Japanese Culture

[kj1980]

Originally Posted by sorvani

a question came up today at work, obviously we were working really hard today if were were discussing various cultures dating habits....

what do japanese couples typically do on dates?

i've been told movies are expensive. so that messes up the dinner and a movie thing that is common in the US.

Yes it is expensive, but not that much that it isn't affordable. Sure you may not be able to watch movies every week, but there are alternatives. For example, going to a museum or exhibit, an aquarium, an amusement park, hanging around at Shibuya or Ikebukuro, etc. etc. There's always something to see and happening around Tokyo, so there isn't anything that makes a date boring. But that's just me as I live in a metropolitan area.

[robot]

Originally Posted by kj1980

Oh and just for fun, what do Japanese teenagers think of America and the English language?
No one cares, like the majority of the kids in your country doesn't care about things happening outside of their own social life. Do you really think Japanese high school kids caring about some Texan dullard (read: Pres. Bush) ? Do you really think American high school kids caring about some Japanese dude with funky hairdo (read: PM Koizumi)? Same thing.

Perhaps it is different in different areas?
I've been living with a Japanese girl from Oita for nearly a year now and she said that majority of her friends are in love with English. Not so much speaking it, but wearing it. It's very popular for teenagers to buy shirts simply because they have English text on them. She's been sending nonsense home the entire time she's been here.
As for American politics, I don't think most American teenagers care about it, yet alone people in a seemingly unaffected country.

[sorvani]

Originally Posted by kj1980

Yes it is expensive, but not that much that it isn't affordable. Sure you may not be able to watch movies every week, but there are alternatives. For example, going to a museum or exhibit, an aquarium, an amusement park, hanging around at Shibuya or Ikebukuro, etc. etc. There's always something to see and happening around Tokyo, so there isn't anything that makes a date boring. But that's just me as I live in a metropolitan area.

interesting to learn, how similar things are. i've been to Tokyo, and i can definately agree that there never seems to be a lack of things to do. Of course i was only in town for 3.5 days. I am going back the last week of June, to see and do more of those millions of things.

[Spectacular_Insanity]

Originally Posted by kj1980

Oh and just for fun, what do Japanese teenagers think of America and the English language?
No one cares, like the majority of the kids in your country doesn't care about things happening outside of their own social life. Do you really think Japanese high school kids caring about some Texan dullard (read: Pres. Bush) ? Do you really think American high school kids caring about some Japanese dude with funky hairdo (read: PM Koizumi)? Same thing.

Hmm... I dunno. I myself always wondered what foreigners in general think of different American accepts. DO Japanese have different accents? I know they have different dialects...

[robot]

Originally Posted by Spectacular_Insanity

DO Japanese have different accents? I know they have different dialects...

Yes, they have several different accents. Mostly Southern and Northern accents, but some are most distinct like Osakan accents.

[JOJOS'STAR]

Originally Posted by robot

Yes, they have several different accents. Mostly Southern and Northern accents, but some are most distinct like Osakan accents.

Arigato/Arigatôu ^^ Yeah its funny. I hear it frequently in doramas.

[Spectacular_Insanity]

So the only difference is the long U? So another example might be like sayounara/sayonara?

Edit: ^Meaning just for this particular instance, not for the dialect as a whole.

[raikage]

Originally Posted by sorvani

i've been told movies are expensive. so that messes up the dinner and a movie thing that is common in the US.

Just FYI, movies are no longer the typical first-date ticket in the US.

The new line of thinking is, "I want to get to know this person so why should we sit akwardly in a dark, overpriced theater for two hours?"

[Spectacular_Insanity]

Originally Posted by raikage

Just FYI, movies are no longer the typical first-date ticket in the US.

The new line of thinking is, "I want to get to know this person so why should we sit akwardly in a dark, overpriced theater for two hours?"

Not to mention there's probably not a lot of connecting while watching, for lack of a better term, a TV screen.

[sorvani]

Originally Posted by raikage

Just FYI, movies are no longer the typical first-date ticket in the US.

The new line of thinking is, "I want to get to know this person so why should we sit akwardly in a dark, overpriced theater for two hours?"

it is/was a stereotype, guess i'm showing my age.../cringe i'm only 33... the point was dinner to chat and talk, a movie to entertain not talk and just get comfortable together, and then talk more afterwards.

most of my own first dates were coffee shop affairs.

[Guido]

Is it true that paying with your credit card in Japan is next to impossible?

[kj1980]

Originally Posted by Guido

Is it true that paying with your credit card in Japan is next to impossible?

Japan is a cash oriented society. Unlike other countries, our credit cards are not issued according to how much debt you have paid (there is no such thing as credit reports), it's based on if you are wealthy enough to own one. The idea in other countries is that if you are rich, you can pay off your debt in a timely manner. However in Japan it is that if you are rich, you don't have debt to begin with. Hence, annual fees for credit cards can cost as much as 8000 yen for a normal one, whereas premium ones like American Express and Diners Club can cost upwards of 30,000+ yen or more.

It's just not practical for merchants to have credit card swipers as the cost is too high as well. So, you cannot go to McDonald's and try to get a happy meal to pay it with your credit card. You have to pay cash. If everyone pays by cash in the first place and that's how it is, why would a merchant have to pay an extra cash to install a credit card machine (which I heard it is pretty expensive and maintain each month)?

So, if you have a VISA or Mastercard and expect that it'll be accepted at a family restaurant like Jonathan's, you'll be surprised that most don't. So you better check the sticker on the entrance to see if that merchant accepts credit cards beforehand!!!

On the other hand, Japan's credit card system is well developed that you can choose "ikkatsu" or "bunkatsu." Briefly explained:

ikkatsu - charge it all at one shot. So if you buy a digital camera costing you 40,000 yen and choose ikkatsu, it will charged 40,000 yen for that payment period.

bunkatsu - charge it in multiple installments (depends on what the dividing limit is). So if you buy a 40,000 yen digital camera and say bunkatsu in 4 months, you'll get charged 10,000 yen x 4 payment periods/months (minus finance charges of course).

Unfortunately, this bunkatsu system works only for Japanese issued credit cards. So, if it's a Mastercard issued by Citibank Japan, yes you can do bunkatsu. But if you are a foreigner using a Mastercard issued by Citibank USA, then no - you only have the ikkatsu option. The dividing amount varies by the issuer, but it is usually up to 12 months. And when the time for summer and winter bonuses looms near, merchants will ask you "do you want this to be charged at bonus time?" That means the charge will come in at around the time those summer (mid June) and winter (mid December) bonuses are deposited into your bank accounts.

The pros and cons for bunkatsu system? Pro: You're able to charge it less each month. Cons: You end up paying a bit more in the long run due to finance charges.

[Lemonhead]

So if most mechants don't take credit cards, does that mean debit cards are non existant also?

Personally i'm glad i rarely use cash when go out or buy things. Even though i pay more in charges, tax season is a breeze =p

[kj1980]

Originally Posted by Lemonhead

So if most mechants don't take credit cards, does that mean debit cards are non existant also?

Personally i'm glad i rarely use cash when go out or buy things. Even though i pay more in charges, tax season is a breeze =p

Debit cards exist, just not on the level of use as in the U.S. Like I said, it's a cash oriented society. People feel more secure in knowing how much they have in their wallet than running up huge debts charging them to their card. It also beats getting your face slapped with shady areas of finance charges and interest.

Hey, this is a country where our bank's ATMs aren't open 24/7. This is a country where the ATM hits you with surcharges if you draw your money after 6PM. This is a country where so much credit cards exist, and where Mastercard and VISA are not the norm. People own SAISON, DC, Orico, JCB cards. Never heard of them? It's because they are Japan only.

If you own a major credit card in Japan, you are deemed to be:
a. a show-off or,
b. a rich guy who doesn't mind paying excess fees

People are fine with paying with cash. Mom keeps the tab on the monthly earnings, dad gets his share, kids get their allowances. Kid needs cash? He or she gets a job. He or she gets paid in cash.

[Guido]

At least for myself, as of now I do not own a credit card. I have a debit card issued by the Enterprise where I work on, because employees at my workplace are paid with cash being deposited in their debit card.

Each Friday every fourteen days, we go to an ATM installed in the building. The procedure to insert the debit card and type a unique Identification number given to each employee.

Then, we either can check the total cash amount deposited in the debit card or choose to withdraw certain amount of cash. The remaining amount that's not withdrawn stays on the debit card and sums up when the next pay deposit is made.

I usually withdraw 90% of the total cash I get paid in the debit card every fourteen days and save the remainder 10% to accumulate with other cash that I had previously saved; like a piggy bank.

Generally, I rarely use my debit card to pay at any local. In fact, I have only used it twice so far.

Every when or at which rate Japanese employees are paid their work salaries?

[iamtetsuo]

What about these vending machines I'v heard of that some how get payment information from your cell phone? Does that work on the same principle as a debit card (ie pulling money directly from your bank account) or does it get added to your cell phone bill?

[kj1980]

Originally Posted by iamtetsuo

What about these vending machines I'v heard of that some how get payment information from your cell phone? Does that work on the same principle as a debit card (ie pulling money directly from your bank account) or does it get added to your cell phone bill?

You mean NTT's "osaifu keitai" and e-money like Edy? You take your phone to the nearest convenience store, ask the cashier to "charge" it, and hand him the money you want to put into the mobile phone. After that, the mobile phone records how much e-money you have just deposited, and you can use that to make payments anywhere.

[sorvani]

from a tourist point of view:
i never had a problem using a credit card at the important places. book off, gamers, etc... most of the smaller shops where i got souvenirs for other people did not take them. i had cash ready for the trip in the first place, but after hearing repeatedly, from like everyone, that i would not be able to use my credit cards, i found that to be not true. almost everyplace on the large shopping streets took them. mainly just the side street shops (some of which are the best depending on what you are after) would not / could not take them.

[kj1980]

Originally Posted by sorvani

from a tourist point of view:
i never had a problem using a credit card at the important places. book off, gamers, etc... most of the smaller shops where i got souvenirs for other people did not take them. i had cash ready for the trip in the first place, but after hearing repeatedly, from like everyone, that i would not be able to use my credit cards, i found that to be not true. almost everyplace on the large shopping streets took them. mainly just the side street shops (some of which are the best depending on what you are after) would not / could not take them.

Were you in a metro area? Then yes. If you go to the outskirts or cities other than the metro area, it'll be hard to find one.

[sorvani]

stayed in tokyo & osaka. so yes metro. i am most definately not arguing with you of all people. just stating for the tourist/vacation people that unless you go off the beaten path, it will not be too hard to find.

myself i am planning to be back in tokyo for the last week of June, and this time i am trying to find some less obvious things to do. it is a slow process since i can't read Nihongo yet, most english sites are just the same tourist information, but i'm slowly getting a rough itenerary put together. only going to be in tokyo this trip i have decided, but i want to see more of it and the surrounding area than my last breeze through.