Transcription
Excuse me! For this episode, I forgot to put on my microphone, so it might be difficult to hear. I apologize. I will be careful next time, so please forgive me.
Now, please enjoy.
Hello, this is Sayuri. This episode is for people who think, "I want to talk to Japanese people in Japan, but I don't know how."
Have you ever been to Japan? Or are you living here? For those who have been to Japan, of course, since it's Japan, there are many Japanese people, but perhaps you've thought, "I don't have any opportunities to talk to them at all."
Yes, certainly, when you go to a convenience store, you only exchange standard phrases, fixed phrases like "Do you need a bag?" or "No, thank you." You don't really talk beyond that, do you? Generally, when you're sightseeing, you only have that kind of communication with store clerks. I'm the same. I'm Japanese and live in Japan, but I don't have that many opportunities to speak Japanese.
However, many people probably think, "Since I came all the way to Japan" or "Since I live in Japan," "I want to have conversations with Japanese people." I hope this episode can provide some hints to make that happen.
As I mentioned earlier, when you're traveling, or just going to a restaurant or convenience store, you might have conversations like "Do you need a receipt?" or "Do you need a bag?" with store clerks, but there's almost no conversation beyond that.
Yes, but please don't give up. There are some stores where it's easier to talk to the staff. I'll also introduce some "hidden gems," so please listen until the end. By the way, "hidden gem" means "a place that is hidden, not very famous, but really good." Of course, this is not a sponsorship.
Compared to other countries, the distance between store staff and customers in Japan is quite large. Certainly, they are polite, but not friendly. You can feel a distance. This is probably because in Japan, there's the idea of "the customer is god," which might be why it's like that. However, there are some restaurants where you can talk more casually.
My recommendation for choosing a restaurant is:
1. "A not-so-crowded restaurant."
The reason is that when it's crowded with many people, there's no time to talk. There's no time to talk with the staff. And some of you might be thinking, "Why the staff? Why not talk to other customers?" That's true, if you have the courage to talk to other customers, please go ahead and try your best.
However, as I mentioned earlier, in Japanese restaurants, there are still places where the idea of "the customer is god" remains, so the staff are kind to customers. Therefore, if you talk a little with the staff and become friendly, they might introduce you to regular customers (meaning, people who come there often) or other customers there, and even strike up conversations with you. So, first, please choose a place that isn't too crowded.
My second point is: instead of "tourist spots," I think "restaurants in residential areas" are better. "Residential area" means "a place to live." So, it's a place where many people live. Conversely, "entertainment district" means "downtown." In Osaka, places like Namba, Shinsaibashi, and Dotonbori are called entertainment districts. Of course, I think there are many friendly places there too, but you're more likely to be spoken to in restaurants in residential areas.
Residential areas are places where people live, so there aren't that many shops. And when an unfamiliar customer, a non-regular customer, or someone who looks like a tourist enters such a place, it's a bit unusual. This is something I often feel when I travel within Japan. People often ask me, "Oh, where are you from?" or "Oh, you're traveling? Traveling alone?"
So, I recommend going to places that aren't too crowded and are in residential areas, or not in entertainment districts.
And the other day, I happened to go to a delicious hamburger shop in a residential area that wasn't crowded. I was in Nara that day, and on my way back, I suddenly craved a hamburger. But I didn't want a chain restaurant hamburger; I wanted a proper burger. So, on the train back to Osaka from Nara, I searched for "hamburger," and there was a place around Tennoji. Tennoji is a bit of an entertainment district, but a little walk from Tennoji, there's a slightly residential-looking area. There was a delicious hamburger shop there. Well, I didn't know if it was delicious at the time, but I looked at it on Google Maps, and it had a Google rating of 4.2, so I thought, "I'd like to go there."
When I entered the shop, there were other regulars, other local customers. They seemed to be having a lively conversation. Since I went alone, I felt a little lonely and a little embarrassed, but I sat at the counter. Oh, right, I forgot. As a point, places with counters are also easier to talk at. Places with counters are good.
So, I sat at the counter and, feeling a little shy, ordered and waited. Then the staff member said, "Do you come around here often?" and spoke to me. I said, "This is my first time. But I saw on Google Maps and it looked so delicious, so I made a detour to come here." "Detour" means going somewhere that's a bit out of the way from your usual direction, but it's so appealing that you stop there and go to eat. It means doing something as a detour.
When I said that, the staff member said, "Oh! I see. Where do you live?" and asked me various questions. "Where do you live?" is a polite way of asking "Where do you live?" They asked me that. By doing so, it became a very comfortable space. The slightly tense atmosphere became relaxed and harmonious. Then the food arrived, and I thought, "Ah, it's delicious." When I told them it was delicious, the staff member was happy, and then the staff member was talking to other customers, and I naturally joined their conversation. So, even though I went to eat a hamburger alone, I ended up enjoying that time with the staff and other customers.
Here, the point is, even if you feel nervous, try to create a relaxed atmosphere with a smile as much as possible. If you have a cheerful demeanor, the staff will be more likely to talk to you. Of course, since I'm a native Japanese speaker, I might be able to communicate well, but it's okay if your Japanese isn't perfect. If the atmosphere is good, people will talk to you.
And interestingly, a Mexican customer came in here. I don't know his name, but that gentleman sat at the counter at the opposite end from me and ordered a hamburger and a drink. What impressed me there was that he didn't just order; he looked at the bottles of alcohol placed in front of him. Since it was a counter, there were bottles of alcohol in front of him. He said to the staff, "Ah, this is a Mexican liquor. Have you been to Mexico?" He spoke to the staff himself, initiating the conversation. I clapped in my heart. "Clap, clap, clap, clap!" I thought, "He showed great courage and tried hard," and I was moved.
Because he bravely spoke to them, the staff member thought, "Wow, they speak Japanese! I'm happy!" and the atmosphere became increasingly good, and everyone drank and ate together. And this is a matter of luck, but whether you can have conversations like this depends quite a bit on the owner's personality. And the situation of the day. As I said earlier, if they are busy, you might not be able to talk much.
But the owner of the hamburger shop I went to was a very cheerful person and was earnestly trying to communicate with the Mexican customer using English. And I said something strange... A hamburger is bread, right? (Technically, it's 'buns,' but in Japanese, 'pan' (bread) is probably used in a broader sense.) So, I said to the master, the staff member, " 'Pan' is also 'pan' in Spanish!" And he said, "Okay!" and went back to the Mexican customer and confidently said, "Pan is Pan!" It was very funny.
He was probably using three languages. "Pan" - first, Japanese. "is" - English. And the last "Pan" was probably intended to be Spanish. Everyone else there, including me, burst out laughing. "Burst out laughing" means laughing very loudly. We were all laughing hysterically. He said, "Pan is Pan!" It was very funny.
So, like that staff member, I think the courage to say what you want to say without being shy is also necessary. "What if I make a mistake with my words?" Without thinking too much about that, conveying what you want to convey without being shy, that feeling is probably the most important thing. The feeling of "I want to communicate."
So, if you come to Japan, and you find a counter seat in a quiet place with not many people, why not try talking to the staff? If you bravely speak to them, and if you're lucky, the conversation might become lively. Even if you're unlucky, it's also important to have the strong mindset of "I'll never see them again anyway." To enjoy the moment, I think not only language but also social skills are important.
I hope that such small challenges will become wonderful memories and remain in your mind, leading to new friendships and connections.
And for phrases to talk to staff, which I've thought of myself, you might already know them, but things like "What do you recommend?" or "Please tell me how to eat this dish," or even saying "It's delicious." Also, in Japanese restaurants or izakayas with counter seating, there are probably many sake bottles lined up. And sake has quite interesting labels, doesn't it? They write difficult kanji. So, you could ask, "What does this say?" or "Where is this sake from?" or "How do you recommend drinking this?" For Japanese cuisine, asking questions about sake might be easier. If you ask such questions in a good atmosphere, the staff might talk to you.
However, it's also important not to expect too much. I often go to restaurants when traveling within Japan and ask such questions. Most people are quite cheerful and teach me various things. But sometimes there are places where they aren't, so it's important not to expect too much. It might be good to try with the mindset of "It's lucky if they're kind."
But personally, I think it's better to talk and create memories and experiences than to do nothing at all.
Do you have any wonderful encounters or exchange experiences in Japan? Not just in Japan, but have you had such experiences abroad, or have you become friends with local people? Also, do you think these "slightly scary but small challenges" are necessary in daily life or during travel? Please think about it.
Well, thank you for listening until the end this time. See you in the next episode. Bye-bye!