The 'random questions about Japan' thread
Aug 23, 2013, 8:53 am
#46
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When one asks for water at a casual restaurant (for drinking, not for tea-making), is there typically a choice between tap water and bottled water, or is it usually one or the other? If it's bottled water, are both sparkling (fizzy) and flat water usually available? I'd usually be interested in a birru, but that's not an option for me at the moment.
Aug 23, 2013, 9:05 am
#47
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Aug 23, 2013, 10:13 am
#48
Join Date: Jan 2003
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When one asks for water at a casual restaurant (for drinking, not for tea-making), is there typically a choice between tap water and bottled water, or is it usually one or the other? If it's bottled water, are both sparkling (fizzy) and flat water usually available? I'd usually be interested in a birru, but that's not an option for me at the moment.
90% of the restaurants offer tapped water only.
8% have +still bottled water.
2% have +bubbled water.
Ask for green tea. In most of the cases, it's free.
I am often disapponted to see in SFO Tomokazu charge for green tea. That's not typical style here in Japan.
Aug 23, 2013, 10:46 am
#49
Join Date: Jun 2004
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When one asks for water at a casual restaurant (for drinking, not for tea-making), is there typically a choice between tap water and bottled water, or is it usually one or the other? If it's bottled water, are both sparkling (fizzy) and flat water usually available? I'd usually be interested in a birru, but that's not an option for me at the moment.
Aug 23, 2013, 3:13 pm
#50
formerly known as Tad's Broiled Steaks
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,412
Any fans of Yamazaki lunch packs (in Japanese)?
Basically, one pack contains two crust-less squares of white bread filled with your nightmare du jour. Nah, actually I've tried a bunch, and particularly enjoy the peanut and chocolate "whip" versions, but frequently Yamazaki gets carried away (Calpis with three times of "cream" anyone?).
Basically, one pack contains two crust-less squares of white bread filled with your nightmare du jour. Nah, actually I've tried a bunch, and particularly enjoy the peanut and chocolate "whip" versions, but frequently Yamazaki gets carried away (Calpis with three times of "cream" anyone?).
Aug 23, 2013, 4:12 pm
#51
Join Date: Jun 2005
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Any fans of Yamazaki lunch packs (in Japanese)?
Aug 23, 2013, 6:39 pm
#52
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I've had my fair share of them. I think I preferred the egg salad ones, since it was all ふわふわ. 
Of the many disturbing baked goods, the ones that disturbs me the most are hamburgers, just sitting there packaged and not refrigerated.
EDIT: Japanese/Korean bread is really nice, at least to those of us who grew up on rice. There's a certain fluffy yet dense quality to it that you don't get from other breads.
Of the many disturbing baked goods, the ones that disturbs me the most are hamburgers, just sitting there packaged and not refrigerated.
EDIT: Japanese/Korean bread is really nice, at least to those of us who grew up on rice. There's a certain fluffy yet dense quality to it that you don't get from other breads.
Last edited by KPT; Aug 23, 2013 at 7:45 pm
Aug 23, 2013, 6:47 pm
#54
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Water, green tea, or (in the summer) mugicha (barley tea) almost always comes with the meal. Most mom-and-pop places don't serve bottled water, either still or sparkling, although uncarbonated bottled water is commonly found in vending machines, and vending machines are commonly found everywhere.
Aug 23, 2013, 10:27 pm
#55
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Any fans of Yamazaki lunch packs (in Japanese)? ...
Aug 23, 2013, 10:56 pm
#56
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Aug 23, 2013, 11:34 pm
#57
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Of course, the confused miscreants before me have discarded with reckless abandon so I can't even study what's in the various bins to draw a perfect conclusion
Aug 23, 2013, 11:41 pm
#58
Join Date: Dec 2005
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Sidewalks?
When walking along the sidewalk and a bicycle is approaching, which side of the sidewalk should I be on, near or far from the curb? Does this have anything to do with the yellow line down the middle of the walk?
Aug 23, 2013, 11:45 pm
#59
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Yokohama (near HND, TYO)
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Aug 24, 2013, 1:35 am
#60
Join Date: Mar 2005
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I once got told off by some woman for putting a bottle in the slot for cans, she just ran off when I pointed out that there was no partition on the other side (so it went into the same garbage can). At old work it was really confusing - they had a bin for 「缶」 and another for 「空き缶」.
The yellow line (点字ブロック) is for blind people. There's usually no proper side to be on (except in stations) so whichever side is fine (unless everybody else is on one side).
The yellow line (点字ブロック) is for blind people. There's usually no proper side to be on (except in stations) so whichever side is fine (unless everybody else is on one side).