My Foreigner Bloopers in Japan.

As a foreigner living in Japan for the first time, I’ve had my fair share of funny, embarrassing, and “why am I like this?” moments. Want to hear one? Of course, you do.

1. “Hai, dozo” – My First Bus Ride Disaster

Picture this: It’s my first time riding a bus in Japan. I have no idea how the fare system works, and I don’t have an IC card. But hey, I’ve seen people press a button when they’re about to get off, so at least I knew that much.

When my stop was approaching, I confidently pressed the button like a seasoned local. Boom. Nailed it.

Then came the real challenge—paying the fare.

I walked up to the driver and asked, “How much?” He understood the question (yay!), but then he answered in full-speed Japanese (oh no). I just stood there, nodding as if my brain was processing the information. Spoiler: It wasn’t.

Now, here’s where it gets embarrassing. I had a handful of coins, and instead of figuring out the correct amount like a normal person, I just spread my hand open like a confused toddler and gestured for the driver to take whatever was needed.

That’s right—I basically offered my life savings to the bus driver, hoping he would just pick the right amount.

For a moment, I thought, This is it. This is how I get kicked out of Japan.

But thankfully, the driver was super chill. Without laughing at my foolishness (at least not in front of me), he calmly picked the right coins, inserted them into the machine, and nodded for me to go.

I got off the bus, wiped my sweat, exhaled deeply, and thanked the universe that I survived another day of being a clueless foreigner.

⸻

I have more bloopers, but I’ll save them for another time. How about you? If you’re a foreigner in Japan, have you had any funny or embarrassing moments? Or are you just naturally good at navigating new countries? If so, good for you—I envy your skills.