Comments on: Japan Photo of the Week: How many Japanese to change a light bulb?

By: The Dukedom of Aberdeen 香港仔公國 » Light Bulb Jokes

The Dukedom of Aberdeen 香港仔公國 » Light Bulb Jokes — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 06:54:09 +0000

[...] 說起這個，是因為今天在Japan Probe讀到一個報導，發現幾個人去換一個燈泡原來不是開玩笑的。如上圖所見，日本就有四個人換一個燈泡的活生生例子。再讀下去，原來發現這不過是小兒科（小意思），之前甚至曾經出現過八個人換一個燈泡的壯舉。 [...]

By: How many Japanese does it take to change a lightbulb? | Japan Probe

How many Japanese does it take to change a lightbulb? | Japan Probe — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 21:22:05 +0000

[...] to answer an age-old question: The last time such a question/photo appeared on Japan Probe, the answer was eight. This time it seems to be four: two to hold the latter, one to take notes, and another to actually [...]

By: Japoneses cambiando una bombilla en el tren :: FrikiJapon.com

Japoneses cambiando una bombilla en el tren :: FrikiJapon.com — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 17:12:02 +0000

[...] Fuente: Japan Prove [...]

By: Space Cakes

Space Cakes — Wed, 28 May 2008 19:04:48 +0000

Actually, they were just shooting a Beastie Boys video…

By: Evan

Evan — Mon, 26 May 2008 23:32:42 +0000

Thanks for the comment Stereo, but I think you are taking this a little too seriously. Of course I know that every light bulb does not need that many Japanese people to change it and like I admited in my post and like you said I am not exactly sure what is going on; however, that being said, the photo is just in reference to the joke “how many does it take to change a light bulb?” but also made me think about my expereince with Japanese students and my Japanese coworkers. I cannot speak for all of Japan or all Japanese people, and I never intended to, but simply I wanted to share my experience (to see if others had similar or different to me)and my personal experience has been that some Japanese are not as “hard working” as I have been led on to believe. Which is true in any culture I guess….

On a side note maybe I should have used a different word rather than “documented.”

In any case, thank you for expressing your opinion.

By: gab

gab — Mon, 26 May 2008 04:34:28 +0000

This could be an isolated event, hard to judge by just the photograph.
I could say that in an office environment, “face time” seemingly is more important that efficiency.
I also thought I saw an article on here a way back about those workers at construction sites (or even in places where there is no construction) and the fact that they are doing nothing.
That is just the way it is here or in any country sometimes. I do know though that canadian govt workers are lazy.

By: LaLa

LaLa — Mon, 26 May 2008 01:57:39 +0000

Oh Stereo, you also need to chill.

Life’s changed a lot in Japan, too. There’s a lot more of everything, unlike the old days when people were still scrambling to make ends meet after WW2, and then the massive re-construction effort thereafter may, especially to people from the US, have seemed like the people in Japan were working extremely hard.

By: stereo

stereo — Mon, 26 May 2008 01:00:16 +0000

Evan, you are just jumping to the conclusion about “documented part of Japanese culture” from an isolated event. You really do not know if they were changing light bulbs. Even if they were, you could have commented about the inefficiency of the railroad company. In my office in Tokyo, fluorescent lumps are changed by one person, and I have never seen such a job done by more than 2 persons during 40 and more years of my experience in Japan.

I hope your exoticism about Japan will not overcome your common sense.

Maybe, some 2-ch guy may call the railroad company about your photo and I think it is most likely, after listening to the other side of the story, you will be enshrined in the stupid gaijin hall of infamy.

By: Robo

Robo — Sun, 25 May 2008 21:58:21 +0000

Not so different from Mexico. The supervisors are always the ones watching.

By: OMA

OMA — Sun, 25 May 2008 21:36:15 +0000

“What I finally came to understand is that in general, time spent at work is more valued than productivity. So even though they aren’t always getting things done, they are showing commitment to the group by staying extra late”

Hey, just like in Spain! Maybe we are somehow related to the Japanese! (just joking )

By: Evan

Evan — Sun, 25 May 2008 00:36:42 +0000

haha, well, I never saw the “person” on the ladder up close, for all i know you could be right, maybe it was a robot!

By: Evan

Evan — Sun, 25 May 2008 00:35:38 +0000

It seems like everyone so far has had similar experiences as me… is there actually anyone who has had a different one?

By: the overthinker

the overthinker — Sat, 24 May 2008 13:48:48 +0000

I found my own university classes at the BA level varied from a total breeze to expecting to do some serious work, the more work the closer to your actual major (i.e. the compulsory classes in physics etc were a joke: the only thing you had to do was show up). But things definitely get harder in post-grad.

By: S.K

S.K — Sat, 24 May 2008 13:04:05 +0000

I always thought it was 8 workers looking around while the robot does all the work.

By: klauscore

klauscore — Sat, 24 May 2008 13:03:40 +0000

I couldn’t agree more with this post!