Japanese soccer fans attracted plenty of praise at the World Cup last month when, having watched their team lose to Ivory Coast, they diligently cleaned up their trash from the stadium. Whether you think these supporters’ actions show how important it is to Japanese people to be considerate of others, or just good old-fashioned common sense that applies wherever you are in the world, everyone (well, almost everyone) agreed that taking your rubbish home with you is A Good Thing.
This week, however, Japanese Twitter users have breathed a collective disappointed sigh as photos of the trash left in the streets after the world-famous Sumida River Fireworks Festival show some people in Japan aren’t as super-considerate as we’d like to think. Is Tokyo an exception to the rules? Or is Japan’s reputation as a super-clean nation undeserved?
While many people in Japan bring rubbish bags to sort and take home their trash after attending fireworks or a hanami (cherry-blossom viewing) party, it seems that for some, when festival season comes round all rules are thrown out the window like a flailing pair of Homer Simpson’s pants. Attendees of the festival, which takes place on the last Saturday of July and is one of Japan’s oldest and most famous fireworks festivals, took to Twitter to vent their rage at the inconsiderate types who prefer the dump-and-run approach to waste disposal.
▼ “The bicycle parking place I always use is today doubling up as a trash sorting venue” writes one Twitter user, proving that Japanese people can use sarcasm after all.
▼ “In Asakusa now. We’re not at the World Cup any more…”
Some of the comments reveal more about the amount of garbage there usually isn’t in Japan. How wonderful to live in a country where this pushed-together pile of plastic bags and bottles elicits the caption: “Asakusa after the festival. The trash is seriously way too much.”
▼ “At Asakusa Shrine. There’s trash everywhere.”
To be fair, there is actually quite a lot of garbage in this next pic, although it’s worth noting that people have at least been considerate enough to throw it all in the same place.
▼ “Because of the fireworks festival this trash mountain has appeared (´･_･｀) “
Japanese net users were equally appalled:
“If this is how people behave, how can we have the Olympics here [in 2020]?”
“They should cancel the fireworks festival.”
“I can’t believe anyone would just throw trash outside like that.”
“What happened to the cleaning-up we did at the World Cup?”
“I honestly can’t understand how anyone would do this.”
“You should leave a place looking more beautiful than how you found it. Didn’t they learn that at school?”
Other commenters pointed out that taking trash home on a packed train is hardly an appealing prospect, and said that the organisers should be responsible for dealing with it. The festival’s website boasts no less than 23 do’s and don’ts for attendees, including this gloriously didactic message for anyone considering littering:
“Dispose of trash only in the designated areas. Tossing it outside or leaving it anywhere except in the correct place not only ruins the beauty of our environment, it shows you to be an irresponsible person with no moral sense.”
Also prohibited by the festival organisers are: climbing on the roof of someone’s house (to see the fireworks better) without their permission, getting into arguments with other visitors over trivial things, and, er, answering the call of nature anywhere except in an actual provided public toilet. Hopefully we won’t be seeing pictures of that kind of indiscretion on Twitter any time soon.
Source: Naver Matome
Top image: @c2680r (Twitter)
Fujisawa Enoshima Fireworks Festival results in one ton of garbage strewn on the beach
Krispy Kreme Japan is bringing two special donuts to the most-forgotten big city in the country
Japan has a new cute and clever sunblock for cat lovers
Japanese vending machine find introduces us to a new drink you can’t get anywhere else
Starbucks Japan hoping fans will go bananas for its new mottainai banana affogato Frappuccino
Japan’s izakaya pubs closing at record pace, failing to attract foreign tourists
Japanese temple burns to the ground, fire burning inside for 1,200 years unharmed
Super! Eel Bread takes Japanese sushi into uncharted territory
The story of our reporter P.K. Sanjun’s heart attack
Kanji ice cream becomes a sell-out hit in Japan
Tokyo’s life-size Gundam anime mecha statue will be removed this summer
Ichiraku Ramen-inspired ramen sets from Naruto anime pay homage to Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura
Hundreds of rose bushes in bloom at Tokyo’s off-the-beaten-path, next-to-the-tracks flower street
This Tokyo Station sweets sensation sells out daily, but we finally got our hands on it
Studio Ghibli’s president is leaving the company. Will it change how they make anime?
161-year-old Kyoto confectionary maker releases new edible Pokémon lineup
Let’s hike a Japanese mountain (that isn’t Mt. Fuji) – Mt. Tsukuba[Photos]
The average age of Japan’s hikikomori shut-ins is getting older, survey shows
Japan enters Golden Week vacation period, survey shows one in three plan to ride it out at home
New Kyoto Converse sneakers celebrate Japan with traditional kimono fabrics for your feet
Japan’s new Pokémon jackets give you the look and powers of the Kanto starter trio
Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
Japan now has gyoza doughnuts, and they taste like no other doughnut we’ve tried before
Studio Ghibli launches huge new anime movie T-shirt collection with special design details
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa