On a related note, Dave Barry wrote in his definitive work on Japan (this is paraphrased):
The problem with being an American person in Japan is that everything is nondescript and written in Japanese. So you’re never quite sure if the door you are about to enter is marked “restaurant,” or “enter here for express vasectomy service.”
I lived in Japan as an American for 6 years. There were definitely times I went to enter a place and had the employees politely chuckle while handwaving/headshaking “no”. Sometimes I figured out what my error was, but there are many where I’m not sure why I was ushered out the door.
When I was in Tokyo I went to a restaurant and all the other customers were women and I felt everyone peek glances at me the entire time I was there. They served me food but to this day I am not sure what I walked into.
On a related note, Dave Barry wrote in his definitive work on Japan (this is paraphrased):
The problem with being an American person in Japan is that everything is nondescript and written in Japanese. So you’re never quite sure if the door you are about to enter is marked “restaurant,” or “enter here for express vasectomy service.”
I lived in Japan as an American for 6 years. There were definitely times I went to enter a place and had the employees politely chuckle while handwaving/headshaking “no”. Sometimes I figured out what my error was, but there are many where I’m not sure why I was ushered out the door.
When I was in Tokyo I went to a restaurant and all the other customers were women and I felt everyone peek glances at me the entire time I was there. They served me food but to this day I am not sure what I walked into.
Maybe they had the place rented out?