Watch: Japanese Girl’s Polite Gesture After Crossing The Road Wins Hearts

A video of a Japanese girl thanking a bus driver after crossing the road is raking in likes. The undated video, which appears to have been taken on a dashcam shows a young girl standing on the zebra crossing and gesturing towards a bus to stop as she was about to cross the road. The arriving bus stops and the girl crosses the road. Before going about her way, the young girl pauses for a moment and bows down to extend her gratitude towards the bus driver for letting her cross the road. This small yet wholesome gesture is now winning over the netizens.

An X user, 3rdEyeDude, who is known for posting dashcam footage of offending drivers in Bengaluru, explained the impact of such etiquette on road safety and wrote, “In Japanese community, a beautiful tradition has emerged where vehicles gracefully come to a halt, allowing pedestrians, especially children, to safely cross the road. What’s even more heartening is the respectful acknowledgment from the kids as they bow down to vehicles, expressing gratitude for the pause. This symbiotic relationship between drivers and pedestrians exemplifies the importance of mutual respect on the roads. As vehicles yield to pedestrians, a silent understanding is formed – a pact for safety. Witnessing children reciprocate with a grateful nod or bow adds a touch of warmth to our daily commute, emphasizing the significance of creating a pedestrian-friendly environment. Japan Road Safety.”

Expressing a similar sentiment, a person mentioned, “We are learning technology, bullet trains etc from Japan but the first thing we should learn from Japan is humility and respect.”

Highlighting the difference between Japanese drivers and Indian drivers, a person asserted, “Very few in Bangalore stop their vehicles and allow us to cross the road and every time I thank them by waving hand… Gratitude is there…On the other side 90% of motorists increase their speed if they see people crossing the road.”

Last year, another video from Japan that showed a deer waiting for the traffic to come to a halt crossing the road via zebra crossing went viral.

The video was shared on X by a user named Tangsu Yegen on August 26. “A deer in Nara, Japan, patiently waits for traffic to halt before crossing,” read the caption. Nara, a city at the foot of Mount Wakakusa, is known for its Sika Deers, which are protected as “natural monuments”. There are hundreds of Sika Deers in Nara. The locals believe these deers are sacred. Even though the deer are wild, they are often seen interacting with humans and moving around markets.