Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?
This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.
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Notes -
Do you have any interesting/unusual heuristics to share?
I'm sure this isn't original, but I think I derived it independently--the social status of pedestrians in the outdoors public is inverse to the amount of possessions they carry with them. Someone dragging a luggage is homeless while a backpack means low income. Highly contextual with lots of exceptions of course, but if you're walking/jogging on a trail in an affluent area, chances are people not carrying anything are less a threat than people lugging large bags and backpacks.
Face tattoos signify a rather fundamental disengagement with the norms of greater society such that I can't imagine becoming great buddies with anyone who has one. This is true to a lesser degree of full sleeves, etc. This is true in or out of Japan.
Sensible shoes or sneakers worn with business attire on commutes suggests a comfort in the wearer with his/her social standing. (Dress shoes on the same commute could suggest the opposite but context is relevant).
Anyone 24 or younger on my early morning commute is going home, not to school or work (unless of course they are in athletic gear in which case it's off to sports practice before school). Exceptions include regulars, or people with large roller bags (small roller bags could still be going home.)
Within Japan, expatriate women from North America (US and Canada) or Europe are either: 1) Divorced 2) married to or the consort of a Japanese man. 1) Will be politically progressive 2) will be neutral, disinterested, or conservative
Women with crewcuts are lesbian.
Guys with little hair but big bushy, Zeus-like beards will eventually annoy the shit out of me.
The likelihood that females with long, really done-up fingernails working at afternoon retail fashion outlets in Umeda are also moonlighting as call girls is non trivial.
The bigger and more expansive the menu the more likely the food is mediocre but probably not terrible. (Depending on your definition of terrible.)
The allure of the smell of ramen shops is inversely related to the hour of day-- meaning in early morning the smell is revolting. Late night, enticing.
The degree to which an American male tends to adhere to modern fashion trends is a reasonable predictor of how politically left he leans.
If I close my eyes before being introduced to your American female cousin visiting Japan, I will predict that she: 1) looks older than her age 2) is overweight by 20 or more pounds 3) leans politically left 4) eats more than I at lunch and dinner.
People who keep their calendars updated and full are higher achievers than those who don't. Not always true of artist types.
Creative, artistic people are creatively artistic in multiple ways.
Guys with houses that are like pig pens do not get laid. Unless they are extremely rich.
The chance that the Rolex watch on the dude riding the train is fake is at least 50%. The Omega is probably real.
New acquaintances who are overly friendly want something from me.
Women who are obsessed with and routinely post on social media about the plight of animals do not themselves have children.
Criticizing a woman directly about anything is a mistake that will not produce favorable results.
I have honestly been puzzled by every white woman I've met in Japan. They all seem a bit resentful; my cynical and uncharitable opinion is that they're experiencing for the first time what it's like to not be constantly pursued and indulged. The ones married to Japanese dudes also seemed a bit odd and not very satisfied, although I admit my sample size there is <5 so that might not be a fair generalization.
Overweight dudes with those bushy beards just ooze insecurity and usually act like they've got something to prove. Beards in general mark people as tryhard. Not all beards are bad though, I met a dude in his 50s who was small in stature but very lean. He had a medium length salt and pepper beard that made him look like some sort of frontiersman chad. I guess it works if you'd be equally confident clean shaven and don't seem like you're hiding behind the beard.
This goes for any restaurant that does agemono, too. Nightlife districts are putrid during the day. Reminds me of morning on Bourbon street, yuck.
"Confidence is key" and all that ... but there's so much truth to cultivating a style that works with whatever your natural strengths are. I'm not referring here to natural cosmetic / physical attributes. Let me explain.
I've got a buddy who, from the neck up, is Brad Pitt with a beard but, unfortunately, spider wrinkles and smile lines all over his face. Too much sun for too long. He's mid 40s but, unfortunately, looks noticeably older than that. But He also rocks a full sleeve of tattoos and wears flatbrim ballcaps and hoodies with associated "loud" sneakers. You'd think he's some sort of Cali skater bro ... because he fucking is. He's actually "that guy" who had to grow up and get a corporate job (M&A lawyer) but never actually left his authentic teens-20s self behind. He collects boards and knows all of the esoteric band lore of 80s and 90s punk / ska coming out of SoCal.
He has to fend off the ladies (often 15 years + his junior) like they're swarming the Beatles.
Another friend is mid 30s and bald (not by choice). He leans into it and shaves his head now, but wears a very neatly trimmed red beard. You wouldn't call it bushy at all, and it some how highlights his excellent jawline rather than hiding it. I'm not entirely show how that works. He dresses more formal than is called for for every occasion, but doesn't over do it. (We got lunch over the weekend and I rolled in to the BBQ joint wearing jeans and tee shirt, he had pressed khakis, a tucked oxford shirt, leather loafers). He likes to dress nice, it's kind of his thing. A hobby, a sincere passion. He is aloof and was probably going on 30 since he was 12. He collects and trades rare books. He'll actually read minutes from Fed meetings. The result? He gives off Professor-X Daddy Vibes and does even better than my Skater Boi.
The stereotypical heavyset dude with a homeless man beard often also apes cartoonish relevance to masculinity. "I oil my beard with the blood of dragons" Or something equally cringeworthy. He might get into long winded discussions about the history of specific weapons in LOTR or star wars. They might have an ostentatious pocket knife or .... wallet chain. The point is that they're trying to lean into something that is inauthentic and they're doing it way too hard. This isn't good. Better to reflect your genuine personality - I had another buddy who was exactly this but was just a jolly "I really like drinking beer" dude. Knew a ton about IPAs. Didn't beat you over the head with it but would talk about it appropriately if it came up in the conversation. Now, I can't say he was doing quite as well as my other two buddies (so many buddies!) but he landed a long term girlfriend that was, frankly, out of his league. And I was very happy to see that.
A lot of guys fail in developing style because they try to "dress correctly." There's no right or wrong with style independent of the person who is styling it. I think this even applies to celebrities. Johnny Depp can ransack the nearest homeless encampment and stumble down the red carpet to applause, but George Clooney has been suit 'n loafers for like 20 years now.
Similarly, there's no way to fake a personality. You can rapid fire references to memes all you want, but if you have nothing authentic to say, you're going to lose to the dude who can somehow make The Beige Book interesting. Because he thinks it's actually interesting.
Men's style is still far, far easier than women's because that's a whole other level of complexity (make up, accessories, jewelry, fucking shoes on shoes on shoes) plus the meta-game of following trends or purposefully not following trends as a meta-trend in itself. That shit is literally Martian Hieroglyphics to me.
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