The 'random questions about Japan' thread
 

Thought I'd open up a topic where people could ask all sorts of quick questions without having to open new threads or excavate old ones just for a short query. If this thread picks up then we might consider turning it into some sort of mini-FAQ of the weirdest questions out there...

To kick-off, here are a few short questions of my own:

1. I know Japan is a no-tipping country for the most part, but does this also apply to cabs or do they expect the fare to be rounded up for instance?

2. Do convenience stores like 7-11 sell beer? Any cut-off times for stores that operate 24/7?

3. Is drinking in public legal, as in going for a walk whilst sipping on a cold can of Asahi?

There's no tipping, even in cabs. That being said, they don't mind if you round up the fare.

They sell tons of liquor and there's no cut-off. It's legal to drink pretty much anywhere in public, although you might get a few weird looks walking around drinking in the afternoon (or morning, if one starts that early).

Japanese think it is bad manner to walk and eat/drink at the same time. Some people eat or drink what they just bought right by the convenience stores/vending machines near the trash bins. Another problem is that trash bins are non existent on the streets.

Good point. I traveled in Europe this summer and I noticed they have much more transh bins on the streets than in Japan. In Japan, where can we find trash bins? Convenience stores, yes. Stations, a little, you have to look for them. Parks, some don't have them at all. Campus, yes.

However, I rarely see broken bottles on the street. In some places in Europe, I saw them every 5 minutes.

Tokyo - along with other cities - has removed trash cans in part to prevent acts of terrorism:

http://www.theatlanticcities.com/pol...ash-cans/5306/

Robyn

London tackles the problem head on with a system of constantly circulating trash cans, popularly known as The Tube.

Quick question - apart from just walking around at random - what can we do early Sunday morning (it's our first full day in Tokyo - and I assume we'll be up very early). Our hotel is near Tokyo Station. I plan to go to the Harajuku/Omotesando Hills area that day. I suspect there isn't much going on in either area early Sunday morning. Perhaps I'm wrong? Food markets - people watching - whatever is ok. Robyn

BTW aster - good idea for a thread IMO. Robyn

Except only liquor stores can sell hard liquor by the bottle and most of them are not open 24 hours.

Also, I've never run into a taxi driver who would understand what it meant to "round up" the fare. Maybe if you can speak Japanese, you can get them to keep the change.

I've seen plenty of convenience stores that sell whisky, vodka, and other hard liquors by the bottle.

I hadn't -- but I believe you, so I guess it's changed since I last noticed.

Yep, convenience stores sell hard liquor, as do supermarkets, department stores, or even online or from the occasional vending machines in little bottles with. So it's really not just specialist liquor stores. You can buy hard liquor 24 hours a day by the bottle from convenience stores and from some supermarkets and Donkis.

There's a loose group of retired men in my neighbourhood that spend their weekends sitting on benches near a 7-11 drinking all day. They are quite chatty and loud, sometimes the local police sit and talk with them and they don't seem to mind the public drinking. There's also plenty of drinking in parks, so it doesn't seem to be illegal in many public places. On the other hand, walking round and sipping a beer, especially in an onsen, might well get you angry looks.

I've bought gin in department store food basements. Robyn

One lisence covers all kinds of alcohol beverages. Typically, convenient stores don't sell larger hard liquor bottles. This is because of space restriction. In some cities like Sapporo or Fukuoka, however, they display more bottles to accommodate the needs of the business persons staying at nearby hotels. I have once seen a bottle of Hakushu whiskey sold in Fukuoka.

But those are essentially small versions of the actual stores -- and you have to be near a huge department store. If you're in the middle of nowhere and you need your fix, Famima's got your back :)

Then again, Famima's not going to let you test-taste whatever's in the cup sake. You can, however, sample quite a bit in the basement of, say, Takashimaya.

The guys drinking their one-cups outside might let you taste if you ask nicely.