Japanese courtesy

[Serina Nagata]

I often hear that Japan is the most leading country in Asia in the field of technology and in some other fields. The heritage, the culture, the historical places are well looked after.

I like Japanese traditional/classical arts, especially classical martial arts, like Iaido, Jodo, Kyudo, etc. From those arts, I learn a lot about the Japanese way of thinking, about respect and honor.

Unfortunately, in the other hand I found something teasing my mind very often. I live in a suburb within Fukuoka perfecture, almost everyday, I see someone throwing out a cigarette from his car, even, without putting it of, someone talking in the phone while driving, a car in front of mine turning right or left without using the blinker. Are these, just small cases or are they common elsewhere in other perfectures? Are there any rules regarding this matter?

Pls, share your ideas, information on this matter.

Doumo

[pkrish]

Originally Posted by Serina Nagata

I often hear that Japan is the most leading country in Asia in the field of technology and in some other fields. The heritage, the culture, the historical places are well looked after.

I like Japanese traditional/classical arts, especially classical martial arts, like Iaido, Jodo, Kyudo, etc. From those arts, I learn a lot about the Japanese way of thinking, about respect and honor.

Unfortunately, in the other hand I found something teasing my mind very often. I live in a suburb within Fukuoka perfecture, almost everyday, I see someone throwing out a cigarette from his car, even, without putting it of, someone talking in the phone while driving, a car in front of mine turning right or left without using the blinker. Are these, just small cases or are they common elsewhere in other perfectures? Are there any rules regarding this matter?

Pls, share your ideas, information on this matter.

Doumo

Hi,

I am livin in ne of suburb of tokyo , but poeple do smoking at a point. In front of my house , poeple usually gather there, as that is a smoking point and they throw ciarettes in the allocated bin. I have not seen Fukuoka yet. I would like to travel to Fukouka.

[larabell]

I live *in* Tokyo and I see plenty of butts (and other trash) tossed on the ground, people spitting on the sidewalks, pushing one another, and other inconsiderate behavior. I don't think this is related to any specific race or culture. There are simply lazy and inconsiderate people everywhere. In Japan, there are strict rules society imposes on human interaction, which is why people say that Japanese are unusually "polite". But, in an anonymous situation where no definable relationship exists, you're just as likely to be elbowed in the back and pushed out of the train by some old lady here as anywhere else.

What *is* strange, at least to me, is that the same guy who doesn't think twice about tossing his cigarette butt on the sidewalk in front of the train station as he enters will be out with his local "cho-kai" (community organization) picking up the cigarette butts others have tossed around their local temple or school. Go figure...