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What are some things that, no matter how long you have lived in Japan, you still haven't gotten used to?

47 Comments

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The inability to confront issues and the inanity of many Japanese comedy shows.

0 ( +22 / -22 )

Earthquakes, and people who back themselves into a packed train (and somehow they’re not pushed back out, again...)

7 ( +10 / -3 )

The lack of any real, informed, intellectual debate (politics, religion, philosophy, etc) and almost always viewing the world and everything through the tiny, opaque lens of Japan itself and its culture like there is no other explanation.

1 ( +23 / -22 )

Cycles on sidewalks and on pedestrian crossings, and when they are on the road, riding the wrong way.

I'd love a Japanese cyclist to spend a day on their bike in the UK or US!

14 ( +16 / -2 )

Having the old cleaning lady come into the men's washroom while I'm doing my business.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

The lack of any real, informed, intellectual debate (politics, religion, philosophy, etc) and almost always viewing the world and everything through the tiny, opaque lens of Japan itself and its culture like there is no other explanation.

There was a thriving, popular intellectual culture in Japan until the late 1960s when it was deliberately destroyed by the LDP.

5 ( +13 / -8 )

The lack of any real address system. The zone within a zone "chome/banchi" system just doesn't work. Street names and house numbers work for the rest of the planet, why not here?

10 ( +15 / -5 )

The anachronistic system of calculating the year based on the number of years of the current emperor's reign. It's impossible to convert without a chart. Reiwa, Heisei, Showa, etc.

9 ( +14 / -5 )

The corruption, ineptitude and lack of ethics of the LDP.

2 ( +17 / -15 )

The corruption, ineptitude and lack of ethics of the LDP.

I hear you loud and clear!

-9 ( +13 / -22 )

When I ask a question about Japanese culture, e.g. gender inequality, the answer is "This is Japan", with no further explanation.

-2 ( +15 / -17 )

The value of a house drops as it ages, unlike in my country of birth.

Moaning hearts-on-sleeves foreigners.

Spoilt man-babies.

7 ( +11 / -4 )

Foreigners griping about Japan all the time?

11 ( +22 / -11 )

Foreigners griping about foreigners griping about Japan, as if they are cool with everything.

-9 ( +14 / -23 )

Most TV programmes. There are exceptions, but for the most part the dramas are either underplayed or overplayed, and the comedy is infantile.

21 ( +23 / -2 )

Earthquakes.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

Foreigners griping about foreigners griping about Japan, as if they are cool with everything.

Yeah stick that on the list too.

-3 ( +7 / -10 )

a) politics: when it comes to politics, the Japanese are in a perpetual state of shoulder shrugging… (the same party… the same mentality… the same (old) people… over and over again…); this directly affects our lives and the future of this country.

b) TV: … when everyone on TV laughs at those horrible jokes, knowing that, probably sixty percent of those laughs are just meant to show sympathy for the comedian(s)…; generally speaking, Japanese comedy isn’t very good and I find those Japanese comedy duos very annoying…;

all those tarentos aren’t talented…; also, all the oishiis, umais and sugois, food, food and more food…; it’s not easy to find something new, entertaining and interesting on Japanese TV.

Japan is a unique country… there are other things, but you can accept and/or avoid those.

7 ( +12 / -5 )

japanese TV all channels no exception.thanks to Youtube can watch something and use TV as monitor otherways is just part of interior of house.

one sided propaganda spreaded by media/TV,radio,newspapers both in printed version and online/,no other than "official" opinion is allowed and majority of japanese public is OK with it as local custom is not not discuss,exchange opinions but obey "official line".

unability for permanent residents of Japan who lives here ,having properties here,having companies and familes here and paying heavy taxes here-to vote,and be voted.

impossibility of dual citizenship.

6 ( +12 / -6 )

Having that horrible comedy show blasted on high volume while trying to enjoy saunas at sentos.

11 ( +12 / -1 )

The smell of armpit without deodorant during summertime.

6 ( +10 / -4 )

For a country that loves to project an image of tranquility and contemplation to the outside world, the noise pollution.

Mastery of reverse kaizen: As crap as the TV is one year, they'll be doing their best to make it even worse next year. Hey, let's make an entirely new show based on the novel concept of tarento eating something and profusely complimenting it! It's hard to top creativity like that.

For a country that's the third wealthiest in the world by GDP, how shabby much of the country looks.

On the plus side, not so much that I haven't gotten used to it, but it still blows my mind in the 21st century: I can leave my laptop on the table at a cafe to reserve a seat or go to the toilet and have unwavering confidence that it'll be there when I get back.

10 ( +14 / -4 )

TV, and lack of creative content.

Music, the focus is on the artist themselves rather than the actual quality of music.

Buildings, lack of insulation

Driving, you spend ¥300,000 to obtain a license and the vast majority of people still can't drive.

Wasting of packing whether paper or plastic is just beyond phenomenally atrocious.

Being overly sensitive about noise.

Out of control kids when you go out to eat In restaurants or in the shopping malls.

Waiting in long lines for the smallest insignificant free morsel they give away at Costco or supermarkets.

9 ( +15 / -6 )

The difference between は and が. And why they insist on making 4日 and 8日 almost the exact same. 8日 should be changed to ヤッカ in accordance with how they count. 8つ is やつ, so 8日 should be ヤッカ.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Being asked what ‘foreigners’ do as opposed to what Japanese do often got me.

I dunno what Bolivians, Ghanaians, Bandladeshis etc. do. Maybe I’m too narrow-minded and not well traveled enough.

10 ( +12 / -2 )

The dearth of sexy people and the fact that grown men actually have a thing for 12 year-old girls.

4 ( +12 / -8 )

The wretched mountains of paperwork. Like having to write with a pen your name and address on documents that already bear your name and address in print. Over and over again until your fingertips go numb.

Then having to go to a post office to mail it all and wait for a month or so for the bank, pension service, etc. to respond by post.

14 ( +15 / -1 )

Summer humidity.

13 ( +15 / -2 )

Foreigners griping about foreigners griping about Japan, as if they are cool with everything.

Hear! Hear! BEST post on this thread!!

And what passes for humour here- which is nothing more than people shouting and scolding each other while smacking each other upside the head.

-7 ( +9 / -16 )

Oh and everything gintonic said!

The lack of any real, informed, intellectual debate (politics, religion, philosophy, etc) "

This! as well as -

The nauseating Japan is so unique and special self patting on the back that media constantly regurgitates.

Infantile comedy / variety shows that are not funny one bit.

The squeeks of "Eeee....sugoooi,...oishii....etc by various talento.

Public constantly re-electing LDP no matter how much they get screwed by them.

On the plus side - the awesomness of the ever present 24/7 combinis. Will miss those if i leave.

I hear you loud and clear.

-8 ( +7 / -15 )

When I ask a question about Japanese culture, e.g. gender inequality, the answer is "This is Japan", with no further explanation.

Oh MAN!!! I hear you on that one!

-6 ( +10 / -16 )

Sitting on the zabuton or ground for more than five minutes, which really hurts if one didn’t grow up with it and it makes the most delicious restaurant visit a torture, then of course those old style toilets which are really not always easy to handle, and then the famous changing of shoes every five minutes and even if one has a lot of baggage or there’s no real hygienic reason to save the ground or flooring from shoes.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Social ineptitude, small men,bad breath, terrible fashion for men

-9 ( +6 / -15 )

Japanese TV is ghastly! We dumped our TV about 20 years ago and haven't looked back.

13 ( +13 / -0 )

Japan is a unique country

Is it?

Not as unique as people think.

-5 ( +9 / -14 )

When I talk in perfect Japanese to someone, & they respond / reply to my Japanese wife

9 ( +14 / -5 )

The immediate assumption that, should a foreign resident notice and remark upon anything in their chosen home in anything less than elegiac praise, they are immediately slapped down as "Japan-bashing".

The LDP has presided over 35 years of failure and is knackers-deep in corruption and well-documented (outside Japan) Yakuza collaboration. I can't vote , but would if I could.

I remark upon the fact that most democracies occasionally vote an unpopular party out of power.

"Why do you hate Japan? Why don't you go home if you hate Japanese people?"

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Every two years I have to pay the legal bribe of one-month's rent to the rental agency. Starting to request a reduction starting after six years.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Packages of three slices of shoku pan and close to ZERO insulation in Japanese apartments.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

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