I'm Australian but living in Philippines past 5 years. As a family we have used airbnb & Flipkey for rental of apartments in 15 different cities throughout USA, Europe & Asia. Only once have we had an issue which was resolved by the host. I found the article 'interesting' & a tad negative. I have been to Japan & am going back again this year. The neighborhood you stay in shouldn't be a surprise to you. It's your responsibility to do your own research & find the best areas to stay that suit your itinerary & budget. All the info you need to make an informed & educated choice is available if you have internet access. And what about the availability of offline translation apps & maps? In the past 5 years technology aids for travelers has improved enormously. I think the author would do well to stay away from "poor little old me" syndrome. And that's my 2 cents.
4
1. So Airbnb wants to get a foot hold on Tokyo a city of 35 million
people because they care about people the world over getting to
know each other and be closer?
2. Hire white corporate people to figure out how to get Japanese to use
forks instead of chopsticks because the Japanese don’t care about
your forks, but if they do, the fork creators get rich.
3. The reason people rent out their apartments and homes is
because they can make money when rent is high and their dreams
are failing - just like the creators of Airbnb. This is the number one
reason people rent out their places, not because they want to unite
the world. I’ve rented out my place for those reasons, those listed above
and I've friends who do the same. You use Airbnb because it’s a tool.
4. This is the corporate mindset of those who sell their wares all over the world. It’s the same as watching an oil company’s tv commercial on conservation - buying our oil is good for the environment. Having Airbnb saturated in the Japanese mega market of Tokyo will help the Japanese economy and help integrate them with foreigners.
5. Airbnb is big in Madrid because the Spanish economy is on the brink of collapse and it’s perfect to rent out your place if you’ve no job and tourism is big where you live. Unemployment in Japan is 3.4%, Spain 23.7%
people because they care about people the world over getting to
know each other and be closer?
2. Hire white corporate people to figure out how to get Japanese to use
forks instead of chopsticks because the Japanese don’t care about
your forks, but if they do, the fork creators get rich.
3. The reason people rent out their apartments and homes is
because they can make money when rent is high and their dreams
are failing - just like the creators of Airbnb. This is the number one
reason people rent out their places, not because they want to unite
the world. I’ve rented out my place for those reasons, those listed above
and I've friends who do the same. You use Airbnb because it’s a tool.
4. This is the corporate mindset of those who sell their wares all over the world. It’s the same as watching an oil company’s tv commercial on conservation - buying our oil is good for the environment. Having Airbnb saturated in the Japanese mega market of Tokyo will help the Japanese economy and help integrate them with foreigners.
5. Airbnb is big in Madrid because the Spanish economy is on the brink of collapse and it’s perfect to rent out your place if you’ve no job and tourism is big where you live. Unemployment in Japan is 3.4%, Spain 23.7%
11
Very interesting article. I would love to see a broader international comparison as well - are any of the same challenges present in other Asian countries? Airbnb in China, for example, has a host of bureaucratic challenges to deal with, in addition to cultural differences.
2
I had to laugh at this article! As an airbnb host for nearly 6 years, I've watched the company grow from a small, kind of family-type start-up, to a glitzy, algorithm-driven entity that has, at least on its website, moved away from the concept of thesimple 'homestay', which many of us provide, to the glitz of the 'superhost', an 'uber' offshoot that means you basically, have to invent yourself on the website to show you're a good, accommodating person -- something that one would think would be basic to the original idea. I'm sure that many seasoned hosts like me, have opted out of the competition and still seem to attract mostly satisfied guests. But, this article just reminds me of some unhappy guests who stayed, complaining about things as though I were running a hotel! (I can't seem to get to 5 stars -- oh well!). Thanks Tokyo. . . I hope this serves to bring things back down to earth and a lot of us can feel good about participating in a mutually beneficial service that also provides us the opportunity to occasionally be available to share stories and a reasonably clean space that once upon a time, was the reason we signed on to airbnb in the first place! Keep it 100.
6
airbnb is a scourge of the earth. It is just another horror of what is happening to New York City, for instance. There is an invasion of users of airbnb in rental buildings and the renters are at the mercy of out-of-town people who have no idea of how to live in an apartment and don't care whom they bother. The excuse is given that rents are so high that the host simply could not "make it" without subletting the apartment for short periods of time and rapid turnover. Rebellious visitors think they are doing one for the little people and they emphatically are ruining the lives of "the little people" who are lving in these buildings…not the luxury buildings, but buildings that are on the edge and are not very good for maintenance or services or anything else. Sometimes landlords hire people on an airbnb basis to get tenants out who cannot stand the noise from the apartment above. That is how devious this system has become.
Now you have it and it will make things get worse for the lower-income renter, for sure. Co-ops and condominiums have some protection against airbnb. Rental units have almost no protection and it is badly done when police come and check on the legality of that apartment changeover that is so rapid.
Now you have it and it will make things get worse for the lower-income renter, for sure. Co-ops and condominiums have some protection against airbnb. Rental units have almost no protection and it is badly done when police come and check on the legality of that apartment changeover that is so rapid.
7
really enjoyed reading this article. i'm a host myself, and have used airbnb internationally, including in tokyo. as i read about the awkward interactions of foreigners, my take-away was, to my surprise, the thought that I need to somehow lure Japanese tourists to my rural SW michigan cottage.
2
Like Uber and others, it is an attempt by wealthy corporate interests to undercut workers by piling the risks on to "contractors" and customers.
2
I've never understood the virtue of forcing uncomfortable practices on unwilling cultures.
And doing so only perpetuates a widespread sense in the world that Western nations have arrived at the "right point of view" -- and that everyone else needs to just catch up.
I've enjoyed Japan on many occasions since the late 1970's, and a great part of this appreciation was based on how different this culture was from my own.
Taxi drivers in white gloves (circa 1977); a virtual absence of petty crime; great difficulty communicating in English; overwhelming politesse; conformity; precision, and suspicion of foreigners: all are things I've experienced in Japan.
And all are things hip Westerners often disdain, disavow or disbelieve.
So the "no foreigners" sign on the restaurant door might be something that Airbnb might want to incorporate into its corporate ethos.
In other words, we have hotels for these people.
And we're fine with that.
And doing so only perpetuates a widespread sense in the world that Western nations have arrived at the "right point of view" -- and that everyone else needs to just catch up.
I've enjoyed Japan on many occasions since the late 1970's, and a great part of this appreciation was based on how different this culture was from my own.
Taxi drivers in white gloves (circa 1977); a virtual absence of petty crime; great difficulty communicating in English; overwhelming politesse; conformity; precision, and suspicion of foreigners: all are things I've experienced in Japan.
And all are things hip Westerners often disdain, disavow or disbelieve.
So the "no foreigners" sign on the restaurant door might be something that Airbnb might want to incorporate into its corporate ethos.
In other words, we have hotels for these people.
And we're fine with that.
5
One thing AirBnB and the author of this article seem to be missing is that in Japan, Japanese people don't invite friends, close or not, over to their homes or apartments as we do in the West. They meet at coffeehouses, restaurants, bars, parks - at public spaces. To be invited into a Japanese friend's home is like being invited to come close enough to be regarded as a family member.
It's not a matter of being 'risk adverse', or disliking foreigners that keeps large numbers of Japanese folks from signing on to become hosts. Nor is it that 'outliers' or 'more traveled' Japanese are the best bet to becoming hosts. It really comes down to understanding that Japanese society has a fairly structured set of rules that most citizens live by. That's part of how one survives and thrives in a nation where space is in short supply, housing space leans towards the minimalist end and everyone values privacy. If you get this concept and find yourself invited into a Japanese friend's home whether in Japan or elsewhere, you will know that you have been offered a rare and trusted position - that of having been deemed worthy and trusted enough to be considered as almost family.
It's not a matter of being 'risk adverse', or disliking foreigners that keeps large numbers of Japanese folks from signing on to become hosts. Nor is it that 'outliers' or 'more traveled' Japanese are the best bet to becoming hosts. It really comes down to understanding that Japanese society has a fairly structured set of rules that most citizens live by. That's part of how one survives and thrives in a nation where space is in short supply, housing space leans towards the minimalist end and everyone values privacy. If you get this concept and find yourself invited into a Japanese friend's home whether in Japan or elsewhere, you will know that you have been offered a rare and trusted position - that of having been deemed worthy and trusted enough to be considered as almost family.
11
Interesting and wonderfully written piece.
2
There are so many foreigners in Tokyo that airbnb should market to them. When we lived there we had a big house and a tatami mat guest room (maid's room but no maid.) My mother used to let visitors stay there when my dad traveled for business. It was nice to have Americans or English or Danish come visit and speak English. Meanwhile Japanese women on the street would grab my breasts and pull my yellow hair to see if it was real. They weren't assaulting me. They just had never seen anyone who looked like me. I got used to it. I just smiled. And my family was so much taller than anyone else. We were freaks to them.
3
I have visited Japan many times over the years. You realize with experience that there is no way any foreigner - whether from the West or another Asian country - will ever be accepted as an equal human being in Japan. It makes no difference how much effort you put into learning about and practicing Japanese customs. Sad to say this, but racism and a sense of racial superiority runs thick through Japan and infects almost all Japanese. They consider themselves to be a distinct race of people, and they teach their children to think the same way. Airbnb will learn that the difficulty in cracking the cultural code in Japan has less to do with figuring out their idiosyncratic customs and more to do with the fact that the Japanese don't want foreigners around at all. Their smiling faces and overly polite behavior simply put a mask on it.
6
It took my Japanese neighbors 2 years to acknowledge or respond to my greetings. However, according to the Filipino family next door, I should be flattered: they`ve never been greeted or acknowledged after more than 10 years in the same neighborhood. Apparently being white is better than other races in Japan. Compared to most of the other Asian countries I`ve had the pleasure to visit, I`ve found Japan to be a decaying, unfriendly, cold, and overall depressing place, and I wouldn`t recommend it to friends/family. Speaking the language only minimally helps. My Indian and African-American friends are more fluent than me, yet they have a harder time interacting with the locals than I do. When my folks come to see me, we meet up in Thailand or Malaysia, places where folks are nicer and easier to get along with.
2
I am a little uncomfortable with the Orientalist undertone to this whole article. In my 13-14 trips I have made to Japan throughout my life, I have never felt "ogled"; in fact, I have never felt anything less than welcomed. If the author's experience without a translator in Japan left her as alien as she's ever felt in her life, that may be a product of her own lack of exposure to other cultures. While it is true that Japan had a long isolationist period until the 1800s, Japan has not been a stranger to Westerners in their midst since the World War II and the American occupation. While this article has some interesting points, I wish it was more balanced in pointing out that there are other reasons why airbnb may not thrive in Japan besides its putative xenophobia, such as that in Tokyo, housing units are tiny and vacant properties scarce.
9
Reading these comments, it is interesting that the prevailing attitude towards Japanese xenophobia and racism seems to be non-judgment, even tolerance.
20
Its just the way Japanese are and its their culture, whatever minor nits people have about xenophobia and racism its nothing compared to some places where I have been. If your not Japanese.. your not Japanese and that's the way it is.
I have been there many times and its an amazing place, they can point fingers at me all day long and I just smile. The people are welcoming, hardworking and polite. I can't say that about a lot of places.
And the food is amazing..
I have been there many times and its an amazing place, they can point fingers at me all day long and I just smile. The people are welcoming, hardworking and polite. I can't say that about a lot of places.
And the food is amazing..
4
Wonderfully written article. But I found the way the widow Haruko Miki was (over)treating her guests troubling. She was doing free laundry for a NYC couple and their baby? She's cleaning the puddles on the bathroom floor for guests, she's feeding them elaborate meals, she's picking up their clothes? No wonder she was booked for all but two days out of the month!
AirBnB is supposed to provide housing. Not housing with a full-time housekeeper, laundress, and cook. A hospitable welcome from a host (live-in or not) is great, but she is being taken advantage of by her guests. If anything, the guests should cook her one meal as gratitude for staying in her home on their vacation, and stay out of her way otherwise.
I feel there is some sort of miscommunication on her part as to her required hostess duties, and I wonder if it is cultural. If so, then it's best for Airbnb to stay out of certain areas rather than have hosts (women) feel like they must also be full-time servants to justify charging money for lodging.
AirBnB is supposed to provide housing. Not housing with a full-time housekeeper, laundress, and cook. A hospitable welcome from a host (live-in or not) is great, but she is being taken advantage of by her guests. If anything, the guests should cook her one meal as gratitude for staying in her home on their vacation, and stay out of her way otherwise.
I feel there is some sort of miscommunication on her part as to her required hostess duties, and I wonder if it is cultural. If so, then it's best for Airbnb to stay out of certain areas rather than have hosts (women) feel like they must also be full-time servants to justify charging money for lodging.
25
No need. Miki is an entrepreneur. She's making up for not having a washer/dryer to keep herself competitive. Besides, she's just a modest, traditional woman with the well documented (or stereotyped and then internalized) typical Japanese hospitality. Guests can simply say no to her excessive hospitality.
3
I disagree. Airbnb is whatever the host wants to provide, charges for, and the guest is willing to pay. What you're describing is Couchsurfing (which I prefer and have utilised thoroughly). When you host through Airbnb, you are competing in the hospitality industry. The primary differentiators for Airbnb are authenticity and personality that can't be found at chain or even boutique hotels. The charges you pay for this should reflect the services provided. Otherwise stay via CS, where I always cook for my hosts and clean my messes. These things should be stated clearly up front anyway.
Cultural or sociological imprinting may have something to do with the level of expected service, but Airbnb is still a paid service. You may see chauvanism from Airbnb, but the hospitality industry requires effort, coming from someone who's not enamoured with Airbnb (thrives too much on ambiguity for me). Perhaps rather than staying away from "these hosts", Airbnb should better inform them on pricing and what they should charge for each service they want to provide.
Cultural or sociological imprinting may have something to do with the level of expected service, but Airbnb is still a paid service. You may see chauvanism from Airbnb, but the hospitality industry requires effort, coming from someone who's not enamoured with Airbnb (thrives too much on ambiguity for me). Perhaps rather than staying away from "these hosts", Airbnb should better inform them on pricing and what they should charge for each service they want to provide.
5
Being Japanese and having grown up partly over there (Tokyo in an international school) and States-side, some of the portrayal seems overly generalized and stereotyped. I find it odd that AirBnB has struggled to understand the market - it's not like other businesses haven't tried and succeeded before. Japan is like any small-knit community that hasn't had a lot of contact with outsiders - I'd argue the rural US is very similar in mindset. Tokyo is an outlier within the country in any regards and the outliers that is described here are not nearly as uncommon as one is lead to believe. Like other large cities, many parts of Tokyo has a shifting population where once stable neighborhoods are turning over very quickly. With the recession dragging along for decades, it's fair to say that many people are looking for extra income and that combined with a level of curiosity should provide a decent foothold for a business such as AirBnB. Also of note, most people there with a high school education post WWII has been taught English - they may not use it at all unless they feel confident, but it's a lot more commonly understood than the general population will lead you to believe.
19
I'm an American professional who's been living and working in Tokyo for over a decade and I'm afraid I disagree with almost everything you've written.
While it is true that most Japanese study English in school, almost none of them can speak or understand even basic English. Even the Japanese teachers of English here cannot speak basic English themselves. What little English they can speak is Japanese-English, which has little resemblance to English. I can't tell you how many times I've tried to buy coffee here, but the order-taker is totally dumbfounded if I say "coffee". So now I order "ko-hee", instead of coffee. Same for ham sandwiches, which are quite common here. But, unless you say "hammu sando-wiccho", they will not understand you. This problem is not limited to low skilled staff only. I have worked at some of the top Japanese companies here and even graduates from the best Japanese universities (Tokyo/Keio/Waseda/Kyoto/TiT) cannot speak even basic English.
In regards to outliers in Japanese society, I find they are extremely rare, even here in Tokyo. Sure, there are some who may appear outliers on the surface, but lurking just beneath the surface they are usually just as traditional, conservative, insular, xenophobic and close-minded as everyone else. Japan continues to be extremely insular, homogenous and closed as a society and country. If anything, I notice that the younger generation here is even less interested in the outside world than earlier generations.
While it is true that most Japanese study English in school, almost none of them can speak or understand even basic English. Even the Japanese teachers of English here cannot speak basic English themselves. What little English they can speak is Japanese-English, which has little resemblance to English. I can't tell you how many times I've tried to buy coffee here, but the order-taker is totally dumbfounded if I say "coffee". So now I order "ko-hee", instead of coffee. Same for ham sandwiches, which are quite common here. But, unless you say "hammu sando-wiccho", they will not understand you. This problem is not limited to low skilled staff only. I have worked at some of the top Japanese companies here and even graduates from the best Japanese universities (Tokyo/Keio/Waseda/Kyoto/TiT) cannot speak even basic English.
In regards to outliers in Japanese society, I find they are extremely rare, even here in Tokyo. Sure, there are some who may appear outliers on the surface, but lurking just beneath the surface they are usually just as traditional, conservative, insular, xenophobic and close-minded as everyone else. Japan continues to be extremely insular, homogenous and closed as a society and country. If anything, I notice that the younger generation here is even less interested in the outside world than earlier generations.
7
Wonderful story by Corbet. Loved the philosophical musing while in a strange land far far away. Airbnb will help assimilate the cultural borders.
Really well-written article. I am an avid user of airbnb for both personal and business travel... And I love the sense of community - temporary as it can be - during my travels. Even for the same price as a hotel, I would still stay in a 'home' simply for the adventure. Now all I need is an orange sweater.
10
But would you ever be a host? I see so many many people saying nice things here about their experiences as guests, but no posts from hosts who allow strangers into their homes (or rent out empty units). I have read some horror stories about Airbnb hosting and renting gone wrong. One woman rented out her apartment only to have it systematically destroyed by the Airbnb "guests."
4
Wow. I've used Airbnb. Sometimes it has been good. Sometimes, not so good. I have never hosted. I don't think I could expend the necessary energy. These Japanese take it to another level with the over-the-top hosting, like doing laundry, making beds, cooking. I think this means that the template concept that they're drawing from comes, not from commerce, but from profoundly ingrained ideas about hospitality that are totally unnecessary for Airbnb. I'm sure this is why the rest of Japan will not bother offering up the service. They probably think that they will have to do all this unnecessary hospitality work and they just won't think it worth it!
16
There is another aspect. The Japanese hosts are gaining immensely from hosting a foreign visitor. They are getting invaluable English speaking (or other language) practice and experience interacting with foreigners, something most Japanese never encounter in their daily life. They see foreigners on the sidewalks and on the trains, but they have never interacted with one!
Laundry and a warm meal are a small price to pay for this highly-sought international relationship experience. Why, it's so sought-after, they even offer "International Relations" majors at most big universities!
Laundry and a warm meal are a small price to pay for this highly-sought international relationship experience. Why, it's so sought-after, they even offer "International Relations" majors at most big universities!
1
Good luck getting Japan to open up in any significant way to the sharing society. This article demonstrates what I already noticed in two long trips to this country. While there are many kind, warm and polite people, the society overall is introverted, xenophobic, claustrophobic and just all around unwelcoming to foreigners. And, yes, racist as well. Their shrinking population is a testament to their unwillingness to allow any sort of meaningful population replacement through immigration.
11
Completely agree. There I lived in Japan for about 15 years as well. There are a lot of nice people and a great place to visit, but it is not the most comfortable place to be a foreigner, especially a non-Asian foreigner. While most people are polite and courteous, every day you will find people staring at you because you are different. It's a novelty when visiting; it gets really old after 15 years. Things like that, and giving an answer to your spouse instead of you, even though you asked the question in perfectly clear Japanese, because they just assume you won't be able to understand the answer as foreigners just don't speak Japanese.
2
Japanese latest generation is very different, one thing I noticed during my trip to Tokyo and Osaka is that that they like to participate. Japanese people want to become part of the new social era. My wife is Osaka, she didn't know what a Meme (image wtih a message) was, but once she knew the meaning, she found it funny and at some point she was sharing with friends. There are thousands of new things that not just Japanese but other cultures are learning by opening their homes virtually or physically to strangers. I think internet is a long term project and we are just seen the tip of the iceberg.
6
This is a very interesting article. Now we know where to visit next. New York Times always reports news or life experiences in depth. We should expand shared economy, instead of building more high rises for all-look-the-same hotels. airbnb and others alike certainly contribute positively to saving the environment, though it might not have intended to.
2
For guests, picking an airbnb host or apartment is not nearly the shot in the dark that the author makes it out to be. Guests review hosts, and those reviews are displayed prominently on the website and stay with the hosts' listings. The majority of those reviews are substantive, and the presence as well as absence of reviews can tell a potential guest a great deal about their possible experience well in advance of booking.
If the host has multiple apartments and multiple listings, links to these listings are also prominently displayed on each of the hosts' listings - so guests can easily identify which hosts have a more personal approach to hosting.
Each listing also provides a link to google maps including streetview for the neighborhood surrounding the host's listing - so a potential guest can easily see where the accommodations are located and if the apartment is located in a residential neighborhood or other area.
There is actually a great deal of prominently displayed information provided on an airbnb listing that speaks to the issue of "uncertainty avoidance" - the author seems to have not availed herself of this information.
If the host has multiple apartments and multiple listings, links to these listings are also prominently displayed on each of the hosts' listings - so guests can easily identify which hosts have a more personal approach to hosting.
Each listing also provides a link to google maps including streetview for the neighborhood surrounding the host's listing - so a potential guest can easily see where the accommodations are located and if the apartment is located in a residential neighborhood or other area.
There is actually a great deal of prominently displayed information provided on an airbnb listing that speaks to the issue of "uncertainty avoidance" - the author seems to have not availed herself of this information.
13
About six months ago I moved in with my first girlfriend, as in, the first girl I've ever lived with. She is Japanese. I've struggled a little trying to find some good insight into Japanese cultures and customs to help things work out between us. This article answered a lot of questions for me, and gave me some good starting points for understanding how Japanese people interact with people from other societies. I think looking closely at how AirBnB approaches Japan can teach us volumes about creating meaningful understanding between different cultures. So thanks for that!
6
What excellent writing! Having lived in Japan I can say the author is not only an engaging writer but accurately portrays Japan. As a businessperson I also appreciate the professionalism demonstrated by the AirBnb personnel. It's all precision and thoroughness worthy of the Japanese.
5
Heartened to see that at least one culture resists the sharing economy hype, though I enjoyed hearing about the intercultural connections people made. I second the person who commented here that taking in lodgers is something you do because you aren't able to earn enough otherwise. You know, like working 2 jobs-- it's a not a good sign most of the time when someone has to do that!
As a renter of a 1 bedroom apartment, I can't host anyone- not only because it violates the lease agreement but also because I can't afford a multiple-bedroom place.
As a renter of a 1 bedroom apartment, I can't host anyone- not only because it violates the lease agreement but also because I can't afford a multiple-bedroom place.
4
FYI I saw an AirBnb listing where I'd be sharing a studio apartment with the young man who lived there--but would have my own bed. As an older woman I didn't see that working for me.
2
Really interesting article. A friend of mine from India visited me last year, and we planned on seeing Las Vegas for a weekend before he left to go back. After poring through countless AirBnB listings in the city, we eventually decided that it would be too uncertain for both of us how the experience would turn out, especially with the neighbors and what not. Call it a cultural thing or a virtue imbibed through our upbringing, but we found the soulless stay in the Las Vegas strip, where every hotel seemed just as fancy as the next one, a more likable lodging compared to a stranger's home. In other words, being one in a sea of strangers worked out better than with one in our heads. This makes me ponder whether the larger and older civilizations on this Earth, like those of the Indian subcontinent and East Asia, prefer a more anonymous collective existence compared to a individualistic, raging sojourn, that could be offensive to others more often than not.
4
In 2012, my family and I rented an entire apartment (not shared) in Tokyo through AirBnB. It was fun and very comfortable. The owner was an American ex-pat, and I remember when I was looking for a rental that many of the options were through ex-pats of one country or another. Now I understand why.
6
The tone of this article reeks of ugly American. The "space is small by American standards" written large on everything is a cultural affront to anyone living in a crowded city such as Tokyo. When I lived in Germany, in the Ruhr Valley, I was very put off by ex-pat corporate wives insisting on rentals with the same floor space as their suburban split level - something that put them in neighborhoods where the social structure was way above theirs - leading to many misunderstandings when the folks next door didn't want to go "slumming" with the ex-pats.
Looking at the lovely, neat homes pictured here, thinking of large, loud Americans barging in, it is no wonder that this airbandb outfit is not getting people lined up.
I shop yearly at a lovely Japanese yarn shop in Manhattan, I'm not terribly large, but always take off my coat and shoes leaving them outside in the hall so that I don't clumsily bump into things - it is quite clear that the delicate balance shown in these photos is easily upset by tourists' presence.
Looking at the lovely, neat homes pictured here, thinking of large, loud Americans barging in, it is no wonder that this airbandb outfit is not getting people lined up.
I shop yearly at a lovely Japanese yarn shop in Manhattan, I'm not terribly large, but always take off my coat and shoes leaving them outside in the hall so that I don't clumsily bump into things - it is quite clear that the delicate balance shown in these photos is easily upset by tourists' presence.
27
Japan has one of the most developed rules bound culture in the world; US the least. That's why the Japanese traveling abroad will break fewer rules than Americans who instinctively feel free to do anything they want. Unless the Japanese hosts can sense the guests are respectful enough of their culture (regardless of how "stupid" it might appear to them), guests will not be invited to their homes.
Remember the age old adage: "When in Rome, do as the Romans do"? Do your homework before you go.
Remember the age old adage: "When in Rome, do as the Romans do"? Do your homework before you go.
16
Really nice article, thanks.
Regarding French guests -- when I hosted years ago on Airbnb, I always looked forward to having them, as they were incredibly considerate, quiet, and polite. Without fail, they'd bring a gift from their hometowns. My German guests were the same; true models of how to be a houseguest.
Regarding French guests -- when I hosted years ago on Airbnb, I always looked forward to having them, as they were incredibly considerate, quiet, and polite. Without fail, they'd bring a gift from their hometowns. My German guests were the same; true models of how to be a houseguest.
9
While we will never know the reason behind this host's description of her French visitors as challenging, I will hazard a guess. The aloofness with strangers so characteristic of the French might not meld well with Japanese politeness. I could see it being interpreted as rudeness or displeasure.
4
I have used AirBnB dozens of times all over the world. The experience in Japan or elsewhere depends on the lodging one selects. Anything from a lonely boarding house environment to corporate apartments to a full immersion couch surfing experience is available. Just be certain what you want when making the shared room/private room/entire place selection and read the reviews. One must also of course calibrate the description to the local culture.
4
I started reading this article, because the topic is interesting. I had to finish it, because the writing is great.
15
The proliferation of this "sharing" economy is, to me personally, a supremely depressing turn of events. As one that backpacked and hosteled throughout my youth, I understand the desire for cheap lodgings from a traveler's perspective. As much as I liked the social nature of this travel though, I looked forward to the point that I no longer needed to share toilets and showers and beds with dozens of others. Also, now, as a home owner, I can't fathom every aspect of my daily personal life being subjugated to the whims and needs of the constantly changing randoms occupying my house. While there are certainly some among the renters of their personal possessions that do it, like Mr. Machida, for the purpose of off-shooting it into their own business ventures or because they are inherently hyper social, the majority seem to do it for more sober reasons: being loneliness, financial hardship, etc. It is the poisoning of the secure soil of the community, that has allowed these weeds to grow, that lends these stories a melancholy air to me.
I wonder: would this economy have worked in the 1950's, when financial security was less perilous and community/familial ties less fragmented? Have our desires for personal space and ownership changed? Who knows; perhaps I'm just too old, or sheltered, to understand this movement. Or perhaps,the culture the Japanese have fostered has allowed them to negate the needs that drive many in other countries to open up lives to waves of strangers.
I wonder: would this economy have worked in the 1950's, when financial security was less perilous and community/familial ties less fragmented? Have our desires for personal space and ownership changed? Who knows; perhaps I'm just too old, or sheltered, to understand this movement. Or perhaps,the culture the Japanese have fostered has allowed them to negate the needs that drive many in other countries to open up lives to waves of strangers.
20
New Zealand had something like this long before Airbnb. Many years ago I traveled around that country staying in bach rentals and "home stays," all of it booked online -- a positive experience for the most part. Where a host was present, they had hosted long enough to have established a comfortable distance from their guests (I find the paying guest/house guest position an uncomfortable line to straddle). Decades ago I stayed in B&B accommodations all round Europe, again with mixed results. What killed the B&B experience for me was the American version so common in the 1980s and 90s -- that cutsie, pseudo-Victorian, potpourri-stinking kind of place where the overbearing proprietor insisted on getting into your business. I'm getting a sick headache just from the memory.
I think the reporter and the Airbnb analysts have missed something particular to the Japanese, as to why the Airbnb situation might be fraught for them. Hierarchy is pivotal to Japanese society (there is much behind that "How Should I even address her?" question). So is being a member of a group, where everyone knows and complies with the social norms. I disagree with the assumption that fear of the unknown lies behind the reticence expressed. I would attribute that reluctance to a deeply ingrained, temperamental formality. I get it. I am much the same way.
I think the reporter and the Airbnb analysts have missed something particular to the Japanese, as to why the Airbnb situation might be fraught for them. Hierarchy is pivotal to Japanese society (there is much behind that "How Should I even address her?" question). So is being a member of a group, where everyone knows and complies with the social norms. I disagree with the assumption that fear of the unknown lies behind the reticence expressed. I would attribute that reluctance to a deeply ingrained, temperamental formality. I get it. I am much the same way.
13
I have to admit that, like the many Japanese in this article, I would be hesitant to rent out a room in my home to a stranger. There are many reasons why you should not to let strangers into your home, and not many reasons why you should.
Also, I've found that when traveling I am relieved to get back into my private, quiet hotel room after a day of being exposed to the sights and sounds of a foreign city. It always comes as a calming end to what is often a hectic and confusing day. So, the thought of returning to my shared apartment and having other people there that I would need to try to converse with in a language not my own doesn't sound appealing.
Also, I've found that when traveling I am relieved to get back into my private, quiet hotel room after a day of being exposed to the sights and sounds of a foreign city. It always comes as a calming end to what is often a hectic and confusing day. So, the thought of returning to my shared apartment and having other people there that I would need to try to converse with in a language not my own doesn't sound appealing.
50
I agree with Ms Pea. I was a bit surprised at the tone of the article, which seems to question the reticence of the Japanese to participate in Airbnb and suggest their attitude is unwelcoming.
There is no way I would open my house to strangers while I am there. Putting aside safety concerns, I would find it awkward. I have happily stayed in both vacation rentals where the owners were not present, and in small private "vacation cottages" on the property of a single family home, but I draw the line at sharing a bathroom with a stranger.
I would suggest that the Japanese might consider rental of their entire apartment during the Olympics, during which time they could use the proceeds to travel abroad.
There is no way I would open my house to strangers while I am there. Putting aside safety concerns, I would find it awkward. I have happily stayed in both vacation rentals where the owners were not present, and in small private "vacation cottages" on the property of a single family home, but I draw the line at sharing a bathroom with a stranger.
I would suggest that the Japanese might consider rental of their entire apartment during the Olympics, during which time they could use the proceeds to travel abroad.
14
Japan is decidedly Japanese, thankfully. Getting the economy going is however serious business with demographic factors and sociological characterists working against growth. Maybe apartment sharing is a good idea but places like Toyko are so big and crowded that the society lives like bees in giant hives of cells. A better idea might be to have Japan export citizen to other places to teach the act of silence and calm. Frankly, Japanese individuality is everywhere if you look closely but they nevertheless can coexist in close quarters with peace and quite. I worry that Japan is becoming UN-Japanese due to being the Asian crossroad of travelers and visitors. The country needs too many tourists and accommodation revenues.
They unfortunately normalize capitalism (large firms run by old men) and do not admire youngsters determined to build wealth. Whatever the solutions are they must begin to emerge sooner than later. Japan is already crusty with an old age population and youngsters are growing up to resemble their parents by being obedient workers having few children.
They unfortunately normalize capitalism (large firms run by old men) and do not admire youngsters determined to build wealth. Whatever the solutions are they must begin to emerge sooner than later. Japan is already crusty with an old age population and youngsters are growing up to resemble their parents by being obedient workers having few children.
1
...the concept of sharing one`s dwelling brings up a host of problems--yes, because growing up in a country where they manage to route millions through Tokyo--foreigners, especially United States citizens, bring with them a condescending, warped expectation that`s...boring and uninteresting to most locals.
Even the hipsters would rather just overpay for the `honor` to meet foreigners who are in the capital to do the same boring things: leer at temples, worship the red light districts and tread through the same places. Do you gaikoku-jin want to just take Harajuku, The Studio Ghibli Museum and Mos Burger with you?..did you know there`s other fine airports like Kansai, Fukuoka and a total of 47 Prefectures throughout Japan, besides Kyoto-Osaka-Tokyo?!?!
Airbnb, last but not least, we don`t want you. Japanese people would rather, for the most part, keep their privacy, quiet and dignity than deal with people who basically show up to speak English. Learn some local culture and language before* coming, then you`d understand why nobody `gets` Airbnb. Nothing but trouble, from several experiences from family and friends.
Even the hipsters would rather just overpay for the `honor` to meet foreigners who are in the capital to do the same boring things: leer at temples, worship the red light districts and tread through the same places. Do you gaikoku-jin want to just take Harajuku, The Studio Ghibli Museum and Mos Burger with you?..did you know there`s other fine airports like Kansai, Fukuoka and a total of 47 Prefectures throughout Japan, besides Kyoto-Osaka-Tokyo?!?!
Airbnb, last but not least, we don`t want you. Japanese people would rather, for the most part, keep their privacy, quiet and dignity than deal with people who basically show up to speak English. Learn some local culture and language before* coming, then you`d understand why nobody `gets` Airbnb. Nothing but trouble, from several experiences from family and friends.
9
Its amazing the strength of opinions some have. My last landlord, born and raised Japanese, loved my recommendation of dedicating one of his apartments for rentals and thoroughly enjoys the experience.
Some just enjoy the experience of meeting new people, like my host family over a decade ago who helped me experience so much my first time here. I'm glad those folks are around, because they are the ambassadors of Japan to all the foreigners who would love to see what Japan has to offer.
Some just enjoy the experience of meeting new people, like my host family over a decade ago who helped me experience so much my first time here. I'm glad those folks are around, because they are the ambassadors of Japan to all the foreigners who would love to see what Japan has to offer.
12
I am a child of Japanese parents who grew up in Japan; I later attended college in Tokyo and lived there as an adult. As someone with a pretty bicultural view of things, I read this article with a particulate level fascination, since its essentially the story of the entrepreneurial and stereotypically friendly/open "west" meeting the reserved and more private "east." Considering that Japanese people rarely even invite personal friends over to their houses (forget a work colleague or boss) why in the world would they open their house to a foreigner? Hats off to you, Airbnb...you've got your work cut out for you.
28
They are obviously doing it because 1. They can 2. No one will see or know they are doing it 3. They are doing it to make a buck!
2
This is so true. A Japanese opening their home to you should be considered a great honor. Japanese tend to be very reserved or embarrassed about their homes. They almost feel naked. Only the closest friends are invited. I worked in Japan for 15 years and I never visited a co-workers home, not once, not ever. You should repay that honer by giving due gratitude.
2
The author doesn't mention traditional guesthouses ("ryokan"), which offer a well established network of lodging throughout Japan, often in homelike settings. The difference between them and AirBnB is that they are licensed, legal and in accordance with local customs - everybody knows they offer lodging to travelers. Perhaps the Japanese are resistant to AirBnB's "disruptive" culture because they have an alternative that works better.
39
The description of the Ultimate Tokyo-Sized Experience!! reminds me of a similar experience I had during an extended backpacking trip in Europe where I accepted a fantastic deal for an apartment in Budapest. I spoke to no one for about three days and it was one of the most profoundly lonely experiences of my life, the desperation that situation to interact with other people led me to one of the worst decisions I've made and I'm glad to have survived. It is amazing what a powerful force loneliness can be!
After that, I learned to stay in hostels or camp sites where there was some communal space to hang out and meet fellow-travelers. Airbnb promises something similar to the allure of hostels, the possibility of meeting interesting people. Perhaps even slightly better because in a hostel you are generally limited to other travelers and not locals of the country you came to visit.
It's a nice idea in theory but, if it turns into a system for low-budget property owners to evade the regulations governing safety, worker regulations, and legacy costs that burden hotels, it will disrupt the industry* but it will fail to deliver on its promise.
* "Disrupt the industry" translation - make a lot of money for the founders while workers lose the protections of the traditional labor market.
After that, I learned to stay in hostels or camp sites where there was some communal space to hang out and meet fellow-travelers. Airbnb promises something similar to the allure of hostels, the possibility of meeting interesting people. Perhaps even slightly better because in a hostel you are generally limited to other travelers and not locals of the country you came to visit.
It's a nice idea in theory but, if it turns into a system for low-budget property owners to evade the regulations governing safety, worker regulations, and legacy costs that burden hotels, it will disrupt the industry* but it will fail to deliver on its promise.
* "Disrupt the industry" translation - make a lot of money for the founders while workers lose the protections of the traditional labor market.
14
Exactly on point. "Disruption" is all about workers losing security to the benefit of a few $billionaire greedheads.
2
Very good article, especially around the behavioral
concepts that lead people to use AirBnB.
concepts that lead people to use AirBnB.
2
I have been only to the town of Narita, Japan on a layover for 5 hours. I found people generally friendly to me. Perhaps townspeople are comfortable with foreigners since the international airport is nearby, and foreigners visit the city. Nevertheless, I believe some degree of xenophobia and racism is rampant throughout the world, I don't think Japan would be any different. How much of a degree? It depends on your world location. This article was intensely interesting.
7
This article shows why studying the humanities in college is important. The Japanese culture is very different from American "culture'. In fact the phrase diametrically-opposed comes to mind.
Instead of looking for outliers in Japan, one by one to, figure out why not many Japanese want to rent out their spare rooms to foreigners, a brief study of Japanese culture would have given them the answer.
I hope the AirBnB people learn to have respect for the Japanese instead of just trying to figure out how to convince them to become pawns in the AirBnb corporate structure.
Instead of looking for outliers in Japan, one by one to, figure out why not many Japanese want to rent out their spare rooms to foreigners, a brief study of Japanese culture would have given them the answer.
I hope the AirBnB people learn to have respect for the Japanese instead of just trying to figure out how to convince them to become pawns in the AirBnb corporate structure.
32
The number of outliers in Japan is extremely small. Most Japanese, unless they belong to a small group who have a direct foreign connection, are extremely xenophobic and suspicious of foreigners. Even the 75-year old host Haruko Miki is likely of Korean ancestry (in my many years living here in Japan, the only Japanese I have met who are fluent in Korean are the Korean-Japanese).
As a long-term foreign (American) resident of Japan, I am not surprised at the mention of restaurants in Tokyo which blatantly display "No Foreigners" signs in their windows. A hot topic in Japan just this week has been a newspaper editorial published by a well-known figure in Japan (Ms. Sono, a former advisor to Prime Minister Abe), in which she praises the former South African system of apartheid and strongly advocates a similar system for Japan where foreign residents should be segregated from the rest of Japanese society (including creation of segregated areas for foreigners who live in Japan).
Given that Ms. Sono's anti-foreigner and xenophobic sentiments are so common and mainstream in Japan, it is difficult to see how airbnb can succeed here. As it stands right now, foreigners in Japan are denied entry into restaurants, denied access to housing and employment, often stopped by Police for ID checks and bag searches, harrassed by security guards while shopping at department stores and subjected to racial discrimination in almost all facets of life. I hope for Japan's sake that it can change.
As a long-term foreign (American) resident of Japan, I am not surprised at the mention of restaurants in Tokyo which blatantly display "No Foreigners" signs in their windows. A hot topic in Japan just this week has been a newspaper editorial published by a well-known figure in Japan (Ms. Sono, a former advisor to Prime Minister Abe), in which she praises the former South African system of apartheid and strongly advocates a similar system for Japan where foreign residents should be segregated from the rest of Japanese society (including creation of segregated areas for foreigners who live in Japan).
Given that Ms. Sono's anti-foreigner and xenophobic sentiments are so common and mainstream in Japan, it is difficult to see how airbnb can succeed here. As it stands right now, foreigners in Japan are denied entry into restaurants, denied access to housing and employment, often stopped by Police for ID checks and bag searches, harrassed by security guards while shopping at department stores and subjected to racial discrimination in almost all facets of life. I hope for Japan's sake that it can change.
20
Great article, I've been hosting since 2011, and my first guest experience was with a great couple of guys in Meguro.
When I went to Kyoto I met the coolest family, took me and other guests to local temples, and treated us to Shikoku udon noodles.
In the Philippines, I met the coolest girl host and took me out partying.
I also had the "faceless Airbnb host/management" type in HK, where I didn't really get to meet anyone.
It's an awesome experience, one that makes me not miss the hotels much at all. Although, once in a while, a nice treat is in order, so when I was in Hiroshima, I stayed at the Rihga Royal.
When I went to Kyoto I met the coolest family, took me and other guests to local temples, and treated us to Shikoku udon noodles.
In the Philippines, I met the coolest girl host and took me out partying.
I also had the "faceless Airbnb host/management" type in HK, where I didn't really get to meet anyone.
It's an awesome experience, one that makes me not miss the hotels much at all. Although, once in a while, a nice treat is in order, so when I was in Hiroshima, I stayed at the Rihga Royal.
3
It sounds to me as if there's some implication that Japan and the Japanese will somehow be happier on the whole if they change their outlook to accommodate and embrace Airbnb. It reminds me of proselytizing in the context of religion.
33
Please note that IBM never had a business unit, division or subsidiary named "IBM International". The reference in the article containing "when Hofstede was employed by IBM International" was likely sourced from Wikipedia. In my opinion, Wikipedia should not blindly be used as a reference by the New York Times.
89
Great article! We lived in central Tokyo for five years, in Minami Azabu, known as "Gaijin Gulch", residential, but full of foreign embassies, the National Azabu Supermarket, a huge Church of the Latter Day Saints, an excellent international school and Homeworks Hamburgers. We immediately felt at home and suggest that this would be an ideal location to recruit new Airbnb hosts, both Japanese and foreign. Over Christmas I stayed at my first Airbnb, in Manhattan, perfect! By the way, to elucidate, over the years IBM has had various international designations, including the IBM World Trade Corporation (WTC), IBM Europe and the IBM Asia-Pacific Group (APG).
2
My father-in-law worked for IBM for over 30 years, in the mid 70's he was posted to Paris from which he travelled frequently to other offices including Germany and Japan. He referred to the division he worked in as "the International Group." He used to liasion with the various country's offices such as IBM France, etc but was part of the United States company.
2
So, I guess this just begs the question, do you have a credible source for your assertion? Perhaps, maybe, your assumption is based on a slippery slope. To wit, there are numerous BP's (business partners) for IBM that use various marketing names that incorporate (with the parents blessing) IBM in their name. For example, many many years ago, Direct Alliance Corporation ( a BP with IBM) marketed servers for the parent company and were often referred to as IBM Direct.
1
Fascinating article.
24
I lived in Jiyugaoka for 8 of the 10 years I lived in Japan - it is quite popular with expats, especially those with families. It is a beautiful neighborhood, and I don't think I'd want to live anywhere else in Tokyo. But it is definitely not a place where foreigners are ogled [at least relative to any other place in Japan].
20
look great!
1
as a "victim" of airbnb's attempt to market unexpected non-hosted properties in Thailand where the description is fraudulent, I seriously question their expansion into vacant properties with no inspection on site:electrical systems causing shocks; new road construction 50 feet away, beach pictures taken kilometers in the distance. I have successfully used airbnb in Denmark, Netherlands, Sweden and Turkey, all in owner occupied residencies without any problem. But this new business turn has proven quite deceptive and unsatisfactory. The matter is still unresolved as a fraudulent presentation of a "jungle house".
41
True that, neighbor. I have found it works well in such cases to unilaterally cancel the credit card charge for that property, and explain to the seller and Airbnb why you are doing it. The culture within Airbnb is, right now, in that special sweet spot where that actually care about us, the users of the service, more than they do about the owners of the properties. I even sense that they are glad to hear such reports, as their only reliable way to check the quality of accommodations.
Two problems remain: how to detect the scammy listings, and making good on the immense time and trouble that sketchy accommodations can take out of a trip. Assuming from this story that Airbnb people read these comments (Hi! Enjoy this good will moment while it lasts!) , two suggestions: generously share negative reviews as well as positive ones; the market will get the hint. And find some way to recompense people for horrid experiences. This will be tough, relying on verification, but can win customers even while enforcing expectations.
But this moment will not last. Every online vendor of customer experience starts off nice, then start to crack the whip on us as soon as investors cry 'enough goodwill already!' Verizon Wireless used to solve problems at the store level; now you're at the mercy of their machines. Amazon has taken away our power to not pay for shoddy and broken merchandise; now it depends on if the seller is a jerk or not. Travelocity used to have real people!
Two problems remain: how to detect the scammy listings, and making good on the immense time and trouble that sketchy accommodations can take out of a trip. Assuming from this story that Airbnb people read these comments (Hi! Enjoy this good will moment while it lasts!) , two suggestions: generously share negative reviews as well as positive ones; the market will get the hint. And find some way to recompense people for horrid experiences. This will be tough, relying on verification, but can win customers even while enforcing expectations.
But this moment will not last. Every online vendor of customer experience starts off nice, then start to crack the whip on us as soon as investors cry 'enough goodwill already!' Verizon Wireless used to solve problems at the store level; now you're at the mercy of their machines. Amazon has taken away our power to not pay for shoddy and broken merchandise; now it depends on if the seller is a jerk or not. Travelocity used to have real people!
3
Japanese society has achieved almost unprecedented levels of harmony though the meticulous development of carefully calibrated rules for social interaction. That harmony, and those rules, are very context-specific, meaning that any change in how things are done or how people interact can be very disruptive and discomfiting, at least until a new set of rules is developed to integrate that change into existing social norms. Once the new rules are developed however, change can occur very quickly. To paraphrase Hemingway, change in Japan occurs very slowly, and then all at once.
Another and more mundane reason why AirBnB may not have caught on in Tokyo yet is that good (albeit small) hotel rooms can be had in Tokyo at a fraction of the price for a similar hotel room in New York, Paris, London and other world capitals.
Another and more mundane reason why AirBnB may not have caught on in Tokyo yet is that good (albeit small) hotel rooms can be had in Tokyo at a fraction of the price for a similar hotel room in New York, Paris, London and other world capitals.
74
We found this in Seattle Sept 2014 that Best Western was not much more expensive than the airbnb we rented in beauteous Burien.
2
Not only that, but the rooms are almost sure to be clean, quiet, and the area safe, unlike most cheap places in American big cities.
2
There was a time when small, out of the way and very inexpensive hotels could be had in Paris. You just had to search or know someone who knew. Hotel names and addresses were traded among travelers as, I assume, thieves trade the names of people who buy stolen goods. My impression in more recent times is that the cheap hotels are now moderately expensive (compared to the regular, more centrally located ones). The Euro, trading higher than the dollar, helps to keep things costly, too. I have found myself staying at an IBIS hotel (a chain) in Paris with rooms that seem as spare as an unoccupied college dorm or even a prison cell. Clean, tiny rooms, no amenities. It is not such a bad experience because I know it will be clean, spartan and considerably under 100 euros per night.
The out of the way hotels were once priced so that French people could afford them. Now, the French rush in from the suburbs on the weekends, taking every left over parking space. Unfortunately, Paris has been walled off by wealth in a way that it once was not. Still, it remains a vibrant city of surprises and occasional delight.
The out of the way hotels were once priced so that French people could afford them. Now, the French rush in from the suburbs on the weekends, taking every left over parking space. Unfortunately, Paris has been walled off by wealth in a way that it once was not. Still, it remains a vibrant city of surprises and occasional delight.
5
A couple of years ago I stayed a couple of days in a university residence in Glasgow, Scotland, following a group tour. Having thought I would need a little bit of quiet, I had booked a single room and over the two days I was there. To this day I can remember the utter silence of the space, walking through empty corridors, eating by myself in the common room, the only time I saw anyone else was the day I left, when I encountered a mystery person asleep on the sofa in the common room, a few minutes before I departed for an early flight.
It's uncanny the noise and oppression that silence creates. For all of our advances in science, technology and the humanities, the comfort of knowing that your ship in the night is not crewed alone, is a profound realisation.
It's uncanny the noise and oppression that silence creates. For all of our advances in science, technology and the humanities, the comfort of knowing that your ship in the night is not crewed alone, is a profound realisation.
51
Some people, like myself, prefer quiet.
10
The place in Australia called 'Ayer's Rock' is now known as Uluru ("oolaroo").
I briefly studied Japanese - lost heart with multiple counting systems - but our tutor said when you speak to Japanese people begin with 'Sumimasen' (excuse me) & pause so they get over the shock of a foreigner speaking to them & doing so in Japanese.
As for AirBnB, my parents & other forebears, knew this as poverty: the need to take in lodgers.
I bet the people running it, worth billions, don't rent out a room in their Mcmansions.
I briefly studied Japanese - lost heart with multiple counting systems - but our tutor said when you speak to Japanese people begin with 'Sumimasen' (excuse me) & pause so they get over the shock of a foreigner speaking to them & doing so in Japanese.
As for AirBnB, my parents & other forebears, knew this as poverty: the need to take in lodgers.
I bet the people running it, worth billions, don't rent out a room in their Mcmansions.
108
ippon, nihon, sambon
ichimai, nimai, sanmai
hitori, futari, sannin
You gave up too quickly.
ichimai, nimai, sanmai
hitori, futari, sannin
You gave up too quickly.
2
If people in big city apartments need help with their "rent" and have extra space, they should do what their forebears did, get lodgers. In cities such as NY and London there are loads of graduate students and other young people just starting out who would love to rent a room in a nice apartment. This certainly wouldn't disturb the neighbors and stop a stream of strangers from being in the building.
4
Your comment is seriously disjointed. While your insight from attempting to learn Japanese is interesting and relevant, your assumptions about the people running the company are without basis.
The company came about by the founders actually renting out space in their own apartment, albeit due to poverty. But most hosts on AirBnB are not desperate for income, they do it for the experience. The places I've stayed are nice, in central (i.e. expensive) neighborhoods, with nice furnishings. And we are soon to be hosts ourselves, and I assure you it's not because we need the money.
And from where did this 'McMansion' idea come? You must have learned it recently and knew it to be a disparaging term for Americans and you were eager to use it. But I can assure you that you are using it wrong. Wealthy founders like this don't live in 'McMansions,' they live in real 'mansions,' which by San Francisco standards can be a 3000 square foot Victorian in Noe Valley. McMansions are for the aspirational class in the suburbs.
The company came about by the founders actually renting out space in their own apartment, albeit due to poverty. But most hosts on AirBnB are not desperate for income, they do it for the experience. The places I've stayed are nice, in central (i.e. expensive) neighborhoods, with nice furnishings. And we are soon to be hosts ourselves, and I assure you it's not because we need the money.
And from where did this 'McMansion' idea come? You must have learned it recently and knew it to be a disparaging term for Americans and you were eager to use it. But I can assure you that you are using it wrong. Wealthy founders like this don't live in 'McMansions,' they live in real 'mansions,' which by San Francisco standards can be a 3000 square foot Victorian in Noe Valley. McMansions are for the aspirational class in the suburbs.
3
Americans are not"accidentally" loud.
They are loud. Boorishly loud.
Any enterprise that gets Americans to speak more quietly
than "maybe" they speak at home is OK by me, even if it's in Japan.
They are loud. Boorishly loud.
Any enterprise that gets Americans to speak more quietly
than "maybe" they speak at home is OK by me, even if it's in Japan.
71
Every single one of them?
74
No, not every American is loud. For instance, my friend is very quiet, but then, she was born in Tokyo.
3
Very quiet American here and married to a nice Japanese lady who happens to be very loud. Her family is even worse - all of them. I cringed when they insisted on going to the French restaurant here in town for Sunday dinner. Stereotypes are often wrong.
15
Very enjoyable article, and it makes me wonder if this wariness of foreigners is just due to lack of exposure or whether it's outright xenophobia?
29
A little bit of both, but doing something about the former will often help resolve the latter.
1
I suspect that it's less about wariness of foreigners than it is wariness of strangers. I have no desire to stay in someone else's house, nor have anyone stay in mine. Give me a decent hotel room anyway, and then from there I'll plan my adventures. I did language homestay several times in my life, and it wasn't all that great---the hosts were obviously only doing it for the monetary benefit, little else.
2
The two are related, the thousands of years of isolation and lack of exposure have helped create a culture of xenophobia and of many Japanese thinking they are the center of the universe.
1