One of the nice things about living in Japan is the honesty and integrity people generally possess. A couple weeks ago, some friends and I went to the Park Hyatt in Tokyo to drink in the bar from Lost in Translation, intending to try the whiskey that Bill Murray's character advertised in the film. We accidentally ordered the wrong drink, choosing a $29-per-glass high-end whiskey, but our waiter steered us to the actual drink used in the film, which was only $19 per glass. This impressed me since he could have said nothing and gotten a larger bar tab. When fast hikari fiber (fiber optic) Internet finally came to our part of the city, I was so overjoyed I was ready to sign up for the most expensive dedicated line they had. Instead of selling me the costlier service, the NTT salesman talked me out of it, telling me that the standard shared line would be more than fast enough for us -- and he was right. Then there was the time I was shopping for a Minolta camera, the old kind with the silly pre-programmed cards that enabled certain camera effects. I was ready to buy a bunch of these optional cards with the camera, but the salesman at the store shook his head, telling me that they weren't worth the money, losing an additional sale but certainly gaining my trust.
6 comments:
I wish that was always the case anywhere in the world. Unfortunately, it's all about Money in most places but it's really good to know that Japan values honesty and Integrity over Money!
do you have to be a guest at the hotel (Park Hyatt) to drink at the bar, or can you just go in?
John, yes, it was nice. I'm sure there are examples of the opposite happening even here, although I can't think of any offhand. ^_^
Joel, yes, anyone can go there. 2000 yen ($20) cover charge after 8 pm, is all. Considering it's $700 a night to stay in the Hyatt, I'm glad they don't have that requirement.
'Seems like everything I hear about Japan makes me respect and love it more - and pine even more to be there (eventually!)
Which means that every time I hear another report about another "American serviceman" robbing, raping or murdering a Japanese citizen, it makes me cringe with a mix of shame and anger that's difficult to put into words.
Peter, if it's not too off-subject, what's the attitude among the Japanese people you know there? Have those horrific attacks tainted the way the Japanese see Americans in a general way, or do they separate the barbarians from the rest of us? Will future American visitors be looked at negatively, etc. I suppose it all comes down to individual people, but I worry about the damage those creeps have done to relations between our countries.
Yes, that guy who killed the cabbie is really causing grief. I don't think the average Japanese looks negatively at Americans at all -- truth be told this is probably the most pro-American country in the world -- although of course the war and the (largely unnecessary) terrorism steps have put off a certain number of travelers, caused fewer to want to put up with the hard work in order to study in the U.S. But in general it's not bad, really. I do wish the Japanese press would not jump on everythiing a U.S. serviceman does. I mean, every murder is a tragedy, just because a U.S. serviceman does it doesn't mean it's automatically worth 20x the coverage.
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