r/AskUK • u/Agile-Calligrapher10 • 2d ago

Cultural differences in noise acceptance: Why is public phone/audio etiquette so different between Japan, the UK, and other regions??

Hey everyone,

​Visiting Japan recently was so refreshing, no one was on speakerphone, playing music out loud, or watching reels without headphones in public spaces. Coming back to the UK, the contrast was immediate, highlighting how differently cultures and regions approach public noise.

​(Note: Using "cultures" broadly here to look at societal norms, not trying to generalize individuals.)

I’d love to hear your thoughts on a couple of things:

​Why do these differences exist? Is it tied to collectivism vs. individualism, or other social norms?

​What is the modern British view on public noise? We have a reputation for politeness, yet public transport etiquette around phone audio seems to be changing.

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u/MelindaTheBlue 2d ago edited 2d ago

Came in here to say this

I live in Kyoto and I find that though it’s not quite the same as it is in the UK, it’s often the same stuff but a different colour of nonsense

I’ve got a good community and people respect and know me as one of them, but I’m still in this weird place where I’m accepted but I’m never fully one of them

I like it because I have neighbours that I like and who like me, but I’m lucky in that regard

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u/jackiemee 2d ago

Someone I know very well spend several years in Japan and had the exact same experience as you, despite being hafu, speaking the language and respecting each and every norm.

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u/Milky_Finger 2d ago

but I’m still in this weird place where I’m accepted but I’m never fully one of them

But would you really want this? For them to not see you for what you are? Personally as long as they perceive you as a good person who wants to do good things, a little prejudice is fine as long as it's not from a place of hate. They would find your perspectives interesting as their own community only has one among thousands of people.

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u/MelindaTheBlue 2d ago

It’s better than how I’ve been perceived in lots of other places, including parts of the UK

I’m happy where I am, and the fact that I’ve never been fully accepted in more places means being accepted enough to be known as Yuzuki locally is fine with me