Ask me any questions

Status
Not open for further replies.

hoshiyume

Master Member
Joined
May 1, 2008
Messages
2,641
Reaction score
0
What's ur review on Nui? is nui far from asakusa station or walkable? M Gg stay there for my trip.

Anyone bought the keisei skyliner + subway pass b4? How does the multi day Subway pass work? Eg 3-day is consecutive days? Open date? I.e.activated only on day of usage.

How's security in tokyo/osaka like? How safe to walk alone at night? Advisable not be on street by what time? or depends on neighborhood?

Jpn is 110v then we need convertor or adapter will do?

Thanks!!

I walked from nui to asakusa, took about 20-25 mins (i overshot walked too far hence had to u-turn a little so most prob u will take 15-20 mins). I went in Oct hence quite nice to walk in the morning.

From a specific exit in Kuramae station, once exited, turn right see police post (before bridge) then turn right again, walk pass 2 buildings and 1 carpark then is the hostel. Quiet neighbourhood but not too far; I stayed out a little later when I went disneysea and returned to hostel without much issue - hostel is very happening every night

I think for japan security is quite ok? But I dont really stay out late unless I went with friend. For my previous trip i was alone so I try to be back in before 9pm. but then also depends on the area...
 
Last edited:

XasakuraX

Master Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2008
Messages
3,765
Reaction score
0
wah the transformer/convertor so complex :S

yeah guess i go keisei counter at airport n ask, if wan get the pass. havent plan n calculate transport costs see worth not :/

icic. hoshiyume, u travel from nui back narita too? which route u went by?
 

hoshiyume

Master Member
Joined
May 1, 2008
Messages
2,641
Reaction score
0
wah the transformer/convertor so complex :S

yeah guess i go keisei counter at airport n ask, if wan get the pass. havent plan n calculate transport costs see worth not :/

icic. hoshiyume, u travel from nui back narita too? which route u went by?

Haneda think one direct train- I happily sat and slept till haneda for my 8+ flight previously
 

purpleberry

Supremacy Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2008
Messages
5,844
Reaction score
164
I noticed that in recent years there are much more PRC serving you at restaurants, department stores, retail shops, etc. Service seems to decline quite a bit compared to 10 years ago and most of them assume you're from China as well. Some look a bit pissed if you can't understand their Chinese. You can almost feel is the one serving you is a local or not. I've come across 1 restaurant which I've experienced one of the worst service in decades.

Is Japan open to foreign workers this time? Or are they Japan-born Chinese? Not being picky though, certainly not worth a thread, but wondering if you folks experienced the same way too.
 
Joined
Oct 3, 2002
Messages
130,391
Reaction score
7,252
I noticed that in recent years there are much more PRC serving you at restaurants, department stores, retail shops, etc. Service seems to decline quite a bit compared to 10 years ago and most of them assume you're from China as well. Some look a bit pissed if you can't understand their Chinese. You can almost feel is the one serving you is a local or not. I've come across 1 restaurant which I've experienced one of the worst service in decades.

Is Japan open to foreign workers this time? Or are they Japan-born Chinese? Not being picky though, certainly not worth a thread, but wondering if you folks experienced the same way too.
Got papa n tango working there all these while, just that not flooding in like Sinkland nia.

Sent from a poor fugly buibui loser using GAGT
 

cancer81

Great Supremacy Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2007
Messages
61,057
Reaction score
0
I noticed that in recent years there are much more PRC serving you at restaurants, department stores, retail shops, etc. Service seems to decline quite a bit compared to 10 years ago and most of them assume you're from China as well. Some look a bit pissed if you can't understand their Chinese. You can almost feel is the one serving you is a local or not. I've come across 1 restaurant which I've experienced one of the worst service in decades.

Is Japan open to foreign workers this time? Or are they Japan-born Chinese? Not being picky though, certainly not worth a thread, but wondering if you folks experienced the same way too.
stick to speaking english amongst yourselves and try to never let chinese staff know u can speak mandarin.

It is okay in some parts like Yokohama's Chinatown where a lot of them will be at but you might get different treatment elsewhere.

It is unavoidable these days since even Yodobashi and Bic play mandarin announcements over their PA.

I have made it a habit to converse in Japanese until I hit my limit or it is necessary. Japan does have quite a sizeable population of 2nd generation PRs or naturalised Japanese. 90% of the time you will not notice it....
 

saffronsatire

Supremacy Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2012
Messages
7,002
Reaction score
506
I noticed that in recent years there are much more PRC serving you at restaurants, department stores, retail shops, etc. Service seems to decline quite a bit compared to 10 years ago and most of them assume you're from China as well. Some look a bit pissed if you can't understand their Chinese. You can almost feel is the one serving you is a local or not. I've come across 1 restaurant which I've experienced one of the worst service in decades.

Is Japan open to foreign workers this time? Or are they Japan-born Chinese? Not being picky though, certainly not worth a thread, but wondering if you folks experienced the same way too.

i ate at a ramen shop near shibuya 109 last year, managed by a few PRCs aunties and uncles. seemed to be living there for some time as they could speak japanese. might be neutralized already. the auntie who served us was polite and friendly. but the food not nice lol.
 

sereneong19

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2008
Messages
1,317
Reaction score
0
stick to speaking english amongst yourselves and try to never let chinese staff know u can speak mandarin.

It is okay in some parts like Yokohama's Chinatown where a lot of them will be at but you might get different treatment elsewhere.

It is unavoidable these days since even Yodobashi and Bic play mandarin announcements over their PA.

I have made it a habit to converse in Japanese until I hit my limit or it is necessary. Japan does have quite a sizeable population of 2nd generation PRs or naturalised Japanese. 90% of the time you will not notice it....

very true! i was having dinner at shinbashi and there was 2 chinese waitresses. I heard them talking in mandarin to each other and so i tried to talk to them in mandarin asking for settlement. bad choice. they totally ignore me and just proceed with their so-called protocol.

anyway, their service attitude was lousy to start off anyway. the only way to tell if the servers are chinese or not is to observe their body language. most chinese servers usually dun smile and not that enthusiastic in serving customers.
 

purpleberry

Supremacy Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2008
Messages
5,844
Reaction score
164
Alright, this is what happened:

We went to Shinjuku Mylord 13F okonomiyaki restaurant and had the worst service of our trips in the last decade. Here's the restaurant as reviewed at eat like a cow: Pasutakan - Mylord Shinjuku, Tokyo

Arrived at 7pm on Friday night. Only a few tables were filled. No line, no queue. The other restaurants have queues lining up.

As usual we were greeted in Japanese and we asked for a table for 3. I was given the menu and thought that as the place is empty, she can give us a table rightaway. Wrong. We were told to wait outside and give her a moment.

She looked unhappy that we were standing while waiting outside. She directed us to a bunch of chairs and told us to sit down. I was a bit puzzled and told her that we don't mind standing since no one is around anyway. She looks pissed and was quite adamant. We followed her and sat down.

By this time, my daughter was a bit cranky and played around with the chairs in the waiting area. After only like 10secs, she greeted us again in Japanese and welcomed us to come in. She saw the chairs slightly messy and told us to arrange them back. By this time, I was quite furious but still maintained my calm. I just said I don't understand and she rushed and frustratingly arranged the chairs herself. One would think it's smooth sailing all the way to the dinner table. Wrong.

She then told us that we need to order 3 main courses and 3 drinks. I told her my daughter is only 3 years old and she can't eat a lot. Again she's visually pissed and negotiated us to order 2 main courses and 3 drinks. I said ok but do you have fruit juice? No. Only coke, mocktails, etc. WTF?! I told her she cant have sugar at dinner time and negotiated for 2 main courses, 1 side order, and 2 drinks. Alright. Case closed. End of story? Wrong.

She then said that she only have a table for 2 inside. I was shocked. The place was almost empty. I told her my daughter can't be sitting too close to the hot grill! She's only 3! By this time, my blood was hotter than the grill. I said what happened to other tables? They are all empty so why can't you give us a bigger one. Without a slight of guilt, she replied they are all fully booked and reserved.

Without giving her another chance, we returned back the menu to her and walked away. I am not sure if she's a local or PRC origin but I'll never step into that place again. A pity though as the food is not bad. I also regretted not knowing her good name.
 

cancer81

Great Supremacy Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2007
Messages
61,057
Reaction score
0
Japanese companies are not known for their flexibility

your case is more a difference of cultures

They asked you to seat not because they want to be rude but they want to set the table right before taking you to the table. It also can be the case that the other shops or the mall might complain if they got lots of guests waiting to be let in standing around crowding the walkway. For take as little risk as possible employees working two アルバイト which is possible for your waitress here, it is not strange that she want to follow her training VS bending over backwards (to her)

I would probably go for Danny's or other slightly child friendlier places over DIY Okonomiyaki restaurants....
 

purpleberry

Supremacy Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2008
Messages
5,844
Reaction score
164
Japanese companies are not known for their flexibility

your case is more a difference of cultures

They asked you to seat not because they want to be rude but they want to set the table right before taking you to the table. It also can be the case that the other shops or the mall might complain if they got lots of guests waiting to be let in standing around crowding the walkway. For take as little risk as possible employees working two アルバイト which is possible for your waitress here, it is not strange that she want to follow her training VS bending over backwards (to her)

I would probably go for Danny's or other slightly child friendlier places over DIY Okonomiyaki restaurants....

That's what I thought at first when I was queuing but I hardly think so. We spent 14 days in Japan with our daughter and didn't have a problem with the rest. There's one that allowed us in sooner than the rest and we felt very paiseh with the others who are queuing. If the place or walkway is crowded, I can understand but this is almost empty. No one was passing by even. There's a fine line of being inflexible and just being a complete a**hole imho.
 

cancer81

Great Supremacy Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2007
Messages
61,057
Reaction score
0
That's what I thought at first when I was queuing but I hardly think so. We spent 14 days in Japan with our daughter and didn't have a problem with the rest. There's one that allowed us in sooner than the rest and we felt very paiseh with the others who are queuing. If the place or walkway is crowded, I can understand but this is almost empty. No one was passing by even. There's a fine line of being inflexible and just being a complete a**hole imho.
well my friend had a unhappy incident when she sat on the curb and was told harshly to stand up by the ramen shop employee...
 

Nalgene123

Supremacy Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2008
Messages
6,775
Reaction score
652
In Japan...there's a lot of etiquettes and rules to follow..and for a tourust..some of the rules might seemed bewildering...I understand that in places like Kyoto..the social rules and norms are even more than bigger cities like Osaka and Tokyo...thus...why some Japanese and service stuff behave harshly towards outsiders are because they feel that foreigners...which doesn't understand the social norms of Japanese society....by making use of their transport system and having meals at their resturants are impeding the efficient and effectiveness of their service and to a certain extent..how the entire society function
 
Joined
Oct 3, 2002
Messages
130,391
Reaction score
7,252
In Japan...there's a lot of etiquettes and rules to follow..and for a tourust..some of the rules might seemed bewildering...I understand that in places like Kyoto..the social rules and norms are even more than bigger cities like Osaka and Tokyo...thus...why some Japanese and service stuff behave harshly towards outsiders are because they feel that foreigners...which doesn't understand the social norms of Japanese society....by making use of their transport system and having meals at their resturants are impeding the efficient and effectiveness of their service and to a certain extent..how the entire society function

10 Japanese Cultures That Will Shock You To Your Bones | Giftedgreen
 

XasakuraX

Master Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2008
Messages
3,765
Reaction score
0
from kuramae back to narita airport, better to travel by narita sky access or keisei skyliner?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Important Forum Advisory Note
This forum is moderated by volunteer moderators who will react only to members' feedback on posts. Moderators are not employees or representatives of HWZ. Forum members and moderators are responsible for their own posts.

Please refer to our Community Guidelines and Standards, Terms of Service and Member T&Cs for more information.
Top