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I studied in Tokyo from 2010 to 2014 and noticed a lot of cultural differences between Japan and my country so to deal with my culture shock, I started creating comic strips about them. I hope my comics will help more foreigners like myself understand Japan and the Japanese people better, as well as increase awareness about some changes in behavior we might have to make when we visit. These comic strips were selected from a collection of over 300 that I created between 2012 and 2015 and posted on my Facebook page. I also compiled these illustrations into two books: "Eva, Kopi and Matcha" and "Eva, Kopi and Matcha 2.0" which are available on Amazon and other eBook platforms (Kindle, iBooks, Google Books, Kobo).

More info: amazon.com | Instagram | Facebook

#3

Eating Noodles

Eating Noodles

Slurping noodles to eat in Japan is perfectly fine and it is said that they will taste better too.

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#5

Picking Up Your Own (And Others) Trash

Picking Up Your Own (And Others) Trash

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#6

Baths

Baths

Japanese enjoy taking hot baths too, especially hot spring baths. (monkeys are there for humor, you won't get to dip with any, sorry!)

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#8

Toilets

Toilets

The toilets are always wet in Malaysia and there's always no toilet papers.

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#9

Fruits

Fruits

Anybody bought the expensive Japanese fruits before? Like the melon or the insanely priced grapes...

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K. LNU
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I was stationed in Japan, it was explained to me that Japan is an island with limited resources. Much of the produce and meats are brought from other countries; or grown specially for the market (like the square watermelons) ... thus the high cost of some foods!

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#10

The Last Stop

The Last Stop

If you fall deep asleep on the bus in the US, it may be your last stop...

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#11

Vending Machines

Vending Machines

There are vending machines almost everywhere, even at places where life-forms doesn't seem to exist.

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christopheferreira avatar
kurisutofu
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's what I noticed the first time I came to Japan. I was walking on a street between empty field and there you had a vending machine in the middle of nowhere, nothing else.

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#12

Celebrating Christmas

Celebrating Christmas

Strangely Japanese celebrates Christmas not with turkey and ham, but with KFC...

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D. Pitbull
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh. OH!!!! Maybe this explains my mother-in-law!! We kept insisting "Do you not want something... more? We will get you any---" - "No. KFC." .. okaaay...

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#14

Clean And State-Of-The-Art Japanese Toilets

Clean And State-Of-The-Art Japanese Toilets

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#15

Smartphones

Smartphones

You can't turn off camera shutter sound on Japanese smartphones due to privacy and upskirt photo taking.

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avey-ricks avatar
Twenty øne doggos
Community Member
4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Actually, that sounds like a good feature, they should do this with other phones.

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#16

Tattoos

Tattoos

If the tattoo is small, it can be covered with plaster to enter into the public bath houses or swimming pool.

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christopheferreira avatar
kurisutofu
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The reason is not that the person is thought to be a Yakuza. The reason is that you can't forbid only Yakuzas or they would get mad. In order to work around that, since they all have tattoos, this excuse was used. So if a Yakuza gets mad, they can say it's the rule, nothing against them.

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#17

Getting Off The Train

Getting Off The Train

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peiqinnn avatar
OreOs
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I feel that Singaporeans generally let passengers get off first, those who dont are usually the older people who may be ignorant or impatient with a sense of entitlement or tourists/foreigners.

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#19

Active Elderly

Active Elderly

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christopheferreira avatar
kurisutofu
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's so true! In see old people here and they're more active than me!

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#20

Seven Wonders Of Japanese

Seven Wonders Of Japanese

The 7th wonder can be found on my FB or blog.

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christopheferreira avatar
kurisutofu
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't think you took the train in the summer ... I can assure you they are and look sweaty in the work suits.

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#21

Train Etiquette

Train Etiquette

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emory_ce avatar
Carol Emory
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Now this happens in the USA and it's very annoying. I've been at restaurants and had people at the table next to me with their smartphones cranked up loud so the kid who's hardly touched his food can be entertained.

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#22

Sayonara

Sayonara

"Sayonara" means goodbye but has a sense of finality to it, so don't use it to your clients!

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#23

Stairs

Stairs

There is a great number of staircases and very few escalators and lifts at smaller train stations.

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#24

Impressive Customer Service

Impressive Customer Service

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tuzdayschild
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Maybe it depends on where you are in the US. I'm from southeastern Virginia and people definitely greet me with a smile and politeness. No bow though.

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#25

Office Toilet

Office Toilet

I went to a Japanese company for an interview before I decided to leave Japan. When I went to the ladies toilet, I saw a nice wooden locker cabinet mounted on the wall with small compartments. I know Japanese are very particular about hygiene but to see a locker for toothbrushes and sanitary stuff is a whole new world for me...

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#27

Sushi Rice

Sushi Rice

Somehow sushi rice will fall off when you eat outside of Japan...

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drreeder avatar
DemPugs
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I heard sushi chefs spend like 7 years just working on rice so it kinda makes sense.

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#28

Japanese Speak English

Japanese Speak English

Based on the real story at a sushi restaurant...

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Lala_nene
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Most of Japanese have an inferiority complex about English pronunciation. We (I am a Japanese) think that it is impolite to speak in poor pronunciation.

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#29

Kids In Trains

Kids In Trains

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Carol Emory
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's in the USA too...people letting the kids run wild on public transportation.

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#30

Hairdresser

Hairdresser

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Hans
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Anyone else who always says "all right" independent of boiling hot or ice cold water?

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Note: this post originally had 60 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.

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