thursday 1 Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 Some advice I read from an inbound ski tour operator, not hard to guess who. Respect your hosts • Learn a few simple Japanese words before arriving as a little can go a long way. • Remove your shoes when entering homes and some restaurants. • Be polite and courteous to shop owners and accommodation managers. • Rowdy behaviour in public places such as onsens, bars, restaurants and lift lines will not be tolerated. • Chopsticks etiquette: Do not hold the chopsticks between your teeth, use your chopsticks like drumsticks, stand your chopsticks up in a bowl of rice, or pass food directly from chopsticks to chopsticks. • Sort and dispose of rubbish correctly. • Don’t ski/board on roads or footpaths. Link to post Share on other sites
Rag-Doll 0 Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 they forgot the - leave the toilet slippers in the toilet, don't walk through the house wearing the toilet slippers. Many sins will be forgiven if you manage to avoid that faux par. Link to post Share on other sites
MedallionMan 0 Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 Same here. I enjoy planning things myself anyway, it's part of the build up fun. Link to post Share on other sites
panhead_pete 27 Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 Quote: Originally posted by MedallionMan: Same here. I enjoy planning things myself anyway, it's part of the build up fun. Thats how I found this site and ultimately a place to stay and a whole lot more. With a travel agent that wouldnt have happened. As for being polite and respecting culture its a no brainer although it took me about 2 years to lose the "culture" (and beer and burger kgs) I absorbed when living in the US. Link to post Share on other sites
powwwers 0 Posted September 27, 2006 Share Posted September 27, 2006 Quote: Originally posted by thursday: Some advice I read from an inbound ski tour operator, not hard to guess who. Respect your hosts • Learn a few simple Japanese words before arriving as a little can go a long way. • Remove your shoes when entering homes and some restaurants. • Be polite and courteous to shop owners and accommodation managers. • Rowdy behaviour in public places such as onsens, bars, restaurants and lift lines will not be tolerated. • Chopsticks etiquette: Do not hold the chopsticks between your teeth, use your chopsticks like drumsticks, stand your chopsticks up in a bowl of rice, or pass food directly from chopsticks to chopsticks. • Sort and dispose of rubbish correctly. • Don’t ski/board on roads or footpaths. sounds more like a list of dos an don`ts you get for an upcoming school camp. do they include a list of what clothes to bring:- 2 pair of socks 2 pair of underware waterproof jacket in case it... SNOWS ... Link to post Share on other sites
spook 0 Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 yeah well, after having worked in a pension in niseko it's hard to know how much you have to hold peoples hands or tell them what to do. i can't remember all the good ones, but we had one aussie guest who was fond of walking around the communal areas dressed in nothing more than his scungy underpants, much to the delight of the japanese guests. and it was always "fun" taking guests to an onsen and having them insist on remaining semi-clothed. fools, the lots of them i say. i used to think that travel was a good way of openning people up to other cultures, but now i think some folks should just stay at home. ok, that's my rant done. time to climb off this high horse.... Link to post Share on other sites
soubriquet 0 Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 It was Patrick Campbell (I think) who wrote something along the lines of: "Travel narrows the mind. You go abroad and think `I don`t want to live like this...`" Link to post Share on other sites
skidaisuki 0 Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 "Rowdy behaviour in public places such as onsens, bars, restaurants and lift lines will not be tolerated" Yes - that one deserves a laugh. Japanese always behave perfectly at izakayas, after all.... Link to post Share on other sites
holo 0 Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 I prefer to go direct, however for an impending trip to Japan we have found the agent is quite a bit cheaper. To stay on topic, treat others how you would like to be treated, ie with respect and courtesy. You make lots more friends that way Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted December 3, 2009 Author Share Posted December 3, 2009 For first timers, please pay respects Link to post Share on other sites
Sciclone 2 Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Way to dredge up an old thread Thursday... Link to post Share on other sites
spook 0 Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 where do you find these threads...? Link to post Share on other sites
tripitaka 0 Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 In my experience, the worst reactions you will get in Japan are from other foreigners who want to lose or distance themselves from the Western world. In the ski resorts, people are generally cool but you might come across the odd foreigner who's not dealing with Japan too well. Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted December 3, 2009 Author Share Posted December 3, 2009 2 seasons ago, I was in the Higashiyama onsen looking over the rim with some oyagis. Then, about 10 aussies came out in their swimming trunks and cans of beer. Great onsen. Link to post Share on other sites
stemik 14 Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 maybe they were shy because they have small ones Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 haha!! i don't really get why people are shy with being naked in the onsen...haven7t these people played team sports before?? Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 Well in my case I just don't want people to think I'm showing off. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 sure Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 I have 2 boys that will onsen with pride.. ..but the older two - ha! snowball's chance in hell! Raised the same - go figure! Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 Deffo, mate. Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted December 4, 2009 Author Share Posted December 4, 2009 Sat at the bar at my local. The Hirafu Sushi at Alpen. Blonde couple walked in, took some time to look at the menu, then ordered the Hirafu sushi platter. Yummy. Just what I was having. Their food arrived while I was getting stuck into my crab legs and sake. I finished the crab legs, looked up and the blondies had gone, leaving a full uneaten platter. I looked at the chef, that was some look on his face, and I dived back to my sake. Link to post Share on other sites
MrSingh 0 Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 Originally Posted By: skidaisuki "Rowdy behaviour in public places such as onsens, bars, restaurants and lift lines will not be tolerated" Yes - that one deserves a laugh. Japanese always behave perfectly at izakayas, after all.... Of course. The rowdy hooligans at Izakayas are Japanese speaking 3rd world country Asian foreigners. They are responsible for most of the crimes in Japan too! Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 Originally Posted By: thursday Sat at the bar at my local. The Hirafu Sushi at Alpen. Blonde couple walked in, took some time to look at the menu, then ordered the Hirafu sushi platter. Yummy. Just what I was having. Their food arrived while I was getting stuck into my crab legs and sake. I finished the crab legs, looked up and the blondies had gone, leaving a full uneaten platter. I looked at the chef, that was some look on his face, and I dived back to my sake. That is seriously funny!! Although we did have an 'experience' with food that was a tad TOO Japanese delicacy for our childrens western palates in Tokyo in a rather fancy Yakitori resturant. No English, SOME pictures on the menu, but not many - and a boy with passable Yr 12 Japanese - he could read some of the menu, but not enough... "Ummmm...that's chicken, and it is like a set meal, it costs x, not sure what that other word is...let's get it" We had a dinner of chicken hearts, chicken skin, god knows what else ... I enjoyed the experience, but wouldn't order it again. The kids [bless them] tried everything, but grabbed a Macca's burger on the way back to the Hotel. Link to post Share on other sites
Jynxx 4 Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 They do whole sparrows, too. Very crunchy. The yakitori chicken skin is best done with sea salt. The rest is better with sauce. Ever tried chicken sasimi ocha -zuke ? Raw thin sliced chicken fillet on top of rice, and you pour on top green japanese tea. a smudge of wasabi on the side. The meat cooks from that heat. Yummy. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 chicken skin yakitori is quite nice when its done right, as Jynnx says, with salt and making it crunchy....I hate when its all slimy. Can't do hearts and other bits though. Ate pig heart the other day because this J-guy bought it for me and my mate as we were at a real hole in the wall standing bar and he wanted to be friendly. I just managed to eat it and not offend him. Link to post Share on other sites
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