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Ways to surprise the Japanese +
Want to surprise your Japanese friends? Or are you visiting Japan, and want to make an impression on the people there? What Japan Thinks has just published the top 20 things done by foreigners to surprise Japanese. Here are the top 10:
- Writing difficult kanji
- Bowing on the telephone
- Using dialect
- Speaking Japanese fluently
- Using proverbs, idioms
- Eating natto
- Habitually using chopsticks
- Getting drunk with tie tied around head
- Using Japanese era dates, not Western calendar
- Singing enka, folk songs
Among the top 10, number 6 stands out ot me. It suprises me when anyone eats Natto, let along foreigners. I like number 8 too, so salary man. Check out 11-20 at What Japan Thinks.
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June 24th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
About #20, how does one queue properly?
June 24th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
There are plenty of Japanese who don’t queue properly. I’ve had to throw a clothesline out there on some occasions.
June 24th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
#16 is downright hilarious. I’ve seen tons of Japanese violate #20 though. Frankly, I’d be surprised if THEY managed to do it properly.