A questionnaire survey on sounds odd to foreigners living in Fukuoka was done to clarify the features of Japanese soundscapes recognized by those whose cultural background is different. The foreigners were asked to point out the sounds which they usually heard in Japan but never heard in their home countries and their impression, and the sounds which they usually heard in their home countries but less heard in Japan and their impression. The traffic sound signal for the blind, the exhaust noise

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... by wild bike riders, the peddlers' cries, and the election campaign broadcast are the typical sounds only heard in Japan. The foreigners usually have good image of the traffic sound signal for the blind and the peddlers' call. In contrast, they have negative impression of the muffler noise by wild riders and speeches conccming election, The Japanese soundscape is characterized by a lot of these types of sounds which we hear in daily life. Comparison between the sounds usually heard in Japan and those less heard in Japan shows that [here are too many public sounds, such as announcements using public-address system and music at the shopping centers, and few natural sounds and human voices in Japan.