Is considered rude to take pictures of "weird stuff" I see in Oki??

[BleuEneG]

I am kinda easily amused I guess but when I see an Engrish shirt or some sort of item in a store that is like nothing they have back home in the states I am tempted to bust out my camera phone and take a pic.

Thinking as an American I wouldn't care if I saw a foreinger take pictures of stuff at my local mall. But yeah I might be wondering what they thought was so funny if he was laughing hard at some shirt. So I try to hide my laughter when I am holding up all the funny Engrish shirts. But the Japanese people know they are funny right? I mean..I know they don't care if the English makes any sense they just like the look of the letters. But I wonder if they get offended if we find them funny. What do you all think?

[Muku]

I am kinda easily amused I guess but when I see an Engrish shirt or some sort of item in a store that is like nothing they have back home in the states I am tempted to bust out my camera phone and take a pic.

Thinking as an American I wouldn't care if I saw a foreinger take pictures of stuff at my local mall. But yeah I might be wondering what they thought was so funny if he was laughing hard at some shirt. So I try to hide my laughter when I am holding up all the funny Engrish shirts. But the Japanese people know they are funny right? I mean..I know they don't care if the English makes any sense they just like the look of the letters. But I wonder if they get offended if we find them funny. What do you all think?

Actually I would be willing to bet that many if not most would have no idea what is funny about them.

[watzitoou]

I agree with Muku!

You may think its funny, but I say its rude, disrespectful to even think its funny. My kids wear Japanese clothes everyday. How can you be so cold? If someone wore a shirt like this would you think its funny?

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y30/yosquiddy/lastnames.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y30/yosquiddy/moglab.jpg

[DougP]

Hears a tip. If you are not 150% sure of what your shirt really says, don't wear it. I've seen a couple of 5 year olds running around with t-shirts that said "porn star" on them. I about died laughing.

Sorry but anyone caught wearing something like this out in town deserves to get their picture taken without warning.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v477/DougGTR32/77454094_debc2abe9c.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v477/DougGTR32/imcock.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v477/DougGTR32/getkilled.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v477/DougGTR32/i-love-ny-ca.jpg

[Muku]

Would you let your kid wear this to school? Imagine walking into a Japanese school and seeing this.:w00t:

http://www.japanupdate.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=380&d=1206011410

[DougP]

the picture title itself is too racy to be displayed LMAO:D I saw that picture, Muku of the little kid with the shirt that says "To drunk to F@#k" Holy cow:w00t:

[Trail]

http://www.engrish.com/detail.php?imagename=wake-up.jpg&category=Adult%20Engrish&date=2007-07-16

http://www.engrish.com/detail.php?imagename=girl-of-shaggy.jpg&category=Adult%20Engrish&date=2007-07-20

http://www.engrish.com/detail.php?imagename=enjoydoing-clambake.jpg&category=Clothing&date=2007-07-25

Watz, I am sure they feel free to laugh at all the f*cked up Kanji tattoos Americans have.

[Sex Wax]

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/915/3998/1600/captivityMan.jpg

http://www.boingboing.net/images/yickem.jpg

http://www.mydogella.com/zen.jpg

[Muku]

the picture title itself is too racy to be displayed LMAO:D I saw that picture, Muku of the little kid with the shirt that says "To drunk to F@#k" Holy cow:w00t:

I downloaded it and changed the title....had that problem once before.:-| :)

[dk]

Would you let your kid wear this to school? Imagine walking into a Japanese school and seeing this.:w00t:

http://www.japanupdate.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=380&d=1206011410
I think that might be a Hysteric Glamour shirt, which is a pretty famous brand. A lot of my wife's friends have worked there, and I remember seeing that shirt for sale when I went there. Or at least that phrase.

I really doubt whoever bought that shirt for that kid really cared what was written on it. All they saw was the label and the pricetag.

[BleuEneG]

I agree with Muku!

You may think its funny, but I say its rude, disrespectful to even think its funny. My kids wear Japanese clothes everyday. How can you be so cold? If someone wore a shirt like this would you think its funny?

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y30/yosquiddy/lastnames.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y30/yosquiddy/moglab.jpg

I'm not sure I understand the tone of your comment. Are you offended that I asked a question about Japanese people possibly being offended ?

The whole point of me asking shows that I am not of the character to be rude or cold. I am trying to avoid being disrespectful...thus the purpose of my questions in the first place.

hmmmmm ....if I am rude because I think that the Engrish shirts are funny such as the examples other members have posted then I can't apologize for that. If it makes me laugh I know I'm not the only one since there are websites devoted to them. If you're kids wear them everyday maybe you are the disrespectul one.

[Muku]

The whole point of me asking shows that I am not of the character to be rude or cold. I am trying to avoid being disrespectful...thus the purpose of my questions in the first place.

hmmmmm ....if I am rude because I think that the Engrish shirts are funny such as the examples other members have posted then I can't apologize for that. If it makes me laugh I know I'm not the only one since there are websites devoted to them.

I give you a lot of credit for coming here and asking first. :thumbup:

I think you can see the types of t-shirts that are available here and I think that depending on the owner of the store they might get upset if you took a picture of their products.

I have seen people get bitched at by store owners for similar reasons you were talking about in your OP.

I dont think you are being rude at all, just human! I laugh at a lot of tshirts that I see. And some I would just love to rip off their backs as well. I have seen unbelievably racist ones along with ones that the wearing is offering free sex.

It's just human nature to laugh.

[okisteve]

I think they are often very funny, and I do not think it is rude to take pictures of them. The shopowners are not the ones who made up the weird Japlish, and they are selling them profitably, so why should they care?

[Oxmix]

I agree with Muku!

You may think its funny, but I say its rude, disrespectful to even think its funny. My kids wear Japanese clothes everyday. How can you be so cold? If someone wore a shirt like this would you think its funny?

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y30/yosquiddy/lastnames.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y30/yosquiddy/moglab.jpg

I see Hmong people in the background. Is there a Hmong population on Okinawa?

Regards

Ox

[Jrocka83]

http://www.epicwin.org/img/japan/engrish/04.jpg

Yes, The new standard is Junky & Healthy:D

[okisteve]

Would you let your kid wear this to school? Imagine walking into a Japanese school and seeing this.:w00t:

http://www.japanupdate.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=380&d=1206011410

I wonder what kind of parents would? I guess nobody understood it including the teachers. Looks like the kid has an attitude too.

[okisteve]

I agree with Muku!

You may think its funny, but I say its rude, disrespectful to even think its funny. My kids wear Japanese clothes everyday. How can you be so cold? If someone wore a shirt like this would you think its funny?





I would not have the slightest idea if those shirts were meant to be funny or not. My kids wear Japanese clothes everyday too, and sometimes what is written on them makes no sense. So?

[Ammoyankee]

I am kinda easily amused I guess but when I see an Engrish shirt or some sort of item in a store that is like nothing they have back home in the states I am tempted to bust out my camera phone and take a pic.

Thinking as an American I wouldn't care if I saw a foreinger take pictures of stuff at my local mall. But yeah I might be wondering what they thought was so funny if he was laughing hard at some shirt. So I try to hide my laughter when I am holding up all the funny Engrish shirts. But the Japanese people know they are funny right? I mean..I know they don't care if the English makes any sense they just like the look of the letters. But I wonder if they get offended if we find them funny. What do you all think?

While some here say it's offensive, it is the Japanese who are notorious for taking pictures of everything and everyone wherever they go...

Of course, recent events will portray everything we do as heinous, so you had better not!

Next CNN Headline... Horrible Americans Hit Streets of Japan with Renegade Cameras, Locals Demand Money and Base Closures!!!

[Tony Stacks]

[QUOTE]I agree with Muku!

You may think its funny, but I say its rude, disrespectful to even think its funny. My kids wear Japanese clothes everyday. How can you be so cold? If someone wore a shirt like this would you think its funny?





Well if they're not sure what the shirt says they should'nt buy it / wear it. I think people have the absolute right to laugh at people wearing these shirts!

[zeldan]

I take pictures of everything, pretty much. I've been "yelled at" once by a Japanese worker in the store, but he was very polite about it, smiling and just saying "no camera."

[watzitoou]

So if you went to Thailand, Laos, Mexico, Vietnam, Saudi, USA, other country's - if the shirts didn't make sense you would be laughing at them?

All of my friends are from other country's most of them their writing on shirts/clothes doesn't make sense, but I am not laughing at them or the clothes. When they see shirts/clothes we wear they are not laughing either. None of my friends are white, so maybe thats why I am not laughing at the clothes/them!

[Tony Stacks]

So if you went to Thailand, Laos, Mexico, Vietnam, Saudi, USA, other country's - if the shirts didn't make sense you would be laughing at them?

All of my friends are from other country's most of them their writing on shirts/clothes doesn't make sense, but I am not laughing at them or the clothes. When they see shirts/clothes we wear they are not laughing either. None of my friends are white, so maybe thats why I am not laughing at the clothes/them!


Yes. Just like if I wore a shirt in their language and it said some of the stuff those shirts said they would laugh at me too.

[zeldan]

1. Firmly wrap hands around stick.
2. Once you have a tight grip, quickly and smoothly pull downwards, away from the body, until the stick is completely dislodged.

[Tony Stacks]

So if you went to Thailand, Laos, Mexico, Vietnam, Saudi, USA, other country's - if the shirts didn't make sense you would be laughing at them?

All of my friends are from other country's most of them their writing on shirts/clothes doesn't make sense, but I am not laughing at them or the clothes. When they see shirts/clothes we wear they are not laughing either. None of my friends are white, so maybe thats why I am not laughing at the clothes/them!


So you are telling me you not not laugh if you saw this
http://www.japanupdate.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=380&d=1206011410

[watzitoou]

So you are telling me you not not laugh if you saw this
http://www.japanupdate.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=380&d=1206011410

No, I don't see it funny.

[DougP]

None of my friends are white, so maybe thats why I am not laughing at the clothes/them!

Oh please tell me we're not going to go through this crap again.:argh3::argh14:

[Trail]

Somebody is a wet blanket.... yikes.

[okisteve]

I don't either. It's just, well, gross doesn't really fit either. And not on a little kid for chrissake. But if something does strike me as funny, I laugh.

There was a well-endowed Chinese girl in my language class wearing a China-made T with a (pirated) Disney theme, saying "Mickie and Minny, they are a perfect pair". That was funny to me and I explained it to her as gently as I could. She didn't wear the shirt again to class.

[Tony Stacks]

No, I don't see it funny.


Well you just have no sense of humor.

[DougP]

I don't either. It's just, well, gross doesn't really fit either. And not on as little kid for chrissake.

I can see how it wouldn't be funny on a kid. I would laugh at the fact parents could be so stupid as to wrap their kids up in potentially offensive slogans. Oh what a world. But yes it is sad for those poor kids who will unknowingly end up on the internet like TDTF boy and be the center of amusement for some time to come.

Now when I see some 24 year old women wearing a shirt that reads: "Miss Urine Tester USA." I am going to laugh my balls off.:D

[Tony Stacks]

I can see how it wouldn't be funny on a kid. I would laugh at the fact parents could be so stupid as to wrap their kids up in potentially offensive slogans. Oh what a world. But yes it is sad for those poor kids who will unknowingly end up on the internet like TDTF boy and be the center of amusement for some time to come.

That exactly how I feel.



Now when I see some 24 year old women wearing a shirt that reads: "Miss Urine Tester USA." I am going to laugh my balls off.:D[/QUOTE]

So will I!:first:

[Go-Shay]

I think they are often very funny, and I do not think it is rude to take pictures of them. The shopowners are not the ones who made up the weird Japlish, and they are selling them profitably, so why should they care?

I agree with okisteve on this one. take pics and unless you are a very large freaky looking person I doubt anyone will care

[Muku]

Ok this is another one of those "Tree falling in the forest" things here.....

Is the damn English offensive if anyone reading it has no idea what the hell it means, even if it was ....
http://www.japanupdate.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=381&d=1206047670

Its only offensive to those that find it so. However I think that if I saw anyone wearing something like this I would say something about it if I was in a situation to do so.

Just passing down the street however, I would be laughing my ass off.

[applejacks]

I take pictures of everything, pretty much. I've been "yelled at" once by a Japanese worker in the store, but he was very polite about it, smiling and just saying "no camera."

That's my view on it, if they do not allow it, then they will tell you. At the stores, take pics of the shirts, on a person walking down the street, that may be a different story.


I find most of the shirts funny, the offensive ones, well, I just turn my away.

[applejacks]

http://www.japanupdate.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=381&d=1206047670

Its only offensive to those that find it so. However I think that if I saw anyone wearing something like this I would say something about it if I was in a situation to do so.

Just passing down the street however, I would be laughing my ass off.

Yeah, like if the guy was sitting in the living room waiting to pick up my daughter!

[BleuEneG]

[QUOTE=watzitoou;83544]





Well if they're not sure what the shirt says they should'nt buy it / wear it. I think people have the absolute right to laugh at people wearing these shirts!

Oh I think I better clarify something here. I guess I assumed in my initial post that this would be assumed by the reader...but I am NOT talking about taking pictures of PEOPLE WEARING SHIRTS...I meant the shirts just themselves that I see hanging in stores.

OH No I wouldn't think of just snapping a picture of a child or even an adult no matter how damn amused I was at a shirt or anything else about them. My purpose wouldn't be to be making fun or exploiting anyone.

And as far as wearing them I just bought 3 yesterday. I dig Engrish shirts...that's why I wanted to know if it would be rude of me to take pictures of the funny ones I saw in stores since I can't buy all of them.

Trust me..if I could afford to buy every funny Engrish shirt I saw I would be spending far more yen that I make. Although I know I have some friends back home who would buy them from me. :D

[Son Kokujin]

Sometimes my Nihonjin friends ask me about the messages on the Engrish tee shirts, and well, I simply explain to them what they translate to as best as I can...some make no sense at all! Some people, as I've been told, have NO CLUE as to what is being said on their shirts, and really don't care...they just think they're the bomb...go fig-the same thing happens back in the States.

[okisteve]

The very first funny one I ever saw was in Bangkok, but it might have been made in Japan because it had some kanji logo. It had a picture of a teapot and said "Teapot By Friend", like that was supposed to be artsy or cute. It struck me as so funny I bought and wore it until it had more holes than cloth. That was around 1984.

[Sharvani]

Sometimes when i see shirts or weird things in the store i will ask if it is ok to take a photo (shashin wa daijobu desu ka) or i'll just hold u my camera and say daijobu? I've never been turned down before. I don't think i could take a photo of someone else wearing a shirt though, i think it's rude.

A friend of mine (back in Australia) had a japanese friend who was wearing a shirt that said something about getting high on it and wasn't allowed in the church. Obviously she had no idea what it said.

I remember when i was in high school i saw alot of shirts that had kanji on them and nobody knew what they said but thought they looked cool so i guess it's the same thing. My Japanese friend saw an Australian guy in the mall with the words "big d_ck" in kanji. I wonder if he knew...

But personally i love wearing weird Engrish shirts, i have one that says "thing of lovley" written on it :p

weird stuff i've taken photos of

it says "unchi kun gummi" which means mr. poo gummi
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc177/From_Japan/poo-gummi3.jpg

it says "massage" and comes with batteries....
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc177/From_Japan/goya.jpg

i know i said i don't take photos of random people, but these guys were filming on the side of the road in Naha and waved to me when they saw i had a camera so i filmed them! They are dressed as characters from a childrens TV show gachapin or something
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc177/From_Japan/suits.jpg

[Hollarey]

None of my friends are white, so maybe thats why I am not laughing at the clothes/them!


Here we go with the "white" comments again.

The thing that I see is funny is when it is written in English and it makes no sense at all when you read it.

[mikersoft]

i know i said i don't take photos of random people, but these guys were filming on the side of the road in Naha and waved to me when they saw i had a camera so i filmed them! They are dressed as characters from a childrens TV show gachapin or something
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc177/From_Japan/suits.jpg

I think that children's show would give me nightmares! :scared:

-Mike

[Sharvani]

I think that children's show would give me nightmares! :scared:

-Mike

yeah their eyes kinda look scary don't they, but i have some stickers of them and they look so cute


http://www.fujitvkids.co.jp/english/chara/chara_01.html

[Muku]

I think that children's show would give me nightmares! :scared:

-Mike

I dont know who these characters are but it isnt gajapin and his sidekick, maybe they were doing a parady of them who knows?:eek:

http://www.tokyomango.com/tokyo_mango/images/ponkiki.jpeg

[Sharvani]

I dont know who these characters are but it isnt gajapin and his sidekick, maybe they were doing a parady of them who knows?:eek:

http://www.tokyomango.com/tokyo_mango/images/ponkiki.jpeg

um, yes it is, well its supposed to be anyway

[mikersoft]

^^ Ah, yes. I've seen them before. They aren't so scary. ;)

-Mike

[didueatmycake]

omg, i'm so ashamed as a japanese lol japanese ppl should know what they're writing about. I'd warn them if i gotta chance. seriously. this is not good for little kids. lol

heck, i laugh all the time lookin at those crappy english shirts. well, i thnk it's ok for me to laugh since i'm japanese so i can say crap about them without being "racist" or whatever.

BleuEneG, I know exactly how you feel when you wanna "bust out your camera". cuz i always do lol

[dk]

I dont know who these characters are but it isnt gajapin and his sidekick, maybe they were doing a parady of them who knows?:eek:

http://www.tokyomango.com/tokyo_mango/images/ponkiki.jpeg
The one on the right looks like it's either stoned, singing a song, or involved in an otori session. Look at its eyes.

[P_chan]

I dont know who these characters are but it isnt gajapin and his sidekick, maybe they were doing a parady of them who knows?:eek:

http://www.tokyomango.com/tokyo_mango/images/ponkiki.jpeg

Gajapin FTW! I always buy my sister-in-law gajapin stuff because her family says she has gajapin's eyes:w00t:

[badkitty]

Hell I am always taking picturs of wired stuff. if you think it's bad here, take a trip to Korea. There is some stuff that is just bananas over there.

[Asshat]

omg, i'm so ashamed as a japanese lol japanese ppl should know what they're writing about. I'd warn them if i gotta chance. seriously. this is not good for little kids. lol

heck, i laugh all the time lookin at those crappy english shirts. well, i thnk it's ok for me to laugh since i'm japanese so i can say crap about them without being "racist" or whatever.

BleuEneG, I know exactly how you feel when you wanna "bust out your camera". cuz i always do lol

No, we think those things are CUTE!

[DougP]

The one on the right looks like it's either stoned, singing a song, or involved in an otori session. Look at its eyes.

Looks like it has warts on its hands too.:scared:

[romosexual]

That exactly how I feel.





So will I!:first:[/QUOTE]

screw that if i see anyone wearing that shit....its funny....lol:w00t:

[dndkt]

I agree that sometimes it's funny, but if you choose to do it, make sure you are not obviously pointing it out and being rude. Other then that, i think it's ok. I'm from Okinawa and I find it funny too. But if someone was a D*ck about it, I'd probably be a little upset. If you do it, just be discreet about it.

[huggybear]

No, it is not rude or disrespectful in taking photos of anyone wearing T-shirts, unless they believe you may be paparazzi. oops were not in Hollywood.
As long as you do not post their photos with face on the Internet without their consent, as long as it only shows the T-shirt or shirt with logo, then all is fine.

We just returned from a short vacation in Colorado Springs, Colorado as well as in Southern California. My wife, who is Japanese, and from Shikoku Island noticed people wearing T-shirts and shirts with Kanji writings and thought they had no idea what it actually meant. They should have been wearing this as due to the design being really cool looking. So when Japanese are wearing something in their country that you understand as the language or the art format itself take it lightly and do not think tunnel vision only.

As the wearer likes how it looks as a design and knows that who is around them mostly would have no idea what it actually means, or thinks that who is around them would not now or care.: :clear19:

[uriel]

No, I don't see it funny.

So, you understand neither what it says nor why, when someone sees a CHILD wearing that, there is the desire to laugh at something that obviously had absolutely ZERO thought put into it? Or, do you think people making fools of themselves strictly because they are too lazy to find out if their shirt is ridiculous and stupid are worthy of our pity? I'd laugh at someone, or, tell them how stupid the shirt is.

[Sex Wax]

I have found that some people dont like to have thier pics taken in public restrooms. I wait till someone like an old taxi driver dude went in, give them a few seconds, them yank open the door a snap a few shots. The old Okinawan men who were squatting on the "bomb sites" didnt seem to appreciate that joke too much. HA HA HA....that was great fun down at Sunset Beach, after we'd been drinking chu-his all afternnon.

My point is: Them Japanese squatters (bomb sites) are pretty wierd. But as long as nobody is using it at them time, it should be ok to take pics.

:thumbup1: