As someone who was born and raised in Japan, moving to the United States was a huge change for me, especially culturally. Even though I had previously been to the U.S. for vacation on several occasions, living here turned out to be a lot different than a vacation. So here are some of the cultural differences I've noticed between my homeland and the U.S.
1. Food
Food always plays a huge part in any culture, but this would be the cultural transition I've struggled (and still am) with the most. In the U.S., the portions of food in restaurants are huge compared to those in Japan and I definitely feel that there is less variety in food here than in Japan. For example, in the U.S. everyone is familiar with meatball spaghetti and hot dogs and simple salads served for school lunch, while in Japan we have what is called a bento which is basically a lunch box with a few different foods that creates nutritional balance and overall colorful variety.
2. Tipping
I always find myself struggling on how much to give when the check comes my way. I blame my upbringing when I say I don't believe in tipping. I personally worked as a server at a restaurant in Japan and have only been tipped twice (and that was even surprising for me). In many cultures, no-tipping is the norm and some cultures even find tipping rude. In the U.S., it's the source of income for many servers and it's rude not to tip.
3. Clothing
In Japan, skin exposure is not the most culturally appropriate thing, and if you go on a train in Tokyo with a short-cut shirt that shows your stomach, you might find people staring at you with a slight bit of judgment. In the U.S., especially southern California, that's completely normal and you find people jogging in their sports bra or even shirtless. Well, that's definitely not normal in Japan.
4. Social interaction
Friendly interactions with your cashier or in the elevator with a stranger is normal here in the U.S., and that was definitely a pleasant surprise for me. In Japan, strangers don't really talk to each other in the elevators or ask how their day is going when you're paying for your groceries at the cashier.
5. Shoes in the house
I apply to this rule even in my own household in the U.S, but you take off your shoes inside when you're in Japan. It's a sign of respect and also a matter of sanitation in many places. In the U.S., having shoes in the house is completely normal (and I will never get used to that).
