You know you’ve been in America too long when… From a Japanese Perspective

Posted on 29. Mar, 2009 @ 10:59 am by in Culture, Humor, Language, Society Views: 4,466


You know those, “You know you’ve been in [place] for too long when…” jokes?

Kayo from Osaka Life found some “You know you’ve been in America for too long when…” jokes written by Japanese people.

These jokes are an excellent insight into the cultural differences between the United States and Japan. If you don’t understand why a Japanese person would associate these behaviors or ways of thinking with being in America too long, do ask in the comments, and we’ll get some explanation.

The original Japanese links are here, and here.

Kayo translated a bit of the first one.

You’ve been in the U.S. too long when…
…you wear a T-shirt even in winter.
…you blow your nose in public.
…you don’t wear skirts any more.
…you feel you’re lucky when the train has arrived 5 minutes late.
…you think it’s natural to say thank you to a cashier in a supermarket.
…you use paper napkins like water.
…you are not surprised when you see a very fat person, and you feel you are slim.
…you don’t mind using a dowdy umbrella.
…you don’t even carry an umbrella.
…you feel uncomfortable when a shop staff bows to you.
…you go across a street when the light is red but there are no cars.

Here I have translated those in the second link of “you know you’ve been in America too long” jokes. I left the Japanese in for those so inclined.

Disclaimer: I just blasted through these translations as fast as I could, I don’t think anything is wrong, but I didn’t go out of my way to make them production quality or anything. I’ve actually got a real translation job I’m supposed to be doing at the moment… This is how I procrastinate…

1ヶ月現金を触らなくても不便を感じない時
You don’t feel inconvenienced even if you don’t handle actual cash for an entire month.

青や緑色の清涼飲料水を抵抗なく飲めるようになった時
When you’re able to drink blue or green colored soft drinks without hesitating at all.

ウエイトレスがショッキングピンクのマニキュアしててもギョッとしない時
When the fact that your waitress is wearing shocking pick nail polish doesn’t surprise you one bit.

日本の映画やテレビを見ていてどこか違和感を感じ、しばらくしてそれが左側通行だからと気付いた時
When you’re watching a Japanese movie or television show, and for some reason you feel something isn’t quite right… After a while you realize that it’s because everyone is driving on the left side of the road.

人に褒められて、謙遜せずに「ありがとう」と返す時
When you receive compliments from others you’re not humble at all and just say “thanks”.

コンタクトや眼鏡を新調して、矯正後の度の強さに驚かない時
When you have your glasses or contact lenses prescription adjusted, and the strength of the new prescription doesn’t surprise you at all.

本物の銃を見ても感動しない時
When you’re not excited or impressed at all when you see a real gun.

成田空港のトイレの綺麗さに感動した時
When you’re amazed at the cleanliness of the toilets in Narita Airport.

フロスなしでは完全に歯磨きしたことにならないと思う時
When you begin to think that you haven’t completely brushed your teeth unless you have also flossed.

親子丼をスプーンで食べる時
When you start eating Oyakodon with a spoon.

若い女の子がブラ紐丸出しでキャミソールを着ていても何とも思わない時。むしろ気を抜くと自分も平気でやってしまう時
When don’t think anything of young girls wearing camisoles that completely reveal their bra straps. To the contrary, when you let your guard down you find yourself doing the same as well.

帰国して公共のトイレを利用した際、まわりにジョボジョボ音を出しながらおしっこする人がいないことに気付いた時
When you’re back in Japan at a public toilet and realize that the people around you aren’t letting the water make a splashing sound when they’re peeing.

2007/10/01という日付の表記に違和感を覚える時
When find the the date format of, “2007/10/01″ a little strange.

靴屋に並ぶサイズ30cmぐらいの女ものの靴を見てもいちいち「でけーな！」と反応しない時
When you see a size 30 cm women’s shoe in the shoe store and you don’t even respond, “Geez that’s huge!”

「アメリカの料理はまずい」と言われて素で「そうかな？」と思ってしまう時
When someone tells you that, “American food tastes bad”, you think, “really?”

職場の自分の机に写真を飾り出す時
When you’ve got pictures decorating your desk at work.

この10年ぐらい今が平成何年なのかさっぱり把握していない時
When, for the past 10 years or so, you’ve had no idea what year it is according to the Heisei calendar.

スーパー等で列に並ぶと前の人との距離を50cm以上開ける時
When you leave a space of about 50 cm between you and the person lining up in front of you at the supermarket.

手持ちの服のスカート：パンツの比が1:4になった時
When your “skirt to pants” ratio becomes 1:4 (meaning you own 4 times as many pants as you do skirts, for girls of course).

ごみを種類別に分けるという習慣をすっかりなくしていることに気付いた時
When you have completely lost the habit of dividing up your trash.

Hilarious!

- Harvey

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  • http://www.readthekanji.com Joe Ellis

    You know you’ve been in Japan too long when you totally get these, but from the Japanese point of view…

    • http://www.asian-stop.blogspot.com OosakiNana707

      I havent gone to Japan, and I got all of these Jokes lol…. I’m not even Japanese.. hahahaha

  • Anonymous

    “When you have your glasses or contact lenses prescription adjusted, and the strength of the new prescription doesn’t surprise you at all.”

    Explanation, please?

  • Edward

    That’s funny. One with the way Western Men urinating…..

  • cbgb

    What one with the way American men urinate? Theres one about the recorded flushing sound in the stalls which says more about Japanese women than American men.

  • cbgb

    Very interesting list btw thanks for sharing.

  • http://www.japaneconomynews.com Ken

    When you can vote.

  • WC

    Actually, I’ve never been to Japan and I understand all of these. I don’t think understanding them has anything to do with having been in Japan too long, Joe.

    I definitely think this is a great look into their culture, though.

  • http://www.thesoulofjapan.blogspot.com tony

    I guess everybody has their own sense of humour. All of this is just sad to me, especially when they start acting caucasian and thinking that that’s better than being Japanese.

  • http://www.japannewbie.com harvey

    There is nothing sad about this in my opinion. It happens to anyone when they have lived in a foreign culture for a long time.

    After an extended time living in Japan and speaking Japanese many Westerners would find themselves taking on Japanese mannerisms, for example bowing while speaking on the telephone, or finding it strangely rude to be speaking loudly on a crowded train. There is nothing sad about that, it’s human nature to adapt to the culture you live in.

    cbgb has the flushing one right. Not only the fake sound but I think it’s Japanese to hit the flush -as you are- doing your business, so that it hides the sound from others who may be able to hear it. Mostly girls, but I have noticed guys doing it too.

    This perhaps isn’t so much about understanding Japanese culture as it is about understanding our own American culture.

    The glasses prescription I’m not so sure about, but it seems to suggest that in America our doctors give out strong prescriptions, especially compared to the previous one we had. I don’t know about this though. I have only bought new glasses in Japan once, and didn’t pay much attention to what my new prescription was going to be.

    Fun stuff, good discussion.

  • http://www.theswww.soulofjapan.blogspot.com mcalpine

    There’s nothing wrong with embracing Japanese mannerism, after all, these are essentially one of the basic charms of living in Japan – having good manners and a way of dealing with people is a good thing.

    On the other hand, and from being around so many Japanese in the States, I find that these analogies are very sad. One of my prof. who was 100% Japanese found it very difficult to re assimilate back into Japan after years of living in the States. She was so out of touch with mainstream society that she had a nervous breakdown and left Japan for good.

  • http://sleepytako.blogspot.com David

    …you think it’s natural to say thank you to a cashier in a supermarket.

    Eh, I do this in Japan. Doesn’t everyone?

    Funny list thanks for finding it.

  • http://jasoncollin.org Jason

    That’s one of the things I like best about having recently moved back to the U.S. from Japan, the end of constantly having to have huge amounts of cash on me. I left the U.S. just as debit cards were first coming into use, so they are new to me and they are great!

  • http://yoyokirby.wordpress.com YoyoKirby

    Although I do believe that this is a good example of cultural differences, I think that these jokes are simply saying that American’s are doin’ it wrong. Also, what does it mean “…been in America too long”? One could easily say “…been in Africa too long”. It sounds like the Japanese feel that they’re only correct.

    • Sarah Chapman

      And I think I’ve been in Texas too long! It is all a matter of perspective! Where is your sense of humor? It probably wasn’t written by a Japanese person anyway!

  • http://thenihon-suki.blogspot.com/ Mary

    Hahah this was pretty good I’ve been to Japan before and I can understand these. it’s a little insight into the cultural differences and mannerisms in Japan.
    I would also have to agree that this is just in Jest and there really isn’t anything to be sad about!

  • LB

    YoyoKirby, I take it you never saw the (very long) list of “You know you’ve been in Japan too long when…” jokes? Like “You know you’ve been in Japan too long when you get confused because you can’t wash your hands under a spigot on top of the toilet tank” or “…when you spread your knees as far apart as possible when riding your scooter”? I once even saw “You know you’ve been in England too long when…” jokes written by Americans, or “You know you’ve been in the North/South too long when…” jokes by Americans about America. It’s called “humor”, and has zilch to do with “Japanese (or anyone) feeling that only they are correct”.

  • http://wm-eddie.info Eduardo Gonzalez

    When I got my glasses in Japan I was arguing with the eye doctor for a good 5 minutes about how blurry everything was. He insisted that anything stronger would make my eyes tired. To which I replied “But I’ve been wearing these “strong” glasses for 5 years and have never once felt tired from wearing them.” The conversation ended with him saying “I’m a doctor, I know what I’m talking about.”

    I guess people here have sensitive eyes.

    I also always say thanks to store clerks, and I know it’s strange, I can feel it. (Because they just said “Thank you” to me.) But I have the urge to say something.

  • mozzo

    The prescription thingie is true! When I was living in Japan I had to get new glasses and I realized that the new glasses were a lot milder and after wearing them for a couple of days I couldn’t go back to my old glasses. The old ones felt like someone was squeezing my eyeballs and I wondered how I wore those glasses for 2 years.
    I like the Japanese prescription a lot more.

    • Sarah Chapman

      Interesting, because I just switched back to some contacts I had that were not as strong as what the doc just prescribed to me and the blurriness went away!

  • http://wednesdayafternoonpicnic.blogspot.com Will

    Yah, I was surprised by saying thank you to the cashier one too. Why is that?

  • Eri

    Very true!

    I was born in Japan but have been living in America (or away from Japan) since 1981, when I was a kid and the only Japanese person I had around me since was my mother until her passing in 1997. So you could say I’ve been Americanized almost completely. I must say though, some (Japanese) traits stay with you (semi-consciously) no matter where you go and how long you’re away from Japan. Thanks for the entertainment :).

  • Steve

    Why would a Japanese person associate “you think it’s natural to say thank you to a cashier in a supermarket,” with being in America too long?

    • http://www.japannewbie.com harvey

      Usually Japanese don’t speak to cashiers in shops. They just kinda nod and and keep it movin’

      • Ana Alcantara

        Oh man, I’m Canadian and I say “Thank you” to everyone all the time. A Japanese friend of mine thinks it’s hilarious that I constantly say “Thank you” to the cashiers.

  • LQ

    Yes, it’s a convention that Americans say “thank you” way too much (even French people are shocked, though British people not so much).

    Personally, I still feel nervous when I see a gun near me, but since it’s not too unusual to see a cop in a coffeeshop with a gun on his or her hip, I guess it’s a lot less remarkable here than it would be in Japan! (However, the first time I saw a big gun in person was … in China, when I saw a bunch of armed guards with machine guns. Go figure.)

    And no one should get upset over this–EVERY expat group makes these tongue-in-cheek “You know you’ve been in [country] too long when…”

    I detect a mix of enjoyment over being relaxed and casual in the US (photos, clothing, etc.) and missing some things from Japan (food, etc.). That’s totally normal.

    Very interesting–thanks for posting!

  • http://www.survivingnjapan.com/ Ashley

    Yeah, I always say thank you at the supermarket, but I don’t think they think it’s strange or anything. I’ve heard some Japanese people say thank you, but many who don’t too. Probably depends.

    The toilet thing – waste of water… women do it ALL the time. At least more places use the sound machines (although I don’t really think they cover up noise very well).

    Oh, and about the red light – People in Japan cross through red lights all the time. Especially kids and young people. Little confused that was there…

    And, dividing up trash. There is recycling in the U.S. I sorted trash and recycling as much in Seattle as I do in my current city in Japan. Maybe depends on where you are in the States (and the fact they don’t require it or penalize you for throwing out recyclables, aside some cities that have started doing it in the States).

    That said, this is a funny list! It’s nice to get the Japanese perspective.

    • Farang73

      Depends where you live.  Not all of Japan is the same. 

    • http://www.ahawkins.name Andrew Hawkins

      “Oh, and about the red light – People in Japan cross through red lights all the time. Especially kids and young people. Little confused that was there…”

      In Tokyo, I think virtually no one crosses against the red light, and a lot of people (wrongly) think that’s what’s true for Tokyo is true for the rest of Japan. But yeah, I was about to say that here in Osaka people cross against the red light all the time.

      • Michelle

        There’s a joke in a fave anime of mine, Azumanga Daioh, where Tokyo schoolgirls ask an Osakan transfer student if all Osakans cross against the red light. They’re also surprised she isn’t rowdy.

      • Caitlin

        That is completely wrong. I live in Tokyo and I was surprised at how easily Japanese people cross against the red light. I can’t do that (unless it’s a one lane and nobody is coming), but I see Japanese people do it all the time, even if cars are coming.

  • Someone

    … I didn’t get a few of these. Some of them weren’t too funny, but that first one was my favorite. “you wear a T-shirt even in Winter”. LOL, I’m American and I wore T-shirts a lot during Winter.
    Also, do Japanese girls really wear skirts that much? OwO

  • Daahood

    when you can’t point out Japan on a world map anymore

  • Methusta

    LOL cool…i love seeing different peoples views on things we do ^_^~ i want some more x)~~

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