Walking in crowded Japanese cities!

[MMM]

Originally Posted by japan1234567

I can't really see any objectivity in your answers! It makes no sense and I'm glad there are other JF member's opinions! Sorry!

What you are saying is, you don't like hearing the scenario you have created doesn't exist.

Here is the problem, the few places there are massive crowds contain peop,e that don't stare, gawk, look, or do anything that should cause a reaction in a foreigner.

The places that do have people that might stare, gawk, or look so hard it is noticeable don't have crowds.

Do you see the problem?

It is like asking what do the fresh clams taste like in St. Louis? There is no answer to that, as there are no fresh clams in St. Louis.

[Kayci]

Originally Posted by Nyororin

In reality, the level of crowdedness that the western media loves to show for Japan rarely happens. I recall watching a program following some group trying to make a show about Japan and they literally had to camp out for a few days to get the type of shot they wanted of the famous crossing in Shibuya. As surprising as it may be to some people, most of the time it isn't like that - and in most of Japan it is never like that.

Otherwise... Being in a crowd in Japan is no different than being in a crowd anywhere else. In another revelation that may stun many people, very very few people in Japan will even give you a second glance... Let alone stare at you. This is particularly true in the only place you would ever encounter a huge crowd like that - big cities. Foreigners in Japan are not nearly as rare and fascinating as many people would like to think. Unless you are doing something that will draw attention to yourself (say speaking loudly to someone in a foreign language, dressed inappropriately, acting strange, etc), chances are no one will even notice you.

You're definitely never going to find yourself walking about with hundreds of Japanese people coming toward you staring... Unless, of course, you're so incredibly unique and fascinating that the same thing happens back at home.

You probably get more stares in a very small town than in a big city, one could say? (Asking. Not assuming.)

[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by Kayci

You probably get more stares in a very small town than in a big city, one could say? (Asking. Not assuming.)

That is pretty much the case. Unless it is a small town that has some sort of tourist attraction that gets frequent foreign visitors, you are far more likely to be noticed in a small town than a large city.

But not necessarily out of shock and awe at your foreigness. It is more likely because they are wondering why you, most likely a tourist, are there.

[JohnBraden]

I guess the phrase, "lost in a crowd" gains some meaning here. Yes, I've been in that crossing about a dozen times and not once has anyone really looked at me. There are too many of me to make a difference. And there are too many people that even if you did look a bit different, it's hard to zero in on you before you've passed them.

When I was in small towns, I felt I was being looked at, but not totally uncomfortable stares either. The people of Nagahama looked at me a bit, but I looked at them right back, smiled, and greeted them. It was entertaining to see how they reacted. Some would smile back and nod, or respond, but some would freak a little and not know what to do!

As far as other crowded places I've been to? How about Asakusa close to Senso-Ji? Same thing. People aren't into people watching in Japan, as far as I know, as people in Paris for example. I believe they're into their own thing.

I just saw a program on NHK that shows creative videos and there was one of two girls dressed in black sheets covering everything except their faces. On their faces, they painted an extra eye. They were walking in different pars of Tokyo. One clip showed one on the other's shoulders crossing that famous Shibuya intersection. I only saw one couple look back at them as they passed them. Everyone else seemed to ignore them.

edit: This is the crossing the first time I ever saw it live. It was a Saturday in March and the stores were already open.... Pretty different from your OP video.

‪Shibuya crossing on a Saturday morning‬‏ - YouTube

[BobbyCooper]

Originally Posted by Nyororin

The only issue I can see with walking in a crowd in Japan would be if YOU had some sort of complex (positive or negative) about being around Japanese people. Being unable to behave normally not because you are unaccustomed to crowds, but because that crowd consists of *gasp* Japanese people... That would be your only personal issue.

mhh.. I had to pick up on that one Nyo.

What do you mean by that and how do yu think these "people" would act while walking across the street?? Or the most busiest crossing in the World which is Shibuya?

[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by BobbyCooper

mhh.. I had to pick up on that one Nyo.

What do you mean by that and how do yu think these "people" would act while walking across the street?? Or the most busiest crossing in the World which is Shibuya?

I meant pretty much exactly what I said. The only significant difference between being in a crowd in Japan and being in a crowd elsewhere is going to be your personal feelings about it. As Japan is not as crowded in most places and at most times as people tend to think, the crowds themselves are going to be pretty average sized in most cases. If you are completely unaccustomed to crowds and find that being in one is a stressful or exhilarating event - that is one thing. But if you aren't particularly effected by the crowd, but rather by what type of people the crowd consists of... That is going to be entirely down to your own complexes.

I haven't the slightest idea what a person who thinks like that would behave like in a crowd situation... If they would do anything outwardly noticeable at all. But I am sure there are plenty of people out there for whom the key point would not be the fact that they are in a crowd of people, but rather that those people are Japanese. I am sure some people would be scared by this, some freaked out by it, some made uncomfortable, some weirdly happy about, some aroused by it, etc etc. My point is just that a Japanese crowd is no different than any other crowd unless you have some thing about Japanese people.

[japan1234567]

Originally Posted by MMM

Here is the problem, the few places there are massive crowds contain peop,e that don't stare, gawk, look, or do anything that should cause a reaction in a foreigner.

The places that do have people that might stare, gawk, or look so hard it is noticeable don't have crowds.

Do you see the problem?

It is like asking what do the fresh clams taste like in St. Louis? There is no answer to that, as there are no fresh clams in St. Louis.

I agree. I want to say the Thread should not be understood as something negative or as a criticism. The Thread subject went so far in other direction! But there is no problem. I was more interested to hear about multitasking!

Comments like there is no problem if there is a crowd or there are some people looking: I can find my way or the address which I'm looking for and so on! It means I can do my business and crowd does not affect my activities! Or maybe the opposite!

Anyway, I'm glad we can talk to each others and that everybody has the right to have his own opinion.

[BobbyCooper]

Originally Posted by Nyororin

I meant pretty much exactly what I said. The only significant difference between being in a crowd in Japan and being in a crowd elsewhere is going to be your personal feelings about it. As Japan is not as crowded in most places and at most times as people tend to think, the crowds themselves are going to be pretty average sized in most cases. If you are completely unaccustomed to crowds and find that being in one is a stressful or exhilarating event - that is one thing. But if you aren't particularly effected by the crowd, but rather by what type of people the crowd consists of... That is going to be entirely down to your own complexes.

I haven't the slightest idea what a person who thinks like that would behave like in a crowd situation... If they would do anything outwardly noticeable at all. But I am sure there are plenty of people out there for whom the key point would not be the fact that they are in a crowd of people, but rather that those people are Japanese. I am sure some people would be scared by this, some freaked out by it, some made uncomfortable, some weirdly happy about, some aroused by it, etc etc. My point is just that a Japanese crowd is no different than any other crowd unless you have some thing about Japanese people.

Oh Arigato^^ I understand now what you meant and completely agree with you of course.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by japan1234567

It means I can do my business and crowd does not affect my activities! Or maybe the opposite!

I find this response confusing. How would the crowd affect your activities? Are you saying THE CROWD would stop you, or block you? If that is the fear, don't worry, it is never going to happen. Even famous movie stars can walk around Tokyo without being accosted. (Tokyoites feel screaming and harassing famous people makes you look like a country bumpkin.)

However if you feel YOU cannot handle a crowd, then that is a different issues. However, Nyororin summed it up well. Yes, there are crowded situations in Tokyo at certain times in certain places, but even those places are very easily navigable during most hours and most days.

Looking at that Shibuya video is a little looking at a tornado and titling it "Life in Kansas."

[Kakashi]

Originally Posted by MMM

Here is the problem, the few places there are massive crowds contain peop,e that don't stare, gawk, look, or do anything that should cause a reaction in a foreigner.

The places that do have people that might stare, gawk, or look so hard it is noticeable don't have crowds.

This is what I noticed too. Being crammed into a train car in the morning was no big deal, I didn't get any strange looks and people seemed not to care. It was when there was a seat for everyone that I got people staring at me, some of them all the way to their stop, or mine, whichever came first.

Originally Posted by MMM

(Tokyoites feel screaming and harassing famous people makes you look like a country bumpkin.)

It's funny you should mention that, it's what my host sister did when we were in Kyoto.