29th May – 皐月
When you go for travel or when you see overseas visitors in your country, have you ever encountered Japanese tourists? In often case, those people came together with another friend ( *not always and depends on people), this tendency has grown from school time. Especially for girls, there are implicit rules of being together (一緒, Issho). And sometimes it is beyond what you could expect!
Based on my personal experience, in elementary / junior high / high school, or even after, many girls group up and act together all the things. For instance,
-going to bathroom together
-confessing love to the ones each girls like at the same day (helping each other to bring the boy to friend and watch them at the back from the beginning to the end if it was successful or not)
-applying for the same part-time job together and work together
-choosing the same school and clubs based on friends
-having the same products and goods (same clothes, same pencils, same notebook etc)
Japanese have kept the strong idea of adjusting yourself to the surrounding people. Moreover, Japanese tend to think behaving by oneself / “alone” is lonely, isolated and bad, negative thing. Therefore, many have the habit of belonging in group and act together. If one person act by oneself, this person probably become a target for bullying.
Many people suffer from the ‘culture of always together’ in Japan even after school time too. Going to the party which they do not want to join, buying a same thing because feiend likes it (not your favorite) and joining drinking with coworkers and boss because others would think you are bad if not joining. If friends have the same interest or they genuinely want to do it, it is perfect, but many people have 表面上の友達 (Hyoumenjou no Tomodachi) – superficial friendship. In that case, Japanese cannot say ‘no’ easily as they are not close so they feel insecure to reject it. This is the weird part of Japanese culture.
Protective relationship can be both good and bad (peace in mind / not able to make new friends). How is the culture about friendship in your country?
Little Japan Dictionary 
i think i am mostly a person who feels better when alone, sometimes groups can make me feel more lonely than when i’m alone :O
But good friends always are amazing, hope you don’t have too many superficial friends 🙂
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I agree with your opinion! In the group, especially 3, 5 (odd number) sometimes I cannot get into the conversation and feel alone. I am glad to have very understanding and funny friends around me:D
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Your blog took me to great memory lane back highschool days.
表面上の友達 (Hyoumenjou no Tomodachi) isn’t that bad I guess.
Where I was grateful for my crazy, psycho, insane totally messed up friends.
So normal people scared the crap out of me.
Wow! I think I should text them.
Thanks for this beautiful post-Ayamochi.
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Wow! This blog takes me to sweet memory lane of my high-school days.
表面上の友達 is not that bad I guess! I used to be peace, honest guy
Then I find my crazy, psycho, insane, and totally messed up friends.
So, Normal people scare the crap out of me. I think I should text them.
Thanks for post-Ayamochi.
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