There are some funny things about Japan but if I see it in other country, it is not that really funny. Those funny things only happen in Japan. I want to share someting funny about the culture of Japan through writing this article.
When I was walking on the street in Japan during winter, I found a foreigner who wears a shirt with a short.
I was surprised about it because it is cold outside. He might not be feeling cold, but Japanese like a homogenous thing, Japanese people usually like to change cloths everytime the seasons change. During the winter season, Japanese people wear something like coat. If they see someone who wears summer clothes, they feel weird.
One of the reasons for this is, Japanese people are taught to wear clothes in accordance with seasons. It is called TPO in Japanese English. TPO means time, place and occasion. We follow TPO to choose proper attire. I know another country which is doing the same thing, but I think that following TPO in Japan is too much. That is why when I see a person who wears a shirt with a short, I feel that it is weird. He might feel hot, but wearing a shirt with a short in winter season is weird.
Sometimes the TPO and a homogenous culture bothers me because even though I feel hot during the winter season and I don’t want to wear coat, I am anxious about what would my friends wear. The TPO and a homogenous culture is linked to think something. Recently, I have heard about Japanese men who look like girls because their bodies look thin, they are also holding shoulder bags like a woman and they do not have enough muscles. It is difficult for them to change their mind. Fashion media trend, homogenous culture and the TPO push us to look fashionable yet feeling weird
It is not only a shirt for foreigners, it is also all fashion. When I was college student in Japan, I had to wear trend fashion. It is funny things because my friend wore same color pant and jacket. On the other hand, college in the US, one of girls wear cloth which look like pajamas and one of other classmate always wear hoodie. This is very different culture between Japan and America.
However, when you travel in Japan, I recommend to wear your favorite clothes instead of imitating Japanese because you are a foreigner. Japanese understand about you.
In addition, if you want to work in Japan, I recommend you to follow the TPO and our habit. Most of companies in Japan have still a homogenous thought.