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I remember riding on a train in Japan when some schoolgirls sitting across from me were just chatting in an excited way...nothing that seemed out of place, but

I remember riding on a train in Japan when some schoolgirls sitting across from me were just chatting in an excited way...nothing that seemed out of place, but man did they get it. Things seemed fine to me, especially on a hot summer day in an uncrowded train with the windows down (plenty of atmospheric noise). All of a sudden a conductor (not sure if you call him that, he was in the back end of the car) popped out of his enclosure and yelled at them like they had just trashed his living space. He did use the word "urusai," but more than that (as is often the case in Japanese) his tone was just _dark_, fast, and loud. All I could think was that he put on that intervention for us few foreigners who were being pretty quiet, and who really weren't bothered, but I still have no idea.

lhorie 8y ago
> All I could think was that he put on that intervention for us few foreigners Nah. In Japanese culture, it's simply considered rude to be loud in trains.
- timr 8y ago
  Still. I've never seen a conductor yell at anyone for being loud, especially in the cities. Maybe it happens in the inaka...
  - sho 8y ago
    Never seen a conductor do it, but I've seen other passengers lay into someone for being too rowdy or (especially) talking on the phone. Usually following a comically obvious build-up of red-faced anger over 5-10 minutes or so. Anecdotally I've heard that social censure is far more common and ruthless in the women's-only cars.
stcredzero 8y ago
That just sounds like an Asian in parental mode to me. Sounds just like my mom or dad when they've had enough. (Seriously, there was always a part of me thinking, "Why does Mom/Dad sound like they're in a Samurai drama?" I'm not even Japanese!)
hkmurakami 8y ago
Was this outside of a major metro area? The tone and conjugation of the word is surprising.
guardiangod 8y ago
It's possible they were talking about you in a less than flattering way thinking you don't understand Japanese, and the conductor had enough of it.

lhorie 8y ago

> All I could think was that he put on that intervention for us few foreigners Nah. In Japanese culture, it's simply considered rude to be loud in trains.

timr 8y ago
Still. I've never seen a conductor yell at anyone for being loud, especially in the cities. Maybe it happens in the inaka...
- sho 8y ago
  Never seen a conductor do it, but I've seen other passengers lay into someone for being too rowdy or (especially) talking on the phone. Usually following a comically obvious build-up of red-faced anger over 5-10 minutes or so. Anecdotally I've heard that social censure is far more common and ruthless in the women's-only cars.

stcredzero 8y ago

That just sounds like an Asian in parental mode to me. Sounds just like my mom or dad when they've had enough. (Seriously, there was always a part of me thinking, "Why does Mom/Dad sound like they're in a Samurai drama?" I'm not even Japanese!)

hkmurakami 8y ago

Was this outside of a major metro area? The tone and conjugation of the word is surprising.

guardiangod 8y ago

It's possible they were talking about you in a less than flattering way thinking you don't understand Japanese, and the conductor had enough of it.