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You have been in Japan too long...

  • when you are tongue-tied to find your words in your mother tongue.
  • when you consider any city apart from Tokyo as "countryside".
  • when tempura is really a dish for "gaijin" (and you don't consider yourself as such anymore)
  • when you finally start enjoying some Japanese TV programs.
  • when you plan you next holiday back home as a savanah expedition.
  • when you want to travel, but have no time because of your work and are reluctant because foreign countries are so dangerous.
  • when you sell your futon for a bed, because it's cool (even though you've slept all of your pre-Japan existence in one, but you can't remember)
  • when you know exatcly the percentage of opening of cherry blossoms near your house, and watch attentively their development day after day, then talk about it with anyone you meet.
  • when you think it is reasonable to pay 3000yen for a taxi rather than walk 30min to go back home after the last train.
  • when you wonder what omiyage you'l bring back to your colleagues and friends before leaving for you holiday/vacation.
  • when you refer to your nose when you say "I".
  • when you think Y4000 is a reasonable prize for a nice melon.
  • when you stand in front of a taxi and wait till the driver will open the door.
  • when you cut the air with your hand (like a sword) when you want to cross a group of people.
  • say sumimasen whenever you want to apologize for things that might happen or maybe not.
  • when you wish you have a fan in summer to cool yourself on the street.
  • when you look for people in front of a train station who distribute paper handkerchiefs.
  • when you miss the phone ads in the phoneboxes (do I?).
  • when you prefer walking in geta while your wife calls the psychotherapeutic (well actually she didn't, but warned me so).
  • when you start loving natto and uni.
  • when you make a bow after getting the money from the cash mashine.
  • when you buy beer by can labels (well I did it, but just to collect the stuff).
  • when you leave the warm water in the bath tub for your kids.
  • when you buy local sweets/food to bring them home as omiyage, even your weekend trip was just 100 miles from home.
  • when you start to believe that nori makes the hair stronger.
  • when you think eating with otemoto is faster than with fork and knife (and actually you are faster with it).
  • when you buy gifts for co-workers whenever you leave town, even if it's just for a few hours.
  • when you end your statements with random vagueness.
  • when you hide from the NHK man routinely.
  • when your rice maker is always on.
  • when you take 8 breaks a day at work, and shuffle the papers on your desk at least twice a hour.
  • when you take your shoes off...in the dressing room of a clothing store.
  • when you read English words and start reading with Japanese pronunciations (e.g., DATE becomes da-te).
  • when you don't bat an eye when you see a salary man on the train looking at a magazine with nudity.
  • when you find yourself nodding your head back to the newscaster at the beginning and end of a newscast.
  • when you actually dream in Japanese.
  • when you return to your home country and drink soup directly from the bowl when you think no one is looking as it's so much easier.
  • when you think US$7 is not bad for a cup of coffee and a sliver of cake or pie.
  • when you can't wait for the next 15 min episode of the NHK morning drama.
  • when you can actually make fried rice, Omu rice, and a complete Tonkatsu dinner.
  • when you select shoes based on how easily you can get them on and off.
  • when you can name all the members of SMAP.
  • when you answer "hai!" even when speaking English to non-Japanese friends.
  • when you can fall asleep on the train and wake up at your stop.
  • when you don't mind peeing in a public restroom with the cleaning lady standing next to you.
  • when you don't even need a restroom to pee in public.
  • when someone says "breakfast" you think of fish, soup and pickles.
  • when you think they mean your neighborhood whenever you hear U2's "Where the Streets Have No Name."
  • when you believe no party is complete without a trip to the karaoke.
  • when someone says "mansion" you picture a two-bedroom flat in a 400-unit apartment building.
  • when you mutter "yoshi!" when lifting heavy objects or reaching the top of the stairs.
  • when you make a loud "haaah" after each sip of hot tea.
  • when you notice improvement in your Nihongo when you start ordering "hotto doggu" instead of "atsui inu"!
  • when you can convert katakana back to English without having to first sound it out ten times slowly.
  • when you can't even have a family picnic without an opening and closing ceremony.
  • when you wonder whether you should take the bus or a taxi instead of having to walk one kilometre.
  • when you think it's ok to play the march of the British Grenadiers in TV commercials.
  • when after a day in the metro you hear in you head "Tokyo metro wo go-ryo itadakimashite arigatou gozaimasu. kono densha wa...yuki desu".
  • when you start wondering if the policeman in front of you will check you bicycle registration just because you are a "gaijin".
  • when you are tired of being asked if your country has four seasons, if yo can eat sushi and natoo, eat chopsticks and sleep on a futon, although you have been here for years.
  • when you go back to your home country and are surprised to see so many "gaijin".
  • when you explain the difference between a Shinto shrine and a Buddhist temple to your Japanese friends.
  • when you wonder what famous "tarento" or "actror/actress" your Japanese friends look more like.
  • when you ask other foreigners what kanji they chose for their hanko.
  • when you have changed you keitai's ringtone 10 times this week and wonder what which tune you should download next.
  • when you think you should call the electrician to change a lightbulb, as your forgot how to do.
  • when you can't stop saying "samui, samui" to yourself when it's a bit cold, and "atsui, atsui" when it's slightly too hot.
  • when you wonder how many women will offer you chocolates on Valentine's Day (or to how many people to give some, if you are a woman).
  • when you start saying "eeeh" and "oooh" in front of the TV, just to do like everybody.
  • when you ask your Italian friends if they have pasta in Italy.
  • when you are persuaded that Christmas is a ancient Japanese tradition, and Jesus was in fact Japanese.
  • when you think that "minus image" is proper English (as in "these clothes really give him minus image").
  • when you wonder why all those gaijin take "aspirin" and not "bafarin" for headaches.
  • when you think that that taking 5 kinds of kanpou (Chinese herbal medicine) all year round is necessary to keep you healthy.
  • when you check which dog is popular at the moment before buying one.
  • when you look forward to winter in your Japanese house so you can store beer and frozen foods in your bedroom and bathroom.
  • when you realise you need feet massage and hot baths in winter because it's colder inside your house than outside.
  • when you are worried because the cherry blossoms are late.
  • when you watch Chinese or Korean movies relying on the Japanese subtitles.

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