I Tried Speaking English to Tourists in Asakusa — Here’s What Happened
I’m not fluent in English.
Still, one day in Asakusa, I decided to do something that made me really nervous.
I took my camera, walked through the busy streets, and started speaking English to foreign tourists — with no script and no preparation. Some people smiled. Some were surprised. Some stopped to talk.
I recorded everything.
In this article, I’ll share what actually happened when I tried speaking English to tourists in Asakusa, how they reacted, and what I learned from these real conversations in one of Tokyo’s most popular areas.
▶️ Watch the video first to feel the atmosphere, then read the story below.
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When I first approached the tourists, my mind went completely blank.
I knew basic English, but speaking it to real people in public felt very different.
At first, I worried about making mistakes or being misunderstood. But something interesting happened. The tourists didn’t care about my grammar. They cared about the conversation.
Some of them told me it was their first time in Japan. Others said Asakusa was one of the places they were most excited to visit. A few even thanked me for starting the conversation.
What surprised me the most was how kind and patient everyone was. Even when my English wasn’t perfect, they listened, smiled, and tried to understand.
This experience made me realize something important: communication is not about perfect language. It’s about connection.
Asakusa is a place where people from all over the world come together. By simply saying “Hello,” I felt a small bridge form between different cultures.
In the next blog, I’ll share what I learned from these conversations — and some simple tips if you want to talk to foreign travelers in Japan, even if your English isn’t perfect.
