Quote:
Originally Posted by Columbine
Ok, you edited your post, so I'll reply again.
Fair enough if they got truly angry, but the OP of that anecdote said "even got a little angry." That sounds to me like they got ticked on a 'jeez, what are you doing, you moron?' kind of level, not an all-out argument. We don't even know if they got angry to his face, or if they just showed their disgruntlement over the issue to the OP. I don't think that's unusual, if the person in question is being particularly embarrassing. Again, only anecdotal evidence, but I've seen several situations where Japanese people would be fairly polite in the face of an embarrassing person, only to bring out the 'ひどいよ！変でしょうね！’ after they'd gone.
As to your second point, there we are in agreement. But in the case of the anecdote; "The guy wasn't wearing it as a joke, he thought it was cool and spoke little japanese which made it even worse." This isn't possibly a 'matsuri' or 'getting into the spirit' situation at all. My point is, basically that yukata-wearing is an act highly bound up by social rules even for Japanese people and acceptance of it when foreigners are involved can be quite circumstantial. So it's not really worth being dismissive of conflicting anecdotes; sometimes when you break it down the reasoning becomes clearer.
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It's always nice to read a well thought out and articulate response. I apologise for editing my post, I wasn't aware that you'd already written a response to the first edit. Unfortunately I have to disagree with you though. Your post would make sense if it were true that there are strict rules for governing the wearing of yukata's, but other than folding it over right to left and wearing them only in the Summer months there aren't. It isn't a strict thing at all, yukatas aren't bound up in any strict rules. I'm not sure where you got that from. They are always casual wear.
If you live in Tokyo just take a trip to Shibuya station and see the hello kitty yukatas the gyaru there wear. Or go to Kyoto and get dressed up in the kit that the hostels offer their guests. Granted I wouldn't wear them just to go to work or anything, but I absolutely would and will wear one for the Summer festivals or for a fun trip round Kyoto in the Summer months. I wear one at home a lot because it is so humid in the Summer and a Yukata is about the most comfortable thing to wear. If someone suggests that you can't wear one because of a "this is my culture" sort of prejudice that they're quite frankly being a little idiotic but I've never encountered this from a Japanese person. Thankfully, in my experience, the reaction seems to be quite different.