東洋のエクササイズ
Justin A.
日本に引っ越すときは、電車の定期券の取得や、地元の役所で住民登録をするなど、身の回りのことを整える必要がありますが、私の最優先事項はジムに入会することでした。しかし、アメリカと比べると日本のマナーやジムでの活動はかなり違います。
まず、屋内で履く靴に気をつけるべきです。外で使っているスニーカーや泥が付いている靴で、ジムに入ってはいけません。きれいな環境で運動を続けるために、そのルールを守るべきです。
次に気づくのは静寂です。唯一の音がトレッドミルの騒音とアメリカン・ポップのBGMで、筋トレや運動することは個人活動のように見えます。おしゃべりは全く悪いわけではありませんが、騒いだり大声でベラベラと話すことには注意が必要です。
最後に「女性専用」セクションを初めて見たときは、びっくりしました。もちろんこれは関東や関西の女性専用車両など他の場合にも見られます。このシステムは西洋でも役立つかもしれません。
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Exercise in the East
Justin A.
When moving to Japan, it’s necessary to get your affairs in order; whether it’s acquiring your train pass or registering your residence at the local shiyakusho. My priority was finding a gym to join. I was already aware of a few customs such as the tattoo taboo, and with Japan’s long-standing reputation for cleanliness and public order I should have expected some curveballs, but my nearly 10 years of gym experience mattered little when I stepped foot into my first Japanese one.
The first difference you will notice is that your shoes will likely not suffice. There are outdoor shoes and there are indoor shoes and being seen walking in with your “indoor shoes” will give staff every reason to stop you. If you come unprepared (as I did) there are usually indoor shoes for you to rent for a small fee. Of course, only after you get a day pass from the vending machine in the lobby (Japan loves their vending machines).
The second thing you will notice is the silence. I own a shirt from my former gym in Northern Colorado that reads “clangin’ and bangin’”; however, it very clear that if there is any “clangin’” or “bangin’” done, you will gently be asked to leave. With the only sound being the hum of treadmills and the background ambience of American Pop, exercise appears to be an individual activity. In America it’s not uncommon to see groups of two, three, or even 4 people treat the weightroom as an expensive hangout spot where you can occasionally lift weights but that is only another way to ensure you get sent on your way (outdoor shoes and all).
The final element of a Japanese gym that was most surprising is something that is both amazing and upsetting. There is the old saying that if a rule exists, it is because someone behaved in such a way to warrant its existence. I believe this is the reason for the “Female Only” section at the gym. Complete with most of the amenities as the coed section, this is a system that the West might benefit from. Of course, this phenomenon can be seen in other cases such as the female only train cars seen around the Kanto and Kansai areas. Twenty pounds weigh the same in America and Japan, but considering culture, they couldn’t be more different. Even though I struggle with self-conscious thoughts of being too noisy with every exhale or accidental metallic clank of the machine, I’ve grown accustomed to the gym culture. I can only hope that when I return to the United States, I can find a gym at least as clean!
