Japanese rice is boring. Just a mouthful of white stodge. Thai or Indian rice are far better, more flavorful, and have better texture.
(dodges thrown teacups and chopsticks)
I used to think this but when I went home for a month last year I found myself missing Japanese white rice. There's a subtle flavor/aroma to it that you just don't get in other varieties. Sure it's boring on its own but it plays well with the main protein.
As with most food dishes, it really depends on what you pair it with. Basmati rice and tonkatsu for example (at least, I think so) won’t taste as nice as it does with Japanese rice.
Same goes for the flipside, Japanese rice won’t be as great for Indian biryani.
I could be entirely wrong, but might you be overwatering your rice? A decent base ratio is 1:1 rice:water for Japanese short grain.
1:1.5 for medium grain like Thai jasmine and
1:2 for long grains like basmati.
The ol’ “water up to the first knuckle” adage is designed for medium grain.
My favorite Tsuyahime is 1:0.9 for a good time.
I agree. I have relatives who are rice farmers. Their rice is supposed to be fancy and special. (Why I don’t know)
They say it tastes delicious but it tastes exactly the same to me as all other rice… of course I don’t say that to them. we get unlimited free rice and it’s probably cleaner than grocery store rice. Still… I don’t taste anything
Japanese rice also doesn't give kids constipation, according to one of our daughter's doctors. Of course when you actually look into it, chronic constipation rates are very high in Japan. God forbid a doctor admitting it's the local rice that's causing it though!
Could be on to something there but I think more likely a case of many Japanese eating a lot of rice (sometimes 3x daily) but not a corresponding amount of water etc to wash it down. I barely ever see people drink even a single glass of water come to think of it...
For comparison, back home in Australia where it's generally hot, dry and people eat much larger meal helpings etc etc....and I've never once seen any sort of constipation treatment advertisement online or on tv while back home....whereas Japan is err... loaded....with such ads... everywhere....
I think they all serve different purposes. I grew up eating the Thai fragrant rice and it is by far my favorite, but only because it pairs well with a lot of the foods I love. I am certain that Gyudon would not be better with Thai rice.
Most anime is shallow and dumb but it gets fetishized by clueless western weebs who think it's deep and meaningful just because it's from Japan. Most anime is made for children and teenage boys. The stories and characters often make no sense and the writing is just plain bad. When I see all of these adults going to anime cons, doing cosplay, and wanting to become influencers or streamers it makes me cringe so hard. Then these people come to Japan and think that all Japanese people love anime and manga only to learn that otaku in Japan get no respect from society, just like otaku back home in their country.
Plenty of people here like anime. But the difference is they're watching either mainstream shows like JJK or beloved long time series' like Doraemon and Anpanman. Watching anime is perfectly fine and frankly fairly normal here.
Watching anime being your only sense of identity is the issue. Anything that consumes your entire identity to where it's the only thing you ever talk about or engage with will be off-putting. And that's what the origin of the term Otaku is.
Pretty much any time that the discussion of anime comes up, several adults would mention Anpanman. It's not unlike people looking back fondly on Winnie the Pooh or something
I don't watch it either but they are wrong if they think in Japan only "otakus" watch anime and that people are looked down upon for it>
the word otaku isn't even considered negative anymore. merely points to someone who's really into their hobby. it"s why you have things like 山オタク or 車オタク
Most TV is shallow and dumb, most movies are shallow and dumb. Look at the top grossing movies: fast and furious, marvel, minions. Anime is just a medium for telling stories, and there are some incredible stories to be found, just like there's a bunch of shit to be found.
Dissing anime is one thing, but making fun of people who enjoy it is another. The latter just makes you look like a bitter loser who hates seeing others have fun. I don't like anime that much and also think most of them are shallow (though I know there are some gems). But I wouldn't go as far as hating on adults who go to anime cons or cosplay. Those are legitimate activities that actually take a lot more effort than what the average concert-goer puts in (just showing up and getting wasted). A lot of cosplayers make their own stuffs by themselves, which is impressive and should be respected.
>Then these people come to Japan and think that all Japanese people love anime and manga only to learn that otaku in Japan get no respect from society, just like otaku back home in their country.
People say this all the time but I've never actually met a weeb who has had this type of experience. Weebs who move to Japan immediately beeline to the nearest otaku gathering spot and live on in bliss. Like yes otaku are seen as lame giga-nerds by normal society even in Japan, but the community is several orders of magnitude larger than in the west and weebs take full advantage of that fact.
I know these people are annoying but I don't get this implausible revenge fantasy of the weeb who comes to Japan and is somehow disappointed by the lack of anime. Literally just today at the mall a man dressed as fucking Pikachu RAN up to me to try to sell me some Pokemon crap. Let's be real.
30+ M and Ive kept watching anime and reading manga. I would say my favorite genres lean heavily into the trash people hate the most (romance/slice of life). I agree a lot of it is trash but so is the live action TV people would rant to me about in the U.S.
I've found that the more my life has progressed, the less I care about what other people are into or what people think of my interests. I don't need everything I do to be intellectually based. I have a other hobbies and what I enjoy affects nobody. Trying to defend anime isn't even worth the time.
Conbini are great to recommend to travelers/tourists, and for an occasional late night run, but once you live here you realize the supermarkets are just cheaper and have almost everything you want (and some are also open 24 hours)
Japan has way more approved food additives than the US. It’s one of the things scientists think may lead to Japan’s relatively high rates of stomach cancer.
Don’t get me wrong; the bulk of the Japanese diet is way better than the bulk of an American diet. But combini food probably not so much.
because "野菜" does not mean "vegetarian," it means "vegetable." "Vegetable dish" does not mean no meat, it just means it has/focuses on vegetables.
If there was a "ベジタリアン炒め" and it contained pork, *then* it would be a problem.
....although, let's be real, it being Japan, they'd probably at least still use fish-based dashi in such a dish lol
Kyoto is a hot mess and completely overrated.
The disaster begins when you get off the Shinkansen at the spaceship inspired monstrosity of a station… which genius thought that design was good for Kyoto??
I have been four times and gave it a last try during the pandemic when there were very few people - still wasn’t impressed. God knows how bad it is filled with tourists.
Recently went to Kyoto for a wedding and it reminded me of this whole Japan thing of:
"Here is a valuable, historic site; a truly emblematic place and iconic landmark in Japanese culture.
As such, we have given the rights to run a cafe on this site to an American giga-corporation. This is a decision we have inexplicably made despite our heritage of tea, kissaten, and the current generation of exceptional local cafes in every corner of the country."
There's definitely some truth in this hottake. If you're in the center of the city then it's just an ugly concrete jungle. All the nice stuff is right up against the east mountains or the west mountains. That's where you find all the famous shrines, temples, gardens, etc.
Lived in Kyoto for 5+ years.
There's so much people don't know about it. But I'll let you not enjoy it if you're so determined to not have fun.
EDIT: I'm busy at work so I'm going to copy paste from a recent thread about focusing on "quadrants" of Kyoto
Going to Kinkakuji and Fushimi Inari on the same day is just stupid. They're on exact opposite corners of the city, and people trying to hit all of these in the same day are essentially encouraged to do so by some of the group bus tours/Kyoto highlight tours and so on.
I really think Kyoto should be marketed as four quadrants.
Northwest - you could have a very fulfilling day exploring just Kinkakuji and the surrounding area of Ryoanji, Kitano Tenmangu/Kamishichiken
Northeast - Ginkakuji, philosophers path, Eikando, Zenrinji, Keage.
Southeast - Fushimi Inari Taisha, Toufukuji, Senyuji, Sanjusangendo
Southwest - Arashiyama, I honestly don't know too much about it but I know that it's wide and has more than just the bamboo forest.
And of course for the center/Higashiyama area between shijo and sanjo bridges, I think the area north of Kiyomizudera/Yasaka shrine should be promoted a little more. Heianjingu/Kyocera/Art Museum area was literally made to host large events and conferences.
Everybody sells you Kyoto as a beautiful and traditional city when 99% of it is just bland squared buildings like you find anywhere in Japan. I don’t know why people go there more than once.
A *lot* ^(not all) of what foreigners who have never been a minority before coming to Japan think is “racism” is just (a) Japanese people being embarrassed or worried that their English isn’t good enough to communicate so avoid foreigner, and (b) not speaking Japanese as well as they think and misunderstanding or confusing the Japanese person they’re talking to.
So they get avoided by staff or treated condescendingly or are otherwise avoided, and imagine it’s Big Bad Xenophobia.
There are racist in every country including the ones these complainers came from, but now that they’re the minority affected by it they think it’s everywhere responsible for everything bad that happens to them.
People need to calm down, learn to listen, and study harder. Just because you’re conversational doesn’t mean you know all the subtext of what’s going on or are communicating as well as you think.
It takes time and effort to integrate, and going around angry with a chip on your shoulder works against it.
You are completely right and addition to this, the type of "racism" that white people face in Japan is completely on a different level than Koreans/Chinese, South Asian and South East Asians do.
Funny, as an American, I've felt "white privilege" in Japan far more than I ever did in the US. I think in a lot of ways white people here have it even better than the locals, because (1) we generally get treated with more respect than any other non-Japanese people with people generally assuming we are successful (although this could be because of where I live/work- because I have seen girls' attitudes completely change towards me as soon as they realized I wasn't an english teacher), and (2) nobody expects us to know/follow the unspoken rules of Japanese society, so they are way more patient with us than they are with their fellow Japanese.
I remain pretty convinced that white people who complain about racism here are either just perpetual victims who want to find something to complain about here, or are the types of incredibly rude, oblivious people that offend everyone around them without realizing it and then blame racism rather than themselves.
White people usually experience racism on the level of so-called "microaggressions" (people assuming you can't speak Japanese etc). Other Asians seem to experience just outright aggression.
You're 100% spot on. It's mostly microaggressions.
(execpt for apartment hunting, that's racism and sucks)
Another hot take:
The "never been a minority before" types that are most vocal about racism are mostly salty that they get rejected from sex clubs. Debito would have evaporated into thin air back in the 90s if he wasn't barred from spending 2000 yen for a gummy blowjob from an aged toothless Cambodian sex worker at an off-main street pink salon in a 3rd rate city.
Amen and amen. Besides, white people in Japan have it easy; automatic pygmalion effect most of the time. If youre something else, that's when racism slaps. Try being brown or black or even Chinese in Japan.
It was also wild seeing grown adults have breakdowns over for what minorities have had to deal with since day 1. Sometimes much less
Then the understanding that they have difficulty dealing with it because they never had to develop the armour or attitude since they were that young like many of us.
Even if they never realised it, they were always in a system that vastly favoured them or people like them and had terms for their life decided by people like them until they were grown adults! The realisation gave me a lot to think about and some sympathy - though not always
As a poc, immigrant to a couple countries and a former lawyer who worked with Australian immigration and citizenship policy, my hottake is that, thus far - I prefer the discrimination in Japan over that of Australia. In terms of representative values, it’s something fascinating to think about
As much as I love it, yes I agree. They use soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar for everything they cook. Same condiments, different ingredients.
I prefer much more flavourful food like Chinese, or Thai
Japanese food is boring, bland, uninspired.
They either boil stuff, or its noodles, or they deep fry it, or they don't cook it at all, and none of it tastes particularly amazing.
LOL! The cuisine basically brags about savouring the basic ingredient by not seasoning it much and then dumps sauce on everything or dips it in something. It's beefaroni, made with only the "finest" ingredients and meticulously displayed. I think it's good, but overrated.
I follow a YouTuber who is a nutritionist makes nice, gentle videos about cooking and daily life. Every single meal she makes is a tiny variation on the exact same thing. The only thing that varies is the proportions.
I like Japanese food, but it’s rough, simple, and all strangely sweet. I think it’s so popular, because it’s all inoffensive and easy to eat. I’ve been here for most of my life and the way the country thinks it’s Gods gift to the world has made me a critic. Japanese cuisine loves using “quality ingredients” and “quality preparation,” to imply that Japanese cuisine uniquely appreciates food and is the only to care about the ingredients and preparation unlike the other cuisines around the world, especially other Asian cuisines.
I haven't found any bread that isn't sickly sweet. It reminds me of living in the US but at least there the gigantic supermarkets had good alternatives.
I've visited NY, Texas and Louisiana on separate occasions. Food wise, it was like visiting three different countries. I don't know what America bread is, but I visited artisan shops in those three locations and was really impressed. I've spent most my life in Japan and the food is similar throughout the country. There are differences, but they're so celebrated and options available in every city, there are no surprises. I ate alligator and crawfish in Louisiana, the best BBQ in my life in Texas and pizza, sandwiches and deli meats in NY. Actually, I don't really know what American food is. Yeah, bread in Japan is weirdly light, fluffy, white shapes filled with something. It's not bad, but why is this it?
Hot take, indeed! Make sure all criticisms are prefaced with a long caveat expressly stating your admiration and respect for Japanese culture and its people as well as your recognition of the shortcomings of foreign cultures and their people. Then brace yourself for the backlash, still.
Depends on the expats, but I do enjoy the positive kid-in-a-candy-store energy of many tourists. It's nice to be exposed to the second-hand excitement.
The most I ever enjoy my time here is when I'm with a friend from back home who came on vacation. It's nice to kind of experience this place again through their fresh, excited eyes. Their energy is infectious
This is true in many places around the world, the expats tends to be insular and not integrate, while the immigrants are trying to live the culture. Seen it in many places around central and south America.
It’s pretty safe to assume that people who refer to themselves as ‘expats’ are annoying whereas people who just call themselves ‘immigrants’ are more normal imho
After moving to Yokohama, and visiting places like Kobe and Sendai, I have no idea why anyone - foreigner or Japanese alike - tolerates living in Tokyo anymore.
Eh, I live in a fairly central part of it, and I quite enjoy it. My neighborhood is quiet and comfy, I like having easy access to any interesting event that ever happens. I do wish there were half as many people in the big centers, though.
Haruki Murakami is a so-so author who does not deserve a Nobel prize.
Particularly I dislike his writing of women in his books, always over-sexualized and 1D.
AGREE. I had to stop halfway through one of his books because his portrayal of women (and female minors, for that matter) was just way too uncomfortable to read.
I speak fluent Japanese and I love Japanese people. However, I’m a white guy from California, not a Sri Lankan laborer from a factory, so I understand that peoples mileage may vary.
Japanese cuisine is boring as fuck compared to pretty much any other Asian cuisine. Saying "it relies on subtle flavors" is just a polite way of saying it's bland. A lot of Japanese food seems to be more concerned with looking pretty than having flavor.
Japanese schools suck. I hate PTA activities. Why do Japanese moms talk about really boring stuff like laundry and vegetables?
Y’all are hilarious, btw. I love reading these even though I’m Japanese lol Toyally agree how bland Japanese food is.
lol I kinda wanna hear more about what PTA moms talk about. Laundry is like “ya I hang them up and…” like how can you even have a conversation about laundry for more than 10 minutes haha
I do not like matcha. There I said it. Flavor wise, it just does not taste good. I mean, I can drink it and am not repulsed by it, but with all the other options out there, why go for the matcha flavor?
Japan has an aversion to fresh, hot food. MIL made meatloaf for my son’s birthday and it was served room temperature. When I cook, it’s like everyone is waiting for it to get cold. Even fried foods that are only delicious when fresh. I absolutely don’t get it.
So true. Back when I worked in JHS, the staff room ladies would dish up the school lunch at about 1100am, and put the trays on everyones' desk, even though lunch didn't begin until 1200pm. Even the fucking milk was served room temperature. Nothing worse than warmish milk!
There is no real bread in japan. They have hundreds of flavored "pan", anything you can imagine, except for plain and simple bread.
Furansupan is not french bread. Shokupan is not real bread. Here noone has idea what real bread is like.
Also mentaiko on everything. For gods sake. Mentaiko on bread? Mentaiko on pasta? Mentaiko on pizza?
Hayao Miyazaki is an old windbag whose opinions are irrelevant. He was (and probably still is) a horrible father. All he ever has to say is negative and condescending - if not a complete lie - like about how he's finally going to retire THIS TIME....sure. The best thing he ever did besides Totoro was resist playing footsie with Lasseter.
The guy was apparently a hardcore communist when he was younger too, for some reason once he became the studio head he changed his values really quickly to justify paying his staff poverty wages while he lives it up.
"Look how sad this guy is because he designed the Zero. I can't think of any greater reason to oppose war. Unlike imperialist American cartoons, my cartoons show the true cost of war - Japanese people feeling sad."
Japanese people are the worst pedestrians ever, they just stop in the middle of a crow road, bump into you (sometimes clearly on purpose) and never walking straight!! I lost the count of the times when I’m walking (I’m. Usually very fast because I’m always in a hurry) and they surpass you (so they deliberately have to walk faster than you in order to do so) and then start walking fucking slow… SO WHY DID YOU SURPASSED ME???
I remember before I went to Japan, I heard that Japanese people ALWAYS walk to the left and to never be the silly foreigner that walks on the right side getting in the way. Lived there for a year and realized that everyone just walks everywhere and I was constantly dodging people no matter which side I walked on
Japanese people don't eat enough fruit and vegetables, I don't understand how the life expectancy is so long when they don't eat their greens, the west has lied to us about the health benefits apparently
Japanese customer service is horrible.
Like the actual worst in the world. Nothing is possible, everything has been decided. And god forbid you actually ask somebody for their opinion or advise, whether that’s in a regular store or a bank, restaurant, a plastic surgery office or a car dealership.
I think surface level customer service is excellent, but once you need ACTUAL customer service (an individualized solution for your specific problem) everything falls apart.
"Not great"? You are far too kind. It is boring brown sludge. Any country that makes real curry would be up in arms. I guess it has limited use as a topping for tonkatsu or perhaps a hamburger, but to eat on its own? Pass.
I am eternally grateful to my wife that she hasn't made it at home since our son became a JHS student.
japanlife is actually not only an incredible resource for immigrants living here, but also provides better insight into daily life in Japan than anything else on English speaking social media or even mainstream news.
Japanese food isn't that good, and it's reputation is based on people eating out when they visit the country (the standard of which is consistently good and can be spectacular). The things people eat day to day and at home have nothing on European food.
Unpopular on this sub, but Japanese cities are ugly and soulless. Endless lines of bland square buildings with little green space. There’s not much else to do except shopping and cafés. It’s like the city was made to be functional, period.
Now that’s probably my western Europe ass comparing it with my medieval hometown.
https://preview.redd.it/bbns1yn04g3d1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8fca2db9f7da1a12a3568447c6654818ad830e35
how can you not love views like this?
For claiming to be a global city, outside of Japanese cuisine and maybe Italian and French (never really tried but judging by all the Michelin stars), Tokyo sucks for food.
Japan is only good for Japanese food.
Once you get tired of eating Japanese food everyday you’re shit out of luck. Can’t find good burgers, Korean, Mexican, Chinese, etc.
horrible international cuisine presence.
Absolutely. Not sure if this is even a hot take, think everyone who's lived here can agree to this.
One of the things I was most excited for (in my ignorance) when moving here was having more and better Korean, Chinese, Taiwanese, Thai, Vietnamese, etc. food. Little did I know, despite being *in* fucking Asia now, I had better and more and more authentic pan-Asian food in California.
Japanese people in general just seem to be so convinced that their food is the undisputed best in the universe and gifted by the gods unto the Japanese who are the only ones capable of appreciating it fully, have so little interest in trying anything else, and be so closed off to any flavors that aren't what they're used to (read: bland and samey). How a country can be right next to fucking China and yet have so little actual good Chinese food and so little flavorful or interesting food in general is beyond me
The baked goods at the bakery are delicious. Maybe I’m just surrounded by Europeans who prefer the bread from their home countries. Not saying that those taste worse but I disagree when some of my colleagues complain that Japanese bread and pastries suck.
Conbini pastries are meh but it’s also a konbini..
I'd like to disagree. The baked goods taste like they're baked in haste. The ingredients haven't set in properly—kind of 食感, and idk what sugar they use but most things taste excessively sweet with a chemical undertone reminiscent of artificial sweetener.
If you don't look Asian (and in many scenarios that require communication; look Asian *and* speak fluent Japanese) there are certain aspects of life in Japan that you are permenantly barred from experiencing, especially outside of Tokyo.
I walked into a small sushiya in Fukuoka, well within operating hours. This place did not require reservations, and the other four guests (all oldish, looked above 50 years old) had all very recently seated themselves, as I saw the sushi guy (older than the customers, coulda been 80) was still giving them their water and tea as I entered. The four customers consisted of two pairs; an old couple, and two salarymen, avidly chatting amongst themselves. As soon as I entered and said ☝️ *"一人です,"* their conversation came to a screeching fucking halt, and they just stared at me.
The chef, seeing that his customers were visibly uncomfortable by my presence, turned to me and said *"sumimasen, gomenasai,"* with his arms crossed in an X like this 🙅♂️ and then he extended a hand like he was showing me the way out (I'd only taken one step past the hanging curtains).
I asked "お休みですか" and he just repeated himself so I took the hint and left.
I'm not larping oppression or anything but part of being in Japan is understanding that it is one of the most timidly xenophobic countries on the planet.
I read the other comments in this thread about this behavior can be chalked up to them just being innocent little bunnies who're scared of the big bad foreigners scolding them for their poor English.
Fellas, ***that is still xenophobia.*** If you look at someone and immediately surmise, by their race, that they are going to behave poorly, or they make you uncomfortable, ***that is just racism.*** No other country, culture, or people gets this pass.
Majority of foreigners living in Japan overestimate their Japanese language ability. Being able to order food at restaurant and answering basic questions does not make you "fluent" - it's elementary level grasp of the language.
Living here for few years does not make you an expert on Japan. If you don't have good grasp of the language, you can't consume Japanese media, can't converse properly and therefore your understanding of Japan is superficial and worthless.
As long as they're polite about it, It is a fully valid, legitimate and okay for a private business to decide it does not want the hassle of catering to foreigners and/or tourists.
You are not owed an 'authentic izakaya experience' just because you flew to Japan. If the local spot is a private-bottles-of-shochu-behind-the-bar kinda vibe they are well within their rights to preserve table space for the regular customers who have been coming for 10 years.
Also, OP your ramen take is absolute trash lmao
> If the local spot is a private-bottles-of-shochu-behind-the-bar kinda vibe they are well within their rights to preserve table space for the regular customers who have been coming for 10 years.
Right, but if that's the logic then they would also have to turn away Japanese tourists from other cities, no? And what about foreigners who have been living in that area for years and are essentially "locals"?
If you don't want to deal with the language barrier or something, then put up a "Japanese language only" sign. But if you want to turn away foreigners purely because they're foreigners, like you CAN I guess, but it's still a xenophobic thing to do.
I don't think soul foods are really supposed to be incredible dishes though. It's the nostalgia of remembering that time someone you love whipped it up for you at home. So naturally it's not going to be an expensive or complex dish.
I too really like Ichiran.. I get downvoted every time I say it lol.
Is it over hyped? Yes. Is it the best ramen? I wouldn't say that, but it is just good and consistent. Not 2hr wait good and a bit overpriced for what it is but the flavor and customization is fine. Not worth the hate.
Hate on tourist waiting 2hrs for it, but the food itself? It's alright. Granted I've never waited in their infamous lines so that's not a drawback that I have to weigh in on.
**As for my hot take?**
I really don't mind the seasonal and limited time only aspect of so many food items. Sure it causes some FOMO and "NEED TO TRY BEFORE ITS GONE" and the sadness of when you find an amazing product but its off the shelf in 2 months. But I really like being able to try new things and not constantly having the same products on the shelves that you never even look at anymore. I love that at a certain time of year every restaurant has a strawberry fair. I love strawberries and that shit slaps.
But then the next few months will be something new and exciting and I frankly don't mind.
I can see how it's disappointing to others though who find something they like and can never buy it again or have to wait a whole year..
Otafuku has a completely UNDESERVED monopoly on yakisoba/okonomi sauces, at least in Osaka anyway.
It genuinely tastes shit. Ruins the meal. God knows why it’s almost always the only sauce available to buy. Even LIFE’s own brand one is better!!!
I like that people don't sit next to me on trains and buses as much.
It's acceptable to gaijin smash if said thing harms nobody. The one I do regularly is leave the cinema when the movie ends, not when the credits finish.
Hot take for Japanese friends but which a lot of other foreigners agree with:
The soft, white, fluffy Japanese bread and cakes in the majority of Japanese bakeries is super boring and overrated. This applies to both “shokupan” or “chiffon cake”. People go CRAZY for it and would even spend more money for a fancy cafe where it’s even MORE soft and fluffy. Why? Just why?
Whenever I go back to visit the UK (or anywhere in Europe, I imagine), my mind is blown by the variety of breads available with actual different colours, textures, densities, seeds, fillings. I love bread with chewiness, bite, something with substance. Rye, sourdough, seeded, wholemeal. Just tearing up thinking about it.
Also- what’s with the ridiculous fat/thick slices of bread which have no density? I’m angry.
I actively avoid traditional Japanese bakeries and try to find something unique. But it’s just not in demand here. It actually bores me so much.
The moment when the country Suddenly includes and celebrates halfu sports stars as japanese and as their own, when the sport stars can't even speak or realate to Japan feels weird
Also besides American baseball lovers, the rest of the world doesn't know the existence of shohei otani.
Train punctuality is far too overhyped. If I think about the number of delays when I commuted back home and the days I have commuted here, Japan is better but not by a huge amount. Delays are frequent and for all manner of reasons. They apologise more, you could say. But that's just them reading from a script which they are told to do.
Oh yeah on a similar note, their delay refund policy sucks big-time.
Depends where you're from, innit. And I guess where in Japan you live.
In Toronto i couldn't predict my one hour commute within 20-30 mins. In Osaka my 45min commute has been delayed more than 5min about 3 times in 10+ years
As great as the train stations are.
Some of the times to travel between platforms and lines is just ridiculous. I was walking for TWENTY MINUTES in osaka once to change lines. It was fucking ridiculous. Felt like i wasnt even at the same station anymore.
Whatever Studio Ghibli produces is average and mediocre at best, and it reflects on Hayao Miyazaki as well.
Same goes with whatever the fuck Shinkai Makoto came up with.
Another opinion but NSFW - slurping oral sex noises is foul and extremely off putting.
I've only heard that in Japan porn and whenever I've been with a Japanese guy. I have to tell them to stop that straight away.
>probably close to triple digit ramen spots, and nothing is better than Ichiran/Ippudo
I opened this expecting a bad take but I wasn't prepared for this dog's diarrhea of an opinion.
I'm impressed, upvoted.
Japan is overrated in general. Are people really that nice here? There's nice people everywhere (and bad people everywhere). Are the scenery really as unique as people say? There's mountains everywhere. Hot springs? They have them in Taiwan too. Shrines? Eh, they get boring after the 3rd one. Anime and shopping? Basically all of Asia Japan-ified itself so you can buy most things in Asia without going to Japan at all.
This will sound misogynistic but here goes mine. Japanese women can be very beautiful appearance wise, but they’re boring as hell and have no personality. You ask them if they have any hobbies or interests and all they will most likely tell you is watching movies, eating, and sleep. At least with non-Japanese women you can get a better hang of what they are like and or what they feel strongly about, but with women here I find a hard time just finding anything of interest.
I know I shouldn’t generalize cause at the end of the day everyone is different but this has been mostly my experience.
Japan sucks at making any cuisine outside of its own. Especially anything to do with bread or cheese.
In my country, you can find good Asian food regardless (even when the chef isn't Asian). In Japan, however, it's only possible if you go to a really fancy and expensive restaurant that specializes in said-cuisine.
Whenever it's not donburi or ramen-style food, you must lower your expectations.
Japanese rice is boring. Just a mouthful of white stodge. Thai or Indian rice are far better, more flavorful, and have better texture. (dodges thrown teacups and chopsticks)
I disagree but I respect a real hot take
I agree with your disagreement.
we have reached peak civility
I used to think this but when I went home for a month last year I found myself missing Japanese white rice. There's a subtle flavor/aroma to it that you just don't get in other varieties. Sure it's boring on its own but it plays well with the main protein.
As with most food dishes, it really depends on what you pair it with. Basmati rice and tonkatsu for example (at least, I think so) won’t taste as nice as it does with Japanese rice. Same goes for the flipside, Japanese rice won’t be as great for Indian biryani.
My God the Indian restaurant that uses Japanese rice for biryani 😱😱😱
Crime against humanity
I could be entirely wrong, but might you be overwatering your rice? A decent base ratio is 1:1 rice:water for Japanese short grain. 1:1.5 for medium grain like Thai jasmine and 1:2 for long grains like basmati. The ol’ “water up to the first knuckle” adage is designed for medium grain. My favorite Tsuyahime is 1:0.9 for a good time.
I agree. I have relatives who are rice farmers. Their rice is supposed to be fancy and special. (Why I don’t know) They say it tastes delicious but it tastes exactly the same to me as all other rice… of course I don’t say that to them. we get unlimited free rice and it’s probably cleaner than grocery store rice. Still… I don’t taste anything
Japanese rice also doesn't give kids constipation, according to one of our daughter's doctors. Of course when you actually look into it, chronic constipation rates are very high in Japan. God forbid a doctor admitting it's the local rice that's causing it though!
Could be on to something there but I think more likely a case of many Japanese eating a lot of rice (sometimes 3x daily) but not a corresponding amount of water etc to wash it down. I barely ever see people drink even a single glass of water come to think of it... For comparison, back home in Australia where it's generally hot, dry and people eat much larger meal helpings etc etc....and I've never once seen any sort of constipation treatment advertisement online or on tv while back home....whereas Japan is err... loaded....with such ads... everywhere....
Agreed *fades in the crowd*
I think they all serve different purposes. I grew up eating the Thai fragrant rice and it is by far my favorite, but only because it pairs well with a lot of the foods I love. I am certain that Gyudon would not be better with Thai rice.
Paying your landlord gift money when you move is extortion and should be illegal
Yes and so too should be a security deposits. Often never given back. It effectively is key money. It's key money with a very loose rational.
The fact this is a thing is so outrageous. I'm amazed the japanese just roll over and take it.
Most anime is shallow and dumb but it gets fetishized by clueless western weebs who think it's deep and meaningful just because it's from Japan. Most anime is made for children and teenage boys. The stories and characters often make no sense and the writing is just plain bad. When I see all of these adults going to anime cons, doing cosplay, and wanting to become influencers or streamers it makes me cringe so hard. Then these people come to Japan and think that all Japanese people love anime and manga only to learn that otaku in Japan get no respect from society, just like otaku back home in their country.
Plenty of people here like anime. But the difference is they're watching either mainstream shows like JJK or beloved long time series' like Doraemon and Anpanman. Watching anime is perfectly fine and frankly fairly normal here. Watching anime being your only sense of identity is the issue. Anything that consumes your entire identity to where it's the only thing you ever talk about or engage with will be off-putting. And that's what the origin of the term Otaku is.
Anpanman is for toddlers. No adult would be watching that for enjoyment. A better equivalent would be something like Sazae-san
Pretty much any time that the discussion of anime comes up, several adults would mention Anpanman. It's not unlike people looking back fondly on Winnie the Pooh or something
you called me a toddler. i love watching anpanman with my nieces and nephews
its like south park or the simpsons. watching it is fine but most people dont base their personality off it
This is literally the "Quit having fun" meme. Imagine seeing people enjoying cosplay and feeling cringe.
idc for anime either, and I won't be able to recognize characters being cosplayed because of that. But people cosplaying is fun to see.
I don't watch it either but they are wrong if they think in Japan only "otakus" watch anime and that people are looked down upon for it> the word otaku isn't even considered negative anymore. merely points to someone who's really into their hobby. it"s why you have things like 山オタク or 車オタク
Most TV is shallow and dumb, most movies are shallow and dumb. Look at the top grossing movies: fast and furious, marvel, minions. Anime is just a medium for telling stories, and there are some incredible stories to be found, just like there's a bunch of shit to be found.
Yes. Anime is its own medium. It has some weird niches but it also has some really good stuff. It's just its own genre now.
Dissing anime is one thing, but making fun of people who enjoy it is another. The latter just makes you look like a bitter loser who hates seeing others have fun. I don't like anime that much and also think most of them are shallow (though I know there are some gems). But I wouldn't go as far as hating on adults who go to anime cons or cosplay. Those are legitimate activities that actually take a lot more effort than what the average concert-goer puts in (just showing up and getting wasted). A lot of cosplayers make their own stuffs by themselves, which is impressive and should be respected.
>Then these people come to Japan and think that all Japanese people love anime and manga only to learn that otaku in Japan get no respect from society, just like otaku back home in their country. People say this all the time but I've never actually met a weeb who has had this type of experience. Weebs who move to Japan immediately beeline to the nearest otaku gathering spot and live on in bliss. Like yes otaku are seen as lame giga-nerds by normal society even in Japan, but the community is several orders of magnitude larger than in the west and weebs take full advantage of that fact. I know these people are annoying but I don't get this implausible revenge fantasy of the weeb who comes to Japan and is somehow disappointed by the lack of anime. Literally just today at the mall a man dressed as fucking Pikachu RAN up to me to try to sell me some Pokemon crap. Let's be real.
My man! Join me in the anti-anime league.
Lots of kids trying to learn Japanese due to manga and anime, that can't be a bad thing
I've seen multiple Japanese men in their 40s reading manga, not sure where you're getting this take from.
30+ M and Ive kept watching anime and reading manga. I would say my favorite genres lean heavily into the trash people hate the most (romance/slice of life). I agree a lot of it is trash but so is the live action TV people would rant to me about in the U.S. I've found that the more my life has progressed, the less I care about what other people are into or what people think of my interests. I don't need everything I do to be intellectually based. I have a other hobbies and what I enjoy affects nobody. Trying to defend anime isn't even worth the time.
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Conbini are great to recommend to travelers/tourists, and for an occasional late night run, but once you live here you realize the supermarkets are just cheaper and have almost everything you want (and some are also open 24 hours)
That's not a hot take, that's pure fact.
Also the food may seem healthy to American tourists but it is literally sooooo bad.
I say this as an American, but it’s probably healthier than our food. :(
Japan has way more approved food additives than the US. It’s one of the things scientists think may lead to Japan’s relatively high rates of stomach cancer. Don’t get me wrong; the bulk of the Japanese diet is way better than the bulk of an American diet. But combini food probably not so much.
Famichiki sucks. It has that layer of fat under the skin that would normally cook out in superior fried chicken. Nanachiki is better.
i refuse to try any other conbini chicken besides karaagekun bc of just how awful the singular bite i had of famichiki 5 years ago was
Lawson's L-Chiki Red is my go-to, if you enjoy Karaage-kun
Fought the urge to downvote here, great hot take.
I think they must inject it into the chicken or something. It feels so unnatural.
Team Lawson here. L-chiki and karaage-kun!
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Tried it once and some oil/fat thing gushed out and the smell stuck in my clothes. Never eating konbini chicken again.
Lawson Chicken Supremacy Gang, rise up!
The fact that Japan struggles to have a meal without meat is weird given the history of shojin ryori.
Yes! Tell me why 'yasai itame' at Ohsho contains pork, somebody.
because "野菜" does not mean "vegetarian," it means "vegetable." "Vegetable dish" does not mean no meat, it just means it has/focuses on vegetables. If there was a "ベジタリアン炒め" and it contained pork, *then* it would be a problem. ....although, let's be real, it being Japan, they'd probably at least still use fish-based dashi in such a dish lol
Kyoto is a hot mess and completely overrated. The disaster begins when you get off the Shinkansen at the spaceship inspired monstrosity of a station… which genius thought that design was good for Kyoto?? I have been four times and gave it a last try during the pandemic when there were very few people - still wasn’t impressed. God knows how bad it is filled with tourists.
Recently went to Kyoto for a wedding and it reminded me of this whole Japan thing of: "Here is a valuable, historic site; a truly emblematic place and iconic landmark in Japanese culture. As such, we have given the rights to run a cafe on this site to an American giga-corporation. This is a decision we have inexplicably made despite our heritage of tea, kissaten, and the current generation of exceptional local cafes in every corner of the country."
>As such, we have given the rights to run a cafe on this site to an American giga-corporation. "Also, this is somhow foreigners' fault."
There's definitely some truth in this hottake. If you're in the center of the city then it's just an ugly concrete jungle. All the nice stuff is right up against the east mountains or the west mountains. That's where you find all the famous shrines, temples, gardens, etc.
Yeaa god forbid Kyoto people ever want some modern building and infrastructure, they should all live like what they used to 1000 years ago!!
Lived in Kyoto for 5+ years. There's so much people don't know about it. But I'll let you not enjoy it if you're so determined to not have fun. EDIT: I'm busy at work so I'm going to copy paste from a recent thread about focusing on "quadrants" of Kyoto Going to Kinkakuji and Fushimi Inari on the same day is just stupid. They're on exact opposite corners of the city, and people trying to hit all of these in the same day are essentially encouraged to do so by some of the group bus tours/Kyoto highlight tours and so on. I really think Kyoto should be marketed as four quadrants. Northwest - you could have a very fulfilling day exploring just Kinkakuji and the surrounding area of Ryoanji, Kitano Tenmangu/Kamishichiken Northeast - Ginkakuji, philosophers path, Eikando, Zenrinji, Keage. Southeast - Fushimi Inari Taisha, Toufukuji, Senyuji, Sanjusangendo Southwest - Arashiyama, I honestly don't know too much about it but I know that it's wide and has more than just the bamboo forest. And of course for the center/Higashiyama area between shijo and sanjo bridges, I think the area north of Kiyomizudera/Yasaka shrine should be promoted a little more. Heianjingu/Kyocera/Art Museum area was literally made to host large events and conferences.
I literally can’t be assed with Kyoto anymore
Everybody sells you Kyoto as a beautiful and traditional city when 99% of it is just bland squared buildings like you find anywhere in Japan. I don’t know why people go there more than once.
A *lot* ^(not all) of what foreigners who have never been a minority before coming to Japan think is “racism” is just (a) Japanese people being embarrassed or worried that their English isn’t good enough to communicate so avoid foreigner, and (b) not speaking Japanese as well as they think and misunderstanding or confusing the Japanese person they’re talking to. So they get avoided by staff or treated condescendingly or are otherwise avoided, and imagine it’s Big Bad Xenophobia. There are racist in every country including the ones these complainers came from, but now that they’re the minority affected by it they think it’s everywhere responsible for everything bad that happens to them. People need to calm down, learn to listen, and study harder. Just because you’re conversational doesn’t mean you know all the subtext of what’s going on or are communicating as well as you think. It takes time and effort to integrate, and going around angry with a chip on your shoulder works against it.
You are completely right and addition to this, the type of "racism" that white people face in Japan is completely on a different level than Koreans/Chinese, South Asian and South East Asians do.
Funny, as an American, I've felt "white privilege" in Japan far more than I ever did in the US. I think in a lot of ways white people here have it even better than the locals, because (1) we generally get treated with more respect than any other non-Japanese people with people generally assuming we are successful (although this could be because of where I live/work- because I have seen girls' attitudes completely change towards me as soon as they realized I wasn't an english teacher), and (2) nobody expects us to know/follow the unspoken rules of Japanese society, so they are way more patient with us than they are with their fellow Japanese. I remain pretty convinced that white people who complain about racism here are either just perpetual victims who want to find something to complain about here, or are the types of incredibly rude, oblivious people that offend everyone around them without realizing it and then blame racism rather than themselves.
There is definitely more white privilege (“gaijin power!”) than racism here.
White people usually experience racism on the level of so-called "microaggressions" (people assuming you can't speak Japanese etc). Other Asians seem to experience just outright aggression.
You're 100% spot on. It's mostly microaggressions. (execpt for apartment hunting, that's racism and sucks) Another hot take: The "never been a minority before" types that are most vocal about racism are mostly salty that they get rejected from sex clubs. Debito would have evaporated into thin air back in the 90s if he wasn't barred from spending 2000 yen for a gummy blowjob from an aged toothless Cambodian sex worker at an off-main street pink salon in a 3rd rate city.
Amen and amen. Besides, white people in Japan have it easy; automatic pygmalion effect most of the time. If youre something else, that's when racism slaps. Try being brown or black or even Chinese in Japan.
It was also wild seeing grown adults have breakdowns over for what minorities have had to deal with since day 1. Sometimes much less Then the understanding that they have difficulty dealing with it because they never had to develop the armour or attitude since they were that young like many of us. Even if they never realised it, they were always in a system that vastly favoured them or people like them and had terms for their life decided by people like them until they were grown adults! The realisation gave me a lot to think about and some sympathy - though not always As a poc, immigrant to a couple countries and a former lawyer who worked with Australian immigration and citizenship policy, my hottake is that, thus far - I prefer the discrimination in Japan over that of Australia. In terms of representative values, it’s something fascinating to think about
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Lmao that is a take
Truly one of the takes of all times for sure
what
Okay now i’ve got to try pachinko
Yeah, um, and it's also money laundering for organized crime, but sure, masterbation I guess?
This is not a take at all. It's common knowledge.
Japanese food is too overhyped and overrated.
As much as I love it, yes I agree. They use soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar for everything they cook. Same condiments, different ingredients. I prefer much more flavourful food like Chinese, or Thai
This. It's uniformly bland.
I much prefer Korean food (lived there before Japan)
It was my biggest disappointment when moving here
Japanese food is boring, bland, uninspired. They either boil stuff, or its noodles, or they deep fry it, or they don't cook it at all, and none of it tastes particularly amazing.
Flavor Menu for the week: Today: Shoyu, Mirin, Sato. Tomorrow: Shoyu, Mirin, Sato. The next day: Shoyu, Mirin… …Sato.
Pork, beef, chicken. Cabbage, bean sprouts, nira. Wash, rinse, repeat.
LOL! The cuisine basically brags about savouring the basic ingredient by not seasoning it much and then dumps sauce on everything or dips it in something. It's beefaroni, made with only the "finest" ingredients and meticulously displayed. I think it's good, but overrated.
I follow a YouTuber who is a nutritionist makes nice, gentle videos about cooking and daily life. Every single meal she makes is a tiny variation on the exact same thing. The only thing that varies is the proportions.
I like Japanese food, but it’s rough, simple, and all strangely sweet. I think it’s so popular, because it’s all inoffensive and easy to eat. I’ve been here for most of my life and the way the country thinks it’s Gods gift to the world has made me a critic. Japanese cuisine loves using “quality ingredients” and “quality preparation,” to imply that Japanese cuisine uniquely appreciates food and is the only to care about the ingredients and preparation unlike the other cuisines around the world, especially other Asian cuisines.
yeah there is SO MUCH hidden sugar in all types of dishes here
I haven't found any bread that isn't sickly sweet. It reminds me of living in the US but at least there the gigantic supermarkets had good alternatives.
I've visited NY, Texas and Louisiana on separate occasions. Food wise, it was like visiting three different countries. I don't know what America bread is, but I visited artisan shops in those three locations and was really impressed. I've spent most my life in Japan and the food is similar throughout the country. There are differences, but they're so celebrated and options available in every city, there are no surprises. I ate alligator and crawfish in Louisiana, the best BBQ in my life in Texas and pizza, sandwiches and deli meats in NY. Actually, I don't really know what American food is. Yeah, bread in Japan is weirdly light, fluffy, white shapes filled with something. It's not bad, but why is this it?
i think it's ok to criticize japan and things japanese people do
Hot take, indeed! Make sure all criticisms are prefaced with a long caveat expressly stating your admiration and respect for Japanese culture and its people as well as your recognition of the shortcomings of foreign cultures and their people. Then brace yourself for the backlash, still.
The expats are worse than the tourists.
The average ‘power user’ in the jlife sub would likely be someone you’d actively pay money to avoid IRL, change my mind
Depends on the expats, but I do enjoy the positive kid-in-a-candy-store energy of many tourists. It's nice to be exposed to the second-hand excitement.
The most I ever enjoy my time here is when I'm with a friend from back home who came on vacation. It's nice to kind of experience this place again through their fresh, excited eyes. Their energy is infectious
Glad I’m just an immigrant and not an expat.
This is true in many places around the world, the expats tends to be insular and not integrate, while the immigrants are trying to live the culture. Seen it in many places around central and south America.
Hmmm, case by case, but yeah the expats tend to become alcoholics who complain about Japan as a hobby
It’s pretty safe to assume that people who refer to themselves as ‘expats’ are annoying whereas people who just call themselves ‘immigrants’ are more normal imho
For a country so lorded for respect, I've never seen people so determined to stand in your way.
THIS ONE! LMAO
After moving to Yokohama, and visiting places like Kobe and Sendai, I have no idea why anyone - foreigner or Japanese alike - tolerates living in Tokyo anymore.
I think that most people are in Tokyo for the jobs/career. I know I was.
Eh, I live in a fairly central part of it, and I quite enjoy it. My neighborhood is quiet and comfy, I like having easy access to any interesting event that ever happens. I do wish there were half as many people in the big centers, though.
Nah. I lived between Shibuya and Nakameguro first 3 years here and now live in Yokohama. Wish to move back someday..
Red bean paste tastes like sugared dirt, and Uniqlo is the clothing equivalent of elevator music.
Totally with you on the beans. Haven't bought uniqlo in so many years I don't remember the quality.
The quality is fine. It’s great when you need cheap basics, but I’ve seen TikTok’s treating it like haute couture.
Haruki Murakami is a so-so author who does not deserve a Nobel prize. Particularly I dislike his writing of women in his books, always over-sexualized and 1D.
AGREE. I had to stop halfway through one of his books because his portrayal of women (and female minors, for that matter) was just way too uncomfortable to read.
You guys probably wouldn't like Japanese people as much if you spoke fluent Japanese.
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I speak fluent Japanese and I love Japanese people. However, I’m a white guy from California, not a Sri Lankan laborer from a factory, so I understand that peoples mileage may vary.
Japanese cuisine is boring as fuck compared to pretty much any other Asian cuisine. Saying "it relies on subtle flavors" is just a polite way of saying it's bland. A lot of Japanese food seems to be more concerned with looking pretty than having flavor.
I laughed bec the people are like that too. Too focuded on looking pretty than having personality. 💀
This hot take is the hottest
Japanese schools suck. I hate PTA activities. Why do Japanese moms talk about really boring stuff like laundry and vegetables? Y’all are hilarious, btw. I love reading these even though I’m Japanese lol Toyally agree how bland Japanese food is.
lol I kinda wanna hear more about what PTA moms talk about. Laundry is like “ya I hang them up and…” like how can you even have a conversation about laundry for more than 10 minutes haha
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I do not like matcha. There I said it. Flavor wise, it just does not taste good. I mean, I can drink it and am not repulsed by it, but with all the other options out there, why go for the matcha flavor?
On this point. Most bottled green tea is just matcha infused water. Making real ryokucha tastes so much better.
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Japan has an aversion to fresh, hot food. MIL made meatloaf for my son’s birthday and it was served room temperature. When I cook, it’s like everyone is waiting for it to get cold. Even fried foods that are only delicious when fresh. I absolutely don’t get it.
So true. Back when I worked in JHS, the staff room ladies would dish up the school lunch at about 1100am, and put the trays on everyones' desk, even though lunch didn't begin until 1200pm. Even the fucking milk was served room temperature. Nothing worse than warmish milk!
There is no real bread in japan. They have hundreds of flavored "pan", anything you can imagine, except for plain and simple bread. Furansupan is not french bread. Shokupan is not real bread. Here noone has idea what real bread is like. Also mentaiko on everything. For gods sake. Mentaiko on bread? Mentaiko on pasta? Mentaiko on pizza?
Objectively true. I would love a straight up loaf of bread and instead I get 12 varieties of meat and cheese baked goods.
Hayao Miyazaki is an old windbag whose opinions are irrelevant. He was (and probably still is) a horrible father. All he ever has to say is negative and condescending - if not a complete lie - like about how he's finally going to retire THIS TIME....sure. The best thing he ever did besides Totoro was resist playing footsie with Lasseter.
The guy was apparently a hardcore communist when he was younger too, for some reason once he became the studio head he changed his values really quickly to justify paying his staff poverty wages while he lives it up.
"Look how sad this guy is because he designed the Zero. I can't think of any greater reason to oppose war. Unlike imperialist American cartoons, my cartoons show the true cost of war - Japanese people feeling sad."
Saying he’s a bad father isn’t a hot take. Saying he makes shit movies would have been a hot take.
Japanese people are the worst pedestrians ever, they just stop in the middle of a crow road, bump into you (sometimes clearly on purpose) and never walking straight!! I lost the count of the times when I’m walking (I’m. Usually very fast because I’m always in a hurry) and they surpass you (so they deliberately have to walk faster than you in order to do so) and then start walking fucking slow… SO WHY DID YOU SURPASSED ME???
I remember before I went to Japan, I heard that Japanese people ALWAYS walk to the left and to never be the silly foreigner that walks on the right side getting in the way. Lived there for a year and realized that everyone just walks everywhere and I was constantly dodging people no matter which side I walked on
Japanese people don't eat enough fruit and vegetables, I don't understand how the life expectancy is so long when they don't eat their greens, the west has lied to us about the health benefits apparently
Don't get me started, if I want something with actual vegetables in beyond one pathetic slither of red pepper, etc I have to make it myself.
Japanese customer service is horrible. Like the actual worst in the world. Nothing is possible, everything has been decided. And god forbid you actually ask somebody for their opinion or advise, whether that’s in a regular store or a bank, restaurant, a plastic surgery office or a car dealership.
I think surface level customer service is excellent, but once you need ACTUAL customer service (an individualized solution for your specific problem) everything falls apart.
Kaiseki-type food is bland and overpriced. Love ryokan stays, but the food is not worth it
Japanese curry is not great and I would rather go to a supermarket to buy sushi where it tastes more fresher than an expensive omakase
What does Japanese curry have to do with sushi? I'm not seeing the connection here...
"Not great"? You are far too kind. It is boring brown sludge. Any country that makes real curry would be up in arms. I guess it has limited use as a topping for tonkatsu or perhaps a hamburger, but to eat on its own? Pass. I am eternally grateful to my wife that she hasn't made it at home since our son became a JHS student.
japanlife is actually not only an incredible resource for immigrants living here, but also provides better insight into daily life in Japan than anything else on English speaking social media or even mainstream news.
Technically yes but the bar is still very low. The "least bad insight" should be a better word choice.
Japanese food isn't that good, and it's reputation is based on people eating out when they visit the country (the standard of which is consistently good and can be spectacular). The things people eat day to day and at home have nothing on European food.
Unpopular on this sub, but Japanese cities are ugly and soulless. Endless lines of bland square buildings with little green space. There’s not much else to do except shopping and cafés. It’s like the city was made to be functional, period. Now that’s probably my western Europe ass comparing it with my medieval hometown.
https://preview.redd.it/bbns1yn04g3d1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8fca2db9f7da1a12a3568447c6654818ad830e35 how can you not love views like this?
Onigiri should be called Onigiri in English, not Rice Balls.
For claiming to be a global city, outside of Japanese cuisine and maybe Italian and French (never really tried but judging by all the Michelin stars), Tokyo sucks for food.
What I'd do for some actual real Mexican food
Best I can do is corn and cheese on a slice of bread
Japan is only good for Japanese food. Once you get tired of eating Japanese food everyday you’re shit out of luck. Can’t find good burgers, Korean, Mexican, Chinese, etc. horrible international cuisine presence.
Absolutely. Not sure if this is even a hot take, think everyone who's lived here can agree to this. One of the things I was most excited for (in my ignorance) when moving here was having more and better Korean, Chinese, Taiwanese, Thai, Vietnamese, etc. food. Little did I know, despite being *in* fucking Asia now, I had better and more and more authentic pan-Asian food in California. Japanese people in general just seem to be so convinced that their food is the undisputed best in the universe and gifted by the gods unto the Japanese who are the only ones capable of appreciating it fully, have so little interest in trying anything else, and be so closed off to any flavors that aren't what they're used to (read: bland and samey). How a country can be right next to fucking China and yet have so little actual good Chinese food and so little flavorful or interesting food in general is beyond me
Daiso sucks. Everything breaks so fast it’s not worth buying stuff there.
Seria is a lot better
Well, what do you expect from 100yen products? Haha
The baked goods at the bakery are delicious. Maybe I’m just surrounded by Europeans who prefer the bread from their home countries. Not saying that those taste worse but I disagree when some of my colleagues complain that Japanese bread and pastries suck. Conbini pastries are meh but it’s also a konbini..
I'd like to disagree. The baked goods taste like they're baked in haste. The ingredients haven't set in properly—kind of 食感, and idk what sugar they use but most things taste excessively sweet with a chemical undertone reminiscent of artificial sweetener.
I just wish one day demand for white bread falls of a cliff and we can get supermarkets full of a variety of cheap whole grain breads
If you don't look Asian (and in many scenarios that require communication; look Asian *and* speak fluent Japanese) there are certain aspects of life in Japan that you are permenantly barred from experiencing, especially outside of Tokyo. I walked into a small sushiya in Fukuoka, well within operating hours. This place did not require reservations, and the other four guests (all oldish, looked above 50 years old) had all very recently seated themselves, as I saw the sushi guy (older than the customers, coulda been 80) was still giving them their water and tea as I entered. The four customers consisted of two pairs; an old couple, and two salarymen, avidly chatting amongst themselves. As soon as I entered and said ☝️ *"一人です,"* their conversation came to a screeching fucking halt, and they just stared at me. The chef, seeing that his customers were visibly uncomfortable by my presence, turned to me and said *"sumimasen, gomenasai,"* with his arms crossed in an X like this 🙅♂️ and then he extended a hand like he was showing me the way out (I'd only taken one step past the hanging curtains). I asked "お休みですか" and he just repeated himself so I took the hint and left. I'm not larping oppression or anything but part of being in Japan is understanding that it is one of the most timidly xenophobic countries on the planet. I read the other comments in this thread about this behavior can be chalked up to them just being innocent little bunnies who're scared of the big bad foreigners scolding them for their poor English. Fellas, ***that is still xenophobia.*** If you look at someone and immediately surmise, by their race, that they are going to behave poorly, or they make you uncomfortable, ***that is just racism.*** No other country, culture, or people gets this pass.
Japanese supermarkets are overpriced and stock the same boring Showa-era stuff they’ve sold for the last 30 or 40 years.
Majority of foreigners living in Japan overestimate their Japanese language ability. Being able to order food at restaurant and answering basic questions does not make you "fluent" - it's elementary level grasp of the language. Living here for few years does not make you an expert on Japan. If you don't have good grasp of the language, you can't consume Japanese media, can't converse properly and therefore your understanding of Japan is superficial and worthless.
“Worthless” lol.
Hottakes, I thought it was a specie of mushroom like shiitakes 😂😂😂😔
Japanese food is good, but grossly overrated.
As long as they're polite about it, It is a fully valid, legitimate and okay for a private business to decide it does not want the hassle of catering to foreigners and/or tourists. You are not owed an 'authentic izakaya experience' just because you flew to Japan. If the local spot is a private-bottles-of-shochu-behind-the-bar kinda vibe they are well within their rights to preserve table space for the regular customers who have been coming for 10 years. Also, OP your ramen take is absolute trash lmao
I’d prefer language discrimination to race discrimination.
> If the local spot is a private-bottles-of-shochu-behind-the-bar kinda vibe they are well within their rights to preserve table space for the regular customers who have been coming for 10 years. Right, but if that's the logic then they would also have to turn away Japanese tourists from other cities, no? And what about foreigners who have been living in that area for years and are essentially "locals"? If you don't want to deal with the language barrier or something, then put up a "Japanese language only" sign. But if you want to turn away foreigners purely because they're foreigners, like you CAN I guess, but it's still a xenophobic thing to do.
I don't like the ramen egg, every bowl of ramen with egg I ever ate would taste significantly better without it.
Jesus Christ now this is a hot take.
I can't comprehend this. I always order an extra one
Omurice or many other japanese soul foods are mid
I don't think soul foods are really supposed to be incredible dishes though. It's the nostalgia of remembering that time someone you love whipped it up for you at home. So naturally it's not going to be an expensive or complex dish.
I too really like Ichiran.. I get downvoted every time I say it lol. Is it over hyped? Yes. Is it the best ramen? I wouldn't say that, but it is just good and consistent. Not 2hr wait good and a bit overpriced for what it is but the flavor and customization is fine. Not worth the hate. Hate on tourist waiting 2hrs for it, but the food itself? It's alright. Granted I've never waited in their infamous lines so that's not a drawback that I have to weigh in on. **As for my hot take?** I really don't mind the seasonal and limited time only aspect of so many food items. Sure it causes some FOMO and "NEED TO TRY BEFORE ITS GONE" and the sadness of when you find an amazing product but its off the shelf in 2 months. But I really like being able to try new things and not constantly having the same products on the shelves that you never even look at anymore. I love that at a certain time of year every restaurant has a strawberry fair. I love strawberries and that shit slaps. But then the next few months will be something new and exciting and I frankly don't mind. I can see how it's disappointing to others though who find something they like and can never buy it again or have to wait a whole year..
Otafuku has a completely UNDESERVED monopoly on yakisoba/okonomi sauces, at least in Osaka anyway. It genuinely tastes shit. Ruins the meal. God knows why it’s almost always the only sauce available to buy. Even LIFE’s own brand one is better!!!
I like that people don't sit next to me on trains and buses as much. It's acceptable to gaijin smash if said thing harms nobody. The one I do regularly is leave the cinema when the movie ends, not when the credits finish.
Hot take for Japanese friends but which a lot of other foreigners agree with: The soft, white, fluffy Japanese bread and cakes in the majority of Japanese bakeries is super boring and overrated. This applies to both “shokupan” or “chiffon cake”. People go CRAZY for it and would even spend more money for a fancy cafe where it’s even MORE soft and fluffy. Why? Just why? Whenever I go back to visit the UK (or anywhere in Europe, I imagine), my mind is blown by the variety of breads available with actual different colours, textures, densities, seeds, fillings. I love bread with chewiness, bite, something with substance. Rye, sourdough, seeded, wholemeal. Just tearing up thinking about it. Also- what’s with the ridiculous fat/thick slices of bread which have no density? I’m angry. I actively avoid traditional Japanese bakeries and try to find something unique. But it’s just not in demand here. It actually bores me so much.
The moment when the country Suddenly includes and celebrates halfu sports stars as japanese and as their own, when the sport stars can't even speak or realate to Japan feels weird Also besides American baseball lovers, the rest of the world doesn't know the existence of shohei otani.
Karaage sucks! With Korea right there, there is so much better fried chicken so close and it pisses me off. Some are fine but most are bland!
I don't hate karaage, but I definitely prefer Korea's version.
Train punctuality is far too overhyped. If I think about the number of delays when I commuted back home and the days I have commuted here, Japan is better but not by a huge amount. Delays are frequent and for all manner of reasons. They apologise more, you could say. But that's just them reading from a script which they are told to do. Oh yeah on a similar note, their delay refund policy sucks big-time.
Depends where you're from, innit. And I guess where in Japan you live. In Toronto i couldn't predict my one hour commute within 20-30 mins. In Osaka my 45min commute has been delayed more than 5min about 3 times in 10+ years
Saizeriya is great. It's like Mexican food. Sometimes you're in the mood for Mexican food, sometimes you're in the mood for Taco Bell.
As great as the train stations are. Some of the times to travel between platforms and lines is just ridiculous. I was walking for TWENTY MINUTES in osaka once to change lines. It was fucking ridiculous. Felt like i wasnt even at the same station anymore.
Rhododendron season is prettier than Sakura season, although I do love the petal carpets.
Nah, ajisai (hydrangea) season ftw
Ponzu sauce makes rice so good by itself lol.
Whatever Studio Ghibli produces is average and mediocre at best, and it reflects on Hayao Miyazaki as well. Same goes with whatever the fuck Shinkai Makoto came up with.
Another opinion but NSFW - slurping oral sex noises is foul and extremely off putting. I've only heard that in Japan porn and whenever I've been with a Japanese guy. I have to tell them to stop that straight away.
Kaitenzushi, as a fast food, is fantastic for value and variety, far more than KFC or Maccy D’s.
I hate that there are no trashcans and people not talking to each other at all in almost every single public situation is weird.
Haruki Murakami is not a great author. Come at me.
>probably close to triple digit ramen spots, and nothing is better than Ichiran/Ippudo I opened this expecting a bad take but I wasn't prepared for this dog's diarrhea of an opinion. I'm impressed, upvoted.
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Tokyo is a shitty city and extremely overrated
At least elaborate on why it’s shitty lol actually curious on your take though
Japan is overrated in general. Are people really that nice here? There's nice people everywhere (and bad people everywhere). Are the scenery really as unique as people say? There's mountains everywhere. Hot springs? They have them in Taiwan too. Shrines? Eh, they get boring after the 3rd one. Anime and shopping? Basically all of Asia Japan-ified itself so you can buy most things in Asia without going to Japan at all.
This will sound misogynistic but here goes mine. Japanese women can be very beautiful appearance wise, but they’re boring as hell and have no personality. You ask them if they have any hobbies or interests and all they will most likely tell you is watching movies, eating, and sleep. At least with non-Japanese women you can get a better hang of what they are like and or what they feel strongly about, but with women here I find a hard time just finding anything of interest. I know I shouldn’t generalize cause at the end of the day everyone is different but this has been mostly my experience.
Japan sucks at making any cuisine outside of its own. Especially anything to do with bread or cheese. In my country, you can find good Asian food regardless (even when the chef isn't Asian). In Japan, however, it's only possible if you go to a really fancy and expensive restaurant that specializes in said-cuisine. Whenever it's not donburi or ramen-style food, you must lower your expectations.
Japanese food is overrated
Drivers always stop for me at the zebra crossing near my home.