Japanese woman ‘freaked out’ on date with American over major cultural differences

Dating is a minefield in the modern world, especially as so-called talking stages can last for weeks, sometimes months, thanks to the dreaded apps.

But what about when it comes to cultural differences?

Well, one Japanese woman has taken to TikTok to share her absolute horror at the state of Western dating after going on a date with an American man.

Yumkea, who goes by @yumekaumemori on the platform, began her now-viral video by stating that there isn't such a thing as a 'talking stage' in Japan, so she was prepared for there to be 'some cultural differences' when she tried to date in the US.

She explained that after hitting it off with an American man and going on about five dates, he asked her over to his home.

But what she didn't expect was for his family to there, something that she said only happens in Japan when a relationship is extremely serious.

"I was freaking out because in Japan this doesn't happen that much," she said. "If you do this in Japan, it's like you're marrying that person or you're in a real serious relationship with that person."

However, she tried to reassure herself by putting it down to a cultural difference.

"So I calmed myself down and introduced myself to his family. They were all nice," she remembered. "His dad even asked me if I am thinking of coming back to America, so that I can stay with [his son] longer."

TikTok /

Yumkea revealed that while she and her date had not put a label on their seemingly blossoming romance, because he had introduced her to his family, she assumed that things were going in that direction.

But contrary to what the signs were suggesting, it turns out that this man wasn't serious about Yumkea at all.

She continued: "I didn't really ask him what we are or anything, but we were not in a relationship.

"I was pretty happy about it - until I found out that he just wanted to be 'friends' with me."

"I was like, 'Excuse me?' Like I didn't get mad or anything. I was just curious. Like what was he thinking about the whole time?"

She explained that she was even more confused as they had met on a dating app where it was possible to state your intentions ahead of time and they had both put that they were looking for a relationship.

The man told her that he wasn't looking for 'anything serious' which left her feeling 'disrespected' and that she'd been 'lied' to.

While she initially blocked the man, she had a change of heart when she realised that he could be useful in at least one department.

TikTok / @yumekaumemori

"I blocked him and I hated him, but like I had this second thought, 'Why don't I use him for a bit?'" she said. "So I decided to use him as a transportation system because he had a car. I'm not a b***h like this, but this time I was p****d."

The pair then proceeded to 'hang out' two more times before, in a shock twist, he changed his mind about the status of their relationship.

"The last time before I was leaving, he was like, 'You know, we've been hanging out pretty long, and I was thinking of asking you if you wanna become my girlfriend or something'," she said. 'And I said, "No'."

The video struck a chord with TikTok users who said that what she went through was very much a reflection of modern dating in America.

One TikTok user joked: "That's the real US dating experience lol."

"Hell yeah - use him for his car hahahaha," added a second while a third wrote: "Lol thats typical here [sic]."

A fourth shared: "Girl that JUST happened to me in germany! (im american but games are played everywhere it seems) [sic]"

"You totally just went through the experience," added a fifth with a laughing emoji.

Topics: Sex and Relationships

Emma Guinness

@guinness_emma