I once wrote an entire Japanese journal where I wanted to talk about かんこく (South Korea) but kept writing かんごく (prison). Imagine an entire page of "Prison seems awesome. One day I'd like to visit prison. It would be nice to meet friends in prison.", etc, etc...I couldn't understand why my Japanese teacher was laughing while she read my entry. :P Still, Sharla's example made me laugh, lol.
OMG!😂😂😂😂 Well, to be fair.. Prison won't be half as bad as being homeless.. Roof over your head, free meal, and yeah, good friends to make..? probably.. 😅
Itachi3 Weirdly enough jail is not free in Japan! You actually have to pay the government for the length of your sentence. My friends sister’s boyfriend was in jail in Japan for a few months, and racked up a hefty fine when he was released 😯😯😯
@@ZebrasEatMarshmellow Awwweee. There goes my life plans.. 😂 Kidding. I didn't really know. And I guess that'd be one good reason to try my best not to violate any laws when I visit one day.
I once freaked out a passenger on the Odakyu-sen when I wanted to ask if it was okay to sit down. I said "Sawatte mo ii desu ka?" (May I touch you?) instead of the correct "Suwatte mo ii desu ka?" (May I sit down?). Oh, the joys of using vowels!
Story from NPR: A woman ordered green tea in a shop in Japan. She asked for sugar. She was told that green tea didn't have sugar. She insisted. The server had a conference with the owner and came back and said they didn't have sugar. So she ordered coffee. It came with sugar packets.
I actually met a guy at a bar who left said bar and came back with hair oil for me. I didn't think my hair was that dry but it did make it silky smooth. Tokyo times.
Omg. This makes much sense. I work at a gift shop in Chicago and often most Asian guests do not acknowledge me when I greet them. I never thought they were rude but at first I felt a little awkward. I assumed they didn't understand me.
when I went to Japan I visited a Subway restaurant in a mall. I asked for olives on my sandwich and she put 1 half of an olive on it. then I asked for more olives and she put the other half of the olive on, I didn't want to keep asking lol
Now the minute I go to a subway in Japan, I'm just gonna be like," I would like a ghandful of olives please. Yes, I'm a filthy unhealthy american, now please give me my life force." Probably wouldn't say the last part, but I'd be thinking it.
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The heat and humidity won't bother me much, the not customizing meal I kinda knew but I didn't know they would act like that, In a way is funny but it doesn't give you freedom to pick. Thank you so much for the info!
Waiters in Japanese restaurants are very inflexible because they'll get yelled at if they don't follow their manuals. I was working at a restaurant in Tokyo and got fired for saying "sure" to a customer when he asked me to get rid of onions on his meal.
@@asobimo5532 that's a good question. I'm kind of allergic to raw onions. It won't kill me but, it causes influmation in my mouth and tongue if the piece of oniion stays there for a little bit.
You are so right about the inflexibility of people here sometimes. I work in a Japanese company and I could totally relate. Things like "No, we shouldn't/can't do that because it's not in the printed schedule for today (although it is possible in every way except the mindset)." It also translates as we cannot do something outside what was planned/pre-determined because that's just the way it is. Shouganai!
I wasn't subscribed to you for too long but I wanted to ask if you will be posting any videos soon and if so what would it be about if you don't mind me asking. thank you! :3
Necromantic Berzerker I've been so busy with college and work so I haven't been able to upload! But I will be uploading pretty soon and it will be a few more videos from Japan and then it should be music covers and videos about Japan/japan exchange :)
Like the ladies said, if you visit Tokyo, GET A SUICA CARD. Not only is it good for making the train rides faster and easier, but you can also use it to pay for items at most stores and shops in Tokyo as well. That way you don't have to carry around a coin purse filled with yen. The Japanese yen doesn't get into paper bill form until 1,000 yen (roughly $10) so...yeah.
I didn't dare attempt to customize an order when I was in Japan on my study abroad. But when I went back as a teacher and mentioned the customizing to my students, they laughed and tell me they customize things all the time. So it is possible! Like at McDonalds I absolutely despise sauces... mustard, mayo, ketchup. Hate it all. So I ask for no sauce and the workers didn't protest at all. Omg, the summer part is SO TRUE. I have curly hair so I looked like the bride of Frankenstein all the time when I wasn't dying of heat
Rachel, if you don't already know this, this is how you get anti-frizzy hair with no products. Coming from an Asian girl, and having lots of friends... we don't brush our hair after we wash it. THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT FRIZZY! Seriously, my mum has hair that is like really, puffy and frizzy and when I told her not to brush her hair after washing it, it comes out much, much more neater and in beautiful waves! *_* Of course, brush your hair before you wash up. Though I only do it like once every few weeks - months lol. I'm lazy. Give it a try, and maybe it will work for you too?
+bemyvforever I don't brush my hair hardly ever. :( I can't even remember the last time I needed to, actually. Asian hair is REALLY thick and heavy (and silky). Red hair is really light and wispy, it hardly even stays down on my head. It's super thin and just doesn't have the weight to stay down. Heavy oils are the only thing that helps, but because my hair strands are so thin it's hard to add oils that don't make it look greasy. Super deep conditioning is the best thing that helps me!
Rachel & Jun Oh no! I see >_< Darn it. I was actually wondering if different races had differences other than colour and texture, but I wondered if that would have been offensive if I was being presumptive. Well that goes that idea!
+bemyvforever haha no it's totally understandable! I never knew until my Asian friends let me try styling their hair, and I was like WAT why is it so thick!! hahaha :) And Jun's hair is just something else!
+Rachel & Jun Rachel ! Broccoli oil is just the best if you want to fight frizziness. I have the same thin hair problem so I just put a little amount of it. (Like 2 drops for the lower section, 2 drops for the middle section and 4 drops for the top section - because they frizz like hell at the top, haha). Usually I wash my hair in the evening, I braid them for the night, then in the morning I use the oil. But you can use it in the evening too, as soon as your hair are dry :) (PS: Sorry for my english, it's not my native language...)
+Ginger Moon Broccoli oil!! I've never even heard of that one! When I get back to America in a month I'm going to look for a bunch of different stuff to try. :) Thank you for the suggestion!
Pretty much. I'm 5'9" and a size 11 shoe. I can't find shit. 😂😂😂 All of the women's clothing is usually too short, and even the men's shoes barely come up to my size. Actually, a 28/28.5 (10.5/11W) shoe is usually the biggest shoe size in store. If you can even find that!
@B. KCee well it's unfortunately true & I have to get extra wide shoes too so I hate shoe shopping with a passion cause I can rarely find ones that fit
I've been to Japan recently and I wish I had known: 1.) A list of interesting shop chains. You mentioned some, but it's hard to find them without having the names written. For example I discovered this "Off"-Thrift-Shop-Chain and really liked it. 2.) What are they (constantly) yelling at you in the supermarkets, even in the larger supermarkets? 3.) How to deal with Japanese men to kind of "keep some distance". I had several problems with harrasment in Japan (Osaka) when I was "alone" somewhere and men didn't feel watched. I've got blonde long hair and ended up wearing a hat to "blend in" a little bit more. Are there other "signs" you can send to avoid such stuff or are women just not supposted to go outside alone (in the evening hours)?
That’s so weird! Sorry that happened to you! And i was alone at night without a problem, including Osaka, mostly on Dotonbori and everything was fine, and in Osaka I saw so many tourists! I think you should handle harassment the same way you deal with it on your country, report it to the authorities.
As someone who works in the restaurant service industry in the US, I would absolutely adore to work in a country where the customer isn't necessarily "right" and doesn't ask for 47.3452336 customizations.
Cameron Fairlie ehh in many service industries that is probably better, but as a chef I think not allowing for small adjustments to food items seems a little ridiculous
Well in Japan, it’s common to have people standing outside the restaurants in the rain with an umbrella bowing and thanking every customer that walks out of the place too.
These are 2 things I can think of that I wish I knew! 1. Escalators/stairs -I didn't have a clue that you should stick to one side at all times to let others rush past... I always just stood anywhere, and got lots of dirty looks and had no idea why haha! Oops. 2nd is handing money over in stores... some have the little tray you set your money on, I remember a lady setting one in front of me and I just stood staring blankly with my money in my hand to give it to her hahah. Oops, again :L
I have been to Japan several times and I still don't understand why they can't be a little more flexible sometimes. Two years ago, we were at an anime store and we wanted to purchase a very expensive figurine but we had nothing to bring it back to our hotel safely. We kindly and politely asked for a small box to carry it (and the backstore was full of boxes). It was like we had asked the employee the IMPOSSIBLE. He refused. Again, and again. I was not about to buy a $300 vintage anime figure and risking to break it on the way back. We left without the model. Their loss but damn, I was pissed.
+Irulannesque Yea, but hey, I think you have been really unlucky. I've tried something similar (buying a retro game console) and they went out of their way to bubble wrap it etc.....
+SUPERGENKI JAPAN We are just venting about our experiences. Unlike your own story, I never had an issue having the mayo removed from my burgers. So it's about being unlucky here or lucky there - you will agree with me that once you spent enough time in Japan - or around Japan-born and raised people - you will experience their general lack of flexibility and the bureaucratie one way or the other.
+anicake It is not all restaurants that will refused to remove an item from your dish or not give you extra packaging for your purchases - but if you do spend enough time in Japan, you will experience their lack of flexibility one way or the other. It's part of their culture and that's fine. It can be a little bit irritating sometimes.
It is really bad in Japan if you have a gluten allergy. You basically cannot eat out because there is no way to get items taken off your order or substituted and wheat products are in everything, even usually wheat-free stuff like rice.
+Seoulopathy Ahhhh thanks so much for the link!! I'm keeping that bookmarked hahaha - I have a gluten intolerance linking to nasal problems that run in my family, so I was a bit concerned that Japan doesn't seem great for gf diets. Thanks again :^D
I am so glad I watched this video! We moved to Okinawa recently, so we are still learning new things almost daily. Every time I go to the farmers markets, someone says, "Irrashaimase!" I was just telling my husband a couple days ago that I had no idea what they were saying, & I didn't know what was the appropriate way to respond. This was very helpful!
+Rachel & Jun Speaking of oysters, what if someone who is allergic to seafood (crab, shrimp, octopus, oysters ...but not fish) wants to order a dish that usually comes with one of the above, do they not bend the rules even then? And while it might be easier to order something else from the list, should we let the staff know just in case, do they take allergies seriously? Sorry it's really difficult to translate this (äyriäinen, en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%C3%A4yri%C3%A4inen) but basically she is allergic to most sea dwellers except fish and will get minor symptoms even if the knife used for fish touched shellfish first.
+Rachel & Jun Don't know if you have tried the Visual Novel game "Go! Go! Nippon! ~My First Trip to Japan~" it comes with alot of info for tourist in Japan. Like the different travel cards, how to get Money (bank/MasterCard/etc) and customs in Japan like their welcome shout ^^store.steampowered.com/app/251870/
+hogminny That's something I'm wondering about too. I have onion allergies. They can make me really sick. In addition I have a huge list of foods I can't eat because of a kidney disease. As I can understand how the japanese culture is of what I have seen so far of youtubers like Rachel and Jun, I can't ever go to a resturant if I ever go to Japan. I have to rent a place where I can do my own cooking.
Lol while here in Australia some customers are so entitled. "I want this gluten free, no MSG, no coriander, less oily, and I want to replace the beef with tofu. Can it be out within 10 minutes? I'm in a hurry. Do you sell omelet here? No? Omg why? It's so easy to make, just ask the chef if he could make it." Something like that haha
+Arianna Park Oh it's worse in America. Some people find something, anything, to complain about so they can get free food. I was a server for five years and I can't count the number of times people complained that their food was disgusting (yet practically licked the plate clean) and wanted it taken off the bill.
+Arianna Park I can't count the number of times that waitstaff have asked me if I needed anything exchanged or different when I order in the States; they're so surprised that I don't try to change everything, that they try to make sure they didn't miss anything... Kinda sad really: order a meal based on the menu and everyone's surprised you didn't change it.
***** But sometimes they ask for the impossible like wanting something completely devoid of gluten/sauce/flavorings and then complain when it tastes plain. Or asking for something that isn't even ON the menu and then belittling the chef when he says he's not going to make it (e.g. the omelet). We're not slaves who can do everything at their command...
I love you guys making these videos as a kind of warning to future travellers at your expense of embarrassing stories :D (To be honest with the Irasshaimase one my teacher gave us a RUclips video on Japanese stores to watch and I had not idea what they were saying. I went to school the next day and when I got to her class she wasn't there but a substitute (who said that she had a moderate speaking level in Japanese) told me it was a greeting, like Ohayo or Konnichiwa. Needless to say I tried it on my native Japanese friend that afternoon when we met up at the library and she laughed for a good ten minutes)
+Alexia Skye hahahaha I don't know why these irrashaimase stories make me laugh so much but just imagining saying that to your friend in a library!! :'D awww that's adorable hahaha
Oh god it was horrible! I was really confused watching her laugh for a while and got really embarrassed when she explained it to me. I'm just glad that I made that mistake before I go to Japan ahaha.
Sounds really interesting to be an allergic vegetarian and to order food in Japan... Here in Sweden, where I live, they understand allergies and vegetarianism quite good at restaurants. But there are sometimes problems, for example I'm allergic to avocado, olives and pineapple, and for some reason they always put these things in almost all the stuff on the vegetarian menu. Ordering pizza "Can you make the vegetarian one without the olives and the pineapple?". Ordering sushi "Can I have the vegetarian option but you change all the bites with avocado to something else vegetarian, I'm allergic to avocado". Sometimes they just look at me and like look like they're thinking "Stupid vegetarian that can't eat from our vegetarian menu. You make my job the worst ever.", and I feel like crap for just trying to eat there.
I have a lot of allergies, and if you tell them that's the reason they are a lot more understanding. It's only stuff that's already prepared or partially prepared that they can't change, and they will apologise profusely and tell you what you can eat. I once forgot to ask if a cake had peanuts in it, and ended up having to go to the ER with anaphylaxis. The restaurant found my number, and called me personally to apologise. Even though I hadn't said anything about it to them. So they do care about allergies. Just not 'I don't like it'.
Oh my! Peanut allergy (or any allergy that can lead to anaphylactic chock for someone) is so scary! I have a friend that always need to have an adrenaline syringe with her in case of someone eating or cooking peanuts near her :( I also have a friend who's deadly allergic to seafood and even though she always tell the restaurants where she eats she have got anaphylactic chock and had to go to the emergency department three times, because they had some shrimp sauce or something like that in the food. -.-
Katarina Bergqwist I'm a Bergquist. Is Bergqwist and Bergquist the same surname but can be spelled both ways? or are they two entirely different surnames? Thank you.
This is helpful since I'm going so soon!! I didn't know about cheap furniture stores so that will definitely help me!! I really hate the summer in Japan, I was there for 4 days and I really wanted to go back to Australia haha xD oh man a card is so much easier to use but make sure you write down your card number in case you lose it (I reloaded my card with 5000yen and lost I ;( )
+kimdao Nitori is great! Best thing is that you can order online which sounds really basic, but you can't for IKEA - you have to go to the physical store.
+kimdao Strictly Japanese summer is a July 10th ~ August 15th.Around July 10th → 35 degrees markAfter August 15th → downNow a October 10th → early morning 17 degreesPM13:00 25 degrees
@ Queen _I would say one US dollar is about hundred yen._ _More precise, 112.58 yen is one US dollar._ _If you want to convert it, I think you go to a bank._
This is why I watch channels like this. I want to know as much as I can about Japan, even if I only visit, so I don't accidentally make a fool of myself.
That "Shouganai" helped me get through life much easier. I use to get so mad at petty things and now after I hears what it means (Can't be helped) calmed me down so much. Thank you Rachel.
+Grell Sutcliff When Grell Sutcliff replies to one of your comments when you're still fangirling about Sebby Me: you'll never have him, REAPER!!!! ✂️✂️ William took mine away too ;-;
In Germany you always have to pay for sauce and stuff - Like at McDonalds you pay 25ct (euro ct) per sauce. And there's no refills for your drinks. This sucks :'D
+Aki Alchemicae There's no refills in America at some places, mostly fast food places. At a sit-down restaurant they will almost always give you refills.
+LiquidPumpkin Ist überall so - nach und nach werden die Automaten komplett abgeschafft. Ärgert mich ziemlich weil ich hab mir halt immer einmal voll gemacht, gegessen und dann nochmal für unterwegs voll gemacht. Naja kann man nix machen :/
+culwin so jealous of that. When I go out to eat the bill for drinks (I don't drink alcohol so that's not the reason for the price) always exceeds the one for food :/
I always find it interesting when you guys bring up weather and humidity. Coming from a really hot country, I'm used to 80~100% humidity at like 40° C, so whenever you mention how hot Japan during the summer, I'm always like "what?? is it really THAT bad for you guys??". But then again, I get absolutely annihilated by cold weather. I shiver like absolute crazy, but I love it so much as it's something I don't experience everyday back at home.
Many people had told me about the inflexibility thing, but I was still surprised when I eventually got to experience it firsthand on my holiday to Japan. Two notable examples: my partner tried to order an extra shot in his coffee from a café in a shopping centre, and the woman at first thought he was asking for 2 separate coffees and then when we finally established we only wanted one coffee with 2 shots in it, she repeated to us 3 times that the coffee would contain an extra shot before she took the order. Second example was in Disney Sea. We got a Fast Pass for one of the most popular rides, saw that our slot was 7.5 hrs away, so we went to another ride with a much shorter Fast Pass waiting time and asked one of the staff members if we could cancel the first Fast Pass and swap it for the second ride. The staff member went quiet and just looked at us for a solid 5 seconds because she was at a total loss at how to handle the situation. I can only assume it’s a cultural thing and people just know not to ask for things outside of procedure. It seems the hesitation and confusion comes mostly from the staff trying to anticipate the consequences of going against regulation more than anything else.
London and here in The Netherlands we also have our versions of the IC card(Oyster for London, OV card for the Netherlands). Still got the one from London somewhere. They're so handy!
I totally agree with them not being flexible. I am vegan so imagin my struggle. I didn't even try to eat in a normal restaurant because I knew I would end up getting meat, dashi and so on anyway ;)
+Julia Bernard Vegan food and Halal food increase in recent Japan. Japan has the tradition of the Shojin-Ryori (Buddhist monk cuisine), too. It is the dish which is cooked without killing all animals. Though as I am Carnivorous principle so I eat anything.
+Julia Bernard Yes, There are not surely many shojin restaurants. And not cheap restaurants often. However, a large number of cheap store also found in more than you have thought it to look if. Those iare all Japanese sites as follows, but may be helpful. tabelog.com/tokyo/rstLst/RC010105/?SrtT=rt&Srt=D&sort_mode=1 retty.me/area/PRE13/LCAT17/CAT24/ And the recipe of shojin-ryori. cookpad.com/search/%E7%B2%BE%E9%80%B2%E6%96%99%E7%90%86 ”Tabe-log" in English tabelog.com/en/
No, maybe it was 2 years ago but I haven’t had any trouble. My bf is allergic to shellfish and he hasn’t had any problems either as long as we pointed out our dietary need beforehand. Occasionally they would tell my bf that their say, broth, all has clams, in which case we don’t eat there. Simple as that. Otherwise I’ve had burger places add cheese, take out pickles, etc. just ask about it before you order.
~lol~ My wife and I encountered the inflexible thing when we were getting food from one of the local fast food places when we had visited Japan. We had asked if they could hold the mayo. Apparently... asking for no mayo caused a bit of a stir. We still chuckle about the experience, but yeah, lol. Great video post.
I actually have found a "one-cheap-store-that-has-all" store nearby Hiroshima called Trial! They remind me of those bigger Walmarts that have both a grocery section and the department section. They have really cheap prices compared to regular Japan shops (bought on sale dress pants for 700 yen!). I do not know if they have those in your area, but I highly recommend checking that out!
To be honest, it sounds nice to me how Japanese food companies don't make changes for customers. Maybe if they had a food allergy they should leave it off, but not if the person didn't like it. Or just wanted more of it. It is just something they want, not something that is needed. If this happened in America, you better believe that people would complain a lot. If it's not perfectly the way they want it, they tend to freak out on you. It's easier for the workers to do their jobs if the person just takes something as it is and knows that that is what they're getting. Basically, if you see something that you want, but it has an item or 2 on it you don't like, then brave it or don't get it. I don't like onions on my sandwiches/burger either and I have gotten them by accident, but I would just pick them off. As opposed to customers I've seen not wanting onions and when they get them, they get ticked off about it and complain. I'm not saying that Rachel is like that. Everyone has their preferences. I just feel like America takes customer service a little over the top here. It would be so much easier if we did it the way Japan does.
+SillyHatter That's how I see it. Especially when it comes to the food industry here in america. People tend to think of the workers as their personal chief. When they are actually saving us the effort of cooking our own meals.
+SillyHatter I agree that not catering to every whim of the customer in the food business sounds like it would be way less stressful for the workers, although I will also say that as a customer even though I really hate to ask for customization, and therefore rarely do, I've also been vegetarian for almost 20 years (for both moral and health reasons) and every time I go to a restaurant I end up having to ask a bunch of questions like what was used to make it. And for many years there weren't good options for vegetarians in the restaurants on the menus, so I just rarely ate out. But when I did have to eat out and I was at a place that didn't have any vegetarian options at all, when I was able to ask if it was possible to customize I have to tell you it was really, really appreciated. I'm thinking more like really small customizations--like how they inexplicably would put chicken or bacon on salads that didn't need it (rather than having that as an addition someone could choose) or throwing ham into a broccoli cheese soup or whatever. It hasn't been such a big deal lately because now there are often a number of options for me but for many years, I would literally have one choice on the menu, salad, and then they would throw meat on it automatically. Or automatically put meat in something else. And that isn't something where you can just pick it off because then it was already touching it and/or it's ingrained in the food at that point like in soup, etc. So I totally agree with you if it's in terms of like, "Oh I don't like mushrooms but I COULD eat mushrooms, physically/morally/mentally/whatever, yet I still require you to change everything for me to take them off on your end instead of me doing it on my end" -- that's a bit silly, because a person can do it on their own and they may have a friend who loves that thing they don't like so it's a bonus for the friend who now gets double. But there are times where customization is really helpful before it's made and where you can't really customize it on your own once it's at the table. Ideally, the menu would be such that it would account for some sort of variation but you never know. When I'm in restaurants with fare that I know will make me sick I try to order something really small and bland like a side thing of rice, but if they don't have allowances for things like that in Japan it would suck. Obviously, in a culture where customization is not acceptable, if I ran into the same problems there that I would have in the US then I'd just not be able to order or eat anything at all, and would have to just get a tea or something. And it's not like it would be the restaurant's fault; they're doing what's right for them, but that would simply mean I would never go to their restaurant and spend money in their establishment. But I could see how it could suck if you had a reason like allergies or diet or illness or whatever, where you wanted to make a small customization and the culture of the food establishments simply would not make any allowances at all.
sunstripe85 Woah. That was a mouthful. Umm... I'm sure they have vegetarian dishes in Japan. I've heard that it's hard to get vegetarian dishes in Korea though. Meh.
Oh yeah, I didn't mean they wouldn't have vegetarian food; I was using that as an example of how customization is useful even when allergies are not involved.
In fairness what you say about customer service in Japan sounds exactly the same as it is here in England, I would also never dream of asking for extra sauce (except maybe at McDonalds) or asking for a menu item to be changed (and yes I do know how stupid that is). I think American customer service really is unique to America.
It makes it sound like customer service itself is just in America from all the stories people are saying, you are a customer and they are a server, but they do not have customer service, it's like they're preparing for robots to take their jobs so they just do it as mindless and un-human and with as least interaction as possible, give me your money take the thing get out.
Really? I've experienced the opposite in England. It's pretty normal for my family to respectfully ask for slight modifications to meals, normally just no sauces in burgers or a change in dip. No server has ever seemed surprised by this, but I am from the south and we get a lot of tourists from different countries and cultures so maybe that's why we're used to it.
Massive Ewok Gaming actually in Australia its similar to America its common for for people to ask for small changes in the menu as a hospitality worker as long as someone's polite about it, realises that some things we just can't do and tells us in advance I don't really see the problem with it though to be honest sounds like my job would be a lot easier in Japan lol
Massive Ewok Gaming In Germany, asking for customization is completely normal and nobody gets mad at it. You ask whether it’s possible and if the chef says no, you just choose something else or eat at a different restaurant.
I think it has to do with the fact that US customers are paying the servers wage under the guise of "tips", anywhere but McDonalds. In other countries the servers are paid a living wage, so they don't feel they have to bend to the customer's every whim.
When I went to Japan for vacation, Suica cards are so convenient to use! I bought tickets and it drove me crazy!! It was so confusing!!! But train stations in Japan are so convenient form of travel. :)
lol ordering out sounds like a pain in the butt and now I can kinda understand why ramen is a common place people go for food. It's unlikely that you'll want substitutes at a place like that. xD Japan sounds like a great place to visit, I don't think I'd ever want to live there though. =3
Exactly my sentiment, one that I've had for quite some time. As a Texan, who is accustomed to Whataburger & Wal-Mart & H-E-B, I might not survive there hahaha But I'd love to visit!
+YuyuHakurei Well, I think this video shuld explain more about ordering out something. It is not pain in the butt.I could order extra red peppar(s) . And I could order also hot chocolate no whipped cream.If I am wrong I am sorry but, it seems that you don't like japan it just fine, but if you have changed mind don't worry to come here and you can order as much as you want.
+zqvKYNaZcpeEAyFkyz4T Damn I was stupid. I mean Seiyu is branch of Walmart.I was reading other things, and I was looking the word "Subsidiary" I have copied and past here.Sorry about my mistake.
***** lol, well that alone isn't a deciding factor for me. It just sounds annoying. In America you can essentially order anything you could want, anywhere you want and they would not care about doing it. I do like Japan, but like every country it isn't perfect. They do a lot of things I just don't like, and it's probably one of the only places on earth that work more than Americans for less money overall than other countries. The only things I'm interested in that are Japanese are anime and games anyway. Hardly a reason to decide to live somewhere. =3 Also the word you're looking for is super market. They are what english speakers know as giant stores that sell pretty much everything.
Wow, I'm kinda concerned about being vegan in Japan in terms of eating in restaurants. Cooking, no problem. Vegetables, rice, tofu, beans, noodles, fruits and I'm good! 😊 Thing is, I'm also allergic to fish, shellfish, seafood in general as well as eggs, things that are used everywhere pretty much (Except in Buddhist Temples usually, yes?). I LOVE miso, however it almost always has bonito flakes. Tempura vegetables are awesome, however, usually contain eggs. Any suggestions? Know any vegan JVloggers? I'm thinking Osaka or perhaps first Tokyo for a bit. Thank you!
There are some vegan restaurants in Japan. If you go to Tokyo, there's a pretty good vegan restaurant within Tokyo Station. There are others, but it's been a while and I don't remember well. Try googling for lists of vegan or vegetarian-friendly places, it's how I found this restaurant the first time. Most Indian restaurants have a vegetable curry that is usually vegan, tho better ask first. And then yeah, Buddhist Temples, tho I've never tried one. Veganism isn't that well-spread in Japan, so if you want to ask a waiter or cashier in a non-vegan place if something is vegan, don't use the word "vegan" because chances are high they will misunderstand. So ask for something that doesn't have animal products in it, and always precise that this includes eggs and milk, because from my experience they tend to forget those come from animals.
Sharla has recently become vegan :) also the channel of J-Vlogger Taylor R is amazing when it comes to vegan foods around Japan!! Go check them out please ☺️☺️
If you just search for it on here you'll find quite a lot of videos about it! They've been quite helpful and point out phrases you can say to tell people you're vegan. I think there's even a vegan festival? Even so, it doesn't make anything much easier, I'm pretty concerned as well. It feels weird going to Japan knowing I'm never going to be able to try their traditional foods but しょうがない
+Ciaran DeCeol Really? Not even from fast food places in Europe? It's extremely common in the US to get extra condiments with your order from most places that provide take-out. And there is always a little station at these places where you can go after you've received your food to pick up forks & napkins and little ketchup packets to stuff into your to-go bag if you need them. Literally every pizza place I've gone to here and in Mexico carries extra crushed red pepper packets, but you usually have to ask and they'll give it to you.
Lava Yuki Ah no, pizza places don't give you sauce packets, other fast food places do. Like ketchup or barbecue sauce. But pizza does come with sauce on it, the tomato sauce...
Ive never heard of red pepper, but ketchup usually just comes with Fries, and you only get one or at most two packets per order. But then again, America has a lot more when it comes to anything food/ drink compared to Europe and in general.
+Remy Ernstsen think they do that everywhere in europe, im from a european country and it be weird if the people that work there would ignore u if u walked in lol all european countries ive been to always said hi.
When you talked about restaurants, I’m an American in Australia and it’s the same here! Never ask for extra sauce packets! Don’t ask for something different from the menu (extra tomatoes? No olives? Nope. Too troublesome. Pick them off yourself).
I always get my clothes at しまむら theirs so many options there for kids or teens or old people ITS HEAVEN and since my house is just a few blocks away from しまむら, it’s a walking distance so I can always see if their new clothes and get em UvU
fun and interresting video :D it's quite interresting when we see the gap between western and eastern culture, putting aside that we knew the japanese culture, when my friend and me came to Japan (from France) I don't remember that the culture gap was so big for us as it seems it was for you, likely because Frenchs are less flexible than Americans (or Canadians) ;) like adding really more food topping (we can get just a few...) but more flexible than Japaneses ; and also about the clothes size was quite perfect for us (well we are both quite small). But we weren't prepared to the very warn weather xD (3 months of summer in an university)
I am soooooo thankful for my friend's Japanese girlfriend who ran through a few things before my first trip to Japan. She told me that when I arrived at the airport, I should buy a travel card - i got a suica - and to get a local sim card for my phone. You can get both from a vending machine, or from a counter. I recommend the airport (over near where you are staying) because you will find staff that speak English/Korean/Chinese. I still keep my suica card in my mobile phone case. I always had my phone in my hand as I lived on google maps, so I just tapped that when I went through the station gates. Those cards are great as you can load $$$ onto them and use them in SOME convenience stores to buy stuff too (great for places that usually only take cash or that sweeeeeeet travel card). Oh what I noticed is that I had no problem keeping my card on my phone in Japan. But back in Australia, I can't have my mobile anywhere near my go-card or the machine has a fit. As for menu items, the only changes I asked for was to not add chili/peppers to the dishes, and they either didn't add it, or put it on a tiny plate on the side.
I remember hearing from a Japanese woman that it's an insult to the chef to ask for extra of something or to remove stuff. I mean probably not in fast food but since that is the case in full restaurants that is probably why there is no system to deal with it in any food vendor. She was saying that since they seek harmony it is common to order the same thing (drink I think in particular) as the previous person because it makes is simpler and easier for the server. Such a strange concept when you think of how North America prizes individuality.
Great video! When I went to Japan last summer (besides almost dying of heat exhaustion) we went to a don quijote and they had tons of beauty products. I wasn't sure about their quality since I heard it was a discount-type store, but I was pretty desperate for some moisturizer so I didn't really care at the time.
you are living my dream life :/ it's been a year since my first trip to Japan and I've missed it every day since. I am determined to move there one day and become fluent in the language!
+parupampuu So you're saying that if we are really low on money and can (literally) only afford a cheeseburger from McDonalds, and we are allergic to onions, we should just not eat it? Hm.
Katherine Weber or you can stop being a drama queen and just take the onions of yourself. If you hate this so much if stay away from Japan. They dont cater to you.
In our climates it is considered cold, but in Japan 20 degrees feels like 40 degrees due to the smog and pollution in the air.. Unfortunately. A few years ago I went to China, Beijing and I was drenched in sweat even though it was only 24-26 degrees outside :P
I live in America and I think that in some places they won't give you a handful of sauce of chili if you ask. I mean, I don't eat out much, but I know at least McDonald's they'll give you the amount of sauce based on how many things you order. (Unless they changed that again? Idk haha!) But Taco bell for sure they have the sauces out for anyone to take as many as they need. LOL.
+Natashakiable18 over the years they've been getting stricter at some fast food joints as to how many packages or sauces and even things like napkins that you can get.
+Natashakiable18 I also think it depends on the workers. Sometimes you can go to a place and someone will be very strict, while another time at the SAME PLACE a different worker will be very lax about packets of whatever.
+evolutionkakumei McDonalds is getting stricter with their sauces. they charge for extra. I don't care. I'll pay anything for hot mustard. the sauce is so delicious. there was a time when it was hard to get hot mustard. they were always "out of it". so I hoard those things like if they're gold.
the part about the inflexibility of your orders at restaurants reminded me of one of my awkward experiences in france. my parents and i were heading home (by car) from our visit to paris and we decided to stop at a bbq place for lunch. the food was absolutely delicious but as per usual i couldn't finish eating everything that was on my plate. i asked the waiter if i could have a doggy bag and instantly knew that that was not a common thing to do in france just by the blank, sort of puzzled look on the waiter's face. he still immediately aswered "yes, of course. just a moment, please." and came back after 5 minutes with a plastic container (similar to a tupperware thingie), that was clearly not meant to be given as a doggy bag to a customer, containing my leftover spare ribs. i really felt bad for putting the waiter in such an uncomfortable position and i thanked him serveral times for being so nice. recently though, it seems that france has taken a liking to the idea of doggy bags and it's not quite as uncommon anymore as it was a couple of years ago.
That explains a lot! A Cantonese restaurant opened here a few years ago. The owners were from China. We like toasted sesame seed with char siew. We asked the waitress for extra. She literally stood over our table and sprinkled each bite with a little bit. She was there for the entire meal, lightly sprinkling for us.
I have a bad experience..... I said "cincin" and "manko" to japanese... honestly, "cincin" means ring in Indonesia and "manko" means bowl.. i think i was idiot 😂😂😂
I think when they say "Irashaimase" (pardon the spelling) you should reply with Konichiwa or hello. That way you are acknowledging their presence. Completely ignoring would not be a nice option.
+CriticalCubing I know, that sounds really nice in theory and I thought I would definitely do it cos I hate it when people treat shop staff like servants, but once I actually went to Japan...like no one does it here. No one says hi back, most people don't acknowledge the staff at all and frankly, it might seem rude if you're from a place like the US where people tend to be more chatty/friendlier, but here it's the norm and the staff doesn't expect the customers to greet them back or pay them much attention. I said konnichiwa or konbanwa at first but it was just too awkward, even the staff tended to look a bit weirded out, like what is this foreigner doing...So I stopped and now I just smile at them and it works better, the staff smile back and look happier than when I used actual greetings :)
+ Funkyfreshdays7 Here in England, if someone says welcome, you at LEAST nod or else you will probably be met with 'YOUR FUCKING WELCOME!'. So it seems weird to not acknowledge the staff.
+iamdeath2u I'm from Estonia and a lot of the time even the staff here doesn't say hi, let alone the customers :D people are quite reserved and it's more than enough to greet someone with a nod or just a glance, even not responding would be sort of okay. I go to the UK and other parts of Western Europe quite often and although I know things are different there, it still takes me a while to get used to all the greetings and small talk.
+CriticalCubing Pretty much what funkyfresh said. I think the "irashaimase" is an auto pilot thing too. Anytime they notice a customer is close to them, they'll say it, even if they're preoccupied with something else. Sometimes they'll say it when they're walking past you, and you won't even have time to respond. It's like a drive by greeting. XD
We don't have any Wal-Marts in Finland, either. We have the local system called the "S-ketju" and"K-ketju" or the "S-chain" and "K-chain", which consists on most of our shops here.
Hahaha! The part about the red pepper packet was so funny that I watched that minute or so like 3 times in a row. Rachel being so beyond exasperated was just so hilarious!
Hey!! I love your video and you're really nice But I wanted to inform you that there is a supermarket like Walmart .. maybe not in the center though. It's called "Costco" and I think you have it in America too. It probably didn’t come to mind in the video or you didn’t know it was in Japan too.
No you don’t understand! I as well live I a very hot place, every summer we are at 35-39 degrees Celsius and we really don’t have stations is just slightly less hot on winter, so I thought I was going to be fine, where I live humidity goes like 60-70% in Japan humidity goes up to 90% or more!!! Is the humidity that fucks you up so bad!!! I was dying and I didn’t even went on summer I went on early September Hahahaha you need to experience that level of humidity it feels you weird!
All the yes to thrift stores! Discovering that some Book Off stores also sold clothes was the best thing ever. It's also really nice when you have to leave Japan after a long stay like a student exchange cuz you can just go sell what you have to leave behind because your suitcase can only fit so many things xD
It's funny for an Australian (me) to hear about 'humidity' in other countries lol. You have to experience an Australian summer sometime and compare haha. I love Japan, awesome video. Makes we want to go back 🤗🤗
I personally think this 'inflexibility' of companies you mention is great. Customers are getting more and more spoilt sometimes expecting a simple worker to move mountains because customer is always right.. I like the way - you take it or not.
Most of the train entrance gates (at least in Tokyo) will only accept cards; there may be 2 or 3 for actual tickets. Also, bra sizes are different here in Japan. A girlfriend of mine (Japanese) told me she had a D cup. I knew better than to disagree. When we moved back to Canada and she needed a new bra, she asked for a D cup at the store. The store help were doubtful but let her try one on. She eventually settled on a B cup. She was not too happy about that.
+Kyla Luv You eat things you're not allergic to?! haha Many menus here list allergens in the food they have, and I have plenty of friends who are allergic to all kinds of things and they do fine! :) You can always ask the staff not to put things in your meals, buuuuut check out Kelly's channel (Strawberry mochi) and her stories on having food allergies. We ate at a restaurant once where she told the staff she was allergic to nuts and they still brought her a dish with full on whole peanuts all over it... She could have died if she didn't notice. o_o;; The plus is that I got to eat it, but it's a reminder that even if you ask them to remove something, be wary and carry your epipen with you!!
+Kyla Luv they don't really have those allergies like we do.... and if they do they don't care or not even notice it... things like celiac and all those "modern" allergies have only come up in the more developed countries where food is usually very processed. i don't know the english word but in german it means as a much as "prosperity diseases" or "civilisation disease".... it will be hard to explain to them tha you can be allergic to a simple thing as soy or fish as it is basically in everything
+Helvetica09 From my experience they are actually super cautious and understanding about allergies. I interpreted for a father a few weeks ago who was telling people his son was allergic to shellfish, and they completely understood, and were super careful about anything that might have contained any kind of shellfish, even things like shrimp flavored chips. I've helped teach children how to say they are allergic to things in English as well. They'll definitely understand once they hear the word 'allergy.'
+Protagonist Western countries is what i was looking for! English is not my first language and in culinary school we got taught that in the asian and african countries the overall food they eat is much "cleaner" and closer to the "original" form instead of being grown to be more more productive rather than just being regular, unchanched vegetables and things...
I once wrote an entire Japanese journal where I wanted to talk about かんこく (South Korea) but kept writing かんごく (prison). Imagine an entire page of "Prison seems awesome. One day I'd like to visit prison. It would be nice to meet friends in prison.", etc, etc...I couldn't understand why my Japanese teacher was laughing while she read my entry.
:P
Still, Sharla's example made me laugh, lol.
+Brad Jaeger HAHAHA
😂 😂
OMG!😂😂😂😂
Well, to be fair.. Prison won't be half as bad as being homeless.. Roof over your head, free meal, and yeah, good friends to make..? probably.. 😅
Itachi3 Weirdly enough jail is not free in Japan! You actually have to pay the government for the length of your sentence. My friends sister’s boyfriend was in jail in Japan for a few months, and racked up a hefty fine when he was released 😯😯😯
@@ZebrasEatMarshmellow Awwweee. There goes my life plans.. 😂 Kidding.
I didn't really know. And I guess that'd be one good reason to try my best not to violate any laws when I visit one day.
I once freaked out a passenger on the Odakyu-sen when I wanted to ask if it was okay to sit down. I said "Sawatte mo ii desu ka?" (May I touch you?) instead of the correct "Suwatte mo ii desu ka?" (May I sit down?). Oh, the joys of using vowels!
LOL
John Brophy 😂
i know this comment is 2 years old but i must know
how did the other passenger respond?
Oh god 😂😂😂
HOW DID THEY RESPOND?!
Story from NPR: A woman ordered green tea in a shop in Japan. She asked for sugar. She was told that green tea didn't have sugar. She insisted. The server had a conference with the owner and came back and said they didn't have sugar. So she ordered coffee. It came with sugar packets.
lol
😂 😂
emjayay i get that in china.
Maybe it’s also because green tea is not supposed to be drank with sugar initially ... idk but that’s def a weird situation to Live lol
Jonte .S you’ve obviously never met a moroccan, lol. Sweet green tea for the win!
I actually met a guy at a bar who left said bar and came back with hair oil for me. I didn't think my hair was that dry but it did make it silky smooth.
Tokyo times.
Haha no way
Omg. This makes much sense. I work at a gift shop in Chicago and often most Asian guests do not acknowledge me when I greet them. I never thought they were rude but at first I felt a little awkward. I assumed they didn't understand me.
Which 'Asian' was it?
like the bad driver kind?
I think it’s rude not to say hi I don’t care what country I’m in.
If it's not custom, they're just not going to think about it. Rude is relative
when I went to Japan I visited a Subway restaurant in a mall. I asked for olives on my sandwich and she put 1 half of an olive on it. then I asked for more olives and she put the other half of the olive on, I didn't want to keep asking lol
Hahahah that's hilarious!! 😂😂😂 omg
Corinne Tubbs god I love how American sandwich shops put bunch of toppings on yum!
Corinne Tubbs lol..i wanted to ask the same thing then i saw your comment..lol..
Now the minute I go to a subway in Japan, I'm just gonna be like," I would like a ghandful of olives please. Yes, I'm a filthy unhealthy american, now please give me my life force."
Probably wouldn't say the last part, but I'd be thinking it.
Omg but they're OLIVES, they're not even unhealthy.
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The heat and humidity won't bother me much, the not customizing meal I kinda knew but I didn't know they would act like that, In a way is funny but it doesn't give you freedom to pick. Thank you so much for the info!
+Kavi Lucena Thank you so much!! :D I approved them and added your name! ヽ(^▽^)ノ
+Rachel & Jun the customer service in Japan sounds really similar to the German one. We have to pay extra if we want more sauce packets.
Thank you sooo much (I'm brazilian) I never found a portuguese subtitle! and I love you ❤️
+Salander9277 German one sounds more flexible, they won't even let you pay more to get them. They just say no. xD
Waiters in Japanese restaurants are very inflexible because they'll get yelled at if they don't follow their manuals. I was working at a restaurant in Tokyo and got fired for saying "sure" to a customer when he asked me to get rid of onions on his meal.
Wow :0
Woaaah
Damn that’s hard
But what if someone is alergic? Can you still not remove them?
@@asobimo5532 that's a good question. I'm kind of allergic to raw onions. It won't kill me but, it causes influmation in my mouth and tongue if the piece of oniion stays there for a little bit.
So that store thing is the equivalent of entering someone's house like
"Come in :)"
"COME IN! :D"
You are so right about the inflexibility of people here sometimes. I work in a Japanese company and I could totally relate. Things like "No, we shouldn't/can't do that because it's not in the printed schedule for today (although it is possible in every way except the mindset)." It also translates as we cannot do something outside what was planned/pre-determined because that's just the way it is. Shouganai!
shouganai......
YES, I KNOW! ARIGATO ABROADFROMJAPAN!
Omfg Sharla I was laughing so hard when you said you were saying irasshaimase back.
I wasn't subscribed to you for too long but I wanted to ask if you will be posting any videos soon and if so what would it be about if you don't mind me asking. thank you! :3
Necromantic Berzerker I've been so busy with college and work so I haven't been able to upload! But I will be uploading pretty soon and it will be a few more videos from Japan and then it should be music covers and videos about Japan/japan exchange :)
omg hi
+SakuraKisetsu I did the same hahaha and I also tried to talk to them at the cash register cause I thought that they were like hi how are u hahahahaha
HIIIII!!!
7.5 shoe size is the biggest you can find in Japan!? Oh god, guess I'm not going to be finding a size 9 shoe anywhere.
? I've purchased shoes in Japan, size 10. True, that size is not common, but you can find them.
@@DavidMerchant A male shoe size 10 is female 8 in the U.S.
I wear a size 8 so guess I’m going barefoot in Japan 😂
Ember me and my size 11 😭
Looks down at my size 11 female feet
Little did they know.
Workers who change what's on the menu without permission from their supervisors can lose their job.
I can see that but, the crushed red pepper story was funny.
So it's fucked up on multiple levels, got it.
Happy 400th like!
Like the ladies said, if you visit Tokyo, GET A SUICA CARD.
Not only is it good for making the train rides faster and easier, but you can also use it to pay for items at most stores and shops in Tokyo as well. That way you don't have to carry around a coin purse filled with yen. The Japanese yen doesn't get into paper bill form until 1,000 yen (roughly $10) so...yeah.
7 yrs later and this is still helping people man. My family is considering a Japanese vacation and tips like this make all the difference!
I didn't dare attempt to customize an order when I was in Japan on my study abroad. But when I went back as a teacher and mentioned the customizing to my students, they laughed and tell me they customize things all the time. So it is possible! Like at McDonalds I absolutely despise sauces... mustard, mayo, ketchup. Hate it all. So I ask for no sauce and the workers didn't protest at all.
Omg, the summer part is SO TRUE. I have curly hair so I looked like the bride of Frankenstein all the time when I wasn't dying of heat
Rachel, if you don't already know this, this is how you get anti-frizzy hair with no products.
Coming from an Asian girl, and having lots of friends... we don't brush our hair after we wash it. THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT FRIZZY! Seriously, my mum has hair that is like really, puffy and frizzy and when I told her not to brush her hair after washing it, it comes out much, much more neater and in beautiful waves! *_*
Of course, brush your hair before you wash up. Though I only do it like once every few weeks - months lol. I'm lazy. Give it a try, and maybe it will work for you too?
+bemyvforever I don't brush my hair hardly ever. :( I can't even remember the last time I needed to, actually. Asian hair is REALLY thick and heavy (and silky). Red hair is really light and wispy, it hardly even stays down on my head. It's super thin and just doesn't have the weight to stay down. Heavy oils are the only thing that helps, but because my hair strands are so thin it's hard to add oils that don't make it look greasy. Super deep conditioning is the best thing that helps me!
Rachel & Jun Oh no! I see >_< Darn it. I was actually wondering if different races had differences other than colour and texture, but I wondered if that would have been offensive if I was being presumptive. Well that goes that idea!
+bemyvforever haha no it's totally understandable! I never knew until my Asian friends let me try styling their hair, and I was like WAT why is it so thick!! hahaha :) And Jun's hair is just something else!
+Rachel & Jun Rachel ! Broccoli oil is just the best if you want to fight frizziness. I have the same thin hair problem so I just put a little amount of it. (Like 2 drops for the lower section, 2 drops for the middle section and 4 drops for the top section - because they frizz like hell at the top, haha). Usually I wash my hair in the evening, I braid them for the night, then in the morning I use the oil. But you can use it in the evening too, as soon as your hair are dry :)
(PS: Sorry for my english, it's not my native language...)
+Ginger Moon Broccoli oil!! I've never even heard of that one! When I get back to America in a month I'm going to look for a bunch of different stuff to try. :) Thank you for the suggestion!
the irasshaimase incident made me laugh so much..I wonder what their reactions were XD
It’s like when someone says “happy birthday” and you respond with “thanks! You too!” (Which I have done. Many times.)
I'd be doomed in Japan! I'm a 6feet tall woman... my shoes are size 12. I guess even male items wouldn't fit me, HAHAHAHA!!!!
Luli Nasser i'm 6'1 and I thought my feet were small...(size 8.5 or 9), but even in Japan I'm screwed lmao
Pretty much. I'm 5'9" and a size 11 shoe. I can't find shit. 😂😂😂
All of the women's clothing is usually too short, and even the men's shoes barely come up to my size. Actually, a 28/28.5 (10.5/11W) shoe is usually the biggest shoe size in store. If you can even find that!
I'm only 5'6 but my shoe size is 12......and I'm only 15
@G Lightning lmao, how about you go fuck yourself
@B. KCee well it's unfortunately true & I have to get extra wide shoes too so I hate shoe shopping with a passion cause I can rarely find ones that fit
I've been to Japan recently and I wish I had known:
1.) A list of interesting shop chains. You mentioned some, but it's hard to find them without having the names written. For example I discovered this "Off"-Thrift-Shop-Chain and really liked it.
2.) What are they (constantly) yelling at you in the supermarkets, even in the larger supermarkets?
3.) How to deal with Japanese men to kind of "keep some distance". I had several problems with harrasment in Japan (Osaka) when I was "alone" somewhere and men didn't feel watched. I've got blonde long hair and ended up wearing a hat to "blend in" a little bit more. Are there other "signs" you can send to avoid such stuff or are women just not supposted to go outside alone (in the evening hours)?
It's not just women who get sexual harassment...and definitely not just from men. Idk about Japan, but it happens to almost everyone in most places.
@@lexthedork4040 it can happen to fat women tourists?
That’s so weird! Sorry that happened to you! And i was alone at night without a problem, including Osaka, mostly on Dotonbori and everything was fine, and in Osaka I saw so many tourists! I think you should handle harassment the same way you deal with it on your country, report it to the authorities.
As someone who works in the restaurant service industry in the US, I would absolutely adore to work in a country where the customer isn't necessarily "right" and doesn't ask for 47.3452336 customizations.
Cameron Fairlie ehh in many service industries that is probably better, but as a chef I think not allowing for small adjustments to food items seems a little ridiculous
You're not going to get paid as well
Well in Japan, it’s common to have people standing outside the restaurants in the rain with an umbrella bowing and thanking every customer that walks out of the place too.
Omg yes, I work at McDonald's and I've seen all the horrors
Lol this comment has 69 likes
These are 2 things I can think of that I wish I knew! 1. Escalators/stairs -I didn't have a clue that you should stick to one side at all times to let others rush past... I always just stood anywhere, and got lots of dirty looks and had no idea why haha! Oops. 2nd is handing money over in stores... some have the little tray you set your money on, I remember a lady setting one in front of me and I just stood staring blankly with my money in my hand to give it to her hahah. Oops, again :L
I have been to Japan several times and I still don't understand why they can't be a little more flexible sometimes. Two years ago, we were at an anime store and we wanted to purchase a very expensive figurine but we had nothing to bring it back to our hotel safely. We kindly and politely asked for a small box to carry it (and the backstore was full of boxes). It was like we had asked the employee the IMPOSSIBLE. He refused. Again, and again. I was not about to buy a $300 vintage anime figure and risking to break it on the way back. We left without the model. Their loss but damn, I was pissed.
+Irulannesque Yea, but hey, I think you have been really unlucky. I've tried something similar (buying a retro game console) and they went out of their way to bubble wrap it etc.....
I'm a little confused as to how your story is illustrative of Japan and not just that particular shop/situation?
+SUPERGENKI JAPAN We are just venting about our experiences. Unlike your own story, I never had an issue having the mayo removed from my burgers. So it's about being unlucky here or lucky there - you will agree with me that once you spent enough time in Japan - or around Japan-born and raised people - you will experience their general lack of flexibility and the bureaucratie one way or the other.
+anicake It is not all restaurants that will refused to remove an item from your dish or not give you extra packaging for your purchases - but if you do spend enough time in Japan, you will experience their lack of flexibility one way or the other. It's part of their culture and that's fine. It can be a little bit irritating sometimes.
Totally totally totally agree
It is really bad in Japan if you have a gluten allergy. You basically cannot eat out because there is no way to get items taken off your order or substituted and wheat products are in everything, even usually wheat-free stuff like rice.
Wow 😞. That would make for an uncomfortable visit. So sad.
Thanks for the heads-up.
+Seoulopathy Ahhhh thanks so much for the link!! I'm keeping that bookmarked hahaha - I have a gluten intolerance linking to nasal problems that run in my family, so I was a bit concerned that Japan doesn't seem great for gf diets. Thanks again :^D
+Elliot Jenner I wonder if the Japanese had removed this issue centuries ago by natural selection (the genes didn't get passed on).
i'm gluten intolerant so i agree 💦
I have coeliac disease which is an autoimmune disease characterised by an intolerance to gluten, so it's not just a fad. Nice try though.
I am so glad I watched this video! We moved to Okinawa recently, so we are still learning new things almost daily. Every time I go to the farmers markets, someone says, "Irrashaimase!" I was just telling my husband a couple days ago that I had no idea what they were saying, & I didn't know what was the appropriate way to respond. This was very helpful!
店での挨拶はこれから外国に行く日本人にとっても大切そうですね。
自分が店に入って「hi」とか言われても無視してたと思います。
はい、私も同意します。この規則がどれほど厳格であるかは、あなたが米国内のどこにいるかによって異なります。しかし、お返しにレジ係に挨拶をすれば、大いに感謝されるでしょう。アメリカではマナーを無視する人がいるので、本当にマナーを持っている人が前向きに目立ち、尊敬されています。あんな風に目立つのは立派なことです。それはまた、あなたが見返りにより良い治療を受けることを意味します。この翻訳が悪い場合は申し訳ありません。それはグーグルからです
TIL about oyster cards
They sound delicious.
+Rachel & Jun Ha! That's London's version of the Suica! :D
+Rachel & Jun Speaking of oysters, what if someone who is allergic to seafood (crab, shrimp, octopus, oysters ...but not fish) wants to order a dish that usually comes with one of the above, do they not bend the rules even then? And while it might be easier to order something else from the list, should we let the staff know just in case, do they take allergies seriously? Sorry it's really difficult to translate this (äyriäinen, en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%C3%A4yri%C3%A4inen) but basically she is allergic to most sea dwellers except fish and will get minor symptoms even if the knife used for fish touched shellfish first.
+Rachel & Jun Don't know if you have tried the Visual Novel game "Go! Go! Nippon! ~My First Trip to Japan~" it comes with alot of info for tourist in Japan. Like the different travel cards, how to get Money (bank/MasterCard/etc) and customs in Japan like their welcome shout ^^store.steampowered.com/app/251870/
+hogminny That's something I'm wondering about too. I have onion allergies. They can make me really sick. In addition I have a huge list of foods I can't eat because of a kidney disease. As I can understand how the japanese culture is of what I have seen so far of youtubers like Rachel and Jun, I can't ever go to a resturant if I ever go to Japan. I have to rent a place where I can do my own cooking.
+Rachel & Jun Haha! My theory is that they're named after the saying "The world is your oyster."
Lol while here in Australia some customers are so entitled.
"I want this gluten free, no MSG, no coriander, less oily, and I want to replace the beef with tofu. Can it be out within 10 minutes? I'm in a hurry. Do you sell omelet here? No? Omg why? It's so easy to make, just ask the chef if he could make it." Something like that haha
+Mr. Nile Then shop around. Dont go to a steakhouse and order a salad.
+Arianna Park Oh it's worse in America. Some people find something, anything, to complain about so they can get free food. I was a server for five years and I can't count the number of times people complained that their food was disgusting (yet practically licked the plate clean) and wanted it taken off the bill.
***** Damn right. You are allowed to buy whatever you want but not everywhere sells whatever you want so dont shop there.
+Arianna Park
I can't count the number of times that waitstaff have asked me if I needed anything exchanged or different when I order in the States; they're so surprised that I don't try to change everything, that they try to make sure they didn't miss anything... Kinda sad really: order a meal based on the menu and everyone's surprised you didn't change it.
*****
But sometimes they ask for the impossible like wanting something completely devoid of gluten/sauce/flavorings and then complain when it tastes plain. Or asking for something that isn't even ON the menu and then belittling the chef when he says he's not going to make it (e.g. the omelet). We're not slaves who can do everything at their command...
I love you guys making these videos as a kind of warning to future travellers at your expense of embarrassing stories :D
(To be honest with the Irasshaimase one my teacher gave us a RUclips video on Japanese stores to watch and I had not idea what they were saying. I went to school the next day and when I got to her class she wasn't there but a substitute (who said that she had a moderate speaking level in Japanese) told me it was a greeting, like Ohayo or Konnichiwa. Needless to say I tried it on my native Japanese friend that afternoon when we met up at the library and she laughed for a good ten minutes)
+Alexia Skye hahahaha I don't know why these irrashaimase stories make me laugh so much but just imagining saying that to your friend in a library!! :'D awww that's adorable hahaha
Oh god it was horrible! I was really confused watching her laugh for a while and got really embarrassed when she explained it to me. I'm just glad that I made that mistake before I go to Japan ahaha.
Sounds really interesting to be an allergic vegetarian and to order food in Japan... Here in Sweden, where I live, they understand allergies and vegetarianism quite good at restaurants. But there are sometimes problems, for example I'm allergic to avocado, olives and pineapple, and for some reason they always put these things in almost all the stuff on the vegetarian menu. Ordering pizza "Can you make the vegetarian one without the olives and the pineapple?". Ordering sushi "Can I have the vegetarian option but you change all the bites with avocado to something else vegetarian, I'm allergic to avocado". Sometimes they just look at me and like look like they're thinking "Stupid vegetarian that can't eat from our vegetarian menu. You make my job the worst ever.", and I feel like crap for just trying to eat there.
that sucks that you are allergic to those
I have a lot of allergies, and if you tell them that's the reason they are a lot more understanding. It's only stuff that's already prepared or partially prepared that they can't change, and they will apologise profusely and tell you what you can eat. I once forgot to ask if a cake had peanuts in it, and ended up having to go to the ER with anaphylaxis. The restaurant found my number, and called me personally to apologise. Even though I hadn't said anything about it to them. So they do care about allergies. Just not 'I don't like it'.
Oh my! Peanut allergy (or any allergy that can lead to anaphylactic chock for someone) is so scary!
I have a friend that always need to have an adrenaline syringe with her in case of someone eating or cooking peanuts near her :(
I also have a friend who's deadly allergic to seafood and even though she always tell the restaurants where she eats she have got anaphylactic chock and had to go to the emergency department three times, because they had some shrimp sauce or something like that in the food. -.-
Yeah, I have to carry an EpiPen too. Most people here are good about it though.
Katarina Bergqwist I'm a Bergquist. Is Bergqwist and Bergquist the same surname but can be spelled both ways? or are they two entirely different surnames? Thank you.
Dude......The 2020 Olympics are going to be chaos.
Oh crap... It’s gonna be Logan Paul all over again...
l
simpler times
There aren't going to be olimpics
*laughs in global panic and economic destruction*
This is helpful since I'm going so soon!! I didn't know about cheap furniture stores so that will definitely help me!! I really hate the summer in Japan, I was there for 4 days and I really wanted to go back to Australia haha xD oh man a card is so much easier to use but make sure you write down your card number in case you lose it (I reloaded my card with 5000yen and lost I ;( )
+kimdao Nitori is great! Best thing is that you can order online which sounds really basic, but you can't for IKEA - you have to go to the physical store.
+kimdao Strictly Japanese summer is a July 10th ~ August 15th.Around July 10th → 35 degrees markAfter August 15th → downNow a October 10th → early morning 17 degreesPM13:00 25 degrees
but summer in australia is really extreme as well. extremely dry, 40+ Celsius, weather changes in minutes
How do you convert US dollars into yen ???
@ Queen
_I would say one US dollar is about hundred yen._
_More precise, 112.58 yen is one US dollar._
_If you want to convert it, I think you go to a bank._
Ah I'm crying. I can totally picture an enthusiastic foreigner yelling "WELCOME!!" back at the people in the store.
That's incredible.
This is why I watch channels like this. I want to know as much as I can about Japan, even if I only visit, so I don't accidentally make a fool of myself.
That "Shouganai" helped me get through life much easier. I use to get so mad at petty things and now after I hears what it means (Can't be helped) calmed me down so much. Thank you Rachel.
"Irrashaimase"
"Oh my god! I understand!! ARIGATO ANIME!!!"
Lmao
Learnt that phrase from the Earthbound drug store and Japanese restaurants in my country.
Literally my reaction when i started learning japanese xD hahaha
+Grell Sutcliff When Grell Sutcliff replies to one of your comments when you're still fangirling about Sebby
Me: you'll never have him, REAPER!!!!
✂️✂️ William took mine away too ;-;
Gin Scorpio unless your grell. Then it's fangrelling....BASSY IS MINE
I would love to move to japan however i cant handle heat or humidity.
+Lovasz I live in the far north of scotland and when i went on holiday to east africa I became a sloth :(
I'm used to 100+ and 70% humidity so it feels like home to me
+Lovasz Me too. I like cold weather.
its worse in Kansas. Last summer I was in it was 90+F and humidity every day. LOLZ I wear 305 in Jpn
+AShoppingCartGLX oh gawd Walk Mart boycott that 5yrs ago.
Well dang, I'm a U.S size 9.5 ....
Yay! Same. Long feet club. -.-;
Omg I have tiny feet XD (but I am Japanese) LOL
My size varies sometimes I'm an 8,8.5.9 (rarely nine)
You know what they say about girls with big feet... big... vaginas...? :o
+Hassan Alloush well then my tiny feet make a lot more sense now. I wear a US little girls size 3. sometimes 2 ½.
In Germany you always have to pay for sauce and stuff - Like at McDonalds you pay 25ct (euro ct) per sauce. And there's no refills for your drinks. This sucks :'D
+Aki Alchemicae There's no refills in America at some places, mostly fast food places. At a sit-down restaurant they will almost always give you refills.
+LiquidPumpkin Ist überall so - nach und nach werden die Automaten komplett abgeschafft. Ärgert mich ziemlich weil ich hab mir halt immer einmal voll gemacht, gegessen und dann nochmal für unterwegs voll gemacht. Naja kann man nix machen :/
+culwin so jealous of that. When I go out to eat the bill for drinks (I don't drink alcohol so that's not the reason for the price) always exceeds the one for food :/
Ich finde McDonalds eh schon teuer genug; dass man auch noch extra für sowas bezahlen muss... Na ja, Deutschland eben ;D
+Aki Alchemicae Same here in France ;)
I always find it interesting when you guys bring up weather and humidity. Coming from a really hot country, I'm used to 80~100% humidity at like 40° C, so whenever you mention how hot Japan during the summer, I'm always like "what?? is it really THAT bad for you guys??".
But then again, I get absolutely annihilated by cold weather. I shiver like absolute crazy, but I love it so much as it's something I don't experience everyday back at home.
Many people had told me about the inflexibility thing, but I was still surprised when I eventually got to experience it firsthand on my holiday to Japan. Two notable examples: my partner tried to order an extra shot in his coffee from a café in a shopping centre, and the woman at first thought he was asking for 2 separate coffees and then when we finally established we only wanted one coffee with 2 shots in it, she repeated to us 3 times that the coffee would contain an extra shot before she took the order. Second example was in Disney Sea. We got a Fast Pass for one of the most popular rides, saw that our slot was 7.5 hrs away, so we went to another ride with a much shorter Fast Pass waiting time and asked one of the staff members if we could cancel the first Fast Pass and swap it for the second ride. The staff member went quiet and just looked at us for a solid 5 seconds because she was at a total loss at how to handle the situation. I can only assume it’s a cultural thing and people just know not to ask for things outside of procedure. It seems the hesitation and confusion comes mostly from the staff trying to anticipate the consequences of going against regulation more than anything else.
London and here in The Netherlands we also have our versions of the IC card(Oyster for London, OV card for the Netherlands). Still got the one from London somewhere. They're so handy!
Great idea for a video.. but I can't remember that far back!
I totally agree with them not being flexible. I am vegan so imagin my struggle. I didn't even try to eat in a normal restaurant because I knew I would end up getting meat, dashi and so on anyway ;)
+Julia Bernard
Vegan food and Halal food increase in recent Japan. Japan has the tradition of the Shojin-Ryori (Buddhist monk cuisine), too.
It is the dish which is cooked without killing all animals. Though as I am Carnivorous principle so I eat anything.
I know, I know. I went to a shojin ryori vegan restaurant. But still it is difficult!
+Julia Bernard
Yes, There are not surely many shojin restaurants. And not cheap restaurants often.
However, a large number of cheap store also found in more than you have thought it to look if.
Those iare all Japanese sites as follows, but may be helpful.
tabelog.com/tokyo/rstLst/RC010105/?SrtT=rt&Srt=D&sort_mode=1
retty.me/area/PRE13/LCAT17/CAT24/
And the recipe of shojin-ryori.
cookpad.com/search/%E7%B2%BE%E9%80%B2%E6%96%99%E7%90%86
”Tabe-log" in English
tabelog.com/en/
No, maybe it was 2 years ago but I haven’t had any trouble. My bf is allergic to shellfish and he hasn’t had any problems either as long as we pointed out our dietary need beforehand. Occasionally they would tell my bf that their say, broth, all has clams, in which case we don’t eat there. Simple as that. Otherwise I’ve had burger places add cheese, take out pickles, etc.
just ask about it before you order.
I lived in Japan and I'm vegan, I know what you mean. Is a pain in the ass ~ most of all, vegetables and fruits are so expensive
The restaurant thing is super funny... "NO ONIONs?! The fuck?"
~lol~ My wife and I encountered the inflexible thing when we were getting food from one of the local fast food places when we had visited Japan. We had asked if they could hold the mayo. Apparently... asking for no mayo caused a bit of a stir. We still chuckle about the experience, but yeah, lol. Great video post.
I actually have found a "one-cheap-store-that-has-all" store nearby Hiroshima called Trial! They remind me of those bigger Walmarts that have both a grocery section and the department section. They have really cheap prices compared to regular Japan shops (bought on sale dress pants for 700 yen!). I do not know if they have those in your area, but I highly recommend checking that out!
逆の経験があります。
アメリカのスーパーで買い物した時に、レジで清算の時、店員の若い男子が、「Hi！」と言ってきたのですが、自分は聞き流していたら、彼は睨む様に再度「Hi！」と言ってきたので、あわてて「Ha・・・Hi！」と返した経験があります。
欧米での挨拶は、日本のような形式的な言葉では無いので、相手が店員であってもちゃんと返答しないと、失礼に当たるので注意してください。単なるHiだけでも答えないと「失礼な奴だな！」と思われます。
To be honest, it sounds nice to me how Japanese food companies don't make changes for customers. Maybe if they had a food allergy they should leave it off, but not if the person didn't like it. Or just wanted more of it. It is just something they want, not something that is needed. If this happened in America, you better believe that people would complain a lot. If it's not perfectly the way they want it, they tend to freak out on you. It's easier for the workers to do their jobs if the person just takes something as it is and knows that that is what they're getting. Basically, if you see something that you want, but it has an item or 2 on it you don't like, then brave it or don't get it. I don't like onions on my sandwiches/burger either and I have gotten them by accident, but I would just pick them off. As opposed to customers I've seen not wanting onions and when they get them, they get ticked off about it and complain.
I'm not saying that Rachel is like that. Everyone has their preferences. I just feel like America takes customer service a little over the top here. It would be so much easier if we did it the way Japan does.
+SillyHatter That's how I see it. Especially when it comes to the food industry here in america. People tend to think of the workers as their personal chief. When they are actually saving us the effort of cooking our own meals.
+SillyHatter I agree that not catering to every whim of the customer in the food business sounds like it would be way less stressful for the workers, although I will also say that as a customer even though I really hate to ask for customization, and therefore rarely do, I've also been vegetarian for almost 20 years (for both moral and health reasons) and every time I go to a restaurant I end up having to ask a bunch of questions like what was used to make it. And for many years there weren't good options for vegetarians in the restaurants on the menus, so I just rarely ate out. But when I did have to eat out and I was at a place that didn't have any vegetarian options at all, when I was able to ask if it was possible to customize I have to tell you it was really, really appreciated. I'm thinking more like really small customizations--like how they inexplicably would put chicken or bacon on salads that didn't need it (rather than having that as an addition someone could choose) or throwing ham into a broccoli cheese soup or whatever.
It hasn't been such a big deal lately because now there are often a number of options for me but for many years, I would literally have one choice on the menu, salad, and then they would throw meat on it automatically. Or automatically put meat in something else. And that isn't something where you can just pick it off because then it was already touching it and/or it's ingrained in the food at that point like in soup, etc.
So I totally agree with you if it's in terms of like, "Oh I don't like mushrooms but I COULD eat mushrooms, physically/morally/mentally/whatever, yet I still require you to change everything for me to take them off on your end instead of me doing it on my end" -- that's a bit silly, because a person can do it on their own and they may have a friend who loves that thing they don't like so it's a bonus for the friend who now gets double. But there are times where customization is really helpful before it's made and where you can't really customize it on your own once it's at the table. Ideally, the menu would be such that it would account for some sort of variation but you never know. When I'm in restaurants with fare that I know will make me sick I try to order something really small and bland like a side thing of rice, but if they don't have allowances for things like that in Japan it would suck.
Obviously, in a culture where customization is not acceptable, if I ran into the same problems there that I would have in the US then I'd just not be able to order or eat anything at all, and would have to just get a tea or something. And it's not like it would be the restaurant's fault; they're doing what's right for them, but that would simply mean I would never go to their restaurant and spend money in their establishment. But I could see how it could suck if you had a reason like allergies or diet or illness or whatever, where you wanted to make a small customization and the culture of the food establishments simply would not make any allowances at all.
sunstripe85 Woah. That was a mouthful. Umm... I'm sure they have vegetarian dishes in Japan. I've heard that it's hard to get vegetarian dishes in Korea though. Meh.
Oh yeah, I didn't mean they wouldn't have vegetarian food; I was using that as an example of how customization is useful even when allergies are not involved.
sunstripe85 Ok. lol XD I was so confused.
These videos are SO helpful for people who are studying abroad. I am coming to Nagoya next year so I hope you guys have a meet-up or something!
In fairness what you say about customer service in Japan sounds exactly the same as it is here in England, I would also never dream of asking for extra sauce (except maybe at McDonalds) or asking for a menu item to be changed (and yes I do know how stupid that is). I think American customer service really is unique to America.
It makes it sound like customer service itself is just in America from all the stories people are saying, you are a customer and they are a server, but they do not have customer service, it's like they're preparing for robots to take their jobs so they just do it as mindless and un-human and with as least interaction as possible, give me your money take the thing get out.
Really? I've experienced the opposite in England. It's pretty normal for my family to respectfully ask for slight modifications to meals, normally just no sauces in burgers or a change in dip. No server has ever seemed surprised by this, but I am from the south and we get a lot of tourists from different countries and cultures so maybe that's why we're used to it.
Massive Ewok Gaming actually in Australia its similar to America its common for for people to ask for small changes in the menu as a hospitality worker as long as someone's polite about it, realises that some things we just can't do and tells us in advance I don't really see the problem with it though to be honest sounds like my job would be a lot easier in Japan lol
Massive Ewok Gaming In Germany, asking for customization is completely normal and nobody gets mad at it. You ask whether it’s possible and if the chef says no, you just choose something else or eat at a different restaurant.
I think it has to do with the fact that US customers are paying the servers wage under the guise of "tips", anywhere but McDonalds. In other countries the servers are paid a living wage, so they don't feel they have to bend to the customer's every whim.
When I went to Japan for vacation, Suica cards are so convenient to use! I bought tickets and it drove me crazy!! It was so confusing!!! But train stations in Japan are so convenient form of travel. :)
lol ordering out sounds like a pain in the butt and now I can kinda understand why ramen is a common place people go for food. It's unlikely that you'll want substitutes at a place like that. xD
Japan sounds like a great place to visit, I don't think I'd ever want to live there though. =3
Exactly my sentiment, one that I've had for quite some time. As a Texan, who is accustomed to Whataburger & Wal-Mart & H-E-B, I might not survive there hahaha
But I'd love to visit!
+YuyuHakurei
Well, I think this video shuld explain more about ordering out something. It is not pain in the butt.I could order extra red peppar(s) . And I could order also hot chocolate no whipped cream.If I am wrong I am sorry but, it seems that you don't like japan it just fine, but if you have changed mind don't worry to come here and you can order as much as you want.
+Art1611
If you come visit Japan, check out the super market called "Seiyu" This is the subsidiary of Wal-Mart.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seiyu_Group
+zqvKYNaZcpeEAyFkyz4T
Damn I was stupid. I mean Seiyu is branch of Walmart.I was reading other things, and I was looking the word "Subsidiary" I have copied and past here.Sorry about my mistake.
*****
lol, well that alone isn't a deciding factor for me. It just sounds annoying. In America you can essentially order anything you could want, anywhere you want and they would not care about doing it.
I do like Japan, but like every country it isn't perfect. They do a lot of things I just don't like, and it's probably one of the only places on earth that work more than Americans for less money overall than other countries.
The only things I'm interested in that are Japanese are anime and games anyway. Hardly a reason to decide to live somewhere. =3
Also the word you're looking for is super market. They are what english speakers know as giant stores that sell pretty much everything.
Wow, I'm kinda concerned about being vegan in Japan in terms of eating in restaurants. Cooking, no problem. Vegetables, rice, tofu, beans, noodles, fruits and I'm good! 😊 Thing is, I'm also allergic to fish, shellfish, seafood in general as well as eggs, things that are used everywhere pretty much (Except in Buddhist Temples usually, yes?). I LOVE miso, however it almost always has bonito flakes. Tempura vegetables are awesome, however, usually contain eggs.
Any suggestions? Know any vegan JVloggers? I'm thinking Osaka or perhaps first Tokyo for a bit. Thank you!
There are some vegan restaurants in Japan. If you go to Tokyo, there's a pretty good vegan restaurant within Tokyo Station. There are others, but it's been a while and I don't remember well. Try googling for lists of vegan or vegetarian-friendly places, it's how I found this restaurant the first time.
Most Indian restaurants have a vegetable curry that is usually vegan, tho better ask first. And then yeah, Buddhist Temples, tho I've never tried one.
Veganism isn't that well-spread in Japan, so if you want to ask a waiter or cashier in a non-vegan place if something is vegan, don't use the word "vegan" because chances are high they will misunderstand. So ask for something that doesn't have animal products in it, and always precise that this includes eggs and milk, because from my experience they tend to forget those come from animals.
Sharla has recently become vegan :) also the channel of J-Vlogger Taylor R is amazing when it comes to vegan foods around Japan!! Go check them out please ☺️☺️
If you just search for it on here you'll find quite a lot of videos about it! They've been quite helpful and point out phrases you can say to tell people you're vegan. I think there's even a vegan festival? Even so, it doesn't make anything much easier, I'm pretty concerned as well. It feels weird going to Japan knowing I'm never going to be able to try their traditional foods but しょうがない
Imtherealthing stfu
Thank you for your videos Rachel & Jun! They're always fun, but informative at the same time.
Great colab Rachel & Sharla , Very Entertaining !
「いらっしゃいませ～」と言われたら「いらっしゃいました～」って言えばよかったねｗ
Sauce packet?! Crushed red pepper packets? What are both of these wonders. I have neither experienced these in Europe or Japan,
+Ciaran DeCeol Really? Not even from fast food places in Europe? It's extremely common in the US to get extra condiments with your order from most places that provide take-out. And there is always a little station at these places where you can go after you've received your food to pick up forks & napkins and little ketchup packets to stuff into your to-go bag if you need them. Literally every pizza place I've gone to here and in Mexico carries extra crushed red pepper packets, but you usually have to ask and they'll give it to you.
+Ciaran DeCeol I haven't seen them either. I didn't even know pizza comes with sauce at all.
Lava Yuki Ah no, pizza places don't give you sauce packets, other fast food places do. Like ketchup or barbecue sauce. But pizza does come with sauce on it, the tomato sauce...
+StarlitLilies oh I've seen ketchup all right but red pepper?!
Ive never heard of red pepper, but ketchup usually just comes with Fries, and you only get one or at most two packets per order. But then again, America has a lot more when it comes to anything food/ drink compared to Europe and in general.
YASSS! The thrift shops are amazing! I always find the coolest stuff! :)
+The Stig Username haha yeah, it's a store that sells used goods super cheap! Typically clothes, but sometimes other stuff, too, up to furniture. :)
+The Stig Username Here's yo cultural reference :)
ruclips.net/video/QK8mJJJvaes/видео.html
+The Stig Username Thrift means careful management of ones finances, being frugal.
ETA: Spending her money wisely, Rachel is very thrifty.
+Olesya Grabovskaya Right?! I got the coolest clothes at a thrift store in Kyoto!
Loves it
You both are so cute! Thanks for the tips!!
This is amazing! I've been hoping to study abroad in Japan soon and this was amazingly helpful! I just found you guys and I immediately subscribed!
Canadians say hi to you when you enter a store? Daaaamn, I need to visit one day.
They do that in Norway too.
Remy Ernstsen 10/10 will visit. and salmon
***** not in southeast asia. You'd be lucky to even get the worker's attention for some
Visit because they say hi to you in the stores?😂😂
+Remy Ernstsen think they do that everywhere in europe, im from a european country and it be weird if the people that work there would ignore u if u walked in lol all european countries ive been to always said hi.
2人とも、めっちゃ可愛いー╰(*´︶`*)╯♡
日本語字幕はＣＣ/設定からお願いします！
5分33秒辺りの字幕がルサイクルストアになってますよ(･_･;
+HaLIX Youka ありがとうございます！訂正しました。^^
+helena_fcg Thank you so much! :D I approved them and added your name!
+Rachel & Jun Yes, this is very helpful to know the nuanced cultural differences in customer services, mannerisms, etiquette and such. More please.
+Rachel & Jun レイチェルはもうわかってると思うけど、日本ていろいろ邪魔くさいでしょ。自分ならアメリカに帰るよ。
When you talked about restaurants, I’m an American in Australia and it’s the same here! Never ask for extra sauce packets! Don’t ask for something different from the menu (extra tomatoes? No olives? Nope. Too troublesome. Pick them off yourself).
This was super interesting and fun. Japanese culture is so unique. I would really love to go to there one day.
I always get my clothes at しまむら theirs so many options there for kids or teens or old people ITS HEAVEN and since my house is just a few blocks away from しまむら, it’s a walking distance so I can always see if their new clothes and get em UvU
Waa, this is the first youtuber that I saw that translate for portuguese, thank you ! You're videos are so cool ! >.
食べ物サービスの融通が利かないのはそうですね（笑）
あまり店員さんの手を煩わせたくないので、日本人はあまり決まったもの以外の注文はしないかも。
どうしてもって時は、その分のお金を出すか、すみませんねって申し訳なさそうにしながらお願いします。
してくれて当たり前だろ、みたいな態度はやっぱり傲慢に見られてしまうので。
靴のサイズ、レイチェルさんと同じです！日本では、大きい方ですよね。モデルさんサイズです。
バンドの長さ…わかります。運動をしなくなったら、少しぽっちゃり気味になってしまってカップ自体は問題ないのに、ぴったりだったバンドがキツキツで肌が赤く擦れたり、留められなくなったりしましたから。そのあと、急いでダイエットしました（笑）
胸部の周りが広い骨格がしっかりしている方や筋肉質の方は、海外のものを取り寄せるしかないですね。
fun and interresting video :D
it's quite interresting when we see the gap between western and eastern culture,
putting aside that we knew the japanese culture, when my friend and me came to Japan (from France) I don't remember that the culture gap was so big for us as it seems it was for you, likely because Frenchs are less flexible than Americans (or Canadians) ;) like adding really more food topping (we can get just a few...) but more flexible than Japaneses ; and also about the clothes size was quite perfect for us (well we are both quite small).
But we weren't prepared to the very warn weather xD (3 months of summer in an university)
I am soooooo thankful for my friend's Japanese girlfriend who ran through a few things before my first trip to Japan. She told me that when I arrived at the airport, I should buy a travel card - i got a suica - and to get a local sim card for my phone. You can get both from a vending machine, or from a counter. I recommend the airport (over near where you are staying) because you will find staff that speak English/Korean/Chinese. I still keep my suica card in my mobile phone case. I always had my phone in my hand as I lived on google maps, so I just tapped that when I went through the station gates. Those cards are great as you can load $$$ onto them and use them in SOME convenience stores to buy stuff too (great for places that usually only take cash or that sweeeeeeet travel card). Oh what I noticed is that I had no problem keeping my card on my phone in Japan. But back in Australia, I can't have my mobile anywhere near my go-card or the machine has a fit.
As for menu items, the only changes I asked for was to not add chili/peppers to the dishes, and they either didn't add it, or put it on a tiny plate on the side.
I wish I knew there's no dry shampoo! I would have brought more than one bottle.
Nami Heartilly use baby powder!
I ended up using cornstarch, lol XD
Dry shampoo? That's disgusting You're filthy.
@@chickenlover657 go away no-one likes you
@@THANKYOUFORTHEVENOM Filthy twat. Didn't you hear water was invented billions of years ago.
I remember hearing from a Japanese woman that it's an insult to the chef to ask for extra of something or to remove stuff. I mean probably not in fast food but since that is the case in full restaurants that is probably why there is no system to deal with it in any food vendor. She was saying that since they seek harmony it is common to order the same thing (drink I think in particular) as the previous person because it makes is simpler and easier for the server. Such a strange concept when you think of how North America prizes individuality.
Great video! When I went to Japan last summer (besides almost dying of heat exhaustion) we went to a don quijote and they had tons of beauty products. I wasn't sure about their quality since I heard it was a discount-type store, but I was pretty desperate for some moisturizer so I didn't really care at the time.
you are living my dream life :/ it's been a year since my first trip to Japan and I've missed it every day since. I am determined to move there one day and become fluent in the language!
Ria Perera yes same!!!! I just loved the country so much!
But what if we are allergic to certain food in japan and hope to have it removed in our burgers or sth? >.
solution: don't eat it.
+parupampuu So you're saying that if we are really low on money and can (literally) only afford a cheeseburger from McDonalds, and we are allergic to onions, we should just not eat it? Hm.
+Katherine Weber Yes. America is the only place in the world where you can customise meals. This is looked down upon in Japan.
Nick Carbaugh So you either get physically sick from allergies or physically sick from not eating if you are broke?
Nice.
Katherine Weber or you can stop being a drama queen and just take the onions of yourself. If you hate this so much if stay away from Japan. They dont cater to you.
The average heat temperature in Japan is 20°(C) in summer...
I thought that was cold Hahaha...
(tfw you live in Australia)
omg for australians that is nothing xD
In Germany 20°c during summer would be called "cold" as well :'D
***** Yeah -
Wait really? I thought Germany was pretty cold
Kyasurin Yep. e - e
In our climates it is considered cold, but in Japan 20 degrees feels like 40 degrees due to the smog and pollution in the air.. Unfortunately. A few years ago I went to China, Beijing and I was drenched in sweat even though it was only 24-26 degrees outside :P
I live in America and I think that in some places they won't give you a handful of sauce of chili if you ask. I mean, I don't eat out much, but I know at least McDonald's they'll give you the amount of sauce based on how many things you order. (Unless they changed that again? Idk haha!) But Taco bell for sure they have the sauces out for anyone to take as many as they need. LOL.
I took an entire 4 handfuls of sauce from taco bell. they gave zero shits.
+Natashakiable18 over the years they've been getting stricter at some fast food joints as to how many packages or sauces and even things like napkins that you can get.
+Nick Carbaugh they might have given zero shits but you got 'em anyway
+Natashakiable18 I also think it depends on the workers. Sometimes you can go to a place and someone will be very strict, while another time at the SAME PLACE a different worker will be very lax about packets of whatever.
+evolutionkakumei McDonalds is getting stricter with their sauces. they charge for extra. I don't care. I'll pay anything for hot mustard. the sauce is so delicious. there was a time when it was hard to get hot mustard. they were always "out of it". so I hoard those things like if they're gold.
the part about the inflexibility of your orders at restaurants reminded me of one of my awkward experiences in france.
my parents and i were heading home (by car) from our visit to paris and we decided to stop at a bbq place for lunch. the food was absolutely delicious but as per usual i couldn't finish eating everything that was on my plate. i asked the waiter if i could have a doggy bag and instantly knew that that was not a common thing to do in france just by the blank, sort of puzzled look on the waiter's face. he still immediately aswered "yes, of course. just a moment, please." and came back after 5 minutes with a plastic container (similar to a tupperware thingie), that was clearly not meant to be given as a doggy bag to a customer, containing my leftover spare ribs. i really felt bad for putting the waiter in such an uncomfortable position and i thanked him serveral times for being so nice.
recently though, it seems that france has taken a liking to the idea of doggy bags and it's not quite as uncommon anymore as it was a couple of years ago.
That explains a lot! A Cantonese restaurant opened here a few years ago. The owners were from China. We like toasted sesame seed with char siew. We asked the waitress for extra. She literally stood over our table and sprinkled each bite with a little bit. She was there for the entire meal, lightly sprinkling for us.
Haha that sounds helpful, but very awkward
Rachel: 7.5 size shoe in America - largest shoe size in Japan.
Me: 12 size shoe in America -shoes that don’t exist in Japan.
I’m binging all of your videos currently because my parent agreed that I might be able to join a foreign exchange student program in 🇯🇵 japan 🤗🤗
yep. And taking the train for 3 years with tickets is just plain stupid
Chainstores are not flexible but mom and pop stores can be very accommodating.
Thank you for the tip about transit cards. That will be really helpful when I go next year.
This is so helpful! I'm visiting there later this month and in hopes of moving there one day, too. Thank you!
I have a bad experience.....
I said "cincin" and "manko" to japanese...
honestly, "cincin" means ring in Indonesia and "manko" means bowl..
i think i was idiot 😂😂😂
I think when they say "Irashaimase" (pardon the spelling) you should reply with Konichiwa or hello. That way you are acknowledging their presence. Completely ignoring would not be a nice option.
+CriticalCubing I know, that sounds really nice in theory and I thought I would definitely do it cos I hate it when people treat shop staff like servants, but once I actually went to Japan...like no one does it here. No one says hi back, most people don't acknowledge the staff at all and frankly, it might seem rude if you're from a place like the US where people tend to be more chatty/friendlier, but here it's the norm and the staff doesn't expect the customers to greet them back or pay them much attention. I said konnichiwa or konbanwa at first but it was just too awkward, even the staff tended to look a bit weirded out, like what is this foreigner doing...So I stopped and now I just smile at them and it works better, the staff smile back and look happier than when I used actual greetings :)
funkyfreshdays7 Thats nice. Thank you for the insight. If I visit, I will give them my best smile haha
+ Funkyfreshdays7 Here in England, if someone says welcome, you at LEAST nod or else you will probably be met with 'YOUR FUCKING WELCOME!'. So it seems weird to not acknowledge the staff.
+iamdeath2u I'm from Estonia and a lot of the time even the staff here doesn't say hi, let alone the customers :D people are quite reserved and it's more than enough to greet someone with a nod or just a glance, even not responding would be sort of okay. I go to the UK and other parts of Western Europe quite often and although I know things are different there, it still takes me a while to get used to all the greetings and small talk.
+CriticalCubing Pretty much what funkyfresh said. I think the "irashaimase" is an auto pilot thing too. Anytime they notice a customer is close to them, they'll say it, even if they're preoccupied with something else. Sometimes they'll say it when they're walking past you, and you won't even have time to respond. It's like a drive by greeting. XD
It's funny how americans are used to walmarts. We don't have such in Germany neither.
@kenz I mean our supermarkets also do have great variety at times, but nowhere near the level of Walmart
No way! I'm from México, and we do have Wal-Mart and similar stores here. I thought it was the same everywhere but Japan *gasp* Thanks for sharing!
I’ve never been to a Walmart but isn’t the real store pretty much the same? I love that store :p
We don't have any Wal-Marts in Finland, either. We have the local system called the "S-ketju" and"K-ketju" or the "S-chain" and "K-chain", which consists on most of our shops here.
Hahaha! The part about the red pepper packet was so funny that I watched that minute or so like 3 times in a row. Rachel being so beyond exasperated was just so hilarious!
This was helpful! ありがとございます
Hey!! I love your video and you're really nice
But I wanted to inform you that there is a supermarket like Walmart .. maybe not in the center though. It's called "Costco" and I think you have it in America too.
It probably didn’t come to mind in the video or you didn’t know it was in Japan too.
This is an old video. Maybe it wasn't there when this was made...
I'm moving to Tokyo when I'm older. Can't wait
Tip for Tokyo it's very busy there
Yes I know
The Dark Lord same lol 😝
Maybe I’m moving to a Japanese village
The Dark Lord Same
I sometimes laugh when people say Japan is hot , in my country 31-32 degrees is avarage, this year the highest was 47 degrees 😂 ( degrees Celsius )
Anime__lover me too ,do u know that in Iraq the degree can be 50celsisu
No you don’t understand! I as well live I a very hot place, every summer we are at 35-39 degrees Celsius and we really don’t have stations is just slightly less hot on winter, so I thought I was going to be fine, where I live humidity goes like 60-70% in Japan humidity goes up to 90% or more!!! Is the humidity that fucks you up so bad!!! I was dying and I didn’t even went on summer I went on early September Hahahaha you need to experience that level of humidity it feels you weird!
All the yes to thrift stores! Discovering that some Book Off stores also sold clothes was the best thing ever. It's also really nice when you have to leave Japan after a long stay like a student exchange cuz you can just go sell what you have to leave behind because your suitcase can only fit so many things xD
It's funny for an Australian (me) to hear about 'humidity' in other countries lol. You have to experience an Australian summer sometime and compare haha. I love Japan, awesome video. Makes we want to go back 🤗🤗
I personally think this 'inflexibility' of companies you mention is great. Customers are getting more and more spoilt sometimes expecting a simple worker to move mountains because customer is always right.. I like the way - you take it or not.
Finally a smart comment.
I like it too.
i live in the midwest in the US......humidity is awful :T
9:23 like an oyster card?
+Julliana Paulino yes
Narnendil thanks
+Julliana Paulino np :)
I really love this video! It makes me miss so many things in America!
Most of the train entrance gates (at least in Tokyo) will only accept cards; there may be 2 or 3 for actual tickets. Also, bra sizes are different here in Japan. A girlfriend of mine (Japanese) told me she had a D cup. I knew better than to disagree. When we moved back to Canada and she needed a new bra, she asked for a D cup at the store. The store help were doubtful but let her try one on. She eventually settled on a B cup. She was not too happy about that.
If you can't customize your meal? Then what do those with food allergies do? Just not eat out?
+Kyla Luv You eat things you're not allergic to?! haha
Many menus here list allergens in the food they have, and I have plenty of friends who are allergic to all kinds of things and they do fine! :) You can always ask the staff not to put things in your meals, buuuuut check out Kelly's channel (Strawberry mochi) and her stories on having food allergies. We ate at a restaurant once where she told the staff she was allergic to nuts and they still brought her a dish with full on whole peanuts all over it... She could have died if she didn't notice. o_o;; The plus is that I got to eat it, but it's a reminder that even if you ask them to remove something, be wary and carry your epipen with you!!
+Kyla Luv they don't really have those allergies like we do.... and if they do they don't care or not even notice it... things like celiac and all those "modern" allergies have only come up in the more developed countries where food is usually very processed. i don't know the english word but in german it means as a much as "prosperity diseases" or "civilisation disease".... it will be hard to explain to them tha you can be allergic to a simple thing as soy or fish as it is basically in everything
+Helvetica09 Japan is a first world country, I don't think more more developed is the word you are looking for.
+Helvetica09 From my experience they are actually super cautious and understanding about allergies. I interpreted for a father a few weeks ago who was telling people his son was allergic to shellfish, and they completely understood, and were super careful about anything that might have contained any kind of shellfish, even things like shrimp flavored chips. I've helped teach children how to say they are allergic to things in English as well. They'll definitely understand once they hear the word 'allergy.'
+Protagonist Western countries is what i was looking for! English is not my first language and in culinary school we got taught that in the asian and african countries the overall food they eat is much "cleaner" and closer to the "original" form instead of being grown to be more more productive rather than just being regular, unchanched vegetables and things...