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I studied in Tokyo from 2010 to 2014 and noticed a lot of cultural differences between Japan and my country so to deal with my culture shock, I started creating comic strips about them. I hope my comics will help more foreigners like myself understand Japan and the Japanese people better, as well as increase awareness about some changes in behavior we might have to make when we visit. These comic strips were selected from a collection of over 300 that I created between 2012 and 2015 and posted on my Facebook page. I also compiled these illustrations into two books: "Eva, Kopi and Matcha" and "Eva, Kopi and Matcha 2.0" which are available on Amazon and other eBook platforms (Kindle, iBooks, Google Books, Kobo).

More info: amazon.com | Instagram | Facebook

#2

No Service Charge And Tips

No Service Charge And Tips

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troux avatar
Troux
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What I hate most about the US is the price is always pre-tax.

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Tony Moon
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Actually, its not required to be pre-tax. There are some restaurants that will tell you up front what it will cost, tax, tip and all. Others you would have to be an accountant to understand all the c**p they end up putting on the receipt.

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Niffler_13
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

But tipping doesn't just happen in the food service industry. I tip my tattoo artist, the nail salon tech, the hairstylist, the esthetician, the massage therapist....

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Foxxy
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So glad I live in Australia when it comes tips and service charge etc. We are like Japan in that sense.

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Danielle Gibbs
Community Member
4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I live in New Zealand and we don't tip here. Personally I think waiters and waitresses in the USA should be paid a living wage and if you want to tip for good service then that's fine. It's wrong that people rely on tips to make ends meet 😢 makes tipping something that people will feel obliged to do.

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Monika Soffronow
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In the US, the federal minimum wage for tipped workers is USD 2.13.

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Joonscrab
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love the "great debate" ... Wonder if anyone else got the reference !

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Master Markus
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I live in Canada where we have tipping. I think it's awful and I don't get why we don't just PAY PEOPLE BETTER!

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Bill
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My first night out in mainland Japan I left a tip walked out the door and made it half way down the block before the waitress came running us down with money in hand screaming "You forgot this"

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Bored Moogle
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The service is c**p BECAUSE of the low wages servers are paid. They know they aren't going to make better wages no matter how well they do their job so they just do the minimum amount. Trust me, if servers were paid better wages and tips were just an extra incentive, they would give much better service.

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Moon
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

But doing better and getting the tip because of good effort would get you more. Win win.

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Pamela Scott
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'd love to see the US push for employers to start paying their employees a fair wage. Raise their prices enough to cover that cost and stop tipping altogether!

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Pamela Scott
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So many people here have to depend on them and that is not fair. The employer gets to pay them next to nothing because they count the tips as part of their pay but the employee does not always have control of the things that effect whether they get tips or not.

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Christine Wilber
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

People saying they won't tip (in the U.S. where wage is s**t for waiters/waitresses) because the employer should pay more should not be going out to eat. You are just punishing your server and its not fair. I will always tip if I go out to eat. If the service is excellent I will toss in a little bit extra. Some people are just terrible..

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sharron lynn parsons
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When going out for a nice dinner, with good food and service, we tip well in Canada !!!

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Philip Gregory
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It has been proven over and over again that tipping leads to better service. If you think the service at restaurants in Japan is GOOD, you have a completely delusional perspective. Here people treat you like a nuisance and someone who is LUCKY to be eating at their establishment, rather than the customer who is keeping their establishment afloat. Ask for a change in order? Nope. Set A, B, or C. Ask for Ketchup with fries? Nope, we don't have that. Oh, if we do, we'll charge you a ton extra. Try kissing your girlfriend inside the restaurant. You'll get yelled at by management. No joke. Tipping in the U.S. otherwise creates a craving for perfect customer service - because they are directly rewarded for their good work.

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Laura Perkinson
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Last night, case in point, I got zero services while eating out. had to ask for napkins and water and it was put down hard on my table as if it was an inconvenience! So no tip! none , nada, zero

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kurisutofu
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well, recently, the tax is not included but it is my understanding it is only during the transition period to the new tax amount.

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Russian Otaku
Community Member
4 years ago

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In the US it's simple... just don't do the r******d as f**k extremely wrong thing and don't tip.

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Victoria Klingenberg-Robinson
Community Member
4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Poor service or ignoring a customer does not warrant a tip. Tips are not mandatory, they are offered in thanks for a service rendered well. If they are very busy it is understood. However If a person who serves is exceptionally rude, does not rectify mistakes made (incorrect food given, something missing etc), is on their phone when customers need service etc., or simply ignore customers-they are NOT entitled to extra money. I've been a server multiple times. Generosity in such is because you did a good job or strangely if they're rich. The average person works hard already tgan be tossing extra money at people who didn't earn it. Case in point-lazy coworkers who expect others hard earned tips. Not fair to hard workers period.

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Coco
Community Member
4 years ago

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I refuse to give tips unless I had an exceptional attention. I just refuse to pay the wages the employer should pay, sorry! :)

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TheDivineMs.M
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Then maybe you shouldn't go out to eat or anywhere you need to be served. Waiters and waitresses are just doing their jobs. I'm sure they love you as a customer.

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#3

Eating Noodles

Eating Noodles

Slurping noodles to eat in Japan is perfectly fine and it is said that they will taste better too.

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#5

Picking Up Your Own (And Others) Trash

Picking Up Your Own (And Others) Trash

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#6

Baths

Baths

Japanese enjoy taking hot baths too, especially hot spring baths. (monkeys are there for humor, you won't get to dip with any, sorry!)

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#8

Toilets

Toilets

The toilets are always wet in Malaysia and there's always no toilet papers.

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#9

Fruits

Fruits

Anybody bought the expensive Japanese fruits before? Like the melon or the insanely priced grapes...

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K. LNU
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I was stationed in Japan, it was explained to me that Japan is an island with limited resources. Much of the produce and meats are brought from other countries; or grown specially for the market (like the square watermelons) ... thus the high cost of some foods!

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#10

The Last Stop

The Last Stop

If you fall deep asleep on the bus in the US, it may be your last stop...

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#11

Vending Machines

Vending Machines

There are vending machines almost everywhere, even at places where life-forms doesn't seem to exist.

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kurisutofu
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's what I noticed the first time I came to Japan. I was walking on a street between empty field and there you had a vending machine in the middle of nowhere, nothing else.

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#12

Celebrating Christmas

Celebrating Christmas

Strangely Japanese celebrates Christmas not with turkey and ham, but with KFC...

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D. Pitbull
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh. OH!!!! Maybe this explains my mother-in-law!! We kept insisting "Do you not want something... more? We will get you any---" - "No. KFC." .. okaaay...

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#14

Clean And State-Of-The-Art Japanese Toilets

Clean And State-Of-The-Art Japanese Toilets

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#15

Smartphones

Smartphones

You can't turn off camera shutter sound on Japanese smartphones due to privacy and upskirt photo taking.

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Twenty øne doggos
Community Member
4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Actually, that sounds like a good feature, they should do this with other phones.

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#16

Tattoos

Tattoos

If the tattoo is small, it can be covered with plaster to enter into the public bath houses or swimming pool.

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kurisutofu
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The reason is not that the person is thought to be a Yakuza. The reason is that you can't forbid only Yakuzas or they would get mad. In order to work around that, since they all have tattoos, this excuse was used. So if a Yakuza gets mad, they can say it's the rule, nothing against them.

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#17

Getting Off The Train

Getting Off The Train

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OreOs
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I feel that Singaporeans generally let passengers get off first, those who dont are usually the older people who may be ignorant or impatient with a sense of entitlement or tourists/foreigners.

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#19

Active Elderly

Active Elderly

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kurisutofu
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's so true! In see old people here and they're more active than me!

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#20

Seven Wonders Of Japanese

Seven Wonders Of Japanese

The 7th wonder can be found on my FB or blog.

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kurisutofu
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't think you took the train in the summer ... I can assure you they are and look sweaty in the work suits.

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#21

Train Etiquette

Train Etiquette

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Carol Emory
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Now this happens in the USA and it's very annoying. I've been at restaurants and had people at the table next to me with their smartphones cranked up loud so the kid who's hardly touched his food can be entertained.

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#22

Sayonara

Sayonara

"Sayonara" means goodbye but has a sense of finality to it, so don't use it to your clients!

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#23

Stairs

Stairs

There is a great number of staircases and very few escalators and lifts at smaller train stations.

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#24

Impressive Customer Service

Impressive Customer Service

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tuzdayschild
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Maybe it depends on where you are in the US. I'm from southeastern Virginia and people definitely greet me with a smile and politeness. No bow though.

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#25

Office Toilet

Office Toilet

I went to a Japanese company for an interview before I decided to leave Japan. When I went to the ladies toilet, I saw a nice wooden locker cabinet mounted on the wall with small compartments. I know Japanese are very particular about hygiene but to see a locker for toothbrushes and sanitary stuff is a whole new world for me...

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#27

Sushi Rice

Sushi Rice

Somehow sushi rice will fall off when you eat outside of Japan...

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DemPugs
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I heard sushi chefs spend like 7 years just working on rice so it kinda makes sense.

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#28

Japanese Speak English

Japanese Speak English

Based on the real story at a sushi restaurant...

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Lala_nene
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Most of Japanese have an inferiority complex about English pronunciation. We (I am a Japanese) think that it is impolite to speak in poor pronunciation.

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#29

Kids In Trains

Kids In Trains

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Carol Emory
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's in the USA too...people letting the kids run wild on public transportation.

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#30

Hairdresser

Hairdresser

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Hans
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Anyone else who always says "all right" independent of boiling hot or ice cold water?

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Note: this post originally had 60 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.

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