Leaving Valuables Unattended // Only in Japan
Today I was sitting at some cafe tables just outside the city library, inside an atrium connected to the library. It is an area I sit at often when I visit the library. Usually I am the only foreigner there, but today there was another foreigner, a young woman, at a table next to mine. After a while, she called to me: "Excuse me, can you watch my things while I use the restroom". I said yes and kept my eye on things until she got back.
Two things tell me she was a newbie. One: that she used the word "restroom". I've found that after awhile, many if not most foreigners start using "toilet" even in English. In Japanese they often use "toilet" to refer to the room, and we tend to adopt this after awhile.
The other thing that told me she was a Japan newb was that she worried about her things. No one who has been here for more than a year worries about this.
Here is a (revised) Quora answer I wrote on this matter a while ago. (see the original here)
Question: What is an "Only in Japan" moment?
When I first arrived in Japan over a dozen years ago, I witnessed something that at the time made me scratch my head but has since been employed by me many times.
I was sitting in a public space with some of my new Japanese friends. A guy a few tables over got up and left. I noticed he left his wallet and mobile phone on the table and commented to my friends that he must have forgotten them. I was going to get up and grab them to take them to him before he got out of my sight, something that seems natural to me and that I had done many times in the States when witnessing someone forgetting something. In my thinking, it's the nice thing to do.
My friends informed me that he was leaving them on the table to mark his spot, so that no one would grab the table while he was gone*. I was shocked by this. “Doesn’t he worry that someone will take them?” I asked. They just laughed at me and said “This is Japan. People don’t take things left behind by others.”
In the years since I have learned to do the same and routinely leave my wallet, mobile, laptop, or other expensive things when I leave to go use the toilet, order food, just walk and stretch my legs with the intention of coming back, or any number of things. I never worry that these items will disappear while I'm gone. The thought doesn't even really occur to me anymore.
Yes, I know I know… Japan has given me a very bad habit should I try this back home in the US.
(A somewhat related note: I'm not sure how true it is, but I have been told more than once by Japanese people than the reason for the lack of street crime in Japan isn't that Japanese are inherently more honest, it's that the yakuza controls such things very closely, and if street crime does start to go up, they get involved and punish the culprits in their own way... yikes)
*: In Japan, unless it is very busy, people usually won’t sit at a table if someone else is sitting there. So each person usually gets the entire table to themselves.
Ask Me Japan
Do you have any questions about Japan that you just can't find the answer to and are itching to know? Ask me in the comments and if I have any insight I'll address your question in another post.
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Hello @dbooster how are you ? have you tried getting your byteball yet? They have integrated with Steem. Anyway do you know if ICO are legal in Japan? I have joined a Token distribution of a coin called PosiCoin they say that ICO is illegal in Japan that is why they are doing Airdrops and bounties instead. Would you know something about this? Here is the site you might want to check it out. https://posicoin.org/.
I am also going to write an honest review on it soon. Actually the article I will write relates to the article you wrote here about Japanese people being too trustful. I think the PosiCoin founders and Developers does not speak english well and entrusted foreigners to ran their bounty program In which I saw some problems.
Hi @ankarlie. I'm good. You? It is a rough summer here, hovering around 30-35 (today was 37!) with very high humidity. But then again, Ph weather is probably a lot worse, eh? I already got my Byteball, but thank you for mentioning and making sure. Now I am debating on whether I should sit on it or sell it to buy more steem. What would you suggest?
Anyway, I really don't know well about crypto regulations in Japan, to be honest. I just did a google search and some results say ICOs are banned here, but other results say they are allowed but regulated. Hmm.... I'll tell you the guy who will know for sure: @kafkanarchy84. Graham—if you see this, do you know the answer to her question?
I will check out the link you give and will look forward to your review. Hah—yes, and some Japanese are far too trusting. See the above post I wrote. Trusting others to treat you fairly is baked into the culture.
That is great! I have withdrawn mine and sent it to may bitcoin wallet to pay for something. I have also helped a couple of steemians and got a whole lot more byteball. I moved it in the exchange but it seems that bittrex's byteball wallet is down. It reached $1k USD before I am not sure though if it will reach that price again. Right now it is only $120 USD as of the time of this comment.
Weather here is okay i guess maybe because we are so used to it already hahah. Anyway do you know of any cool or awesome crypto projects in japan that foreigners can participate for bounties and airdrops? I have been looking for japanese projects. A lot in people are recommending but all are written in Japanese I can't understand then LOL.
Few years back, I left a brand new iphone5 inside the cubicle of the toilet. Only realized it some 20 minutes later. Rushed back to the toilet and found the cubicle occupied. Waited a few minutes for the person to finish, and my iphone was still there, left untouched at the top of the toilet-paper holder. This can only happen in Japan.
I've done similar things, forgetting my iPhone two separate times at the park. 20-30 minutes later I rushed back only to, in both cases, find it sitting right where I left it. Only in Japan
But on the other hand do i know Japanese people who worry about leaving some bag or bagpack at their table when they are going to order something at the food court.
Here in my city, so apparently not everyone feels that safe and cozy, even not the locals
Yes, I know some folks who also worry. It is the minority, but yeah, some worry too much. In this area some people worry about Brazilians breaking into their house. Never mind that there is little proof of any recent surges on break-ins by Brazilians, they still are always worried about it. Some people just have to worry about something, eh?
True. It’s the unknown and the people who are not like them they worry about most. Maybe it’s the same everywhere
hope soon I also gone there in japan I want to travel another place
Hope you can :)
@dbooster
My friend also stays in Japan. I wish I can go there someday
Where in Japan is your friend staying?
Thank you for sharing this input about Japan. Though I have read alot about it, but soliciting or getting collective inputs greatly help each traveller during planning stage. It really help me alot, since I am starting to do some research for our future trip to Japan. Thanks a lot @dbooster
Glad to help :)
What a wonderful way to live @dbooster
I agree. It is nice.