Thread: I wish to know about things that would be right and wrong to do in public in Japan.

I don't want to have my hair cut short just because the school dissaproves of it. I'll make sure to go when I am out of school and in college.

Thank you all for the helpful advice.
Am I, as a foreigner, allowed to take part in the tea ceremony?
I also heard that there are two types of tea ceremonies, what are they?

Originally Posted by The White Wolf

Different PEOPLE have DIFFERENT standards and expectations for manners. Which is why it is all right to wonder and be curious because not all people are alike.

>.> um... both my Japanese teachers (who were born and taught English in Japan) have said that's how they treat their neighboors, it's not like i was pulling that out of my ass. They treat everyone with respect and they give gifts when they visit people, and what better than food? The only thing to NOT do is bring up religion or politics unless you're VERY comfortable with the person. Mostly they talk about the weather and other simple things becuz they don't like to argue openly. Not everyone is alike, i'll admit that, but smiling and being cordial is only offensive to cranky people...


@Waremono

^_^ i think the younger Japanese culture prefer short hair, but i know more certainly that the older Japanese think it's beautiful. Culturally speaking, Japanese have thought that a woman's hair was one of the most beatiful things she could have. Which is why all the old paintings show women with long, black hair. I suppose most of them would admire it... unless they just like short hair, and that's just preferances...

are they judgemental? from what my teachers have told me, yes... but they're nice about it...


p.s.: Japanese tea ceremony isn't done that much nowadays (though business practice it to keep in the old samurai tradition), but anyone can participate since it's given to guests... as for taking tea ceremony lessons... if you're brave enough to do it... the only places i've seen offer lesson are from old Japanese women... and i am a tall, awkward white girl... so... yeah...

^o^ not to discourage you!

Originally Posted by Waremono

I don't want to have my hair cut short just because the school dissaproves of it. I'll make sure to go when I am out of school and in college.

Thank you all for the helpful advice.
Am I, as a foreigner, allowed to take part in the tea ceremony?
I also heard that there are two types of tea ceremonies, what are they?

It's extremely common for students to break the dress code at school =). Some dye or perm their hair or wear it too long; girls would shorten or lengthen their skirts or wear loose-fitting socks; boys would wear their pants past their hips; some leave their shirts unbuttoned and untucked, etc.

You may certainly participate in a tea ceremony as a guest and spectator, although even then you will need to know the certain rules and etiquette. They do have more informal and informative tea ceremonies specifically for foreigners who do not know of tea ceremony rules and would like to learn, you'd have to do some digging to find those.

During the tea ceremony there are set places for guests, set ways to sit, set phrases to say when recieving and passing around the bowl of tea, set ways to turn the bowl and drink the tea. You need to learn all these rules before planning on attending a tea ceremony.

Originally Posted by Sei-chan

It's extremely common for students to break the dress code at school =). Some dye or perm their hair or wear it too long; girls would shorten or lengthen their skirts or wear loose-fitting socks; boys would wear their pants past their hips; some leave their shirts unbuttoned and untucked, etc.

About schools is it true that school in Japans interfir whit stundents privite lives, such as forbiting them to take part time jobs and suspending them when they have i fight at the lokal supermarket?

I would love to take part in a tea ceremony! I'll just be a spectator though!

What is Kabuki?
Noh plays?

Originally Posted by Waremono

I would love to take part in a tea ceremony! I'll just be a spectator though!

What is Kabuki?
Noh plays?

Kabuki: Kabuki - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Noh theatre: Noh - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Originally Posted by Abu Dhabi

>.> um... both my Japanese teachers (who were born and taught English in Japan) have said that's how they treat their neighboors, it's not like i was pulling that out of my ass. They treat everyone with respect and they give gifts when they visit people, and what better than food? The only thing to NOT do is bring up religion or politics unless you're VERY comfortable with the person. Mostly they talk about the weather and other simple things becuz they don't like to argue openly. Not everyone is alike, i'll admit that, but smiling and being cordial is only offensive to cranky people...

I know. But the way you stated that post made it sound as if EVERYONE was supposed to know what to do and not do in Japan. As I said before, different people in different cultures expect different things and manners.

I wonder if kissing someone on the cheek would be considered "bad manners". I'm hispanic.. and that's how we say hello and goodbye.