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Worst date ever! Japan’s ladies reveal the top five date ideas to avoid

Evie Nyan Oct 21, 2014
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Dating these days is a complete minefield, and nowhere more so than in Japan. There’s a lot of stress put on guys to impress a girl with their choice of date spot. Sure, you can get away with cute cafe dates with yummy tea and cake during the “getting to know you” phase, but after that the onus is pretty much always on the guy to come up with something enjoyable each time. In fact, indecisiveness when it comes to date decisions is a major turn-off for Japan’s ladies, according to a survey conducted by Livedoor. To avoid potential dating disasters next time you’re in Japan, here are the top five dates to avoid if you don’t want her to run screaming!

1. Movie Theater Date

Seeing a movie together may be a classic staple of the dating world, but it seems that Japan’s ladies aren’t impressed. If you’ve been to a movie theater in Japan, you’ll know that it’s basic etiquette to be completely silent throughout the film (and sit and watch the credits all the way through, even if there’s no extra scenes after…) What this equates to is a date conducted in absolute silence, which the surveyees apparently find rather a waste of time. “I don’t like it if I have to be silent! I want to talk to him!” bemoans one lady. Of the 249 people surveyed, a significant 9.6 percent of them singled out movie theater dates as a definite no-no.

▼ It turns out that watching a movie on a date only looks like this in the movies.

2. Amusement Park Date

Next on our list is a date to an amusement park! What could go wrong? You’ve got rides to ride, cute things to buy, themed food to eat… but according to 4.4 percent of the survey participants, girls would prefer going to an amusement park with their friends. Furthermore, one participant claimed that “going to an amusement park on a date is too exhausting”.

▼ Walking, queuing, waiting for the parades… what a hassle!

3. Pool/Beach Date

Unsurprisingly in body-conscious Japan, going for a swim with your sweetie is something most would rather avoid. “a) I don’t want to wear a swimsuit in front of him. b) I don’t want to get sunburnt. And c) it’s just too much to deal with”, states one survey participant. “I worry about whether I’ve got any visible body hair and also about my figure,” explains another. Hmm, it seems it’s better to err on the side of caution and plan dates that your lady friend can participate in fully-clothed. It’s just good manners.

▼ You might not believe it, but we didn’t have any pictures of Japanese girls in bikinis, so here’s a kitty drinking from a swimming pool. You’re welcome.

4. Karaoke Date

If you’re the kind of person who couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket, you’ll probably understand how this one could be a bit awkward. However, it appears that Japanese women are more concerned about second-hand embarrassment than their own singing skills. “If he’s a terrible singer, I worry about how I’ll be able to keep a straight face,” one participant explains. Having to be careful about the choice of song material was another concern – what if he thinks you have terrible taste in music? Actually, it’s all a bit too risky, isn’t it? Better skip this one.

▼ Cringe-worthy song choices? Not romantic. At all.

5. Car Date

This one might sound a bit weird if you’re from a country where everyone drives everywhere, but in Japan, where public transport is so consistently reliable, not everyone owns a car. In fact, owning a car is a bit of a status symbol, especially in a built-up area like Tokyo. So it’s no surprise that the suggestion of a romantic drive smacks of being a bit of a try-hard. “When it’s just the two of us in his car, it feels a bit awkward,” explains one participant. “What if I get car-sick?” panics another.

▼ Motion sickness pills: better bring a pack on every date, just in case…

Also on the list of dates that don’t impress Japanese ladies much: walking around Akihabara (“It’s not interesting!”), going to a game center/arcade (“I don’t understand how to have fun there”), **going to an izakaya/pub (“It’s too loud, the atmosphere is all wrong”), going for a walk in the park in summer (“Bugs! Bugs will sting me!”), and **going to an onsen/hot spring (“Since we can’t go in together, what’s the point?”)

Phew! We’re starting to feel sorry for guys in Japan now! What do you think of these date ideas? Let us know in the comments!