When you think about phones and all kinds of technology, then you might think about one place in particular – Japan. Yes, that’s right – Japan has been at the forefront of smartphones and other kinds of popular technology for years now. When you think about Tokyo, you probably mostly think about flashing lights, people walking around on their smartphones, and weird technology that’s probably going to become popular in the next few years. However, did you know that effects of smartphones on Japanese society is different than the rest of the world? There are completely distinct Japanese traditions that are encased with the smartphone culture in this ancient country. Keep reading down below to learn more about the top ten facts about Japanese phone culture. These are seriously going to blow your mind!
IMAGE: PEXELS
1. There Are Extremely Nice Phone Manners, No Matter Where You Are
If you think about most countries, then it’s completely fine to chat on the phone while on the train or draw attention to yourself while on the bus. However, this is definitely not the case in Japan. Drawing unnecessary attention to yourself or causing inconvenience to others by talking on the phone is a big no-no. This draws itself from Japan’s strong culture of privacy and caring for the well-being of others around you.
Therefore, if you are ever heading to Japan, don’t be surprised when someone tells you to get off of your phone while on the train or any other public transportation. And you should definitely obey them because you don’t want to be rude!
2. Plenty Of Adults Play Games On Their Smartphones
Many people in the rest of the world think that smartphone games and video games, in general, are just for kids. However, how boring is that? There are tons of adults who would love to play games on their smartphones, but just don’t think it’s appropriate. Japan has completely turned that on its head. While you’re out and about in Tokyo or any other city in Japan, you can see plenty of adults playing games on their smartphones to pass the time or to just have a good time. This is mostly from Japan’s culture of developing new technologies and having fun with that technology.
3. iPhones Are The Way To Go In Japan
Even though you can get pretty much every model of smartphone in Japan, you can still see a ton of people using iPhones as their main smartphone of choice. This is because it was the first smartphone to really take hold of the Japanese market. However, that trend is slowly switching as more companies like Samsung and LG are taking hold of the market. There are even some exclusively Japanese smartphone makers who are trying to grab a bigger piece of the pie.
4. Food Pictures Are One Of The Main Ways Of Communicating
This is one of the weirdest phone cutlure facts on this sheet but is an important part of Japan’s food culture. We all know how popular it is to take food pictures and share them on Instagram and other social media platforms. Well, that trend is even more popular in Japan where pretty much everyone is taking pictures and Instagram Stories of pretty much every single meal they are eating.
5. It’s A Big No-No To Look At Your Smartphone While Working
Sure, you might think that Japanese culture is all about working hard, getting that work done, and working efficiently. However, did you know that most of that is just for show? Japanese work culture is a hotbed for inactivity, super long meetings, and tons of bureaucracy. However, it’s still important to look like you’re working hard whenever your boss comes to check on you. That’s why it’s a big no-no to pull out your smartphone while working in Japan and check on your social media accounts. This will definitely cause your bosses to get angry and potentially reprimand you.
6. However, Looking At Your Phone At Dinner Time Is Commonplace
On the other hand, even though you can’t look at your smartphones at work, looking at them while at the dinner table is pretty acceptable. Sure, your parents might not be so happy about that, but it’s the way of the world, right? You just can’t a couple of hours without looking at your smartphone.
7. Profile Pictures Are Not A Big Thing
One of the biggest aspects of Japanese culture is privacy. The people of Japan don’t like to draw attention to themselves and their personal lives are just that – personal. That’s why many people in Japan don’t use pictures of themselves as their profile photos on social media networks – that would just be way too intrusive. Instead, many people opt to using photos of their favorite characters on TV shows or movies.
8. Using Your Phone While Walking Is Pretty Common
Pretty much everyone in Japan uses their smartphones while they’re walking. No matter whether they’re walking in a crowded street, riding a skateboard or just strolling along with their friends, this is a big part of the phone culture. While they’re moving, there are so many things to do on their smartphones!
9. Hands-Free To Talk Is Not Really A Thing
For some reason, hands-free talking is not a thing in Japanese phone culture. You might notice in other countries that people are just talking with themselves over Bluetooth headphones, but this has yet to become popular in Japan. You are more often going to see Japanese people using headphones while holding their phones up to their mouths to speak on the phone.
10. Siri Isn’t Used By Most People In Japan
And lastly, Siri is not really used in Japan. There’s no particular reason for this, but it just hasn’t become as popular as it has in other countries that use Apple products!
There you have it! When you’re thinking about Japanese phone culture, you can think of the above points and remember how people conduct themselves while on their phones in this country.
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10 Facts About Japanese Phone Culture That Will Leave You In Awe
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