About Life in Japan -Socializing with Neighbors- From a Thai, Bolivian, and Ugandan Perspective

Everyone in my building greets each other. In my previous apartment, no one responded when I greeted them. I made my own rule after this experience. If they greet me, I will respond, but if they don't greet me, I won't either.

It's not nice when you don't get a response to a greeting.

Even some of the more senior people at my workplace didn't respond. I still greet them, but it feels awkward. I used to greet everyone before I made this rule.
Ugandan people are friendly. We always greet our neighbors. If you don't greet them, people think you are proud or a bad person.

I always greet people too. Tamaki-san, I had the same experience as you at the apartment where I used to live. There was a person who never responded to my greeting no matter how many times I tried. I thought maybe she was shy because she was young, but one day, she and her mother happened to be in the elevator together, so I said "Konnichiwa (good afternoon)" to them. Neither of them responded. I thought that since her mother didn't greet me, she didn't greet me either. I was so frustrated that I greeted her every time I saw her after that.

I greet my neighbors too. I don't greet the ones that don't respond after many tries. To those I know, I say "Konnichiwa" even from my balcony.

In Thailand, the greeting is "Where are you going?" instead of "Hello". If there's someone walking by your house, we say "Why don't you come in and eat something?".

It's the same in Uganda!

It's a problem if they actually come in and have a meal though.

Bolivians are also friendly. Even balcony to balcony, we would talk to each other and ask "What are you doing today?". The neighbors are very close friends. On weekends, there's always a party somewhere and the neighbors invite everyone to come and eat.

That's just like Uganda!

We have barbecues sometimes in my house. When it's time to eat, I usually invite the neighbors. If we have friends over, we play music sometimes so I apologize in advance. They are very nice and say "Don't worry about it". I get along very well with my neighbors.
I think that greeting neighbors and knowing each other's faces leads to a safer and more secure community.

I agree.

There's a question that I often see on social media among Thai people (living in Japan). Whenever there's an incident, the neighbors are interviewed about the criminal, and they usually say something like "He/She was nice and always greeted me". Are they good people just because they greeted their neighbors? It seems many people have this question.
Do you have someone in your neighborhood that's easy to talk to?

I don't.

I have neighbors that I can casually talk to. Especially to the members of the matsuri (festivals), I greet them aloud. But we don't talk about private things.
There's an elderly woman who lives alone in my neighborhood, and she gives sweets to my children. If I'm going to the supermarket, I often say to her, "Let me know if I can get you anything from the supermarket".

Miguel-san, so you help out in the chokai (neighborhood association)?

Yes, I help out in festivals, "hi-no-yojin" and disaster prevention drills.

What is "hi-no-yojin"?

It's like a neighborhood watch, where we walk around with the neighborhood association and say aloud things like "It's dry in the winter, please be careful of fires", or "Hi no yojin (beware of fires)". After the walk, we have tonjiru (pork miso soup), which is delicious.

I had never heard of that before.

The first time I heard it, I got very scared. Maybe you can't hear the voices if you close the windows.

Disaster prevention drills are held at my work place every year.

I went to the Life Safety Learning Center several times with my volunteer Japanese class.

The chokai's disaster prevention drills are held at the park. We also did things like put an injured person on a stretcher, with the help of firefighters.
I have children, so I'm prepared for disaster emergencies. When there's an earthquake, I immediately go to my children's room to check on them, but they hardly ever wake up when it shakes.

I don't have a stock for food or water, but I have a flashlight and a helmet.

I have stock of some food and water. It's not the food from disaster prevention kits, but I just buy a little more food that I usually eat and stock that. If I buy disaster prevention food, I end up not eating it and it just stays there.
The first time I experienced an earthquake in Japan, I got up and started packing my passport and bags. My husband was sleeping next to me and didn't even wake up. It would be good to know where the evacuation sites are in my neighborhood, and if there are places where disaster prevention goods are prepared.

If I was invited to join the chokai, I think it would depend on what I'm expected to do. The image I have of chokai is that women cook and clean. I already do that at home, and it might be enough. If it's something like collecting cardboard, I'd like to try that.

I don't think I would like to participate. I think one foreigner among Japanese people would not be a good fit. I like places where foreigners and Japanese people are mixed together. I don't want to be the only foreigner.

Tamaki-san, I felt the same way as you in the beginning. But you get used to it after the second meeting or so, and your feelings change. Once you participate, everyone will talk to you. The people at the chokai look forward to seeing me.

When I lived in Fukuoka, I was the only foreigner among about 10 ladies in my neighborhood at the association. I was nervous at first, but it was fun to hear many local stories. I think it would be a nice experience for you too, Tamaki-san.

I'll go if I'm invited. I think it's important to be invited. They might think it's weird if I join without an invitation, so I'll decide then.

I understand how you feel Tamaki-san. It's difficult to go on your own. I think it takes a lot of courage to join a group of people that you don't know.

I would like to experience a little more, since I haven't lived in Japan very long yet.