Sitting in the line up in Hawaii and sitting in the line up in Japan, I noticed something .................
Japanese surfers tend to not talk to each other.
In Japan, it's eerily quiet in the line up. Japanese surfer really don't talk to one another.
I guess in their mind, it's all business. They spent the whole week working 20 hours overtime, so on the weekend they got to get in their wave count. ( or maybe it's too damn cold to open their mouth )
In Hawaii, it's totally diffferent. Surfers are laughing, telling jokes. Hooting and Hollering for other surfer's good wave ( and they don't even know the person ! )
And one big thing I noticed, is surfers in Hawaii SMILE at each other.
Could it be that Japanese surfers still adhere to a SAMURAI code ?
( or maybe it's just too crowded, like in the train/subway, where talking is frowned upon. )
Especially with shortboard surfers in Japan, you'll notice in the line up they never really talk. They sit there, arms crossed with a serious scowl on their face. It seems they're trying to act like a mini Sunny Garcia, famed Northshore power champion surfer.
But no matter, they will never be as TOUGH or as Cool as Sunny was.
Maybe another reason Japanese surfers tend to not talk to each other is at home, at work and around town, they don't either. They maybe be more comfortable conversing with their favorite anime character, then with a stranger.
In Japan, it's sad that I have to keep to myself in order not to attract attention.
As the saying goes, "The nail that sticks out, gets hammered down."
But in the end, I guess it comes down to ALOHA.
Surfers in Japan didn't grow up with the Aloha Spirit of greeting everyone and taking care of everyone as family.
Hawaii is the birthplace of surfing. Maybe Japanese surfers need not be so "Hard Core" and learn to "Hang Loose" more. To have fun, talk and smile more while surfing............. like we do in Hawaii.