Humble Pie on the menu

[damian 0]

Japanese customers must apologise for their country's wartime occupation of China before getting a seat at a restaurant in the region formerly known as Manchuria, Japan's Kyodo news agency reports.

 

No Japanese had tried to enter the restaurant in the city of Jilin, north-eastern China, since it introduced the apology policy and hung a sign that says: "Japanese people barred from entry."

"We totally welcome those Japanese customers who can correctly view history," the manager was quoted as saying. "But as for those customers who still refuse to admit to history, we want to say we don't like them."

 

Reuters reports that staff at the Western-style restaurant were told to ask Japanese customers to give their views of Japan's 1931-45 occupation of parts of China, including the north-east, and to turn away those who did not apologise and share the owner's opinions, Kyodo said.

 

Many Chinese feel Japan has never owned up to atrocities committed during its occupation.

AdvertisementAdvertisement

The 1948 Tokyo war crimes tribunal found Japanese troops killed 155,000 people, mainly women and children. China has repeatedly asked Japan to "correctly" view history to repair ties between the two countries, which this year have sunk to their lowest point in decades.

 

Copy paste from: http://www.smh.com.au/news/unusual-tales/humble-pie-on-menu/2005/07/14/1120934364209.html

[BagOfCrisps 24]

I wonder if they have to use specific words. Perhaps it's written down somewhere and they have to read it from a card in order to gain entry.

 

Ace idea.

[Plucky 0]

Sounds fine to me. It's not like the Japanese discriminate at restaurants I was denied access to a few eateries in Japan because I wasn't Japanese. I blame a lot of it in Misawa on some Marines who caused some trouble over a decade ago, but c'mon. I've been turned away from places in Hachinohe a few times along with Aomori also.

 

eh, whatevahs...... at least the Yakuza let us surf Shinko in Sendai. Gave us some good deals on beers too!

[spenshal-Mechanic-triplet 0]

I have never been turned away from anywhere. What did they say when they turned you away?

[indosnm 0]

Japanese only or no gaijin.

thats what I was told.

[Oyuki kigan 0]

I've been told to leave a bar once in Monbetsu, Hokkaido because i resembled a russuian (well, does being half Ukranian count?). It was a very shitty experience, even though i tried explaining to the manager i was Canadian.

I didn't even try any of the bars with russian signs on the outside (the signs saying 'no russians allowed).

[Plucky 0]

 Quote:

Originally posted by Indosnm:
Japanese only or no gaijin.
thats what I was told.

exactly. These were said while the person walked towards me crossing their arms.

I had a really weird experience in Aomori once. My friends from Portland, OR were visiting and we had taken the train up to Aomori. After some shopping and checking things out, we got really hungry and ended up wandering in to some random place for food. We got some weird looks from everyone in there, but they gave us a table. When it came time to order, the only thing they would serve us was Yakisoba. In my limited Japanese, I had asked for this chicken dish for all of us that a couple next to us was eating. The lady crossed her arms and then pointed at Yakisoba (I recognized it just from experience). Long story short, other people had come in after us and ordered anything they wanted. They would only serve us Yakisoba.

What the hell was that all about?

At least the Yakisoba ended up being really tasty We had to get a pizza later (4,500 yen for two 10" thin crust pizzas - ugghhh) to fill us up though.

[blindlemon 0]

That's weird. Gaijin only allowed the yakisoba... were you ill after eating it?

 

I've never experienced anything like that either, glad to say. It would make me real angry.

[Plucky 0]

 Quote:

Originally posted by blindlemon:
were you ill after eating it?

No, it was actually really good. We were also really hungry, so our perceptions about the food could have been skewed towards the favorable.

I still don't know if it was miscommunication or what. I've been in plenty of places where they speak no English, I speak little Japanese but I get what I want.

Chalk it up to an odd experience!

[69 5]

Those odd experiences are often the best.

 

My brother came to Japan and went traveling on his own a few years back. He was somewhere near Kyoto and was really hungry - he ended up ordering (or at least getting) okayu ("liquid rice" is the translation he got ) at some place that turned out to be a place for monks. Not sure why he mistook it for a restaurant!

[merryJim 1]

I was told we weren't welcome in some club in Kabukicho a while back. There were 3 of us (all gaijin). Wonder what we missed.

 

Never been refused entry to any restaurant.

[sava 0]

plucky: that's some expensive pizza

[gamera 0]

Well, whenever I hear this kind of stuff, I feel sorry about it. I've never said "No gaijin" at all.

 

I'd never seen " No Japanese" signboard when i traveled around Europe, if i saw any, probably my trip was not fun at all......

 

Has anyone asked back "What's wrong being gaijins?" to them and what did they say?

[Plucky 0]

 Quote:

Originally posted by sava:
plucky: that's some expensive pizza

Are you familiar with J-Bros Pizza? That's what we called it at least. There was one in Misawa we ordered from all the time. Man, it was quite funny trying to communicate how we wanted our pizzas over the phone (they delivered, that's why we got it). We got some really odd stuff a few times! But bloody 'ell was it expensive! 5,000 yen + for two large (Nippon style), three topping pizzas! Good stuff though usually. Especially after a long day of skiing and post-slope beers.

[yamayamayama 2]

Great pizza place near where I am. They also opened up a Pizza Hut as well but I prefer the original Japanese place. Expensive but good. I think pizzas are getting better here

[big-will 7]

So it should as well, not the most difficult thing to master. And they were at a pretty low low standard just not long back.