“Gumi Hiroyi”… the Japanese secret that dazzled the world after the Tunisia Quartet | sports

Japanese fans celebrated their team’s 4-0 victory over Tunisia in the 1,000th match in the history of the FIFA World Cup on Sunday by staying at Monterrey Stadium to collect garbage from the stands.

This behavior, known in Japan as “gomi hiroi,” reflects an emphasis on taking responsibility for public spaces.

Stadium cleaning culture for Japanese fans

As he bent down to collect thrown cups and other trash from the floor around his seat, 30-year-old fan Ken Okawa said he was happy to carry this tradition to the first World Cup match he ever attended.

“We are guests in Mexico, and I was treated wonderfully, so this is my way of expressing my appreciation,” he added.

This behavior is instilled at a very young age in Japan where school children learn to clean their classrooms themselves.

A fan named Miko Takeya (41 years old) said that the habit of cleaning up after herself has become an integral part of her personality.

“This is a natural part of our culture. We do this to ensure that everything we use is left clean so that the next person can use it comfortably,” she added.

Pictures of Japanese fans cleaning stadiums after their team’s matches during this year’s World Cup have spread widely.

Distribution of garbage bags

Before today’s match with Japan, local media reported that Samuel Garcia, governor of the state of Nuevo Leon in Mexico, said that he decided to distribute 20,000 garbage bags in the stadium during the match, as well as at the Fan Festival and other tourist sites, in response to the requests of Japanese fans.

Although this behavior has attracted global attention, many Japanese fans say it is normal for them.

“This is something that goes without saying in Japan,” said Ichiro Oyo, 27 years old.

However, Ryo Matsuoka (32 years old) expressed his feeling of pride in presenting this part of Japanese culture globally.

He added, “I think that showing this behavior in a stadium like this, where people from all over the world are watching us, is a matter of great pride.”