Ah, Kyoto people, the true and real tsundere who their intentions are hidden by their flowery language. Their tatemae (face mask) is at godly level that they can't talk with human anymore.... Just kidding, I don't really know them, but if you ever stumbled to soranews24 about Kyoto people, dang they are really scary! We won't know if a praise is really a praise!
Some of the tatemae Kyoto-level from that site:
Take the comment “
You’ve got a really nice watch“, for example. While most people might feel flattered by such a compliment, if it’s someone from Kyoto saying that to you, you might want to think again because that’s Kyoto-speak for “
This conversation has gone on too long.”
... Sacko recalled that
after holding a few parties for friends at his apartment, some of his Japanese neighbors commented that they were envious of how cheerful Sacko and his friends were when they got together. Seeing an opportunity to bring his neighbors into this happy circle of acquaintances, Sacko said they should join him and his friends sometime in the future.
However, at Sacko’s next party it wasn’t his neighbors who showed up, but
the police, responding to a noise complaint from those very same neighbors.
Yes, the subtle implication behind “You and your friends seem to have so much fun at your parties” was actually “We can hear you and your friends having fun at your parties, even if we’re inside our own homes,” and by extension “Keep it down!”
If you’re living in Kyoto, and an old lady from your neighborhood says, “You’re really getting better at playing the piano,” what is the proper response?
In many cultures, a simple, “Thank you,” would suffice. Remembering the value of modesty in Japan, though, many would argue that accepting the compliment is too bold, and that what you should say instead is something along the lines of, “No, not at all. I’ve still got a lot to learn.”
According to the commenter who posed the question, though, neither one of these is correct. Actually, what you say isn’t even really important, because
the proper course of action is to stop playing your piano so loudly.
... there’s even one for the mailbox that reads:
“I apologise for only having a small letterbox. Sorry for your trouble.”
As you may have guessed, this is not a humble apology for the size of the mailbox. What it really means is: “
Don’t stuff my mailbox with unnecessary flyers.”
At the entrance to the home you can post this sticker, which reads, “
Welcome. My, my, you’re dressed in your Sunday Best — have you been to Lake Biwa?”
Don’t be fooled by the kind smile and flattery — what she means to say is: “
Don’t enter this establishment in unkempt clothes.”
Finally, we have a message for the dining area: “
Did you know? You don’t have to slurp soba noodles in Kyoto for them to be delicious.” The true meaning here is: “
Don’t be a noisy eater.”
And my favorite that I learnt from an eroge:
Zooming in on Kyoto -- where the word for ochazuke is bubuzuke --, I've found several traditions concerning ochazuke. One tradition was/is this: the dish is offered to guests at the meal's end, not so much as a course as a message: go home. I've read that today, in Kyoto if someone wants his or her guest to leave, he or she asks if the guest wants ochazuke, and the guest is supposed to take the hint and make his or her goodbyes.