Tourist Season in Tokyo

[SugoiBoy]

I’m not sure Japan is becoming so much more popular than others... I think tourism is growing globally, especially because of the Asian countries development (Chinese tourists are everywhere in the world now). A better life balance starts to spread everywhere, which means more vacations for ppl.

Yes, there are more Mainland Chinese tourists in a lot of places around the world. For example, I saw plenty of them in Bangkok the last time I was in Thailand.

My understanding is that a few years ago the Japanese government eased up on the visa requirements for people coming from certain other Asian countries. Hence, more Asian visitors are coming to Japan.

 

[impish]

Kyoto was my favorite city in all of Japan to visit. I don't enjoy it so much anymore. You can't go to any of the shrines without there being huge crowds and makes taking photographs almost impossible. I find that Chinese tourists are the worst. They are pushy, loud and rude. I thought us Americans were bad, but I was sure wrong.

 

[impish]

My understanding is that a few years ago the Japanese government eased up on the visa requirements for people coming from certain other Asian countries. Hence, more Asian visitors are coming to Japan.

Also, a lot more people in other Asian countries have more money because all the manufacturing going to their countries.

 

[Durg50]

Kyoto was my favorite city in all of Japan to visit. I don't enjoy it so much anymore. You can't go to any of the shrines without there being huge crowds and makes taking photographs almost impossible. I find that Chinese tourists are the worst. They are pushy, loud and rude. I thought us Americans were bad, but I was sure wrong.

The two statements arent mutually exclusive.

 

[User#8628]

Kyoto was my favorite city in all of Japan to visit. I don't enjoy it so much anymore. You can't go to any of the shrines without there being huge crowds and makes taking photographs almost impossible. I find that Chinese tourists are the worst. They are pushy, loud and rude. I thought us Americans were bad, but I was sure wrong.

In Europe, British tourists have quite the reputation...

 

[jhingy567]

In Bali, It's the Australians....

 

[Sudsy]

In Bali, It's the Australians....

Everywhere Australians go in any numbers, it's the Australians.

 

[Ken1988]

In Europe, British tourists have quite the reputation...

Indeed. Not yet so in Japan to the extent that most Japanese believe "Oi!" is a Japanese word.

 

[Sudsy]

most Japanese believe "Oi!" is a Japanese word.

You wot mate?

 

[impish]

In Europe, British tourists have quite the reputation...

That doesn't surprise me in the least bit.

 

[DocMcStuffins]

Is ranting against tourist a way to look assimilated ?

Yes

 

[bdole]

Yes

That's pretty universal.

 

[cytusfubu]

just started living in Japan, and planning to go to Tokyo this golden week. I'm used to the pack streets and trains, but I'll never get used to those Chinese tourists. Seriously, they're everywhere.

 

[BIPSY]

You wot mate?

Hey now, I have evidence to the contrary...

 

[ur19877]

Here's my last story of freaking tourists from my recent trip...and though I am one, I have a bit of a right to be bitter when it comes to this story..

Saturday night we (Japanese girl...from a girl I met at a bar ) are at Golden Gai..
First stop...bar called Aces.
10 people at the bar. 6 foreigners and 4 Japanese.. Including my girl, everyone was speaking English. The other Japanese people found it to be good practice for an English lesson.
She was a bit irritated about how much English was being used and that is when I went into my "Japan is a beautiful country that will more and more discovered, you better get used to this" rant..
she was like whatever and we moved on....

2nd bar.. Less known bar that discourage foreigners, but doesn't invite them openly.. also a bit harder to find.
We come in and there was no one there...which was fine..
slowly..more tourists comes and the ratio was 8 to 2 (foreigners to Japanese), with only the bartender and my girl being the only Japanese people there..
One American guy comes in and starts chatting it away, talking with everyone, being his social self..
sits next to my girl and becomes social..I'm thinking bro...she's kind of busy, let's move on..
He starts to talk about where we met, how we keep our relationship going, etc etc.. then he starts to ask why I (me) haven't asked her to America for a visit..
I'm thinking.."dude, got a wife, a family, there are reasons why I haven't invited her over..." of course I don't have mental telepathy so he has no clue, except some cold glances here and there from myself..
this lit the match to some debates from her and I...but given our track record, it could have gotten a lot worse..

Bar Master explained that
1. Foreigners tend to smoke outside which increases fire risk and trash
2. Foreigners aren't thrilled to pay the cover charge and that is a bit hard to explain at times..

 

[faboo2001]

Just about to end my 2 weeks here in Japan, and I can totally relate to being annoyed at tourists.

Obviously I'm one myself and know I'm not perfect, but the way they "get in the way" just bugs me. I totally understand wanting to take pictures of everything or getting lost/confused, but what makes them think it's ok to stand in everyone's way? It's not even about how to act as a tourist or Japanese culture, it's common etiquette.

 

[Durg50]

Just about to end my 2 weeks here in Japan, and I can totally relate to being annoyed at tourists.

Obviously I'm one myself and know I'm not perfect, but the way they "get in the way" just bugs me. I totally understand wanting to take pictures of everything or getting lost/confused, but what makes them think it's ok to stand in everyone's way? It's not even about how to act as a tourist or Japanese culture, it's common etiquette.

Getting in the way whilst taking pictures isnt just tourists, locals do that too. Also the protracted goodbyes in crowded places, where they dont turn their backs on each other so they walk backwards slowly into a stream of people trying to get somewhere; that’s locals too.
Tourists, locals, doesnt matter. 80% of people whilst in any city do not give a fuck about people around them.

 

[Anna Summer]

Just about to end my 2 weeks here in Japan, and I can totally relate to being annoyed at tourists.

Obviously I'm one myself and know I'm not perfect, but the way they "get in the way" just bugs me. I totally understand wanting to take pictures of everything or getting lost/confused, but what makes them think it's ok to stand in everyone's way? It's not even about how to act as a tourist or Japanese culture, it's common etiquette.

Reminds me about these tourist groups I see on the west side of Shinjuku station. They tend to gather together in the middle of the way. Also when it’s the busiest time... and they don’t move away even tho they know, that they are in the way...

 

[matt_j]

Here's my last story of freaking tourists from my recent trip...and though I am one, I have a bit of a right to be bitter when it comes to this story..

Saturday night we (Japanese girl...from a girl I met at a bar ) are at Golden Gai..
First stop...bar called Aces.
10 people at the bar. 6 foreigners and 4 Japanese.. Including my girl, everyone was speaking English. The other Japanese people found it to be good practice for an English lesson.
She was a bit irritated about how much English was being used and that is when I went into my "Japan is a beautiful country that will more and more discovered, you better get used to this" rant..
she was like whatever and we moved on....

2nd bar.. Less known bar that discourage foreigners, but doesn't invite them openly.. also a bit harder to find.
We come in and there was no one there...which was fine..
slowly..more tourists comes and the ratio was 8 to 2 (foreigners to Japanese), with only the bartender and my girl being the only Japanese people there..
One American guy comes in and starts chatting it away, talking with everyone, being his social self..
sits next to my girl and becomes social..I'm thinking bro...she's kind of busy, let's move on..
He starts to talk about where we met, how we keep our relationship going, etc etc.. then he starts to ask why I (me) haven't asked her to America for a visit..
I'm thinking.."dude, got a wife, a family, there are reasons why I haven't invited her over..." of course I don't have mental telepathy so he has no clue, except some cold glances here and there from myself..
this lit the match to some debates from her and I...but given our track record, it could have gotten a lot worse..

Bar Master explained that
1. Foreigners tend to smoke outside which increases fire risk and trash
2. Foreigners aren't thrilled to pay the cover charge and that is a bit hard to explain at times..

Why would you go to Goldengai if you don't want to be surrounded by tourists?

 

[ur19877]

Why would you go to Goldengai if you don't want to be surrounded by tourists?

Because it isn't always the case... especially to the 2nd bar we went to...
Mind you, I don't mind being around tourists...though it may sound that way...
I actually like speaking English in Japan...it was just this one guy ticked me off.

 

[faboo2001]

Getting in the way whilst taking pictures isnt just tourists, locals do that too. Also the protracted goodbyes in crowded places, where they dont turn their backs on each other so they walk backwards slowly into a stream of people trying to get somewhere; that’s locals too.
Tourists, locals, doesnt matter. 80% of people whilst in any city do not give a fuck about people around them.

Oh, by no means was I suggesting that locals aren't to blame as well. But usually when I see people act in such a way, they're not exactly speaking Japanese to each other.

Reminds me about these tourist groups I see on the west side of Shinjuku station. They tend to gather together in the middle of the way. Also when it’s the busiest time... and they don’t move away even tho they know, that they are in the way...

I remember being accused of being part of such a group several years ago at Shinagawa station (Keikyu Line to Haneda) by an old lady telling us that we were getting in the way of people. It made no sense though as not only did we intentionally gather far away enough from the ticket gates to avoid any issues, it wasn't even that busy at the time. She clearly had a stick up her ass like a cliche angry senior citizen (and MAYBE some racism was involved as some people in the group were clearly not Japanese, but I'll give the benefit of the doubt), and I would like to think that none of us here are as unreasonable on the matter as she was.

 

[Sudsy]

Why would you go to Goldengai if you don't want to be surrounded by tourists?

The tourist inundation is a recent thing. Golden Gai used to be the place you went to avoid them...

 

[BIPSY]

The tourist inundation is a recent thing. Golden Gai used to be the place you went to avoid them...

It’s been years since I’ve been down there but back in the day you almost needed an introduction to get in some of the places. Not like an “official” one, but just to avoid being treated like furniture.

 

[bergmann]

Getting in the way whilst taking pictures isnt just tourists, locals do that too. Also the protracted goodbyes in crowded places, where they dont turn their backs on each other so they walk backwards slowly into a stream of people trying to get somewhere; that’s locals too.
Tourists, locals, doesnt matter. 80% of people whilst in any city do not give a fuck about people around them.

Oh yes, lost count of the number of times I've disturbed a group of people doing the whole ojiki thing in the middle of the sidewalk and barged through thinking "meiwaku".

Meanwhile here in my 'burb in western Tokyo there's a white guy doing late shifts in my local konbini. An actual freakin' white guy.

 

[Sudsy]

Meanwhile here in my 'burb in western Tokyo there's a white guy doing late shifts in my local konbini. An actual freakin' white guy.

We have a Caucasian American girl in my local Family Mart. Really surprised, she's attractive, bright, and articulate. Why she isn't teaching or actually modelling for baito is beyond me, she'd easily make 4 times what she does bagging chicken and chu hais.