Why Won’t Japanese Sit by Foreigners?

Why don't Japanese people sit next to foreigners on trains? Why does everyone get out of a hot spring when a foreigner comes in? We discuss 4 reasons Japanese people avoid foreigners in Japan.

Below are my affiliate links to learning tools I highly recommend:

FREE TRIAL in 50 LANGUAGES Pimsleur:

SUPPORT CHANNEL ON PATREON:

OTHER JAPANESE LESSONS:

CHINESE LESSONS:

ORIENTAL PEARL YOUTUBE MEMBERSHIP:

Gaijin Seat Interview Crazyllah:

Japanese Pool Interview Joyjoy:

Matcha Samurai Reaction:

[miked]

The first time I vacationed in Japan with my family was in 1982. I found the Japanese at that time to be so helpful and happy. My best experience was going to the train station in Osaka trying to go to Kyoto. No English written anywhere and only ticket dispensing machines. I stopped an old lady, pointed to the ticket machines and said "Kyoto". She took me by the hand, took my money and bought the tickets for me. Then on the train I asked a group of businessmen if any spoke English. One man said he did. I asked if it was the right train to Kyoto. He told me that we would have to change trains at a specific station. When we arrived at the station, he got off the train with us to find out which track we had go to for the next train. Then he stood at the platform where he got off and waited for the next train to continue his journey to work. I would never see that level of kindness anywhere else in the world.

[FlashInThePan-qu]

On very first trip to Japan ten years ago I got lost trying to find my hotel. Jet lagged and tired I decided to catch a taxi instead when an old man in his early seventies speaking no English noticed me. He then proceeded to walk me down three streets until finally arriving at my hotel. It was act of kindness that I shall never forget.

[tanatana]

I'm Japanese, but I sit next to them regardless of whether they’re foreigner or not.
However, I will never sit next to people who are pointing their cameras or making suspicious movements, and I will never get close to them.
Many Japanese also think the same way as I do.

[Czechbound]

In 1998 - 2000 in Ireland, an American work colleague would swing through every 3 months on part of his global work travel. I would take him out for a meal in the evening as he was on his own. A married guy, about 50 years old. 6'2" and 300lbs (very overweight). A really nice guy. He said he always dreaded going to Japan. He said because he was tall, he felt everyone looking at him. When he would wait at a crosswalk, if there was a woman standing next to him, 80% of the time she would touch his arm as discreetly as she could. He thought he was imagining it as if he turned to them, they would stare straight ahead. It happened a couple of times when he was with Japanese work colleagues and they said yes, he wasn't imagining it. "They probably think you're a Sumo wrestler, and it's good luck to touch a Sumo. So they are touching you for good luck" ...

[dragonsember]

The lady talking about her experiences in the 80s seemed so sweet. Must have been a very unique way to grow up.

[Dragonfly]

I worked at a nice hotel in San Francisco with many tourists from all over the world. At the time, I had very long, golden brown hair, down past my butt. A Japanese tour guide came to me one day and asked if I would please allow an elderly Japanese woman to touch it. She had NEVER seen such a color before! I agreed and stepped out from behind the desk....and was mobbed by about SIX tiny Japanese Grandmas, gently stroking my hair! They were all thanking me and bowing and giggling in the cutest way! I was glad to make their day!

[Cookieboymonster]

In the days immediately following Covid everyone wore masks on the trains all the time. On a trip through Tokyo suburbia there was a empty seat next to me. Directly opposite was a young maskless Japanese man who also had an empty seat next to him. People got on, looked at me, looked at him, looked back at me, then back at the maskless man. Three times out of three during that long journey they chose to sit next to me, the foreigner, rather than the maskless man. It was like a sociological experiment and all I was doing was sitting there.

[cheeneep]

As an introvert, I don't really mind people avoiding me on trains. But intentionally being rude to others definitely should not have a place in any society.

[lpg]

I was in Japan from 1996 to 1999, it was a great time. Nice video, thanks for sharing, subscribed!

[soulTC]

This is exactly what happens in Taiwan. I'm a small, non-threatening guy, conventional looking (no tatts, short hair, etc), polite, clean and well groomed, conservatively dressed, respectful and all that. I catch a highway bus almost every day, which means no standing passengers are allowed. The seat beside mine is ALWAYS the last to be filled. Usually, when the last passenger gets on and they realize that that's the only empty seat, they have an anxiety attack and stand there for a while looking around desperately to confirm that there are no other seats available. I've gotten so used to it now that it just makes me yawn and my only thought is "Grow up, please!" It's the same on the metro.

[kevinleberger]

We found the Japanese to be very friendly and welcoming to us, visiting Japan 2 years ago as a Welsh couple.

[timmyjackson]

I hate when people try to explain away racism because it makes them uncomfortable.

[unstoppable_sock]

when my bestie and I went to Japan, our first experience was on the train-we just sat next to a random local girl and passing our phones back and forth for translation and asked where we are supposed to go, she was very nice and helpful, there wasn't any avoidance at all !

[brendadegroot]

I became concerned about my size overnight when landing in Japan. From being "tiny" in The Netherlands to being "giant" in Japan was quite the experience!

[ThomasPublicThuene]

I had this kind of experience in Japan, but very rarely. More frequently I encountered people who were super friendly. Like the wife of the barber who translated for me and then was so sweet. Like the restaurant owner who helped to choose food, and then taught me how to eat it. The young couple in the train that started talking to me because I seemed a little lost, and then told me about all the beautiful things to see in Yamaguchi.
Japan is a wonderful place to visit. Sometimes strange, but always beautiful.

[KarlBergerson]

I'm a 78 year old American white guy living in Japan. I have to say the people here are amazingly courteous. It's a GOOD place to live.

[sharonconstan]

Love how you discuss the elephant in the room unabashedly. Refreshing while educating.

[jamesjin]

It's great to see everyone sharing their positive experiences travelling in Japan. I visited Tokyo and the nearby areas in 2023, and if I had to summarize it, it is what made me become passionate about learning other languages and cultures, because my experience of Japan showed me just how much a culture could differ from my preconceived notions in a positive way (being Chinese and learning about what imperialist Japan did in WWII didn't help of course).

However, if I had to pick one example, it would be an ordinary dinner at a sushi restaurant on our final day of the trip. We were on our way back from seeing mount Fuji and decided to stop at a pretty inconspicuous sushi restaurant tucked away in a corner of Yokohama. We spoke essentially zero Japanese and the old couple running the place zero English, but we were able to connect over an ancient Chinese poem that they had on the wall (《江雪》by柳宗元), and they fed us some amazingly fresh sushi, gifted us some fruits and snacks, and when we finished, they waved us out of the door. Despite we not understanding anything, I believe that they really wanted us to be back again.

The trip as a whole was compelling enough for me to start learning Japanese (previously I didn't have any particular interest in Japan, neither do I watch anime), but if there's one moment that solidified my interest into concrete action, that was undoubtedly it. Of course there's so many more wonderful things I would be able to experience in Japan had I knew the language, but if there's one thing definite in my mind, it's to revisit that sushi place and tell them how much their kindness changed my perception of their country and maybe even my life.

If you are ever in Yokohama, I recommend checking out Saburo sushi :)

[mattskalicky]

My daughter did a post graduate student exchange in Yokohama many years ago. On her last night her class went to a local bar. It was a mixed class of Japanese and foreigners. The owner got very upset after a while and started shouting at them. He didn't realise they spoke fluent Japanese. He was quite surprised when not only did they respond to him politely but firmly in Japanese but some of the patrons also came to their defence and told him to stop embarrassing himself. She said that was the only real "foreigner" issue she had the whole time she was there (about 9 months).

[Futre]

I live in Taipei. Many people think that if you sit by a foreigner you might have to speak to them and they are embarrassed at their English. That's my take. Also kids still shout 'foreigner ' now and again if I'm in a shop for example.