Ahhh I agree so much!! So many things I learned the hard way... lol

"don't take pictures of young underage girls" I mean I hope that would be a rule no matter where you are in the world xD. Thanks for the video

I am SOOO impressed. Not only the depth of your understanding of the Japanese culture, but the strength of your good will behind the production of this video as its driver. Actually I had tears coming up to my eyes towards the end. Micaela, you're the most wonderful and the coolest person on the globe.

You said "unfortunately a thing" for #1, but I think it is actually a great thing there! It's something we are SEVERELY lacking here in the US.

ITT: Weebs getting offended when Japanese society isn't like in animu.

I can't imagine ever having the audacity to blatantly take photos of people intentionally without their permission. I don't see how this is okay in any country..

So many true facts! I feel like all these can be considered when going to any country or any public situation as they overall are just polite and considerate towards others :)

3:26 The bit with the "please... obey." I know this was done in jest, but it really does nicely sum up the Japanese "culture" experience. Japan is incredibly restrictive, conformist and insular. That's not to say that there aren't loads of friendly Japanese people who embrace self-expression, but on the whole, the feeling of being in Japan as a foreigner is often "follow the crowd, or get the hell out." Even as a quiet, reserved, and generally polite introvert, it felt stifling compared to China, where I currently live.

I like how you address topics that are not addressed oftenly, like the jokes that are popular overseas or the camera nod!

"Don't worry about it and try not to be a jerk" lol words to live by. Nice video.

日本人からみてもミケイラさんの動画トピックはとっても勉強になります。そして英語の字幕もあり英語の勉強もでき一石二鳥です。ありがとうございます。

注意するべきポイントがかなり大切な所が凄いです！自分は外国人を見ると「かっこいいな〜」「美人や」って思って見ちゃう笑 前に道歩いてる時に外国の人に「Hello」って言われたのは嬉しかった

ミカエラさんの動画は自然体で好感がもてます。

I am going to Japan for the first time ever on Friday. I am beyond excited and have been doing more and more research on how to be a good and respectful tourist. Thanks for some great tips.

A thousand claps to you for making this video. A lot of people may think this stuff is common knowledge, and it should be, but for some reason when people come to Japan, they just lose their shit. And it's not at all strict here like people may think. Just read your surroundings and adapt and don't be a dick. The rules are not there to "control the masses of sheeple" or "stop you from being you" (like I've been seeing written in this comment section), they're there to maintain the harmony of people sharing such a small place. Be the best you you can be, just do bother anyone in doing so. (Generally a good life skill) And if being you is so out there that you piss everyone off around you, it's time need to find a new person to be.

I see Lon couldn't resist making a debut in the background haha. So cute.

guys dont worry about doing everything perfectly the japanese way. at first just be gaijin just be the you you were in your homecountry. as for customs just look around you'll learn over time.

Wait wait wait wait. Wait. I just saw #4 and I honestly have to say, Japanese people have NO notion of other people's privacy when foreigners are in question. Japanese TV is unbiased - they respect NOBODY'S privacy. I can't even count the times when they took my picture without asking. Even when they ask and I say no (apart from it being creepy when strangers ask to take a picture of you when you're not wearing anything crazy or special, I am a shy person), they look at me like I'm crazy and don't seem to understand why wouldn't I want strangers to take pictures of me. Not that it's an excuse, but if you say "just look at how they are acting and do the same", then it's only natural that foreigners would think: "Hey, well if they can take pictures of me, then why wouldn't I do the same?"

Sage advice... though I've been guilty of a few of those at one time or another.

凄い良い動画。 良く日本のこと理解してるでござるな。

I want to hear the anecdotes! 20 minute long video please!~

No. 3 feels like every foreign person saying "Tabarnak!" to me every time they hear i'm from Québec or bring up cheese, bérèts, wine and baguette to French people. Every culture is a complex amalgam of different things, not just its clichés. I feel like everything you said in this video applies for every culture, not just Japan.

"At the end of the day you are a guest in another country & it's not about you" - I think you hit the nail on the head with that statement Micaela. I think that is applicable in any country. I've travelled to many different countries & one of the first things I do after booking my flights/accommodation is to research the country's customs - the do's & don'ts. I don't think being a tourist should be an excuse for bad manners &/or lack of respect. I've travelled to Japan several times & as a tourist myself, cringe at the amount of times I've seen a fellow 'Gaikokujin' talking on their phone on the train/bus...or just being loud in general. I mean take a look around you - be aware of your surroundings! Generally Japanese people are forgiving to foreign tourists, but that doesn't make it right. Great insightful talky video - thanks for sharing :)

Wooooooooooow thank you for this video. You are so sweet because some of this behaviour is sociopathic but so normalized with many tourists. Yet, you break it down and are so patient about it. If I were making a video about what not to do as a tourist, I'd be like "DON'T BE AN A HOLE" but you broke it down so it make sense. 1) Pay attention to your surroundings 2) Remember that even though you are on vacation, locals are just trying to get on with their lives so respect them.

lol, ur camera nod was adorable

Thank you for mentioning about the privacy thing. People need to keep #4 in mind.

I think my husband's family are a little different with speaking on the trains! I went from Wakayama to Kagawa, and his family were just chatting away loudly, groups of people in front were chatting too. All the old folks around here seem to chat loudly to their friends on the train. I guess that's Wakayama people, Tokyo folks seem completely different.

I think the number 4 happens everywere, but usually tourist seem to be the one who forget the normal manners and just take pictures without asking anything. I guess the logic is that no one back knows/regognices the person anyway which somehow makes it okay. And this applies to Japanese people abroad as well, which is kind of backwards since they value their own privacy so much back at home in Japan. I used to live near a local tourist attraction and I had pictures of me and my dog taken so many times by random japanese tourists without them even trying to be sneaky about it and no one ever asked my permission >.< I also saw them taking pictures of local kids as well...

For me while I was there (1 month so definitely a 'tourist' despite doing an internship) the thing I quickly realized was that I got super flustered when I went inside a store and the clerks would greet me cause I didn't know what to do or say and I'm by no means fluent. After a few days I realized that Japanese people just go by without replying or acknowledging all the greetings because it's just part of the protocol. After that I stopped trying to say hi how are you to all the people working at conbini ^^'

Should have mentionned leaving tips!! I did that in Japan and caused massive embarrassement for the person. :(

This is really good video, your advice is so spot on! 日本人から見てもすごく的確だと思います！

It was very easy to understand!!! Thanks a lot!

As you said it's not the same being in a country as a tourist than living there, but most of the time people make this kinda mistakes because they don't bother to learn anything about the country where they're traveling to. People just care about where to visit, where to eat, where to sleep, where I can take that amazing I saw on instagram, etc..., on travel guides almost everybody skips that part where they talk about the history, the culture and traditions of the country they're going to, or at least that's the way I feel when I see other tourists during my trips. I'm not the best example myself but I do care to know something about the countries where I'm going to travel, I thing it helps you to understand better everything you see during your trip, why things are one way or another, to interact with local people and many more. On the other hand I think that when you've been living in some country for a while, unconsciously, you tend to be more yourself. Because somehow, you begin to feel more at home. We gotta be always respectful but never stop being ourselves.

From Japan. To Every tourists from overseas. You remember she said, Almost Japanese are kindly. It is a reward of Japanese hospitality is your smile and 'Thank you' .

ありがと、いろいろ日本に来る外国人にマナーを伝えてくれて

ミカエラさんは日本長いんだね。 日本のことをよくご存知でいらっしゃいます。

You say it's rude to take pictures of people, but when i was in Japan, they often took pictures of me without permission. Often it was very obvious. Heck, you'd see it on trains, even in the line for food or at campus. One time a guy even stood up, walked, stopped right in front of me and my friends, and took the picture very loudly on his flip phone and walked back and sat? lol. However, that doesn't make it okay for foreigners or tourists to take pictures of Japanese people like that. Sometimes people asked though, so that was nice.

I do the camera eye contact / node thing at cosplay conventions because often its so busy and they are already getting their photo taken but i want to just double check :) Also thanks for the tips!

"Dont take pictures of young underage girls" Advice to live by

About popular things having a quick turnover, here's an example. I am from the Netherlands and when Japanese people here that they like to say the few things they do know about the Netherlands and they'll be like "tullips!!!", "windmills!!!" and it often stops there. During summer time they also often say soccer, while in winter they often say ice skating. But when I mention ice skating or soccer outside of its season, they are often completely puzzled by me mentioning it.

For the point about things not being relevant in current times, I would also add the issue of foreigners looking at Japan through that one specific lens of pop culture, anime, etc. It's awesome people everywhere love these things, but not every Japanese person watches One Piece and other shows like that; people should recognize that Japan is an actual working society and you will appreciate it x1000 more keeping that in mind (I went on a study abroad program and let's just say some people were not mentally prepared lol)

i think #2 mostly applies to people from North America, because I've never heard anyone else complain/be surprised that people can dress up even when there's not a wedding or prom.

4 minutes in and I'm loving the editing.

I agree with all of these, just living here in the US! I'm not a KZfaqr, yet(planning on starting to vlog here, specifically on how to experience Japanese and Korean lifestyle while living in my general area), but it is just common sense and decency, to NOT take photos or video of people you don't know, and even people you do know, without their expressed permission. It really upsets to see photos and video of people I know were not asked if they're ok with it. I also hate loud people when I'm on public transit. When I use transit, I'm always either listening to music, or reading. When I'm with people, I'm very quiet. It's just common courtesy. The "trying to look my best" is something that I have had trouble with in my life, but I'm trying to come more into my own on this in the last few years. The problem I find here that annoys me, is random use of other languages to try and look "cool". If you know the language great. But don't use random terms you don't know how to use. -.-

And I remember the times of KZfaq when Kozue would always wear a mask when dancing! I also remember other Japanese only doing videos that did not have them in it for a long time but have since changed that.

My wife really likes your video's, so I started watching. Awesome sauce! I can tell that you put the real you into your videos. Thanks!!! ;)

Haha i just spent a moment deciphering アドバイス ; "a - do - ba - i - su " ... ??? .... ADVICE!!!! 😆(I know words orally but I'm still learning the hiragana LOL) ✌🏼🇨🇦

I just discovered your channel after your collaboration with Sharla, and I gotta say I like your "talky videos" the best lol.

今回のはすごい良動画。新鮮な意見だったし全部共感。確かに外国人の旅行客のファッションは、ファッション嫌いな自分から見てもどうなのって思う事多い。でもメンドクサインダヨネー。Ｔシャツジーンズでさまになってる外国人はかっこいい

今日のメイク素敵！！

I am a long term resident in Japan - walked through Tokyo today. Saw lots of foreigners who would throw random words at japanese people (they were talking to earlier). Always makes me smile kinda :D

nice video, in my country all this things u said no one will respect probaly, but not all are so (Brazil) thanks for the tips

it`s also considered bad manners to eat/drink while walking or on public transportation and there`s a whole lot more that are hard to explain and even harder to understand.

ミカエラさんの言ってることは👍 このすばらしい動画（どうが）を たくさんの外国人に見てもらいたいです😄

excellent advises!

今回の写真の件は本当に大切ですよね(*'ω'*)！「鼻から下芸人(笑)」としても、話してくださりうれしいです！でも最近は日本でもKZfaqrさんが増えて、日本のクリエーターさんがまわりのひとの顔を映しちゃったり、ご自分のお子さんの学校の名札を映して個人情報を特定されたりして…私も気を付けたいと思います。ちなみにドイツに旅行に行った時も動画を撮っていたら笑われたりしたので文化って本当に違うんだな…と勉強になりました(*´ω｀*)

"Trying to manually close the taxi door" was missing from this list.

Hardgay and Jinnai Tomonori will always be relevant!!!!

The talking loud thing is just a general politeness thing. I'm Canadian and i find it unpleasant when people talk loudly. Nothing to do with nationality.The "you're a guest in a foreign country thing" ... Nope. I'm a human being and i live on Planet Earth. By that reasoning, it would mean locals need less to be polite than non-residents of a country. That doesn't make sense. people should be polite and considerate everywhere all the time. IMO. 🌍👍

Such an important video with a basic message that holds true for any visit to another country. People are not there for your entertainment. Be respectful. Try not to be a jerk.

This is a great video Micaela.

I think the worst I have seen in Tokyo is foreigners smoking on the streets and walking. It is not allowed but they do it anyway or they go into a shop and respond to the workers when they welcome them with a hello. It seems silly but like the little things make a big difference.

I would think taking pictures of other people without their permission would be rude in most cultures. From what I've seen, though, people in Japan are much more conscious of it. But, with that in mind, I can't imagine how ANYONE could think taking pictures of school kids would be okay O.O

As a foreigner, you explain exactly the daily life of Japan and the minimum rules for Japanese people

Man, I don't get why people feel like it's okay to just whip out the camera and take a picture of a stranger, no matter the city or country. I remember the first time I went to Japan with my best friend, she saw a group of elderly ladies in a shopping center and she really loved what they were wearing, so she wanted to take a picture of them. But she didn't just take one, she asked me how to ask for permission to take a photo (because at that time I was the only one of us two who could speak at least a little bit Japanese) and then she went over there and asked them. Thankfully, they were cool with it (and a bit flattered that she liked their outfits so much) :) But yeah, be polite, everyone!

Anime is pretty easy to keep up with outside of Japan these days. We get a decent amount of stuff the day after it airs in Japan. Rest of it probably is harder to keep current on though.

I remember when I went to Harajuku in 2004 with the intention of taking street-fashion photos and I simply learned the Japanese for 'photo' and did the asking with my eyes as you suggest and it worked out really well. I'm sure a big part of that is that cosplayers and people with cool fashion in certain areas expect to be asked for photos, but I fully agree that asking permission is best if you're focusing in on a person for a portrait. I feel like that should be true all over the world, but sadly since culture elsewhere isn't founded on respect like Japan it just doesn't happen. I remember that was one of the things I loved most about my visit was the foundation of respect in the culture. Going back home (even after just 10 days in Japan) I suffered serious culture shock due to the rudeness of people in London (where I lived at the time).

"keep going but shut up" hahaaaa!! awesome!

日本は恥の文化（心を表に出せない・シャイ）なのでそこら辺が外国人にはなじめないところですよねｗ 私も外国人が外を歩いているとつい、チラッとみてしまいますが外国人を見るたびとても嬉しくなります。歓迎という意味で。

Something else I overhear a lot that drives me crazy is when foreign people try to explain things to their Japanese acquaintances in a really patronizing way. Just because someone is not fluent in English does not mean they are less intelligent. Just today I heard someone talking about the Brexit to a Japanese person like "So you see, it will affect the whole European economy...". Uuuh, yeah? Any adult would be able to logically make that connection. Don't talk down to the guy like you know better 'cause you're white. I dunno, maybe it's just me.

Hi Micaela, Let's Make America Great Again !!

I'm a Japanese guy, Japan is a breathchoking society. I think. I've never felt accustomed to Japan since my birth.

Didn't know about #3! That's probably why when I studied abroad and talked about anime, no one knew what I was talking about lol but they did know One Piece :P

I guess the fashion thing is more for the big city. When I visit my wife's family in Kagawa nobody cares about fashion.

Wherever you travel to in the world, it's so important to pay attention to your surroundings and get a sense for the people and the culture. In Egypt women usually have their arms covered. In Dubai it's not the greatest thing in the world to wear short shorts or show to much skin. It may be a drag for some people, but there's usually a pretty interesting cultural reason behind these unspoken rules. You're right, it's best to realize that it's not all about you, and when in Rome yada yada yada yada.....

This is sooo true!! Great video!

I'm guilty of number 3 in a way, but I didn't show it as often besides someone asking me what I was reading and listening to which was a novelization of Bleach (like a written story of the manga/anime Bleach than the managaka and another person wrote together) and listening to a band called Plastic Tree while in the library at the school I was attending. Most of the girls that asked me (because the boys were apparently "too shy" to talk to me) didn't even know what either of them were. I didn't make a big deal out of it and I didn't make any effort into prying other people for information about either of them, but I still felt like that gap between our cultures was super cringe worthy at the time. Like, I felt really weird to not really keep up with their "pop and drop" culture where you're popular for a short amount of time and then drop off the face of the planet after like two years. But I didn't go out of my way to not conform a little bit, especially after like three months of living there. On the flip side of things. I had a bunch of people stare at me and take pictures of me while I lived there, especially when wearing my school uniform and riding my bike to school or riding the train. I lived in a considerably more rural place than Tokyo or Kyoto, and certainly less touristy- but I had Japanese people try to take photos of me, talk to me (in broken English) and even try to touch my hair (just because it apparently looked really soft and inviting because I had really light blonde hair at the time). I also know that the few people who were honestly harassing me don't speak for the entire country, especially since there was at most 40 instances of harassment (like they were violating portions of this list themselves), but I found that some of the natives don't respect their own social expectations when it comes to foreigners. I mean, I had an anxiety attack on the train once to were I literally couldn't breathe so I had to squat down in the corner at the back of the bus (I know it's not good etiquette, but I literally couldn't help it at the time) but a man from my host mother's work (though he didn't know who I was at the time) took a picture of me in my school uniform while I was having a panic attack at the back of the train, and then bad mouthed me to my school and at his work place for being disgraceful, disrespectful and lazy. My host mother called me up an hour later after hearing about it and I had to explain it to her and the school counselor who was in charge of me that I wasn't disrespecting the social norm and that I was literally panicking. I personally would like to think that had I been a native that was having a panic attack to the point of passing out from hyperventilation, he wouldn't have taken the picture thinking I was just some ignorant Gaijin that was too lazy to stand on the train and would instead probably have gotten help. But that could just be me not fully understanding the culture. Nevertheless, natives can be as equally cringy and ignorant to others as foreigners are to them sometimes, and both instances don't speak for the majority of both sides. There are just as many bad gaikokujin as there are natives in my opinion.

When I studied abroad in Tokyo, I definitely felt like I had to invest in some better clothes. It was a pain in the butt to go shopping (I hate shopping, it's tiring). And deciding what to wear took forever for me..... However, I really liked and got used to the feeling of seeing everyone dressed so well. After I returned to my home state, it was difficult to transition back into the whole flip-flops, shorts, and tank top attire that everyone wears here.

a list i agree with, even here in the Netherlands

Biggest mistake is procrastinating and making things a bigger deal than they are =) Just go with the flow and create a lot! :D

I feel like I'd be in the clear with all of these. I talk really quite, dress presentable, and don't take pictures unless I ask the person, hell sometimes I just talk with the person for a while (if they have the time) to get to know them and they get to know me.

How do you get caught up with new Japanese trends/media ?

While I was in Japan as an exchange student my friends from school and I made plans to go to Harajuku to to hang out after school. Because our plans were right after school hours we were in our school uniforms. A foreigner took a picture of my friends and I, and I don't think the guy noticed I noticed but I noticed. And I was extremely uncomfortable with it but I was not ready to make a scene about that.

You know you are doing well, when you start noticing and cringing over 'foreign habits'. Are there any habits you still have though ? btw. your hair and make up looks so pretty on you :3

ugh the fashion one!!! I NEVER COULD MASTER THAT HAHAHAA cause i grew out my afro for the first time in japan, i was too focused on my hair ... didnt even focus past my neck ~

The effects are nice〰

Once I went to a funeral ceremony in Japan and I didn't have appropriate clothes for that so I just went in inconspicious everyday clothes. I also was the only foreigner. It was a bit strange but everyone was nice to me and they didn't seem to care.

"Ask with your eyes" I don't know why but I died laughing when you said that lol

外国人が日本で孤独に感じることがあるとすれば、日本人があまり英語を喋れない事が大きな原因かもしれません。私の友人で外国人を差別するような人はいませんが、話かけられても英語が出来なくて期待に応えられないので少し距離をおいてしまう事があります。いま日本でも英語教育を強化しようという動きがあるので、将来はもっと外国人がすごしやすい国になる事を祈ってます。

your hair looks so good! c:

6:12 Hard Gay was hilarious. I have noticed there's a JPop band I like, pretty much the only one I like, called Every Little Thing. I've known them since the late 90s and they still make albums, the last was in 2014, but I don't think they're really popular there. Nobody seems to know who they are when I mention them. 7:50 This doesn't apply to Japan clearly but this reminded me of my college photography classes when I mentioned how I was a little uncomfortable taking pictures of strangers in public, it felt weird. And my teacher said "That's why they invented zoom lenses". lol

Everything you said can be applied to almost any country.

There is a cat pass by 2:55 cute

#3 is very true. I don't think Beat Takeshi even remembers Takeshi's Castle. And nobody here has seen that aerobics/English lesson video.

Thanks for the tips!

excellent tips thanks!Micaela doumo arigato gozaimasu

By now, after watching your videos for about 3 years now and videos of other people living in Japan and telling about their experience, I've sort of come to the conclusion that yes Japan is very very different but at the same time some parts of Japanese culture are similar to my country's culture (Latvian). Latvians will always dress very well when going to parties or just group meetings and even if just going out for a walk to the local shop a Latvian will dress nice and comfortably. Speaking loudly is also kind of a no no although it's not a huge thing that people shame others constantly about.

I agree with these too D: It's so important to know imo!

i love these type of videos!! ^_^ i got to that point if being able to tell the difference between temporary and long term foreigners ~ it helped me blen in a little more hahahaha not gonna brag about how much i stood out in my first two months in Tokyo xD

Great advice. Thank you.