'Never felt dirtier': Jimmy Kimmel calls US a 'filthy and disgusting country' after family trip to Japan
MANHATTAN, NEW YORK CITY: Returning home after a vacation typically evokes a sense of excitement, but Jimmy Kimmel's recent trip to Japan with his family left him feeling quite the opposite.
Reflecting on his experience during the April 1 episode of 'Jimmy Kimmel Live', the ABC host candidly shared his newfound perspective: "After traveling to Japan, I realize that this place, this USA we’re always chanting about, is a filthy and disgusting country".
Jimmy Kimmel shocked by Japanese cultural practices
"I took my family to Japan this week and I have to say I'm still not sure how I feel about what happened over there," Kimmel began.
His words immediately set the tone for an exploration of cultural differences, particularly in regards to cleanliness.
However, his experiences in Japan challenged this assumption.
"We know we have our faults, we know we have areas for improvement, but overall I think most of us believe that compared to the rest of the world, we're pretty buttoned up," he remarked.
"Not only did I not encounter a single dirty bathroom, the bathrooms in Tokyo and Kyoto are cleaner than our operating rooms here," he joked.
From hotels to restaurants to even truck stops, Kimmel marveled at the pristine conditions.
"I went to two truck stops, I swear to God, the bathrooms cleaner than Jennifer Garner's teeth," he quipped.
Jimmy Kimmel marvels at Japanese cleanliness
The cleanliness extended beyond just bathrooms; Kimmel observed a cultural norm of carrying one's own trash since public garbage cans are scarce.
He said, "It's not just the bathroom. There's no litter, People carry their own trash; there are no garbage cans in Tokyo".
"30 years ago some terrorists put some like poisonous gas in some trash cans. They're like okay, no more trash cans; everybody clean up after yourselves. And guess what! They clean up after themselves", he added.
"They bring their garbage to their houses and it's like the whole country is Disneyland and we're living at Six Flags," he humorously remarked.
"I’ve been home 36 hours, I have never felt dirtier. We are like hogs compared to the Japanese. I can’t imagine what they must think of us. ‘Oh, the garbage people. Yes, the Americans. Garbage"', he added.
To add context. public trash cans were largely removed from the country following a 1995 sarin gas attack, in which terrorists utilized the bins in the Tokyo subway system.
