I know it’s common for teachers to get married to one another because of how busy they are. I’ve heard it’s hard to date someone who isn’t a teacher that they’re usually that busy.
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I didn’t really go to the arcade in other countries, so idk if this game is Japan specific, but does anyone know the name? The one where you have to direct a peg down a tube to hit a button. Usually the buttons are on the bottom of the machine and presumably, they release a key or a latch holding a door closed with a prize behind it. Usually you play by pressing and holding a side and an up/down button until you reach the desired longitude/latitude
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They put it in the contract so the company can harvest the children in case of mass famine.
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Maybe it’s like this one?
(Fantasia Energy)
I think there’s a couple different machines similar to this, but this is the one I’m most familiar with. 
Oh, actually that description sounds almost exactly like this machine! There’s a PDF that shows how it works. Maybe the two machines are made by the same company since the name is super super similar, but I didn’t see the first machine on the makers website…Maybe it’s an older model?
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Thank goodness, what I have in mind is easier and neither of those. Those look painful although it’s cool to see Rohan in the bg 
The mechanics are similar but it’s not a swinging peg on the one I’m thinking of. I’m not sure when I’ll have time to get a pic.
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Hmmmm, color me intrigued! I can’t think of any off the top of my head, but if you ever get a pic…
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So in what sort of contexts are onomatopoeia (like 近々 or 色々) appropriate? They sound a little unprofessional, but how are they used in practice?
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I don’t think 近々 or 色々 are actually onomatopoeia (I think they’d be classified as reduplication), but they’re not especially casual. There’s a casual version of 色々な, which is いろんな. There are even more formal ways to express the same concepts of course, as well.
True onomatopoeia (words meant to express sounds, or symbolism for sounds), like どんどん or どきどき, are certainly not formal, but they do get used a lot, even beyond completely casual situations.
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Like leebo said, 色々 is pretty safe and 色んな is more the one you have to watch out for in serious settings. In even more formal situations, 様々 would probably be better, but I don’t think as a foreigner you would get weird looks for using 色々. Its not unprofessional or anything.
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Hi,
I have a short question about train etiquette - specifically about the trains with reserved seats, or generally anything “above” the typical local commuter train.
Are you supposed to greet the passengers that are sitting next to the seat you’re taking? In Poland, when entering the compartment and taking the seat I’d usually say some kind of “good morning” to the fellow passengers, even if afterwards I’d go to sleep or put on headphones etc 
Same when leaving. But I wonder if it’s also the same in Japan, or are you supposed to strictly mind your own business and don’t bother people? I really love the idea of the whole train being basically the “silent zone”, but then I started wondering about details
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Don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone greet the person who sits next to them. Probably related to the overall culture where you don’t randomly greet people you don’t know like you would in other countries.
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Yes. The only time Japanese folks will bother talking with anyone in the train is when they’re going to recline their seat. In that case you are expected to ask the person sitting behind you if that’s OK while not giving them enough time to provide an actual answer, so you can play “I asked first, hence I’m not rude”. Otherwise it can be considered very rude.
(I’m dead serious about that)
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Wait, like actually asking or just 失礼します and go for it?
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Oh, it’s Japanese. You can go with 失礼します of course, or also make your best “I’m really 恥ずかしい here” face and say an incomplete “すみません、席を…” with the slightest bow. It always works 
But don’t forget the not giving time to answer part, otherwise you might end like the first person in this article.
後ろの席の中年の女性に『少し倒して良いですか？』と声をかけたところ、『嫌です 困ります』との返答でした
Jokes aside, if you google for “席を倒す時” you will find countless pages about it. Including Japanese folks avidly discussing if you are supposed to do that even in a very spacious 新幹線, where reclining your seat clearly doesn’t affect the person behind you. They also discuss your question, if you are supposed to actually ask or just “announce” it. It seems there is quite a number of people who just say “倒します” and go for it.
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I see they have カレンさん in Japan as well. 
This is the kind of stuff they need to put in Genki.
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So, I’ve made a Table of Contents in the OP post and made it a WIKI to let anyone add a link to their question from the first post. 
Plz use the forum link button and for “optional title” add your question. If it’s long, shorten it if possible.
I hope we can maintain the ToC together as it helps people check what questions has been asked and see what’s already been said in a conversation. ^>^ Or if a question has been answered!
Right now, it’s just a list in chronological order of questions being asked. But with time, I suspect we’ll need subheadings. But reorganization of the list can happen further down the line.
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I forgot to say, but If you’ve thought of a way to organize the Table of Contents better with subheadings more permanently in some way and want feedback, just post about your suggestion in the thread.
I typically do the “city people greeting” which is not really saying anything, just minimally acknowledging their existence with a little head-nod and quick eye contact, just enough smile to mean “have a good day”, not enough smile to mean “I’m going to irritate you by prolonging this interaction more than this”
In return, I’d be kind of irritated if the other person straight-up pretended I didn’t exist, but that doesn’t mean I want to talk to them either. Chatty-Cathy “where are you from”-type things are RIGHT OUT, but I really don’t even want the standard two-minute “Hi, how’s it going? Fine, you? Can’t complain, just, you know, another day, right? [both chuckle, open newspapers, ignore the other for the rest of the time]”. Even that’s too much unless it’s going to be, like a multi-day journey.
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This is so telling in so many ways.
I’ve never ever had this happen, nor is it a cultural expectation to happen.
What to make of that, is up to you! 
In the very least, Japan is not alone in assuming you don’t wanna randomly talk to strangers on your commute! ^^;
Edit: forgot this “flyer” thing I saw about the "relief that the restrictions was over about keeping 1,5 meters from the next person, to just going for the ordinary 3 meters
(might have misremembered the actual numbers but the main message)
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Oddly, in Japan, I expect a certain higher probablility someone might try to strike up a conversation, because I’m a 6-foot white guy, usually not in the typical tourist areas, and don’t seem like an English teacher. So there’s some curiosity. It can’t last TOO long, even if they don’t care about irritating me, because they eventually feel weird talking in a train, period. It’s just NOT DONE. 
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