Robyng, I do think you are making way too much of assumption from one incident where you do not know what really was going on. Unless you remained at that specific restaurant till the closing and those tables remained open or those tables were seated with Japanese who did not have reservation (also you were able to confirm directly that Japanese seated at those table sure did not have reservation) then I think you are way off on saying “…people in Japan do stuff like this to Western Tourists???” Even in the U.S making that kind of discrimination accusation without any facts, and from what you said you are making this kind of assumption from one situation where you had no fact to follow up on the situation.

In Japan, after hour social events among salary men (middle class people working for corporate) is still considered important part of work. Salary men go out for after work drinks at those non fancy dive kind of restaurants (middle class salary men do not get paid like lawyers in Japan, if you did not know) and it is very common to make reservation so that there will be a table for group of people after work. Also, this is time punctual Japan, there really not a situation where showing up at a restaurant at 7:50 p.m. with 8:00 p.m. reservation but wait at the bar till 8:20 p.m. till finally seated at a table. If you have 8:00 p.m. reservation then you will be seated right on at 8:00 p.m. Because of that it is perfectly normal for a restaurant in Japan to hold a table empty for more than an hour before reservation time to ensure that customers will able to be seated right on time. Also it is common that there will be a small sign on a table indicating the table is hold for reservation “予約席”, you cannot read? Sorry in Japan even 4th graders can read that.

You are at a different place with different ways of doing things than at your home country. They have different ways of doing business, this is nothing unique to Japan vs. the U.S. but can said about visiting any foreign countries. You may think that back at your home casual local restaurants do not take reservation, walk-in only. But you cannot assume same that casual small restaurants for locals in Japan do not take reservation, it is commonly done. Also, in Japan having somebody seating you at a restaurant is only done at very high end restaurants. (Or at family restaurants because family restaurants in Japan do stuff “American style” as the U.S. is birth place of family restaurants. ) At many restaurants you simply walk in, choose any open table and seat yourself. This is the reason it is common to have a small sign indicating a table is on hold for reservation “予約席” so that people will not seat themselves on those table. Asking to be seated can easily give an impression to staff at a restaurant that you do not wish to be seated with other people. Again, you are not in your home country and you cannot use reference from your home country and make discrimination accusation.

Also, in the U.S. when opening hours of a restaurant is posted as 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. then usually 10 p.m. is last time where customers are seated. But in Japan when hours are posted as 5 p.m. – 11 p.m. then 11 p.m. is the time a restaurant physically close, so last customers seated can be before 10:30 p.m. In Japan walking into a restaurant at 10:40 p.m. where hours is posted till 11:00 p.m., then first thing being told will be “We will be closing at 11 p.m.” Did you know that?


I think you meant as Yasukuni Shrine, not Yasakuni Shrine.

If it is Yasukini Shrine then..., uh-oh!