Comments on: Japanese Only

By: Bryan

Bryan — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 16:48:27 +0000

In over 15 years spent in Japan, I too encountered the aspect that there was no way to truly 'fit in' into the society there. Not all societies are open. Japan is a classic example of this.

I was turned away from some pretty decent places when I wanted to have a beer, though I was very warmly welcomed at others. Oh well, their loss…. ; )

Yoroshiku!

By: Rich Pav

Rich Pav — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 08:05:29 +0000

Oliver: I used to play the same game, only I'd offer the hookers a breath mint.

By: Garrek

Garrek — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:50:55 +0000

A friend and I both study Japanese at Michigan State University. Once she was explaining to me that every Japanese language student feels a certain hidden pain regarding the knowledge that no matter how many years you've studies Japanese or lived in Japan you will never be accepted. She explained that truly learning Japanese language and being accepted is an unobtainable goal. Garrek's last blog post..Episode 4: It's Goin'

By: Oliver

Oliver — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 11:57:07 +0000

Yes I know about the red light district of Ueno and it made getting back to my hotel each night, just that little bit more interesting.
On nights with not much happening I would start play a game called hooker dodging.
You start at one end of the red light district and have to make your way to the other side being accosted by as few hookers as posable
and if you are approached you have to say something weird or gross to confuse them, like "Can i pay you in linden dollars?" or "No thank you Im about to go to my hotel room and do to myself what your offering to do to me for free."

By: butt?

butt? — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 02:18:54 +0000

The only "Japanese only" signs I've seen are the same ones you're talking about, in sleezy places you probably shouldn't go anyway. However, once, my friend from America came to visit and wanted to go to a hostess bar, he is Japanese, but born in the U.S. and doesn't speak the language so I went with him to help. Although I asked/answered all the questions and did all the translating they said that my friend could go in, but I couldn't. Fine by me, but I thought it was a little funny. I've heard that it has less to do with the language (because money is language free!), and more to do with the customs of the people coming. Japanese tend to expect to pay the ridiculous prices and rarely complain if they are grossly overcharged, whereas "Gaijin" tend to protest the insane bills they receive. This is what I've heard from hostesses and customers (in my capacity as a teacher, no other research here!). The only other "Japanese Only" places I've heard about are those up in Hokkaido, mostly at Onsens or Sentos. This is mostly because of the Russian mafia from, again, what I hear. Foreigners are always foreigners, but it's not always bad. Generally I am treated different than a Japanese customer but often it's in a positive way. Old ladies on the train want to touch my hands and comment on how "white" and "beautiful" my skin is, or they like to touch my hair and say how it's "like a sheep" and of course restaurant owners often will remember my order, or try to talk to me much more often than a regular Japanese customer. There are many times that it drives me crazy too, when they flip the menu to the English side when I walk into a restaurant, or say "How can I help you?", but who can fault them? 90% of the foreigners that come here don't bother to learn the language (just a rough estimate). The one time that it really gets to me is when I am with a Japanese person, and I am speaking Japanese to the sales staff and they answer to my friend instead of talking to me... that I won't ever understand. Sorry, rant, this could be a whole post on my blog, sorry for taking up so much space. I LOVE HERRO FLOM JAPAN! butt?'s last blog post..I am a "Dick"

By: Rich Pav

Rich Pav — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 01:16:50 +0000

Oliver, your hotel in Ueno was next to the red light district.

Atom, I will always be seen as a foreigner, no matter how many years I live here.

By: Atom

Atom — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 23:11:44 +0000

I came across one place, it was an open house. They were selling houses, and these were show homes in Kobe. The main reason, of course, is not discrimination, but rather the fact that foreigners, (well more specifically, Americans) don't take their shoes off in the house and they don't want to deal with explaining that to them in English… In addition to the fact that most foreigners won't know to take their slippers off on the tatami mats… which are easily wrecked.

I had no problems when I entered (albeit with Japanese escorts…lol)

Rich… you're not really a foreigner, as far as I'm concerned.

By: Oliver

Oliver — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 13:00:42 +0000

I Only saw a few places with the "Japanese only" sign, but I always hoped it was because none of the staff spoke no other languages apart from japanese. So it was to help avoid confusion and thats why some places accepted foreigners who came in with a Japanese friend (who could act as a translator).