Outrageously rude foreign tourists at Tsukiji fish market
The scenes of rude behavior of some of the foreign tourists in earlier Japanese news reports about the Tsukiji fish market instituting a ban on sightseeing at its tuna auctions were pretty bad, but that was nothing compared to this stuff shown in this NTV report:
A group of guys who are shown touching and licking fish say they are from London, and they seem to be drunk. The reporter narrating the clip claims that there have been “many” cases of foreign tourists who visit the fish market after drinking alcohol (a pretty sad thing, seeing as most tourists visit the market in the morning).
An interview with a staff member is interrupted when the man spots two foreigners riding on the back of the vehicles used to transport goods around the market. His first angry attempt does not stop the two foreigners, who are seen moments later hitching a ride on another vehicle. They are eventually removed from the area by force. The foreign guy tries to irritate the staff member by saying stuff in Japanese ["That was fun"/ "What is your name?"/"Do you speak English?"/"Japanese is difficult"/etc.] as he is being walked out of the area. When asked in English about his behavior, the foreigner claims he got permission from the drivers to ride on the vehicles, something unlikely given the poor Japanese he was speaking. The foreign guy, who leaves without answering a question about his nationality, shows no recognition of the fact that he may have been breaking rules, and makes no apology for his actions.
Given the absolutely ridiculous level of rudeness shown in the news clip, it almost seems like some of these guys showed up with the aim of breaking rules and acting like jerks. Could it be possible that they heard the news about the ban and decided to drop by Tsukiji to intentionally cause grief for the fishermen?
- Akihabara News – Gadgetry from Japan (Subscribe)
- dannychoo.com – Your portal to Japan (Subscribe)
- Kirainet.com – A geek in Japan (Subscribe)
| Related Posts: |
|
Japan Photo of the Week: Tsukiji Samurai “I hate the way some foreigners behave!” More video about the Tsukiji tourism ban Tsukiji tuna auctions readmit sightseers – no major rudeness |
Full RSS Feed
That OB made a grave error with his “This is Japan, so speak Japanese” comment.
It should have been “This is Japan, so speak Engrish”.
Regards,
Major Potty
Rate this comment:
0 
0
from the accent the last guy was from londonish too.this type of tosser is one of the reasons i left britain and unfortunately there are far too many of them.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
The guy at the end was most likely Scandanavian (judging from his accent). Definitely not a Londoner.
All of the people featured in this news segment deserve a serious beating.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
Yeah probably Scandinavian. What a dick. And he said in the middle he was French, clearly a lie.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
Well, indeed he’s definitely not British ’cause that’s some bad imitation of the British accent. I just hope he isn’t Swedish, I don’t want guys like this giving us a hard time just like it is for Americans and Brits.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
I actually got dragged there a few days ago. I have I honestly felt that I might be run over and killed at any moment and I couldn’t for the life of me understand why anyone would want to go there unless they had to.
I did see a few tourists riding around on the death scooters the use to cart the fish around. I assumed they were on some special tour group or something. Regardless the drivers never seemed to care that they were riding.
I know it’s been said a hundred times, tourists are not known for manners and you throw them into a fish market what can you expect. There is not really much to see there after all. Maybe if they stop promoting it as a tourist spot people will stop showing up to interrupt their business.
As for the drunks I guess that makes sense. Just finished an all night drinking binge and still want to go “sight seeing”. There is no where else you can go at 5:00 AM. They should open some of the temples earlier to give the drunks something else to do.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
Um, how about you go the f*ck home when it’s that early in the morning and you’re piss drunk?
Rate this comment:
0 
0
Could be. Looked a little too convenient in some ways – could a news program be fixing up fake news reports to jump on a bandwagon? I would be surprised if people were to be that egregious on television, but then maybe I am a sheltered and naively trusting person….
Rate this comment:
0 
0
Why am I not surprised that you, of all people, would insinuate such an asinine thing?
Rate this comment:
0 
0
I have no idea what you are talking about. If you think the idea that the news media would invent news is an “asinine” charge then you are incredibly naive.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
that great music shenanigans music track made the first party kinda funny. But the guys riding around, what a couple of D*cks!
Too bad if they totally ban the fish market. It would be nice if you could at least register in advance of going. fill out your info, check gaijin cards/passports, with a signed document of fines or something for messing around. That would keep serious people there and jack-ass wannabes out.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
Unfotunate behavior , by distinctivly unfotunte people.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
Perhaps the Japanese should post some police / community officer type people around there, until the current “popularity” dies down. A few hours in a cell for not being able to produce your gaijin card on request, or a permanent black mark against your passport/residency prospects in Japan might sort the men from the boys. In London (where the lads supposedly come from) the market workers would have charged them for the fish (and they wouldn’t have been able to walk out until they’d paid). I’m surprised the foreman didn’t ask to see their papers and take a photocopy of them. As illegal as it is to photocopy British passports, that didn’t stop any of the hotels I stayed in insisting on photocopying mine last time I was there.
Coincidentally (and off-topic), that is one of my pet peeves and I live in hope that one day the embassies from both sides will get together and come up with a solution that doesn’t prevent me from staying in a hotel without sanctioning illegal reproduction of my official documents.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
Looks like typical English chav behavior to me. What would you expect?
Rate this comment:
0 
0
they are a waste if sperm. all of them.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
Young male tourists? Acting like douchebags?!? Well, you could knock me over with a feather.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
First off, that’s incredibly rude! But what’s actually weird is that these guys go and check out fish markets, I mean you would think they’d go to clubs and places like that.
I’ll have to agree with Kuroneko, it’s very typical English behavior, not saying all is like that but it’s very common. Some people should just be banned from entering other countries only to get drunk and be a burden to the natives.
I’m a young male, soon to be tourist, and I’ll most definitely grab myself some beers from time to time, but I would never do something like this. Geh, these guys just pisses me off.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
There are three reasons why people go:
1) it’s a badge of honor to go to the fish market because you can brag overseas to your friends that you’re world saavy enough to go to a place “not in the book for tourists” like Tokyo Tower and you could see “real Japanese culture.”
2) most Western tourists and business people go to Japan for four days max, so they’re jetlagged and not sleepy at 4am. They also figure “I’m getting on a plane in a few hours, so staying up will allow me to sleep on it.”
3) They’ve been drinking all night and need to stay up to make their plane. Refer to reason #2.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
I don’t know what you mean about Tsukiji not being in the tourist books. Have you ever read the Lonely Planet? There is a listing in there. Quite a generous on too.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
Definitely putting on a show for the camera as you can see them laugh and look at the camera.
I might be over analyzing it but looks as to me as if the guy at the end is playing the “I don’t understand Japanese” card to get out of trouble.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
bastards. why can’t they behave.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
I cannot believe this guy said that he was French… What an a***.
I am sorry, but French people are usually very respectful of other people’s culture. I am not saying that Brits are not, but this kid was totally Brit, not French. You can hear it!
Rate this comment:
0 
0
You’re right fella; that headscarf ban went down a right treat in France.
Those first three likely lads are Churchill’s finest, the foppy-haired “I’m French” individual is blatantly Swedish….or Finnish…or, er…Norwegian…etc.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
The French banned headscarves as others were not respecting their culture, not the other way round.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
As much as I can’t agree with it, that was on grounds of laïcité. It really doesn’t have anything to do with culture.
And thank God no Canucks were shown… =P
Rate this comment:
0 
0
Well, the idea of laïcité is part of French culture – it was the Muslims who were not respecting that aspect of it.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
Just like when the French “respected” Muslim culture when they invaded Algeria, or West African culture in Cote D’Ivoire….
Rate this comment:
0 
0
I am not claiming the French respect all other cultures. I am referring only to the headscarf ban.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
If you knew anything, you would know that the headscarf ban had absolutely nothing to do with respect of any culture.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
You’d think the foreign community would pretend at least to show some semblance of a sense of community.
I vote, like I have one right, to kick out the majime whinny complainy condescending slave drivers that force the majority of the population to live in despair at minimum wage while watching people starve and pretend to have no clue how to fix the situation.
Or we can hate ourselves. Oh sorry did I interrupt something?! Continue the “oh how shocking” comments.
Wait am i trying to take the news articles seriously?! Opps…keep slipping up on those wet spots that we have to dodge when we get off the last train.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
Uh…I’m sorry…was that supposed to be in any way coherent? ‘Cause I haven’t got a clue what you’re on about.
Anyone who gets drunk, acts like a complete tool in a public place, and screws things up for the rest of us isn’t in any community of mine.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
I’ve been drunk at the Tsukiji fish market before. You are forced to stay out all night if you want to go to clubs since the first train doesn’t start until 5am. It always seems like a fun idea to go eat sushi before heading home. And it’s only 13 minutes on a direct train from Roppongi.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
“forced to stay out all night”?
Really? Really? REALLY?
How about taking a cab home or to your hotel? Can’t afford a late night cab? How about a capsule hotel, which cater to the drunk/past-the-last-train-have-no-money-for-a-real-hotel crowd.
I call B.S.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
Forced at gunpoint.
First, they’re forced to stay at the clubs all night:
“Dance! First one out this door gets…a LEAD SALAD!”
Then, they’re forced to not pay for a cab ride home:
“Loiter! First one to take a taxi home gets…a LEAD SALAD!”
Then, they’re forced to lick market-priced fish on display:
“Be an ass! First one to not be an ass gets…a LEAD SALAD!”
Rate this comment:
0 
0
People like that really pisses me off, way to go to make us foreigners look even worse down here.
By the way definitely not a scandinav, since we also have the rolling r’s in our languages we pronounce it right, not like this guy.. sorry to burst you guys bubbles…
Rate this comment:
0 
0
What a big fuss about nothing.
Instead of a bunch of useless whiny old men, perhaps they should bring in the Fishermen’s mothers and they could give those pesky tourists a good tongue lashing AND some major finger shaking.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
these Guys are foreigners ! I don’t care about their nationality… the fact is it’s a part of the European community. We all think that in Europe, there is a large gap between doing stupid stuff and being arrested by the police. You’re a cool guy when you drink all the night in Tokyo, go to the Fish Market and do stupid things .. haha. In Japan, people respect rules. it’s easy to say that “these 2 guys pissed me off”.
You need to consider that European people are like that (even you, you respect the rules and be a nice gaijin)!
Rate this comment:
0 
0
And a few days ago so many were jumping at the chance to blame Americans, while I pointed out that just given the odds by population and circumstances [easier visas, longer vacations, and the general dearth in Japan of America's equivalent of the chav, the redneck] the typical drunk white asshole in Japan is probably European.
2 points for Level3.
But seriously. Just a quick look at the crime stats for foreingers compiled by the J cops, helpfully broken down by crime and nationality, shows that people from English-speaking countries are practically the “safest” law-abiding people in all of Japan, including Japanese people. The total number of crimes [shit, not even actual crimes, just "arrests" which are likely already biased aginst us] for non-Asian foreigners grouped by country look like a string of boring binary code. 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1, and so on.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
Do you mean “Americans” as in “North Americans” including Canadians? Or are you pitting the United States against all of Europe for evidence? Why not broaden it to just simply, “The typical drunk in Japan is probably white”?
Rate this comment:
0 
0
Actually the typical drunk in Japan is more than likely Japanese.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
Can’t people read? The original quote was “typical drunk white asshole” – note the word “white” there. Not too many white Japanese.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
“English-speaking countries are practically the “safest” law-abiding people in all of Japan, including Japanese people”
LOL.
Ask every Japanese about foreigners committing crime in Japan, and their response would be
“Do it in your own country!!”.
And rightfully so.
Only a frustrated gaijin would use a lame argument like “Japanese commit crimes, too!!”.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
Missing the point here. The issue is about demonization of white people as stereotypical gaijin getting tarred with the same brush as Asian foreigners or perhaps Russians etc.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
@ Level 3 : ow, you get points to yourself! funny !
10 points for me
And, sorry, in USA, you can carry guns in the streets.
It’s not an opposition about European or American..
and don”t say that Japan is safe. It’s safe from a gaijin point of view. Level3 is a jerk !
Rate this comment:
0 
0
I didn’t say Japan is safe. I said English-speaking gaijin in Japan are safer people than Japanese people. [But Japan IS safer than most other countries, when Japanese people tell me, a former resident of DC and NY, that Japan is dangerous, it is quite hard not to laugh.]
銃声を聞いたことないのに「日本は危ない」と言うやつらが多くて、笑いを引き起こすことだ！
But you don’t know much about American gun laws, do you?
…or basketball scoring.
Please work on your reading comprehension skills, maybe someday you can pass Eiken Level 4.
And I’m not a jerk, I’m an asshole.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
銃声を聞いたことないのに「日本は危ない」と言うやつらが多くて、笑いを引き起こすことだ！
→
銃声も聞いたことないのに「日本は危ない」なんて言う奴らが多い。笑わせるぜ。プッ。
Rate this comment:
0 
0
“Please work on your reading comprehension skills, maybe someday you can pass Eiken Level 4.”
プッ。 自爆。。。
Rate this comment:
0 
0
These knobs must have got on the wrong plane, instead of the one heading for Ibiza…
Rate this comment:
0 
0
yes they missed it
Rate this comment:
0 
0
WHO CARES!? They were having fun beign drunk and they got kick out. What the big deal about it? You guys don’t like to be outrageous and have a good time? Look at yourself, would you rather spend your time castrating yourself to be the “nice guy” or be that cocky and funny guy that have all those crazy stories to tell?
So they are making foreigners look bad? Japanese people already have a bad opinion about foreigners! It’s called learning English. English learning books are filled with examples about foreigners behaving bad. Not only that, half of the population are xenophobes. So it doesn’t matter if you act like another boring Japanese wannabe guy. Also blaming Americans or Britains for this because they are the only people that behave that way in Japan is racist. For all I know, they could be Austrailains, German, Rusians.
I don’t get why people make a big fuss about it and try to defend the image of foreigners. It’s pathetic. You guys are probably the otaku that think all Japan is something out of a movie like densha otoko. Japan is not a mystical place, get over that. People live their lives in Japan like any other place. I am happy that they finally got their “foreigners behaving bad” footage so they can have something better to report.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
Obvious troll is obvious.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
If you are driving a fisherman car in France, they will not call the cops, the fishermen will kick your ass. In fact, if you just say that the fishes smell bad, they will shout your mouth.
So, “What the big deal about it? ” Japanese attend people to be respectful. If you don’t get it, don’t go to Japan.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
If you try to drive 3 times a fishermen’s car in Europ, they will not call the cops. The fishermen will kick your ass. Even if you say that the fish smell bad, they become angry ..
So, “what is the big deal about it ?” Japanese attend people (gaijin or japanese) to be self-concious and respectful. If you don’t get it, don’t go to Japan
Rate this comment:
0 
0
What you have here is a bunch of guys acting up for the camera. It’s overly obvious. The camera crew went there looking for foreigners making trouble and they got them. I wouldn’t be surprised if the camera crews spent weeks there waiting for just these types of guys to come along. I think they are rare.
The big problem, I’ll bet, is tour groups, or large groups of people wandering around the same area at the same time.
As for the older man yelling “get out, get out!”, he could stand a lesson or two in manners himself. He is typical of how older generations of Japanese tend to deal with foreigners they have a problem with: yell. I’ve lived in Japan for a decade and had Japanese people yell “NO!” at me for politely asking directions.
So I don’t think this is just a problem with the foreigners, it’s also a matter of manners.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
Maybe it is just me, but I don’t get the draw for tourists to go to the fish market and watch an auction. Do these same people go to cattle yards to watch cattle auctions?
If the fish market is going to be at all serious about tourism, and I don’t see any reason for them too it looks like it causes more problems than anything, they need to keep the tourists segregated to an enclosed viewing area. That way they can watch the auction but cannot interfere or cause problems.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
There’s a type of person that believes that “gonzo tourism” will give them more credence and “international cred” than pre-packaged, tourist friendly areas.
“Oh, you went to Kinkakuji temple. Yeah, unfortunately all the English speaking tourists and English signs really spoil it in my opinion. I prefer something a little more /authentic/.”
For more info, consult the blog What White People Like.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
The Fishmarket in Tokyo is actually one of the most attractive place in Tokyo. It’s awesome to go there, negociate for piece of fishes and take some photos.
On the video, you can see some directions for tourists but they don’t see it. Maybe, if photos are not allowed, tourists will pay more attention.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
These guys look like they were going out of the way to cause trouble. Some of the people working there should have smacked them around with a large trout.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
Did someone say… fish slapping??
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=i9SSOWORzw4
Rate this comment:
0 
0
Anyone who acts like this should be deported.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
What does it matter where they or from or where they work?
The people in that video are representative of no one but themselves.
To make an issue out of their nationality and which eikaiwa they work for is no better than NHK staking out the market waiting for a couple of guys like that to come along.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
This.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
damn well said. people are scaringly nationalistic.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
Same as it is for white countries.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
Sounds like the fish market needs to follow the lead of Tokyo Metro.
Tsukiji Manners Poster – Please Do It At Home
Rate this comment:
0 
0
Had to be a Brit.
Same people that swam in the Imperial moat.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
Surely it is no coincidence that the NTV cameramen just happened to be present for such antics. It cannot have been pure chance! It seems to me that someone at NTV must have paid these foreigners to act in such a stupid way, since their behaviour was way over the top. It is certainly not the first time that a TV company would have been guilty of a setup. Dechiage is in fact a Japanese TV custom.
The real problem is why NTV considered it necessary to stir up
more hatred of foreigners. Oh well, it makes for easy and cheap viewing, so what does it matter if it is not quite true?
Me, I wouldn’t go anywhere near the fish market. Firstly, I would not want to be up before 5am, and secondly I don’t want to see a load of dead fish. Or NTV cameramen for that matter.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
no…. it’s more likely that u can find a rude foreigner doing SOMETHING rude (especially in the eyes of a Japanese person) at any time of the day, anywhere.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
Sorry to disappoint you, but the two guys are German.
Trust me on this, I know!
Rate this comment:
0 
0
Do you know them? Do they by any chance work as interns for Bosch?
Rate this comment:
0 
0
Yeah, thanks for making foreigners everywhere look bad, guys. It really improves our image and makes things so much easier for the rest of us.
Jerkwads.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
there’s a reason why the Japanese people generally discriminate against foreigners. one reason is a lack of understanding and fear of something different. the other is assholes like this. because of douche bags like this, when i go to a bank, post office, try to take out a loan, try to assimilate into the Japanese society, try to be respectful of their culture… i automatically get distrusted and a greater amount of scrutiny is placed on me. these people definitely fail as respectful humans.
Rate this comment:
0 
0
This is staged…
Rate this comment:
0 
0
I think it was rude for the guys to be doing what they are doing at the market but Tsukiji is still one of the biggest tourist pulls in Tokyo and should not be banning people because of a few rude bastards. If anyone traveling to Japan still wants to go to a really cool fish market that welcomes visitors with open arms I recommend in Naha Okinawa
Rate this comment:
0 
0
「日本語をしゃべてください ここは日本です」
Burned.
Rate this comment:
0 
0