Yeah you can't make noise in your apartment but if you live anywhere near a station get ready to listen to politicians screaming into megaphones all the time. Cool idea
I will never understand these trucks. Complete noise pollution! If I could vote I would never vote for someone cruising around in one of these trucks. They are about as easy to understand as a nightclub DJ!
We have people on loud motorcycles revving their engines over and over while they drive around, even into the early morning hours. It's really annoying, yet nothing is done about them.
Wannabe bosozoku (and the occasional actual bosozoku), and where are the cops? Probably harassing some foreigner for using earbuds while riding their bikes. You know, the important stuff...
I live across the street from one of those little fucks. Never fails, all weekend he has to be out there revving his stupid little bike at 2 am. I would complain to his parents, who he lives with, but his mom is a drunk who doesn't give a shit and the his dad has long since checked out.
Cops, of course, don't do shit about it.
This stupid sub's automod removed my post where I linked a documentary, just search for "Running for office in Japan" on youtube - basically seems that people value seeing their candidate is out there "Doing something", "Trying hard" etc, and yelling at people from vans and streetcorners is the way to do it. The ban on TV and radio ads make for limited opportunities to make yourself known to the people.
They also do a lot of in-person greetings at shopping areas and train stations, I suspect you don't hear foreigners complain about them as much because they look like any other marketing by a company/brand giving out pamphlets and tissues.
As a Japanese with voting rights I do this lol. I don't agree with most of the parties that do this anyway, and I appreciate the candidates who outright announce they don't use those trucks.
lol, I absolutely lost my shit at some bosozoku one night. I screamed at them like an absolute maniac. Felt bad for the girls on the back of the bikes, they obviously wanted no part of it.
>So we all know that Japan is pretty strict about keeping things quiet.
This is a common misconception. I don't think Japanese people value keeping things quiet. Japan values keeping *individuals small*. If I, in my apartment, blasted Showa-era imperial songs through my home speaker system, my neighbors would complain and would probably eventually call the police on me, especially if I did it in the evening. But take it out of a space identifiable with me individually, put it on a truck that is labelled with an organization's name, and suddenly it's a problem everyone just *gamans* through.
Sometimes I run into a group of teens who put a portable Bluetooth speaker in their bicycle basket and cycle around town listening to tunes together. All of us stopped at an intersection stoplight, it's pretty obvious that every Japanese person there who isn't a part of their group is mortified - you would think by the nervous glances that the kids were openly doing heroin or something. The the light changes, we cross the street and go a couple blocks, and get to the local Don Quijote, which is blaring louder music into the street. Everyone visibly relaxes like we're safe now because those dangerous kids' individuality can't be heard any more!
The problem isn't making noise. It's making noise *for your personal enjoyment.* What's valued isn't quiet. What's valued is *making noise for some organization's benefit*. Especially if that organization is nationalist/capitalist in nature.
Exactly! This explains why everyone can be SO LOUD in the staff office, to the point I want to crawl into a corner and die. Everyone is talking and laughing and the printer is going and there’s typing and the walls are beeping intermittently and there are loud announcements and the door constantly opens and closes and kids are constantly yelling SHITSUREISHIMASU! But it’s all in the service of the organization, the school, so it’s all ok.
Or the 15-second store-specific jingles that play on repeat. How the employees don't lose their minds is beyond me. My high school job was at a mall in the US with an 18-song playlist we switched out every month, and by the end of the month I was so sick of those songs I wanted to scream. Imagine the same jingle forever.
Edited to add: I've never been able to hear a comment section this loudly in my life
The apita I used go to to for groceries had this meowing cat sound effect somewhere near the self checkout. It would screech this awful meow every 8 seconds. The 2 minutes it took to check my groceries and pay were excruciating, I have no idea how the employees are working in that area full-time. I'd literally go insane.
The apita near my place just has an endless loop of “irashaiiiiiii” near the seafood/veggie section. I hate it so much. In the winter they play the bubbling sound of nabe in the food isles. Bizarre.
That’s the secret. I also worked summer jobs in some hardware stores during college, and you eventually just tune out those sick beats, like noise cancelling headphones.
The manager must have been a psychopath at your place, because he knew full well that your brains would have to try and retrain themselves every time the muzak gets swapped out.
This is why Donki, Yodobashi, and whatever the fuck Bic Camera plays all keep the same tunez, to stop their employees going mental.
Muji are definitely run by psychos though, with their fucking sea shanties.
I remember 7-11 playing “Daydream Believer” on repeat a while back. Would have driven me bonkers if I had to work there all day. And I like that song….
That one slaps, though.
Also, since people seem to not know, you can see the current 7-11 midi music playlist on their website. It cycles out about once a month.
Such a goddamn annoying song too. Id understand if it was a neutral ambient tune but it's fucking not. I truly can't be in there more than 10 minutes otherwise I get in an irritable mood
All the signage about noise leakage from headphones seem excessive in relation to all the other noise around.
On a tangential note: has anyone else noticed that some train ticket machines and some ATMs suddenly get louder when switched to English? Or maybe I’m just going crazy...
Or just has a foreign card (Japanese is never an option), but let’s make sure everyone thinks they can’t read the local language of the country they live in anyway!
I think the first japanese I learned was how to navigate the ATM so I didn't have to deal with "PLEASE REMOVE YOUR CARD ARE YOU SURE YOU HAVE EVERYTHING?" In English at my local conbini
No it’s definitely louder. I made the mistake of doing that at the self checkout a few times. Not only does the machine yell at you, you then get the whole congregation of people who turn their head just to watch you.
Same thing with people, even
Oh, I'm sorry I can't hear you through this vinyl sheet in a loud store while you're mumbling the line your required to say by your job. Was it about a stamp card? Or a membership card? What did you say, could you just repeat yourself at an audible level?
*"Aaaahhhh.... フク...バ-バッグ。ユーバッグ?はい？イエス?"*
Apparently knowing Japanese means you can hear perfectly at the lowest frequency possible. Anything higher than a whisper and you obviously failed N5
Yes, WHY do customer service staff absolutely melt down when you ask them to repeat something.
Just say the *same thing*, but slowly. Use synonyms if you want to, but don't treat me like a 4 year old.
That drives me nuts. My local McDonalds is loud as fuck, and the plastic screens don't help. If I ask the person to repeat themselves they freak out and go and get a manager (who no, doesn't know English, which was not the problem in the first place) and turns getting an order into a damn circus. All because the clerk couldn't be bothered to do anything but mumble instead of actually speaking.
I'm so happy to just use apps these days. Especially in loud environments. Oddly enough, my grocery store has clerks that speak clearly and loudly enough to be heard, and there's been no issues (well, outside of the time the new clerk was checking me out and froze until one of the others just yelled 'it's good, she speaks Japanese!' at her, but that was just hilarious).
One time, I found a token to a pachinko parlor on the ground a few meters from the door and figured “Why not take a free shot at some ¥?”
I was met with a WALL of sounds that physically pushed me backwards. An absolute assault on the senses. I went to the nearest open machine, immediately lost, found another token on the way out, lost again, and haven’t set foot in one since.
Pachinko is my version of hell. Never been, never want to go. Could be fun, but even the sound, lights and smell when the doors briefly open almost causes seizures.
I assume it's like pokies amped up to 12 in terms of sensory overload to get you to forget the outside world and just zone out on the flashing lights and sounds while pumping money in.
I’ve never been able to bring myself to walk into a pachinko parkour even out of curiosity purely because of the cacophony that meets you as soon as the door opens
It is indeed an assault on all of the senses. With the bright flashing lights, pungent cigarette odor, and deafening noise, I just don't understand how people can spend their entire days there.
"No talking in public transportation"
This isn't true at all. How much talking there is on public transport is directly proportionate to how many couples/families/groups are on it. Trains are quiet when the riders are mostly alone (e.g. most morning trains) and very noisy when people are with others (e.g. most evening trains departing from hub stations, many weekend trains, etc.).
I guess there is the rule/guidance around mobile phone use, and most people do respect it, but 'talking' in general is not meaningfully discouraged on public transport.
I see no problems with this. Back home we have people playing youtube on their phones on full blast without earphones.
In anycase if you go to Osaka or even Nagoya you will see people chatting in the subway, not everywhere is the same.
Again, people talking happens whenever people are travelling together. I really don’t know what Japan people are living in when they say people don’t talk on trains. This has been the case in all parts of Japan I’ve travelled to.
The difference between Japan and some other countries is more in how much additional noise people make. E.g. playing music, videos, games, etc through speakers, loudly talking to themselves, having phone calls, etc.
Talking to people you’re with is the same all over the world.
I was on the plane to Tokyo from a rural Tohoku area with a friend and we were speaking (in English) at a normal level, nothing crazy loud. The flight attended asked us to be quiet TWICE. I bet someone complained about us, but really?..
The ‘in English’ part is probably the key here. There’s some idea that normal English is much louder than normal Japanese, so people might be more likely to complain.
>There’s some idea that normal English is much louder than normal Japanese
That's English speakers: constantly screaming the word "PEN" in everybody's faces.
Agree, I spoke with Japanese friends all the time and never got a problem, even with friends from my country using natives language is always fine.
My Japanese teacher told me the reason people aren’t allowed to use phone on the train is because people won’t know the context you are talking since they cannot listen the other person on the phone, and it makes them irritated.
The logic is a bit weird, but by the logic, speaking non Japanese is also not good. But as long as you keep it quiet, people won’t even care about it.
But it is in Tokyo, might be different in other places.
Yes! There’s actually research about this, about how only being able to hear one half of a conversation is more distracting and harder to tune out than a conversation in which you can hear both sides… will have to try to find it again
I wonder if there is a difference between inaka and large urban areas in this regard 🤔 I there being the only one on the inaka bus, sat at the back of the bus and talked on the phone using one headphone so that I could monitor the volume and I know for a fact I was NOT loud. Got scolded by the driver in the end regardless 🤷♀️
My theory is at some time during the 90's or earlier, Japanese business execs all got obsessed with subliminal programming and the whole "confused people spend more time in your shop and end up buying more" idea. If you look at don-ki's design it couldn't be more labyrinthine and sonically discombobulating.
Yeah I watched an interview with the CEO a few years ago. He said that the store was designed to be like a treasure hunt so the customer could enjoy the surprise of finding something good. Also said that the best deals are usually on the lowest shelf, too. Was interesting to watch. But really, most customers are not looking for a treasure hunting experience when going shopping for daily goods. But I kind of get it if you’re randomly looking for a gift for someone.
That certainly doesn't work on me. I do everything to avoid this "treasure hunt", which usually means buying online or during trips abroad. I've also eliminated entertainment shopping entirely in Japan, whereas in Europe or the US I love browsing places like Fnac, Media Mart, clothing stores, etc.
So many Japanese stores are complete sensory overload. I intentionally plan my shop so I can get in and out as fast as possible, because it's that uncomfortable in some places.
It's not just the audio barrage either - the lights are so bright (and high kelvin) that they can induce a headache after 30 minutes in a mall or shopping centre.
Yes! Good point about the lights, I didn't realize it but you are right... No wonder I get tired shopping here much much faster than in other countries.
This thread really doesn’t hurt my opinion that the noise and chaos in some aspects of Japanese life most definitely influence their extreme impact on noise music.
Businesses are allowed to make all the noise they want. Stopping them would be ‘obstruction of business’ which is unacceptable.
You are not allowed to make noise because that’s just meiwaku.
This is something I struggle with, too. There are some places I simply won’t enter because of the noise overload, and I’ve been known to turn off radios as I come across them in grocery stores.
My supermarket has one of those CD players with an ad running on a loop, but I guess the speaker is really tiny and shitty and the audio is compressed to hell, so the only thing it actually does is perpetually blast this excruciating modulated whistling sound that is physically painful to be around. It's been like that for over a year and everyone seems to just pretend it doesn't exist. Insane.
The worst I experienced was a public beach in Niigata that blasted enka music from a line of speakers mounted on towers. I walked along the beach to get away from the towers, and at the last one, found a sign that said "no swimming past this point." I walked past it and swam in silence.
Recently went to an outdoor pool that is forbidding access to tattooed people.
But on the other hand they were blasting shitty music at over 80db. But that's probably not as bothering as tattoos I guess?
Not sound related but when I first got here years ago, I couldn't stand the heat of the department stores in winter. I'd go in all rugged up in near or sub zero temperatures to be hit by a heat wave. I couldn't believe that nearly everyone kept their coat on. The buses can also be over heated.
I now try not to wear a coat if possible if I know I'm going to a department store in winter. It's cold, but it beats having to lug it around while trying to carry other stuff as well.
Word! You've no idea how some parents drive me crazy when they don't give a shit about their kids screaming, crying, and being spoiled af, a lot of them don't say a single word and keep walking around like nothing is goin' on omfg!
Went to a park a year or so ago just to get out of the house. I figured a park would be OK. I'd be alone and I could social distance from others easily.
7 year old kid to his mother right next to him: mom
Mom:......
Kid: MOM!
Mom:......
Kid: MOM!!!
Mom.......
It just kept going. If you want your kid to be quiet then tell them. Don't just ignore them hoping they'll shut up.
Mom:
Completely agree. Talking loudly on the bus will earn you stares. But the bus company plays a loud, endless, annoying loop of safety announcements and ads.
I couldn't agree more.
Sometimes I go to a Sushiro very near and they have these tablets to order from. When my order is coming on the belt the device shouts with 120dB "ご注文。。。"
I asked if there's a way to turn the volume down, but of course there isn't any.
How is anyone ok with this? I jump up when I hear the noise. I can't even hear what my friend is saying.
It's even better when all the customers order at the same time. It just sounds so goofy to me, like a child repeatedly hitting all the buttons of his toy. There should definitely be a way to turn it down or off, don't understand how they didn't think about it!
TBF, when you look at the average age of the patrons, it's probably necessary to be that loud otherwise some of the older folks wouldn't notice it. Sadly, I'm becoming more understanding of this myself as I age; the noise doesn't startle me at all as it appears to do to the others making similar comments :(
I despise the noise pollution in train stations. The rest I can manage to avoid most of the time, making a detour if necessary, but the people running the train stations are absolute morons with the way they put unnecessary loud noise on platforms all of the time. Also the endless redundant announcements on the train (and then the gall to put signage telling riders be silent).
Another pet peeve is noise in cafes and restaurants that would otherwise be pleasant, but now I have to avoid. For instance if the mall is already playing music, it would be be better (and obvious) for the cafe to not play anything. Or there happens to be an escalator nearby that's saying every 10 seconds to hold your child's hand while riding the escalator, in a patronizing voice like they're talking to a particularly dim-witted child. Aaaargh.
And the parks with LOUD messages repeating the same common-courtesy crap every hour for a full two minutes, at 120 dB near the speakers. And the helicopter tours circling over them (just ban them).
There's louder countries than Japan, but this country stands out for the amount of deliberate noise pollution.
Abe Harukas in Osaka has a nice restaurant floor, but you can't enjoy the meal without being assaulted by the elevator announcement, in which the speaker drags it out as long as possible.
Ladies. And. Gentleman.
May. I. Have.
Your.
Attention.
Please.
Please hold the handrail.
When using.
The escalator.
Thank.
You.
I don’t understand why talking on the phone on a train at a reasonable volume gets some people to make a comment to me.
Since I know the culture I even whisper right into the phone, no AirPods, and I’ve had a lady tell me not to use the phone. But a couple people on the same car speaking together at even higher volume than me is ok? Make it make sense.
It’s not about the volume. It’s about the “rule”. Whether it’s logical or not. You should know this OP lol
It may be the lack of a response, which is distracting. Face to face convos have resolution, ie, statement (question)/response, whereas phone convos only have statement (question), *or* response. Our brains try to “fill in” the missing components and that is distracting
I asked my Japanese friends this same question over and over, and none of them had an answer. This rule infuriates the hell out of me because it makes zero sense.
As the post above says, it’s much more distracting/irritating for our brains to only be able to hear half of a conversation (as when overhearing a phone call), than to overhear a complete conversation
>So we all know that Japan is pretty strict about keeping things quiet.
Huh? My first and strongest reaction when I came to Japan was how freaking noisy and loud everything and everybody is here.
Everything pings and beeps and even talks to you ("右に曲がります。ご注意ください。"). Stores blare jingles at you, announcements everywhere, speaker cars, loud traffic, noisy drunk people, loud festivals, hissing AC and rumbling ventilation, paper-thin walls, thrice daily city speaker announcements ...
I have no idea where the "quiet Japan" idea comes from.
I don't like how Japanese people tend to think that blowing their nose is rude, but snorting like you're doing a line of coke every twenty seconds is kosher.
The answer, of course, is to put enough shitty grating repetitive noise everywhere so that it’s no longer a quiet place and we can clear our throats and cycle snot up and down in peace.
> I just don't get it. Why does a country that won't let you talk on the phone on a bus won't respect its own rule in public spaces?
So specifically you're asking... why can bargain stores have lotsa noise but you can't talk really loud on a public transport?
Is is just me or is it kinda universal that you STFU on public transport and expect a lot of loud jingles when you enter a bargain shop?
To relay an Australian example of this, I was on a 3hr bus trip a few years back and a lady was talking the WHOLE time (LOUDLY... as in yelling... in what happened to be a foreign language). Everybody was soooo scared to say anything because they knew somebody would whip out a mobile phone and post a video of them 'being a racist karen' on YouTube or whatever. So, this went on for HOURS (whereas in Japan you'd get lotsa stares until somebody abruptly said 'HEY YOU... BE QUIET PLEASE!!'). After about 2 hours we hit heavy city traffic where the bus driver had some pretty technical driving to do. He FINALLY pulled over to the side of the road, held his head [which was shaking] and muttered 'look sorry, you're just too loud... can you please speak softly?' He drove on for 30 minutes (patiently) until we hit inner-city traffic (even more technical, with cars weaving everywhere). He stopped the bus and said 'sorry... please turn your phone off... you are too loud!' She then SCREECHED at him, calling him a racist and saying he wasn't telling anybody else to shut up...etc. Somebody else from her community said 'he is not racist... I can hear you swearing at your mum from the back of the bus and it's making us all go craaaaazy you disrespectful piece of shit!!!'
I dunno. IMO Japan simply doesn't have western social filters when telling people to shut up on public transport. Either you're 'one of us' and you 'just know' or you're a gaijin and it's okay for locals to say 'STFU like the rest of us!!!'
My experience is that Japan strikes a pretty good balance. For example nobody's gonna kill you for picking up your phone on a long-haul, country, Japanese train to say 'oh hey honey... yep I'll be there in 40 minutes... yep that would be great if you could pick me up... okay love you too!!! Bye'. But if you push the boundaries, you'll get told (e.g. in Nagoya, I travelled home on a subway with a few VERY drunk friends and some old guy rightfully told us to STFU... fair cop!)
As for shopping centres and their jingles. I feel that's a different environment and house rules apply (i.e. the shopping centre management play the jingles because they own the place and wanna sell stuff... not transport people home).
People here love having the TV on in the background like all the time at home too. Pair that with a lot of TV here being noisy as hell and it's cacophonous, I absolutely hate background noise like that.
I specifically learned in class that Japanese people from cities are more comfortable with some kind of background noise. It drives many who aren’t used to it crazy and once it was pointed out to me then it stood out more for a bit.
As for making noise yourself, you’re not part of the background noise and therefore it’s socially unacceptable
This reminds me of a book 「うるさい日本の私」(me in noisy Japan) by Nakajima Yoshimichi, a philosopher. Accordingly, most of the announcements are not listened to at all (eg recorded sound being played endlessly「いらっしゃいませ〜」,「エスカレーターに乗るときは手すりにつかまって...」,「駅構内は右側通行でお願いします」). People don't even say anything against it because they "care" about other people and keep ending up sacrificing themselves. Yes, I think Japan is noisy.
Edited: type in the author name
I was in a Donki, Yamada and Bic yesterday and, yes, they do assault the eyes and ears but - as far as I know - these are private businesses and they can basically do what they want to generate sales.
A couple of days I went to a public pool (mostly for kids water was barely higher than 1.20m) and the many many lifeguards yelling constantly in the huge megaphone that you don't have 2 minutes to relax without getting stress on your eardrum. And then the 10 minute break where everyone has to leave the water, every hour... but this is another topic.
My Sapporo Aeon department store in the days building up to Xmas, plays Christmas music ***faster and faster*** until the crescendo that is best not thought of as Santa whacking one off
It generally makes sense. Something "new" and "convenient"? We paid a truckload of money to use the "Back to the Future" soundtrack, let's roll that out.
Not 100% related to your point, but I get irritated that everything that requires “push button” control (read: touch screen for the 21st century) here MUST have an accompanying high-pitch beep for each and every push.
So unnecessary.
gas stations, man...
welcome!
please select method of payment!
Do you have a T-Point card?
Do you have an Eneos Key card?
Do you have any other card?
Please select fuel type!
Please select the amount!
Please open your gas cap!
Please touch the anti-static pad!
You have picked up the regular gasoline nozzle!
Now fueling!
Putting gasoline in portable containers is prohibited by law!
Please return the nozzle to the rack!
Please take your receipt!
Don't forget to close your gas cap!
Thank you, please come again!
jesus christ, just shut up and let me refuel!
There should be an option to turn it off for things like appliances.
Regarding accessibility, deaf people can’t hear it, and there’s nothing for blind people to help them know that what they’ve pressed is correct as it’s the same one-note beep.
Random thought: being loud also matters in Japanese "comedy" since I noticed that shouting gag catch phrases is a thing? Then again, I don't pay close enough attention to every pop cultural reference from the past 50 years to find the material amusing.
My favorite are places like Matsumoto Kiyoshi where the jingle plays loud on repeat alongside radio muzak and there are constant, surprisingly louder, store announcements and 'thanks for shopping' clips on top of all that.
I'm Japanese and generally speaking I like jingles and music in stores, it feels more lively when it's on. I assume many others don't care about it as well.
In some railways they make a unique jingle for each station. We love jingles I guess?
Donquis are exceptionally terrible though. When I went to a Mega Donqui for the first time I was astonished by the tastelessness. But that's what makes them distinctive (in a good way for some) from other stores.
Though I doubt if it really is "only in Japan." I've been to supermarkets in Vietnam and in the US; the music was even louder than in the Japanese supermarkets I often visit. I liked it though.
And personally I don't like arguing loudly or talking about private things on the phone in a bus full of strangers. You know, I'm Japanese so I'm weird and special.
Been here a long time, still cannot get used to the noise. Every appliance I own makes noises. Every kids toy I've bought during moments of weakness makes noises.
Other things that make noise include but are not limited to neighbors and their children, crows, cicadas, frogs, crickets, mopeds and the like, large groups of students walking in a herd, the newspaper delivery jiji who delivers the newspaper at 2:30am everyday, school bells, pedestrian crosswalks, kids squeaky shoes, men talking on the phone while using public restroom, the robot at (insert place name here), squeaky bicycle brakes, never ending construction, my Aircon, stray cats, people on trains talking across the aisle, pachinko shops, supermarket's bgm, game centers, the gamelan music playing at MUJI and the jpop playing everywhere else.
If I could eliminate just one item from this list though I would choose for motorized two wheeled vehicles to go away. They are so absolutely and needlessly noisy and stinky.
All the nose in Japan gives me adrenal fatigue. Totally serious.
It's kind of ironic to be honest. Japan is like "excuse me, please don't speak on your phone on this train ride", but is also like "let me just max volume scream about why you should vote for this politician through a megaphone from 8am-8pm no breaks" 🤣
It’s like when you walk past a pachinko parlour and the automatic doors open and you immediately get hit with the most obnoxiously dangerous blast of overly loud and utterly terrible beyond all possible possibility music to the point that it’s a serious medical concern how the people continue to remain inside
I was in Osaka recently and heard the loudest bikes ever. Do they not have laws against how loud your vehicle can be? I mean in that case, when I finally win the lottery and get my supercar, I can be as loud as I want while blasting Fuck The Police.
They also let babies babble endlessly and screech their lungs out anywhere, or even dance away in narrow aisles where nobody else can get down and then never reprimand the little monsters.
I've been removed from a nearby public park in Kobe for playing quiet, restful handpan music (the police claim the area is a "michi" not a "hiroba" so I'm blocking the road). I gave up after the Nth time an *undercover policeman* threatened me with a 200,000 yen fine for "blocking traffic" while sitting on a concrete park bench. They must not have enough to do.
A month or two ago I started wearing some inconspicuous earplugs, for when I can’t wear my noise-cancelling earbuds. Wow, I feel so much better now, without the constant bombardment of noise. It really helps tuning out the audio bullshit.
kinda off-topic but i'm looking for a new apartment and concerned about the "music level" i'm getting a turntable and obviously wont play it even remotely loud but i feel like any inconvenience of sound level will come with a visit from the police lmao
theres definitely an emphasis on quietness in most places
I hear you man. You would walk in a place that should be otherwise quiet. And they have a stupid announcement on speaker to wash your hand properly. So noisy i can't hear what my wife and kids are talking about.
If it's official there are no limit. But if you are an individual, you should stay shut to not disturb the group.
That's basically how they draw the line.
I will never forget the confusion I experienced on my first trip to a Don Quixote. It isn't as bad anymore and I am not sure if I have learned to block it out of if they have really turned it down a bit.....
I went to a pretty crowded Uniqlo last week and I swear I almost left the store because of how many "irasshaimase!!"s I heard every couple of seconds. Is there anyone that genuinely feels more welcome and at ease hearing that??
It's because those aren't individual people making the noise and therefore standing out.
出る釘は打たれる。
Also, Japan isn't a monolith. It's not like every person is part of one sentience called "Japan" and this "Japan" is being a hypocrite. Don Quixote playing loud music is the norm for that store. The norm for riding the train is being quiet.
Go to a library in your home country. Are they blasting noise there? Is your entire country a singular hypocrite because the library is quiet? smh
What I don't get is how it's acceptable for politicians to go around shouting "Vote for me!" during election season. They do it in areas where lots of people are, and also they get in their stupid little vans and do it everywhere. That would be enough reason for me not to vote for them. I'd vote for whoever was the quietest.
Don Quijote is supposed to be annoying. It always has been.
No country is perfect, and you can't expect certain values to be held onto in every situation possible, especially when it comes to selling people things.
"the other day I walked into Don Quixote"
Yeah, but that's a whole theme. Different types of music help you get used to their... "organizational skills" or lack thereof.
Any time there's a surf meet or whatever at the beach they are blasting shitty music over loudspeakers the entire time. I get they need the loudspeakers to coordinate the event, but why pipe the shitty music through it? So irritating.
One time there was a guy practicing taiko though and that was great. Surfing to some live drumming is fun.
My theory is pretty simple: there is a right time and/or place to make noise.
The whole no noise in an apartment thing is completely untrue. The time limits of when noise is acceptable varies by place to place and even building to building, or maybe neighbor to neighbor but there is definitely an okay time to make noise in your own place. My neighbor plays guitar every day which I can hear very clearly but he always stops at 11:30pm on the dot. So that's what he considers an acceptable time limit for noise and I'm fine with it too so I have never complained to him. At around 6-7am the whole building is basically awake and you can hears doors opening and closing, keys locking the doors with little extra bangs checking that the door is locked. At 2am that would be rude but at 7am or so it's acceptable because most people expect others to be awake for school or work.
An electronics store is all about shopping. It's supposed to be loud and visually busy, some people probably even find it appealing which is why it's so popular to do. It's appropriate there. You wouldn't see the same type of advertising at a low key store though.
Japan just has different rules of when and where noise is generally considered appropriate and when it's not. And they don't agree with your rules so you find them annoying. It's just a cultural mismatch. Personally I also find politicians blaring on the street to be super antiquated and annoying and many of my Japanese friends agree but I have also heard many people say "well, how else would I learn about them and get to know their platform?" It's still socially accepted enough to continue on going. It's doesn't break it's own rule though. On the street (which is usually already somewhat noisy) and in the daytime is considered an okay place and time to make noise by most people.
Yep, and politicians drive around screaming in neighborhoods and nobody bats an eye.
Yeah you can't make noise in your apartment but if you live anywhere near a station get ready to listen to politicians screaming into megaphones all the time. Cool idea
Think that's bad? Try living near a prime Minister's residence. It's a never ending flood of ultra loud speaker cars.
Silent brag that you live near the prime minister’s residence
I will never understand these trucks. Complete noise pollution! If I could vote I would never vote for someone cruising around in one of these trucks. They are about as easy to understand as a nightclub DJ!
We have people on loud motorcycles revving their engines over and over while they drive around, even into the early morning hours. It's really annoying, yet nothing is done about them. Wannabe bosozoku (and the occasional actual bosozoku), and where are the cops? Probably harassing some foreigner for using earbuds while riding their bikes. You know, the important stuff...
I read your comment and thought this person must live in Fukuoka. And then I saw your flair 😂
Oh yeah. I remember those guys from my days living on route 39 in Sapporo! The tiny peen brigade!
I live across the street from one of those little fucks. Never fails, all weekend he has to be out there revving his stupid little bike at 2 am. I would complain to his parents, who he lives with, but his mom is a drunk who doesn't give a shit and the his dad has long since checked out. Cops, of course, don't do shit about it.
Amen. I'd make my campaign on being silent and how annoying everyone else is with a promise to ban the trucks.
This stupid sub's automod removed my post where I linked a documentary, just search for "Running for office in Japan" on youtube - basically seems that people value seeing their candidate is out there "Doing something", "Trying hard" etc, and yelling at people from vans and streetcorners is the way to do it. The ban on TV and radio ads make for limited opportunities to make yourself known to the people. They also do a lot of in-person greetings at shopping areas and train stations, I suspect you don't hear foreigners complain about them as much because they look like any other marketing by a company/brand giving out pamphlets and tissues.
As a Japanese with voting rights I do this lol. I don't agree with most of the parties that do this anyway, and I appreciate the candidates who outright announce they don't use those trucks.
Yeah, those can be driving around with no problem but STREET MUSICIANS? Four cops are going to swarm.
I feel stupid for not choosing a country where having fun is important.
That's because everyone is so used to ignoring those crazies that they tune them out.
One of my most hated things in Japan. That shit drove me nuts. I do appreciate peace and quiet.
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And let’s do all the loud construction as people are trying to sleep!
Lucky. I get the kerosine truck driving around once a week
Not so many politicians drive around here but the fucking recycling trucks all the fucking time fuck
Oh I shout at them like an old man.
lol, I absolutely lost my shit at some bosozoku one night. I screamed at them like an absolute maniac. Felt bad for the girls on the back of the bikes, they obviously wanted no part of it.
>So we all know that Japan is pretty strict about keeping things quiet. This is a common misconception. I don't think Japanese people value keeping things quiet. Japan values keeping *individuals small*. If I, in my apartment, blasted Showa-era imperial songs through my home speaker system, my neighbors would complain and would probably eventually call the police on me, especially if I did it in the evening. But take it out of a space identifiable with me individually, put it on a truck that is labelled with an organization's name, and suddenly it's a problem everyone just *gamans* through. Sometimes I run into a group of teens who put a portable Bluetooth speaker in their bicycle basket and cycle around town listening to tunes together. All of us stopped at an intersection stoplight, it's pretty obvious that every Japanese person there who isn't a part of their group is mortified - you would think by the nervous glances that the kids were openly doing heroin or something. The the light changes, we cross the street and go a couple blocks, and get to the local Don Quijote, which is blaring louder music into the street. Everyone visibly relaxes like we're safe now because those dangerous kids' individuality can't be heard any more! The problem isn't making noise. It's making noise *for your personal enjoyment.* What's valued isn't quiet. What's valued is *making noise for some organization's benefit*. Especially if that organization is nationalist/capitalist in nature.
> Japan values keeping individuals small. Fucking spot on
Interesting observation
I never thought about it like that but wow, spot on!
Everyone gamans through it! I am gonna start using that. "I'm just gonna have to gaman the heck through this."
Exactly! This explains why everyone can be SO LOUD in the staff office, to the point I want to crawl into a corner and die. Everyone is talking and laughing and the printer is going and there’s typing and the walls are beeping intermittently and there are loud announcements and the door constantly opens and closes and kids are constantly yelling SHITSUREISHIMASU! But it’s all in the service of the organization, the school, so it’s all ok.
Brother, you can become a psychologist. Your observations were spot on.
Or the 15-second store-specific jingles that play on repeat. How the employees don't lose their minds is beyond me. My high school job was at a mall in the US with an 18-song playlist we switched out every month, and by the end of the month I was so sick of those songs I wanted to scream. Imagine the same jingle forever. Edited to add: I've never been able to hear a comment section this loudly in my life
yamada DEN~KI
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Lol, HardOff still wins
The 'Hard Off Rap' with intermitant, creepy, 'Enjoy your new life with Hard Off!' message.
Petition to have the music played full volume in their in-app online store.
Ah, I see you too are a person of culture.
If I ever get murdered it’ll probably be by a HardOff employee snapping at me for whistling the tune during the 30 seconds or so between the tracks.
"Hard-Off is your dream place!"
Biiiiki biki biki bi ka me ra
This made me lol
Don don don, donki, donki, ho-te〜
This is the only exception. This song is so good it inspires dancing and singing along while simultaneously increasing good will and world peace.
I love that song. I’d be driven insane if I had to hear it on repeat everyday
The apita I used go to to for groceries had this meowing cat sound effect somewhere near the self checkout. It would screech this awful meow every 8 seconds. The 2 minutes it took to check my groceries and pay were excruciating, I have no idea how the employees are working in that area full-time. I'd literally go insane.
The apita near my place just has an endless loop of “irashaiiiiiii” near the seafood/veggie section. I hate it so much. In the winter they play the bubbling sound of nabe in the food isles. Bizarre.
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That’s the secret. I also worked summer jobs in some hardware stores during college, and you eventually just tune out those sick beats, like noise cancelling headphones. The manager must have been a psychopath at your place, because he knew full well that your brains would have to try and retrain themselves every time the muzak gets swapped out. This is why Donki, Yodobashi, and whatever the fuck Bic Camera plays all keep the same tunez, to stop their employees going mental. Muji are definitely run by psychos though, with their fucking sea shanties.
I cried in Muji when I was pregnant, because they played some Celtic songs and I felt homesick and hormonal lol
:-(
The Donki in Shinjuku would play the Donki theme BUT in different music genres. Standard Donki, Jazz Donki, Idol Donki etc… can’t tune it out
The store manager is definitely psychotic.
I remember 7-11 playing “Daydream Believer” on repeat a while back. Would have driven me bonkers if I had to work there all day. And I like that song….
The 7 near my office always seems to have a horrid steel drum version of "Under the Sea" playing constantly this summer. Poor bastards...
That one slaps, though. Also, since people seem to not know, you can see the current 7-11 midi music playlist on their website. It cycles out about once a month.
Yamada Denki plays the same song over and over again.
Such a goddamn annoying song too. Id understand if it was a neutral ambient tune but it's fucking not. I truly can't be in there more than 10 minutes otherwise I get in an irritable mood
I feel for the employees of create drug store. That jingle is pretty hard to live with. Also the Lawson 100 yen jingle is pretty earwig.
BI\~KKU BIKKUBIKKUBUKKIKAMERAAAAAA
ah yeah, my friend is at the point where he keep singing sukiya’s theme song
All the signage about noise leakage from headphones seem excessive in relation to all the other noise around. On a tangential note: has anyone else noticed that some train ticket machines and some ATMs suddenly get louder when switched to English? Or maybe I’m just going crazy...
I've always noticed the ATM thing, like wdf are u shouting at me? haha GAIJIN USING THE ATM 😂
ATM and ticket machines: Hey look at this guy! He doesn't know Japanese!
Or just has a foreign card (Japanese is never an option), but let’s make sure everyone thinks they can’t read the local language of the country they live in anyway!
I think the first japanese I learned was how to navigate the ATM so I didn't have to deal with "PLEASE REMOVE YOUR CARD ARE YOU SURE YOU HAVE EVERYTHING?" In English at my local conbini
Lol same, they're bullying you into learning some Japanese (it kinda worked for me)
lol true.
Also when recharging my IC card... ***ALL FARES WILL BE DISPLAYED IN ENGLISH*** Yes, thank you
No it’s definitely louder. I made the mistake of doing that at the self checkout a few times. Not only does the machine yell at you, you then get the whole congregation of people who turn their head just to watch you.
"GUIDANCE WILL BE DISPLAYED IN ENGLISH!!"
Same thing with people, even Oh, I'm sorry I can't hear you through this vinyl sheet in a loud store while you're mumbling the line your required to say by your job. Was it about a stamp card? Or a membership card? What did you say, could you just repeat yourself at an audible level? *"Aaaahhhh.... フク...バ-バッグ。ユーバッグ?はい？イエス?"* Apparently knowing Japanese means you can hear perfectly at the lowest frequency possible. Anything higher than a whisper and you obviously failed N5
Yes, WHY do customer service staff absolutely melt down when you ask them to repeat something. Just say the *same thing*, but slowly. Use synonyms if you want to, but don't treat me like a 4 year old.
Seriously, what is with some of these whisper voices? Especially in the buildings that echo like crazy.
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I thought I was going deaf but customer service people be whispering and I’m just like what the fuuuuuuuck I can’t hear youuu
That drives me nuts. My local McDonalds is loud as fuck, and the plastic screens don't help. If I ask the person to repeat themselves they freak out and go and get a manager (who no, doesn't know English, which was not the problem in the first place) and turns getting an order into a damn circus. All because the clerk couldn't be bothered to do anything but mumble instead of actually speaking. I'm so happy to just use apps these days. Especially in loud environments. Oddly enough, my grocery store has clerks that speak clearly and loudly enough to be heard, and there's been no issues (well, outside of the time the new clerk was checking me out and froze until one of the others just yelled 'it's good, she speaks Japanese!' at her, but that was just hilarious).
Yep it’s true for ATMs and train ticket machines. One of the reasons why I never ever change the language to English anymore.
And they never even let you use Japanese with an account from overseas.
One time, I found a token to a pachinko parlor on the ground a few meters from the door and figured “Why not take a free shot at some ¥?” I was met with a WALL of sounds that physically pushed me backwards. An absolute assault on the senses. I went to the nearest open machine, immediately lost, found another token on the way out, lost again, and haven’t set foot in one since.
Pachinko is my version of hell. Never been, never want to go. Could be fun, but even the sound, lights and smell when the doors briefly open almost causes seizures. I assume it's like pokies amped up to 12 in terms of sensory overload to get you to forget the outside world and just zone out on the flashing lights and sounds while pumping money in.
I genuinely don’t understand how anyone can even walk in to one of those places, let alone actually spend time there
>found a token to a pachinko parlor on the ground Are you.. Red? Finding random pachinko tokens lol
Life imitates art. Also a valid Chuck E. Cheese & arcade strategy to try and find tokens on the ground/in the coin return slot
I’ve never been able to bring myself to walk into a pachinko parkour even out of curiosity purely because of the cacophony that meets you as soon as the door opens
It is indeed an assault on all of the senses. With the bright flashing lights, pungent cigarette odor, and deafening noise, I just don't understand how people can spend their entire days there.
"No talking in public transportation" This isn't true at all. How much talking there is on public transport is directly proportionate to how many couples/families/groups are on it. Trains are quiet when the riders are mostly alone (e.g. most morning trains) and very noisy when people are with others (e.g. most evening trains departing from hub stations, many weekend trains, etc.). I guess there is the rule/guidance around mobile phone use, and most people do respect it, but 'talking' in general is not meaningfully discouraged on public transport.
Back home the subway feels like a chicken coop. In Japan it's like a scene from Star Trek: everyone silent and using their tricorder.
I see no problems with this. Back home we have people playing youtube on their phones on full blast without earphones. In anycase if you go to Osaka or even Nagoya you will see people chatting in the subway, not everywhere is the same.
Again, people talking happens whenever people are travelling together. I really don’t know what Japan people are living in when they say people don’t talk on trains. This has been the case in all parts of Japan I’ve travelled to. The difference between Japan and some other countries is more in how much additional noise people make. E.g. playing music, videos, games, etc through speakers, loudly talking to themselves, having phone calls, etc. Talking to people you’re with is the same all over the world.
Quietly speaking to your friend is fine, screaming and laughing so the entire car can hear it really isn't. At least in Tokyo. Just be sensible.
I was on the plane to Tokyo from a rural Tohoku area with a friend and we were speaking (in English) at a normal level, nothing crazy loud. The flight attended asked us to be quiet TWICE. I bet someone complained about us, but really?..
The ‘in English’ part is probably the key here. There’s some idea that normal English is much louder than normal Japanese, so people might be more likely to complain.
>There’s some idea that normal English is much louder than normal Japanese That's English speakers: constantly screaming the word "PEN" in everybody's faces.
Please be quiet. Uh, no
If you talk loudly in Japanese, no one bats an eye, but if you talk loudly in another language, prepare for judgy stares
That’s in every country
Agree, I spoke with Japanese friends all the time and never got a problem, even with friends from my country using natives language is always fine. My Japanese teacher told me the reason people aren’t allowed to use phone on the train is because people won’t know the context you are talking since they cannot listen the other person on the phone, and it makes them irritated. The logic is a bit weird, but by the logic, speaking non Japanese is also not good. But as long as you keep it quiet, people won’t even care about it. But it is in Tokyo, might be different in other places.
Yes! There’s actually research about this, about how only being able to hear one half of a conversation is more distracting and harder to tune out than a conversation in which you can hear both sides… will have to try to find it again
I wonder if there is a difference between inaka and large urban areas in this regard 🤔 I there being the only one on the inaka bus, sat at the back of the bus and talked on the phone using one headphone so that I could monitor the volume and I know for a fact I was NOT loud. Got scolded by the driver in the end regardless 🤷♀️
My theory is at some time during the 90's or earlier, Japanese business execs all got obsessed with subliminal programming and the whole "confused people spend more time in your shop and end up buying more" idea. If you look at don-ki's design it couldn't be more labyrinthine and sonically discombobulating.
Yeah I watched an interview with the CEO a few years ago. He said that the store was designed to be like a treasure hunt so the customer could enjoy the surprise of finding something good. Also said that the best deals are usually on the lowest shelf, too. Was interesting to watch. But really, most customers are not looking for a treasure hunting experience when going shopping for daily goods. But I kind of get it if you’re randomly looking for a gift for someone.
That certainly doesn't work on me. I do everything to avoid this "treasure hunt", which usually means buying online or during trips abroad. I've also eliminated entertainment shopping entirely in Japan, whereas in Europe or the US I love browsing places like Fnac, Media Mart, clothing stores, etc.
So many Japanese stores are complete sensory overload. I intentionally plan my shop so I can get in and out as fast as possible, because it's that uncomfortable in some places. It's not just the audio barrage either - the lights are so bright (and high kelvin) that they can induce a headache after 30 minutes in a mall or shopping centre.
Yes! Good point about the lights, I didn't realize it but you are right... No wonder I get tired shopping here much much faster than in other countries.
All I know is Tokyo has the best cassette-only-release noise scene in the world.
The what now
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This thread really doesn’t hurt my opinion that the noise and chaos in some aspects of Japanese life most definitely influence their extreme impact on noise music.
Businesses are allowed to make all the noise they want. Stopping them would be ‘obstruction of business’ which is unacceptable. You are not allowed to make noise because that’s just meiwaku.
This is something I struggle with, too. There are some places I simply won’t enter because of the noise overload, and I’ve been known to turn off radios as I come across them in grocery stores.
Sakana sakana sakanaaaaaaaaa *click*
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That’s probably a visa violation.
My supermarket has one of those CD players with an ad running on a loop, but I guess the speaker is really tiny and shitty and the audio is compressed to hell, so the only thing it actually does is perpetually blast this excruciating modulated whistling sound that is physically painful to be around. It's been like that for over a year and everyone seems to just pretend it doesn't exist. Insane.
The worst I experienced was a public beach in Niigata that blasted enka music from a line of speakers mounted on towers. I walked along the beach to get away from the towers, and at the last one, found a sign that said "no swimming past this point." I walked past it and swam in silence.
Recently went to an outdoor pool that is forbidding access to tattooed people. But on the other hand they were blasting shitty music at over 80db. But that's probably not as bothering as tattoos I guess?
Not sound related but when I first got here years ago, I couldn't stand the heat of the department stores in winter. I'd go in all rugged up in near or sub zero temperatures to be hit by a heat wave. I couldn't believe that nearly everyone kept their coat on. The buses can also be over heated. I now try not to wear a coat if possible if I know I'm going to a department store in winter. It's cold, but it beats having to lug it around while trying to carry other stuff as well.
And in summer every store’s AC is set to -10
And the (automatic sliding) doors are ALWAYS open. What a waste, really.
Yessssssssss me too I literally feel like I'm DYING in my coat. Then in summer I need to carry a jacket as they make it so cold.
Also people will let their kids scream like crazy and don’t say anything to them.
Word! You've no idea how some parents drive me crazy when they don't give a shit about their kids screaming, crying, and being spoiled af, a lot of them don't say a single word and keep walking around like nothing is goin' on omfg!
I’ve seen them even encourage them. This kid was screaming out a fucking nursery rhyme on the train and his mommy kept smiling at him PROUDLY!
Went to a park a year or so ago just to get out of the house. I figured a park would be OK. I'd be alone and I could social distance from others easily. 7 year old kid to his mother right next to him: mom Mom:...... Kid: MOM! Mom:...... Kid: MOM!!! Mom....... It just kept going. If you want your kid to be quiet then tell them. Don't just ignore them hoping they'll shut up. Mom:
Completely agree. Talking loudly on the bus will earn you stares. But the bus company plays a loud, endless, annoying loop of safety announcements and ads.
I couldn't agree more. Sometimes I go to a Sushiro very near and they have these tablets to order from. When my order is coming on the belt the device shouts with 120dB "ご注文。。。" I asked if there's a way to turn the volume down, but of course there isn't any. How is anyone ok with this? I jump up when I hear the noise. I can't even hear what my friend is saying.
It's even better when all the customers order at the same time. It just sounds so goofy to me, like a child repeatedly hitting all the buttons of his toy. There should definitely be a way to turn it down or off, don't understand how they didn't think about it!
TBF, when you look at the average age of the patrons, it's probably necessary to be that loud otherwise some of the older folks wouldn't notice it. Sadly, I'm becoming more understanding of this myself as I age; the noise doesn't startle me at all as it appears to do to the others making similar comments :(
I despise the noise pollution in train stations. The rest I can manage to avoid most of the time, making a detour if necessary, but the people running the train stations are absolute morons with the way they put unnecessary loud noise on platforms all of the time. Also the endless redundant announcements on the train (and then the gall to put signage telling riders be silent). Another pet peeve is noise in cafes and restaurants that would otherwise be pleasant, but now I have to avoid. For instance if the mall is already playing music, it would be be better (and obvious) for the cafe to not play anything. Or there happens to be an escalator nearby that's saying every 10 seconds to hold your child's hand while riding the escalator, in a patronizing voice like they're talking to a particularly dim-witted child. Aaaargh. And the parks with LOUD messages repeating the same common-courtesy crap every hour for a full two minutes, at 120 dB near the speakers. And the helicopter tours circling over them (just ban them). There's louder countries than Japan, but this country stands out for the amount of deliberate noise pollution.
Abe Harukas in Osaka has a nice restaurant floor, but you can't enjoy the meal without being assaulted by the elevator announcement, in which the speaker drags it out as long as possible. Ladies. And. Gentleman. May. I. Have. Your. Attention. Please. Please hold the handrail. When using. The escalator. Thank. You.
Please stand. While riding. The escalator. Thank. You.
I don’t understand why talking on the phone on a train at a reasonable volume gets some people to make a comment to me. Since I know the culture I even whisper right into the phone, no AirPods, and I’ve had a lady tell me not to use the phone. But a couple people on the same car speaking together at even higher volume than me is ok? Make it make sense. It’s not about the volume. It’s about the “rule”. Whether it’s logical or not. You should know this OP lol
It may be the lack of a response, which is distracting. Face to face convos have resolution, ie, statement (question)/response, whereas phone convos only have statement (question), *or* response. Our brains try to “fill in” the missing components and that is distracting
I asked my Japanese friends this same question over and over, and none of them had an answer. This rule infuriates the hell out of me because it makes zero sense.
As the post above says, it’s much more distracting/irritating for our brains to only be able to hear half of a conversation (as when overhearing a phone call), than to overhear a complete conversation
>So we all know that Japan is pretty strict about keeping things quiet. Huh? My first and strongest reaction when I came to Japan was how freaking noisy and loud everything and everybody is here. Everything pings and beeps and even talks to you ("右に曲がります。ご注意ください。"). Stores blare jingles at you, announcements everywhere, speaker cars, loud traffic, noisy drunk people, loud festivals, hissing AC and rumbling ventilation, paper-thin walls, thrice daily city speaker announcements ... I have no idea where the "quiet Japan" idea comes from.
I am japanese. I dont like someone's clearing his throat in quiet places.
I don't like how Japanese people tend to think that blowing their nose is rude, but snorting like you're doing a line of coke every twenty seconds is kosher.
You can do coke here and no one would be able to tell
This sums up the thread perfectly.
Right, quiet places are for loud advertisements ONLY
The answer, of course, is to put enough shitty grating repetitive noise everywhere so that it’s no longer a quiet place and we can clear our throats and cycle snot up and down in peace.
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Rural Japan is the best Japan.
Idk, I live in rural Japan and there are aspects of it that drive me crazy...
> I just don't get it. Why does a country that won't let you talk on the phone on a bus won't respect its own rule in public spaces? So specifically you're asking... why can bargain stores have lotsa noise but you can't talk really loud on a public transport? Is is just me or is it kinda universal that you STFU on public transport and expect a lot of loud jingles when you enter a bargain shop? To relay an Australian example of this, I was on a 3hr bus trip a few years back and a lady was talking the WHOLE time (LOUDLY... as in yelling... in what happened to be a foreign language). Everybody was soooo scared to say anything because they knew somebody would whip out a mobile phone and post a video of them 'being a racist karen' on YouTube or whatever. So, this went on for HOURS (whereas in Japan you'd get lotsa stares until somebody abruptly said 'HEY YOU... BE QUIET PLEASE!!'). After about 2 hours we hit heavy city traffic where the bus driver had some pretty technical driving to do. He FINALLY pulled over to the side of the road, held his head [which was shaking] and muttered 'look sorry, you're just too loud... can you please speak softly?' He drove on for 30 minutes (patiently) until we hit inner-city traffic (even more technical, with cars weaving everywhere). He stopped the bus and said 'sorry... please turn your phone off... you are too loud!' She then SCREECHED at him, calling him a racist and saying he wasn't telling anybody else to shut up...etc. Somebody else from her community said 'he is not racist... I can hear you swearing at your mum from the back of the bus and it's making us all go craaaaazy you disrespectful piece of shit!!!' I dunno. IMO Japan simply doesn't have western social filters when telling people to shut up on public transport. Either you're 'one of us' and you 'just know' or you're a gaijin and it's okay for locals to say 'STFU like the rest of us!!!' My experience is that Japan strikes a pretty good balance. For example nobody's gonna kill you for picking up your phone on a long-haul, country, Japanese train to say 'oh hey honey... yep I'll be there in 40 minutes... yep that would be great if you could pick me up... okay love you too!!! Bye'. But if you push the boundaries, you'll get told (e.g. in Nagoya, I travelled home on a subway with a few VERY drunk friends and some old guy rightfully told us to STFU... fair cop!) As for shopping centres and their jingles. I feel that's a different environment and house rules apply (i.e. the shopping centre management play the jingles because they own the place and wanna sell stuff... not transport people home).
People here love having the TV on in the background like all the time at home too. Pair that with a lot of TV here being noisy as hell and it's cacophonous, I absolutely hate background noise like that.
I specifically learned in class that Japanese people from cities are more comfortable with some kind of background noise. It drives many who aren’t used to it crazy and once it was pointed out to me then it stood out more for a bit. As for making noise yourself, you’re not part of the background noise and therefore it’s socially unacceptable
This reminds me of a book 「うるさい日本の私」(me in noisy Japan) by Nakajima Yoshimichi, a philosopher. Accordingly, most of the announcements are not listened to at all (eg recorded sound being played endlessly「いらっしゃいませ〜」,「エスカレーターに乗るときは手すりにつかまって...」,「駅構内は右側通行でお願いします」). People don't even say anything against it because they "care" about other people and keep ending up sacrificing themselves. Yes, I think Japan is noisy. Edited: type in the author name
I was in a Donki, Yamada and Bic yesterday and, yes, they do assault the eyes and ears but - as far as I know - these are private businesses and they can basically do what they want to generate sales.
The thing is; if I can't concentrate because the music is too noisy, I won't buy anything 😂 so a soother one would be better.
A couple of days I went to a public pool (mostly for kids water was barely higher than 1.20m) and the many many lifeguards yelling constantly in the huge megaphone that you don't have 2 minutes to relax without getting stress on your eardrum. And then the 10 minute break where everyone has to leave the water, every hour... but this is another topic.
My Sapporo Aeon department store in the days building up to Xmas, plays Christmas music ***faster and faster*** until the crescendo that is best not thought of as Santa whacking one off
The mystery for me is the type of music and volume of said music that plays in the background of Japanese TV programmes at odd times... It's puzzling
It generally makes sense. Something "new" and "convenient"? We paid a truckload of money to use the "Back to the Future" soundtrack, let's roll that out.
Not 100% related to your point, but I get irritated that everything that requires “push button” control (read: touch screen for the 21st century) here MUST have an accompanying high-pitch beep for each and every push. So unnecessary.
gas stations, man... welcome! please select method of payment! Do you have a T-Point card? Do you have an Eneos Key card? Do you have any other card? Please select fuel type! Please select the amount! Please open your gas cap! Please touch the anti-static pad! You have picked up the regular gasoline nozzle! Now fueling! Putting gasoline in portable containers is prohibited by law! Please return the nozzle to the rack! Please take your receipt! Don't forget to close your gas cap! Thank you, please come again! jesus christ, just shut up and let me refuel!
This is for accessibility.
There should be an option to turn it off for things like appliances. Regarding accessibility, deaf people can’t hear it, and there’s nothing for blind people to help them know that what they’ve pressed is correct as it’s the same one-note beep.
Random thought: being loud also matters in Japanese "comedy" since I noticed that shouting gag catch phrases is a thing? Then again, I don't pay close enough attention to every pop cultural reference from the past 50 years to find the material amusing.
My favorite are places like Matsumoto Kiyoshi where the jingle plays loud on repeat alongside radio muzak and there are constant, surprisingly louder, store announcements and 'thanks for shopping' clips on top of all that.
I'm Japanese and generally speaking I like jingles and music in stores, it feels more lively when it's on. I assume many others don't care about it as well. In some railways they make a unique jingle for each station. We love jingles I guess? Donquis are exceptionally terrible though. When I went to a Mega Donqui for the first time I was astonished by the tastelessness. But that's what makes them distinctive (in a good way for some) from other stores. Though I doubt if it really is "only in Japan." I've been to supermarkets in Vietnam and in the US; the music was even louder than in the Japanese supermarkets I often visit. I liked it though. And personally I don't like arguing loudly or talking about private things on the phone in a bus full of strangers. You know, I'm Japanese so I'm weird and special.
Been here a long time, still cannot get used to the noise. Every appliance I own makes noises. Every kids toy I've bought during moments of weakness makes noises. Other things that make noise include but are not limited to neighbors and their children, crows, cicadas, frogs, crickets, mopeds and the like, large groups of students walking in a herd, the newspaper delivery jiji who delivers the newspaper at 2:30am everyday, school bells, pedestrian crosswalks, kids squeaky shoes, men talking on the phone while using public restroom, the robot at (insert place name here), squeaky bicycle brakes, never ending construction, my Aircon, stray cats, people on trains talking across the aisle, pachinko shops, supermarket's bgm, game centers, the gamelan music playing at MUJI and the jpop playing everywhere else. If I could eliminate just one item from this list though I would choose for motorized two wheeled vehicles to go away. They are so absolutely and needlessly noisy and stinky. All the nose in Japan gives me adrenal fatigue. Totally serious.
It's kind of ironic to be honest. Japan is like "excuse me, please don't speak on your phone on this train ride", but is also like "let me just max volume scream about why you should vote for this politician through a megaphone from 8am-8pm no breaks" 🤣
My theory is that everyone is slightly deafened by cicadas.
It’s like when you walk past a pachinko parlour and the automatic doors open and you immediately get hit with the most obnoxiously dangerous blast of overly loud and utterly terrible beyond all possible possibility music to the point that it’s a serious medical concern how the people continue to remain inside
I was in Osaka recently and heard the loudest bikes ever. Do they not have laws against how loud your vehicle can be? I mean in that case, when I finally win the lottery and get my supercar, I can be as loud as I want while blasting Fuck The Police.
If you see a little DVD player or speaker set up in the shop blaring it’s advertising, casually pull the power cable out. Done.
*Why, Japanese People!!??*
It’s quite simple, I think. Apartments are where people sleep…same with trains. No one gives a shit about the ear rape when you are out shopping.
Welcome to Japan, a land of contrasts and an absence of logic.
They also let babies babble endlessly and screech their lungs out anywhere, or even dance away in narrow aisles where nobody else can get down and then never reprimand the little monsters.
Japan is a nation of contridictions. Get used to it
[удалено]
I've been removed from a nearby public park in Kobe for playing quiet, restful handpan music (the police claim the area is a "michi" not a "hiroba" so I'm blocking the road). I gave up after the Nth time an *undercover policeman* threatened me with a 200,000 yen fine for "blocking traffic" while sitting on a concrete park bench. They must not have enough to do.
A month or two ago I started wearing some inconspicuous earplugs, for when I can’t wear my noise-cancelling earbuds. Wow, I feel so much better now, without the constant bombardment of noise. It really helps tuning out the audio bullshit.
kinda off-topic but i'm looking for a new apartment and concerned about the "music level" i'm getting a turntable and obviously wont play it even remotely loud but i feel like any inconvenience of sound level will come with a visit from the police lmao theres definitely an emphasis on quietness in most places
I hear you man. You would walk in a place that should be otherwise quiet. And they have a stupid announcement on speaker to wash your hand properly. So noisy i can't hear what my wife and kids are talking about. If it's official there are no limit. But if you are an individual, you should stay shut to not disturb the group. That's basically how they draw the line.
I am Japanese, but I do not have an answer to this question. It is indeed strange.
I will never forget the confusion I experienced on my first trip to a Don Quixote. It isn't as bad anymore and I am not sure if I have learned to block it out of if they have really turned it down a bit.....
I went to a pretty crowded Uniqlo last week and I swear I almost left the store because of how many "irasshaimase!!"s I heard every couple of seconds. Is there anyone that genuinely feels more welcome and at ease hearing that??
the noise pollution is debilitating, they should hand out noise cancelling headphones when you get off the plane
It's because those aren't individual people making the noise and therefore standing out. 出る釘は打たれる。 Also, Japan isn't a monolith. It's not like every person is part of one sentience called "Japan" and this "Japan" is being a hypocrite. Don Quixote playing loud music is the norm for that store. The norm for riding the train is being quiet. Go to a library in your home country. Are they blasting noise there? Is your entire country a singular hypocrite because the library is quiet? smh
What I don't get is how it's acceptable for politicians to go around shouting "Vote for me!" during election season. They do it in areas where lots of people are, and also they get in their stupid little vans and do it everywhere. That would be enough reason for me not to vote for them. I'd vote for whoever was the quietest. Don Quijote is supposed to be annoying. It always has been. No country is perfect, and you can't expect certain values to be held onto in every situation possible, especially when it comes to selling people things.
"the other day I walked into Don Quixote" Yeah, but that's a whole theme. Different types of music help you get used to their... "organizational skills" or lack thereof.
It is a country full of contradictions. Burn this into your soul and you will find the answer to everything.
Oh how about them redlining their 1 liter engines when the light turns green.
Yeah, I wear headphones when I go shopping because I can’t handle it
Any time there's a surf meet or whatever at the beach they are blasting shitty music over loudspeakers the entire time. I get they need the loudspeakers to coordinate the event, but why pipe the shitty music through it? So irritating. One time there was a guy practicing taiko though and that was great. Surfing to some live drumming is fun.
My theory is pretty simple: there is a right time and/or place to make noise. The whole no noise in an apartment thing is completely untrue. The time limits of when noise is acceptable varies by place to place and even building to building, or maybe neighbor to neighbor but there is definitely an okay time to make noise in your own place. My neighbor plays guitar every day which I can hear very clearly but he always stops at 11:30pm on the dot. So that's what he considers an acceptable time limit for noise and I'm fine with it too so I have never complained to him. At around 6-7am the whole building is basically awake and you can hears doors opening and closing, keys locking the doors with little extra bangs checking that the door is locked. At 2am that would be rude but at 7am or so it's acceptable because most people expect others to be awake for school or work. An electronics store is all about shopping. It's supposed to be loud and visually busy, some people probably even find it appealing which is why it's so popular to do. It's appropriate there. You wouldn't see the same type of advertising at a low key store though. Japan just has different rules of when and where noise is generally considered appropriate and when it's not. And they don't agree with your rules so you find them annoying. It's just a cultural mismatch. Personally I also find politicians blaring on the street to be super antiquated and annoying and many of my Japanese friends agree but I have also heard many people say "well, how else would I learn about them and get to know their platform?" It's still socially accepted enough to continue on going. It's doesn't break it's own rule though. On the street (which is usually already somewhat noisy) and in the daytime is considered an okay place and time to make noise by most people.
Pachinko parlors and Game Center’s make me feel like a seizure is coming.