Comments on: 59 Ways to Tell if You’re a Gaijin, not a Gaikokujin

By: Expatriado

Expatriado — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 07:50:42 +0000

I would add: “When you forget something in the train or subway, you’re not able to recover it and you don’t understand how in Japan that doesn’t happen”

Great list

By: El blog de Ikusuki.com! » Blog Archive » Llevarás mucho en Japón cuando…

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 05:13:09 +0000

[...] Traducido y editado libremente del post de Invisible Gaijin [...]

By: Goukaseishi

Goukaseishi — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 20:53:00 +0000

Excellent post, made me laugh ). I am a British Gaijin, and found i’d do some of the things mentioned above when I last came back home to England .

By: invisiblegaijin

invisiblegaijin — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 06:23:07 +0000

The original list was sparked by a debate about the political correctness of “gaijin” vs. “gaikokujin,” i.e., “gaijin” was argued as pejorative, where “gaikokujin” was seem as more PC. I saw myself as a “gaijin” – if you’ve been in Japan long enough, you embrace your “gaijin-ness” and use it to your advantage. it struck me that new arrivals tended to find “gaijin” offensive, thus was born #1 on the list, which triggered a creative burst of copywriting. The intent was to skewer the silliness of the “gaijin vs. gaikokujin” debate.

Also note that “gaijin who call themselves gaijin” tend be long-timers who speak Japanese and “get” Japan, not short-timers like ex-pats or visitors.

Please let me know if you write the “you’re behaving like a gaijin when” list – would love to check it out.

By: T

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 17:33:36 +0000

I am confused as to your definition of “gaijin” versus “gaikokujin” here. It’s certainly a hilarious “you know you’ve been in Japan too long if…” sort of list, but to my mind, the stereotypical gaijin would be quite the opposite. To my mind, if I were to make a list like this, and call it “59 Ways to Tell if You’re Acting Like a Gaijin, not like a Nihonjin,” I’d include things like:

24. You hang out at the American Club all the time.
27. You can’t read or write even some of the most basic kanji.
32. You hang out in Roppongi all the time – after all, that’s where the best clubs and bars are, right?

Anyway, like I said, great list, but I really don’t understand the particular way you’re using “gaijin” vs “gaikokujin”, or the logic behind it.

By: natty

natty — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 08:33:00 +0000

#28 is somthing we do in the uk lol but great post ;>

By: invisiblegaijin

invisiblegaijin — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 06:00:03 +0000

Congratulations, you’re a 常連客 (regular customer) at the conbini!

By: invisiblegaijin

invisiblegaijin — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 05:58:24 +0000

And you know which conbini has the best price on the superior chicken/onigiri!

By: Al

Al — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 16:05:43 +0000

When you can have a discussion regarding which conbini has the best fried chicken/onigiri, etc. and WHY said conbini’s items are superior.

By: Louis Fattorusso

Louis Fattorusso — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 07:01:05 +0000

Hey Louis..email me I have something of interest for you..

A concerned family member.