I have visited Japan a few times, and I know, that despite me trying my best to be careful and friendly, i haven't been that enough, and I certainly have accidentally, especially unwittingly, misunderstood, inconvenienced, annoyed, offended, confused and caused additional work for Japanese people, in their public and work life. On each trip I learn something new to watch out for, and my communication skills increase a tiny bit. But this also means I have been ignorant of all this previously.
I do not know how to thank the Japanese people for the great kindness, patience, comfort and leniency they have granted me, and I do not know how to apologize to all those whom I have wronged.
I have been recently encountering articles and posts about the increase in tourism putting even more stress on the native population, and this concerns me, to the point of having considered not coming. But now I'm here anyway and thus part of the problem.
Visiting a shrine, and walking past a statue earlier, I've been thinking that maybe there should be placed, perhaps in Tokyo, as the gateway to international tourists, a "statue of the stupid tourist" – as an apology to the Japanese, but also a reminder to visitors.
On one side of it, similarly to how it is done in shrines, Japanese people could write and attach pieces of paper or wooden plaques (Ema 絵馬), listing the negative experiences and grievances with tourists they have had.
On the other side, tourists could put their experiences, with general or specific apologies or ideas.
I'd hope that such a place would benefit both sides, and demonstrate an awareness of and communicate each other's manifold problems and concerns.
by BakaTsurisuto