I studied in Tokyo from 2010 to 2014 and noticed a lot of cultural differences between Japan and my country so to deal with my culture shock, I started creating comic strips about them. I hope my comics will help more foreigners like myself understand Japan and the Japanese people better, as well as increase awareness about some changes in behavior we might have to make when we visit. These comic strips were selected from a collection of over 300 that I created between 2012 and 2015 and posted on my Facebook page. I also compiled these illustrations into two books: "Eva, Kopi and Matcha" and "Eva, Kopi and Matcha 2.0" which are available on Amazon and other eBook platforms (Kindle, iBooks, Google Books, Kobo).
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Amazing Clean Toilets
No Service Charge And Tips
Eating Noodles
Slurping noodles to eat in Japan is perfectly fine and it is said that they will taste better too.
Station Masters
Picking Up Your Own (And Others) Trash
Indeed, I'm always impressed at how clean the streets are even without trash bins.
Load More Replies...I know we are discussing Japan here, but on the side note, I always thought Singapore was superclean, especially with such high fines for littering.
In the past Singapore was cleaner than now. Nowadays they have started again the campaign on litter. In Japan, we have learnt and practised cleaness since very young age.
Load More Replies...I'm not sure that Japan & S'pore make a good contrast in this case. Yes - there are cultural differences: Japan has a strong code of social responsibility whereas S'porians take a much more 'Kiasu' (驚事 - not my problem) attitude. But S'pore's strong laws compensate for that cultural difference. I think a better contrast would be between Japan and India, or even USA (wait till the lights come on at American movie theatre on a Saturday nite. The floors and seats are disgusting).
I agree. Despite the fine, people still litter in Singapore, as long as they don't get caught. The mentality is that, there's cleaner to clean. Sad fact about the people in Singapore.
Load More Replies...I pick up others trash here in NYC and I grind my teeth. Sometimes not so much if it's a bottle that I can recycle and get money for. I find others throw away the stupidest things. I've seen perfectly reusable tupperware in the garbage can. And just yesterday someone threw away a towel that I kept for myself. I've found plenty of "treasure" that I've taken whether I've seen in on the street or in an actual garbage can.
And you are comparing to Singapore! Imagine most other countries...
The Singapore side applies, unfortunately, to the USA. No matter how we preach and scream and roar at kids about not being litterbugs, there is still trash ALL OVER THE [bleep] PLACE!!!
It's mostly the fault of the companies that went the route of cheap/disposable. Wasn't the case when they used to pay you to return your cans and such. The companies then pushed it all back on the people and didn't have anything in place to make up for massive increase is trash. By the time infrastructure came into play (IE, more trashcans) people already was in the habit of just tossing c**p anywhere. I think we're getting better about it, but it's still an issue of how manufacturers approach disposable products and their ability to break down to no further to the c**p that's out there as we continue to leave waste everywhere. (Doesn't help all that trash ends up in the damn environment either way and not able to be broken down.) Adam Ruins Everything explains it all very well.
Load More Replies...I think the big difference is that in Japan people are taught from a young age to clean up after themselves (and others), this gives them ownership in the cleanliness of their surroundings. Simply making littering illegal and fining the few you catch doing it doesn't give the public any ownership in keeping things clean - the mentality of "someone is paid to pick this garbage up" runs rampant.
So, people litter in Singapore, even though the fines are very high? Are they not enforced properly? I always thought Singapore is very clean.
Singapore is very clean and not many people do that.... or it'$ FINE, FINE, FINE. $top lyin'!
But let's ask this question: why the HELL AREN'T there any garbage cans? Answer: one incident of a bomb in a garbage can, and they were banned for life. Typical Japanese knee-jerk illogical reaction. Come on Japan, give us back garbage cans.
Japan is incredibly clean, but not because of the workers picking up after people but because the general population has been taught to clean up after themselves.
Oh come on - in general this may be true but japan has slowly got worse over the years (although sadly this may be the influence of foreigners).
We were in Singapore for a month and did not see a speck of garbage. I don’t know why you would represent it like this. I’ve been in 19 countries living for month long stays to 6 months and Singapore is second only to Scotland in my recommendations.
The image of Singapore, rightfully should include The UN~UNITED STATES. I have resided in MANY COUNTRIES, { particularly on the European Continent, } and experienced mostly clean environments. When i was a child, the U.S , was noticeably cleaner than today. Currently, the rubbish~bins are ignored by too many❗It is literally DISGUSTING😝❗I will carry about my rubbish, until I locate the PROPER RECEPTACLE. This is unfortunate, indeed. Postscript~ I almost forgot about "persons," utilizing the LITERAL STREETS FOR THE EXPULSION OF BODILY WASTE.😝😠😡😾😝
Ooo i do not agree with this one Singapore has got to be the Cleanest country I’ve ever seen I’ve seen a lot of other countries while in my 20 yrs in the us NAVY
I pick up my own trash but if I wanted to clean up after somebody else I'd have kids.
Baths
Japanese enjoy taking hot baths too, especially hot spring baths. (monkeys are there for humor, you won't get to dip with any, sorry!)
Japanese Service
Toilets
The toilets are always wet in Malaysia and there's always no toilet papers.
Fruits
Anybody bought the expensive Japanese fruits before? Like the melon or the insanely priced grapes...
The Last Stop
If you fall deep asleep on the bus in the US, it may be your last stop...
Vending Machines
There are vending machines almost everywhere, even at places where life-forms doesn't seem to exist.
That's what I noticed the first time I came to Japan. I was walking on a street between empty field and there you had a vending machine in the middle of nowhere, nothing else.
Celebrating Christmas
Strangely Japanese celebrates Christmas not with turkey and ham, but with KFC...
Oh. OH!!!! Maybe this explains my mother-in-law!! We kept insisting "Do you not want something... more? We will get you any---" - "No. KFC." .. okaaay...
Curry
Clean And State-Of-The-Art Japanese Toilets
Smartphones
You can't turn off camera shutter sound on Japanese smartphones due to privacy and upskirt photo taking.
Actually, that sounds like a good feature, they should do this with other phones.
Tattoos
If the tattoo is small, it can be covered with plaster to enter into the public bath houses or swimming pool.
The reason is not that the person is thought to be a Yakuza. The reason is that you can't forbid only Yakuzas or they would get mad. In order to work around that, since they all have tattoos, this excuse was used. So if a Yakuza gets mad, they can say it's the rule, nothing against them.
Getting Off The Train
Kids After Finishing Their Food
Active Elderly
That's so true! In see old people here and they're more active than me!
Seven Wonders Of Japanese
The 7th wonder can be found on my FB or blog.
I don't think you took the train in the summer ... I can assure you they are and look sweaty in the work suits.
Train Etiquette
Now this happens in the USA and it's very annoying. I've been at restaurants and had people at the table next to me with their smartphones cranked up loud so the kid who's hardly touched his food can be entertained.
Sayonara
"Sayonara" means goodbye but has a sense of finality to it, so don't use it to your clients!
Stairs
There is a great number of staircases and very few escalators and lifts at smaller train stations.
Impressive Customer Service
Maybe it depends on where you are in the US. I'm from southeastern Virginia and people definitely greet me with a smile and politeness. No bow though.
Office Toilet
I went to a Japanese company for an interview before I decided to leave Japan. When I went to the ladies toilet, I saw a nice wooden locker cabinet mounted on the wall with small compartments. I know Japanese are very particular about hygiene but to see a locker for toothbrushes and sanitary stuff is a whole new world for me...
Designated Smoking Area
Sushi Rice
Somehow sushi rice will fall off when you eat outside of Japan...
Japanese Speak English
Based on the real story at a sushi restaurant...
Kids In Trains
That's in the USA too...people letting the kids run wild on public transportation.
Hairdresser
Actually, the company (?) who wrote this, Evacomics, actually is part of a monthly school magazine thing in primary schools in SG. So probs is just a joke. Anyways, as a Singaporean, I dun feel offended. Just feels relatable honestly.
Load More Replies...This seems to basically be a "have a dig at Singapore" comic. It's just dissing Singapore. And all of Malaysia. And also the US.
This is so damn right. Unfair portrayal of these countries.
Load More Replies...Many of the things about Japan are half truths. More like Tokyo and Singapore. Seems more appropriate then.
Becos the comic is from Sg. She telling the truth becos it is where she lives.
Load More Replies...I do like Japan's way of keeping public spaces immaculate. It starts in school. They don't hire janitors or cleaners. The kids are responsible for keeping their school clean and well taken care of. Obviously that breeds an attitude of respect and responsibility for your environment. Maybe we should all try it.
I think I'm not happy BP deleted three comments I made immediately after I made them
A few people have made the same comment. Perhaps Bored Panda would care to comment?
Load More Replies...I always find those post about Japan problematic. I have been living in Japan for a while. Primarily, around Tokyo, now in Kansai. However, I was always away from the city center. I use a lot of trains and have to live on a small budget. Maybe that is why I encounter a lot of dirty and stinky toilets, yes yes in Japan. I can't afford for luxury here, so my perspective is different. Also every day I meet people who break the rules, but it is not so catchy.
Seriously, people?! What's wrong with you? I have been to Japan and I confirm all is right. The author does not hate Singapore... I don't hate my country, either, but I would portray it the same way compared to Japan and many European countries. And it will be all true. Why is everybody so sensitive suddenly??? Just enjoy some fun comics. If I wanted to go to Singapore, nothing like that would stop me and I don't think that it is made with hate for Singapore.
These comics have a very bias look about japan. As much as I love japan this is not a very honest portrayal. Japan had a huge bike issue, toilets at stations are not clean, they have a huge homeless problem in the cities that the police try to hide, you have kids that can be rude on the trains, certain etiquette that seems ok to the Japanese but in reality make no sense. I've not been to Singapore but if this artist is Japanese then they are being a stereotypical Japanese person that seems to only have negative views on other Asian countries (after 8 years of living in japan I soon learnt that most Japanese don't like talking about other Asian countries unless you ended with "but of course it's not as good as japan).
A bit too Japan-o-centric and chauvinistic. To sum up the entire post "Japan is better than the rest of the world, except for a couple things."
Anyway, I personally love both countries, each one has many positive and lovely things
Really? Don’t take this seriously, guys. It’s just meant to be funny.
I learn from this comic that my country is pretty similar to Singapore.
To everyone who thinks the author is being unfair towards SG, IMHO, I believe she wrote this as somewhat of a joke and not in a complaining way.
How can the writer hate SG if she IS FROM SG! So yeah, I believe it’s just a joke.
Load More Replies...Thank you for that interesting peek into the differences in cultural norms between Japan and other places.
Singapore reminds me of elite areas of the US. I wanna go! It'd be like home... -Dr. M
F-me! I'm moving to Japan! @author, thank you for learning me lots of new stuff! :-)
Nice insight into the life in Japan AND Singapore. I learned many things about the people of both countries.
This is not how you learn about other people and cultures.
Load More Replies...That won't change anything. "Otaku" people working in animation etc have the lowest salaries and are famously exploited. That's why they must live together as they can't pay the rent on their own. Also, "otaku" is not a nice word to use, it's kind of saying "dork".
Load More Replies...Actually, the company (?) who wrote this, Evacomics, actually is part of a monthly school magazine thing in primary schools in SG. So probs is just a joke. Anyways, as a Singaporean, I dun feel offended. Just feels relatable honestly.
Load More Replies...This seems to basically be a "have a dig at Singapore" comic. It's just dissing Singapore. And all of Malaysia. And also the US.
This is so damn right. Unfair portrayal of these countries.
Load More Replies...Many of the things about Japan are half truths. More like Tokyo and Singapore. Seems more appropriate then.
Becos the comic is from Sg. She telling the truth becos it is where she lives.
Load More Replies...I do like Japan's way of keeping public spaces immaculate. It starts in school. They don't hire janitors or cleaners. The kids are responsible for keeping their school clean and well taken care of. Obviously that breeds an attitude of respect and responsibility for your environment. Maybe we should all try it.
I think I'm not happy BP deleted three comments I made immediately after I made them
A few people have made the same comment. Perhaps Bored Panda would care to comment?
Load More Replies...I always find those post about Japan problematic. I have been living in Japan for a while. Primarily, around Tokyo, now in Kansai. However, I was always away from the city center. I use a lot of trains and have to live on a small budget. Maybe that is why I encounter a lot of dirty and stinky toilets, yes yes in Japan. I can't afford for luxury here, so my perspective is different. Also every day I meet people who break the rules, but it is not so catchy.
Seriously, people?! What's wrong with you? I have been to Japan and I confirm all is right. The author does not hate Singapore... I don't hate my country, either, but I would portray it the same way compared to Japan and many European countries. And it will be all true. Why is everybody so sensitive suddenly??? Just enjoy some fun comics. If I wanted to go to Singapore, nothing like that would stop me and I don't think that it is made with hate for Singapore.
These comics have a very bias look about japan. As much as I love japan this is not a very honest portrayal. Japan had a huge bike issue, toilets at stations are not clean, they have a huge homeless problem in the cities that the police try to hide, you have kids that can be rude on the trains, certain etiquette that seems ok to the Japanese but in reality make no sense. I've not been to Singapore but if this artist is Japanese then they are being a stereotypical Japanese person that seems to only have negative views on other Asian countries (after 8 years of living in japan I soon learnt that most Japanese don't like talking about other Asian countries unless you ended with "but of course it's not as good as japan).
A bit too Japan-o-centric and chauvinistic. To sum up the entire post "Japan is better than the rest of the world, except for a couple things."
Anyway, I personally love both countries, each one has many positive and lovely things
Really? Don’t take this seriously, guys. It’s just meant to be funny.
I learn from this comic that my country is pretty similar to Singapore.
To everyone who thinks the author is being unfair towards SG, IMHO, I believe she wrote this as somewhat of a joke and not in a complaining way.
How can the writer hate SG if she IS FROM SG! So yeah, I believe it’s just a joke.
Load More Replies...Thank you for that interesting peek into the differences in cultural norms between Japan and other places.
Singapore reminds me of elite areas of the US. I wanna go! It'd be like home... -Dr. M
F-me! I'm moving to Japan! @author, thank you for learning me lots of new stuff! :-)
Nice insight into the life in Japan AND Singapore. I learned many things about the people of both countries.
This is not how you learn about other people and cultures.
Load More Replies...That won't change anything. "Otaku" people working in animation etc have the lowest salaries and are famously exploited. That's why they must live together as they can't pay the rent on their own. Also, "otaku" is not a nice word to use, it's kind of saying "dork".
Load More Replies...