Is this rude to do in Japan ...

On 28 Nov 2004 15:51:09 -0800, (ggg) wrote:

[snip]
Does anyone ever take off their shoes when required but not leave
them with the rest of the shoes? I know that HK tourists take them in
Thailand to avoid theft and I have an article about Burma where the
girls take off their shoes at temple but carry their shoes along.
[snip]

I'm guessing that it's very unlikely your shoes would be stolen in
Japan, if that's a concern, but I don't have recent experience in
Japan. Would anyone disagree?

Michael

If you would like to send a private email to me, please take out the TRASH, so to speak. Please do not email me something which you also posted.

On 28 Nov 2004 15:51:09 -0800, (ggg) wrote:

[snip]
Does anyone ever take off their shoes when required but not leave
them with the rest of the shoes? I know that HK tourists take them in
Thailand to avoid theft and I have an article about Burma where the
girls take off their shoes at temple but carry their shoes along.
[snip]

I'm guessing that it's very unlikely your shoes would be stolen in
Japan, if that's a concern, but I don't have recent experience in
Japan. Would anyone disagree?

Michael

If you would like to send a private email to me, please take out the TRASH, so to speak. Please do not email me something which you also posted.

Prophet of the Way wrote in message ...
ggg wrote:

Does anyone ever take off their shoes when required but not leave
them with the rest of the shoes?

Some temples and castles provide plastic bags at the entrance and ask tourists
to carry their shoes to the exit.



I remember that in Forbidden City, visitors had to wear fabric overshoes.

Also, is it rude to carry your own chopsticks to eateries instead of
using disposable ones provided?

Some environment-conscious people do this.

Prophet of the Way wrote in message ...
ggg wrote:

Does anyone ever take off their shoes when required but not leave
them with the rest of the shoes?

Some temples and castles provide plastic bags at the entrance and ask tourists
to carry their shoes to the exit.



I remember that in Forbidden City, visitors had to wear fabric overshoes.

Also, is it rude to carry your own chopsticks to eateries instead of
using disposable ones provided?

Some environment-conscious people do this.

Prophet of the Way wrote in message ...
ggg wrote:

Does anyone ever take off their shoes when required but not leave
them with the rest of the shoes?

Some temples and castles provide plastic bags at the entrance and ask tourists
to carry their shoes to the exit.



I remember that in Forbidden City, visitors had to wear fabric overshoes.

Also, is it rude to carry your own chopsticks to eateries instead of
using disposable ones provided?

Some environment-conscious people do this.

Pan wrote in message . ..
On 28 Nov 2004 15:51:09 -0800, (ggg) wrote:

[snip]
Does anyone ever take off their shoes when required but not leave
them with the rest of the shoes? I know that HK tourists take them in
Thailand to avoid theft and I have an article about Burma where the
girls take off their shoes at temple but carry their shoes along.
[snip]

I'm guessing that it's very unlikely your shoes would be stolen in
Japan, if that's a concern, but I don't have recent experience in

I know what you mean about not worrying based on likelihood.

My concern (and I have no immediate plans to go just that I like to
mull) is not whether it's likely to happen but is it going to be
backlash free to take precautions.

Whether life would be easier if I just gave in might affect my
behavior. I want to know if I would put anyone's nose out of joint.

My question is not whether does anyone want my undesirable shoes but
why wouldn't my shoes be vulnerable unattended. (And I have no idea
where I would go that I would have to take off my shoes. I guess maybe
a ryokan but that opens an even bigger can of worms re security that
I'll spare the group for now.) Nice law abiding people cannot control
oddballs.

Is bicycle theft not a problem in Japan? And is shoplifting an
unheard of problem? Those are thefts related to property left out in
the open. I wouldn't discuss this or explain when I put my shoes
into my own ziploc and into my own bag but I would say simply if
prodded that this makes me comfortable (happy even.) I guess if I'm
not breaking any laws, locals will probably just let me go my ignorant
way.

I wonder if it's common for fastidious people in Japan to go with the
flow intstead of going with what their sense of things. Culturally,
HK people wouldn't go for anything just because it's the rule if they
think it's stupid and or possibly dirty; ombudsman discoveries of
dirtiness are really popular in Chinese news and in culture. (But
I've eaten from the communal Korean boiling pot even though I was
raised against that behavior because I was happy to be invited to dip
a spoon in.)


I'm not fastidious at all but I don't like to check my coat either.



Japan. Would anyone disagree?

Michael

If you would like to send a private email to me, please take out the TRASH, so to speak. Please do not email me something which you also posted.

Pan wrote in message . ..
On 28 Nov 2004 15:51:09 -0800, (ggg) wrote:

[snip]
Does anyone ever take off their shoes when required but not leave
them with the rest of the shoes? I know that HK tourists take them in
Thailand to avoid theft and I have an article about Burma where the
girls take off their shoes at temple but carry their shoes along.
[snip]

I'm guessing that it's very unlikely your shoes would be stolen in
Japan, if that's a concern, but I don't have recent experience in

I know what you mean about not worrying based on likelihood.

My concern (and I have no immediate plans to go just that I like to
mull) is not whether it's likely to happen but is it going to be
backlash free to take precautions.

Whether life would be easier if I just gave in might affect my
behavior. I want to know if I would put anyone's nose out of joint.

My question is not whether does anyone want my undesirable shoes but
why wouldn't my shoes be vulnerable unattended. (And I have no idea
where I would go that I would have to take off my shoes. I guess maybe
a ryokan but that opens an even bigger can of worms re security that
I'll spare the group for now.) Nice law abiding people cannot control
oddballs.

Is bicycle theft not a problem in Japan? And is shoplifting an
unheard of problem? Those are thefts related to property left out in
the open. I wouldn't discuss this or explain when I put my shoes
into my own ziploc and into my own bag but I would say simply if
prodded that this makes me comfortable (happy even.) I guess if I'm
not breaking any laws, locals will probably just let me go my ignorant
way.

I wonder if it's common for fastidious people in Japan to go with the
flow intstead of going with what their sense of things. Culturally,
HK people wouldn't go for anything just because it's the rule if they
think it's stupid and or possibly dirty; ombudsman discoveries of
dirtiness are really popular in Chinese news and in culture. (But
I've eaten from the communal Korean boiling pot even though I was
raised against that behavior because I was happy to be invited to dip
a spoon in.)


I'm not fastidious at all but I don't like to check my coat either.



Japan. Would anyone disagree?

Michael

If you would like to send a private email to me, please take out the TRASH, so to speak. Please do not email me something which you also posted.

(ggg) wrote on Sun 05 Dec 2004 03:38:35a

My concern (and I have no immediate plans to go just that I like to
mull) is not whether it's likely to happen but is it going to be
backlash free to take precautions.

I think if you took a special drawstring bag for your shoes, people might
even see it is quirkily cute behaviour.


Is bicycle theft not a problem in Japan?

There is an unspoken "global exchange" program with respect to bicycles and
umbrellas. If you are absolutely desperate for either on a given occasion,
it is common to just take one of a big group, on the understanding that you
leave it next time. I don't think this is acceptable for obviously
expensive items or one of small groups, or for an item for which some care
has been taken to isolate or otherwise secure it.


I wonder if it's common for fastidious people in Japan to go with the
flow intstead of going with what their sense of things. Culturally,
HK people wouldn't go for anything just because it's the rule if they

That's a BIG difference between Japan and HK. Japanese culture encourages
going with the flow in just about evey aspect of life. Being a rude HKer
*is* a way of life :-)


--
Chris
Concatenate for email: mrgazpacho @ hotmail . com

ggg wrote:
Pan wrote in message . ..

On 28 Nov 2004 15:51:09 -0800, (ggg) wrote:

[snip]

Does anyone ever take off their shoes when required but not leave
them with the rest of the shoes? I know that HK tourists take them in
Thailand to avoid theft and I have an article about Burma where the
girls take off their shoes at temple but carry their shoes along.

[snip]

I'm guessing that it's very unlikely your shoes would be stolen in
Japan, if that's a concern, but I don't have recent experience in


I know what you mean about not worrying based on likelihood.

My concern (and I have no immediate plans to go just that I like to
mull) is not whether it's likely to happen but is it going to be
backlash free to take precautions.

Whether life would be easier if I just gave in might affect my
behavior. I want to know if I would put anyone's nose out of joint.

My question is not whether does anyone want my undesirable shoes but
why wouldn't my shoes be vulnerable unattended. (And I have no idea
where I would go that I would have to take off my shoes. I guess maybe
a ryokan but that opens an even bigger can of worms re security that
I'll spare the group for now.) Nice law abiding people cannot control
oddballs.

Is bicycle theft not a problem in Japan? And is shoplifting an
unheard of problem? Those are thefts related to property left out in
the open. I wouldn't discuss this or explain when I put my shoes
into my own ziploc and into my own bag but I would say simply if
prodded that this makes me comfortable (happy even.) I guess if I'm
not breaking any laws, locals will probably just let me go my ignorant
way.

I wonder if it's common for fastidious people in Japan to go with the
flow intstead of going with what their sense of things. Culturally,
HK people wouldn't go for anything just because it's the rule if they
think it's stupid and or possibly dirty; ombudsman discoveries of
dirtiness are really popular in Chinese news and in culture. (But
I've eaten from the communal Korean boiling pot even though I was
raised against that behavior because I was happy to be invited to dip
a spoon in.)


I'm not fastidious at all but I don't like to check my coat either.


Hello ggg,

It´s me here again. Theft of shoes, bicycles, caps, dogs, sausages,
fountain pens, snow-shovels, dentures, etc, etc, etc, etc as well
as shoplifting are of course not unheard of in Japan. OTH, I think
I can safely say that such occurrenses are very rare. Again, I have
only been living there for a little over 10 years, so I might be
completely wrong or even bloody wrong.

IMHO, you seem to be slightly overapprehensive regarding Japan; you
don´t seem to grasp the concept that several posters are trying to
convey. If in doubt, stay home, where you are more likely to be
subject to all the lurking dangers you seem to fear.

Pardon me for being a bit frank and even rude after reading your
numerous buts and ifs, no one will miss you if you don't go to Japan,
but you will definitely miss a lot and, most probably, a wonderful
travel experience!

Stop worrying & theorizing, just go and, above all, enjoy!

Rgds,
Kim

Chris Kuan wrote:
(ggg) wrote on Sun 05 Dec 2004 03:38:35a


My concern (and I have no immediate plans to go just that I like to
mull) is not whether it's likely to happen but is it going to be
backlash free to take precautions.


I think if you took a special drawstring bag for your shoes, people might
even see it is quirkily cute behaviour.




I would think that looked really bad.

In some venues, standing out like that would just look stupid but I
don't think I'll be at such places. I was just wondering. Don't label
me as antitravel or timid.


That's a BIG difference between Japan and HK. Japanese culture encourages
going with the flow in just about evey aspect of life. Being a rude HKer
*is* a way of life :-)


The best HK people are great.

This reminds me of that Stockard Channing solo in Grease. There are
things HK people wouldn't do. It depends on an individual's taste. It
doesn't help in a popularity poll that HK people don't bother to hide
their dismissal of people they find too stupid or too dishonest to know.
Is that rude? I don't know. I think it's really amusing.