Tips, rules, and etiquette

[Nemhy]

Originally Posted by butterflymiko18

thank you SO much for posting this. this will be really helpful when I actually get to go to Japan most of them are kind of common sense, and other things are cultural I wouldn't have known about. thanks!

Reviving this thread cause it's really helpfull! Also, what exactly IS pachinko?

[Housetek]

pachinko is a game where you usually buy tokens or place yen into a machine that spits out a bunch of metal balls. The metal balls are poured into the top and it falls down these lil pins and some times advanced machines have all sorts of high tech stuff in them. You can control where the balls drop.

get it into a hard to get place, and you win... MORE metal balls.

get enough and you'll get a lil box for all your balls.

how it works is

you bring the crate of balls to the token or desk guy or prize station.

They weigh them out and give you "tickets. or points"

its kinda like gambling, but gambling is illegal so theres a loop hole.

you trade the points for metal coins bronze silver gold plat etc etc.

you go around the corner and usually there is a lil booth that trades these coins or tokens for real money.

[Housetek]

Originally Posted by Tenchu

Hosetek is still alive? Or are you a net hacker with his ID?

was in vietnam for a lil bit, not much internet there i could get to.

Now im Working in America.

nice ya hear from ya again Tenchu. how are u

[angelbott]

That's very help tips Thank you dude. ^^ Oh I have a question.

If somebody visit in Japan if someone get hurt or somethings and go to the hospital It will more costs on their trip? =o i just want know ^^;;

[snowkitten0]

Originally Posted by Housetek

yea i know a lot of it is common sense but people have this thing of forgetting about common sense when they are traveling to another country.
26. TEMPLES!
1. Okay so you wana visit some temples.
heres a no brainer... be respectful

2. dont smoke

3. dont be loud

4. you can make a prayer in front of the sacred object and throw a coin into the offering box

5. If you want to light incense, buy a bundle light it and let it burn for a few seconds, and put them out by waving your hands rather then blowing them out.

6. if you go to a temple which requires you to remove your shoes, make sure you have nice socks on, dont go in barefeet or with nasty crap all over your feet.

7. Photography outside is permitted
but it is NOT inside, check for signs

8. its a sign of impurity if you go to a Temple or Shrine when you are sick or have open wounds.

9. At the purification fountain near the shrine's entrance, take a provided ladle, fill it with fresh water and rinse both hands. Then transfer some water into your cupped hand, rinse your mouth and spit the water beside the fountain. You are not supposed to transfer the water directly from the ladle into your mouth nor to swallow the water. You will notice that quite a few visitors skip the mouth rinsing part or the purification ritual altogether.

At the offering hall, throw a coin into the offering box, bow deeply twice, clap your hands twice, bow deeply once more and pray for a few seconds. If there is some type of gong, use it before praying in order to get the kami's attention.

Thats all for now.

Hi~ Thanks for the useful tips but i wonder, did you type those tips on japan-guide.com as well? they look exactly the same.. O_O

[AnimeBaby112]

Originally Posted by Housetek

pachinko is a game where you usually buy tokens or place yen into a machine that spits out a bunch of metal balls. The metal balls are poured into the top and it falls down these lil pins and some times advanced machines have all sorts of high tech stuff in them. You can control where the balls drop.

get it into a hard to get place, and you win... MORE metal balls.

get enough and you'll get a lil box for all your balls.

how it works is

you bring the crate of balls to the token or desk guy or prize station.

They weigh them out and give you "tickets. or points"

its kinda like gambling, but gambling is illegal so theres a loop hole.

you trade the points for metal coins bronze silver gold plat etc etc.

you go around the corner and usually there is a lil booth that trades these coins or tokens for real money.

I wanted to add to this in case anyone wanted to learn more.
Japancast.net has some interesting information about pachinko. Also, if you have iTunes you can subscribe to their podcast(which is very good by the way) and the episode with neat information about pachinko is #21.

Thanks for posting this! It was really interesting and helpful. I've sent it to my friends who aren't on JF, hope you don't mind.

[Housetek]

Originally Posted by angelbott

That's very help tips Thank you dude. ^^ Oh I have a question.

If somebody visit in Japan if someone get hurt or somethings and go to the hospital It will more costs on their trip? =o i just want know ^^;;

just hope your insured! lol

im sure it'll cost a good amount considering they have to pull all your medical stuff.

make sure your not allergic to a certain type of medicine or something.

[Housetek]

bumpity bump

thx for all the emails!

<3 Htk

[Eminee]

As everyone else has said, amazing thread!

One thing that you have touched on already in certain places: taking photos.
When I go to Tokyo I'm going to want AS MANY AS POSSIBLE so that I can remember my trip for years to come, show the family.. etc. So I was wondering if you can go into more detail about how Japanese people feel about picture taking in different places.. shops, markets, on the street etc even if its not of themselves. And also video recording.

Also.. with the arcade, is it unacceptable to take pictures of your friend on an arcade machine? In all arcades??

[Housetek]

Originally Posted by Eminee

As everyone else has said, amazing thread!

One thing that you have touched on already in certain places: taking photos.
When I go to Tokyo I'm going to want AS MANY AS POSSIBLE so that I can remember my trip for years to come, show the family.. etc. So I was wondering if you can go into more detail about how Japanese people feel about picture taking in different places.. shops, markets, on the street etc even if its not of themselves. And also video recording.

Also.. with the arcade, is it unacceptable to take pictures of your friend on an arcade machine? In all arcades??

you can get away with a few snap shots here and there.

market places and and such are okay.

some stores will ask you not to take pictures inside.

be respectful of the signs. they will be in English and say no pictures.

generally people on the street dont want to have their picture taken but you can take pictures outside of buildings and such with people in it. just dont directly point at a person lol.

if all else fails just pretend your a tourist and dont know better while recording.

they are use to that.

i mean i've taken pictures in clubs and restraunts and arcades b4, just if you get out of hand with it, they'll ask you to kindly stop.

no biggie.

just be respectful and polite about it and you should get all the pictures you want.