Most Westerners seem to think that Chinese and Japanese are basically the same thing. While there are some similarities between cultures, for the most part they couldn’t be more opposite. Here’s a few of the similarities and differences I’ve noticed:

Difference:

Japanese drive on the right side of the road.

Chinese drive on the left side of the road.

Difference:

Japanese love to eat things raw. You name it, they’ll eat it just as mother nature prepared it.

Chinese eat nothing raw. Since everything is covered in filth and disease it must first somehow be boiled or fried. Even vegetables.

Similarity:

Most Japanese people tend to look alike.

Most Chinese people tend to look alike.

(It’s ok – I can say this because I’m Jewish and most Jewish people tend to look alike).

Difference:

Japanese love top quality, brand name merchandise. They can be seen inspecting most purchases for fine workmanship and materials, otherwise they’ll think they’ve paid too much.

Chinese love cheap crap. They can be seen inspecting most purchases for shoddy workmanship and materials, otherwise they’ll think they’ve paid too much.

Difference:

Japanese people do not eat dogs.

Chinese people do eat dogs.

Similarity:

Japan"ese"

Chin"ese"

Difference:

Japanese people live for order and politeness. Everything can be solved by forming a line or apologizing for no reason.

Chinese people live for complete and utter chaos. The concept of a “line” is completely foreign, and all problems can be solved by just pushing the person in front of you harder. To my knowledge there is no word for “I’m Sorry” in Mandarin.

Difference:

Crossing the street in Japan is pretty easy.

You take your life in your hands any time you set foot in a street in China. Or on a sidewalk for that matter. Really, you’re only safe from being hit by a car or a bike or another person when you are in your hotel room. And even then only if you’ve remembered to hang the “Do Not Disturb” sign on your door.

Similarity:

There is very little English spoken in Japan. Unfortunately that made communicating with the locals difficult.

There is very little English spoken in China. Fortunately, that made communicating with the locals difficult.