When I was in Tokyo a number of years ago smoking was only permitted in certain designated areas on the sidewalk, usually next to the entrance to the metro. Is that true all over Japan or only in Tokyo?
Pipe Smoking: Should I be Concerned in Public ?
- Thread starter Bobbiy
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This is for safety. In downtown Osaka, you’re not allowed to smoke on the main thoroughfares. Only there though. They’ve done this because people got burned. People (generally) are dumb so they had to made a law and a fine. It’s not a litigious country so they need some detergent. I’ve still had to yell at people who almost burned my kids. Japanese still smoke while riding their bikes on crowded streets. It’s not super smart IMO. It blows my mind that littering is not a crime here but this country is run (into the ground?) by old men so it’s understandable. And Japanese always go on about how clean it is here (which isn’t untrue, depending on what you’re talking about).
As long as you're smoking tobacco and not something else I wouldn't be overly concerned. Maybe start smoking more Virginias / VaPers
I actually grew up in Japan until I was five because my dad was stationed there and back then cigarette smoking was everywhere. I remember walking into a Wendy's in Tokyo with my mom and we walked right out because it was so bad. That was back in the 90s though. I went on a college trip to France back in 2016 and one group member said "wow the stereotypes are true" about all the smoking we witnessed and the professor leading the trip said "trust me, it used to be much, much worse.
A while back in an FB pipe group I'm in, can't remember which one, somebody shared pics from a trip to a nice tobacconist in Osaka. Most of the Americans were shocked at the prices on the tins, but non Americans and ones from certain states like mine were envious of the massive variety all for about 15 USD a tin. I'm sure in Japan cigars and pipe tobacco are expensive because everything is expensive in Japan and they're a small market for that and not because of bureaucrat losers trying to protect citizens from themselves.
"Should I be concerned when pipe smoking in public?"
On my own porch... no way
Anywhere else, it depends on a lot of factors, but it never hurts to err on the side of courtesy when your in public, or someone else's private property.
On my own porch... no way
Anywhere else, it depends on a lot of factors, but it never hurts to err on the side of courtesy when your in public, or someone else's private property.
Yes, it's expensive because of the market. I wish there were more variety here. They never seem to update what's distributed. They carry major brands but there are big holes in what they have and there's no bulk. They carry Peterson, Dan, a limited selection of Mac Baren, Rattray, Samuel Gawith, a few other very major names, and some codger stuff. Import taxes can be massive when they catch you, which they don't always do. I don't think I've ever found an English aromatic here, which is something I'm curious about (I've shipped in some). There is a tobacco here from Turkey called Pesse Canoe that's not available in the west and I'm wondering if I should give it a try. It's the one thing here that looks interesting that I CAN'T find anywhere else.
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You could take a leaf out of Betty Windsor's book and blame it on the (royal) corgis
"BAD dogs !!"
I also live in Scandinavia. I have a similar situation. I sometimes sit on the balcony with the pipe. We are allowed to smoke on the balcony, there is no law against it. But I actually try not to do so, out of respect of my neighbours. Honestly, I find it stressfull to know that I might disturb my surroundings with the pipe. For me, I want to feel fully relaxed on all levels when I smoke the pipe, and making sure I am considate and respectfull towards other people is one important part of it. So I often go outside, to some secluded bench in the park, which is just as nice, I don't mind it in the summer. I know how it is to be disturbed by neighbours that smoke cigaretts and you get the smoke inside your home. I love pipetobacco, when I smoke myself, but I hate the smell of cigarette smoke. I probably would not like it even if I had a neighbour that smoked pipe a lot so that the smoke entered my home. So just because you are a smoker yourself does not necessarily mean that you will not find it disturbing when someone else intrudes on your home with their smoke. To just say that we are all free to do whatever we want is too naive and can be very inconsiderate and disrespectul if people are actually distrubed. I think all smokers should respect their neighbours as much as possible. Even more so, because a cigarette might take 5 minutes, but with a pipe you can sit for hours before the bowl is finished. So of course, pipesmokers should make sure to be as respectfull as possible and not disturb their surroundings with smoke, even if it is neighbours or if it is outdoors.
There are these which don't look too bad. Before anyone accuses me of shopping for a certain shape, this just happened to pop up.... it just revealed itself.
Fresh!
Ropp: Honoré de Balzac Smooth (338) Tobacco Pipe
It's not a bad looking pipe, just not what I was expecting.
When smoking in public, I try to show deference to those who might not like it. I detest the smell of most cigarettes, and hate having to walk through a cloud of cheap cigarette smoke when passing by a "smoker's outpost" when entering a building. So I try to do unto others as I would prefer that they did unto me. That said, the only time I ask permission (or some permutation thereof) is in enclosed places or with company in close quarters. Otherwise, people are free to speak for themselves, and if they ask nicely, I will always comply with their wishes. After all, we all have to live here, and it's not the freakin' Bill of Rights we're talking about here, it's a nasty habit that many find offensive (and for good reason).
I'd say go for itYes, it's expensive because of the market. I wish there were more variety here. They never seem to update what's distributed. They carry major brands but there are big holes in what they have and there's no bulk. They carry Peterson, Dan, a limited selection of Mac Baren, Rattray, Samuel Gawith, a few other very major names, and some codger stuff. Import taxes can be massive when they catch you, which they don't always do. I don't think I've ever found an English aromatic here, which is something I'm curious about (I've shipped in some). There is a tobacco here from Turkey called Pesse Canoe that's not available in the west and I'm wondering if I should give it a try. It's the one thing here that looks interesting that I CAN'T find anywhere else.
I think there are a lot of variables to the OP question. To me, the most important questions to ask are, how close they are to where I smoke my pipe, and what kind of relationship I have with my neighbors.
As was stated earlier, respect is a two way street, and that would play greatly into my decision as to how I'd handle the whole situation.
As was stated earlier, respect is a two way street, and that would play greatly into my decision as to how I'd handle the whole situation.
You are in your home, on private property, where you pay your taxes and your mortgage, so to speak. If it bothers your neighbors, I think they are the ones who should consult you. Do your neighbors barbecue on their private property? Imagine that your pet is a pig, and your neighbors barbecue on Sundays, roasting pork, would you tell them, please guys, don't eat pork, can you please only roast carrots?
I can't believe that people eat carrots. Do they really?
Before air conditioning and back yards many Americans, in cities, spent a warm summer's evening sitting on the stoop/porch chatting with neighbors and watching the kids play. The word stems from Dutch "stoep" or step so, not surprisingly, would have appeared in the Afrikaans vocabulary.
Sorry, couldn't help myself, I love the study of words, a hobby of mine.
Because of the Dutch influence in New York, I’m pretty sure that’s why we used the term, “stoop” growing up in Brooklyn. I don’t think I’ve heard the term used much outside of New York and always chalked it up to a regional or colloquial thing.
We used to play stoop ball, which involved throwing a pink Spalding (pronounced Spal-deen) against the steps in front of a house while kids waited in the middle of the street to catch the ball. If you hit the corner of a step just right, the ball would go flying quite high and far into the street.
Yup.
Besides, I've always found it ridiculous and incongruent that some people will bend and twist themselves into a pretzel over wisps of pipe tobacco smoke yet when they barbecue the cumuloid clouds of smoke coming off their balconies make it look like their apartment's on fire.
