Hi, I'm going to Japan on Saturday. Is there anything I should know before leaving such as how to act, eating, etc.?

Where are you going?

Don't blow your nose at the table (...I hate that...).

Oh yeah, where are you going?

Don't stick the waribashi up your nose and do walrus impersonations before at least 11PM.

just be yourself and they'll forgive you for being a foreigner.

some tips though, pretty much same as the west:
* don't jaywalk.
* do ask for a fork if your chopstick skills will force you to eat with your fingers.
* do burp as loud as possible after eating while rubbing and exposing your stomach (kidding. dont do that.)
* stay to the left side on a busy sidewalk.
* don't litter.

different from west:
* don't tip.
* don't try to hug someone unless both of you are drunk.
* don't walk on tatame with shoes on.
* don't try to navigate the subway/bus system without help....you'll end up lost.

have fun.

I'm going to Yokohama but I'll be spending two days in Kyoto and 1 day in Tokyo.

I'd recommend several more days in Kyoto if you could. You really should hit Nara as well.

Don't talk to strangers unless you're trying to pick up a girlfriend. If you're trying to do that well, you're on your own. Look up nanpa.

It's ok to slurp ramen. But don't spill it all over yourself.

Don't pour soy sauce into a bowl of rice. However normal you think it is, it's not!

Don't pass food with the end of chopsticks you just ate with, that's gross. Use the back end.

Try to use Japanese when you can. You'll be popular just for trying.

Get a JR rail pass. You can pick one up for between 20 and 60 bucks USD. Here's the page in English. Make sure you have the right visa, they aren't kidding about the temporary visitor thing. http://www.japanrailpass.net/eng/en003.html

Well whatever, it worked for me

Here, don't take my word for it:

http://www3.tky.3web.ne.jp/~edjacob/nampa1.htm

Like I said....

You have an attitude problem. I'm asking you politely to stop your hostile, childish behavior. Thanks.

Yo...Paradox...take it to PM. Thanks.

Back on topic...please.

Good idea. Take it to PM if you have something to say to me, otaku.

K: what does 'otaku' mean?

Sorry, that message was meant for Paradox. 'Otaku' is basically a geek, which is what the greasy clowns who accost women on the street as part of some performance for each other really are. As for what the rare women who give such creatures the time of day are...well, I guess you can figure out a few appropriate terms for that...

Do not call people names on this forum.

Behave your self kusojiji san and do what your good at like talking about grappling.




watashi wa shinken sen des ka
bet the spelling is wrong

The funny thing about kusojiji is, he says he's trained for over 30 years, yet uses the speech of teenaged females from Tokyo (Incorrectly, no less!).. draw your own conclusions.

Alas I have been baited. I shall refrain from further comment

man, is THIS thread appropriately titled. Kuji-kun: otaku might mean 'geek' now, but it used to mean something much more derrogatory along the lines of 'pervert'. I'm starting to wonder if you really lived in Japan or maybe just isolated with other gaijin in a JET program dorm or something.

I'd suggest in this forum in particular to refrain from foreign language insults...especially people trying to look cool by googling japanese swear words.

Paradox...don't make me hit you with my zen-less stick!

Cool down time.