3 Rules in Japan you DONT need to follow. #japantraveler #japantrip #japantourism #japaneseculture
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12 Comments
American guy living in Tokyo. I wear sunglasses when it's sunny outside.
I've never heard of the sunglasses thing before. Tbh I think it's better to not have tattoos in general, mostly because there's certain thing I just don't want other people to see/know. Even with cars I don't like ricing them out anymore, the cops see them, crazy people see them, it's not always fun.
I’ll be leaving for Tokyo on Friday, with my Ray Ban sunglasses!!!
In Kansai tons of jp folks wearing sunglasses, guess, they’re all yamaguchi guys 🙂 I had also seen people with tattoos but not as much
This was the first time hearing about the sunglasses “rule”, wild. I did see recent videos from influencers behaving questionably, though. People making TikTok dance videos on the Shinkansen and even one fitness influencer hanging off of Tori gates and doing exercises on various monuments, very saddening
Regarding these three rules:
1) I'd wear sunglasses because my eyes are blue and I have a family history of cataracts. Got to protect those peepers! That being said, I remember reading or hearing somewhere that the Japanese read facial expressions more through the individual's eyes, compared to westerners do. Wearing sunglasses infers that the wearer is hiding something. Is that true?
2) While wearing shorts or revealing more skin might not be a problem, I would think that the situation would dictate what one would wear. It is ultimately a matter of respect overriding comfort.
3) If others wear tattoos, that is their thing, although some certainly go overboard with them, I think. That is their choice. As for me, no thanks!
Enjoyed the brief video and I hope to see more 'myth-busting videos'!
Last week you were in Nagae, Zushi.
Today you are in FujiYoshida.
No sunglasses, no tatoo, and dress more modestly, I think most Japanese agree with these three things.
The sunglasses thing is good to hear because Chris Broad just made a video and said not to hahaha
I wear shorts, sunglasses, AND show my tattoos in Japan often….AM I COOKED?!?!?! Haha.
It's a double edged sword. While it's good to be an informed tourists, I found these "things not to do in Japan" to cause unnecessary stress, always worrying about doings things right. The bottom line, especially for tourists, is common sense. Don't be an a-hole. Do what makes you happy. You can learn about victimless "mistakes" as you go.
I wear my sunglasses at night…jk. But, I wear sunglasses when it’s sunny and I am driving. But, Japanese don’t really care…maybe, only inside(but, that could be said about most countries). I’ve been kicked out of onsens a handful of times cause of my tattoos. Once during a power outage after strong earthquake.(which upset me cause 1. There was a young Japanese man with scarier tattoos in there and 2. Power was out for 3 days…one would think there would be more compassion). Once I got kicked out of Jozankei View Hotel pool cause of tattoos. I think some places think I am just a tourist if I visit onsen once or twice…the issue normally arises if I go many times and they recognize I’m not a tourist or if another person complains about them. I have seen younger generations hiking up their school skirts and wearing jeans with holes around the bottom of their read ends. Recently like you said in hotter weather I’ve seen crop tops becoming popular.
I lived in Yokohama 25 years ago and the sunglasses were associated with the yakuza. But my friends thought they were cool on me.. and so I wore them for the protection of my eyes. No one stared at me as I am American. Interestingly enough my friends started wearing them as well. As for the shorts, I think more people are wearing them than before. But for the older generation, like my mom in law, who is 83, she associates it with Americans and she tells us that we can get away with wearing them because we are from America.😂✌️