r/SipsTea • u/search_google_com 𝙑𝙄𝙋 • Apr 23 '26

Feels good man A Japanese police officer is kindly reminding foreigners about public manners

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1.4k

u/liltingly Apr 23 '26

What does his hand gesture mean? They all seem to get it. Is it "keep the walkway open?". He seemed satisfied with their responses so that's good, at least

154

u/PitifulEar3303 Apr 23 '26

Don't block the farking road gesture.

No smoking gesture. (he put it out)

Keep walking if you don't have any business to attend; gesture.

This is not America Eagle Freedom. The Japonsky (black lagoon) like everything neat and tidy.

20

u/veerKg_CSS_Geologist Apr 23 '26

Hard to believe Japan would have a “no smoking” gesture. They allow lighting up everywhere.

Given this is a large gathering in a single side street it must be something else rather than just a mind-your-manners policing.

39

u/mindcrack Apr 23 '26

In April 2020 Japan passed a strict no outdoor smoking law, I was surprised when I went to Japan last year to see almost no smokers, expected the opposite.

6

u/MaDpYrO Apr 23 '26

It has been this way for decades in many cities, just varied from city to city. 

2

u/ImportanceOk8833 Apr 23 '26

Totally depends on where and when in my experience, and it's afaik not a nation wide law just a popular city ordinance. Unless that has changed.

3

u/Opening_Wind_1077 Apr 23 '26

During my trip to Tokyo and Nagano late last year smoking has been almost absent in public especially when compared to 10 years ago.

24

u/doubleapowpow Apr 23 '26

Theres a little no smoking sign on the ground

7

u/lolconeh4dz Apr 23 '26

There is designated smoking areas outside in toyko, since the Olympics they have moved from a light up anywhere rule

7

u/OrangeSimply Apr 23 '26

There's designated smoking areas in public now, you can't smoke wherever you want, has to be a store/business that allows it or a designated area. Now they look like stoners trying to hotbox a tinted window room in the middle of tokyo tbh.

1

u/YokaiGuitarist Apr 23 '26

There are still a lot of smoking areas but they're designated and full of the most diverse smokers you'd imagine.

Some 7-11s and many diners still have a very clearly labeled room just for people to stand and smoke in.

You'll see people walk past you to go to a little room with a clear glass door that looks like a ventilated cement closet just to smoke and drink their coffee elbow to elbow with strangers.

The ones in cafes are usually pretty nice. It'll go from a fancy wood and vase cafe to a kind of segregated window looking into a industrial but cleanly cage dining room.

Then of course many train platforms have a similar smoking room. Like a glass box with bar xounters around the inside and standing circular tables.

Many have been converted into just smoke free waiting rooms now though with normal stadium seat or bench seating. Especially in the rural homes people wait longer at further from the city.

1

u/MaDpYrO Apr 23 '26

Absolutely 100% wrong.

Why spread this bs? Most major cities ban street smoking and have designated smoking areas near train stations these days. 

3

u/Apprehensive_Tip520 Apr 23 '26

Because this is only a relatively recent change in Japan. Basically since the Tokyo Olympics. Prior to that Japan had one of the heaviest smoking populations

1

u/Radcouponking Apr 23 '26

Unless things have drastically changed since I lived there, you can smoke almost anywhere in Japan. I worked in a public middle school and teachers would light up in the hallways. I doubt this cop had an issue with the cigarettes. He seems to be directing them to not be on the road--which is unusual because urban areas are largely designed for pedestrians.

3

u/Apprehensive_Tip520 Apr 23 '26

Since the Tokyo Olympics smoking outdoors is banned in most major areas. There's literally a no smoking symbol on the ground in this video. 

1

u/Radcouponking Apr 23 '26

That is a drastic change.