no vacancy

[u/landa_archive]

[u/qualityvote2]

u/landa_archive, your post does fit the subreddit!

[u/hockeyjmac]

Wait until you find out about their foreigner menus

[u/landa_archive → u/hockeyjmac]

Do they come with foreigner prices?

[u/hockeyjmac → u/landa_archive]

Yeah usually substantially more

[u/Rajamic → u/hockeyjmac]

And it still happens in Tokyo, despite them having passed an ordinance against different pricing like a decade ago.

[u/Username928351 → u/Rajamic]

Let me guess, that law has no penalties defined?

[u/Raindrop0015 → u/Username928351]

Or it's difficult to report because all foreigners get the same menu prices so none can report and most won't understand the language to double check online

[u/ILikePrinting27 → u/Raindrop0015]

Can you not literally just google lens your way through Japan?

[u/Tha_Princess → u/ILikePrinting27]

Yeh 100%, works great and makes you meat a lot of nice people even though communication is a little hard sometimes.

[u/AlexLannister → u/Tha_Princess]

I had a lovely chat with a local couple at this small hole in the wall bar via google translate, it was so good that they bought me a beer. It was great fun.

[u/kittenshart85 → u/AlexLannister]

reminds me of using babelfish to have conversations with people at international hostels 20 years ago.

[u/Vrudr → u/Tha_Princess]

Peter, I think that's illegal.

[u/TheIronSoldier2 → u/ILikePrinting27]

How many people are doing that though when it looks like it's already been translated?

[u/zinten789 → u/TheIronSoldier2]

Curiosity, the Japanese text is obviously longer so maybe it explains something about their wait time.

[u/NanilGop → u/Username928351]

It's probably not being enforced.

[u/secretyerrowman1 → u/NanilGop]

With their current stand on foreigners, it would be very safe to assume they don’t care

[u/Oddant1 → u/secretyerrowman1]

They 100% need foreign tourist money for their economy to not fucking crumble right now.

[u/FreeMasonKnight → u/Rajamic]

It happens all over Japan.

[u/ObligationLiving1295 → u/hockeyjmac]

Cold as ice.

[u/hockeyjmac → u/ObligationLiving1295]

No foreigners don’t get ice cream

[u/19TimGreyCupChamps → u/ObligationLiving1295]

You're willing to sacrifice our love

[u/yourstruly912 → u/hockeyjmac]

Food in Japan is absurdly cheap anyway. Gping to the most touristic places in Tokyo it seems their idea of overcharging is adding 500 yen etra over what you find in not touristic areas lmao

These people have no idea of the darks art of tourist trapping we have in the Mediterranean

[u/Twanbon → u/yourstruly912]

Oof yeah, I took a Mediterranean cruise for the first time last year and learned very quickly to do my research and get far away from the cruise ports as soon as we could. Everything within blocks of the ports were just itching to screw over tourists lol

[u/RyuNoKami → u/yourstruly912]

Everything in a tourist area tend to be much more expensive but that's not what they are saying about foreigner menus and pricing.

It's a translated menu with its items priced higher just because. The Japanese menu has the "regular" price.

[u/LocksmithOk9968 → u/RyuNoKami]

This happens all over the Mediterranean as well.

Doubly so if they have their own weak currency (e.g., Turkey), then they’ll give you a menu in GBP/EUR/USD and the tourists happily pay in their home currency thinking they’ve evaded the hassle of converting, but they’re heavily overpaying compared to local pricing.

[u/lotso-bear → u/landa_archive]

Menu is more limited as well compared to their regular menu.

[u/landa_archive → u/lotso-bear]

And why is that?

[u/ShinjukuAce → u/landa_archive]

It’s not unusual in parts of Asia - some local food they know most Westerners won’t like, and don’t want people complaining and refusing to pay.

[u/cloudforested → u/ShinjukuAce]

Hell, this has happened to me in my hometown. I've had waiters at Vietnamese and Chinese restaurants try to dissuade me from ordering certain things.

[u/PrincetonToss → u/cloudforested]

I was once in New York, and I saw that a ramen place had "traditional style" and "Manhattan style" options for their broth. I ordered traditional on general principles and the waiter played the whole "Have you noticed that you're white?" game with me.

But, dude, this is New York. We weren't even in Japantown, just on the Upper West. I'd be shocked if that place's clients were less than 80% white.

(In case anyone's wondering - it was a very, very heavy tonkotsu broth, and "Manhattan style" basically diluted it down by about half.)

[u/Front1ersax → u/landa_archive]

Foreigner prices and foreigner spices

[u/UnusuallyGentlemanly → u/hockeyjmac]

Is everything on the menu made with real foreigner?

[u/hockeyjmac → u/UnusuallyGentlemanly]

Imitation foreigner but it’s dyed white to look real

[u/Siriuslysirius123 → u/hockeyjmac]

Yeah, joke’s on them- I may not be good with kanji but I can pick out words and stuff. I am not fluent but I know enough to order off the Japanese menu!

Granted; when I asked, they still gave me the English one. I was too hungry to fight back.

[u/Schwifftee → u/Siriuslysirius123]

"I can't read English"

[u/skyziaos]

They'd be mighty disappointed when a group of foreigner with just 1 guy who can understand japanese walks in

[u/luffydkenshin → u/skyziaos]

Thats me! I did that in a very similar situation.

I walked in with my 2 bosses, and they said no availability (when several seats were open). I told them, in Japanese, that I speak Japanese and read the sign out front. They told me, in Japanese, that it would be challenging for them to help us since they can’t speak english.

And I told them that I speak Japanese, in Japanese, to them. They didn’t budge. “I won’t speak english, only Japanese” etc.

I eventually understood the subtext and we left and had a wonderful meal at another restaurant with staff that ended up being very curious about what our professions were. It was a lot of fun!

That was my first time dealing with that aspect of xenophobia / racism abroad.

Edit: In all likelihood I experienced both. While xenophobia isn’t always part of racism, they go hand in hand quite often. If I were naturalized, would that have made a difference? Not likely.

[u/Dat_Innocent_Guy → u/luffydkenshin]

Whats the equivalent of "fuck you. You racist cunt" in japanese. Just so they understand my displeasure as i leave.

[u/nomad9590 → u/Dat_Innocent_Guy]

"You dishonor your culture of hospitality with this decision. I hope your future business is as successful as this exchange. I'll pray for you at the shrine. " 

[u/qT_TpFace → u/nomad9590]

Damn actually cutting deep with shrine is insane.

[u/mortomr → u/qT_TpFace]

Ohh it’s like the Japanese “bless your heart”

[u/AHrubik → u/mortomr]

This is why I appreciate NYC. They just say "Go fuck yourself" and get it over with.

[u/Repulsive-Produce560 → u/AHrubik]

I swear fam, damn. Just get to the point and move on.

[u/crazyfatskier2 → u/nomad9590]

Always use Keigo in this situation to let it cut serrated style deep.

[u/invinciblewalnut → u/crazyfatskier2]

What is keigo

[u/luffydkenshin → u/invinciblewalnut]

Keigo is a very polite / professional manner of speaking.

[u/Wooly_Wooly → u/luffydkenshin]

As per our previous conversation, if you'd read between the lines I don't think you're worth speaking to, fuck off (respectfully)

[u/zherok → u/Wooly_Wooly]

I don't think keigo really directly translates into English, because it's less about the words being used (although you'd likely change that too), but the changes to the words themselves. So you have a different set of verb conjugations, different more hierarchical pronouns, and polite prefixes appended to nouns.

[u/CotyledonTomen → u/zherok]

Just sounds like beaurocrat speak i use when talking to angry people and want to be an asshole. Overly polite and highly specific words meant to impart neutrality in a sugary tone that, none the less, breaches no posibility of me actually doing what they want.

[u/Chemieju → u/luffydkenshin]

So its like if i write "as per my last email" instead of "to all you illiterate cunts who didn't get it the first 3 times"?

[u/luffydkenshin → u/Chemieju]

Mostly. It has a lot of flourishes in it and deferring language.

So, instead of “Per my last email” you’d get something akin to

“I more than happy to review this with you, but as I know your time is more valuable, I will gently reference my previous email where you can the full detailed information.”

[u/Chemieju → u/luffydkenshin]

Next time im writing an angry email i should ask you beforehand. This is beauty.

[u/Cedric_T → u/luffydkenshin]

No it’s when you squeeze your pelvic floor muscles as you curse them which greatly amplifies the power of the curse to haunt their future generations.

[u/Redmoon383 → u/Cedric_T]

No no no thats Kelloggs

[u/luffydkenshin → u/Redmoon383]

Wait I thought that was Kettle bells.

[u/CoolBev → u/invinciblewalnut]

Keiko = Polite forms of address.

[u/Isbjorn456 → u/invinciblewalnut]

the politenese of language. -san and -imasu and -sama and such see below comment for correct explanation

[u/Ynwe → u/Isbjorn456]

No that's not really keigo. X-san is just basically a standard honorific that is used plenty outside of keigo too. the "masu" form you mentioned too is neutral polite, but not Keigo. Keigo is an honorific speech with it's own words, grammar, conjugations etc. It also comes in two forms, Sonkeigo (where you elevate another person, NEVER yourself) and Kenjougo (humbles the speaker or anyone in the speaker's "in-group", say like family members or company colleagues, etc.)

Take for example " I saw X"

I could say

"私はXを見ました"

私 = watashi = me

見ました = mimashita = seen (past form of 見ます= mimasu). so "masu" (which is a form of verb conjugation which is polite, but as stated above jut normal politeness) is the present tense and becomes "mashita" in the past tense, mi = 見, which is the chinese character for seeing.

So I used the "masu" form above, with the "masu" form being polite, but not keigo. If I were speaking to my boss or client or in some context where it would be polite to lower myself I would say

"私はXを拝見しました". Notice that "拝見しました", the verb, is a completely different one, yet the sentence has the exact same meaning as the above one. It's just a very humble way of saying this. This is Kenjougo btw.

Now if I were to highlight that someone of a higher position saw something, or if I were to ask someone of a higher position to look at something I could say:

"bossはXをご覧になりました", which would be super polite. Again, it literally just means boss saw X, but this is (son)keigo.

[u/Isbjorn456 → u/Ynwe]

I see, thank you!

[u/fucky_thedrunkclown → u/invinciblewalnut]

It’s the exercise women do to strengthen their pelvic floor

[u/NLG99 → u/fucky_thedrunkclown]

No, that's kegels

Keigo is a Japanese watchmaker

[u/Saint_Vigil → u/crazyfatskier2]

In general, what do japanese people think about a straightforward "fuck you" or something similar as opposed to keigo

[u/crazyfatskier2 → u/Saint_Vigil]

They’ll think typical violent and uncouth foreigner which is why you hit them with the exact opposite of what they expect. Break their shallow world views with Japanese and using keigo in a situation that doesn’t normally require it is the equivalent of “looking down at them from your pedestal” and they would know it. They wouldn’t say anything but that would fester in their minds for years to come.

[u/MinervaKaliamne → u/Saint_Vigil]

I mean, my 16-year-old Englisb club learners abolutely loved "fuck you," and they'd giggle like the teenagers they are every time someone said it. But in Japanese, an extremely polite, veiled "fuck you" cuts far deeper than a direct one, which would be seen as crass and lowering the standard of the speaker more than the recipient.

[u/Wonderful_Night9071 → u/MinervaKaliamne]

exactly. not an expert on japanese but in general, the more violent kind of response only confirms to their mind that you are indeed the uncivilised animal that they were treating you as already; hence justifying their discrimination. last thing you want to do. luckily japanese features the perfect method for the exact opposite approach.

[u/Cormetz → u/nomad9590]

I work with a partner in Japan and it's really fun trying to figure out how upset he really is and whether a "yes" or "maybe" is actually a "no".

One time my manager made a big proposal and he thought the partner was into it when he said "interesting, we will do some review and maybe we can do it". I had to explain that was just a polite "hell no".

[u/firelock_ny → u/Cormetz]

Oddly enough, in most American corporate cultures "interesting, we will do some review and maybe we can do it" is also a polite "hell no".

[u/Otherwise_Demand4620 → u/firelock_ny]

In German "interesting, we will do some review and maybe we can do it" would be understood as "interesting, we will do some review and maybe we can do it", unless you presented a stamped sarcasm permit and two picture IDs.

[u/cshmn → u/Otherwise_Demand4620]

German culture really is just autism, isn't it?

[u/RottenPantsu → u/cshmn]

Wait until you learn about how invitations work with them--you tell them to arrive at the party at 15:00, and they show up at 15:00! The absolute madmen! I mean, how does that make any sense???

[u/lewd_robot → u/RottenPantsu]

I was warned on day 1 of my time working in Japan that if an invitation was for a specific time, showing up early was just as bad as overstaying, because you're still rudely taking up time the host anticipated having for other things.

Someone else told me the polite thing to do in Japan is be early and then linger a distance away to time your approach. If it's a work meeting, be 5 minutes early, but linger in the bathroom or in the stairwell until 1 minutes before the meeting. If you're visiting someone a few blocks over, be 10 minutes early, but linger before the final turn before you can see their house. If it's across town, be 15-30 minutes early, depending on how many trains/busses you have to take, etc.

[u/Desperate-Blood-4286 → u/Otherwise_Demand4620]

This is the only way that is logical.
Anything else is a waste of of time and energy. politeness is important in any walk of life, but a business is about making money.
These word games are just like unnecessary breaks, another way of destroying valuable time.

[u/amanset → u/firelock_ny]

[u/Domeil → u/firelock_ny]

Me, a lawyer, to my client's decision maker when they make the most pants-on-head suggestion that is borderline illegal: "That's a novel suggestion, we'll discuss that offline and circle back."

[u/isocrackate → u/Domeil]

Me, responsible for at least $500k/yr in BigLaw invoices: please just tell my boss his idea is fucking mental, he doesn’t understand pretending to humor him costs the firm $20-30k every time.

Also stop looking at me like that while he’s rambling nonsense, it’s starting to get obvious when I’m turning my camera off to laugh at him

[u/Cormetz → u/firelock_ny]

That's true, and I think I didn't write out correctly what he said. It was definitely encouraging by western standards but I know him well enough.

[u/IanPlaysThePiano → u/nomad9590]

i.e.:

このたびのご判断により、日本が誇る「おもてなし」の精神を自ら損なわれたこと、誠に残念に存じます。今後のご商売が、このたびのやり取りと同様に実り多きものとなられますよう、心よりお祈り申し上げます。神社に参拝の折には、貴殿のためにもお祈り申し上げる所存でございます。

for reference in case anyone is curious lol w

[u/nomad9590 → u/IanPlaysThePiano]

Holy shit, thanks! Lol. 

[u/ExpensiveLeather69 → u/IanPlaysThePiano]

the reverse translation of this is even funnier

"It is truly regrettable that, through your recent decision, you have yourself compromised the spirit of omotenashi—Japanese hospitality—of which our country is so proud. I sincerely hope that your future business endeavors will prove as fruitful as this recent interaction. When I visit the shrine, I intend to offer prayers for your well-being as well."

[u/AxitotlWithAttitude → u/IanPlaysThePiano]

Is that why I occasionally see translated posts like that? Huh

[u/Equivalent-Tone6098 → u/IanPlaysThePiano]

Of course, there will still be people who argue that omotenashi is REALLY only supposed to be applied to fellow Japanese people. Much like the recent trend of conservatives claiming that hospitality or religious dictates for being good only apply in cases involving someone just like them. It's amazing seeing how cultures thousands of miles apart still share the phenomenon of having racist pricks running around saying the same thing.

[u/0DayMaker → u/nomad9590]

Damn I felt shamed just reading that

[u/logie_reddit → u/nomad9590]

Could have used this for an aggressive door to door salesperson who I had to have trespassed off my property yesterday.

[u/P3pp3rSauc3 → u/nomad9590]

https://giphy.com/gifs/JCAZQKoMefkoX6TyTb

[u/Lolcraftgaming → u/nomad9590]

Fuckin hell

[u/Dunadain_ → u/nomad9590]

"I hope your future business is as successful as this exchange"

This is fucking raw. Phrase stolen.

[u/HamburgerOnAStick → u/nomad9590]

Jesus fuck.

[u/hoTsauceLily66 → u/Dat_Innocent_Guy]

There isn't an accurate translation in Japanese that fully capture the essence of "fuck you".

[u/CitizenPremier → u/hoTsauceLily66]

Honestly a good "HA!?" would match the energy.

[u/Many_Big_6324 → u/CitizenPremier]

Urgh, my ex used this a lot 

[u/ifcknlovemycat → u/hoTsauceLily66]

The usually say "go die" as the ultimate insult

[u/LPulseL11 → u/ifcknlovemycat]

Being polite isnt the same thing as being nice lol ruthless

[u/Runs_Away_A_Lot → u/Dat_Innocent_Guy]

" I never experienced poor hospitality like this in Korea or China, I bet your food is worse too."

[u/OfficeSalamander → u/Runs_Away_A_Lot]

Everyone in China was super super welcoming to me, one restaurant even opened early when we inquired if they were open

[u/Zambedos → u/Dat_Innocent_Guy]

I believe it is "Dishonor on your cow"

[u/luffydkenshin → u/Dat_Innocent_Guy]

I mean, I get you. I felt that bigtime… but I’d rather not channel energy into it any further. They’ll not change, your words would fall on deaf ears. All it would do is make them go “THAT is why we don’t allow foreigners.” and reinforce their worldviews.

It is just better to learn and understand the 雰囲気 / Fuinki/ Atmosphere. Knowing places like this exist, they’re best avoided. The service you’ll get will be bad, the food will likely be bad, too, and you’ll be surrounded by people that don’t want you there. Sounds like a waste of time instead of going elsewhere and easily having an amazing time. Even if you want to do it out of spite, it will still burn up the time you’da enjoyed somewhere else while you’re on holiday.

[u/algaefied_creek → u/luffydkenshin]

It’s like being gay and avoiding like known places and cities, businesses in the cities and countryside in a great portion of the world where you know you will not be welcome and it’s best to just live a life of happiness rather than permit their darkness to permeate. 

[u/Own-Arachnid7952 → u/luffydkenshin]

Damn, that's actually very wise and insightful

[u/GruelGrool23 → u/luffydkenshin]

never eat at a place they don’t seem happy to have you is my rule anyway, good for you

[u/luffydkenshin → u/GruelGrool23]

And, any pushback is really not worth the effort when so many other good options exist.

[u/luffydkenshin → u/[deleted]]

I have definitely encountered that, before too. Then I speak and get the “PHEW ok…”

[u/WindowOne1260 → u/[deleted]]

Having to track down the youngest staff member I can find in a Mexican restaurant because my Spanish is so bad I can barely communicate means the food is about to be incredible.

[u/Doobiemoto → u/[deleted]]

Imagine people's opinions on this if a restaurant in the US told a foreigner they wouldn't serve them cause they don't understand English. They would get crucified (rightfully so).

But if its Japan there is always some excuse for their racism and xenophobia.

[u/Vishifrock → u/Doobiemoto]

The amount of Japanese visiting the big Spanish city I live in is huge. Just thinking about restaurants doing the reverse, putting a sign up in Japanese that basically says "stay out"... the outcry would be massive and the restaurant out of business.

There is no excuse for xenophopia. If language fails, there is always google translate and hands that can point to pictures.

[u/headrush46n2 → u/Doobiemoto]

everyone knows that only white people can be racist!

[u/VectorSam → u/luffydkenshin]

https://giphy.com/gifs/YYfcEWHgwhPBXIY6AO

[u/CathanCrowell → u/luffydkenshin]

I really thought this is just funny video...

[u/luffydkenshin → u/CathanCrowell]

100% accurate

[u/PsionicKitten → u/luffydkenshin]

IMO, you probably shouldn't even have attempted. Despite being able to read the Japanese and speak Japanese I absolutely won't reward that bullshit with patronizing them.

You want to screw your business out of paying customers that would have been absolutely no extra difficulty for you because of your xenophobia? I have no qualms with them shooting themselves in the foot.

[u/PopularElevator2 → u/luffydkenshin]

I had a similar experience went into pizza shop in tokoyo signs in Italian and English ask for table. I was denied. Told them I spoke japanese and had some back and forth they let me in. The service was horrible. They gave me burnt slice of pizza with nothing to drink and charged me for for a whole pie.

[u/iceunelle → u/PopularElevator2]

That’s criminal.

[u/johyongil → u/luffydkenshin]

Happens a lot in Asia.

[u/UglyFrustratedppl → u/luffydkenshin]

Bro, what nonsense are you talking about? You were discriminated based on your race. What is with this East Asia = xenophobia, the West = racism... nonsense?

[u/6495ED → u/luffydkenshin]

Why did you change racism to xenophobia 

[u/SayomiTsukiko → u/6495ED]

Basically racism is for your race, like the color of your skin. Xenophobia is where your from, in this case anywhere but Japan . Basically the same thing most the time

[u/bauhausy → u/SayomiTsukiko]

When you're a ethnostate like Japan, they're one and the same.

[u/teflon_soap → u/luffydkenshin]

No, that’s still racism

[u/Key-Magician6489 → u/luffydkenshin]

No, they were definitely being racist AF!💯

[u/14Pleiadians → u/luffydkenshin]

Edit: changed racism to xenophobia.

Why? They wouldn't want you in there no matter where you're born, even if you were japanese, your race was the issue, not nationality.

[u/BonBonToro → u/skyziaos]

Or it'll be like this skit again lmfao

https://youtu.be/oLt5qSm9U80

[u/atomikrobokid → u/BonBonToro]

Or this one https://youtu.be/rxUm-2x-2dM?si=j171thhHLBGpYEv2

[u/puppiesarelove → u/skyziaos]

Google Translate also negates this pretty fast

[u/Zwingozwango → u/skyziaos]

That’s precisely how I got into many “adult entertainment venues” when I first moved to Japan.  But I’m old and settled down now and have no need for titty bars. 

Japanese wingman (cool coworkers) for the win.

[u/scott__p → u/skyziaos]

If you try they'll just refuse to serve you. I love Asia, but I stick to China now as racism there is more "hey, a white guy. Take a picture with me!" Instead of "hey, a white guy. LEAVE"

[u/LifeIsOkayIGuess → u/scott__p]

They're even worse to people with dark skin. I've flown through Tokyo many times and I always felt I got treated differently even when compared to other tourists. Recently went through Narita with my wife who is white and it was night and day.

[u/TheJeep25 → u/skyziaos]

Google translate enter the chatroom

[u/NeverJustaDream]

i worked at a big company thats headquarted and found in the US. we also have footprint in japan. i was an engineer at the company in US but needed to communicate to our japanese branch. they told me they only wanted to communicate in japanese despite me saying we have no one that speaks japanese (lol) and they had english speakers

[u/KingDarius89 → u/NeverJustaDream]

Sounds like they wanted to get fired.

[u/This_Elk_1460 → u/KingDarius89]

Yeah you work at the HQ they work at the subsidiary. For society designed around doing whatever your boss wants to a t, they really don't seem to give a shit when it's a foreigner that's their boss.

[u/CotyledonTomen → u/This_Elk_1460]

Thats because there are social consequences with a native.

[u/MylastAccountBroke → u/NeverJustaDream]

Sounds like it's time to shut down the Japanese branch.

[u/SAINTnumberFIVE → u/NeverJustaDream]

I’ve heard that Japanese people, even when they can speak some English, often prefer not to because they’re embarrassed that they’re not fluent and are worried that they’ll make a mistake.

[u/sprchrgddc5 → u/SAINTnumberFIVE]

When I studied abroad in Japan almost 20 years ago, I tried asking a Japanese man where a train was going (“この電車は。。。　どこ。。。”) and due stops me and goes, in like accented-less English mind you, “Where are you trying to go?”

[u/Sienile → u/sprchrgddc5]

There are good people mixed amongst racists everywhere.

[u/Infamous-Oil3786 → u/sprchrgddc5]

This was my experience visting Tokyo. I tried to speak Japanese to the best of my ability, and almost everyone responded in their best English.

If you show people the respect of trying to communicate on their terms, most will try to meet you halfway.

[u/KeyNaive8951 → u/SAINTnumberFIVE]

???? Couldn’t that be said about LITERALLY ANY foreigners speaking a language for business that they aren’t fluent in? Why is it cute or totally understandable when the Japanese do that? Lmao

I dunno. This whole post is like pretty clearly racist but yet again for some UNKNOWABLE reason, it’s ok when the Japanese do it. 

If this was posted in the US the comments on here would be across the board negative, and reasonably so. 

I truly just don’t understand the giant, MONSTER pass that Japan gets for being one of, if not THE, most isolationist/racist nation on earth, that has committed genocide and war crimes on pretty much the entirety of Asia in the past 100 years. 

It’s like, we forced Germany to change their ways and to acknowledge the horrors they committed after WW2, but the Japanese have not changed whatsoever in how they view outsiders. I don’t understand why we, as the rest of the world, are okay with it.

[u/TheHeroYouNeed247 → u/NeverJustaDream]

I deal with French companies that demand all correspondence in French. Okay...enjoy speaking to Claude then.

[u/JustAMan1234567]

[u/Putrid-Poet → u/JustAMan1234567]

I am colorblind and I can read it

[u/ultranoobez → u/Putrid-Poet]

Yes, we love you

[u/Acceptable-Door-9810 → u/Putrid-Poet]

Me too, it's such a nice gesture

[u/Ok-Panda-178]

Me a Chinese: you think I’m gonna obey what a sign says lol

[u/landa_archive → u/Ok-Panda-178]

The Chinese might be able to understand that Japanese sentence from the kanji alone, wouldn’t they? And then enter purely out of spite lol

[u/Ok-Panda-178 → u/landa_archive]

I’m Chinese the only ones I can read from the Japanese sentence are the words:

Japanese language, read, direction? entry shop(restaurant), yes it’s sus that it’s different from both English and Chinese sentences

[u/Crimeislegal → u/Ok-Panda-178]

I chose to not understand the sign. XD

[u/Temporal-Affairs221 → u/Crimeislegal]

[u/vantagerose → u/Ok-Panda-178]

That “direction” (方) can also be translated as “kata”, meaning person in respectful language. Tbh, with the kanji alone you can pretty much understand most of the sentence pretty well.

[u/International_Goat31 → u/Ok-Panda-178]

この日本語が(This Japanese)読める方は(people who can read)、ご入店くださいませ(please enter)

It's written very politely/formally/respectfully, in contrast to the very blunt English above.

[u/MongolianDonutKhan → u/landa_archive]

As a rule, the more kanji the Japanese sentence uses, the more likely a Chinese speaker will sus out the meaning. However, relatively simple sentences with a smattering of kanji they could parse the rough idea but not the specific meaning without more knowledge of the language. There's a similar phenomenon with English--French where the more complex headlines in French may be easier to read than something simple like "it will rain on Tuesday".

[u/landa_archive]

racism 😡

racism, Japan 🥰😍

[u/hockeyjmac → u/landa_archive]

Kawaii racism

[u/bluris → u/landa_archive]

Japanese racism is high, but served with a smile.

[u/HedaLexa4Ever → u/bluris]

In this case it’s not even served

[u/DrawingInevitable446 → u/landa_archive]

I legit remember people defending this a while ago.

[u/AirplanesMakeMeHard → u/DrawingInevitable446]

That’s because Reddit only says racism is bad when it’s western cultures doing the racism.

The downvotes will prove that.

[u/YungChumba → u/AirplanesMakeMeHard]

1500 upvotes so far lol. Racism in Japan is a common topic on reddit and everyone always says this yet I never see anyone actually defending it.

[u/Xi_Zhong_Xun]

https://giphy.com/gifs/pWdckHaBKYGZHKbxs6
Japanese realising translation by taking a picture is a thing:

[u/mug_O_bun → u/Xi_Zhong_Xun]

Yes, plausible, but even if you do so, would you really want to go into a place where they clearly dont want you?

[u/Dat_Innocent_Guy → u/mug_O_bun]

Out of spite? "Why would you want to sit on the front of the bus when they clearly dont want you?"

[u/This_Elk_1460 → u/Dat_Innocent_Guy]

No spiteful would be giving them a negative review for it on Yelp that could literally tank their business. I'm not even joking if your business gets less than three and a half stars on Yelp in Japan it has like a 80% chance of going under.

[u/Anthro_DragonFerrite → u/mug_O_bun]

That's what they did in the Southern states in the 60s

[u/matchafoxjpg → u/mug_O_bun]

yeah like i would definitely use my phone to translate this sign, but i also definitely wouldn't go in because it would just be uncomfortable for everyone involved.

i generally don't go olaces i'm not wanted. not only am i non-confrontational, if something happened, even if they started it, the cops would err on the side of the business.

they are pretty anti-foreigner down deep there. i've read the horror stories of people getting hustled and robbed while abroad and the cops blaiming the victim.

[u/soragranda → u/Xi_Zhong_Xun]

They know.

[u/notEasilyConquered_ → u/Xi_Zhong_Xun]

Yeah but dont think anyone would pull out their phone when something is written in english. I’d instinctively think its just a translation !

[u/TSAxrayMachine]

atleast thats subtle. when it comes to filipinos it's big red "NO FILIPINOS ALLOWED" LOL

[u/Snazzy21 → u/TSAxrayMachine]

No, I prefer when discrimination is obvious, I want to know when I'm getting fucked over

[u/NifftyCult → u/TSAxrayMachine]

I’m still going to fuck with them back.

[u/hettuklaeddi]

not uncommon

[u/OOPSStudio → u/hettuklaeddi]

It's more common than it should be (it should absolutely never happen), but claiming it's common is just plain wrong. Signs like this are incredibly rare. I have 8 friends who have lived in Japan for over 13 years each. Collectively they've seen 3 of these signs total.

[u/scott__p]

Yet I still get downvoted when I point out the racism in Asia

[u/landa_archive → u/scott__p]

sounds like sth the body pillow squad would do

[u/PaleontologistIcy534 → u/landa_archive]

Body pillow squad, I’m dying 😂

[u/turkishhousefan → u/landa_archive]

You leave Okayu-chan out of this!

[u/Drudgework → u/scott__p]

There are a lot of people that believe racism can only be done by white people and any other race doing it is cultural appropriation. Which is pretty racist when you think about it.

[u/ShakeTheGatesOfHell → u/Drudgework]

And when I point out specific examples of ethnic cleansing done by people of colour, I get told "yOU'rE dOIng whAtAbOUtIsm".

Oh hell no. I'm only pointing out that racism isn't necessarily done by white people. That doesn't let white racists off the hook.

[u/Forward_Wrap_6720 → u/scott__p]

Yeah people tend to give Japan a free-pass because of the double-face thing i.e. wearing a smile on the outside while being hateful on the inside.

[u/Ruby_Sauce]

As shitty as this is, you wouldnt want to stay here anyway, right? I wouldnt even want to stay in a hotel in my own country if they actively practiced racism against other people

[u/Final-Assistance-462 → u/Ruby_Sauce]

No disagreements there, but some of these people need definitely need to be shamed out of existence before they ruin the vibes of the country when many are already struggling there to keep their doors open. They need to understand that they can treat people however they want but it’ll be at a direct cost of their business. Look at MAGA and their failed businesses… racism and bigotry only work so long in attracting the wrong people that eventually won’t actually keep your business afloat.

I’m from the US and I’d hope foreigners would shame us if our restaurants treated people like this too (not that foreigners are getting any better treatment by ICE but hey that’s a different topic, we’re working on it — sorta).

[u/bromeatmeco → u/Final-Assistance-462]

This is wishful thinking. Plenty of business stay in business despite unfairly discriminating against their customers. It just matters if they have their own customer base that doesn't mind, which plenty have.

Mom and pop running the restaurant can absolutely afford to be racist if their clientele is also racist. For xenophobic Japanese people, the sign OP posted might as well be an advertisement.

[u/spades111]

A good chunk of the Internet loves all the shitty things Japan does.

The sign is pointless these days because you can translate text in photos with minimal effort these days.

[u/chinchenping → u/spades111]

this is going to sound extremely stupid, but it's about sending a message

[u/scott__p → u/spades111]

That's what they're hoping. They don't want you there if you're white or Chinese. It's just racism with a little sign

[u/ninhibited]

https://giphy.com/gifs/W5aCKAedFKhfJ5a1T4

[u/Fastenbauer]

I've heard from a japanese guy that foreigners should always just walk into such restaurants. If they aren't actually full the rules of japanese politeness don't let them throw you out once you are in. And apparently the rest of Japan considers it pretty funny to annoy the people of Kyoto like this.

[u/Sensha_20 → u/Fastenbauer]

Kyoto? I lived in kyoto for a year and never saw anything like this.

Tokyo I was there for a week and absolutely saw this several times.

[u/This_Elk_1460 → u/Sensha_20]

Yeah this is definitely Tokyo behavior, the people of Kyoto and Osaka are far more welcoming to foreigners.

[u/This_Elk_1460 → u/Fastenbauer]

Not really a Kyoto thing more Tokyo. The place that's probably the most welcoming to foreigners is Osaka, it's why I'm way more interested in visiting that City than Tokyo.

[u/liamnajor2 → u/Fastenbauer]

"consider"? It IS funny to troll xenophobes

[u/WISDOMBOI]

As if i aint entering the damn place despite the sign(im come from a country with no civic sense)

[u/ffuffle]

I can see the Chinese characters in the Japanese sentence say "Japanese, come in". Does it count?

[u/Valirys-Reinhald]

Racism: Japan

[u/Ya-Dikobraz]

I've lived in Japan. I've seen much worse signs that this. I mean racist ones. Outright "No Koreans or Chinese accepted at this establishment". Written on a professionally made brass/ copper sign, permanently screwed to the wall next to the door.

[u/SaconicLonic → u/Ya-Dikobraz]

Written on a professionally made brass/ copper sign, permanently screwed to the wall next to the door.

That's some dedication to racism.

[u/deusdragonex]

Wow. Real "Fist of Fury" vibes on this.

[u/twenty_characters020]

If they don't want my money I'd rather spend it somewhere that does. Same reason I don't go to the US anymore.

[u/HappyFamily0131]

The real trick to getting past this sign is not being able to read at all

[u/Hershey_Squirt639]

Why not just post a sign that says “racists only”

In three languages