American Communication Manners That Are INSANE To Japanese People

Japan VS America I guess
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[@tignapoka]

You learned a lot of differences between US and Japan by living in Japan for many years, American weeb.

[@ryzikx]

for an american like sora, that's valuable experience.

[@rikuchan]

sora is the epitome of a freeaboo (a weeb for the land of the free)

[@josephb.4640]

@@rikuchan - You mean a Westaboo?

[@rikuchan]

@@josephb.4640 nah freeaboo because sora focuses a lot on america, not just the West lol

[@eviee9543]

@@rikuchanhe’s an ameriboo

[@VexVerity]

If you need to get a kid’s approximate age, it’s pretty common to ask what grade (at school) they’re in. It gets the job done and feels a bit more like everyday life chatter instead of filling out a form before the doctor sees you.

[@col2650]

It seemed like he had the fbi called on him before. Especially the last line. Is he talking from experience?🤔🤔🤔

[@CrizzyEyes]

The other life hack for adults is asking them which college they went to, followed by what year they graduated.

[@samsanimationcorner3820]

Yeah, but then you got kids who are really proud of their age. And they love to do the "and a half", like "I'm six and a half" to add some superiority over other six year olds. LOL.

[@Direblade11]

I'm Canadian and I swear people don't really care if you ask, "How old are you?" Like yes there's some old culture to be nice about asking, but no one seems to get annoyed at something that simple

[@paigeepler]

I was very academically advanced when I was a kid, so I'm just now realizing that I probably confused so many adults who just wanted to know how old I was. Oops :')

[@AdamYJ]

A little more detail on the eye contact thing: In America, if you don't make eye contact, people think you're being evasive or dishonest. Like you're hiding something and don't want people to find out.

[@iris7484]

it's also seen I think as like, you're treating them as though they're intimidating. If you don't make eye contact, you're acting like they're bullying you when they haven't done anything, and it's awkward 😅

[@littenfire3563]

But if you maintain eye contact for too long, it can be seen as creepy too. You need to strike a balance

[@TheFinalChapters]

@@TheHarwoodButcher. Pretty sure deciding someone is "mentally disabled" is judging them.

[@anitanielsen1061]

Or that you don’t care about what they’re saying

[@anitanielsen1061]

No, we are actually VERY judged on that

[@frankiman]

Your japanese is really improving Sora. Glad to see an american doing well there!

[@stardustmotion]

yes he will soon be as good as us

[@Are-youapomagranete]

But he isn’t American..?

[@paperparfait]

HELP

[@Mesa-tr7kc]

@@Are-youapomagranetewooosh

[@changseungyeonlosthercellp2333]

@@Mesa-tr7kc you dropped this------> "r/"

[@elustran]

In America, it's usually a bit impolite to start a conversation in a group where everyone listening wouldn't be welcome to join in because that would be excluding someone from socializing right in front of their face. Usually people introduce each other first before chatting or it's assumed the conversation is open if it's a large group in a casual situation like a party.

[@librarytalk4036]

Idk about you but here in the Midwest a stranger will just chime in sometimes, and depending on the vibe, people are okay with it sometimes

[@SaintSaint]

@@librarytalk4036 Yep. That's true from at least Idaho to Michigan. I've even done it in NYC a couple times out of habit. They just smiled and included me. I think my accent and flannel could have saved me. "Oh, he's a NWesterner, he thinks that's normal." NYC is too dirty... but the people are nice.

[@fellippewelch9558]

Lesson 02 is basically: Random: Whats ur name? Sora: Mr. Troll!

[@Retro_Jet]

Nicely interpreted, Welch San!

[@fellippewelch9558]

@@Retro_Jet Sankyuu, Jet-san!

[@NorseGraphic]

Troll-San

[@raven-a]

Tora desu 😂🎉

[@kogababe]

Age comes up a lot in the work place, it's not really a big deal to ask---but always good to be polite by asking if it's ok to ask. But a grown adult (typically a man) that asks a kid their age (typically a girl), will usually be seen as creepy. Older men I've worked with were always careful about asking my age even though they knew i was 18+, cause they didn't wanna be seen as creepy for asking Edit: just wanted to note that none of them were creepy dudes (except maybe one), but it always made for interesting generational interactions

[@kogababe]

@@815TypeSirius chronically online reply

[@Eagle-2448]

​@@815TypeSiriushow so?

[@randomgamer-te8op]

@@815TypeSirius i double the question, how so?

[@sandwichpony8071]

@@815TypeSiriustripling the question here, the hell are you talking about?

[@kayEnt3rtainm3nt]

​@@815TypeSiriusHello stranger! I too politely request to know more about what you mean.

[@VictoryXR]

As an American, this is all true and factual. 😂

[@themanfromyourattic]

i can confirm as well

[@carebear2707]

I don’t get the thing he keeps saying about the FBI

[@ErenTheWarcriminal]

@@carebear2707then you are probably too young and innocent, let’s keep it that way

[@deeps6979]

Especially the joining random conversations. Most Americans are still pretty "mind your own business", but some extroverts cannot be contained. XD Like, bruh, it's a grocery store line. I don't need your life story, but now I'm invested because I don't wanna be rude, lol.

[@bobriquardo5317]

WTF is the debate thing tho. Nobody in America does that on a regular basis lmao. Sora gets his opinions from social media

[@oleksandrbyelyenko435]

I feel like you do these videos for Japanese audience more than for others. Well, I am glad you describe your culture to the Japanese 😂😂

[@kiri5203]

really? I'm not Japanese but, I like it when he does these kinds of videos xD

[@BababooeyGooey]

Seems like helpful information for both both American and Japanese audiences tbh

[@letsthink8245]

I enjoy the videos it's good to practice Japanese listening

[@OneNamelessHero]

​@@letsthink8245Exactly. Me too.^^

[@SaintSaint]

perhaps, but I often learn a lot from Sora's culture-bridging.

[@boxbreaker2011]

Now imagine me…I’m Hispanic-American. In Hispanic culture, it is very customary to hug and “cheek-kiss” others as a greeting….even strangers! 😅😅😅

[@Retro_Jet]

lol true 😂

[@lox7182]

Same in Armenia bruh

[@aikotitilai3820]

Same in some Western European Countries

[@qwmx]

My acne hurts thinking about it.

[@FlantisFroggu]

yo I never do that lol that's a grandma exclusive thing, hispanic american is a very large scope

[@AGS363]

For extra hilarity: It is not uncommon to bypass the age question by simply asking for the zodiac... ...which of course is complete useless if the asked person is using the western zodiac and not the Chinese one.

[@qwmx]

#LifeHack

[@Evanspar]

And you might be off 12 years anyway

[@yan16.9]

saw this like 5 years ago bruh

[@DavidCruickshank]

Astrology and zodiac are different things. If someone asks for your zodiac and you give them your astrology sign then you need to work better on your hearing.

[@AGS363]

And if someone makes a comment, and you decide to be an obnoxious Smart Ass… than you are on the right track! People value the opinions of obnoxious Smart Asses and hold them in high esteem.@@DavidCruickshank

[@emmamason5383]

The 6th one you mentioned used to be the same in American culture not too long ago (I know this because of my grandparents). If a stranger started talking to your friend, it was considered rude to just join in. You had to wait to be introduced. A lot of formal American etiquette sort of only exists in high class settings anymore 😅

[@pierresan8489]

Thinking about these cultural differences, i understand why japanese people in the fanclub where i joined speak nothing or not talk between themselves until the star of the fanclub say something. For them, my constantly daily good morning messages probably looks like from an alien trying to talk with others...

[@emeryltekutsu4357]

I would actually say a lot of people feel awkward about eye contact in America, too. You're often taught to look at the "space between someone's eyes" in interviews to not feel like you're staring directly into someone's eyes but not look weak and timid. Though we may look more directly at people than in Japan, it will also come off as weird here if someone is just staring at you. I've never really seen the age one. There's an old thought that it's rude to "ask a lady her age," but outside of that I haven't seen anyone give age much thought. Though people probably ask things like, "How long have you worked there?" or "What grade are you in?" more. I think in conversations, we tend to like to 'include' people. It's weird for a complete stranger to come out of nowhere (unless it's a party setting or something), but generally, if someone shows up and they're a friend of someone in the group already, they're welcome to join the conversation.

[@aihoshinoirl]

3:41 now this is a great example, a lot Americans think japanese are heartless due to them not showing emotions (openly) and such.

[@LandOfWessonia]

I have literally never heard anyone say this

[@Camikio]

Generally I hear more often thought that it is "Repression" not heartless. It is also incredibly inaccurate to judge Americans based on any singular part of America. Interesting thought though.

[@aihoshinoirl]

@@LandOfWessonia believe it or not you can just search "why japanese are heartless" or something discussing about it

[@Pragabond]

@@Camikio Yeah I'd say repressed/stiff/hard to read is more accurate over heartless. More like you don't even get enough to tell if they're heartless or nice or decide much of anything aside from oh this person is fairly reserved

[@DinnerForkTongue]

Heartless? Nah. 'Inscrutable' is a better word for it.

[@Wintercourse]

Can confirm, American here and I have no idea what my last name is...I forgot. It's been decades honestly. Haven't been able to sign up for a Netflix account, credit card, or anything because they want my first and LAST name. So my goal is to gain dual citizenship with the USA and Japan, if I do that I will have a First and Last name finally. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HELPING ME!

[@futuza]

Protip: you can marry someone to steal their last name, it's a shortcut to achieve your goal!

[@slamkam07]

Not to be mean, but like how???? I just can't imagine forgetting my last name. I need it for all paperwork and for when I meet new people.

[@AintThatJustTheWay]

@@slamkam07 izza joke bro

[@licas3214]

I'm just wondering, is US don't have ID card? I mean when you forgot your last name you can always look at your ID card

[@bezoticallyyours83]

😂

[@DaniSC_real]

as a south east asian, it's really a mix between American and Japanese manners, so I actually feel like both manners are completely fine. We sometimes ask people's age as a chitchat, we say "Mr. [name]" to say someone's name, and when asked about name, we say first name instead of family name. And we express feelings when we're close with someone, and when someone else joins the chat, we usually wait until we're introduced to that person.

[@Pragabond]

Honestly its a bit regional on introducing people in the US I feel. Although overall its really just situational. But its rarely even thought of consciously sometimes you introduce your friend (especially if you know they're shy) or your friend introduces themselves but neither would be odd or even likely dwelled on for a second. And sometimes yeah you don't introduce each other at all and you talk for an hour before realizing you didn't get their name yet

[@PeninsulaCity2024]

I love how the thumbnail depicts an anachronistic version of America: 1940's-1950's era vehicles but everyone is wearing (mostly) 21st century clothing. Obviously, its a parade or car show of sorts. But it does kinda remind me of how NYC is still presented as it was in the 1970s and 80's in some Japanese media.

[@h-e-acc]

Congratulations to Japan 🇯🇵 by the way for officially joining the spacefaring club, one of the nations to get to the moon.

[@qwertyu0810]

ありがとうございます

[@slkjvlkfsvnlsdfhgdght5447]

wjen was that?

[@phantasosxgames8488]

@@slkjvlkfsvnlsdfhgdght5447 yesterday. they send a drone on the moon.

[@h-e-acc]

@@slkjvlkfsvnlsdfhgdght5447 the robotic lander touched down on the moon this last Friday

[@h-e-acc]

@@qwertyu0810 どういたしまして 🙏

[@vokkera6995]

The eye contact thing is funny, because I (an American) studied in Germany for a while, and it took a while to notice, but they hold eye contact just a bit longer than us. I always felt pressured to keep talking, like they were assuming I wasn’t done yet and were waiting on me.

[@SaintSaint]

Germans are a bit intense. I hear you can just clap your hands to your thighs while standing up and say "well" to end the conversation. I always wanted to try that. It likely has to be timed correctly.

[@henryxyz1]

4:58 "Don't call the FBI in Japan if a Japanese person asks a child their age" Yeah you gotta call 大阪府警 to knock on his door instead

[@BakatoTesttoShoukanj]

Yeah, call 911 "Moshi moshi, keisatsu desu ka?" Officer, it's him

[@TheSlayrnumber1]

Every time I come across your channel I end up binge watching because they’re so entertaining. Thank you for keeping the subtitles up long enough for us to read!!

[@anitanielsen1061]

In America, it’s considered SUPER FREAKING RUDE to not like to use eye contact, as it looks like you don’t care about what the person talking is saying or you’re not paying attention. Sometimes, it’s that and/or you just have a hard time with eye contact in general. But then there’s also “stop staring” when you’re trying to pay attention so??? On the age part, it’s a “beauty standards” thing to “not ask a woman her age” that I never understood. On the anger part, it’s *still* considered rude to start debates/“debates” in public and go on random outbursts. Or at least you look weird.

[@SaintSaint]

Mostly correct. However, we can detect if a person is shy or just disinterested/insensitive. Just thought I'd add nuance to your statement. It's not rude to be shy.

[@personguyguy]

yooo the "kh" sound effect from sora at 0:05 twice was top tier frr

[@littlepip8343]

Japanese talking about “Generations and school stuff” is so totally true! I have Japanese friends I talk to regularly, and one of the most common words they’ll use everytime is 「懐かしい」。 Though it’s been years since they attended high school, they really love just talking about school, the food, their teachers, old games and shows they used to watch when they were that age!! And how things are different nowadays (especially in regards to インフレ). It’s endearing in a way! They just really love to “reminisce” a lot! Either that or just talk about food!

[@burrybondz225]

Seems like a culture ripe for "nostalgia" exploitation. If only I was a japanese businessman I would have sucked them dry of their money.

[@TheDouVu]

I love the small talk culture in America. When I went to Japan I missed it. I'd be near large crowds outside and it would be so quiet, despite so many people lol I went to a festival at a park where there was an outdoor concert, and me and my American friends where looking at the concert crowd going, "damn...this is the quietest, most polite concert crowd I've ever seen" lol. Everyone minds their business a bit too much for my liking. I kept craving to strike up conversation and have folks walk up and chat with me. The times I did say screw it and started talking with strangers they absolutely loved it and we'd exchange contacts. Then again, I've been told I'm charismatic as hell lol

[@Vladiator]

From my experience (as a foreigner, so I probably got "special treatment", either from hospitality or curiosity), Japanese people are super talkative if you approach them. I suppose with their culture, small talk is useless and often they'd rather leave each other alone, instead of bother somebody. The moment I asked any Japanese people a question from "Is this the [blank] aisle?" to "What is in this (meal)?", suddenly they exploded with questions about me; where I'm from, why did I choose [this prefecture], how long have I studied Japanese, etc. I answer them, but immediately bounce the question back at them, because I fucking hate small talk (and I hate how my fellow Americans constantly talk about themselves, so I don't like doing it to them). Japanese people seem to value these meaningful interactions over the elongated small talk that we do. If they didn't actually like you, they add you on LINE and tell you they're too busy a few days later lol.

[@Kvelasquez.6384]

I LITERALLY LOVE UR CONTENT PLEASE MAKE MORE!!

[@vitalhandgrenade7210]

Oh Man these keep getting better and better!

[@Johnnyvtg]

All of these apply to most countries in the world as well, not just the US. Except for number one. Where I live (Scandinavia), if someone asks me that, I think like "why do you need to know that?", but I don't mind telling it to them. It just seems like an inconsequential thing to ask, but not rude at all.

[@Spacemongerr]

Most western countries at least. Enig med resten av kommentaren

[@daytonchris8351]

i had a teacher in elementary school that would call us by our last name and i thought it was weird. the only time you'd really see something like that was in our military. i hate our debate culture. some people debate just to debate, not because they actually believe in what they're debating about. and then they can't just debate you, they have to insult you when they don't have an actual point to counter yours with to tarnish your character to make others think that you and your point is wrong. yeah joining in others' conversations is awkward. it feels like driving a car and waiting for the right moment to change into another lane to join the flow of traffic. lol

[@mikek0135]

The best way to join (conversation or another lane) is to get up to speed as fast as you can, then join right away.

[@jnharton]

It was once both the common convention and proper polite way to refer even to teens+young adults as Mr. Smith, Ms. Jones (substitute the actual last names).

[@Pragabond]

@@mikek0135 Lmao I think its way more situational. The best way to join (conversation or lane) is to wait for an opening to do so whether that's right away or after a bit. Join RIGHT AWAY sounds like the best way to make a wreck out of both situations lol

[@mikek0135]

@Pragabond: Instead of laughing at my comment so hard that your ass falls off (you know that's what LMAO stands for, right?), think about it, first. In either situation, if you just sit there and wait for an opening, then you're going to create problems - huge problems. If you get up to speed as fast as you can you'll notice openings that wouldn't be there if you just sit and wait - then you just join in (this applies to both situations).

[@0008loser]

​@mikek0135 triggered much lmao get your yearly shower and go outside

[@LordTyph]

This was a really interesting video to watch, it's neat to get a better idea on how different cultures treat casual conversation.

[@DeadlySashimi]

I actually am a FBI agent , and I always ask people what their age is 🗿

[@pierresan8489]

you're a pedo infiltrated into the organization. FBI!! FBI!!

[@ErikPT]

It's a trap!

[@Retro_Jet]

Me, an American: *FBI! FBI!!!!*

[@BakatoTesttoShoukanj]

Wait, don't you usually arrest people and tell them... "You are under arrested. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can be used against you in court. You have the right to talk to a lawyer, blah blah blah." ...before asking people age? Besides, with a little check from their License/ID, you can know their age right away.

[@esavvysavokiii1277]

i ask kids how old they are or what grade they're in all the time, but then again i'm a woman, and usually their parents are right there with them. so i guess i'm not perceived as a threat, which is nice.

[@cosygracegames]

These are equally hilarious but also so useful for studying Japanese! Thank you sora-san!

[@JRFrostBear]

Incredibly Instructive. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@fadhlansatoshi4271]

It's refreshing to watch Sora's videos again after a while

[@killergrooves2438]

This was a great video

[@trajectoryunown]

The thing about eye contact is true in practically all of nature. It's either an act of intimacy or an outright threat. Between strangers, it's always a confrontation. I don't know why our culture acts like making eye contact during every day conversation is somehow normal and a sign of honesty or that you're paying attention. It's not. I'd much rather see that someone is tilting their ear my way when I'm speaking, that way I know they're actively listening to my words.

[@ibrahimihsan2090]

In my opinion, it is to show that you are paying attention and appreciating their conversation or at least staying within the conversation. If you are not making eye contact then in my opinion you are berated for it because it shows you are not focused or may not respect their conversation. As for not making eye contact, I guess it's due to it being seen as a sign of humility and respect or respect for social distance. Some people don't like a bit of physical intimacy towards strangers(such as hugs or out of nowhere handshakes).

[@zurielsama]

The way you describe it in regards to intimacy or confrontationally is completely correct when meeting an absolute stranger for the very first time (1.meeting someone you find appealing and trying to engage eye contact or 2. typically between guys, staring and trying to get the other man to look at you for sizing up/forced confrontation). However through as much US history as I have known, when in a setting of peers or especially within a job or organization, direct eye contact has been established as proper etiquette for acknowledging that your full attention is being mutually exchanged with whoever you're talking to. The amount you have to do it (a percentage of the time you're flat out looking them in the face) varies on the setting. A great example of this is public speaking whether for education or entertainment such as comedy, a critical tip people mention is to focus your eyes on a single person in the crowd at various moments so you can feel like you're "Addressing 1 person at a time."

[@noseboop4354]

In America, generally speaking somebody who avoids eye contact is perceived to be dishonest or have ulterior motives.

[@AdamYJ]

Because in the U.S. our manners are built around a democratic ideal. In Japan, there's always some regard for social position and distance. In the U.S., the ideal is that we're democratic in both political and social life. Basically, we're all peers. That's not necessarily true in reality, but we didn't build our customs around the truth, we built them around the ideal.

[@trajectoryunown]

@@AdamYJ I think it runs a lot deeper than that. In Japanese culture, there seems to be an expected degree of consideration for your fellow man and an emphasis on accounting for those expectations. In America, there's no such thing. People are encouraged to do whatever they want. If someone is uncomfortable or gets emotionally harmed, tough crap. Get tough or get out of the way. Buck up or lie down. Speak up or shut up. Anyone who is incapable of adhering to that standard is a social outcast. It's downright barbaric. This mentality reflects on the news channels, in politics, and in the interactions people have online. This country has progressively become more and more hostile over the years. It has no place for civility. Instead, it welcomes only war-like engagements on every level. Even the structure of our educational system is specifically designed to produce soldiers, not to actually educate students. (Look into it.) And with America's prominent place in the modern global power structure, due in large part to big technology companies and social media, this way of thinking is spreading like a virus across the whole world because the rest of the planet can only see the positive aspects of it. None of the news about how people are chewed up and spit out by this system ever makes it there. It's all fun and games, no responsibility, complete freedom. Nobody's talking about the consequences of that, how it impacts the people who act in such ways nor how it impacts the society around them. I love what America proclaims to represent, but I despise this country to its very core for what it actually is: A breeding ground for hostility. Nothing more.

[@silviavalentine3812]

In highschool my peers would call people by their last names because some of them were so short (like Wilke)

[@straightjacket3.519]

I can’t think straight if I talk while looking someone in the eye but people assume you’re lying if you don’t so when they tell me to look them in the eye they are instantly added to my shitlist. It used to be customary to respect our elders but if you have seen how stupid our highly educated politicians are these days then you will understand why we rarely respect them, common sense is more valuable than education these days.

[@Pragabond]

For me its very much so a matter of old age is the opportunity to gain wisdom and thus respect but it should never guarantee it. I also really wouldn't call our politicians highly educated and that's the issue that and them being behind the times and almost all ancient.

[@straightjacket3.519]

@@Pragabond politicians ARE educated, they have expensive Harvard degrees to prove it but they are all idiots. I was simply saying that education doesn’t equal intelligence.

[@Jay-kz4td]

for some reason sora's channel gives me old youtube vibes. it's so nice 😭😭

[@shinobuchan]

Hahaha omg, your videos are always gold 😂😂. Screaming FBI was lol. In my country Uruguay people ask kids how old are they all the time and there's no problem. We also do that to ask them what they are learning at school ❤

[@Yamamotokenjirou]

カラオケや居酒屋に平気で誘えるが“ある特定の公共の施設”に誘えるか否か迷う相手。

[@taslirawr5500]

Good video!

[@afreen5058]

OMG wow the debate culture is a real thing! We love debates at work, it happens all the time. And it's friendly. Among friends it is fun, too, such as why one person has a different opinion. We talk as though we want to change the other's opinion or convince them, but in reality we are just playing and do not expect anyone to change their mind: the different mindsets are fun and cause more debates so we like them.

[@xcheeltroncoso2002]

This is really informative, I'll be sure to remember it when I visit Japan! Good thing people don't do eye contact that much because I really don't like eye contact, it makes me nervous and I end up looking at anywhere but the eyes 😓👉👈

[@EmmaGodLovesTruth95]

Um.. well the debating thing might be correct on the internet cuz thats what im doing right now lol.. 😅 but these are kind of blanket statements and the US is large and culture varies a ton from state to state.. if we can tell someone is older than us and is in a position of power we will often call them miss, mrs or mr and then their last name to be respectful. If we know their last name.. asking a woman’s age if she is older can be considered rude to some people. We only make enough eye contact to show we are paying attention to the other person, it’s not usually intense. We dont make eye contact or talk to strangers in the city unless we are all doing the same thing.. like waiting in a line or something, usually only if necessary. Like; “is this the line?” Ive heard southerners are more friendly but getting into random conversations with strangers can be dangerous. We rarely jump into a strangers convo if they don’t want us too.. that is considered weird and invasive. The expressing emotions thing.. it really depends. I wont get into it much but we don’t have exaggerated expressions like on tv or in youtube videos, that is a performance for viewers. Men tend to express less emotions than women etc. I think our politeness etiquette might be more similar than you think.. kind of depends on social status. Rich people are maybe more similar in etiquette to Japanese culture. Also there are plenty of Japanese immigrants and Japanese communities in the US as well as people from other asian countries (and all other countries basically..) especially where I live in the pacific north west.

[@AdrenResi]

it happens with controversies on youtube and how people release response videos too

[@bismuth8387]

So what I get from this is that Japan is a more formal, collectivist culture while America is a more informal, individualist culture.

[@noseboop4354]

Sounds about right. Keep in mind there will be individuals who don't follow the social norm in both countries.

[@jeffryshelton417]

Perhaps the most helpful video produced about us Japan speaking differences

[@Melki]

Joining conversations are rare to me too even though I found more US habits as familiar. What's commonly accepted I think, should be depending on the situation, if people feel like there's some public concerns being elephants in the open, they would be more likely to want to talk

[@nirmalasokan1687]

I think he was referring to situations like at a bar or social gathering, where not everyone Knows each other. Like in the example, the person who joined the conversation knew one of the people talking, but not both

[@mohawk4759]

i think a lot of it has to do with state too. US is a huge country. people in the South i believe tend to be more open and “friendly”

[@jessimcclue5688]

Hahaha 😂 you hit the hammer 🛠 on the nail with this one!! I plan on visiting Japan in the next couple years. And it makes me nervous because I'm a very open and outgoing person. And everybody in japan basically is not I feel like I would be alone.

[@AlexanderGieg]

The US refrain on asking children their age surprises me. Here in Brazil it's a common conversation starter between an adult and a child that happens to be present, so we know what to say to the child, though a common workaround if one doesn't want to ask their age is to ask them what school grade they're in.

[@TheFinalChapters]

There isn't a problem with asking a child their age. However, it's more for young children as a way of breaking the ice, and would be rude for someone who is older.

[@bezoticallyyours83]

If you ask about age people start screaming FBI! You had no idea how hard that made me laugh. 😂😂😂

[@AlienScribble]

I noticed some of these (especially eye-contact thing [unless unknown strangers and no speaking - otherwise looking away might show that you're pissed about something]). I did have one Japanese friend though... who broke every Japanese tendency on this list... not at first; but after some time living here... not to mention he became extremely well-versed in the worst possible slang & cussing... XD

[@regisphilbin529]

I'm inspired. I'm going to go out and express my anger with extreme eye contact.

[@gurkhalegend9667]

Dude, you are absolutely hilarious. 😂

[@Redacted_Ruler]

I never really thought about it, but I have like 7 debates a day with my friends. Come to think of it that is sort of strange.

[@jasoncastillo6764]

This guy has great video makes me laugh so much 🤣

[@n4gisan]

No.5 is so true. Americans would probably die if they don't express their emotions every 5 minutes.

[@Camikio]

Can confirm, have been dead inside for most of my life.

[@mccloaker]

Well, if you're a guy, the only acceptable emotion you can express is anger and frustration. Showing happiness, sadness, anxiety, love, sexual attraction, excitement, or depression are verboten.

[@deeps6979]

@@mccloaker Not true. You can be a guy and express happiness/excitement (in your sports team or a car) or sexual attraction (to a conventionally attractive woman, usually in the crudest terms possible). All the rest are banned, though.

[@mccloaker]

@@deeps6979 Nope, can confirm that expressing sexual attraction of any kind (winking, saying I like her hairstyle, asking for her number, making eye contact) are now Red Flags under the Short Fat Men Are Sus Act of 2010.

[@E4439Qv5]

​@@deeps6979 you managed to make me even more depressed. Congratulations.

[@cat.7727]

I was missing watch sora, pretty good

[@slkjvlkfsvnlsdfhgdght5447]

i mean, in my country people don't really ask about age either, but no one is alarmed by it; they just think it's impolite. as for children: it's considered completely normal to ask children for their age, and most of the time they will state it with pride! like a "look how grown up i am!" kind of thing

[@epitawalaarachchigeshanthi7617]

Plz add romanji sub , this is good learning material 😊

[@DinnerForkTongue]

Very interesting how you went the extra mile to not depict either side as right or wrong. Very considerate, Mr. Troll the North American! lol

[@KantoCafe715]

Welsh 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 language also uses keigo depending on the persona’s age so this is always been something of note for welsh speakers ( “chi” is the respectful form of “you” for anyone older , and “ti”! Is the informal and familiar form of “your for familiar or younger . I would say it might even be more pronounced in wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 than it is in Japan 😊

[@AngraMainiiu]

Interesting, someone should ask Connor "CDawgVA" about this!

[@KantoCafe715]

@@AngraMainiiu You could ask me as I’ve lived here longer than Connor 😊 (I’ve probably lived in Japan longer than Sora, come to think of it 😅) the hint was when I said it was more pronounced in Wales than in Japan meaning I have an idea of in which circumstance it’s important to use keigo in Japan. Its even more pronounced in the Welsh language .

[@KantoCafe715]

@@AngraMainiiu pronounced meaning exaggerated

[@moonshinershonor202]

Et tu Brutus?

[@KantoCafe715]

@@moonshinershonor202 did you get lost?

[@boxOtter141]

A lack of Eye contact in America can be interpreted as a sign of weakness. Depending on who and where you are

[@takigaki322]

I'm American. In America (or anywhere else), I hate people joining into my conversations uninvited. I realized this long ago and have since then made efforts and gone out of my way to talk to people 1-on-1 when I'm outside or if it's online, to remain anonymous and block them if I can. I've been so happy in my conversations since I started doing this. When they say people are animals, it shows itself in no other way more than barging into interactions uninvited. 😄🥤

[@themadmallard]

No 4. probably depends alot on the person, but there is a fine line between trying to get an explanation, and debating the merits, and some people can't tell the difference without any malice intended. Its funny, because even just trying to get an explanation can be fun because in any culture, there are norms that even the members of the culture may not understand why they do.

[@loganrunyon2957]

Where were you 12 years ago when I met my gf (now wife) and up until she moved to the USA 5 years ago, These disconnections were so hard for her to express. Now she finally understands I'm not a jerk. I'm just American. Lol

[@leaving_marks]

Oh man, the randomly starting a debate one is so true lol

[@marcimousie]

It’s super okay to ask kids their age though but I do agree is way more common to use school grades for kids (and students of any age) For adults in a business setting, generally this is accomplish by asking things like what year did you graduate high school? Not always accurate but generally gets the job done.

[@cotsubuu]

アメリカ在住の日本人スゲーrelateできるw

[@britneytalbot142]

I’ve been working in Japan for years and I can relate. I get told my eye contact is intense, but I wondered why so many people were terrible at eye contact. I’m pretty open about expressing emotions and wondered if people here ever get angry. I think some people think I’m a scary American.

[@mm-yt8sf]

"i randomly get angry" 🙂but it's ok because it's not at you... excuse me if i punch something

[@AnimeKingdom01]

At the moment he talks about John & Mike. I laughed. "Dude, how do you know I just started watchin Sci Fi Harry!"

[@osier769]

I don't visit this channel anywhere near enough. So good. 😄 The eye contact one is interesting. In the animal kingdom, of which humans are apart of, it's a form of aggression for many species, not making consistent eye contact would arguably be more natural. As already mentioned, not doing so in western cultures is likely to come across as evasive, unfriendly or suspicious.

[@thexenoist3493]

Of coarse you shouldn't contact the FBI in Japan, you should contact the PSIA

[@patricklee5239]

As a child in Canada, I would often get adults asking me how old I was/what grade I was in school as a conversation starter, as they usually have no idea how to talk to kids.

[@philosophyofiron9686]

Randomly talking to strangers in Japan is so intimidating because of the norm difference! It's way harder to do! lol. Yet when I've dared to, it has tended to be rewarding. But it's like you've got to give the person/people time and evidence to assess and conclude you're not weirdo, starting from the assumption that you probably are lol. You have to be convincing that the ヤバい sensors you've just set off were actually a false alarm, and everyone can relax in this uncommon interaction

[@qwmx]

Whether eye contact is deemed rude or not, I will make eye contact with everyone because it's just in my nature to do so as it's my way of saying "I'm aware of your existence" which acts to deter suspicious people from approaching me (worked on an asshole) It's actually a natural thing to do. To keep your eyes down and ignore people who also look at you just feels weird.

[@vogel2499]

Don't make eye contact for the whole conversation, it's also weird.

[@amirhaayers2736]

Talking about joining different conversations reminds me of the funniest thing I ever randomly heard. I was in a room with around six people (all friends) and at the time we were in two groups of three each having our own conversation but I decided to take a small break and tune into the other conversation and all I heard was "I went to get a haircut but ended up buying a car instead" and I still laugh at that to this day. Never heard the whole story but that just makes it even funnier.

[@Joker-kb7is]

Ive been rubbing my mustache the entire time ive been watching while smiling bruh 😅😅😭😂😂😂

[@Marley2324]

So yes he is right here that usaully if grown adults especially grown older men ask how young people are, then it could raise some eyebrows, but if its family or if someone the parents know, they typically ask the parents. But asking children directly does cause some suspicion.

[@johndoe4004]

i think debates are usually friendly too, just you might hear more negative stories of debates more often

[@Ehal256]

Sora would you consider uploading these videos without any hardcoded english subtitles? They'd be pretty good content for learning Japanese I think.

[@porgy29]

Some of these are general to the US, but I get the feeling a lot of these Americans are from New York and California. A lot of the more central states have different cultural norms.

[@jenniferhanses]

When it comes to joining a conversation, I think most Americans are a little more polite than that. There's still some etiquette to it. You'd hear people having a conversation and go up to stand near them so that they might sea you (so that you don't suddenly appear out of nowhere to them). And you'd say something like, "Hey, I heard you guys talking about cat videos, do you guys watch BilliSpeakes?" Or something like that. From an American perspective, your example American appeared out of nowhere (Americans will startle as much as anybody else, so this is rude). And just jumped into the conversation without a "hey" or "hi" or any kind of greeting. When trying to get accepted into a new social circle, giving a greeting first is pretty important. It established you're trying to make friends whereas just jumping directly into the conversation with strangers is a bit aggressive, even for us. Because I don't know when the American got there, there's also the issue that this is two old friends catching up. It's not the kind of conversation we'd normally choose to interrupt. You don't insert yourself between two people who haven't seen each other in years. They're going to reject you from the group because they're caught up in their own business and want to talk to each other, not you. A more normal kind of conversation where a stranger joins in would, in my experience, be two people talking on a train platform. Commuter groups at train stops who get on the train every day at the same stop will know each other by sight, and will talk to each other, gathering into little friend groups over time. A new commuter will join, observe these established groups, and then find a group to join (possibly by talking about animal videos, as these are very low key, low stakes groups that are welcoming to people waiting on the platform, wondering when the train will come.

[@wisskier]

In general asking a person's age is fine the exception is sometimes women don't like being asked their age. It's not something I ask too often as usually I can get a close enough sense for the purpose of holding a conversation. Polite debates I view as a means to learn more deeply but obviously I can see how others can be annoyed by it.

[@AmbiCahira]

In Sweden it is very normal to ask kids their age for the same reason, to find out what questions to ask them and such but this reminded me of how some relatives would ask me my age as a kid. "Do you have a drivers license yet?" "No I'm only six!"

[@Retro_Jet]

I did notice that, at the end of the video, you didn’t really make much eye contact with the camera Now I understand why!

[@xaixn.]

in american south, strangers looove talking to each other. it’s very very common here, but not so much in the north.

[@yoyoshikah]

No.2 最近転職してマジ名字で呼ばれるのやめて欲しい笑 どうすれば良いそらさんーー 今度新年会の時、勇気をだして言ってみようかな笑

[@BiggestHaterEVER]

I feel like making eye contact with people is extremely awkward. I feel like i'm invading the secrets of their soul so I don't. 💀

[@TRDiscordian]

You already had rockstar hair, but you rockin' the rockstar makeup too? Or is that just the lighting? Not judging, just curious.

[@gurkhalegend9667]

Also, I taught English in Korea. And I had students who used to pick out my arm hair. Like, they'd physically pluck it out.

[@librarytalk4036]

Eye contact is a respect thing in America, like a form of humanity and empathy.

[@mattmexor2882]

It's normal to ask children there age in the US. The whole sensitivity about age in the US is a very new thing that is mainly Gen Z although Millennials also have increased sensitivity. Frankly, it's weird.

[@littenfire3563]

2:22 very true. But it's also important to not maintain too much eye contact in American culture either [like maintaining eye contact to the point you don't blink and never look away] that's considered to be staring at someone and creepy

[@kamikeserpentail3778]

I'm constantly worried I'm not making enough eye contact, or I'm making too much. There's a balance I've never really understood. Also often I feel intrusive joining conversations, even with groups I'm supposed to be a little familiar with.

[@ErikPT]

Thank you American, Sora. Very cool

[@The_Arcadian]

Joining conversations before being introduced is actually quite abnormal in some parts of the US too. Manners are a very regional thing here, comes with being such a large country.

[@TroyBrophy]

And you might wait a really long time for an introduction that never comes.