"Weird Japan" (unique things visitors to Japan might find odd)
Sep 29, 2014, 10:03 am
#61
Join Date: Aug 2002
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But ANA keeps row 4 on their aircraft (and 7 for that matter). SAS does not have row 13 on their aircraft.
My significant other was on an ANA flight and found that a friend was taking the same flight. It was fully booked but the friend was in row 4 so the guy next to her was extremely relieved and happy to change seats.
My significant other was on an ANA flight and found that a friend was taking the same flight. It was fully booked but the friend was in row 4 so the guy next to her was extremely relieved and happy to change seats.
The reason number 4 is sometime avoided in Japan is because “four” in Japanese is homonym of “death” in Japanese.
In Japanese there are basic two ways to pronounce Kanji (漢字, Chinese characters), one is kunnyomi (訓読み) and another is onnyomi (音読み). Word for “four” (四) in Japanese where kunnyomi pronunciation is “yonn” (よん) and onnyomi pronunciation is “shi” (し). Where death in Japanese is “shi” (死, し).
Often you find that hospitals in Japan do not have room no. 4.
In Japanese there are basic two ways to pronounce Kanji (漢字, Chinese characters), one is kunnyomi (訓読み) and another is onnyomi (音読み). Word for “four” (四) in Japanese where kunnyomi pronunciation is “yonn” (よん) and onnyomi pronunciation is “shi” (し). Where death in Japanese is “shi” (死, し).
Often you find that hospitals in Japan do not have room no. 4.
Oct 1, 2014, 1:43 am
#62
Join Date: Sep 2009
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But ANA keeps row 4 on their aircraft (and 7 for that matter). SAS does not have row 13 on their aircraft.
My significant other was on an ANA flight and found that a friend was taking the same flight. It was fully booked but the friend was in row 4 so the guy next to her was extremely relieved and happy to change seats.
My significant other was on an ANA flight and found that a friend was taking the same flight. It was fully booked but the friend was in row 4 so the guy next to her was extremely relieved and happy to change seats.
Vending machine ramen on the other hand seems uniquely Japanese...
Oct 1, 2014, 8:03 am
#63
Join Date: Aug 2002
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I also do not understand why being in row 4 or 13 would make a difference. I guess it is very self-centered: if one sits there then the plane is likely to crash, as if the world revolves around oneself.
Or does it mean that they are likely spill coffee on one's trousers in 4 or 13?
Oct 1, 2014, 2:14 pm
#65
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Dec 28, 2014, 6:47 pm
#70
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Jan 1, 2015, 4:14 pm
#71
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Great thread. I am looking forward to going back to Japan next month. The no tipping thing really gets to me. My last night there I switched hotels, a bellman took my bags to my room and went over everything even making sure I connected to the WI-FI, and it felt so odd that he smiled and simply walked out.
Jan 2, 2015, 7:34 am
#73
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
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Totally agree. What is hard to understand about people doing their job, taking the wage they were offered going into the job and being proud to provide good service? If America with its tipping system offered better service that would be one thing but the service by and large in the US is light years behind even a coffee shop in Japan.
Hopefully more people will find the tipping thing odd as they travel to and then return home from Japan.
Hopefully more people will find the tipping thing odd as they travel to and then return home from Japan.
Jan 2, 2015, 9:33 am
#74
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota,USA
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One reason that tipping remains as a custom in the U.S. is that federal law and several (most?) states allow restaurants to pay their servers a sub-minimum wage ($2.10 per hour) on the assumption that they will make it up in tips.
Since it's difficult to survive on even minimum wage, I always tip in restaurants. I'd rather have minimum wage applied to restaurants as well as other types of businesses, but for restaurant owners, it's convenient to make the customer pay the servers directly.
Since it's difficult to survive on even minimum wage, I always tip in restaurants. I'd rather have minimum wage applied to restaurants as well as other types of businesses, but for restaurant owners, it's convenient to make the customer pay the servers directly.
Jan 2, 2015, 2:53 pm
#75
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Convenient = Lowering their wage cost by having their employees not pay their fair share of taxes.