Japanese explain why they don't like sitting next to foreigners on trains | Gaijin seat explained 😱
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- čas přidán 25. 11. 2022
- Japanese people explain why they don't like sitting next to foreigners on trains | The "Gaijin seat" phenomenon is finally explained in this street interview ! 😱
This video is a response to this one • Do Japanese avoid sitt... (foreigners' experience with gaijin seat). Please watch it to have a grasp of the overall context of this video.
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The old man at the start is so lovely. I love people like him in Japan. I’m half black and Japanese and japans is definitely getting more diverse and I love to see that. Japanese people are really kind. When I went to Australia that’s when I noticed more racism. Way more even when it’s more diverse 😂.
That’s my fave grandpa right there 😁 we had a long discussion off camera. He’s lovely and pretty open minded for someone who has never been out of Kanto ahaha
yeah, like the xenophobia might be a little strong in Japan, but i am Australian and live next to an African man and the bogans around here sometimes pick fights with him. it is incredibly upsetting to see... we are all the same species and are all human. we should all remember that, while still respecting each others cultures and differences.
Could it be that the culture is different? Japan seems to be a more timid and avoid confrontation even if they’re racist. I feel places like America and Australia ppl are more outspoken, so the racism is more obvious and known. Anyway, I’m not saying Japan is more racist. I’m just genuinely curious.
@@hollymayjones12345 will arent white Australians decendants of European criminals dumbed into the continent, this explain their bad nature they are evil by nature.
@@sakurakou2009 I try to think that we are all humans and I try not to say one race is more evil than the other. However my ancestors (I'm half British and half Belgium, so my British English side) definitely did very evil things. Very bad things... a lot of races have, but... my race definitely very bad. But does that mean we are still evil? No. But there are still many white and many other racist people all across the world. My friend and I talk about how we think humans are still to primitive for how far we have gotten evolution wise. Humans still fight over religion, colour, wealth, power etc. It is silly... it's still like how animals fight over things. If only we could all realise we are all the same species and try to move on from the past while still acknowledging it. I don't know if it's because I'm Autistic... but I've never understood wealth and talent and race hierarchy. To me, we are all equal... some people are evil though and I don't like those people and Don't always believe they should be forgiven. I am sorry for what my race has done...
I am gaijin seated regularly. Doesn’t matter what I’m wearing. It’s usually older women and younger children that avoid me. Otherwise, mine is the last seat to be taken. Interestingly enough, junior high or high school kids don’t have issues sitting next to me so maybe the foreigner presence at their schools is working.
Are you in Tokyo area ?
Yes. I live just outside but commute in regularly.
I never got gaijin seated but I wish I did because morning trains are literally hell 😂
The same phenomenon is in Taiwan. I guess we could call it the "wai guo ren" seat. And like you said, the teenagers are more likely to sit down without frantically casting about for another seat. Many people choose to stand rather than sit next to me.
I lived 10 years in Japan and never experienced, that people avoided me. The opposite was the case: Japanese came up to me practicing English or German with me. That was annoying sometimes, so I practiced Japanese with them. I am a 1,80m blond person, so the opposite to most Japanese, but that never scared anybody.
I'm not sure if anyone commented this yet, but I think the people willing to respond to you are not the ones that are likely avoid sitting or standing next to you on the train.
I thought the same
well, this is the better she will get, I think.
maybe someone that do social studies like sociology could say something more, but that's it.
Wow thats like, a similar thing to survivorship bias
At first, I felt like I was getting gaijin seated. But in my opinion, Sapporo’s pretty small with only 3 subway lines, so over time, people definitely started recognizing me and would sit next to me with no problem.
Sounds chill up there
Sounds natural Ig
@@Yllah lol is that a pun about how cold it is right now in Hokkaido? :D
@@nerv007 🤣 sorry it’s warmer down here 😁 enjoy the snow festival
@@Yllah It's still a good pun though (albeit unintentional)
There are so many great things about Japan but pretending that the bad things don't exist is not one of them.
Ahahah
I was about to type the same context. Truly on point.
You think those people are denying that problem? Or you think they're being genuine about their opinions?
@@teamojesusssYou’re all up in these comments girl and it’s petty af. Get your head outta Japanese peoples asses, lmao. It doesn’t hurt to acknowledge the bad sides to these countries.
@@latinasawntop I asked a question. If that question hurt you, it's not my problem.
As a Japanese person, I never heard and seen the gaijin seat situation in my hometown, but I am sorry those who experienced unpleasant situation😞 Like some people mentioned in the video, I guess that some Japanese people leave seat because of the several possible reasons (I personally agree with the perfume thing), not simply because you are not Japanese. For example, I guess some Japanese people feel not comfortable to sit with strangers including Japanese people. I often find that Japanese people tend to sit the corner seats first, then sit the seats skipping next to strangers, and then sit the rest of the seats. I also found the person sitting next to me in middle part of the seat moved to the corner seat because he possibly feel comfortable with that position. Of course, any discrimination should not happen. I actually think non-Japanese people who live in Japan are very brave because as a person who live in Japan so long, living in overseas using a not familiar language sounds challenging to me. Even if you experienced those situation, please don't think that all Japanese people don't like you. I guess many Japanese people are just not familiar seeing oversea visitors in Japan, and even they have a positive impression, some are too shy to communicate with foreigners. I hope you are not experience getting hurt situation and hope you have a great day🙏
That was such a kind explanation. 💖 I understand the many reasons why it happens, and yes, some of those times, it may be racism. But it's not a Japanese thing, it's a human thing, and all those behaviors you mentioned are seen in every culture. You seem really kind, and I wish you blessings. 🙏🏽
The corner seat is the best seat because you can lean into it without bothering someone, even I will shift over to it if someone leaves. It does still happen where the seats next to me or around me are left free if there are other seats available which honestly is nice for me, I like having the extra space. When it gets crowded, people don't tend to care who they sit next to. Also I will occasionally make myself look 'scary' so I have more space.
Eringi, i can tell you that people are just too fragile really... Its not a crime not wanting to sit close to someone, its a bit stupid XD i agree. but its not a big deal.
I was 3 months in tokyo and this happened to me almost all the time i took the subway, but really.. who care? if they want to sit the place is there.
If they don't use it because im sitting there i see it as a "their" problem, not mine XD the reason doesn't really matter.
Of course if its a person that has too much perfume , or stink, or is loud, i can off course understand that, not even i would sit close to that !^^
I'm italian, and what you described happen here all the time too, and i think everywhere honestly... people always take side seats, then stay far from people unless there are only "close to others" place available.
You are right, and I add one more (especially for old Japanese people): there are still people alive in Japan who lived through WW2 and hey, 2 atomic bombs is not something easy to forget. Therefore I find it perfectly normal that an elderly Japanese man would not want to sit next to a foreigner, especially if he looks like an American (there are many American soldiers and children of American soldiers in American bases in Japan, such as Okinawa). By the way, I wouldn't like him either and I would feel very ashamed if he were the son of one of these mercenaries who have invaded half the world with military bases. *I am Argentine and a few kilometers from my house there is an American base and of course that does not seem funny to me
I want to say that I lived in tokyo for 6 years and did not have this issue. I only heard foreign men complain about this issue. I think people can be shy and men are more intimidating. Also my friends and I were young and cute and maybe innocent looking, not scary in any way. Also, I sat up straight, very properly. I studied Japanese etiquette from a master and there is a correct way to sit for a lady. I love etiquette/manners. Maybe my overall attitude and vibe helped me.
I had experiences where obachans sitting across from me would look at me and talk kindly about me to each other and say I was good, they'd smile at me. When I moved to Japan, I already knew basic Japanese so when people talked about me, I understood. Anyway, obachans were so kind and great!!!
I’m Japanese but I’m covered in tattoos so, I sometimes get tattoo seated (which I love actually) and I just get stares and glances constantly. And it’s not like I have face/neck tattoos (my hands are). So I think it’s with anything that’s not “normal” people tend to shy away from.
Very true. All you can do is continue being yourself. There will always be people judging no matter what you do. Continue doing you!
i'm half japanese and gaijin seat does exist. it's not that they never heard about it. if you ride public transportation in a regular, there's no way you're not gonna notice it. especially in places like tokyo, when trains are packed and everyone's standing but you see an empty seat next to a foreigner. there are definitely racism in japan, it's just not loud.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us
Yeah buddy okay if you don’t want Tokyo to turn into NYC then we need this “racism”. It’s a slippery slope from there. There are countless studies on the negatives of racial diversity and multiculturalism.
I mean…if they don’t wanna sit next to me that sounds like a personal problem on their part and extra space for me 🤷🏽♂️
@@user-pk4nr6dy9g Racial diversity and multiculturalism are two different things, even in racial diversity countries there are xenophobia.
I went with my family and me and my dad were left many empty seat space when i went pre covid a while back. I knew it was sorta discrimination because i was mixed and my dad is black but it meant extra space during rush hour so i didn’t mind 💀💀
The guy summarized it for us pretty well lol 😂
😹😹 our favorite grandpa
Which guy?
Also omg I got guidelines b4 commenting n that's so9o cool
@@lemon4087 yeah it's been around since June 2022, a few months recently, channels can put guidelines before people comment (can't see on desktop tho). I watch streamers and they have guidelines to remind chat of reading the rules, but now I see more of other CZcamsrs have those too
@@lemon4087 also they meant the first elderly man! He seems very cool 😊
Young Ladies,great job.I like how you put the people at ease because to confront any type of discrimination can put individuals on the defensive.
Thank you very much
@@Yllah I thought you were going to elaborate on the method you used to put people at ease. I also think you guys did an incredible job. _especially your use of the Japanese language. I am currently learning to speak Japanese, and I also did a street interview. I was shocked at the number of Japanese people willing to talk with me. I did have a sign written in kanji, that explained that this interview was part of a language class course, and would be entirely in Japanese language. I also used a few eye catching props such as a big can full of candies from America, cold cans of A&W root beer, and other popular brands from America, as well as bottles of cold water. I also had a disclaimer * watashi no nihongo ga machigatte itara oshiete kudasai ne*. I was more than pleased with the turn out.
I find this fascinating. In the US nobody wants anyone sitting next to them on public transportation.
I suppose, but if you gotta do it, you gotta do it. Idk where you're from but in NYC trains and busses fill up quick.
Same, I would be happy if nobody sits next to me. More space😁
Im from New York nd personal space on subway is not a thing..lol even if you don't want to be near anyone you will.
See? Lol So why americans people who lives in japan complain..to me.not only japanese then.scary?any japanese don't think foreigner are scary lol
Lol, how blunt and straight forward. But I can't deny that statement, we enjoy our space and comfort usually. Unless we know you and want to talk, we want nothing to really do with you. Even on bus rides to school growing up, it doesn't mean we hate you. We just want you to think that and leave us alone. Unless we absolutely need to- we won't talk to you. Or unless you are with someone who wants to be on good terms in case they ever see you again.
I'm Japanese and people don't sit next to me because of my tattoos.
Personally, it doesn't bother me. More space for me so luck, am I right?
Yes ahah more space yay !
I love Japanese people and I love tattoos❤
Yeah i agree, its useful especially on cramped trains.. But it does show something unpleasant in the social consciousness
@@manchagojohnsonmanchago6367 Not something unpleasant, just something that isnt/wasnt part of the culture until recently. I am 50+ and in my teenage years literally noone I saw had tattoos (probably sailors and former inmates, but not mainstream ppl, not even the local punks - they wore safety pins as piercings!). Germany, city of 100,000.
Maybe only us foreigners notice this as it is happening to us and the Japanese do it so often that they don't even think about it and thus think it doesn't exist? Or is it a location thing because I definitely experience it very often on the train, even standing.
In my experience, its not really a thing. A lot of the people in the video even said they’ve never heard of it. Its just a certain narrative being pushed unfortunately.
My friend, Japanese people will say that there are no gay people in Japan and that they are the only country with four seasons. Put your thinking cap on.
@@11Nicolaion11 - Looks like you need a 'Special, thinking cap, and screw some loose screws.
@@11Nicolaion11 I love how you say “put your thinking cap on” but you’ve clearly haven”t put yours on, when you’ve just generalised a whole population from one opinion said by some conservative. Its like saying all caucasians are pedos just because I only see white people on the news as pedos. Youve clearly never did well in school and it shows
no, its not a thing. This video is so forced on it. I see hundreds of foreigners on a train (im a foreigner myself) and I've never experienced anything like this. Never even heard of such term. These people made it up just so they can probably make a video out of it.
I’m a Japanese guy with wide shoulders and people avoid sitting next to me until it’s fully packed and people are forced to sit. It’s not just gaijin who have this problem 😂
Lived in japan seven years, gaijin seat is real thing. But I’ve never met a Japanese who was aware of this.
@@timclark428 they may not be aware of the term, but anyone can see that the seats next to us are the last to be filled. I think they may deny this to avoid an unpleasant subject. For myself, I just use that space for my bag - a silver lining.
I live in Japan for around 20 years. I could share some thought:
1. Japanese do not like to disturb others. Including talking on the phone, or chit chat with loud voice that might disturbed others
2. Japanese do not like people with strong smell (parfume).. ise parfum lightly is ok, but if smell too strog it is kind of rude.. because the act effect others that smells
3. Even with Japanese, unless they are very close and familiar, they dont talk much, especially on the train.
4. Talking with voice that might be heard considered impolite. Because of that act disturbed others people that doesn't want to hear the noise
5. Privacy means, you could do your privacy things, but try not to disturbed others privacy. Like smells, noise, etc
Hello, is it true that even you learn japanese in japan, you will not be accepted in community as one of them? And always gonna stay as foreigner in their eyes?
And can you inform me about foreigner job acceptance?
@@deniztemel5018 I spend most of my life, work, and have fun in Japan.
I join some volunteer's group, and some arts club, like traditional Japanese martial arts club, Japanese calligraphy study club, etc.
I never ever experienced any racism at all.
I think it all depends on ourselves.
And it is our own choice. And I do not hate my identity. So I prefer to be as myself, as a foreigner, that live daily lives with Japanese.
So, I do not want to change my identity or citizenship. I love my origins,.. and I do love to live in Japan. Every year on new year, I participated to help at a Jinja (shrine) nearby, and I do got invited to make mochi every year with some families (some Japanese family still do this tradition, where the children came home with their own family, making mochi, and have a great time together.
So, the answer will be yes and no. It all depends on ourselves. In fact, every year on new year, is quiet busy for me, since I always get invited by some families to celebrate new year with them
What a hostile nation. Ew.
Interestingly I didn't really experience gaijin seat when I travelled alone. But when I was with a group of friends foreigners, it was common to experience the gaijin seat
That’s interesting. Probably depend on how your friends look like ? Or a group of Gaijin is more intimidating than one Gaijin 😹
Seems to be more common to avoid *groups* of friends in general, and not just in japan
A german here
My father is like this
When he sees a geoupnof forigin men he gets nervojs and scared
I told him look even if they wherd crimanals u are nobwoman and u dont look rich so what are u scared off
But he still is especialy if its a male group and it doesnt matter easr european middle east african refjgies thats the 3 grlups hes scared of like wtf
And i think media definetly did its job there with all the bed news
@@YukiTheOkami I think Europe is quite special in this case because there actual crimes committed by group of people. But this is regardless of their origins. The crime rate in European countries is fairly higher than in Japan. Your dad is being cautious, as he should for his safety. If a group of people (and I emphasize: regardless of their origins or looks) seem off to you, you should trust your intuition. This video does not apply to other countries, but only in the context of Japan
@@Yllah jeh but i am not nessesarrily talking about crimes thaz happen here we get news from all over the world and i thinknthis applies to japan too especialy if something big happened
Taking right winged propaganda news into account too wich i am sure japan is not save of either
Exsmple same case two portcasters
Neutral: " a group of university students broke into a store drunken and coused damage in worth off xxxxx"
Anti foriginer propaganda" A foriginer gang broke in to a store demolished everything and gosed assumingly a milion dollar demage"
And thats what i am talking about
As if japan is save of this type of news o country is
逆に質問してもいいですか？
日本人が横に座っても、気になりませんか？
私は知り合いの外国人（国名は伏せます…日本に慣れた人でした）にアジア人は匂うと言われたことがあります。
その外国人は、「日本人は隣に座らない」という話題はしませんでした。
英語ができなくてごめんなさい。
（ここは、そうゆうところかもしれませんね）
日本人は空気を読んでいると思います。
I lived in the countryside and had a wonderful experience. Sometimes a little too close 😅 but for the most part, countryside was better than metro because I felt like people in metro cities were tired of the bs that could happen. We can't ignore the common foreign tourists attitudes when they visit countries. Everyone doesn't know how to behave. So when I get to the countryside, many people knew they had less contact with foreigners and therefore tried to be more understanding or welcoming.
Well. In Europe and the US you could make the same argument. It's still racist.
@@plzleavemealone9660 true
The countryside anywhere is generally more chill
残念ながら、大多数の日本人が差別をしているかのように思わせる動画に見えます。
日本の文化に慣れていない外国人が、電車内で大声で話すのを見かける事があります。
そうすると、大抵車内の人間からは冷たい視線が送られます。しかしそれは差別ではなく、マナー違反だからです。それが日本人であっても同じ現象が起きるはずです。
郷に入っては郷に従え、ですね。
香水に関しては日本人外国人関係なく、匂いが強いものが苦手な人がいます(これは偏見や差別というより、体質によるものに近いと思います)
タトゥーは、日本において暴力団を連想させることから避けられますね。(これは偏見かもしれませんね)タトゥーは今でこそ日本人の若者でも見かけるようになりましたが、まだまだ一般的ではありませんし、広くは広がらないと思います。
そもそも、このようなインタビューを受け、丁寧に言葉を選び回答をしている時点で差別感情は持っていないと思いますが…
追記です。
一部の国に対して差別感情を持つ人はいます。それは認めます。私はそういった差別が嫌いですが、一定数いると思われます。非常に残念です。
ポルトガル人ですが、そう思います。
公共の場で大声で話すのは失礼です。
日本は差別の問題があるかもしれないが、そういうのは日本だけではない。
差別は世界的の問題です。
下手な日本ごですみません。
私はそんなにあんまり上手ではない。
完全に反日プロパガンダですね。差別をビジネスにして視聴者を稼ごうとしている悪質な動画だと思います。
東アジア人とアメリカ人の平均的なIQの差は１５以上あります。それも確実に影響していると思います。
This happens all the time here in the US. Nobody wants to sit next to someone else. It's actually a good thing if you like space.
That's different.
So ! Xenophobia or confirmation bias ? 🤔Let us know your thoughts !
This video is a response to this one czcams.com/video/5_Z_xbs8qo4/video.html (foreigners' experience with gaijin seat). Please watch it to have a grasp of the overall context of this video.
A big shout out to Hapra behind the camera. Check her out here www.youtube.com/@HarrietHapra
The answer is C. Boffum. 😂
But nah, idk. Shyness is a sickness in Japan I guess.
I don’t care anymore does someone sits next to me or not!!! It’s their loss not my. If they prefer to stand, be my guest!!!!!
@@Myriel67 same here
This is dope.
@@tellmesomething2412 thank you
The Japanese man interviewed seemed so warm and friendly.
席が空いてたら人との距離を取りたいだけ。
外国人だとか日本人だとか関係なく、私は端の席が空いたら移動します。
I've never heard of gaijin seat but I think some Japanese locals (particularly those that are not usually exposed to different cultures) just avoid foreigners because it may be troublesome to deal with foreigners. I get that vibe sometimes when I travel there, I don't think it's necessarily a racial/skin colour thing. Kinda like how citizens of a country tend to mix with their fellow countrymen coz they understand the local culture so it's easy to communicate and be friendly. Especially because English isn't widely spoken in Japan as well and there has been some cases of visitors misbehaving in Japan. I can understand how it can come off rather unfriendly and prejudicial though. But more space in a crowded metro train especially in the COVID era sounds welcoming to me lol.
Ofc there are instances of blatant discrimination in Japan like any other country, so situations should be judged on a case-to-case basis.
Also, I suspect because Japanese culture is a certain way, like a high standard of etiquette etc is expected among Japanese ppl themselves but since they can't expect that of foreigners, some Japanese ppl avoid them. It's not a great way to do things but mindsets can be difficult and slow to change
I can understand why the Japanese interviewees may not have heard of the term gaijin seat- it's probably used among foreigners living in Japan so the Japanese locals probably would not have heard of it at all. Also I can imagine that it doesn't affect them day-to-day, so it's not something that will be lingering on their minds
Thanks for posting such an insightful video. I’m an American, who lived in France for years and who speaks French but I did notice much the same phenomenon when I lived there, largely I think attributable to a general inability among average French people, to speak English, but also doubtless partially because of the boisterousness of some foreigners, particularly Americans. I had the marvelous opportunity to work twice in Tokyo for months each time, and I do not speak Japanese. I did not notice (perhaps because I wasn’t perceptive enough) the behavior you describe. To the contrary, I found Japanese people, even those who understood neither English nor French, graciously offer to help me navigate the subways or decipher menus when eating in a restaurant.
うーん… 別に日本人同士でも隣に座らないとかあるけど… 知らないのかな
I remember travelling to japan with my classmates and teacher in 2018, we weren't sitting but standing. The funny thing is that I'm a pretty light skinned east african girl and I had straight hair during that time. So people couldn't really tell if I'm a foreigner or not lmao. I remember these two middle aged japanese women talking about me (not in a bad way though).
They were speculating wether I'm a foreigner or not. "あれ, 外国人ですか?"
They were so surprised that it made me feel like a unicorn from outta space.
Then I accidentally dropped my yen coins from my pocket ( so embarrassing ) and they helped me to pick them up. Even some people from around helped me picking them up.
So I said "ありがとうございます".
(Thank you)
And it was at this moment, they knew, I was indeed a foreigner.
That was quite an experience.
So yeah, I think that all the points people addressed were pretty accurate.
I think it's important to not take things personally right away. Bc I think even if you are a foreigner, when you are in need people won't shy away to help you out in some way. Even if they were scared sitting or standing beside you in the beginning. It's only human nature to be scared of the unknown. The question is always how you deal with it.
On the other hand I think odour is a BIG one. My teacher made sure none of us were using perfume or way to strong smelling shampoo etc. and she even made us abide by the so called "japanese dresscode".
It wouldn't be surprising if someone changes seats bc you smell to strong.
Luckily this is smth that can be fixed :D
日本人は全ての人（日本人も外国人も）を平等に避けてると思う。日本人は面倒臭いの嫌いだから。
平等と言っても私は特に、疲れて寝てるおっさんと、電車で騒いでる老害と、隣に居たら喋りかけられそうな外国人は面倒臭いことに巻き込まれそうだから避ける。
私は電車では静かに一人で居たい人だから隣の人とはだいたい1つ席開けて座るし、1つしか空いてる席無いんだったら立ってるわ。
たから外国人だけわざと避けてるわけじゃないんだと思う。
本能的に避けちゃうんだと思う。
あとこの動画は誘導して理由を絞り出してる気がしてあんまり好きじゃなかった。
自分で自分たちを勝手に差別してるじゃん。それを日本人に押し付けないで。
As a foreigner who experiences the gaijin seat on a daily basis I really loved this video. It gives me hope that there are a lot of Japanese people out here that do get it and do genuinely want us to have a comfortable experience in their country. The first man you talked to made me smile so much 🥰
I've been in Japan for over a decade and I never got gaijin seated ever. I'm alt, have a lot of piercings, long pointy nails, and stand out a lot but for whatever reason the seat next to me usually fills very quickly. I wish I was gaijin seated though. Stay tf away from me lol
🤣🤣🤣
because you are a woman maybe ?
@@masterkraft4746 It happens to women, too.
インタビューに答えてくれている時点でその人は外国人に抵抗が無い人だから実際に避けてる人の本音は聞けないと思う
それと外国人に差別意識の無い親切な方たちに差別の理由を聞いたり罪悪感を背負わせる尋問のような聞き方をするのはインタビューの仕方としてどうなのかと
It’s not her job to tiptoe around the topic. If bringing up discrimination against foreigners makes them feel guilty, then maybe they should do something about it.
英語わからないので最初外人シートって聞いた時、外人専用シートが有るのかと思ったけど、なんとなく、外人が座ると席を立つ人の事言ってるのかなぁと思ったけど合ってるのかな？日本人は英語できない人が多いので話し掛けられると困るし嫌で逃げる人は居ます。昔のテレビで英語で話し掛けるコーナーが有りましたが逃げる人が多いです。席を立った人は近くに居ますか？たまたま降りる駅が近くなったので立ったり降りる駅の改札や階段の近くに行きたくて電車の中を移動したかもしれませんね。あなた達も被害妄想で1回そういう事が有ると全てその様に感じてしまっているのかもしれません。日本人は外人に慣れてない人が多いのですが昔よりは友好的だと思います。他の国より差別は少ないと思います。Tattooは、まだファッションというよりジャパニーズマフィアのイメージが強いから日本では怖がられます。
The old man with the blue shirt was so polite and patient. The old man with a black jacket was so open-minded and easy to talk . Thanks for the video.
自分が座ったら隣の人が席を移動したって言う人いるけど、それ多分端の席が空いたからそっちに移動しただけだぞ
People's experiences are indeed different. I am an Asian gaijin wearing hijab living in Tokyo. I also travelled to other prefectures. I never once experience the gaijin seat and Japanese people are very kind to me. In contrary, I was ignored and received unpleasant treatment from some African ladies when I bought some African foods in an African festival in Hibiya Park Tokyo. They were nice to other people. I could not understand why they were mean, because I only talked to them briefly and politely and I like African foods and cultures. I never go to any African festivals ever since. 😄
Also, when I was living in Australia, I sometimes received hateful anti-muslim remarks from strangers (Caucasian, some with American accent). In Japan, I also received hateful anti-muslim remarks from strangers (all were Caucasians with American accent). Imagine how annoying it is and so pathetic of them to harras me even when they are not in their country. I was not doing anything, not even talking.
From my experience, I never receive those kinds of bigotry from Japanese people. That's why I love living in Japan.
It could also depend where the African women were from in some African countries Islamic dictators actively oppress their non Islamic population. Not an excuse for them to treat you that way just some perspective.
@@ugi2559 yes, it definitely cannot be used as an excuse for those African ladies. For example, just because I often received hateful anti-muslim remarks from Caucasians strangers with American accent, doesn't mean that I should treat Caucasian Americans with prejudice and hatred.
I'm an American and I'm sorry you were treated that way. I would never treat a Muslim person that way. In fact one of my closest friends is Muslim and she was my roomy in college. She went through two major incidents where they told her something nasty. She was married to an American too. Geez some ignorant people
@@violetlight8138 the world needs more people like you. Thank you for being so kind. Your words mean so much to me.
I understand that most Americans are kind. The bigoted ones are very few. This is why I don't have negative feelings/prejudice towards Americans. My favorite singers and movie stars are Caucasian Americans. I literally watch American movies everyday. I have hundreds of blu-ray and DVDs of American movies.
In the world where we all need to love and respect one another, sadly, there are bigots in every country, including mine.
I get you.
12:43 I’m in Japan. And fortunately have not experienced any issue of “ gaijin seat”, in fact many tried to offer their seat when I’m with my child.Though sometimes some people don’t mind offering seat but it doesn’t matter. It takes courage for some to even talk to foreigners 😊.
Only 1 experience of the gaijin seat for me but not on the train. I think it was the sudden eye contact that scared them 😅
lol the stare battle 🤣
電車での日本人の習性
・なるべく人の隣に座らない
・隣に誰もいない席があれば移動する←これを差別と勘違いする人が多い
・外国人とか関係なく体が大きい人を避ける←これも差別と勘違いしている
・匂いのきつい人を避ける
・話してる人を避ける←うるさいから
他にもあると思うけどこれに自分が当てはまってるなら差別ではない。日本人の習性を理解していないだけ。差別されたと勘違いしてるとしか思えない😂
A very entertaining interview! Thanks for your hard work :)
thank you so much for watching
日本は単一民族国家で見た目や振る舞い方や考え方などが非常によく似ています。そしてそれはとても心地よいことです。隣の人物がどのようなことを思うか、だいたい想像がつきます。他人に対して不安を感じることがありません。
だからこそ、その同質性から外れた人物に対しては過敏に反応し日本人だろうと外国人だろう と避けられます。
同じ日本人であったとしても、振る舞い方が一般的でなかったり服装が一般的でなかったり考え方が一般的でなかったりすれば避けられがちです。
日本人であったとしても、仲間の輪の中に入るには空気を読み適応し、同じであることを示さねばなりません。
最近では日本でも多様性が重視されていますが、同質性がもたらす安心感を捨て日本がアメリカのような多様性を受け入れられるとは到底思えません。
I am sorry if the translation is incorrect.
I am a Japanese high school student and live in Tokyo. I take the train for about 30 minutes when I go to school, but I've never heard of anything like a gaijin seat, and no one around me has ever heard of it. So, I will summarize my own views.
1. First of all, Japanese people still have a culture of wearing masks due to the Corona disaster, and many people are afraid of Corona. However, as far as the video shows, the interviewer's women don't wear masks, and the Japanese usually wear masks. In other words, if she doesn't wear a mask on the train, there is a great possibility that she will be avoided. (I don't often see people without masks in Japan.)
2. Even among Japanese, there are people who lacks consideration leave when someone sits next to them. So I don't think this is a matter of racism or anything.
That's my opinion. I am waiting for objections to my opinion and comments of approval. Please feel free to comment.
Masking could be a cause given at least in home countries, face masks can be an incendiary cultural issue like the US. I can see how if tourists ignore face masks, immigrants can be associated with.
However, the interviewer likely is not wearing a face mask in this video since her persona is a large part of the channel, and her daily off-camera habits may be different. In your experience, what habits do you notice with foreign residents in Tokyo regarding masking? I assume most adhere to masking norms to avoid social tension and are likely disconnected from the cultural battles in their birth countries. Long-term foreign residents, like students and immigrants, are likely the group most affected and vocal about gaijin seat since tourists may not notice the phenomena during short trips
Also your translation came out well and should be proud, especially if you wrote it by hand. Love your username btw
Well, i ve lived in Tokyo for 2 years and took the bus to go work everyday , and well, i didnt see foreigners often, but always i see them, there wasnt really nobody avoiding them, but yeah, just wanted to tell it based on my experience
Your comments are really good. I do think the masks especially would be a big factor.
Also, Tokyo is probably the best place since it sees the most international traffic, tourists and exposure to western culture in all of Japan (at least, to my best knowledge). So probably this 'gaijin seat' is more noticeable in smaller cities/towns/countryside.
This is a matter of unintentional prejudice. I lived in Japan for 7.5 years. Before coronavirus and during. The gajin seat has existed all during that time.
How often do you speak to foreign people not in a school setting? Of course if you speak to other Japanese people, you will get that sort of response. I noticed the gajin seat the most during crowded trains or if I had a darker skinned friend with me.
Foreign people understand its not intentional. But think of it this way- if in America, people don't want to sit next to Japanese people because they speak a different language or don't have tattoos- isn't that wrong?
Edit: Also- this is important- in English "racism" can be both intentional AND unintentional. In Japanese that doesn't always translate well . Often Japanese people think it's racism only if it is intentional.
The gaijin seat has been a thing for decades. I’ve never been to Japan before and even I had heard of it! Also, one of the people interviewed wasn’t wearing a mask either so it’s clearly not just a foreigner thing. Many people decide to take their masks off when outdoors but will put it back on when they go to closed spaces like the train.
I think another aspect of this, in SOME cases, is the way foreigners sometime sit. I often see foreigners on the train sitting down bent over on their phones in a way that they are just taking up a lot of space, or at least more than they would be if they were sitting straight up in the seats. (I occasionally see Japanese people doing the same thing, but much less) Being aware of other people and how your position might inconvenience someone else is obviously something you get to understand after being here a while. But maybe some Japanese people see these types of people and get an impression that sitting next to foreigners might be a little trouble some. ( just an idea from a fellow gaijin that knows what it's like to be gaijinseated ^^ )
I have to agree with the way some people sit
I am glad you understand.
You are absolutely right in your opinion. I have traveled abroad and from my perspective as a Japanese, people abroad seem to be surprisingly close and relaxed with others. This is a scene that is not so common in Japan.
This is one of my objections to public transit and airplanes in the U.S. We're a very Me society. One reason I didn't experience the gaijin seat in Japan could be body language. I do not hog space. And I'm also the exact size of the average Japanese men in my generation (younger folks are bigger in Japan).
This happens to me quite often as well. Although, it could be for many reasons. I am the type of person who only wears all black and has a bit darker makeup and is quite tall but I am also the type of person who follows the rules, strictly. I never talk on the train, never eat or drink and always remain to myself. I could come off as a bit shocking to some older people but it still hurts a bit. Most of my friends here have darker pigmented skin and I myself have noticed more discrimination towards them than myself as a white person. Not only on the train but in the street or in a restaurant. Even if my friends' japanese is better, Japanese people still decide to talk to me when my japanese is not as great and that's what makes me so unbelievably mad. Discrimination happens with almost every foreigner but the more different you are in appearance, race and skin color the more you'll get discriminated here. I am happy that things are changing because times are changing so it is a slow process but I hope that in the future, more people will be open to the idea of foreigners. We're all just people with lives of our own regardless of our country or race. If most people here knew and understood that, perhaps everyone could live comfortably together. Homogamous or not.
Thanks a lot for your elaborated thoughts
I am Japanese. I saw a critique video of this video a while ago and wanted to comment. i have a few questions. First, let's talk about the "Gaijin Seat". If a Japanese person leaves their seat when a foreigner sits next to them on the train, it is often because most Japanese people are shy and carefree. I think this is not because I dislike foreigners, but because I don't have confidence in my ability to communicate and I get confused about what to do if someone talks to me. Behind this is Japanese culture. We are an island nation, not a landlocked country like Europe and the United States. Therefore, I didn't have many opportunities to interact with foreign countries. In recent years, the movement of globalization has become more active, and more and more people are coming from abroad. If you are Japanese, you speak Japanese. That's why I'm very surprised when I see people from overseas sometimes. It's even better when you can talk to them. Also, even if we are Japanese, we don't often talk to each other when we meet for the first time. I think this is Japanese manners. From your point of view, it may look like you are avoiding it too much, but this is just because you are not used to the opportunity. There is also a linguistic reason for the unfamiliarity with English. It is a feature of Japanese katakana. Japanese is different from other languages in that it listens to newly introduced foreign words and transforms them into katakana and incorporates them as Japanese. For this reason, Japanese can adapt to the changes of the times every day, and the need for English does not increase so much. Globalization is progressing, and English is studied from elementary school to university, but there are few opportunities to use it. Unless you're going to a school or company that emphasizes English. Finally, I would like to mention the manners of the questioner. Most of the Japanese listeners in this video were respectful and polite to the questioner. For example, using comparative expressions or using honorific expressions. However, the questioner suddenly asked, "Why do Japanese people discriminate?" Even though they clarified their reasons and said, "There are Japanese who discriminate and there are Japanese who don't. Not all Japanese discriminate." Why did the questioner use the phrase "Japanese people discriminate"? Quite frankly, I was shocked. Perhaps it is the questioner who has a sense of discrimination? This may also be due to cultural differences, but I think it is important to remain calm and respect each other when arguing. Also, in one scene, after this remark, he proceeded to claim, ``I was actually discriminated against,'' and finally made the listener apologize. I felt very sad about this. he's not bad ! I'm so sorry.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and opinion about this
@@Yllah I also respect you
Because u didn’t make my opinion hidden or deleted
The interviewer was not saying "all Japanese people discriminate". In English, referring to "Japanese people" does not mean "all Japanese people", it depends on the context. Here, it only referred to the ones who do discriminate.
Hi I am from the UK and I really feel I might understand the Japanese fear of saying the wrong thing to a foreigner. If your culture has a lot of unspoken rules about communicating just amongst yourselves, then speaking to any stranger is taxing, foreigners more so.
@@maurar5548oh please the british are just as rude as Americans
Thank you for making a video about this topic!!
Thank YOU for watching
I sympathize with the old man in the blue T-shirt.🙄
Even though he said "I don't know, I don't avoid foreigners" he seemed to be being blamed and made to apologize by the interviewer as if all Japanese were jointly and severally responsible. 😂
You’re reaching really hard with that. People have different personalities. He was apologetic while other people weren’t. It seems you have some biases against the interviewer
Amazing video, it's interesting to see the perception Japan has and how well you interact with the people you interview❤️❤️
I think this is more like lookism of some kind. I'm Japanese and I look like a typical Japanese person in the sense that people don't assume I'm a foreigner. But I've also experienced this many times. It's likely because I look scary or something. I don't remember how many times I've been told that I look scary or like a yakuza member. Some people just look scarier than others, and it just so happens that a lot of foreigners, especially non-Asian ones, look as intimidating as a yakuza-looking Japanese person like me.
I am using a translator, so my English may not be good, but I hope you will read it. I am Japanese, but I hesitate to sit next to Japanese people as well as foreigners.
This is out of a precautionary measure to avoid causing discomfort to the person sitting next to me. In addition, there is a sexual abuse on Japanese trains called "痴漢" (molestation). To avoid this, many people, both Japanese and non-Japanese, do not sit next to others.
I also take the train to school, and even if there is an empty seat, I would not sit next to it.
This is because I would feel just a little uncomfortable if I were to sit next to someone. I don't want others to feel the same way, and I don't want them to direct their dislike toward me, so I don't act the same way. Japanese people are more introverted and sensitive to other people's feelings. There are at least some who avoid foreign people because they feel discriminated against them, but I believe there are more who do not. I am a high school student and I have not seen any of my friends in school who have an aversion to foreigners.
When i went to tokyo didn't have a single issue with this. Actually had a few people sit directly next to me pretty frequently even when other spots were open.
Tbh as a black person it surprised the hell out of me.
これを完全に人種と絡めてるけど、みんなそれぞれ人によって違いはありますが、出来ればあまり近くに座りたくない人っていません？例えばおじさんは嫌とか太ってる人は嫌とか。それを差別と呼ぶなら差別でしょう。しかしそれが必ずしも人種が理由だというのは違いますよね？だって同じ日本人でもあまり近くに座りたくない人とかいるわけだから。なので外国人であっても、外人シートを全く感じなかったという外国人もいる。要するにケースバイケースで、人種関係なく、その個人の感覚の問題で起こっていることがほとんどだと思います。もちろん中には完全に外国人を嫌ってわざと座らないという人もいるかもしれませんが。
そしてこれはあくまでも個人的意見ですが、職務質問の問題にも少し関連してるかもしれません。よく外国人の人で、自分が外国人だから警察に職務質問されるんだ、これは差別だという主張をする人がいます。しかし不思議なことに、全く職務質問されたことはないという外国人もいる。実はこれって日本人も同じなんですよ。何度も職質される人っていう人がいるんですよ。逆に全くされない人もいる。警察官が自分の感覚で選んでるからそうなるわけです。これは日本人も外国人も同じなのです。
差別問題が深刻だった国ほどなんでもかんでも人種に結びつけてモノを考える。
彼らの心の根底にある差別心は一生無くならない。
Interesting interviews and comments! I moved to Japan 40 years ago and had never heard of gaijin seat until it popped up in my TikTok feed. Housing discrimination, however, has always been an issue I have had to deal with, and only got worse after 3/11.😢
the guy calling out the stupidity is a legend, would definitely go for a beer with him
It’s a simply fear of unknown which is human nature. That’s a pretty much same response I received when I visited/drove through tiny village of Appalachian mountain, it happened on Rt 50 somewhere in Kansas as well. It was kind of awkward but once I started taking to the people things were much more smoothly went, talked to them,know people,try understand each other. Yap,I’m Japanese who lives in states long enough to have grandkids. Racism? unless you want crap happen to you or looking for one I don’t see it much as some people want to believe there is, I’m not one of them.
I've seen it happen in my country where people will avoid a foreigner just because they're worried they might start chatting and their English isn't good enough. Oftentimes, the person most comfortable with the language gets pushed to sit next to them.
where is home ? ☺
Same in Hungary
People can speak conversational level in english, then they say they dont speak english because they are afraid of making a fool out of themselves in front of foreigners. We are also very reserved with the seating situation, we only sit next to eachother as a last resort 🤣 If you see someone in a park sitting on a bench and they still have space next to them, we dont sit there, thats officially their place now🤠
@@Yllah I live in the Philippines. For most part, many people don't mind chatting with foreigners. I've experienced being the one to be pushed to converse. I hated it at first, but over the years its become a little easier.
The first Japanese man they interviewed was very open minded. ❤ I just visited Tokyo, Osaka, and Shinjuku. I feel like Japan is much more open with diversity. Japan is safe, people are friendly. It’s such a lovely country. I love Japan.❤❤❤❤
Could it be because of cultural shyness and the fear of being judged by fellow Japanese? I'm a Mizo and cultural shyness is a thing here in Mizoram, Northeast India. Not that people don't want to, but that they feel awkward and shy. While I agree some do it out of dislike of other races, esp Black people. Anyway, we can't always use western yardsticks to measure Asian societies since the nuances are different.
What??
Really.
I'm from North India, would like to visit you guys some day.
In our side people are not shy at all😂
It's all like a big house.
I hate how scent became a issue. I gotta say that's pretty universal. Don't matter what race you are or where you are. Their's someone thats not going to like a scent you find pleasent but disruptive to others.
love your content and the subtitles :) keep it up!
About moving seats, that also happens to me (I’m Japanese). And that’s when the seat in the corner opens and I dunno why but Japanese wants to sit in the corners.
And also, there’s one time I got in the train and there was 1 seat open on both sides (one side was next to a gaijin-san) and I sat next to the Japanese without thinking and I was like, ooohhh this is what we do without even thinking and I tried to wonder why? and I figured that, for me it’s because the seat next to the gaijin-san looked smaller cuz he was a big guy. And I just simply chose seat that had more space that time. So I feel like most of the time, it’s not really about not wanting to sit next to a foreigner 🤔 I’ve only heard about this “gaijin seat” from my gaijin friends.
I haven’t noticed this but at onsens, every time my husband gets in a pool, the current occupants get out and move to another. And yes, he uses them correctly.
Is he tattooed ? I experience in pool people start whispering when I get in
I experienced a case where a woman wouldn’t even enter the spring when I was in there. She showered, went in the sauna and then came out. I thought it was quite amusing because I’m sure she didn’t come for just the sauna.
@@Yllah Nope, he’s just an un-inked, hairy white dude, but I would understand better if he were tattooed.
@@Mizuyah You have a good way of responding! I need to work on not being offended by other people’s issues.
@@shannoncothran8686 I guess Japanese think gaijin can't clean themselves well enough.
僕は日本人だけど隣の人が席移動することはよくあるよ😂 日本人の習性を理解していないだけじゃない？
I used to think there was such a thing as Gaijin Seat too. But after living here for more than 6 months and observing everyone on the train everyday, I’ve realized that normally, even Japanese don’t like to seat next to Japanese. It was never that they don’t like to seat next to a foreigner, but more of they’d prefer no one seating on either sides if they can.
Was just wondering this myself. Thanks for the video!
You’re welcome
BrooklynTokyo さんの動画を是非見にいらしてください。
コメント欄の反応から貴女の質問の答えを見つけることが出来ると思います。
ここからは私の意見です。
日本は前提として単一民族国家です。なので、海外の方がいらっしゃれば自然とそちらを向いてしまうことが多いです。例えば黄色のお花の中に一つだけ黒色の花があれば目に留まるのは当然です。多くの海外の方が視線を感じる、というのはこの反応のことだと思います。これに関しては特に差別意識というのは無いはずです。
また、日本人しかいない環境で育った我々日本人と、多民族国家の国の人とは当然認識が違います。英語を当然に話せるものだという認識は無くした方が良いでしょう。
日本には「郷に入っては郷に従え」という言葉があります。日本に来たなら何事においても日本のルールに従う。これが全てです。
私は海外の方に話しかけられる機会がありますが、その多くは日本にいるのに何故か英語で話しかけてきます。日本に来るならば多少なりとも日本の言語を学ぶ、若しくはGoogle翻訳で話しかけようという考えを持った方がいいです。また、電車内では海外の人は大きな声で話していることが多いです。日本の電車では基本的に静かにしているのがルールです。こういった点が「郷に入っては郷に従え」を実践できていないとして苦手に思う日本人が多いのだと思います。
どうか、より多くの海外の方がこのことを理解してくださるとありがたいです。これを理解した方々なら、日本にいらした時にあたたかく日本人は迎えてくれると思います。一部の差別主義者を除いてですが。。
Please come and watch BrooklynTokyo's video.
I think you will find the answer to your question in the responses in the comments section.
Here is my opinion.
Japan is a mono-ethnic country. Therefore, if there are people from overseas, we naturally tend to look in that direction. For example, if there is only one black flower among yellow flowers, it is natural that it will catch their eyes. I think this is what many foreigners mean when they say they feel the gaze of others. There should be no sense of discrimination in this regard.
Also, we Japanese who grew up in an all-Japanese environment naturally have a different perception than people from multi-ethnic countries. It is better to lose the perception that it is natural to speak English.
In Japan, there is a saying, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do. If you come to Japan, you must follow Japanese rules in everything. This is everything. Naturally, the reverse is also true. When we Japanese go abroad, we observe the rules and manners of the people overseas.
I have opportunities to speak to people from overseas, and many of them speak to me in English even though they are in Japan for some reason. If you come to Japan, you should at least learn some Japanese language or have the idea of using Google Translate to speak to them. Also, people from overseas often speak loudly on trains. In Japanese trains, the rule is basically to be quiet. I think these points make many Japanese people feel bitter as they are not able to practice "go to the hometown, follow the hometown".
Basically, like the people in this video, there are few people who have discriminatory thoughts toward people from overseas. The "discrimination" that foreign people feel in Japan is probably due to one of the following reasons: 1. they do not speak English, so they are confused and do not want to get involved; 2. they are large and bulky; 3. they do not observe Japanese manners; or 4. they do not speak Japanese well enough. I think this is due to one of the following reasons.
I would appreciate it if more people from overseas would understand this. If they understand this, I believe that Japanese people will warmly welcome them when they come to Japan. Except for a few racists.
@@makoto1811 thank you for your translation!
外人シート💺？ そんなもの100%有りません 日本人は電車やバスで隣に誰かが座ると 少しでも 多くの人が座れるように端に 詰めて 離れます
I m Japanese but i got the same type of experience when i lived in Madrid, Spain.
I guess it could happen anywhere. Here in Japan, I avoid sitting next to man and woman wearing a thick down jacket in winter time⛄️
I’ve heard from other foreigners in Japan that this exists, but it very rarely happens to me. There have been a few times where I’ve wondered if the seat next to me is empty because I’m a foreigner, but 95% of the time, someone will sit next to me
I'm a big black man that moved from Japan last year after 7 years. I must say people always sat next to me on the train. I never felt discriminated on the train. When I hear about this issue its usually from my white friends who are used to being the majority. I'm not saying it doesn't exist...I just never noticed it. Actually I would prefer if nobody sat next to me because a lot of the Salary men would have some bad body odor at rush hour...lol.
日本語で失礼します。おそらく彼らは遠慮しているだけだと思いますよ。どうぞ。と一声かけてみてはどうでしょう。
I have asked this question from Japanese people I’ve met. Honestly, the gaijin seat situation has been improving as Japanese people become more and more used to foreigners in Japan. I think it’s simply unfamiliarity. Remember, Japan only experienced an influx of foreign residents about a decade and a half ago. So, it’s a pretty new thing to see foreign faces in the trains. And the people I asked pretty much say the same thing - they’re worried about getting asked a question or directions or in any way being put in a spot where their lack of English skills will be highlighted. It’s a kind of insecurity for them. Japanese people usually avoid uncomfortable situations like that. It’s not because they particularly dislike foreigners. As for the perfume, yeah, I’ve seen people switch seats even though the person wearing the perfume is Japanese, that is a legit thing. So maybe some foreigners wearing strong perfumes misunderstood why people refused to sit next to them. Another thing to pay attention to is if the person did not sit at all or deliberately looked for a different seat. Cause it’s common for people to ignore a seat and remain standing especially if they’re getting off just a few stations away. Tokyo trains are notoriously crowded and if you sit down, you’re farther from the door. Chances are, it will be harder for you to get off the train when it becomes packed. There are a multitude of reasons, but foreigners from countries where racism is rampant do tend to jump to the conclusion that it’s racially motivated. Just food for thought.
It's not rocket science. It's based on personal experience. I don't like sitting next to strong perfume odor. I don't feel safe next to gangster looking people. People are merely minimizing the risk of feeling uncomfortable.
Foreigners in Japan is not a new thing. It began in July of 1853, especially the fact that it seems that it is taught in Japanese history about the 4 ships that first arrived here, because all Japanese people tend to know about that. So it has been going on now for several generations. I get your point, but I ask myself what rock would a Japanese native have to crawl out from under to only now in a new millennium think that there are foreigners present in Japan? It is just not a topic which a Japanese person would have to get used to foreigners in Japan.
@Blues Till are you kidding? Of course there were foreigners in Japan before but it's hardly a melting pot. People visited and went or did business in certain hubs, but didn't stay long enough or settled down in wide enough areas to create an actual diverse population. Right now, out of the 127+ million people living in Japan, 97.9% are Japanese. I live in a small town close enough to Tokyo, and I've seen personally the very gradual increase of people from other countries settling in. Even so, there were days when I don't spot another foreigner the whole day even when I go around town. I've also seen how the Japanese cope - a couple of decades ago there were no English announcements or displays in buses. Train ticket machines were all in kanji. Now, you can pretty much handle everything without speaking a word of Japanese because English is everywhere. This was just in the last two decades. You can even ask the bus drivers and passersby and chances are they will try to answer you in English. They didn't at all before. Before the government started campaigning for internationalization and tourism around the 2000s or 2010s (not sure, but it was quite recent) not as many foreigners were visiting or moving to Japan because of the language barrier. It was so rare to interact with foreigners that English education in elementary schools only started in 2011. Before that, they didn't feel the actual need for it. Do you live here? If you live in internationalized hubs like Tokyo, then I can see why you'd think that way. But I can be sure that you only came here recently, since if you did about the same time I did, you'd be familiar with the feeling of being the only foreign face in a train.
This is probably most accurate explanation, thank you.
Awesome way to handle this issue Kween ✨
日本人の振る舞いを差別的と捉える海外の動画をちょくちょくみるけど、その原因は日本人の内向的な気質と、海外の方の振る舞いにあるということを理解して欲しい。
電車内で大きな声で話していませんか？大きく足を開いて座ってませんか？
周りの日本人と違う行動をしているのではありますか？周りに遠慮せず大きな声で足を広げて、または組んで座っている人の隣には座りたいとは思えません。これが日本では普通でマナーですが、残念ながら多くの海外の方はそれが出来ていません。なので避けようとします。それが差別的に感じるようですが。
そもそも、自分たちの差別は棚上げされていることが気になります。
海外では意味がはっきりとしている言葉による差別があるのに、日本人の｢行動｣という相手の受け取り方によっては意味合いが変化する曖昧なものを同じように差別と断定するのは考えが浅はかだと感じました。
マスクつける気すらないんだからそういう姿勢の人間とはわかりあえないよ
自分たちが差別にありふれた社会に生きてきて、それを是正することをよしとすることを覚えた人間が、今度は日本という「アメリカ様より未開」な国に「お前らは差別主義者だから、俺たちが文明を教えてやるよ＾＾」という姿勢になっただけ。捕鯨問題や人権問題、ジェンダー問題、環境問題すべてに通じるよ。「自分たちが教えてやる」という姿勢は百年前と何かしら変わっていない。白人マインドを黒人も手にしただけ。そして、一部のアメリカナイズされた出羽守もね。
彼らは感情論で動きがち。
例えそれが周りに迷惑をかけるようなことでも、「可哀想」だと勝手に認定したら、その「可哀想」だと思った対象に対して露骨に善意を向け、「私達は優しい！そうでしょ？」って感じでアピールする。
ポリコレとかもそうだね。
I'm Japanese. In my opinion, I think that foreigners are positioned between people who actively avoid and ordinary Japanese people. There are various types of people that I want to actively avoid, such as those who behave strangely, are badly dressed, have a large body, spread their legs wide, or have a strong smell. Rather than being a foreigner, it is bigger reason to avoid them because they are big or have a strong smell. Also, I avoid sitting next to a foreigner than a normal Japanese person, but rather than someone who looks scary. Basically, I sit next to a normal Japanese person, then next to a foreigner (someone who isn't big or doesn't smell), and if it's not vacant , I stand.
I think there are many people who unconsciously choose who to sit next to and avoid . I think it's a human defensive instinct, because this kind of thing happens even outside of Japan.
How do you define "behaving strangely" and "bad dressing" ?
@@kalinga2nihonbehaving strangely probably like how crackheads act or just a weird person and badly dressed as in looking homeless I guess that’s what he’s trying to say ?
@@kalinga2nihon
Person on the phone on the train.
Person who talks alone all the time.
Person speaking loudly.
Hip hop culture fashion.（In Japan, there is a perception that hip-hop culture is strongly associated with drugs.）
These are not very popular behaviors in Japan.
However, this is not limited to foreigners. Japanese people will be equally disapproved of this kind of behavior.
My English is so bad so I'm using a translation. Sorry if it is hard to understand.
it certainly is a defensive instinct. Man, don't forget that the "foreigners" dropped 2 atomic bombs on your heads, killing about half a million civilians... I would also be afraid, mistrust and look at them with suspicion, especially the Americans or their descendants who have military bases in Japan (and in half the world by the way). They must appear barbaric in the eyes of Japanese society and it's 100% normal.
I once experienced sitting next to people from other country who had a very fluffy hair style, and she always moved her head talking to her friends over alleys and so every time she moved her head looking right, looking left, her hair brushed my face. And also she talked loud and didn't sit still. So I was getting unhappy sitting with her next to me. Since then, I've watched people if they have big fluffy hair styles and sit straight before I am seated. People includes Japanese.
Fluffy hairstyle as in Afro ? Something I have a big Afro as well, but I mind my gestures when on trains , cause everyone have to be comfortable. That was not cool of her
That would annoy anyone including other foreigners and in any country.
Ew, I would be so annoyed and grossed out, too! Can't fault you one bit, because it isn't just a matter of annoyance, that's also unhygeinic.
In Germany usually try to sit a sit further in train to not bother each other. For me I oftener stand because we're already sitting all day, no? :)
I want to visit Germany someday
@@Yllah yes def do! we have many friends in Germany and everyone is very helpful most of the time (except the noisy teenagers clad in Nike :> )
There is discrimination against Asians in America and Europe, but not everyone is like that
Even if there is discrimination against foreigners in Japan, not everyone is like that.
Well said.
I get what you trying to say and nobody is ignorant of discrimination elsewhere in the world but for this video, it would be nice to know why it happens in Japan. Stating that there is discrimination elsewhere does not help us get to the why part.
@@maysethusha9718 It's always the response from "Japanophiles", load your sentence with "but this happens in other countries too!", because the romanticised image of Japan cannot be judged directly, in the eyes of these people.
Just no. You sound like the kind of person who says “white lives matter” and “not all men”. Clearly defending against some attack you falsely perceived on your idealized image of Japan. Invalidating peoples experiences by saying “but decent humans exist too” isn’t serving anyone.
I think it's not that foreigners "looks scary" for Japanese.
I think it is scary for them. The situation. In their head.
Many of them are scared, not of the person, but the possibility of egagement. It is language barrier. And language barrier is scary for many Japanese.
Its my Second Video from you and i really enjoy both
Hey! Great video. Looking forward to viewing more of your content. One thing that may be at play here with the Japanese avoiding or disliking foreigners is long memories. Many older people may remember WW2 and the US occupation. Yes, that doesn't account necessarily for the avoidance of people who are not from the US, but just as I cannot tell if an Asian is from Japan or Korea just by looking, neither can they tell where some random black/African or white/European person is from.
I lived in Japan for 3.5 years as a foreigner and traveled to many prefectures as well but Gaijin Seat never happened to me. I’m a brunette Caucasian but as short and as petite as most of the Japanese girls, so maybe it was the reason. There were even times when Japanese people would squeeze themselves between me and another Japanese just to have a seat on trains. Interesting that people in Japan ask for permission to seat next to you on buses and they always did that in my case.
Haha, I rarely get gaijin seated because I hate sitting right next to someone and usually scootch away before they get a chance to. 😂
🤣🤣🤣 great strategy
I had one instance where a guy was walking toward me to sit next to me, then he saw me and he seemed to abruptly change direction and go for a different seat, lol. But it wasn't a consistent phenomenon or anything for me.
外人シートって日本名つけられてあたかも日本特有の現象みたいに言われてるけどぶっちゃけこんなんどこでもあるぞ 俺は2020年から2021年までヨーロッパにいたけどガチでバスや電車で露骨に避けられたもん アジア人は普段からやられてるんだよね...俺らはこんなことでいちいち文句言わないけど 人間は他の人種見ると警戒してしまうんだよ これは生物の本能だから仕方のない事だと思うけどね
この恐ろしい状況があなたに起こったことを非常に残念に思います。 特に2020年には、アジア人に対する嫌悪感が強かったことは知っています。多くの人がコメントで、他の国でも同じことが起こったと言っています。 これは日本だけでなく、世界中の多くの移民に起こっています。 あなたの考えを共有してくれてありがとう。
本当にその通りなんよなぁ…😅
自分が電車に乗ってるとき、隣に座ってた外人が向かいの席が空いた時そっちに移動したことありましたが、あれは日本人差別だったのかなｗ
まあ冗談です、日本の電車ではよくあることなので。
さて、私は外人が好きだし、あなたのような美人が隣に座ってくれるのはむしろ嬉しいくらいですが、いくつかの要因は心当たりがあります。
日本人は隣に知らない人が密着することは好きじゃないです。騒がしいのや匂いがきついのも苦手です。
スマホを触っている外国人もいますが、電車の乗り換えを間違えたのか急に私に英語で話しかけてくることもありました。多くの日本人は英語で話すことは得意ではないです。
それから多くの外人が気づいてないのが不思議なのですが、周りの日本人と比べて大きな体格だったりしませんか？ 隣に座ったらシートが狭く感じることありませんか？自分自身だけじゃなく他人も窮屈にさせるのは日本人は迷惑だと思ってしたがりません。
あと日本人は海外の文化やマナーを知らないので、隣の外国人に失礼なことをしてしまったらどうしようかと考えます。まあそれが外人シートと言われて差別だと思われてるのは皮肉なことですが。
もしどれにも当てはまらないのに座らなかったのなら、そのときは仕方ないですが、外国人が苦手な人だったのでしょう。
I currently live in Japan, it's interesting that whenever I go to Tokyo I experience Gaijin seat a lot more than where I live in Nagoya. Tokyo, for me at least, isn't as foreigner friendly as I would have expected. I wonder why...
I don't experience gaijin seat either in Nagoya. But i usually stood up, or worr headphones. I don't like sitting next to people 😂
Never heard of the gajin seat so thank you for this video. Was in Japan already twice as a blonde young woman and never experienced something like this. It even happend multiple times that (mostly schoolgirls) fell asleep and laying their heads on my shoulder. Some woman even sat next to me and started conversations which was amazing.
Japan is a safe country and we do not like unpredictability.
Our greatest fear of all is suddenly being spoken to in English. Japanese people cannot speak English, but they make an effort to answer in English. Being spoken to in English on a quiet train with many people on it is like having to answer in a large university classroom in English that you cannot speak. It is inevitable that you want to avoid it.
The strong smell of perfume , people speaking to you in English, and the fact that you are large with your legs spread apart are all reasons why people do not want to sit next to you.
Some foreigners do not consider the situation of Japanese people, and if they feel uncomfortable, they say, "Discrimination!" This is probably another reason why we avoid foreigners. If they make a fuss about discrimination against us for acts that are not malicious, then it is better to stay away from them. There may be a lot of discrimination in other countries, but creating discrimination and turning people from other countries into racists with your own paranoia will only make the situation worse.
Bringing racist acts in your own country to other countries and saying, "It's offensive! Racism! "is selfish thinking.
If a Japanese person went to another country, he or she would investigate the situation in that country and make sure that his or her behavior was not wrong. The basic rule is "when in Rome", do as the Romans do.
That is what I wanted to say as a Japanese. Thank you.
The most "Japanese" answer I could imagine. Make the offended party feel guilty for being "selfish". Absolutely insane.
@@fazbell Offense is taken, not given. If you take offense to something where none was meant whatsoever and you try to justify it through a prism that is familiar to you but not applicable to the situation at hand, then yes, it is you who should step back and re-examine the situation and your own behavior.
Japanese culture values 反省 which very roughly translated means self-reflection. When an unpleasant situation happens, first examine how your behavior and actions may have caused it or contributed to it. On the other hand, westerners are highly confrontational, rather than defuse a situation they escalate, even if they are not right (wholly or partially).
And the irony is you are doing the same, you got a genuine Japanese point of view which is not invalid and gives you a better understanding of the other side, but here you go completely missing the point and dissing a hole culture while at it. Great job.
But this concern is being raised by foreign residents of Japan who find themselves avoided on trains *despite following the rules*
Taking your own anecdotal experiences with bad actors and then generalizing those into a practice of avoiding all foreign residents based merely on their outward foreign appearance and nothing else is in fact discriminatory.
And this whining defensiveness is extremely annoying and pathetic. You’re in the majority and nothing is going to happen to you even if you continue to discriminate but you still feel the need to whine about CZcams videos that have no actual effect on your life
@@Andrew-jb2iy Is it really though? As a foreign resident myself that has been here for close to a decade, the only ones I hear complaining about this are Americans, especially non-caucasian. Again, if you have a strong smell (does not matter if B.O. or perfume or detergent), or are loud, or overflowing into MY seat, look like you got a chip on your shoulder or look like trouble then don't be surprised if people want a bit of distance.
You make it sound like all Japanese discriminate against all foreigners, which is simply not the case. As a tour guide, I've met thousands over thousands of foreigners in Japan over the past decade. We never had a problem with this, and the only ones bringing this up and immediately crying racism were...surprise surprise, African Americans. And not single one of them was "Japanese size".
Regarding the bad actors - that's called learning. Yes, blanket stereotyping is not good, but it exists for a reason. If you have repeated bad experiences with any group (no matter what that group is, whether ethnicity, religion, gender, or a species of ferrets for all I care) you will be more wary around that group. If you buy only Ford cars and each of them breaks down on you and even burns down, you as sure as heck won't look kindly on someone who comes in all high and mighty and starts breating you about your experiences.
These clickbait videos insinuating that Japanese are inherently racist are just clickbait to get views, sympathy and outrage.
I've lived in Japan for 20 years now and I find many people including myself would rather stand than squeeze into a seat right beside someone. It's not really about not wanting to sit next to a foreigner, it's more of a comfort/personal space thing. Of course, there are some people who may feel uncomfortable around foreigners but that's not really surprising because of how homogeneous the culture is here.
Za Stando
Went to university here, lived here several times, for years at a time. My arms are visibly tattooed. Never in my life have I experienced this or heard of gaijin seat. I have friends from all over the world, all different ethnicities and none of them have ever mentioned this. If this is a phenomenon then it'd say it's perhaps only happening in the countryside or under very specific circumstances. Funnily enough I myself will not sit next to gaijin because I don't want to have a conversation lol
Thanks for sharing your experience
A few of them mentioned that some Japanese may be apprehensive as they don't speak much English. If I may add a point to that, I notice, that many Japanese who feels their English is inadequate find it _embarrassing_ ; this is quite common in Japan.
Those people are often afraid they may make fools of themselves in front of other _Japanese_ .
Off course it's ridiculous they would feel that way, but it's often ingrained in their mind - ironically, I suspect, that years of English classes they spent in school may be part responsible for that.
Thanks for the great video about paranoiac weird gaijin!
I honestly feel its because of the language in most cases!! They might be nervous in case they get asked something!
日本にいる99%が人種的にアジア人で民族的に日本人だから、外見が全く違う人々に違和感を全く持たないってのは難しいと思います。アメリカやヨーロッパと日本の人種的な多様性の違いがあるので。
それでも他の人種の人々や外国人の人に対して偏見などを持つことがないように日本人が努力すべきではあると感じます。今の世代は結構グローバルに物事を考えてる人も多いのであまりそういう外国人に対する違和感なども少ないと思います
I know a lot of people are scared you will speak English to them, but there are some that sit there and then try to speak to you to practice their English. The problem is I really do not want to talk on the train I already stand out enough and you are not supposed to talk on the train in Japan. (I normally would be happy to help someone practice but following decorum is important in Japan)
Why try to make Japan like America????
Exact. Thank God that Japan exists and if that country is what it is, it is precisely because Japanese people live there..
I used to get gaijin seated regularly up to the point I expected it and sometimes got annoyed by the brave souls that decided to sit next to me 😂. Still one time I gaijin seated myself two seats away from a lady and she still got up and moved across the train. It’s definitely xenophobia in my opinion. Japan is safe but there is a level of anxiety that comes with being a foreigner there.
I am a female german and lived/worked in Japan (Sapporo) for one year, also travelled there several times. People did always sit next to me in the train and bus. I was even annoyed sometimes because i wanted to sit alone, there was so much free space but someone had to take the seat next to me.
Anyway, i dont think its about being a foreigner. Its more about your whole appereance. I am 1,60 cm small, skinny, actually body type same as japanese and dressed like the japanese. If you are a big, probably also overweight guy with beard (facial hair is not sooo common) then people could be bit scared and you have to consider the seats are smaller in Japan. Gender, cloth, body size, facial hair, tattoos, hairstyle, strong parfum/no parfume everything together is deciding if people sit to you
Lived in tokyo for 6 years and did not have this issue. I only heard foreign men complain about this issue and i learned about it from them, but never experienced it myself. I think people can be shy and men are more intimidating. I have my own bias too, i prefer to only sit next to women. Sometines japanese guys fell asleep on my shoulder and ive had bad experiences with sleazy men, including a stalker, that was not in japan, but trauma remains.
Also my friends and I were young and maybe innocent looking, not scary in any way. Also, I sat up straight, very properly. I studied Japanese etiquette from a master and there is a correct way to sit for a lady. I love etiquette/manners. Maybe my overall attitude and vibe helped me. Obachans loved me.
In general I also prefer no one sit next to me anyway, I like my space. I did not have this issue though. I'm thinking it's my manners and I'm not intimidating or "scary" or cold looking or even cool looking. I am tan skinned and middle eastern or indian looking so I experienced a lot of racism in other countries, including violence and it was bad.
I remember obachans smiling at me and saying I was good. It was my manners and posture that helped. When obachans sat across from me, they would look at me and smile, sometimes, not everytime. This became a strong memory for me. Japanese obachans are so kind and awesome!
I’m Japanese. According to this video, many Japanese people discriminate foreigners, but I think most of Japanese people don’t discriminate them. For Japanese people, it is natural to take space between the person next to them on the train. Some people may not like foreigners, but that is very rare. However this video tells me that most of people discriminate foreigners. So I felt very unpleasant. I think discrimination should be eradicated, but it is wrong to think that the other person is all bad. By the way, there is such a proverb in Japan. “郷に入れば郷に従え” It means that if you visited the region,you should respect the culture and customs of the region. Like these words, I think we should learn the culture and customers and respect it when we visit other countries. I’m sorry for my poor English.
It's OK, Lol.
You're guys are just way too polite & indirect, it's kinda cute😂