Bad Japanese manners / Where are the polite Japanese ?

[Mandylion]

(After pointing several times ot the very nice intro about cultural relativity) I would add,

1) some people having complete and total lack of control over their small children and not even trying to get them to be quiet/sit still/not run free in restaurants or shopping centers. My favorite is not making their kids apologize for the whole "gaijin da!" comments - I don't buy it in this day and age that young parents don't know that some foreigners consider that very rude indeed. Come on, the kids are not that cute. Once in awhile it is okay, kids will be kids, but all the time? Parents, grow some b****.

2) Maybe more of a country thing, but peeing at the side of the road. Mainly old men do this, and it is more sad than rude since I have seen it about a thousand times by now.

3)Using a toothpick at the table - again, more of a old man habit.

4)Staring. I know what this is all about and why people do it, but it is a shock at first.

5)Smoking in enclosed areas. I'm all for the freedom for people to mess up their bodies and raise the cost of insurance, but smoking where others can suck your smoke is selfish and shows a basic lack of repsect for others. I don't force people to eat the junk food I carry around from time to time, others shouldn't force me to an earlier grave (smoking is still very big in Japan and out in the country).

There are more, but I will stop here.

[Buddha Smoker]

1) some people having complete and total lack of control over their small children and not even trying to get them to be quiet/sit still/not run free in restaurants or shopping centers. My favorite is not making their kids apologize for the whole "gaijin da!" comments - I don't buy it in this day and age that young parents don't know that some foreigners consider that very rude indeed. Come on, the kids are not that cute. Once in awhile it is okay, kids will be kids, but all the time? Parents, grow some b****.

1) Being loud in places like restaurants, cafes, etc. Especially laughing very loud. This is true for most people, from little children shouting and running, to groups of teenage girls, to business people to women on their 50's or 60's. I don't mind laughing in a movie theatre, but not in an expensive restaurant. Japanese tend to be amazingly quiet in cinemas and too noisy elsewhere.

I think kids that seem to be from a circus are the ones that get me. I know that I am strict on my daughter which I think is funny sometimes. If we go out to eat with friends and they have their kids which happen to be jumping around and just plain being noisy then my kid wants to join in because she sees the other kids. But, I give her the evil eye and the strong voice and she sits right back down but then I reward her later for being good. I think kids have to have discipline and strictness or else they turn into wild child.

If I had a Circus booth then it would be something like this
*Come on in and see the MONKEY BOY & GIRL..only a 1000 yen..sit down and try to have a nice dinner and we will release the kids to give you the real effect of MONKEY CHILDREN*

[Tokis-Phoenix]

(After pointing several times ot the very nice intro about cultural relativity) I would add,
1) some people having complete and total lack of control over their small children and not even trying to get them to be quiet/sit still/not run free in restaurants or shopping centers. My favorite is not making their kids apologize for the whole "gaijin da!" comments - I don't buy it in this day and age that young parents don't know that some foreigners consider that very rude indeed. Come on, the kids are not that cute. Once in awhile it is okay, kids will be kids, but all the time? Parents, grow some b****.
2) Maybe more of a country thing, but peeing at the side of the road. Mainly old men do this, and it is more sad than rude since I have seen it about a thousand times by now.
3)Using a toothpick at the table - again, more of a old man habit.
4)Staring. I know what this is all about and why people do it, but it is a shock at first.
5)Smoking in enclosed areas. I'm all for the freedom for people to mess up their bodies and raise the cost of insurance, but smoking where others can suck your smoke is selfish and shows a basic lack of repsect for others. I don't force people to eat the junk food I carry around from time to time, others shouldn't force me to an earlier grave (smoking is still very big in Japan and out in the country).
There are more, but I will stop here.

With the smoking thing, i dont see a problem with it as long as the people smoking are doing in a smoking area/room(which are usually conviently placed near a door or fan/air vent or whatever etc), because its a located area where they are supposed to do it if they want to- i agree though if the person is smoking in area where they shouldn't, or it doesn't say(which usually means they shouldn't) then i agree its quite rude.
I agree though with all your other points, although i would like to add that i personally find it worse when people eat with their mouth open throughout their entire meal at the table rather than picking their teeth clean.