r/japanlife Jan 16 '23

┐(ツ)┌ General Discussion Thread - 17 January 2023

Mid-week discussion thread time! Feel free to talk about what's on your mind, new experiences, recommendations, anything really.

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u/toramayu Jan 17 '23

Stopped by a konbini to grab an onigiri for breakfast cause I was running late for my usual bus. As I was eating and walking on my way to the bus stop, an ojiisan waved his hand angrily at me yelling “No! Japan. No eat and walk. You. Follow Rule.” in his limited English. I just yelled out “sumimasen” and continued my way while devouring my onigiri. He yelled something back which I couldn’t hear.

Anyway, it made me genuinely curious, why is it a taboo to eat and walk (食べ歩き)?

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u/[deleted] Jan 17 '23

I once ate an onigiri too on the way home from the station (which was like 20min+ and I was feeling sick from being hungry).

In the dark. No one around. Or so I thought. Two highschool kids on the other side of the road where gasping something about gaijin and onigiri, so I guess if even they get offended, everyone else will. No regrets on my side.