lifestyle

Worst train-related pick-up experiences

21 Comments
By Scott R Dixon

While trains in urban Japan are notoriously crowded during the morning rush, people are for the most part perfectly polite and there are even women-only cars to avoid the prospect of unwanted sexual advances in such confined spaces.

But for those unlucky enough to find themselves on a packed train next to a wannabe Casanova, that commute to work can get that much worse with some sleaze ball trying to get his flirt on. One group of Japanese netizens recently started a thread to share some of their more cringe-worthy pick-up experiences on trains, along with a few surprising success stories. Read on to find some great examples of how not to act on a train if you want to impress that hottie you’ve been making eyes with every morning during your commute.

Nampa, the Japanese art of pick-up, is usually something reserved for bars or busy streets. But these netizens found themselves the victims of some particularly creepy nampa practitioners.

One Twitter user complained that the main problem with getting “nampa’d” on a train is that there is nowhere for either party to escape if it goes badly. The person being hit on is stuck having to deal with what they’d consider to be a creep and little more, and the person doing the flirting may have an incredibly awkward train ride if they are very loudly and publicly turned down.

Mistaken identity

A few netizens, sick of being asked for their name by someone annoying them, gave a fake name. One gave the name of a Japanese cabinet member, which confused the person asking. Another said her name was “Cure Sunny,” a very obvious fake name from the popular kids’ anime Smile PreCure. But to her dismay, this very desperate guy just replied “what a coincidence! My sister has the same name.” Another netizen decided to amuse her suitor by letting him guess her name. Instead of actually trying, he just went through the alphabet trying every letter combination he could think up.

While most of the stories were of men hitting on women, one guy talked about his surprise about getting hit on by another guy. (Presumably, this guy didn’t know about Japanese cruising techniques.) And one woman was very surprised to be asked for her number by an older woman. It turns out that she was trying to set up her son with this young woman to replace his unworthy girlfriend.

Showing off

The train is not really the place to show off your talents. Your music or poetry skills should be reserved for an open mic night at a local cafe. But some witnessed people who thought that their skills would impress potential dates on the train ride home. One artist was drawing in his notebook and started sketching the girl sitting across from him. Then he just looked up and said “Wanna go on a date?” Don’t try this at home guys. Another saw an apparent sudoku master going around the train offering to help all the ladies with the popular puzzle game by filling in their blank spots.

One commenter described a time when she was on a very crowded train and kept getting pushed incredibly hard in the back. When she got off and walked home from the station, she noticed how great her body felt. She wondered if she had she been the receiver of an impromptu massage by a chiropractor who wanted to impress her.

Lost in translation

While some foreign guys in Japan seem to attract all the ladies, some of them are doing exactly the opposite while riding the train. One netizen described her conversation with an Indian curry shop owner who invited her to his restaurant for a free meal while stroking her head. And she might have even considered, but his Japanese was so bad that she couldn’t understand where his shop was.! Another guy pestered a poor Japanese woman for her number and, when she wouldn’t budge, he started asking her about her employment situation and how much money she was making. Smooth. Oddly successful

Not all of these pick-up attempts were complete failures, however. One netizen reported how he saw a guy ask a woman if he could share the overhead strap she was holding onto. Apparently that started a great conversation, but it wasn’t clear if it ended with exchanging numbers. Another saw what they described as “a straight-up stud” start a conversation with a woman and then they both left together just nine stations later. We suggest that if this couple is still together and happy, that they consider a train-themed wedding in the future.

Another success story was a netizen’s younger brother who met his girlfriend on a train after they both rushed to help an older woman who collapsed inside the car they were riding in. The soon-to-be couple escorted the woman out of the station to an ambulance, exchange numbers and eventually started dating.

After hearing these nampa-gone-wrong stories, do you have any to add to the collection?

Source: Naver Matome

Read more stories from RocketNews24 -- What Do Pickup Artists Around The World Think Of Japanese Girls? -- Five ways guys blow their chances at singles’ parties in Japan -- Eight Great Tips for Getting a Seat on Japan’s Crowded Trains

© RocketNews24

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.


21 Comments
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This article is proof that the word "netizen" can indeed be overused.

29 ( +29 / -0 )

"While trains in urban Japan are notoriously crowded during the morning rush, people are for the most part perfectly polite"

This is obviously someone who has never actually been on a Japanese train during rush hour...

19 ( +25 / -6 )

Where is the correct place?

7 ( +7 / -0 )

"While trains in urban Japan are notoriously crowded during the morning rush, people are for the most part perfectly polite"

This is obviously someone who has never actually been on a Japanese train during rush hour...

I thought exactly the same thing.

I once saw a guy hitting on a girl who had obviously just come back from Tokyo Disneyland. The line that got me listening was how he said "every year I go to Euro Disney, in London". She was all ears. I hate anything Disney, and even I know that is a crock of ****. There are dummies everywhere.

5 ( +9 / -4 )

Interesting. I'm by no means model material but I have been approached by a fair few (intoxicated to be fair) women on the last train. It's not just dudes you know!!!

5 ( +6 / -1 )

"While trains in urban Japan are notoriously crowded during the morning rush, people are for the most part perfectly polite"

This is obviously someone who has never actually been on a Japanese train during rush hour...

I don't know... I think it depends where you live. I never have problems down here in Fukuoka, but on the few occasions I've had to travel during rush hour in Tokyo or Kansai it's been pretty hellish. Maybe there's some truth to the Kyushu boast that the people are kinder and more considerate than the rest of the nation....

4 ( +5 / -1 )

"every year I go to Euro Disney, in London"

hahahahaha....lol that is a nice way to start the day, thanks Probie!

3 ( +4 / -1 )

'Unwanted sexual advances'? I think the word you are looking for is 'molesting'. This isn't some drunk in the pub trying the 'Why do they call me the pilot?' line.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Well if you were to try picking up a girl on the train back home you're practically on the sex offenders register before you've opened your mouth. Hence the popularity of hook-up apps. Here in Japan you can still roll 80's style and get some success this way.. see it (at least attempted) all the time.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

My first Japanese girlfriend was a girl who came up to me on a train and asked me out. A few days prior to that, a cute high school girl at a station just came up to me and said, in English, "Do you like school girl?"

Great times.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Hahaha all's fair in love and war!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I was in a packed train when I was a student here and had a girl's behind wedged directly into my crotch. I didn't know her, except that she went to my school, and her and my groups of friends were wedged together. One of my friends decided it would be funny to repeatedly call my cell phone (on vibrate) in my front pocket, while her and my friends laughed at the two of us. Joke's on them though: we ended up exchanging numbers the next day at school and dating! Ah, young, silly love :)

0 ( +0 / -0 )

San Diegan, When I grows up I wanna be just like you.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"One netizen reported how he saw a guy ask a woman if he could share the overhead strap she was holding onto. Apparently that started a great conversation..."

Guy: Hey, baby, that's a great looking strap handle you're holding onto there, would you mind sharing it with me?

Woman: Are you for real?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"One artist was drawing in his notebook and started sketching the girl sitting across from him. Then he just looked up and said “Wanna go on a date?”"

With the new law he could get arrested for that!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

It's creepy because you try too hard, Dixon. Just keep it simple next time, whether you're on the train or on the street. Women are attracted to confident men who take what they want, not try-hards that need a girl's approval on JapanToday.com.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Good for the Japanese. The great use of train travel provides a shared public space where people can meet, if they are so inclined. Though it may be a bit awkward, it is also a very safe place for it, as there are a lot of people around and ways to quickly call authorities if need be. Some of these attempts are pretty hilariously bad (hey, Sudoku master, it's about the journey, not the destination, solving people's Sudokus for them isn't attractive, it's annoying), but they still leave memories people can talk with their friends about.

In the modern western world, often we have separated uses so that people who want to meet other people need to go to specific places like bars to meet people. Though arguments can be made in favor of this ability to control one's interactions to others, I can't help but feel that it also involves a lack of spontaneity and precludes chance meeting that hurts attempts to build communities.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

so many lonely people... looking for love in all the wrong places

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Back in the late 70s I asked a shapely lady at the train station how to get to AsaKusa (in mediocre Japanese). Hell, she escorted me there. Once we got off at AsaKusa she asked if she could hang out with me. Oh boy~. It was a great night. She came down several times to Iwakuni where I was stationed at several times. And she would pay for everything! I went stayed with her once at her parents house no less. She was wanting more than I did, so I dumped her. Then once on the train to Hiroshima from Iwakuni I saw this girl, about an 8 reading some type of English Grammar book. Swoop~. It wasn't a crowded train though. Another time... and the list goes on. I found public transportation to be a shooting gallery. Never road the rails during the height of the rush hour though and hope I never do.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

@San Diegan, i have heard that same story from many guys who visited Japan. You must be a legend!!! LOL Hollywood or Bollywood take your choice!!! You da man!

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Kimokekahuna HawaiiJAN. 09, 2014 - 08:14AM JST so many lonely people... looking for love in all the wrong places

Sad but probably true.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

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