Why Doesn't Japan Cheer Out Loud at the Olympics?

Gymnastics is one of my favorite events to watch at the Olympics. As expected, China won the gold. Japan took the silver medal, and the US ended up with bronze. No major surprises there. But as I watched the medals being announced on TV with a bunch of friends in Hawaii, one of them said: Wow. The Japanese really don't know how to be happy, huh?

While the American and Chinese athletes hugged their coaches and teammates and shouted words of excitement, the Japanese men gave each other a pat on the back and then stood there tacitly as the scores were read out loud.

But it's not that they weren't excited. I think what we were seeing here is a classic example of how the Japanese experience emotion. Behind the stoic front, these men were crying tears of joy and pride. The same can probably be said for a chunk of the audience, both in stands and in front of TVs at home. Some might say, Yatta! and others might just sit there in silence, teary-eyed. Both of these are totally normal ways of expressing happiness in Japan. Yelling a prolonged "woohoo!" or screaming as loud as you can just aren't a dominant part of the culture.

Comments

[skaht]

I am sure there wasn't much coverage of the Japanese in US broadcasts of the Olympics, but here in Japan there were plenty of tears and hugs of joy.
I recommend watching some of the medal rounds of judo, pure emotion in many of them.

[champura]

I saw a lot of cheering, hugging and tears after they won the softball gold.

[Nobita]

This is also why the scream of victory by Kobayashi when he wins the breaststroke is such a national phenomenon. It jus doesn't happen as much in Japan.

I remember back when I was in middleschool or HS when Mike Tyson fought in the Tokyo Dome. It was strange since all you could hear of the sold out fight was the grunting and the hits of the boxers and the trainers screaming at them from the side of the ring. The rest of the crowd was DEAD silent...

But then again, go to a Hanshin Tiger's baseball game and it's crazy. But unlike, say, the Cleveland Browns football, this is organized choreographed crazy :)

[archie4oz]

"This is also why the scream of victory by Kobayashi when he wins the breaststroke is such a national phenomenon. It jus doesn't happen as much in Japan."

Did you mean Kitajima?

One should also point out that the Japanese men's team, that despite winning a silver in the team competition still underperformed from what they're capable of and were expecting the give the Chinese men's team a good run for the gold.

[Pon-chyan]

What always surprises me is the horrible screeching cries that the Japanese women athletes make while they are playing. In particular, the volleyball and softball teams . I have heard similar screeching when watching (non-Olympic) women's tennis, as the players hit the ball. These sounds are totally unlike what you hear when other nations women athletes are playing.

[SixStringSamurai13]

This makes me think of the many MMA events that I've seen on TV where the crowd is so silent all you hear is the fists of the combatants striking each others' faces.

While I sometimes think it might be boring to have an audience like that, I think to the drunken dickholes we see at sporting events on TV here in the States and then I push that thought into the dark recesses of my mind.

[john a smith]

Are you retarded?

The Japanese were not celebrating because they won the SILVER medal, SECOND place, when they were expected to win the GOLD MEDAL.

The US was celebrating because they were expected to NOT GET A MEDAL AT ALL.

The Japanese were PISSED. The US were HAPPY. China was happy because they won gold.

I love how you are rationalizing this, but you just sound retarded to anyone who actually paid attention to the gymnastics competition and actually read stuff about it.

[john a smith]

Similarly the French were not very happy about winning the SILVER medal in the freestyle relay! Maybe french culture doesn't like celebrating... or maybe i'm a retard and overanalyzing things!!

[john a smith]

maybe inside, in their souls, the French who lost the 400 freestyle relay to the USA team, after telling the americans that they would "smash" and "destroy" them, were very happy and excited!

maybe they were crying tears of joy and pride!!!

whenever i tell someone "I will crush and dominate you in this match" and then get silver, i'm so happy that i start crying tears of joy and pride!!!

[vagrant]

I have made the similar observation myself while at sporting events in Japan. The crowd is very different from say, American fans.

I've been to the Women's Olympic volleyball finals in Japan, Yomiuri Giants vs. Bay Stars baseball game and numerous Sumo tournaments. It a reserved crowd to say the least.

I'd liken it to the crowd at an American highschool sporting event. Sure there's shouts and cheering, but everyone knows the cue and how to follow along and most importantly, when not to.

I'd say the biggest difference that was quite obvious was at the baseball game. The crowd noise was very different and quite respectful. (A very different world at a Yankee's vs. A's game)

[totoro]

you mean taciturnly?

And baseball games? Have you ever been to an actual japanese baseball game? It is 9 innings of non-stop cheering, singing, waving of banners, screaming, and more singing. Non-stop.

[themark]

Did you actually watch the Olympic baseball? I watched the game against Korea and the "cheering" was non-stop. The incessant beating and whistling was driving me nuts. I'm sure the other fans at the venue went insane.

[Robert Laing]

Your site crashes my browser. FF3 Mac and Windows.
Constantly. Have a feeling that a few other people probably have the same problem because it's been a pain getting far enough to leave a comment letting you know :(