Have You Put On Some Weight?

Have you gained some weight? If you're a big person and come to Japan, be prepared to hear light-hearted comments about your weight, especially if you put on some weight. Although it's usually taboo to make mention of a person's girth in the U.S., in Japan it's quite common to start a conversation with a friend by asking him if he's gained weight recently. It's not fun, but you get used to it quickly enough, and the Japanese mean no harm in it -- it's just a kind of small talk, like talking about the weather. (I've also been asked, "Are you a professional wrestler?")

Perhaps because Japanese are thin, mentioning weight isn't such a taboo.