When I was visiting Japan we entered a ramen shop in Akihabara for dinner. I was trying to speak with my limited Japanese skill but then the owner did something that I think is ingenious. He have this laminated booklet with some choises per page like hot / cold in the 1st page, ramen / soba on the second, multiple types of broth on the third, etc. It was printed in English with clear picture and colour so the chef just need to point at the menu and the customer just need to choose. And I think that was briliant. I guess it could work with limited menu.
Word to the wise: The English menu often isn't the full menu. It may also lean toward things they think foreigners want, or to keep it simple so foreigners who may not be used to this sort of thing can order more easily. I'm not saying they're trying to rip you off- just that using the English menu has disadvantages.
When I was stationed there back in the 90's this was common around the shops close to base. We would tell new guys to pic something, if you like it remember the picture and how the name is written in case you go to a shop that just has a normal menu.
I love that! I don't know what I'll see in Japan whenever I do actually get to visit places like Akihabara, or Tokyo... But maybe I won't like the big city of Tokyo... Who knows.
Regarding Japanese only restaurants, I have seen a variety of shops that have signs indicating something like "no foreigners." One in particular was a pet store in Osaka. Someone later told me it was because they would not want to sell a pet to someone who is likely to leave the country and abandon the animal.
When the pandemic started, I remember a ramen shop owner banning foreigners. It had nothing to do with language issues, and all to do with blaming foreigners for the virus.
@@Antony2618 Unfortunately yes... there's a few videos on this topic already on RUclips, but I would rather think it's relatively a rare occurrence unless they live outside of the major cities within Japan and the misunderstanding could be cleared up if the person is a native Japanese speaker or fluent in japanese.
That's just the shop keeper making a presumption, and assuming that all foreigners will abandon their pet. Don't Westerners in particular, love animals? Surely they ship their pets too when they return home and not just buy pets and treat them like a throwaway toy or accessory.
One reason for this I’ve seen also for restaurants is also for the language, especially when it involves food, raw especially, food with risks like pufferfish and such. Many I’ve seen stipulate that you need to be fluent in Japanese so you can understand the risks and know other things about the menu, especially if it’s the kind of menus that can change based on the chefs decisions.
the chased away from restaurant, i experienced it, i went with my Japanese cousin and we were chase away because they felt we dont look Japanese, my cousin has a dark tan and looks like a Cambodian, i can speak Japanese but because we both look like foreigners we were chased away, after that day he told all his friends and colleagues and they boycott the place, it shut down after 6 months due to lack of customers.
For the shoes thing, I guess in Europe, where I live, it's more a matter of personal preference and habit. I grew up in a no-shoe house, and have taken the habit of removing my shoes as soon as I enter a house, but my boyfriend who grew up in a house that was constantly being worked on never takes them off, because it used to be dangerous to walk around barefoot in his house...
For north Europe it's a definite no-no for shoes indoors, not a personal preference. You don't take your shoes off in restaurants though, but schools (for at least lower grades) are no-shoes.
@@WanJae42 I feel like that's a newish trend in the US I remember growing up and we always had shoes on then I feel like around 2005 many houses were shoes off. Yes I'm old 😂.
@@grahamjl766 You may be right. I also think it's regional. Hawaii & Florida cultures seem to be more no-shoes than, say, Minnesota. But they wear coats in the house, too.
@@WanJae42 Why do they wear outerwear indoors? I don't understand it. I'm from the South, and my from Seattle boss kept there house in the low 50s and wore outerwear. I get keeping costs low, but like what about flannels, socks long underwear robe,blanket ,huge sweaters, like comfortable stuff?
Regarding tipping: the explanation I had heard about why it was rude (which is apparently untrue) is that in Japan, you should be getting paid by the owner based on how well you do your job. As a result, tipping can be seen as saying "You are so bad at your job you probably aren't getting paid enough to live on, so I'm going to help you out."
Giving a financial reward (gift or tip) can be considered an insult on several occasions. For gifts it's usually the lack of effort put into it. (Mishandling the wrapping is another quick way to bring a Japanese (many Asian actually) friend to tears, it's not about the object given, it's about the care and effort put into it for you) For tips, it's just as much an assumption they are bad at their job and underpaid, as the impression they need sympathy or generosity. In many places the employees only charge one for the service and products one received. In some cultures customers tend to tip for service and products exceeding their expectations. One can start to wonder if that customer had low expectations to begin with, if it's just any other day for the employee.
I see tipping as rude because as an employee in the service industry, a tip is like a reward for doing your best, but you're already doing your best. You're just doing what you're paid to do, so anything extra doesn't make sense. As an aside, I can't stand the idea that so many employers in western countries don't pay their employees properly, with the assumption that they'll make up for the poor pay in tips. I wish tipping culture was just removed everywhere and employers paid the employees properly. I'd much rather pay 1200 yen for a meal with no tip, then 1000 yen + 150 yen in a tip, even though I'm paying more.
The concept of using a money tray in Japan is similar to using a bill folder in Western restaurants. It will be more convenient and polite for both the waiter and the buyer instead of you having to give each bill to the waiter or it will be very inconvenient if you use coins.
the no foreigners restaurants is actually a thing a friend and i experienced here in canada. mostly due to my friend unfortunately. I frequently go to the province Quebec. My first language helped me exist rather well there and so I'd spend almost the entirety of winter there. My friend is british though. I tried to take her to a sushi restaurant, but they tried to deny us entry after hearing my friend's poor attempt at french. They had a bilingual waiter come over to explain why they couldnt serve us. i am ashamed to admit i lost my temper with them, arguing with them to their surprise far more fluently. they seemed pretty embarrassed after realising their oopsy. they tried to offer us seats then but i was still too heated and refused, deciding to find a different restaurant that would feel more welcoming to my friend.
Speaking of not eating stuff on the train, I noticed that doesn't apply on the shinkansen, which even has trays to put food on. I think it is fine to talk to your phone too, if you go to the back of the train car. I just mention it, since people say train they think of the local trains but the shinkansen is it's own thing.
Based on what I'm seeing on the 'travel in Japan' channels, it appears the not eating thing is primarily commuter trains. Overnight or better trains, either have dining cars, or you can pick up Bento at a station, although I'm betting the ready made stuff is largely not fish, that just seems rude.
10:29 I've heard of this, countries like Japan and Korea, some people are so uncomfortable and nervous about the language barrier they'd rather not deal with it at all. Which I think is a bit silly, in Australia I've had customers who spoke no English and could only point to things. It's not an ideal situation but you eventually get through it.
Here in Texas we often see Mexican license plates and Mexican tourists or visitors. Most know enough English to get by but, once I saw two women who knew no English trying to purchase clothing in a ladies store. The only remedy was for them to lay any number of bills on the counter and rely on the clerks honesty to take out the correct amount. An example of how people manage to get by.
Same here in the US. My thing is is if you want to go to a country and don’t speak their language, any difficulty you experience is on you, but that doesn’t mean businesses should be allowed to flat out refuse you
In late 2019 I was staying Tokyo for about a month. I decided to take a getaway for a couple of nights and arranged to stay at an onsen in Kusatsu. In my room there was a tourist folder that had lots of information about this very popular place, in Japanese and English, with restaurants listed. There were little messages by the restaurants in English and Japanese extending invitations to come and enjoy their food. As it was my birthday I decided to splash out and treat myself to a delicious sounding dinner at what looked like a great place. Before I went into the restaurant there was a sign with the menu in Japanese and English. But when I stepped into the restaurant, I was immediately met with crossed forearms from one of the staff. He made it very clear that I was not welcome to eat dinner there. I left wondering why there was a menu posted in English if they didn't welcome "foreigners". I walked over to the konbini to buy a few things to eat and then went for a soak. I never told the Japanese friend I was staying with in Tokyo, because it would have made him very embarrassed and upset.
The no first time customers thing seems odd from the outside. How are you supposed to establish a relationship with the restaurant if you're not allowed to go to it? It feels like when entry level jobs ask for 2-5 years of experience. Word of mouth? Knowing someone who works there or going with an established customer? I'm genuinely curious.
I assume you have to know an established customer and go with them. It kind of makes sense but I agree it seems like shooting yourself in the foot from a business perspective.
@@LoveLee_Dreamer but how did said established customer become a customer in the first place? Even he or she had to have his/her first experience too. So I still think it’s perplexing.
IDK if this still goes on but I remember the Japanese-only restaurants had a rice bowl on a stool at the front door. This was 15+ years ago when I visited on military duty.
My only problem when I visit Japan is sometimes I pass by this really nice Japanese restaurant but I'm too shy to walk in, maybe because I don't really speak the language, and feel a little ashamed to walk in full of Japanese customers, but maybe next time I will have the courage to try.
you can always learn a few basics and phrases to get by in a restaurant. personally I'm not great at reading or writing kanji but learning hiragana and katakana and just practicing speaking it has helped a lot.
I'm an optometrist in the UK, people often come for an examination with little to no English. If I can perform an examination in these conditions then getting food should be easier. All it requires is a little thinking and change by both parties.
Getting a tattoo is a sin, but tattoos aren’t traditionally known as being for gangs at least in America. They were originally gotten by sailors, and then by veterans. The main crossover would be some sailors are pirates, and after WWII a lot of vets became bikers who might have become gangs. Of course there are “prison tats” and gang tattoos now but they are hardly traditional, at least in the US
@@ArcanistBlack I feel like tattoos are also heavily associated with incarcerated folk and prison gangs. I particularly envision makeshift tattooing equipment. Also my phone tried to read "tattooing" as "twerking" and I'm imagining prison gangs twerking at each other to assert dominance.
@@ArcanistBlack Same in Britain. in Britain the modern associations with tattoos would be from the 1960s onwards. For example 'prison tats' (made with India Ink and a needle), holiday tattoos, dedication tattoos, etc.
I absolutely loved my pre-covid trip to Japan and picked up two travel tips. 1. Using cash all the time means you will quickly accumulate a pocketful of loose coins. Take these into McDonalds and drop them into the charity box. And 2. There are no rubbish bins on the street, however, if you find a large park, there may be a smoking area nearby. These will have a rubbish bin.
5:12 I've heard that more recently for foreigners, Japanese people have become a bit more accepting of tattoos just because they more and more understand that, in western culture, tattoos are viewed much differently. Though I have still heard that some public bath houses and onsens will still forbid you from entry or make you cover up your tattoos.
I've been told by fellow service members that served in county, I was in South Korea. They are a lot more forgiving of tattoos around the military bases in their area.
If I were in Japan and if doing more than just waking around sightseeing (aka going to eat, a museum, etc) I would just always wear longsleeve shirt. I’ve got like visible tattoos just on my forearms and due to my job in the states (I do tutoring for additional class in music) I wear a long sleeve to every one just Bec I know when I was like 12 and learning music my teacher had a ton of tattoos and was really high energy all the time and it seemed just off putting for me. The combo of the just rapid fire instruction style and tattoos made me nervous to perform when I was in middle school
I lived in Japan for some time (study abroad in Nagoya). I was always with my Japanese friends and I spoke Japanese, so I guess I really never ran into the "no foreigners allowed" issue. Now, people were sometimes unsure of what to do until I talked to them in Japanese, and that definitely made them more welcoming. So I think the language barrier is a big part of it, as well.
Regarding Japanese only restaurants, this is quite funny in my experience. there is this kind of restaurant in Aichi and my friend is a regular there, he bring me to the restaurant and he told me not to speak until we are sited. surprisingly I managed to enter and ate at the restaurant. He said I can come since I somewhat look a little Japanese because of my hair style, body figure and actions. I am from Philippines so my face is a little bit deeper compare to normal japanese people but he said I can passed as an okinawan so when the owner refused us, we can just say I am from okinawa fortunately the owner didn't mind me haha
@@satoruzeieru183 they’re trying to say that the person was able to go into the restaurant because they somewhat looked Japanese/Okinawan even though they are filipino
Regarding "Japanese Only": Not only is this a taboo here, it's HIGHLY ILLEGAL in the U.S. to refuse service to someone based on sex, ethnicity, religion, or nationality. Even if the establishment is private and "members only", those membership privileges can not be based on those things.
That's not really true though. Plenty of minority activist groups practice open discrimination, yet the authorities do not interfere or prosecute them for it in the U.S. They even go so far as to discriminate in job applications like sayibg things along the lines of "white people need not apply" or "heterosexual white men need not apply".
@@sevenproxies4255 I have seen similar things to that such as, "Cis-white male applicants are considered last"...yes...it seems to be selectively applied to try to achieve some sort of relative social justice.
Admiral Halsey, from WWII, was covered by tattoos from his neck to his wrists and ankles. He had them done in Japan during his visits there as part of the Navy.
About the "Japanese Only Restaurants": When I was in Naha in 2014 I walked by a restaurant that had written in english next to the door: "Japanese Speakers Only". SO I guess if you are not a japanese person but still speak Japanese, you would be allowed in there. But that is just a guess.
I got in trouble so many times growing up for taking my shoes off in the house. My (Mexican) family would say I was gonna get sick since the floors are made of tile and cold.
My family used to be completely barefoot in our home but now that everyone's getting old we use thick indoor rubber slippers. We have marble flooring downstairs and parquet wood flooring upstairs, so the slippers are just used downstairs due to the coldness. Edit: SE Asian here.
Several cities are already backing out of the tourist programs. They’ll keep a very close eye on you and are restricted on what stores and even restaurants you can go to. Even Japan doesn’t want tourists right now.
Everyone wanting to go at the same time is a selfish way to introduce a new pathogen to spread and have everything be closed down again. I will be waiting until it's responsibly safe to travel and safe up some cash in the meantime to secure a wonderful time without any hassle. Can recommend that mind-set for everyone.
@@StefanVeenstra You can't avoid disease forever and I am certain that people's immune systems have been weakened in the attempt to constantly avoid illness, ironically leading to worse illnesses when you finally get something like these super-colds going around our area.
In Tokyo as well, some shops refuse service to non Japanese or non Japanese speaker tourist. As a foreigner, we really feel offensive when it was told in front of our face. We prefer if you put a visible sign in front of the shop.
I absolutely love this channel, I lived in Hokkaido for a year, and visited Okinowa for a few months (as a civilian for both), and the visit was absolutely lovely, I fell in love with the Japanese people/lifestyle.
We stayed at an airbnb in Kyoto that recommended a restaurant in the same street. So we went but they were not accepting first time customers. However there were a couple of Japanese bikers that wanted to speak to some foreigners who invited us in after speaking with authority to the owner. but other than that we have not had this issue in Japan. But on the topic of airbnb's, Japan is the only place where the guests are graded by the hosts.... I always found that funny
It has happened frequently here in Germany that guests left their airbnb in a disastrous condition, so rating the guests makes quite a lot of sense to me.
When I was in Kyoto I had the same experience when me and my friend were turned away from a restaurant. The chef just just said "No". I thought maybe they were closing at the time because it was around 9pm. But later I found out on RUclips that this happens in certain restaurants in Japan have a no foreigners policy. Which is really a shame that this does happen. We are all human at the end of the day.
And that's my main issue with that video. They are legally allowed to turn you away for basically any reasons, including being non-Japanese. But that's probably only the actual issue some tiny tiny percentage of the time. In your case the most likely explanation is exactly what you said at first- they were closing or otherwise couldn't accommodate you for some other innocuous reason.
Most of the time if foreigners are denied service it’s because the Japanese pride themselves on customer service. With a language barrier they don’t think they can provide proper service. They would let you in if you speak Japanese or have a Japanese friend.
@@redfish337 if you have a small percentage of foreigners cause a huge problem every few nights. Of course you'll not want them anywhere near your store. Usually if you speak the language and can actually behave (unlike some tourist, we know who) you will be fine
Doesn't help when people google something relating to Japan and only see the first result without digging deeper. Like with tattoos, someone I was talking with googled the matter and the first result said "they're illegal in Japan"... yet, Shogo outright stated there's tattoo artist and parlors open to the public in Kyoto (and with Sora The Troll, tattoos are a thing and some wear them openly in Tokyo). I'd rather trust people that live in the country and saying "nah, it's not taboo" over something that's likely not true via a google search.
I think the tattoo one is really interesting. I like that there seems to be a distinction made in cultural attitudes toward Japanese or foreigners with tattoos, that really does highlight that many Japanese seem to be culturally aware and accepting that other places view these things differently.
In England it can be hit or miss as to if a household asks you to take your shoes off, growing up we never did though there was a no shoes on the carpet rule In my house now as an adult we ask for shoes off in the entrance hallway My partner and I leave some shoes at the rear door if we need to go outside in our garden Though we haven’t been super strict on this except no shoes on the carpet as it’s a nice carpet in our living space and bedrooms The rest of the house is wooden floorboards that are easy to clean so it isn’t as important
12:36 Wait... isn't this a standard everywhere? I mean, we do this in Greece. You either leave your shoes outside of the house (usually if the whole building consists of apartments that your family lives so there is no worrying about them getting stolen) or inside but very close to the door. edit: spelling
Nah I'm a classless Ameripunk sittin around in her living room with shoes on right now XD;; Bc I gotta go somewhere in a lil bit. If I had nowhere to go for a while then I'd flip em off and put my feet up. :P
Around my region of America, everyone keeps their shoes in their own bedrooms, so you wear them in and out of there (out assuming you're leaving the house of course), but guests are not expected to remove their shoes unless they're staying over for the night really.
In The Netherlands, it depends on the household whether you take your shoes off. In Sweden however, it's sort of mandatory. But think about it: in The Netherlands there is little extreme weather and we do not have mountains or anything like that. In Sweden, on most of the year, there is snow in most of the country. You don't want that mess in your house. In Greece, I can imagine there is a lot of dust on the roads in summer because of the climate. Could that be related?
For menus, you can get translator software that will edit out Kanji into English text on the phone camera. It's pretty incredible and helps a lot with menus and street signs when visiting Asian countries.
In my experience being from the USA, you are usually expected to take your shoes off if the house has carpet or a lot of rugs. There are exceptions if the house has a very unusual or delicate hard surface but yeah, before COVID I would keep my shoes on if it was not carpet. COVID-19 changed that.
I have to consider myself lucky, when i was in Japan with my friend in 2017 for almost a month I have not experienced anything negative. Maybe people are more welcoming if you speak at least a little Japanese and know rules you should follow. I remember when we went to Koga to visit ninja village an elder man literally gave us a tour through the whole village and invited us to the local cafe, the staff and locals were super nice and we spend there 3h just talking in "foreign level" of Japanese. The best experience so far.
A lot of this feedback from Shingo was accurate. Concerning the business card and you tube, I can answer, RUclipsr are perceived as casual independent creative minds rather than corporate entities like a 合同会社 or 株式会社 so for that people do not see RUclipsrs as a real business but rather as a side hobby.
I greatly appreciate your input and insight into the culture of Japan. This really helps the world understand other cultures and answers a lot of questions I've had for years. Thank you!
@@terrytzaneros8007 Carlbad is certainly the most relevant topic in this context. Reducing especially a rich and fabolous culture like the Japanese to a food type, and (even wrongly) a money handling utility is just ... off.
@@ImKinoNichtSabbeln: aber .. freund, reduction to 'the lowest common (cultural) denominator' notwithstanding, we carry such tokens of 'reduction' about us daily.
And it depends on the train as well. I was on a train in Kyoto just the other day, Eidensha line... and two ladies were talking the whole time. COVID has certainly made things quieter than before though. Even in restaurants.
I've seen some restaurants and fast food places doing the money-tray thing lately bc of Covid, but generally regular store workers no, still just handing it to them... I kinda wanna start doing the tray thing at my job though! XD
its normal to take your shoes off before entering someones house in the west, but its almost unheard of to do it before entering a restaurant but it makes sense bc we dont rly have chairs on the floor ever
My visit to Japan was the best trip of my life. Your videos will only enhance the enjoyment of a visitors trip along with a bit of courtesy and common sense most travelers will have a wonderful time without looking disrespectful or looked down upon. All the native japanese people I encountered were super friendly and welcoming. I can’t wait to come back!
I was raised in Los Angeles and had to take public busses and trains my whole childhood. By the time I finally had a cell phone as an adult, I HATED when I'd get calls during train or bus rides, mostly because I don't like talking about my personal business around strangers, and also because (idk if it's still like this) sometimes trains and busses could be dangerous. I'd had several random strangers threaten me on public transportation and I just preferred to not be distracted by phone calls around strangers.
I’ve listened to many Japanese videos. Your channel gives me a new aspect on your culture. I’m not saying I’m oblivious to the ways of Japan, but I’m enlightened by your honesty and straight talking of how you deal with life. Huge thanks for your show.
What surprise me about tattoos is the fact that all tattoos seems to be associated with Yakuza. I'm not an expert on the subject, but even to my untrained eyes I can tell Yakuza tattoos apart from regular/decorative tattoos. In a similar way that you can usually tell prison tattoos associated with criminal gangs apart from regular tattoos.
@bina nocht Yeah, ink from ballpoint pens, and using an electric shaver with a needle attached to it to punch the ink into the skin. Very obvious prison tat.
I always find these video's interesting because having lived in Japan as a foreign kid in the 80's most of it I never noticed except the taking off shoes in some places and wearing slippers. But it was the 80's and I mostly just remember going into candy shops where the cashier would use a abacus to tally the total of things.
I love your tutorials on Japan. I have noticed something from the videos I have seen from Japan. It seems there are differences depending on where you are from in Japan. I see different facial features and wondered if that is because of family or if there are some historical differences. There are some people who think all Japanese, and even all Asians look alike. I don't think of myself as an expert but I see just as many differences as there are in European people.
I entered one of those Japanese only restaurants once years ago. Got the "get out" sign. Didn't figure out what had happened until someone told me. Felt really bad at the time. Now I can see it coming though.
ありがとうございます for creating another very helpful video. My wife and I are traveling to Japan next summer for the first time ever! We are very excited and I appreciate the knowledge you share in these videos.
I miss Japan and my best friend. I haven’t seen him since Covid! Great video friends and thanks for clarifying these things I was aware of as I wasn’t sure the reason. Last time I visited we rode motorcycles from Nikko above Tokyo, around Mt Fuji and lakes, to Kyoto and back. It was 2,500km (1600 miles). Is Japan opening up more to visitors?
I got my sleeve done in Japan and love it. Granted being a foreigner, the imagery is definitely different in comparison to Japanese, but I still try to show it in hopes that the stigma will gradually disappear.
As far as the 'no gajin' customers and my experience (been in Japan for almost 25 years) is mostly, but not always, due to a language barrier. As soon as it was apparent I was fluent in Japanese I saw a visual relief in the hosts face and I was allowed entry. This is is especially important in bars because no one wants a belligerent drunk they can't communicate with. Not endorsing this, but I understand it.
If you can speak some Japanese and you are turned away from a restaurant, leave the restaurant > call and make a reservation (give a Japanese name)> go back in (if you get the reservation). . I've done this before
I recall my last trip to Hokaido, was in a small town and my wife and I walked ages to find a resturant and they apologies to me because they cant speak a word of English. I told them my Japanese is completely broken but I can understand bits and pieces, I end up going in a had a great meal. I think the turning down customer part is more common in Kyoto, but Kyoto is still by far my favourite city of Japan..
As for the shoes in houses: I grew up in southeastern Kentucky and that region has a sandy mud everywhere and a lot of rain so the mud really cakes up on your shoes. For this reason, many people will insist that you take off your shoes at the front door. ESPECIALLY if the house doesn't have carpeted floors! Grandmothers are especially insistent about it! Haha! Don't you DARE wear your shoes into Grandma's house! Talk about trouble! 🤣🤣
Regarding tattoos, when I was in Japan in 2019 during may it was really hot and I was most of the time wearing short sleeves revealing my tattoos and I hardly got any reaction from locals
I think the ramen slurping has more to do with airating the soup and noodles through the sinus cavity so that customer better able to taste the flavor of the food, and it got conflated with showing appreciation to the chef.
When you were watching the video and had the two bubbles for your reactions that was just like watching a game show :) Thank you for your always pleasant videos.
That thing with the 'no first time customers' seems like a surefire way to ensure your business dies. People move away, their tastes change, or heck sometimes they just get old and pass away. Without new customers, your existing customer pool will only shrink until you can no longer earn a living.
I had no idea that Japan did not want visitors this much. It is clear that before you go to Japan there are many countries and cultures that welcome us to visit. So go there. Happy Trails
We spent 3 weeks in Japan and are looking forward to a return visit. Had many very warm and personal conversations...which is why we travel...to learn and share our knowledge with locals. As far as talking on a train...we rode a train that stopped at a girls boarding school on a Friday when students were returning to Tokyo, The students offered us seats (gray hair) and we soon realized it was to practice English and ask us ??? about the US, fun hour or so. Even folks who were not fluent in English were helpful in pointing us the way.
Oh my gosh! I did a doubletake when you said 2 million subscribers for 2023! Maybe it was the pandemic time distortion combined with me being an airhead on RUclips, but I hadn't noticed you had already come so far! Congratulations!
Tattoos can still make life difficult for the average person in America as well. Although people have become more open minded, it can still be a dealbreaker in a job interview.
@@ikeskifan so Tahitians are just dirty to you even though it's part of the culture? My grandfather hat tattoos served in WW2 and was an amazing man. Clean and wholesome.
Another tourist restaurant point to mention is that a lot of Japanese restaurants will not have any vegetarian options at all besides plain rice. Asking for substitutions or omissions in dishes on the menu will be an uphill challenge (sometimes they will say "yes" and then not do it).
"Don't talk on the phone on trains" should be a rule everywhere. Here in North America, we've all encountered the type of person who thinks practically shouting is an acceptable inside voice and who always has their speakerphone on, even in public. Everyone hates people like that but some still do it. I really wish our society would progress to a point where that sort of needlessly obnoxious behavior goes away.
Or on speaker phone. Then when they get made I'm sitting there staring and saying "um this is a private convo!" I'm like "you are on speaker and now the whole bus is invested keep talking" 😂
Hello from Okinawa! Thanks for the cool video. It's awesome to see how things are changing over time. I definitely agree most places take card in Japan now, even some small businesses. Still, you should always have cash on hand in case the owner(s) is very old or the technology malfunctions. I recommend first asking if they accept card so you can save your cash (assuming you have a Japanese card or international card to avoid fees). However, just know that depending on who is working there, they might not even know that the business accepts cards. I actually taught one server in Nagoya how to use the touch payment on his machine, so you never know. If you are in Japan for more than one day, you should absolutely definitely get a train card though. Many places that don't even take credit, will take the train card, as will many vending machines and coin lockers in big cities! You really only need to cover your tattoos in onsen, public baths, or high-end restaurants, and you can often check online to find onsen that accept tattoos. Shout out to Onsen Guest House Tsutaya in Hakone, Kanagawa! If you are looking for an Amazing place to stay near Mt. Fuji at any point, I highly recommend it and you can use their onsen with tattoos. I guess I've been lucky living in Japan for almost a year now and I have run into 0 no-foreigner restaurants. To be fair, I'm not sure that exists in Okinawa though.
Now that we have lived in Japan for a bit I have found the shoe thing comical. I have a US size 12 foot. Any of the sandals that are provided are way to small. I just have to go barefoot.
I hope you bring socks at least, because Shogo explained in another video (or Chris Broad did, can't remember) that bare feet can make tatami mats dirty too. Don't want to be that rude guest that dirties your precious tatami mats!
Don’t tip outside of the USA, I’ve heard them doing that here too, in Australia . Wages are normal and tipping just doesn’t happen, I never new until seeing videos of Americans,
My parents put Wasabi Paste in their soy sauce and then dunk the whole sushi in and I'm like "... you know you don't taste the actual sushi anymore now, right?" But if they like it 😅
Back around 1970, we were taught that it was rude to hand money (or anything) to someone because holding the money in your hand is a demand that the clerk take the money immediately. It was more polite to put the money on the counter, or in the tray if there was one, so that the clerk could pick it up when he was ready to. The goal was to avoid inappropriately dominating the other person.
It makes me wonder if you could prove your japanese language skills are fluent enough if theyd allow you into the japanese only spots. In america we have similar kinda things with clubs. It isnt uncommon for especially golf clubs to have members only bars/shops but they also can be a bit selective on their membership.
I've been wanting to visit Japan for the last 22 years, when I get an opportunity I'd love to be shown around by you :) keep up the great work, love your videos and have learned much about your country's rich history and customs!
Hey Shogo, so concerning food on the train, what if you were getting take-out to eat at home, do they bag it so it's hard for the smell to get out or do riders understand when they don't see you eating it that it is for later? Thanks!
Yes, it's always bagged well. MOST Japanese food doesn't have a strong smell or isn't bought piping hot. It's usually not a problem... and yea... they bag it for you really well. They know well train manner.
Just a few things to note. Not all ATMs in Japan are 24/7. This is true for Tokyo and Osaka based banks but for other banks it’s not. My brother has an account with Hiroshima Bank and there is an operation window for ATMs. I can’t remember what time they open but I remember my brother saying he can’t get money from ATMs past 8pm on normal days and ATMs are “closed” and not operating during holidays. It makes no sense but that’s the way it is. Fortunately in Hiroshima and his home town of Fukuyama are starting to support more cash less options. My brother just told me of a recent date he had with his girlfriend, they ate at a restaurant in Fukuyama, but they realized they didn’t have enough cash. He was a little worried, because again In Hiroshima ATMs are not open 24/7. Fortunately he saw a large group of Japanese customers pay with credit card and he was relieved. One thing that Tourists can get is Rail Cards such as Suica or ICOCA. They can be easily obtained at train station ticket machines in English Language. Up to 20000 yen can be stored in the card. It makes it easy to pay for items at Convenience stores and all the shops and restaurants inside Japanese Train Stations with out needing to deal with cash. Japanese people understand your a foreigner so when I did have to pay in cash and handed money directly to cashier, they pointed to the tray. It happened to me more than once. I don’t think they were offended, but not all clerks were super polite either. I haven’t come across a restaurant that doesn’t like foreigners, but then again i was with my brother who is fluent in Japanese so I think he can tell if they don’t, before going there.
I'm coming for business in October, and staying a week extra. I'm soooo excited! So far I've learnt hiragana, katakana and a couple of useful phrases. What a difference to learning another Indo-European language! I mean, even Russian is easy compared to Japanese. But it's a great challenge, and with another 30-45 min a day for the months, at least I won't feel like I'm on another planet. Or maybe I will!
I'd feel really embarrassed about my heavy accent, I think. It'll make things harder for them to understand. Before I go to Japan I'll be doing a lot of vocal training.
I can assure that the habit to not wearing shoes at home is the rule also in Denmark. I moved to Denmark from Italy in 1985 and one of the things that surprised me the most was exactly this habit because back then it was not a thing in Italy at all, while in DK when you visit someone it’s an automatic thing you do and you are most of the times directly asked to take your shoes off if you are not showing that you are going to do that. It is normal and polite as a guest to ask where to leave your shoes as it’s normal as a host to say something like “you can leave your shoes there”, although it’s unusual to be offered slippers; most homes do not have slippers for the guests, which can be annoying during the cold season.
Ah you guys just showed up on my feed, this is so helpful, I wasn't to come see the 2.5D theater as soon as more tourists can come. Definitely subscribed and zooming through your vids! 💗
i dont understand the "no first time customer" policy. every business starts with first time customer. is that means the only take like first 1000 customers and then only those people can return?
That is done in small restaurants where there is only 10-15 customers. So yes, they can keep track of everyone since the admittance is small. Think of a small corner store (mom & pop type store). I saw a video of a tourist who went to a ramen shop and there was only room for 6 people at a time.
I was 17 when I went to Japan. No parents, just a group of adolescents and adult chaperones. It was a neat experience, though I wished I knew more Japanese other than the needed phrases. I told my cousin's wife who is Japanese about it later and she gave me some pointers. I wasn't using the right 'small' when it came to saying "I speak little Japanese". I was able to say "I am studying". It was a junior ambassador program so some restaurants were open to us despite not being open to regular tourists. A friend who knew more was able to ask if we could shop at certain shops when it came time to the little free time we were given. Granted I think a few shops weren't open to us. Overall, it was a fun experience and I bought a few books to help me study.
If restaurants don't allow first-timers, how do they get new customers and build relationships with them in the first place? Also, if you're a non-asian japanese native, how does that affect your time with these restaurants? I'd be so sad if they get treated badly too!
Yes the cash thing has changed in my experience. I first when to Japan in the year 2000 and credit cards were not taken much anywhere. But it’s changed gradually over the years . I suppose in the smaller towns cash would be more convenient.
Having lived in Asia for 5 years as a westerner, I see Japanese culture as very well ordered. I think if we in the West adopted some of this culture we would be a more harmonious society
I can see why Japanese prize youth. It seems that Japan is stuck in the past because of the elderly. The youth have the ability to adapt to modern society.
When I was visiting Japan we entered a ramen shop in Akihabara for dinner. I was trying to speak with my limited Japanese skill but then the owner did something that I think is ingenious. He have this laminated booklet with some choises per page like hot / cold in the 1st page, ramen / soba on the second, multiple types of broth on the third, etc. It was printed in English with clear picture and colour so the chef just need to point at the menu and the customer just need to choose. And I think that was briliant. I guess it could work with limited menu.
That's common in Japan in places that have many foreign tourists.
Word to the wise:
The English menu often isn't the full menu.
It may also lean toward things they think foreigners want, or to keep it simple so foreigners who may not be used to this sort of thing can order more easily.
I'm not saying they're trying to rip you off- just that using the English menu has disadvantages.
@@redfish337 That is sometimes the case, but other times it is just an exact copy. Your advice still stands, however.
When I was stationed there back in the 90's this was common around the shops close to base. We would tell new guys to pic something, if you like it remember the picture and how the name is written in case you go to a shop that just has a normal menu.
I love that!
I don't know what I'll see in Japan whenever I do actually get to visit places like Akihabara, or Tokyo... But maybe I won't like the big city of Tokyo... Who knows.
Regarding Japanese only restaurants, I have seen a variety of shops that have signs indicating something like "no foreigners." One in particular was a pet store in Osaka. Someone later told me it was because they would not want to sell a pet to someone who is likely to leave the country and abandon the animal.
When the pandemic started, I remember a ramen shop owner banning foreigners. It had nothing to do with language issues, and all to do with blaming foreigners for the virus.
If a japanese citizen that looks 100% like a foreigner will they get that treatment at a restaurant?
@@Antony2618 Unfortunately yes... there's a few videos on this topic already on RUclips, but I would rather think it's relatively a rare occurrence unless they live outside of the major cities within Japan and the misunderstanding could be cleared up if the person is a native Japanese speaker or fluent in japanese.
That's just the shop keeper making a presumption, and assuming that all foreigners will abandon their pet. Don't Westerners in particular, love animals? Surely they ship their pets too when they return home and not just buy pets and treat them like a throwaway toy or accessory.
One reason for this I’ve seen also for restaurants is also for the language, especially when it involves food, raw especially, food with risks like pufferfish and such. Many I’ve seen stipulate that you need to be fluent in Japanese so you can understand the risks and know other things about the menu, especially if it’s the kind of menus that can change based on the chefs decisions.
the chased away from restaurant, i experienced it, i went with my Japanese cousin and we were chase away because they felt we dont look Japanese, my cousin has a dark tan and looks like a Cambodian, i can speak Japanese but because we both look like foreigners we were chased away, after that day he told all his friends and colleagues and they boycott the place, it shut down after 6 months due to lack of customers.
Brilliant move that’s the way to go about it!!! Well done 🙌🏽
And the restaurant owner didn't know why people stopped going there?
The decent thing to do would be to tell him.
Ehh, it probably didn’t get shut down. But this is disheartening to read because it’s too common
For the shoes thing, I guess in Europe, where I live, it's more a matter of personal preference and habit. I grew up in a no-shoe house, and have taken the habit of removing my shoes as soon as I enter a house, but my boyfriend who grew up in a house that was constantly being worked on never takes them off, because it used to be dangerous to walk around barefoot in his house...
Yeah. Most houses I hang around in the US and Canada are no-shoes, too
For north Europe it's a definite no-no for shoes indoors, not a personal preference. You don't take your shoes off in restaurants though, but schools (for at least lower grades) are no-shoes.
@@WanJae42 I feel like that's a newish trend in the US I remember growing up and we always had shoes on then I feel like around 2005 many houses were shoes off. Yes I'm old 😂.
@@grahamjl766 You may be right. I also think it's regional. Hawaii & Florida cultures seem to be more no-shoes than, say, Minnesota. But they wear coats in the house, too.
@@WanJae42 Why do they wear outerwear indoors? I don't understand it. I'm from the South, and my from Seattle boss kept there house in the low 50s and wore outerwear. I get keeping costs low, but like what about flannels, socks long underwear robe,blanket ,huge sweaters, like comfortable stuff?
Regarding tipping: the explanation I had heard about why it was rude (which is apparently untrue) is that in Japan, you should be getting paid by the owner based on how well you do your job. As a result, tipping can be seen as saying "You are so bad at your job you probably aren't getting paid enough to live on, so I'm going to help you out."
I’ve heard that too
Giving a financial reward (gift or tip) can be considered an insult on several occasions.
For gifts it's usually the lack of effort put into it. (Mishandling the wrapping is another quick way to bring a Japanese (many Asian actually) friend to tears, it's not about the object given, it's about the care and effort put into it for you)
For tips, it's just as much an assumption they are bad at their job and underpaid, as the impression they need sympathy or generosity. In many places the employees only charge one for the service and products one received.
In some cultures customers tend to tip for service and products exceeding their expectations.
One can start to wonder if that customer had low expectations to begin with, if it's just any other day for the employee.
I see tipping as rude because as an employee in the service industry, a tip is like a reward for doing your best, but you're already doing your best. You're just doing what you're paid to do, so anything extra doesn't make sense. As an aside, I can't stand the idea that so many employers in western countries don't pay their employees properly, with the assumption that they'll make up for the poor pay in tips. I wish tipping culture was just removed everywhere and employers paid the employees properly. I'd much rather pay 1200 yen for a meal with no tip, then 1000 yen + 150 yen in a tip, even though I'm paying more.
Don't think it's rude. Just most countries don't have the tip system. Only that few countries in the west do that.
@@alukuhito Yep. That’s the US for you. Not tipping is almost cruel. Fortunately, that is beginning to change.
The concept of using a money tray in Japan is similar to using a bill folder in Western restaurants. It will be more convenient and polite for both the waiter and the buyer instead of you having to give each bill to the waiter or it will be very inconvenient if you use coins.
This was actually so interesting!! Definitely didn’t expect a few of these taboos but I’m excited that they’re allowing tourist again ☺️💛
the no foreigners restaurants is actually a thing a friend and i experienced here in canada. mostly due to my friend unfortunately. I frequently go to the province Quebec. My first language helped me exist rather well there and so I'd spend almost the entirety of winter there. My friend is british though. I tried to take her to a sushi restaurant, but they tried to deny us entry after hearing my friend's poor attempt at french. They had a bilingual waiter come over to explain why they couldnt serve us. i am ashamed to admit i lost my temper with them, arguing with them to their surprise far more fluently. they seemed pretty embarrassed after realising their oopsy. they tried to offer us seats then but i was still too heated and refused, deciding to find a different restaurant that would feel more welcoming to my friend.
Someone I know had that exact experience in France. They just sat a table and the waiter would never serve them....must be a French thing
@@instrumentalist28 thats just Quebec being Quebec...
@@sneezing_panda definitely french
@@instrumentalist28 thats in canada son not in France
@@lordaizen3135 French Canadian
Speaking of not eating stuff on the train, I noticed that doesn't apply on the shinkansen, which even has trays to put food on. I think it is fine to talk to your phone too, if you go to the back of the train car. I just mention it, since people say train they think of the local trains but the shinkansen is it's own thing.
Based on what I'm seeing on the 'travel in Japan' channels, it appears the not eating thing is primarily commuter trains. Overnight or better trains, either have dining cars, or you can pick up Bento at a station, although I'm betting the ready made stuff is largely not fish, that just seems rude.
@@eskieguy9355 its not old smelly fish.
10:29 I've heard of this, countries like Japan and Korea, some people are so uncomfortable and nervous about the language barrier they'd rather not deal with it at all. Which I think is a bit silly, in Australia I've had customers who spoke no English and could only point to things. It's not an ideal situation but you eventually get through it.
Racists and xenophobes exists primarily in places that never encounter other races or people from other countries
My question is, what happens if the foreigners speak the language fluently...or take for example the non-Japanese people born and raised in Japan? 🫤
@@guardianoftime2 see my post..
Here in Texas we often see Mexican license plates and Mexican tourists or visitors. Most know enough English to get by but, once I saw two women who knew no English trying to purchase clothing in a ladies store. The only remedy was for them to lay any number of bills on the counter and rely on the clerks honesty to take out the correct amount. An example of how people manage to get by.
Same here in the US. My thing is is if you want to go to a country and don’t speak their language, any difficulty you experience is on you, but that doesn’t mean businesses should be allowed to flat out refuse you
In late 2019 I was staying Tokyo for about a month. I decided to take a getaway for a couple of nights and arranged to stay at an onsen in Kusatsu. In my room there was a tourist folder that had lots of information about this very popular place, in Japanese and English, with restaurants listed. There were little messages by the restaurants in English and Japanese extending invitations to come and enjoy their food. As it was my birthday I decided to splash out and treat myself to a delicious sounding dinner at what looked like a great place. Before I went into the restaurant there was a sign with the menu in Japanese and English. But when I stepped into the restaurant, I was immediately met with crossed forearms from one of the staff. He made it very clear that I was not welcome to eat dinner there. I left wondering why there was a menu posted in English if they didn't welcome "foreigners". I walked over to the konbini to buy a few things to eat and then went for a soak. I never told the Japanese friend I was staying with in Tokyo, because it would have made him very embarrassed and upset.
The no first time customers thing seems odd from the outside. How are you supposed to establish a relationship with the restaurant if you're not allowed to go to it? It feels like when entry level jobs ask for 2-5 years of experience. Word of mouth? Knowing someone who works there or going with an established customer? I'm genuinely curious.
I assume you have to know an established customer and go with them. It kind of makes sense but I agree it seems like shooting yourself in the foot from a business perspective.
@@LoveLee_Dreamer yeah, probably with an established customer.. like going with a friend or getting invited by the shop owner or his friends
@@LoveLee_Dreamer or eat outside ☠️
You get introduced by an existing customer, similar to invite only clubs.
@@LoveLee_Dreamer but how did said established customer become a customer in the first place? Even he or she had to have his/her first experience too. So I still think it’s perplexing.
IDK if this still goes on but I remember the Japanese-only restaurants had a rice bowl on a stool at the front door. This was 15+ years ago when I visited on military duty.
Do you know why?
@@lightninjohn5651 it means Japanese customers only. If you mean why they used rice bowls, maybe cause rice is a Japanese staple??
@@kazemizu yeah I was looking for why rice specifically. Rice being a staple makes sense, though
Thanks!
@@lightninjohn5651 Probably because they dont want drunk US servicemen.
My only problem when I visit Japan is sometimes I pass by this really nice Japanese restaurant but I'm too shy to walk in, maybe because I don't really speak the language, and feel a little ashamed to walk in full of Japanese customers, but maybe next time I will have the courage to try.
you can always learn a few basics and phrases to get by in a restaurant. personally I'm not great at reading or writing kanji but learning hiragana and katakana and just practicing speaking it has helped a lot.
Take Japanese class.
I'm an optometrist in the UK, people often come for an examination with little to no English. If I can perform an examination in these conditions then getting food should be easier.
All it requires is a little thinking and change by both parties.
learn the sentence you need before you go in, or write them in a little piece of paper . I think it will make people laugh but thats fun : )
@@andrewgarner2224 I just want to say this is amazing and your patients are really lucky.
at one time in the not so distant past in america, tattoos where associated with gangs and I remember my parents saying getting a tattoo is a sin.
Getting a tattoo is a sin, but tattoos aren’t traditionally known as being for gangs at least in America. They were originally gotten by sailors, and then by veterans. The main crossover would be some sailors are pirates, and after WWII a lot of vets became bikers who might have become gangs. Of course there are “prison tats” and gang tattoos now but they are hardly traditional, at least in the US
@@snoozley853 your dad isnt real...
In Brazil too
@@ArcanistBlack I feel like tattoos are also heavily associated with incarcerated folk and prison gangs. I particularly envision makeshift tattooing equipment.
Also my phone tried to read "tattooing" as "twerking" and I'm imagining prison gangs twerking at each other to assert dominance.
@@ArcanistBlack
Same in Britain.
in Britain the modern associations with tattoos would be from the 1960s onwards. For example 'prison tats' (made with India Ink and a needle), holiday tattoos, dedication tattoos, etc.
I absolutely loved my pre-covid trip to Japan and picked up two travel tips. 1. Using cash all the time means you will quickly accumulate a pocketful of loose coins. Take these into McDonalds and drop them into the charity box. And 2. There are no rubbish bins on the street, however, if you find a large park, there may be a smoking area nearby. These will have a rubbish bin.
5:12
I've heard that more recently for foreigners, Japanese people have become a bit more accepting of tattoos just because they more and more understand that, in western culture, tattoos are viewed much differently.
Though I have still heard that some public bath houses and onsens will still forbid you from entry or make you cover up your tattoos.
I've been told by fellow service members that served in county, I was in South Korea.
They are a lot more forgiving of tattoos around the military bases in their area.
If I were in Japan and if doing more than just waking around sightseeing (aka going to eat, a museum, etc) I would just always wear longsleeve shirt. I’ve got like visible tattoos just on my forearms and due to my job in the states (I do tutoring for additional class in music) I wear a long sleeve to every one just Bec I know when I was like 12 and learning music my teacher had a ton of tattoos and was really high energy all the time and it seemed just off putting for me. The combo of the just rapid fire instruction style and tattoos made me nervous to perform when I was in middle school
Not some... MOST. But small discrete tattoos CAN be acceptable... or just bring a pastie to cover it. Or just go to a place with a private onsen.
For the restaurants that don’t allow first-time guests, how do they establish relationships with new guests?
this I am curious
You would have to come with an established customer first, in order to be introduced.
@@rajamicitrenti1374 so you need to come in group with experienced/veteran customer then?
Having contacts that recommend you the place is what I've heard works best
I ate at several high-end sushiya via concierges at my hotels.
I lived in Japan for some time (study abroad in Nagoya). I was always with my Japanese friends and I spoke Japanese, so I guess I really never ran into the "no foreigners allowed" issue. Now, people were sometimes unsure of what to do until I talked to them in Japanese, and that definitely made them more welcoming. So I think the language barrier is a big part of it, as well.
Regarding Japanese only restaurants, this is quite funny in my experience. there is this kind of restaurant in Aichi and my friend is a regular there, he bring me to the restaurant and he told me not to speak until we are sited. surprisingly I managed to enter and ate at the restaurant. He said I can come since I somewhat look a little Japanese because of my hair style, body figure and actions.
I am from Philippines so my face is a little bit deeper compare to normal japanese people but he said I can passed as an okinawan so when the owner refused us, we can just say I am from okinawa fortunately the owner didn't mind me haha
Asian privilege
@@brandonvasser5902 it just shows japanese are really more tolerant/accepting of other asians unlike the myths floating in the internet
@@satoruzeieru183 Not sure how her situation proves that. She literally just said she could enter the restaurant because she could pass as Japanese.
@@shanchan8247 what are you trying to say?
@@satoruzeieru183 they’re trying to say that the person was able to go into the restaurant because they somewhat looked Japanese/Okinawan even though they are filipino
Regarding "Japanese Only": Not only is this a taboo here, it's HIGHLY ILLEGAL in the U.S. to refuse service to someone based on sex, ethnicity, religion, or nationality. Even if the establishment is private and "members only", those membership privileges can not be based on those things.
That's not really true though.
Plenty of minority activist groups practice open discrimination, yet the authorities do not interfere or prosecute them for it in the U.S.
They even go so far as to discriminate in job applications like sayibg things along the lines of "white people need not apply" or "heterosexual white men need not apply".
@@sevenproxies4255 I have seen similar things to that such as, "Cis-white male applicants are considered last"...yes...it seems to be selectively applied to try to achieve some sort of relative social justice.
@PALI PALI They're explaining how something like that is a big culture shock and definitely very xenophobic to people from the US.
@@rolandgdean if you’re going to try to insult social justice, you should learn how to spell.
@@rolandgdean PS… equality doesn’t mean you’re losing; it means you no longer have a de facto advantage based on gender and skin color.
Admiral Halsey, from WWII, was covered by tattoos from his neck to his wrists and ankles. He had them done in Japan during his visits there as part of the Navy.
Japan isn't one person. Just like everywhere else in the world some of them appreciate tattoos and some don't.
About the "Japanese Only Restaurants": When I was in Naha in 2014 I walked by a restaurant that had written in english next to the door: "Japanese Speakers Only". SO I guess if you are not a japanese person but still speak Japanese, you would be allowed in there. But that is just a guess.
I got in trouble so many times growing up for taking my shoes off in the house. My (Mexican) family would say I was gonna get sick since the floors are made of tile and cold.
My family used to be completely barefoot in our home but now that everyone's getting old we use thick indoor rubber slippers. We have marble flooring downstairs and parquet wood flooring upstairs, so the slippers are just used downstairs due to the coldness.
Edit: SE Asian here.
Told my coworker about Japan opening up for tourists and she's already looking to book her tour!
Several cities are already backing out of the tourist programs. They’ll keep a very close eye on you and are restricted on what stores and even restaurants you can go to. Even Japan doesn’t want tourists right now.
Everyone wanting to go at the same time is a selfish way to introduce a new pathogen to spread and have everything be closed down again.
I will be waiting until it's responsibly safe to travel and safe up some cash in the meantime to secure a wonderful time without any hassle.
Can recommend that mind-set for everyone.
@@StefanVeenstra after more than 2 years, it’s not easy to have that mindset, we are not you.
As long as she wears a mask and takes a balanced approach to the pandemic.
@@StefanVeenstra You can't avoid disease forever and I am certain that people's immune systems have been weakened in the attempt to constantly avoid illness, ironically leading to worse illnesses when you finally get something like these super-colds going around our area.
Love the friendly sharing of information and cheery atmosphere of all your videos
I really liked having a co-host. Thanks Kazu! ✌️
In Tokyo as well, some shops refuse service to non Japanese or non Japanese speaker tourist. As a foreigner, we really feel offensive when it was told in front of our face. We prefer if you put a visible sign in front of the shop.
It’s really unacceptable, frankly. Illegal in the US.
I'd prefer that as well, because it would feel less personal, and be less hassle so we can know to just find another place.
I absolutely love this channel, I lived in Hokkaido for a year, and visited Okinowa for a few months (as a civilian for both), and the visit was absolutely lovely, I fell in love with the Japanese people/lifestyle.
We stayed at an airbnb in Kyoto that recommended a restaurant in the same street. So we went but they were not accepting first time customers. However there were a couple of Japanese bikers that wanted to speak to some foreigners who invited us in after speaking with authority to the owner. but other than that we have not had this issue in Japan.
But on the topic of airbnb's, Japan is the only place where the guests are graded by the hosts.... I always found that funny
Interesting! Thank you for sharing your experience with us. On the topic of being graded by the hosts, that also happens in Italy.
@@wolfcrew2608 Wow interesting. didnt know that abt Italy
Never stayed in an Airbnb but both getting a grade seems logical to me kind of surprised that's only in Japan
It has happened frequently here in Germany that guests left their airbnb in a disastrous condition, so rating the guests makes quite a lot of sense to me.
When I was in Kyoto I had the same experience when me and my friend were turned away from a restaurant. The chef just just said "No". I thought maybe they were closing at the time because it was around 9pm. But later I found out on RUclips that this happens in certain restaurants in Japan have a no foreigners policy. Which is really a shame that this does happen. We are all human at the end of the day.
And that's my main issue with that video.
They are legally allowed to turn you away for basically any reasons, including being non-Japanese.
But that's probably only the actual issue some tiny tiny percentage of the time.
In your case the most likely explanation is exactly what you said at first- they were closing or otherwise couldn't accommodate you for some other innocuous reason.
Most of the time if foreigners are denied service it’s because the Japanese pride themselves on customer service. With a language barrier they don’t think they can provide proper service. They would let you in if you speak Japanese or have a Japanese friend.
@@anthonyyoung6433 Yeah, that's why... Don't kid yourself homie.
@@redfish337 if you have a small percentage of foreigners cause a huge problem every few nights. Of course you'll not want them anywhere near your store. Usually if you speak the language and can actually behave (unlike some tourist, we know who) you will be fine
Alot of misinformation I've heard about Japan has come from people from the USA, I'm so glad a channel like this exist to clear things up!!
ah yes of course US charlatans are the ones spreading misinformation.
Doesn't help when people google something relating to Japan and only see the first result without digging deeper. Like with tattoos, someone I was talking with googled the matter and the first result said "they're illegal in Japan"... yet, Shogo outright stated there's tattoo artist and parlors open to the public in Kyoto (and with Sora The Troll, tattoos are a thing and some wear them openly in Tokyo).
I'd rather trust people that live in the country and saying "nah, it's not taboo" over something that's likely not true via a google search.
I think the tattoo one is really interesting. I like that there seems to be a distinction made in cultural attitudes toward Japanese or foreigners with tattoos, that really does highlight that many Japanese seem to be culturally aware and accepting that other places view these things differently.
In England it can be hit or miss as to if a household asks you to take your shoes off, growing up we never did though there was a no shoes on the carpet rule
In my house now as an adult we ask for shoes off in the entrance hallway
My partner and I leave some shoes at the rear door if we need to go outside in our garden
Though we haven’t been super strict on this except no shoes on the carpet as it’s a nice carpet in our living space and bedrooms
The rest of the house is wooden floorboards that are easy to clean so it isn’t as important
12:36 Wait... isn't this a standard everywhere? I mean, we do this in Greece. You either leave your shoes outside of the house (usually if the whole building consists of apartments that your family lives so there is no worrying about them getting stolen) or inside but very close to the door.
edit: spelling
Nah I'm a classless Ameripunk sittin around in her living room with shoes on right now XD;; Bc I gotta go somewhere in a lil bit. If I had nowhere to go for a while then I'd flip em off and put my feet up. :P
Around my region of America, everyone keeps their shoes in their own bedrooms, so you wear them in and out of there (out assuming you're leaving the house of course), but guests are not expected to remove their shoes unless they're staying over for the night really.
Nah, at least as far as I have known in NZ most people just leave their shoes on
In The Netherlands, it depends on the household whether you take your shoes off. In Sweden however, it's sort of mandatory. But think about it: in The Netherlands there is little extreme weather and we do not have mountains or anything like that. In Sweden, on most of the year, there is snow in most of the country. You don't want that mess in your house.
In Greece, I can imagine there is a lot of dust on the roads in summer because of the climate. Could that be related?
@@Tirza_ I think it's probably because people don't want to clean all the time, the longer the house is clean, the least you need to clean it.
For menus, you can get translator software that will edit out Kanji into English text on the phone camera.
It's pretty incredible and helps a lot with menus and street signs when visiting Asian countries.
In my experience being from the USA, you are usually expected to take your shoes off if the house has carpet or a lot of rugs. There are exceptions if the house has a very unusual or delicate hard surface but yeah, before COVID I would keep my shoes on if it was not carpet. COVID-19 changed that.
I have to consider myself lucky, when i was in Japan with my friend in 2017 for almost a month I have not experienced anything negative. Maybe people are more welcoming if you speak at least a little Japanese and know rules you should follow. I remember when we went to Koga to visit ninja village an elder man literally gave us a tour through the whole village and invited us to the local cafe, the staff and locals were super nice and we spend there 3h just talking in "foreign level" of Japanese. The best experience so far.
A lot of this feedback from Shingo was accurate. Concerning the business card and you tube, I can answer, RUclipsr are perceived as casual independent creative minds rather than corporate entities like a 合同会社 or 株式会社 so for that people do not see RUclipsrs as a real business but rather as a side hobby.
That's what it is. You will eventually need to learn an actual skill.
I greatly appreciate your input and insight into the culture of Japan. This really helps the world understand other cultures and answers a lot of questions I've had for years. Thank you!
Excellent presentation, Shogo. The cash tray is potentially Japan's greatest gift to the world since .. well .. sushi.
Except, cash trays are on most German counters, as well, since ca. forever.
@@ImKinoNichtSabbeln: Kyoto fires the (western) imagination more readily than Carlsbad.
@@terrytzaneros8007 Carlbad is certainly the most relevant topic in this context.
Reducing especially a rich and fabolous culture like the Japanese to a food type, and (even wrongly) a money handling utility is just ... off.
@@ImKinoNichtSabbeln: aber .. freund, reduction to 'the lowest common (cultural) denominator' notwithstanding, we carry such tokens of 'reduction' about us daily.
@@terrytzaneros8007 I see your point. Albeit, I thought we came here for some deeper understanding. My bad, ο φίλος μου.
I've been to Japan 4 times so far. And one thing I noticed was, the talking on the trains becomes more frequent and louder the later it gets. 😂
And it depends on the train as well. I was on a train in Kyoto just the other day, Eidensha line... and two ladies were talking the whole time. COVID has certainly made things quieter than before though. Even in restaurants.
I've seen some restaurants and fast food places doing the money-tray thing lately bc of Covid, but generally regular store workers no, still just handing it to them... I kinda wanna start doing the tray thing at my job though! XD
its normal to take your shoes off before entering someones house in the west, but its almost unheard of to do it before entering a restaurant
but it makes sense bc we dont rly have chairs on the floor ever
13:20 I was raised by my mother to always remove shoes when entering the house. (Michigan, USA)
My visit to Japan was the best trip of my life. Your videos will only enhance the enjoyment of a visitors trip along with a bit of courtesy and common sense most travelers will have a wonderful time without looking disrespectful or looked down upon. All the native japanese people I encountered were super friendly and welcoming. I can’t wait to come back!
I was raised in Los Angeles and had to take public busses and trains my whole childhood. By the time I finally had a cell phone as an adult, I HATED when I'd get calls during train or bus rides, mostly because I don't like talking about my personal business around strangers, and also because (idk if it's still like this) sometimes trains and busses could be dangerous. I'd had several random strangers threaten me on public transportation and I just preferred to not be distracted by phone calls around strangers.
I’ve listened to many Japanese videos. Your channel gives me a new aspect on your culture. I’m not saying I’m oblivious to the ways of Japan, but I’m enlightened by your honesty and straight talking of how you deal with life. Huge thanks for your show.
What surprise me about tattoos is the fact that all tattoos seems to be associated with Yakuza.
I'm not an expert on the subject, but even to my untrained eyes I can tell Yakuza tattoos apart from regular/decorative tattoos. In a similar way that you can usually tell prison tattoos associated with criminal gangs apart from regular tattoos.
@bina nocht Yeah, ink from ballpoint pens, and using an electric shaver with a needle attached to it to punch the ink into the skin.
Very obvious prison tat.
I think it's that normal people didn't have tattoos at all and so many people aren't even aware there's different kinds of tattoos
I always find these video's interesting because having lived in Japan as a foreign kid in the 80's most of it I never noticed except the taking off shoes in some places and wearing slippers. But it was the 80's and I mostly just remember going into candy shops where the cashier would use a abacus to tally the total of things.
I love your tutorials on Japan. I have noticed something from the videos I have seen from Japan. It seems there are differences depending on where you are from in Japan. I see different facial features and wondered if that is because of family or if there are some historical differences. There are some people who think all Japanese, and even all Asians look alike. I don't think of myself as an expert but I see just as many differences as there are in European people.
This was the first video I saw from you and I really liked it. So nice to hear the information from local people who actually know what is going on. 👍
I entered one of those Japanese only restaurants once years ago. Got the "get out" sign. Didn't figure out what had happened until someone told me. Felt really bad at the time. Now I can see it coming though.
ありがとうございます for creating another very helpful video. My wife and I are traveling to Japan next summer for the first time ever! We are very excited and I appreciate the knowledge you share in these videos.
I miss Japan and my best friend. I haven’t seen him since Covid! Great video friends and thanks for clarifying these things I was aware of as I wasn’t sure the reason. Last time I visited we rode motorcycles from Nikko above Tokyo, around Mt Fuji and lakes, to Kyoto and back. It was 2,500km (1600 miles). Is Japan opening up more to visitors?
Shogo looked so betrayed when Kazu started the intro along with him. Thanks for the video, guys!
We gonna just ignore how Kazu is looking like a straight badass with that outfit?
the nagi sign was adorable. I hope she had a blast!
I'm very curious, as a social experiment. How would Japanese react to a "no Japanese allowed/ No Domestics" restaurant?
Especially if they were on vacation in the US
It would be more important how white people would react on behalf of the japanese. Open segregation is a big taboo in the West.
@@followingtheroe1952 they mean in Japan
They can probably get away with denying people for not speaking English.
I got my sleeve done in Japan and love it. Granted being a foreigner, the imagery is definitely different in comparison to Japanese, but I still try to show it in hopes that the stigma will gradually disappear.
As far as the 'no gajin' customers and my experience (been in Japan for almost 25 years) is mostly, but not always, due to a language barrier. As soon as it was apparent I was fluent in Japanese I saw a visual relief in the hosts face and I was allowed entry. This is is especially important in bars because no one wants a belligerent drunk they can't communicate with. Not endorsing this, but I understand it.
If you can speak some Japanese and you are turned away from a restaurant, leave the restaurant > call and make a reservation (give a Japanese name)> go back in (if you get the reservation).
.
I've done this before
I recall my last trip to Hokaido, was in a small town and my wife and I walked ages to find a resturant and they apologies to me because they cant speak a word of English. I told them my Japanese is completely broken but I can understand bits and pieces, I end up going in a had a great meal. I think the turning down customer part is more common in Kyoto, but Kyoto is still by far my favourite city of Japan..
I think it's nice to see the other members of the team. Thanks for uploading.
As for the shoes in houses: I grew up in southeastern Kentucky and that region has a sandy mud everywhere and a lot of rain so the mud really cakes up on your shoes. For this reason, many people will insist that you take off your shoes at the front door. ESPECIALLY if the house doesn't have carpeted floors! Grandmothers are especially insistent about it! Haha! Don't you DARE wear your shoes into Grandma's house! Talk about trouble! 🤣🤣
I LOVED hearing your kids play in the background! What a happy family ❤
Regarding tattoos,
when I was in Japan in 2019 during may it was really hot and I was most of the time wearing short sleeves revealing my tattoos and I hardly got any reaction from locals
Growing up in the southern US, we took our shoes off in the house. It's just a practical thing to keep the floors clean.
I think the ramen slurping has more to do with airating the soup and noodles through the sinus cavity so that customer better able to taste the flavor of the food, and it got conflated with showing appreciation to the chef.
When you were watching the video and had the two bubbles for your reactions that was just like watching a game show :) Thank you for your always pleasant videos.
That thing with the 'no first time customers' seems like a surefire way to ensure your business dies. People move away, their tastes change, or heck sometimes they just get old and pass away. Without new customers, your existing customer pool will only shrink until you can no longer earn a living.
That’s where you lift the limit. Until you have strengthened your regular clientele
In America it’s more polite to do hand to hand exchanges, so we would hand money to cashiers and they would hand the change back
I had no idea that Japan did not want visitors this much. It is clear that before you go to Japan there are many countries and cultures that welcome us to visit. So go there. Happy Trails
We spent 3 weeks in Japan and are looking forward to a return visit. Had many very warm and personal conversations...which is why we travel...to learn and share our knowledge with locals. As far as talking on a train...we rode a train that stopped at a girls boarding school on a Friday when students were returning to Tokyo, The students offered us seats (gray hair) and we soon realized it was to practice English and ask us ??? about the US, fun hour or so. Even folks who were not fluent in English were helpful in pointing us the way.
Oh my gosh! I did a doubletake when you said 2 million subscribers for 2023! Maybe it was the pandemic time distortion combined with me being an airhead on RUclips, but I hadn't noticed you had already come so far! Congratulations!
Tattoos can still make life difficult for the average person in America as well. Although people have become more open minded, it can still be a dealbreaker in a job interview.
I don't think it's open-minded or closed-minded to me I look at it and it just makes a person look dirty and I like clean
@@ikeskifan so Tahitians are just dirty to you even though it's part of the culture? My grandfather hat tattoos served in WW2 and was an amazing man. Clean and wholesome.
@@ikeskifan Tattoos aren't dirty. That's a pretty messed up view.
Another tourist restaurant point to mention is that a lot of Japanese restaurants will not have any vegetarian options at all besides plain rice. Asking for substitutions or omissions in dishes on the menu will be an uphill challenge (sometimes they will say "yes" and then not do it).
"Don't talk on the phone on trains" should be a rule everywhere. Here in North America, we've all encountered the type of person who thinks practically shouting is an acceptable inside voice and who always has their speakerphone on, even in public. Everyone hates people like that but some still do it. I really wish our society would progress to a point where that sort of needlessly obnoxious behavior goes away.
Or on speaker phone. Then when they get made I'm sitting there staring and saying "um this is a private convo!" I'm like "you are on speaker and now the whole bus is invested keep talking" 😂
Hello from Okinawa! Thanks for the cool video. It's awesome to see how things are changing over time. I definitely agree most places take card in Japan now, even some small businesses. Still, you should always have cash on hand in case the owner(s) is very old or the technology malfunctions. I recommend first asking if they accept card so you can save your cash (assuming you have a Japanese card or international card to avoid fees). However, just know that depending on who is working there, they might not even know that the business accepts cards. I actually taught one server in Nagoya how to use the touch payment on his machine, so you never know. If you are in Japan for more than one day, you should absolutely definitely get a train card though. Many places that don't even take credit, will take the train card, as will many vending machines and coin lockers in big cities! You really only need to cover your tattoos in onsen, public baths, or high-end restaurants, and you can often check online to find onsen that accept tattoos. Shout out to Onsen Guest House Tsutaya in Hakone, Kanagawa! If you are looking for an Amazing place to stay near Mt. Fuji at any point, I highly recommend it and you can use their onsen with tattoos. I guess I've been lucky living in Japan for almost a year now and I have run into 0 no-foreigner restaurants. To be fair, I'm not sure that exists in Okinawa though.
Now that we have lived in Japan for a bit I have found the shoe thing comical. I have a US size 12 foot. Any of the sandals that are provided are way to small. I just have to go barefoot.
I hope you bring socks at least, because Shogo explained in another video (or Chris Broad did, can't remember) that bare feet can make tatami mats dirty too. Don't want to be that rude guest that dirties your precious tatami mats!
You can carry your own slippers,many Japanese do.
I just love watching all your videos. If I have a bad day, I come here. Here's a heart for each of you. ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Don’t tip outside of the USA, I’ve heard them doing that here too, in Australia . Wages are normal and tipping just doesn’t happen, I never new until seeing videos of Americans,
Very fun and instructive video. Also, it was delightful to hear the girls laughing at you guys from behind the camera! 🤣🤣🤣
My parents put Wasabi Paste in their soy sauce and then dunk the whole sushi in and I'm like "... you know you don't taste the actual sushi anymore now, right?"
But if they like it 😅
If I ever encounter sushi with real wasabi, I shall eat it properly. Otherwise I'll happily eat it as a barbarian.
Many people use food as a sauce delivery vehicle
Back around 1970, we were taught that it was rude to hand money (or anything) to someone because holding the money in your hand is a demand that the clerk take the money immediately. It was more polite to put the money on the counter, or in the tray if there was one, so that the clerk could pick it up when he was ready to. The goal was to avoid inappropriately dominating the other person.
It makes me wonder if you could prove your japanese language skills are fluent enough if theyd allow you into the japanese only spots. In america we have similar kinda things with clubs. It isnt uncommon for especially golf clubs to have members only bars/shops but they also can be a bit selective on their membership.
No it's not just no English
It's only Japanese only
So even if you were to speak Japanese because you don't look Japanese you won't be allowed inside
I've been wanting to visit Japan for the last 22 years, when I get an opportunity I'd love to be shown around by you :) keep up the great work, love your videos and have learned much about your country's rich history and customs!
Hey Shogo, so concerning food on the train, what if you were getting take-out to eat at home, do they bag it so it's hard for the smell to get out or do riders understand when they don't see you eating it that it is for later? Thanks!
Yes, it's always bagged well. MOST Japanese food doesn't have a strong smell or isn't bought piping hot. It's usually not a problem... and yea... they bag it for you really well. They know well train manner.
@@TheNewGreenIsBlue Thanks much!!!
We can’t usually eat on busses in the US - or drink either
Just a few things to note. Not all ATMs in Japan are 24/7. This is true for Tokyo and Osaka based banks but for other banks it’s not. My brother has an account with Hiroshima Bank and there is an operation window for ATMs. I can’t remember what time they open but I remember my brother saying he can’t get money from ATMs past 8pm on normal days and ATMs are “closed” and not operating during holidays. It makes no sense but that’s the way it is. Fortunately in Hiroshima and his home town of Fukuyama are starting to support more cash less options. My brother just told me of a recent date he had with his girlfriend, they ate at a restaurant in Fukuyama, but they realized they didn’t have enough cash. He was a little worried, because again In Hiroshima ATMs are not open 24/7. Fortunately he saw a large group of Japanese customers pay with credit card and he was relieved.
One thing that Tourists can get is Rail Cards such as Suica or ICOCA. They can be easily obtained at train station ticket machines in English Language. Up to 20000 yen can be stored in the card. It makes it easy to pay for items at Convenience stores and all the shops and restaurants inside Japanese Train Stations with out needing to deal with cash.
Japanese people understand your a foreigner so when I did have to pay in cash and handed money directly to cashier, they pointed to the tray. It happened to me more than once. I don’t think they were offended, but not all clerks were super polite either.
I haven’t come across a restaurant that doesn’t like foreigners, but then again i was with my brother who is fluent in Japanese so I think he can tell if they don’t, before going there.
I'm coming for business in October, and staying a week extra. I'm soooo excited!
So far I've learnt hiragana, katakana and a couple of useful phrases. What a difference to learning another Indo-European language! I mean, even Russian is easy compared to Japanese. But it's a great challenge, and with another 30-45 min a day for the months, at least I won't feel like I'm on another planet. Or maybe I will!
I'd feel really embarrassed about my heavy accent, I think. It'll make things harder for them to understand. Before I go to Japan I'll be doing a lot of vocal training.
Hello from Okinawa!!! Love your content! Your videos have made my experience here better. Thank you so much!
I can assure that the habit to not wearing shoes at home is the rule also in Denmark. I moved to Denmark from Italy in 1985 and one of the things that surprised me the most was exactly this habit because back then it was not a thing in Italy at all, while in DK when you visit someone it’s an automatic thing you do and you are most of the times directly asked to take your shoes off if you are not showing that you are going to do that. It is normal and polite as a guest to ask where to leave your shoes as it’s normal as a host to say something like “you can leave your shoes there”, although it’s unusual to be offered slippers; most homes do not have slippers for the guests, which can be annoying during the cold season.
Ah you guys just showed up on my feed, this is so helpful, I wasn't to come see the 2.5D theater as soon as more tourists can come. Definitely subscribed and zooming through your vids! 💗
i dont understand the "no first time customer" policy. every business starts with first time customer. is that means the only take like first 1000 customers and then only those people can return?
That is done in small restaurants where there is only 10-15 customers. So yes, they can keep track of everyone since the admittance is small. Think of a small corner store (mom & pop type store). I saw a video of a tourist who went to a ramen shop and there was only room for 6 people at a time.
I was 17 when I went to Japan. No parents, just a group of adolescents and adult chaperones. It was a neat experience, though I wished I knew more Japanese other than the needed phrases. I told my cousin's wife who is Japanese about it later and she gave me some pointers. I wasn't using the right 'small' when it came to saying "I speak little Japanese". I was able to say "I am studying". It was a junior ambassador program so some restaurants were open to us despite not being open to regular tourists. A friend who knew more was able to ask if we could shop at certain shops when it came time to the little free time we were given. Granted I think a few shops weren't open to us. Overall, it was a fun experience and I bought a few books to help me study.
If restaurants don't allow first-timers, how do they get new customers and build relationships with them in the first place? Also, if you're a non-asian japanese native, how does that affect your time with these restaurants? I'd be so sad if they get treated badly too!
You've got to be brought in by someone who vouches for you. Kinda like joining the Illuminati
@Henzo8i8 but how do the friends get in? And the friends that got those friends in? There's got to be a start somewhere
Yes the cash thing has changed in my experience. I first when to Japan in the year 2000 and credit cards were not taken much anywhere. But it’s changed gradually over the years . I suppose in the smaller towns cash would be more convenient.
Having lived in Asia for 5 years as a westerner, I see Japanese culture as very well ordered. I think if we in the West adopted some of this culture we would be a more harmonious society
So agree with this
You guys would never be able to give up expressing your opinions 😅
so glad I learned about the tipping.
I can see why Japanese prize youth. It seems that Japan is stuck in the past because of the elderly. The youth have the ability to adapt to modern society.