Japanese store slams foreign tourists for ‘bad manners’
August 21, 2023
A Japanese store has put up a sign scolding foreign tourists for having “bad manners.”
“Request for Foreign Customers”: The shop located in Tokyo has listed the frequent “bad manners” of foreign tourists in a big signage posted by the store’s entrance.
“Requests for Foreign Customers,” the sign reads. “We are very troubled by the many violations of manners by foreigners. These are bad manners.”
The disrespectful actions include picking up and placing store items in the wrong shelves, opening a product before purchasing it, bringing food and/or beverages inside the store, littering inside the store and asking to return unbroken items. The sign also noted that most of the staff do not speak English, suggesting foreign customers to “prepare an image of what [they] are looking for or make an effort to speak Japanese.”
Discussion on foreign tourists: The sign was photographed by a Californian resident and shared to the Facebook page Japan Moments on Aug. 13. It has since gone viral, garnering over 40,000 reactions and prompting a discussion on how uncivilized some American tourists can be.
“Sadly, a lot of what they’re asking is just common courtesy, which many Americans sorely lack,” one Facebook user wrote, to which another user replied, “I’m American. Can confirm. Not everyone is like this, but those kinds of people make up a LOT of the country.”
Many users also criticized foreign tourists for not respecting the culture and people of the Asian countries they visit.
“Sadly, many foreigners don’t respect the Japanese culture or lifestyle,” one person wrote.
“Yes, for God’s sake, educate yourself on the culture of the country you are visiting!” another said.
“While the vast majority of people visiting Japan are probably polite and understand that they are guests in another country, there is definitely a portion of ‘Wait, there aren’t subtitles in real life?’” one person explained.
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