I understand that the trains and subways can be very overwhelming to navigate, especially when jet lagged or don’t speak the language. Is it so hard to move to the side? This is my first time living in a popular tourist destination but I would imagine that this happens most times places?
Thank you for listening to my silly rant.
by Powerful-Macaroon539
28 comments
Statistics.
Because they don’t know what they’re doing and are trying to work out what to do?
I’m tired of everyone dumping on tourists. Yes, many are annoying, but it’s easy to be high-and-mighty about not being a nuisance when you know how to get around Japan, as you live here.
Some people are oblivious. Others are flustered and trying to do many things at once. Perhaps some don’t care. But – they’re not all a scourge that need to be ragged on, constantly.
Japanese people are also tourists and plenty of them misbehave and act a nuisance , just like anyone else. Let’s take the recent sexual harassment of Japanese tourists in Thailand, as a recent example!
Anyway, I know this will be downvoted to oblivion, but I don’t care. Leave people alone. Stop acting as if tourists are ruining the perfect utopia of Japan.
It’s indeed poor judgment on their part, but they’re likely unsure of how to proceed through the gates as well as train routes. There’s also the fact that it could be their first step into such expansive tran stations, which can be disorienting. Kind of reminds me of elderly people stopping at gates trying to figure things out.
People are stupid
Its worse when you’ll be walking and someone just stops abuptly, in the middle of the store or the pavement.
I’ve walked into the back of people before because of this.
To play Devil’s advocate, a lot of Japanese people also randomly stop in the middle of busy areas while wandering aimlessly…
It’s because once they are in, they breath a sigh of relief and try to figure out the next step.
Step 1- get through the gate. Step 2- stay as a group and decide what to do next
Reason is probably because they are not sure how to use the machines, and why they don’t seem to care about being in the way is probably just because in some cultures you just don’t care as much about your surroundings and how your actions affects others, basically everyone else is an npc. In my experience usually Americans and Chinese.
I chalk down the difference to “people who have lived in a big city” vs “everyone else”.
People who have lived in a big city are aware that they are a droplet in an ocean of a hundred thousand people whose lives they are going to tangentially impact by their existence. I had a friend from the newest of Yorks pop up and he consciously started to whisper from the time I picked him up at the airport. He even noted that and said that the subway is pretty quiet later.
Meanwhile, I had a different friend from a rural Indian town visit and he had zero 空気を読む until I pointed it out for him. There was no reason for him to ever realise the concept of being noisy before.
Both people are decent chaps. It comes down to the awareness and and culture. Not nationality culture. Not ethnic culture. Just city people vs rural people culture.
Because they’re oblivious. In the same way as the locals that do their goodbyes right in front of the gates as well.
A lot of people are just oblivious and kind of self centered, especially when in large groups.
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because they are tourists in a foreign country who likely can’t speak or read the language. they aren’t doing it on purpose, they’re simply confused, tired, not paying attention to their surroundings, or all of the above.
i get it can be frustrating to see or be stuck behind, but give them the benefit of the doubt and try to be understanding
It’s not just tourists who do these things. My pet peeve is people who stop at the end of an escalator in department stores instead of moving out of the way of the people behind them. A lot of people are just oblivious & in their own little universe in their heads.
Japanese normally do it as well especially on pavements/sidewalks and suddenly stop in front of foot traffic out of nowhere.
Don’t get me started on Japanese drivers excruciatingly slow turns into parking lots as they search for a parking spot from the street and refusal to stop for pedestrians in my prefecture.
Because the old Japanese women have already cornered the ‘stop at the top of the stairs’ area of annoying behavior.
Train stations are busy places. There are plenty of people tourists and nontourists alike, thinking a bit and moving out of the way to orient and deliberate.
As a foreigner visiting Japan, I tried my hardest to respect the walking lanes and sometimes it felt like everyone followed the rules but other times no one cared and walked directly into me and I had to walk on the very uncomfortable center dividers to continue walking.
This sub is just gaijin complaining about gaijin
This isn’t just tourists… Japanese people do this as well and are arguably more annoying about it…
You were once a tourist too. Maybe you did the same things they’re doing without realizing?
As a tourist who had trouble at the shinkansen gate, i tried my hardest to move out of the way but there was just too many people surrounding me i literally couldnt move
> I understand that the trains and subways can be very overwhelming to navigate
Apparently not
They are annoying, but I think the reason is that most of them just don’t use trains often. Many of them I assume commute or get around by car or bus on the daily in their home country. Some of them I chalk up to being first time travelers.
Then add to the fact that these are ticket gates in a metropolis on busy lines combined with being travellers that need/ rely heavily on their phones.
So they stop around the gates to figure things out which is usually just a bad idea, poor planning and good old fashioned ignorant.
Once one enters a station you are the only person that matters. Secure your spot on the train. Even if you are right in the center of everyone trying to get off.
I don’t think this is just tourists in Japan the subway really is the place where the battle royale energy origin comes up.
That’s why I like the Japanese concept of KI WO TSUKAU. As simple as that.
You cannot understand how things work and you’re entitled to figure things out, but make space for others and don’t block the flow. Give way for others.
First time experiencing tourists?
cuz common courtesy isnt a thing anymore. Everyone thinks they are the main character these days. this isnt a tourist thing it’s a people have no self awareness thing
We have all been there already. Sometimes we are the tourist blocking the way. Sometimes we are the person behind impatiently waiting.
Or right at the end of the elevator without getting out of the way.
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