This table is some highly subjective ratings
of various aspects of life in Japan. Basically
tossing them out to express my opinions in an artistic way, and hopefully maybe even offer a bit of
helpful guidance. If you agree or disagree,
especially if you have some hard data,
please
feel free to send me email via the
JavaScripted
email link at the bottom of the page.
(Sorry,
but that's how I hide my email address
from
the spamnuts in this public place,
and you'll
just have to trust my JavaScript if
you want
to use it.) These are deliberately
short
summaries, but if someone expresses
interest
on a topic, I may even do a full Web
page.
The subjective rating system is fingers
up
or down, because I couldn't find a
good image
of a thumb to work with. For example,
this
is three fingers up, my most favorable
rating:
 (Dates in parentheses indicate last update
on that item.) |
|
| Restaurants | |
|---|---|
| Cafe Le Monde |
Have to start with my favorite Japanese restaurant. Kind of mixed style based on Italian, but the most popular spaghetti is clam garlic, based on a spicy Thai marinating sauce. It's near Tobu Nerima Station, just past the koban, on the left side of that busy street. (The new koban is around the corner from the station, about 1 minute away.) |
| El Torito |
My favorite Tex-Mex source in Japan. Several locations, but I usually eat at the one in Shinjuku, even though it's in a tough neighborhood--under the Microsoft offices and across the tracks from the new Kinokuniya bookstore. The Omote-Sando restaurant is older and I think it's a bit better, but it's not on any of my regular routes, while I often go through Shinjuku. New menu seems to be migrating away from Tex-Mex towards Mexican, but still good. If the prices go any higher or if the portions get any smaller, it might lose a finger, however. (2001/7/8) Noting that they also have locations in Ikebukuro, on the third floor of the Sunshine 60 building, and in Shibuya. Didn't even know they once had a location in Akasaka, but they closed it because it never got enough business. Also didn't know about the good lunch menu until recently. (2002/5/12) |
Patio |
Patio is a little coffee shop where I often have breakfast and where I'm probably one of their most regular customers. Nice location just next to Chuo-Rinkan Station. It's a bit too much of a stretch to give them three up, but they do treat me as well as they can, and sometimes even give me a bit extra on the side. For example, this morning the wife give me a little dish of yogurt with a few berries in it. I suppose if it wasn't a bit on the expensive side I could justify the third finger... They actually raised the prices when they went independent. For the first few years they ran it, the shop was a KohiKan, which is a large franchise chain in Japan. (2007/1/30) |
Utoro |
Utoro is my fallback coffee shop near Chuo-Rinkan Station, but I generally only eat there two or three times a month. It's across the street from Patio, and sort of behind the koban there. From the decor, I'd guess they do most of their business in evenings, so it seems likely they are working pretty long hours. Less expensive than Patio, but not as substantial for breakfast. Nice salad, though. Also, they have cute cards. (2007/1/30) |
| Mike's |
This is my local Tex-Mex place just up from Higashi-Rinkan Station. Koban is nearby, though not such a good landmark. Same corner, but going along the tracks away from the station. I promoted it to two fingers for the tacos grande. (2001/7/8) I should clarify it didn't get the third finger, even though the food is good, because it violates the Tex-Mex tradition of offering free chips, which El Torito has. (2006/8/13) |
| Nameless Mom and Pop Chinese restaurant |
Lots of these around. Actually, they do have names, but I usually don't know them, just where they are located. This particular one is located in Tokumaru, at the bottom of the hill where I used to live. I'll have to get a photo, since there are no good landmarks there. I haven't eaten there recently for various reasons--kind of far from the station, and Cafe Le Monde is in the way, and they're sometimes closed. But if you somehow find the place, they're real nice folks, always treated me well, and serve good food at good prices. When I lived there they'd been in the business about 30 years or longer. (not sure when) Sadly, they've retired now and there is no trace of the restaurant that stood there for so many years. (2006/8/13) |
| Mr. Donut |
This is recognition for amazing Japanese customer service and employee retention. When I worked in Akihabara some years ago, I often stopped by the local shop for a double chocolate donut. These days I'm only in Akihabara about once a month or less, but they often still remember me and the kind of donut I like. However, my single strongest memory of customer service was at some little restaurant where I once started to stand up to get a piece of Kleenex, but the obasan somehow knew what I wanted and she practically came running at me with the box. I guess Mr. Donut should also get some recognition for aggressive prices, since it seems like they're running 100¥ donut sales very often these days. (2003/4/12) Not long after that, there was a major fire in the building, and the store was closed for some months. Some of the old staff did return after they reopened, but only a few, and now I think everyone is a new face to me. (2006/8/13) |
| What the Dickens |
Pretty good British-style food. I'm sure some people would rate it more highly, but I don't like British food that much, and I think it's too noisy to eat once the band starts, which limits the time it's open for eating. Very good beers. (2001/7/8) |
| Rajput Curry Restaurant |
This is a Pakistani-owned place I've known about for many years, though my recent visit was the first in some years, and I was glad to see it's still there. It's in Takadanobaba, going left from the north exit, away from Waseida, though the street is Waseida Doori. It's on the left side, on the second floor, about 8 minutes from the station. Phone is 03-3360-8372 if you get lost. Good food, with some seriously spicy options, and not too expensive. (2001/9/22) |
Kathy and Edwards Counter Bar |
This one is here as a representative of the worst class of bogus bar to be found in Japan. However, this specific one is perhaps at the epitome of deceptive advertising and utterly non-distinctive atmosphere. The name is obviously supposed to create an international impression, but if there was ever a foreigner involved with the bar, it was before the memory of the bartender or any of the customers I spoke to, and of course there were no foreign customers besides me. They even had a Coors advertisement out front, but no Coors beer. Just another aspect of the bogus atmosphere. Given the bogosity, it's surprising they even had an actual counter. This one is just down from Yurigaoka Station, so I'd noticed it many times as I wandered around the neighborhood, but I only stopped in because it was my birthday and I figured I should celebrate at least a little bit. What a waste. (2003/4/12) |
| Travel | |
| Trains |
One of the most famous pluses of Japan, and rightfully so. Mass transit that really works. I have to take away one finger for the fares, mostly because of the charge to change train lines, and there's a lot train lines to change to. Many people complain about the crowding but I usually can adjust my schedule to get a seat, so I can't complain there. But the important thing is that the trains almost always run on time and almost always get me where I want to go. I may never drive again, and I never much liked driving. |
| Cars |
Imagine a holiday traffic jam stretching for a hundred kilometers. Imagine spending eight hours to drive 200 km. But you don't need your imagination--this is the reality of automobile travel in Japan, and I can't imagine how anyone can claim driving is pleasurable. At least the parking situation seems to be improving, but my 2¢ says Japan already has way too many cars. (2001/7/8) |
| Stores | |
Bic Camera |
My main source for computer stuff. They focus on the high volume electronic stuff, match the Akihabara prices, and then give 10% on your point card towards your next purchase. Very aggressive marketing. (2001/7/8) |
Yodobashi Camera |
Another former camera store gone into general
electronics. Basically Bic's main competitor,
and very close on prices. I think they may
have been the originators of the point card
system. Perhaps a little better on specials
for consumables like paper and CD-Rs. However,
I'm taking away a finger because of a squabble
over a cheap battery. (2001/7/8) Flipped their finger from up to down because of another one of those trivial squabbles. Doesn't seem likely it's just a coincidence that I've had several run ins there... Hasn't ever happened at Bic Camera. This time was already some months ago, and involved their aggressive enforcement of their no-email-checking policy in the store. Not really their fault, I suppose. I was supposed to meet someone in Shinjuku and I wasn't sure where, so I wanted to check the email and they made a fuss. Resulted in a little scene with the cutting up of my point card and I haven't bought anything from them since. Kind of a shame since they opened that flash store in Akihabara, but that's how they run their business... (2007/1/30) |
Japanese Department Stores in General |
Overstaffed, overpriced, and pretty much detached from the reality of modern Japan. Source of the problems is probably monopoly mentality since most of the large ones are associated with train lines, and the shortest distance between two points really is a kind of natural monopoly. |
| Tokyu Department Store |
This one gets special recognition for stealing my bike one night. Or maybe it was just their 'understanding' with the local yakuza, but I'm still out the bike. However, the anti-bike thing is another example of their corporate stupidity. They really should encourage people to use bicycles. When they harass bicyclists, they encourage them to buy cars--and people with cars are much more free to shop elsewhere--and almost anywhere else is objectively better than the department stores. |
| Tailors | |
| Tailorde Suit |
Basically a little plug for my tailor Koike-san. Been dealing with him for many years, and though he's only made three suits for me, he's been very friendly and enthusiastic about it. Remembers me and even manages to dig up my old measurement records when I visit, which is quite a personal touch. He's moved a couple of times over the years, and I haven't even been to his new location, though I think he's still in the Kanda clothing district where I first stumbled across his shop. I've been satisfied with his service and prices, so I'm glad to mention his phone number is 03-3253-2431 and the new address is 千代田区神田鍛冶町2-7-10, though I can't even pronounce the last part for sure. Probably Tanya-cho? But definitely in the Kanda district of Chiyoda-ku. (2003/4/12) |
| Dry Cleaning | |
| Kyowa Cleaning |
I think it's franchised store #31906, close to Yurigaoka Station, but I'm giving it special recognition just because she's memorized my phone number. Or maybe that reflects my steadiness as a customer? Anyway, on the less expensive side, and good service for the years I've been using it. For the third finger they'd need to fix my buttons, too. (2007/1/30) |
| ISPs (Internet Service Providers) | |
| ODN |
Main source of email spam in Japan. At least that's how it seems from my observations over the last year or so. I was actually a customer of theirs some years ago, but never again. To the devil with the spammers and any company that supports them. (2007/1/30) |
| Asahi-Net |
My long-term ISP. I even worked there part-time in the technical support section for a few months around 1998 or so. Usually the top ISP for customer satisfaction, and I don't think I've ever seen any spam that originated on their network. (2007/1/30) |
| Minor ISPs |
I guess this entry is mostly a dig at GOL, where I also worked briefly before I was at Asahi-Net. I think they still exist? The founder was Roger Boisvert, who was murdered some years ago, and the guy who hired me, Greg Washington, Jr., had died even before Roger... That reminds me of IAC (where I worked for a long time and introduced Greg to the Internet), another minor ISP that shut down many years ago. Amusingly enough, my brief stint at Tokyo Classified included helping to shutdown Crisscross, their ISP sideline. They actually sold the mostly non-paying customers to Hunter Point Online for a price that seemed ridiculous to me... These days quite a bit of the email spam also originates with minor ISPs, especially secondary customers of something called FreeBit. (2007/1/30) |
| Banks | |
| Japanese banks in General |
Bad hours, even for the cash card machines, lousy interest rates, outrageous fees for almost every request. Specific examples not mentioned below that I've had memorable dealings with would be Daiwa, Sanwa, and Mitsubishi (also merged with another 2 fingers down bank). |
| Mitsui Sumitomo (now SMBC (in English) after
Sumitomo merged with Sakura nee Mitsui, Taiyo,
and Kobe Banks--and surely others) |
Wound up dealing with these folks as a kind
of accident, and mostly lack sufficient motivation
to switch, since most of the other regular
banks seem about the same. I give them special
credit for chutzpah--they recently added
a service charge for handling too many papers--even
though the papers happen to be yen currency.
Gee, and I thought handling currency was
supposed to be one of the main purposes of
a bank? Pretty large number of locations,
but the service is really mindless, and there
have been several times when I've had to
fill out forms two or three times to satisfy
some bureaucratic cretin. Given their recent decline, I'd like to lower their ranking, except that they're already at the bottom and if I allow them to go deeper, there'd be no stopping 'em--at least until I ran out of pictures of fingers pointing down. A Saturday service charge was the latest injury on top of insult. More evidence of the lack of justice in the world is that they actually did go bankrupt for their monumental incompetence--but without any real penalty. They sold the entire scummy operation to another humongous financial company, which then changed its name to Mitsui Sumitomo. (2003/4/12) I really want to lower their ranking. Today I tried to change a bill there, and they wanted me to fill out a form! I am NOT pulling your leg. I went up to a teller, and gave her two large bills and asked for smaller ones, and she handed me a form and told me I had to fill it out first. Probably a service charge, too, but I didn't bother. I just went to the nearby Mr. Donut and broke a bill on each donut. (2004/4/9) As I already noted, the rating can't go any lower, but here's another tale of amazingly lousy service from this bank. At some time in the last few years they added a substantial upgrade of their ATM machines. The new function is to issue a new passbook when the old one gets full. I've used it a couple of times, but recently it didn't seem to work. Finally found out that this useful function is only enabled during the hours when the bank is open. No reason why. They just hate the idea of providing a useful service. I rather pointedly asked several of the Sumitomorons why they had such a stupid rule, and they just repeated the rule a number of times, but that's par for mindless robots disguised as actual human beings. (2007/7/22) There's also a feature story about them below this table... |
| Mizuho Bank (created by a merger of Dai Ichi
Kangyou and at least one other bank) |
I had high hopes for the Fuji Bank, but they've
faded. Now I keep most of my money there
simply because they aren't SMBC. The main
reason for splitting them off into a separate
box is to comment on the extremely inappropriate
advertising on their ATMs: Lottery tickets.
A REAL bank is supposed to be about rational
thrift and guaranteeing the safety of money,
but there are only two kinds of lotteries.
Honest lotteries, where you're guaranteed
to lose over the long run, and crooked lotteries,
where non-crooks are just guaranteed to lose.
It seems that you can even buy the lottery
tickets using the ATM. A contributing factor
to the low ranking is that Fuji was financially
bound to the profitless Dai Ichi Kangyou
Bank, one of the merger partners. Bigger
is not always better. Never had much regard
for their competence, and they had lots of
computer problems as a result of the merger.
I may give Mizuho the third finger later,
but leaving it at two down for now. (2002/5/12) Okay, they earned the third finger today. Ikebukuro is so overrun with yakuza that I decided to close my accounts there. I went to the main Shinjuku branch and tried to arrange to transfer the accounts, and got an enormous annoyance and runaround and accomplished nothing. Eventually I'm sure I'll succeed, even if it requires cutting all ties with the bank, but right now I'm just annoyed. That one wasted about two hours. (2004/4/9) |
Postal savings |
Okay, the interest rate is terrible, but everyone trusts them, including me. And you can't beat the number of locations. Service has always been adequately courteous and efficient. NOT like SMBC. |
| Bank of Yokohama |
They get the recognition for the 315 yen
service charge (about $3) I have to pay to
put money in my landlord's account. One time,
mostly for grins, I went to my landlord's
own branch, cash in hand, during regular
business hours, and they still demanded 315
yen. Why? Well 100 yen (plus 5 yen tax) is
for going over some small amount of money.
It's considered normal in Japan to add 100
yen for transferring to another branch of
the same bank, 100 or 200 yen if a different
bank is involved, 100 yen for the hour or
two after 6 p.m., etc. But I think Bank of
Yokohama is just plain greedy, since only
one of those excuses applied when I visited
the actual branch. (In twisted retaliation,
I normally pay my rent two months at a time.) (circa 2002?) Another special mention for bad service, though this story is already a couple of months old. Actually, it ran on for several months, and isn't really fully resolved yet. I think the new rules actually went into effect at the beginning of this year. The particular new rule I encountered was a restriction against paying cash to my landlord by using the ATM machine. This is apparently intended to annoy money launderers, though they're obviously the ones who will not be annoyed, but who will merely adjust their procedures to go around the new rules. For regular customers like yours truly, however, it's a different story, and a major annoyance. Rather than use the ATM machine to make the payment, I have to go to the counter, fill in a form, wait some more, show ID, wait some more, and to top off the insult with injury, pay 210 yen more for the extra inconvenience, raising the total fee to 525 yen for accepting cash. I 'discussed' this craziness with them for a couple of months. They claim it isn't their fault, but the way things work in Japan, the truth is that they wrote their own legislation, just like any other of the supposedly regulated industries. Anyway, last time I paid without actually using cash. Transferring between accounts is still allowed (for now), but that scam still costs 420 yen each time. I think I could cut it back down to 315 yen by actually opening an account at this bank, but I'm extremely loathe to give them even the semblance of the business. (2007/7/22) |
| Citibank |
Well, I was hopeful, but my experiences went from mixed to terrible. I never felt like they were as secure as the other banks, though they offered some unusual services--with rapidly fluctuating interest rates and peculiar marketing. They dropped to two fingers down for supporting Dubya. I finally decided to close all my accounts on hearing too many disturbing financial reports. However, closing the accounts was an amazing experience, taking about 6 months of sustained effort. Things like "This branch can't give you any money" or "We have to charge you extra if you want cash." However, the one that really pissed me off was when they didn't tell me about the charge for converting my Euros, so I got gigged about $20 just on that one transaction. I sincerely expect them to go belly up bankrupt within the year. (2002/5/12) |
| UFJ Trust Bank (UFJ Shintaku Ginkou) (supposed
to merge with the main UFJ bank
later this
year) |
Starting them with one finger up mostly because
they were the only bank (out of four) that
didn't give me any problems today. The Shinjuku
branch quickly and effectively transferred
my account from Ikebukuro, even quickly and
effectively dealing with my missing cash
card. (It's not just the strong and visible
yakuza presence, but my belief that some
of the Ikebukuro cops are now working with
and for the yakuza that makes me feel it's
too dangerous to do any banking (or even
shopping) in that area. Shinkuku seems to
be moving in the other direction, with less
and less visibility of the yakuza.) (2004/4/9) The merger was actually completed a while ago, but they merged with the merged bank that was formerly the Bank of Tokyo and the Mitsubishi Bank. The two sides merged separately, so there's still a trust bank and a regular bank, but I'm not sure what it's called now. BOTM-UJF comes to mind? Anyway, I was mostly dealing with a branch of the bank near the Halc Bic Camera in Shinjuku, but they closed that branch. Some weeks ago there was a fair amount of hassle to make sure everything was okay for my Euro deposit, but I'm not going to reduce their ranking since they handled it pretty well, and even took the trouble of getting someone who speaks some English to handle it for me, even including some email answers. (2007/7/22) |
Resona (formerly Daiwa and probably including
some other bank or banks) |
Not so sure how to rank this bank. Actually my first bank in Japan, but I lost my passbook some years ago. I still have the cash card and I can deposit and withdraw money there, but no records. I asked about replacing the passbook recently, and they told me I'd have to pay ¥1,000 yen, and it isn't worth it to me. I visited again today, and the first guy said they would replace it for free, apparently as part of converting me from Daiwa to Resona. Then the teller spent about an hour filling out forms and finally told me I'd still have to pay the ¥1,000, and I'm still not going to pay it, so it was just a waste of my time. They would have gotten a second finger except that they are now open until 19:00, which is much better than the other banks. (2004/4/9) |
| English Schools and English Conversation Lounges | |
| Kanda Gaigo Gakuin |
This is an example of a semmon gakko, which doesn't exactly match anything in the American educational system. Kind of a two year vocational program, though they did (do?) have some conversational classes for part-time students. I worked there a little past their peak, but I think it was still three fingers up at that time, but... The problems had already started when I arrived and from most reports got worse after I left, so I think two fingers is a fair estimate now. (2001/7/8) |
| English Conversation Schools in General |
Pretty sure I'm not the only person that regards most of these as very little concerned about teaching anything and very much concerned about making as much money as possible. I think most of them don't even try to use the Japanese word for "school" anymore. Perhaps there's a truth in advertising law and most of them couldn't qualify. (2001/7/8) |
| Nova |
Of the big three chains of English conversation schools, I think this one is the best. Subjective judgment, but I've run into a number of their teachers over the years, and they usually seem rather spirited, entertaining, and even intelligent. However, I've usually run into them after they've left Nova, which tells you something. (2001/7/8) |
| Geos |
I rate this as the worst of the big three
chains, mostly because of their unusually
aggressive advertising--to the point where
I think they're in an alliance with or perhaps
even owned by the yakuza. Lots of schools,
but almost never run into anyone who will
admit to an association with them, either
as a teacher or as a student. (2001/7/8) Kind of amazed to see how old this entry is, but I want to add that it was their annoying signs on a bridge near my house that started me on my campaign against that form of spam... (2007/1/30). |
| Mickey House |
This entry is mostly because Kazu needs more
"Web presence" since most of his
new customers apparently find out about his
place on the Web. I used to go almost every
Saturday, and often had an interesting time,
but recently it's actually been on the boring
side, and mostly because of the relative
lack of customers. In the natural response,
I don't go that often these days, though
I'm still pretty likely to meet old friends
there. However, I think the root of the problem
is that he doesn't want to spend the money
for real advertising. His word-of-mouth has
gotten too thin, and he isn't even doing
a good job of being visible on the Web. I
had to search around for several minutes
before I was able to find the place. The
atmosphere is a little hard to describe,
which may also help explain the declining
popularity? There are some private-club-type
customers (like me), but it isn't a clubby
atmosphere. I think it used to be more of
a pickup bar atmosphere, though I can't testify
for sure, but these days it seems rather
more academic, and many of the regulars are
serious students of English or teachers.
It's in Takadanobaba, and the phone number
is 03-3209-9686. No cover charge for foreigners.
(2003/4/12) Not sure if it's really justified, but I did have a very interesting time on my last visit, so raising it to two up now... Or maybe it's partly just a reaction to my last very abortive visit to Com'Inn? (2007/1/30) Cut it back to one finger since the atmosphere changed somewhat and I've mostly stopped going there. I'll give him some credit for being experimental, but the latest experiments seem annoying to me... He's using more paid staff to chat up the Japanese guests, and generally trying to evolve the place in the direction of a school, and I'm not that interested. Actually, I'm not even much interested in such conversation these days, but even if I am in the mood, the staff talkers will jump in and prevent me from talking anyway. (2007/7/22) |
| Com'Inn |
This is the Ebisu place I went every Sunday evening for many years, probably beginning almost as soon as I arrived in Japan. I'd even read about it back in Texas. Supposed to be the original English conversation lounge in Tokyo, and maybe even the first in Japan. The manager in those days was Fujii-san, and he always treated me nicely, but later on the owner sold it to Mariko-san, and she san changed the atmosphere a great deal. It was kind of like a private club, but I feel like she made it more academic and almost deliberately ran off the old timers like me. These days, I might stick my nose in the door once or twice a year, but only if I just happen to be in the neighborhood, and I haven't seen any reason to actually stay for a visit. She also raised the cover charge for foreigners, and I'm pretty sure she still pays one foreigner all the time to insure that there is someone for the Japanese customers to talk to. (2003/4/12) |