Smiling in Japan - cultural traditions vs friendliness

[Spaztick]

It does help to remember that Japan has had only 200 years or so of westernisation (sp?) and only about 60 years of Americanisation (sp? again), so it's hard to expect a Western country to be like ours when they've had a few thousand years of isolation in the Orient. Japan is however becoming I think more westernized with each generation. Now how this relates to smiling I have no idea, I've been met with a straight face and a face with all smiles from a Japanese student, and it still has me confused.

[Shibakoen]

Chotto off topic..., but I think it's pretty funny that here in the States it's "not cool" for guys to smile for pictures. Especially in the hip-hop crowd.

[nprz]

I always smile for photos. My alien registration card had the same picture as my passport, same with my school ID.... ack, I just double checked, no smile at all and my eye is twitching in the photo

If you are smiling and laughing to yourself on a train, then whoever you are facing might feel self conscious (no matter what country you are in). If you are really loud on a train talking in English, with or without giggling or laughing, someone is bound to get pissed off. Many are self conscious when you talk in English because they don't understand what you are talking about.

When I am walking by people though, most of them do not make eye contact or even acknowledge my existance. It doesn't bother me though otherwise I might be embarrassed for staring at them the entire time

I am sure foreigners in New York would say the same thing about Americans ignoring them on the streets. Too many people to give a damn.

[stanggirl70]

dragon89 wrote:
lol. I thought you weren't supposed to smile for passports/drivers license anymore. I want to pull a Naruto... if anyone knows what I'm talking about.

I'm going to do that for my next press pass photo. :p

[I-samu]

Meh, I got used to it.
Whenever I left the safety of my relatives' house, my serious face went on.

[Infidel]

Holy necropost batman.

[Harisenbon]

Holy necropost batman.

あれは、初心者の呪文だよ。:D