here to find out!!)

Culture shocks suck most of the time, for sure. 

I completely disagree!  Yes, culture shock can awkward and frustrating, but it can also be very rewarding if you let it.  Whenever you experience culture shock you have two choices: 1) Close your mind and just say 'That's really weird', or 2) Open your mind and let the culture shock change who you are.  The latter can be an amazing experience.

[GinRei]

From your previous posts as well as watching DC, Japan does not seem to be a diverse community, race wise, Is it? Or would I find Chinese or people from surrounding countries live there?

According to the CIA, 98.5% of the population in Japan is Japanese.  0.5% are Korean, 0.4% are Chinese, and 0.6% are "other", which likely includes a large number of Americans and Brazilians.

Whenever you experience culture shock you have two choices: 1) Close your mind and just say 'That's really weird', or 2) Open your mind and let the culture shock change who you are.  The latter can be an amazing experience.

3) Get on your knees and pray you don't die (applies to extreme situations).

[c-square]

But I wonder if the roads there as narrow as the ones in London

I've been to both, and I'd say yes, the streets in Japan are at least as narrow as those in London.  Check out this shot from Tokyo, and this one from Katsuura, Japan.

From your previous posts as well as watching DC, Japan does not seem to be a diverse community, race wise, Is it? Or would I find Chinese or people from surrounding countries live there?

According to the CIA, 98.5% of the population in Japan is Japanese.  0.5% are Korean, 0.4% are Chinese, and 0.6% are "other", which likely includes a large number of Americans and Brazilians.

Yeah.  Diverese is the last word that comes to mind when I think about Japan.  It's an extremely homogeneous community.

Whenever you experience culture shock you have two choices: 1) Close your mind and just say 'That's really weird', or 2) Open your mind and let the culture shock change who you are.  The latter can be an amazing experience.

3) Get on your knees and pray you don't die (applies to extreme situations).

Yeah, that's true too.  Hope you haven't had to deal with too many of those!

[acerola21]

Funnier still is how I found myself doing it subconsiously after a while!

Yes, exactly!  It's a habit - you can assign meaning to it all you want, but for people who actually do it it's more of a habit more than anything meaningful.  (Sorry reacting to reading how you guys thought it was strange that people in Japan take off their shoes no matter what - it's a habit!)

Cool!  Where about in Hokkaido?  One of my favourite Hokkaido experiences has got to be Jingisukan!!  Is it really as popular up there as it seems?  (If people don't know what it is, click here to find out!!)

Lol Jingisukan as in the food?  I love it, it's really delicious. *feels hungry thinking about it*

I lived in Chitose, right next to Sapporo - if you mean the food, I guess that it's pretty popular, but not particularly so, I don't think . . . I mean, you can eat it pretty regularly.  But if you mean popular as in people eat it a lot, like how people in the US eat McDonalds/Wendy's/Burger King, yeah, it's popular.

Funny video, btw. XD

I completely disagree!  Yes, culture shock can awkward and frustrating, but it can also be very rewarding if you let it.  Whenever you experience culture shock you have two choices: 1) Close your mind and just say 'That's really weird', or 2) Open your mind and let the culture shock change who you are.  The latter can be an amazing experience.

Ha ha, I agree on 2), but you don't feel it unless you've lived in that place for a long, long time, like me with the US.  I mean that you generally find the country really strange at first, then you get used to it and you learn to look at something in a completely new and interesting way.

From your previous posts as well as watching DC, Japan does not seem to be a diverse community, race wise, Is it? Or would I find Chinese or people from surrounding countries live there?

Like GinRei and c-square already mentioned, Japan isn't a diverse country, at all.  I was so surprised coming to the US and finding people of all ethnicity in here!  Lol as you guys can tell from reading DC, Japanese people generally stereotype Westerners as having blue eyes and blond hair with white skin, so I was surprised (and glad) to find so much diversity here.