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Hello everyone!

This time, I'd like to talk about a slightly unusual topic.

If you've come to Japan and noticed the differences between Japanese and Western humour, as seen on TV and in videos, then this topic is for you!


It is said that Japanese people don't laugh unless someone makes a joke, but Americans are probably the opposite. Even if someone tells a funny joke, it is considered extremely rude for someone else to interrupt and make a joke of their own. This is because it diminishes the impact of the punchline, which is the highlight of the joke’s development. The punchline is an unexpected twist in the story and can be compared to a “boke” (the straight man in a comedy duo). In American humour, jokes are evaluated based on how funny the punchline is and how much it surprises others, or how cleverly it is twisted.

Humans tend to take things that are part of their own culture for granted. The lack of a concept of ‘tsukkomi’ in Western culture may seem strange to Japanese people, but if you think about it, the unusual part is the ‘boke,’ and the “tsukkomi” role is usually to speak the truth. Laughter, or rather, laughter and smiles, should be sufficient with just the ‘boke.’

In the opening manzai routine by Entatsu and Achako, the funny part is the line, ‘Including your legs?’ Based on my experience in Japan, there are people who laugh at such boke lines, but it is still the tsukkomi's self-deprecating remarks, or pointing out the funny parts, that get the laughs. I would like you to pay attention to this the next time you watch manzai.

Next, I would like to focus on the cultural habits and values related to laughter that extend from this structure. In stand-up comedy, which is mainstream in many Western countries including the United States, a single comedian stands on stage and tells a story mixed with numerous jokes. In contrast, in Japan, it is the interaction between the comedians that makes the audience laugh. Needless to say, there are forms of humour in Japan that do not rely on interaction, such as one-liners and skits, but at the same time, the so-called culture of pairs, which values interaction, continues to exist.

Previous studies have examined the scenes and contexts in which humour occurs. According to these studies, in Japan, many funny stories and anecdotes are shared in private settings, such as among family and friends (Oshima 2006, Yamaguchi 2018). In contrast, in the United States, where the boundary between ‘inside’ and ‘outside’ is more ambiguous, it is acceptable to tell jokes in formal situations or to strangers. If you are suddenly placed in an uncomfortable situation with a stranger, telling a joke is considered the safest strategy.

Furthermore, an American comedian commented on the content of Japanese humour as follows.

‘The kind of humour that is central to comedy in the United States—such as political jokes—is almost unheard of in Japan’ (excerpt). Japanese politics is too stable, and elections are too routine and boring to be a source of humour. (Furthermore, the Emperor is too sacred to be the subject of jokes).


What do you think?

We are sure many of you finally understand now.

We hope to bring you more unusual topics like this from time to time!


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