i find its worse when you are way more handsome then they are.. in my case the majority ^^

NeoNecroNomiCron wrote:...I can cope with Japans staring at me 24/7. But and a big but, Why the fuck are gaijin the worst starers. Just this weekend I was waiting for the train in shibuya, with my Japanese girlfriend. And every single Gaijin that past had to have at least a 10 second stare...

Hey, that was me checking out your girlfriend for 10 seconds.

Both Japanese and gaijin do have an obscene amount of interest in FG/JPN coupling. Ya oughta see the stares I get as a quadruped albino skinhead alien with a babe in tow, he, he.

However, the more common complaint is the gaijin go out of their way to ignore each other. See "Smile when you see another foreigner" from Metropolis/japantoday.com "Tokyo Rants & Raves."

I feel uncomfortable around other gaijin in Japan. FOr one, I don't know if they speak English, I don't know if they are wierd (*note: Many gaijin are strange), and many don't look like they want to be approached.. most likely it is a defense mechanism they have to protect themselves in a foreign land.

I have spoken to a total of about a dozen or so gaijin strangers that I met in passing, and most of them were the friendly looking gaijin. The story is totally different for Japanese in America, from my experience. In my uni days, all the Japanese students got together and shopped, talked, etc...

They would talk to each other in passing and so on. Chinese students, Koreans, Africans, etc.. were the same. I think it stems from the individualism we all cherish so in our respective countries that creates this atmoshere of leave me the hell alone.. I need my space.. stop starring at me... WTF are you looking at... step back... etc...

If we were from cultures where it is normal to stare, normal to bump and get close, where group dominates the individual I think our attitudes would be different and we could bond more easily based on being similar, in this case being Gaijin.

As for starring.. do you ever think that maybe they find you unusual.. and are a break from the norm? There are not that many mixed couples in Japan and when there are, it is unique. Consider it flattery rather than something negative. Strut your stuff.. LMAO

NeoNecroNomiCron wrote:But and a big but, Why the fuck are gaijin the worst starers

Maybe you should look into having that mole removed from your nose.

Hey buddy, to paraphrase that great (albeit a fag) 19th century literary wit Oscar Wilde: 'there is only one thing worse than being stared at, and that is NOT being stared at!'
In other words: You love it really!

That whole thing about gaijin not wanting to sit next to each other on the train doesn't apply to me (unless it's the kind of f*ed up gaijin I wouldn't want to have people mistakenly take as my friend---you people know the kind). Usually, the last open seat on a train is next to a gaijin, so I just park my ass right next to them--usually, it's a hell of a lot more important to grab an open seat than to worry about who is next to me (previous exception, notwithstanding).

Sometimes the "last open seat" problem is so obvious, it's painful. I remember being on a packed train car with every seat but one occupied--and that open seat was next to a black guy who seemed to be of African nationality. I sat down right next to him and enjoyed a pleasant ride home thinking, "their loss, my gain".

kamome wrote:
Sometimes the "last open seat" problem is so obvious, it's painful. I remember being on a packed train car with every seat but one occupied--and that open seat was next to a black guy who seemed to be of African nationality. I sat down right next to him and enjoyed a pleasant ride home thinking, "their loss, my gain".

Yeah, every morning on the Hanzomon Line it starts filling up around Kudanshita and the empty seat next to me usually remains empty all the way til I change at Nagatacho. But I couldn't care less.

Today on the Marunouchi Line a salaryman had a lizard clinging on the back of his coat just above the bottom. It was small, and not moving. I thought it was a toy at first. But when I got closer it moved a little. Then the salaryman asked what I was looking at (I think he saw me in the reflection in the window). I told him he had a lizard on his back. So he mumbled something, took off his coat and when we got to Shinjuku San-Chome he tossed the reptile onto the platform. As the doors closed nobody had yet stepped on it. I should have probably grabbed it and tossed it in the bushes near my office, but I thought of that after the doors closed.

Taro Toporific wrote:Here another fun quote on this problem from....Status Among Expats
What kind of gaijin are you?

I answered all the questions and when I checked the results I was off the scale Both Ways



God I'm one fucked individual.

Captain Japan wrote:Yeah, every morning on the Hanzomon Line it starts filling up around Kudanshita and the empty seat next to me usually remains empty all the way til I change at Nagatacho. But I couldn't care less.

On a Hanzomon line trip last month, I had an OL standing right in front of the fairly wide, empty space next to me (the only one in the train) for 3-4 stops. No other seats seemed to be opening up, so she did the only thing a sane person would do: she put her bag in the big space on the seat, and kept standing. 2 stops later, the passenger on the other side of the bag left, so she sat down, leaving the bag as a barrier between me and her. I had a really hard time trying not to laugh out loud. Anyway, this is "discrimination" I don't mind at all.. no gripe whatsoever with having a nice open space on a crowded rush hour train. You gotta take advantage of all the benefits of being a gaijin!

Anyway, I partially buy into the story that when this happens, often it's because the person is avoiding a situation with a risk of being spoken to in English, a fate worse than death. Today, at my followup emergency room visit (after I confused my finger for a piece of bread on the cutting board yesterday), the doctor admitted he was pretty stressed out when he saw my katakana name on the list. He was pretty relieved that he didn't have to speak English to me once I showed up.

Anybody think there's any validity to this theory?

Haven't had any problem. White, 5'7", playing with keitai, there's always somebody next to me. Maybe Hamako don't have a problem with foreigners?

The only time I have ever experienced this is when my salami fell out in front of some J-riders of the Chin Chin Express LMAO.. only kidding.

I think they are scared of speaking English more so of you being gaijin.

cstaylor wrote:Haven't had any problem. White, 5'7", playing with keitai, there's always somebody next to me. Maybe Hamako don't have a problem with foreigners?

We're practically twins (including the keitai part)! Perhaps people are taken aback by my natto scent.

NeoNecroNomiCron wrote:It says somewhere kissing in public is extremely taboo ...Why do Japanese hate affection so much?

Wari wari nihonjin... Hey, they're Japanese. They don't need a reason. Let's just say that it VERY possible to have sex before your first kiss. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more.

I get stared at a lot, especially when I was with a gorgeous chick half my age. On the other hand, I also stared a lot particulary when I was a in a very fine restaurant and saw this moronic gaijin dressed in a jeans, T-shirt and baseball cap with a very fine looking and dressed in Chanel thirty-something Japanese girl. I stared so much that even my then-fiancee told me not to stare.

can't disappoint, must comment on race... the vast majority of those black guys you see in japan are africans, so (and I may be reaching here) it could be that many of them are still getting used to seeing different kinds of white people in-person just like the japanese are. I met 'very few' american blacks (veeeeery, very different from africans) the times I've been in japan. most are in the military, and just a few (tiny amount) are eikaiwa teachers. in fact, most of the time japanese strangers on the street 'were' able to tell I was an american black, they assumed I was military (I know because I'd hear them say it to each other in japanese). still, I have to note that the africans even stared at "me" way too much. I'm the same height as you, with the skin color of actor will smith. "many" times the africans stared at me like I was an alien, and when one did say something to me, he basically approached me as if I an alien. some africans are really cool, some are complete assholes, same as any other group of guys.

The WORST stares I've gotten is when I'm with a hot japanese girl. DAMN. the haters emerge from every nook and cranny. if you're by yourself, people stare and move on. but if you're with a hot, and I mean hot by japanese standards not just some gaijin fetish hot, then japanese people look at you like your walking around town with freshly stolen bags of money from their local bank. (hmmm, I guess, in a way, you are!) But the most refreshing thing about japan as an american black guy is that, finally, white people don't stare at "me" so much. they're so busy getting stared at themselves by the japanese they have little time to shoot me firtive glances of 'is he gonna mug me' or something. hard to really believe if you're not an american black, but believe me, I'm not making it up, the lack of constant scrutiny from whites was palatable. all that said, the vast majority of japanese and gaijins (of any race) I run across in japan are absolutely nice to me and are totally cool, so the few weirdos don't affect me that much. the nicest random gaijin stranger I met (which started with a stare) was this old white dude musician from canada. man, we spent about an hour on this bridge in the middle of shinijuku (freezing weather) just talking about being a fucked gaijin in japan. to some degree, I love japan also for the opportunity it gives me and a guy like that to drop our western baggage and just connect as fellow gaijins. there is an upside to being FG.

jim katta wrote:I love japan also for the opportunity it gives me and a guy like that to drop our western baggage and just connect as fellow gaijins. there is an upside to being FG.

Now, have you carried that back on your trips to the U.S.? I have, and the people I talk to at home give me some strange looks, like "why is whitey talking to me?" kind of thing.

The WORST stares I've gotten is when I'm with a hot japanese girl

I guess I'm lucky. When I go out with Chisato nobody stares at me. Actually nobody even notices me.

Steve. People know you and know you are cool. Thats why they don't stare.

As an American black guy, I must say I agree with Jim. Living in Japan was very refreshing.

As far as getting stared at. At 6 foot 9 (or 10 depending on who's measuring) I get stared at no matter where in the world I am.

My wife is 5'1", so we get stares. I don't mind most.....but I DO mind the old oyaji with their "hater" stares. So I ask them what they are looking at. Or I stare at them like a baseball manager. I spread my legs, rest one hand on one leg and my elbow on the other knee....lean toward them and look dead at them. They get the picture real quick because I do it rather slowly and deliberately.

jim katta wrote:the vast majority of those black guys you see in japan are africans, so (and I may be reaching here) it could be that many of them are still getting used to seeing different kinds of white people in-person just like the japanese are.

Reminds me of when I walked down Takeshita Dori last Saturday afternoon.. a young black guy (quite obviously African) was practising his American slang on me as I walked past... poor guy was quite nervous and gave me a halting, "S'up"

Now I know what "s'up" means, "What's up" (as in "what's up Doc?" curtesy of Bugs Bunny fame) but I really think it is a bloody stupid expression..

It is nearly as bad as the Australian aisatsu "Whaddya know?" which is such a dopey expression.. what is the correct response to this?

I tend to answer.. "Well actually I know that you can't rollerskate in a buffalo herd and eggs don't bounce"

To my American friends - please tell me the most appropriate response to, "s'up"?

GomiGirl wrote:

jim katta wrote:the vast majority of those black guys you see in japan are africans, so (and I may be reaching here) it could be that many of them are still getting used to seeing different kinds of white people in-person just like the japanese are.

Reminds me of when I walked down Takeshita Dori last Saturday afternoon.. a young black guy (quite obviously African) was practising his American slang on me as I walked past... poor guy was quite nervous and gave me a halting, "S'up"

Now I know what "s'up" means, "What's up" (as in "what's up Doc?" curtesy of Bugs Bunny fame) but I really think it is a bloody stupid expression..

It is nearly as bad as the Australian aisatsu "Whaddya know?" which is such a dopey expression.. what is the correct response to this?

I tend to answer.. "Well actually I know that you can't rollerskate in a buffalo herd and eggs don't bounce"

To my American friends - please tell me the most appropriate response to, "s'up"?

Although I am not american I think its s'up, back. Have you seen the string of budwizer ads with people screamin wazzzzup. Now that is an anoying expression. But there is a redneck s'up and a black s'up. if you were black you could retort s'up nigga' but I dont think it would go down well otherwise... Deffination of sup

A true story, i was in the kabukicho and a black guy goes up to a black tourist and says 'where are you from bro' in a heavy african/french accent, you know the one. The black tourist says 'I'm from the congo' the first says "noo wai im from nigeria you gotta go to me club...".

The shortly after says to me "remember me we are good friends you gotta go to my club" and proceded to phyicaly drag me furthur into the kabukicho.




this story is pointless comments welcome.

Sup? Standard stupid greeting, just like a "How are ya?" can be more of a "Hi" than an inquiry. Just reply with a "G'Day" and she'll be right.


As for the stares, I really don't notice very often. But then, I'm the type that will never notice someone I know before they notice me. Off in some hazy dreamworld.

Almost every morning on the way to work I pass my landlady coming the other way. I haven't once seen her before she greets me with a cheery "Ohaio gozaimasu!".

Usually she's heading back from the park with clippings from the local shrubbery. Is this a normal practise? Considering the people to park ratio in Tokyo I've got to wonder how the parks survive the hacking if it is. And how they get so overgrown.

Hey! check this out...time for a real story!

Last night, my beautiful next door neighbor came over to my place and we had a few chu hi's. No sex. She has a boyfriend and I don't play around with another guys girlfriend.

Well, after about a few...she said..." Hey! You have bushy eyebrows!"

Well, she then had to trim them until she thought I was better looking.

Today, the girls won't stop " checking me out" and at work...they are flirting with me. No...its not because I look like a women! I still have man eyebrows!

Before...my eyebrows looks just like any other American guys brows. Not heavy. Just regular. Man brows!

Well, now they look...smooth. Clean, trim. I mean trimmer!

This is what Japanese girls like. I thought it was money!

So when some stupid Japanese guy with an attitude is looking at you, and you think it is because you are a gaijin....just look in the mirror. It just may be your eye brows are not Japanese friendly!