Culture shock experienced by foreigners (Indians) when they came to Japan

＞Self-introduction

My name is "P" and I'm an Indian who loves Japan.
I am working in Japan as an engineer in the system solution department.
Motto: Never Give Up (Try Your Best)
Favorite food: Sushi, ramen..!!
Favorite anime: One Piece
Languages ​​spoken: Japanese (Kansai dialect), English, Hindi..!!

*This is the culture shock that I, a foreigner and Indian, experienced when I came to Japan.

It may differ from person to person, but please note that this is just what I felt after coming to Japan.

I also have a blog that I created previously, so please take a look if you'd like! !

Why I, an Indian, came to Japan (Why foreigners are attracted to Japan)

What I, an Indian, felt after working at a Japanese company (Beyond Co., Ltd.)

As a foreigner (Indian), what I felt after working for a year at a Japanese company since I was a new graduate.

Japan is too safe

Even small children ride the train alone.

In Japan, I was surprised to see that even children as young as elementary school students sometimes ride the train alone.

In Japan, convenience stores and restaurants that are open 24 hours a day are commonplace.

In India, there are basically no stores open 24 hours except for restaurants in parking spaces.

Japan has many unmanned stores.

I have lived in India for 21 years and have never seen an unmanned store or heard of one in other countries.

Women can walk outside without worrying about time

In Japan, women can walk outside without worrying even late at night. Japan has a low crime rate compared to other countries, so many people can live in peace. There are many security cameras installed and frequent police patrols, making the area a safe place to live.

Japanese food

There is a huge difference between what Japanese people think of spicy food and what I think of as spicy food.

For example, foods that Japan considers extremely spicy are spicy to me. Japanese curry tastes sweet to me. When I ate it, I found it very delicious.

Japan has a culture of eating raw fish and raw chicken.

You can sometimes eat chicken fillet at Japanese pubs. Eating raw chicken is prohibited overseas, so I was very surprised when I saw it for the first time. The taste is very delicious and I personally like it.

*Please eat at your own risk as it may upset your stomach (lol)

Natto (fermented soybeans) culture

I've had it before, but I found the smell to be very strong and I didn't like it. There are many Japanese people who cannot eat it because it has a sticky texture that has never been eaten before.

Why are the naan breads so big and sweet at Indian restaurants in Japan?

Why are most Indian restaurant owners Nepali?

Of course, there are some Indian restaurants run by Indians, but for some unknown reason, most Indian restaurant owners are Nepalese.

Surprised by the size of the naan

I had never seen such a big naan in India, so I was very surprised when I saw it for the first time.

In my home country, I have only seen tortilla-sized naan. Moreover, the taste is sweet. It might be Japanese naan (lol)

The taste of Indian curry served at an Indian restaurant in Japan is different.

All the dishes in Indian restaurants in Japan have been remade to suit the Japanese palate.

It depends on the restaurant, but I've had the experience of being served a curry that tastes completely different from the curry I had in my home country, and when I asked the restaurant staff, they said, ``They've been serving this flavor for 20 years.'' I got it. To use a sushi analogy, if you order ``salmon,'' you'll get ``tuna,'' which was so different in taste and appearance.

Also, when I go to an Indian restaurant in Japan and choose the maximum level of spiciness, they often don't make it to the level of spiciness I'm looking for.

I was shocked when my thank you tip was declined.

being refused a tip

When I went to a Japanese restaurant for the first time, I tried to tip the staff, but they refused. I was surprised because he turned me down with a very troubled look on his face.

India has a tipping culture, so everyone accepted the tip without saying anything.

Never let anyone see you naked

In Japan, there is a culture of taking saunas, hot springs, and baths together with everyone, and this is a common practice. Japanese people have been taking baths together with their family and friends since they were children, and recently there is a sauna culture, but in India it is impossible for other people to see you naked, so I was surprised when I first heard about it. I did.

By the way, I've lived in Japan for five years, but I'm still too embarrassed to have ever taken a bath or sauna.

Soak in the bathtub every day (depending on the person, but...)

In India, there is no such thing as a bath. Basically, I take a shower every morning and night.

Itadakimasu/Saying thank you for the meal

Although India does not have a culture of saying ``Itadakimasu'' or ``Gochisousama,'' there are times in our hearts when we express gratitude to the person who made the meal.

Do you speak Tame when talking to your family? ? why? ?

In India, when speaking with family or other people, always use honorific language.

At first, I was shocked to learn that in Japan, we speak honorific language with people outside of our family, but use formal language with family members. In India, people get scolded if you don't speak honorific language with your family, so I was very surprised when I saw Japanese people speaking honorific language with their families.

This applies to both superiors and subordinates.

bow in various situations

Types of bowing (3 types)

-Nod (15 degrees) Light greeting
- Salute (30 degrees) General greeting
- Most salute (45 degrees) Greeting expressing deep respect

When is "bowing" used? ? ? ?

・When greeting
, when making a request
, when apologizing
, when visiting a temple or shrine
, when saying thank you.

Bowing like this is a violation of etiquette!!!!!!

*This is just what I felt and experienced. Of course, it depends on the situation at the time, so it is not necessarily a violation of etiquette.

・Bow without making eye contact
・Bow when you are hunched over
・Peco-peco over and over again
・Look at the other person's face while bowing
・Bend only your neck

Eat the noodles by slurping them while making a noise.

In Japan, there is a culture of slurping noodles such as ramen and soba, but if you eat them in the same way overseas, it would be considered bad manners. We are often taught from childhood that eating quietly is basic manners.

summary

I think it's natural that the culture is completely different depending on the country, but I think it's best if you enjoy the people and food of that country.

Of course, there may be a lot of things that surprise you at first because you grew up in a different environment, but it's part of the culture of that country, so I think it's better to accept it and enjoy it rather than comparing it to other countries. Rather than complaining, I think your life will be more enjoyable if you learn about the culture and people of that country.

Japan, of course, has a completely different culture from India, but it's up to you to decide whether you accept it and enjoy it every day or whether you choose to compare it to your own country's culture and make it difficult for yourself. My advice would be to accept the culture of the country and enjoy it every day! !