Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Japanese Change Trays

japantimes.co.jp

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

131–140 of 175 posts

Re: Japanese Change Trays

#131

Post by jadoint »

unsignedint wrote: post #35
ingsoc79 wrote: post #2

Pro tip: if you want to review the correct pronunciation of the word "gai-jin," skip the tray and hand your cash directly to the clerk.

They may call you gaijin, but you get perks for being one. I look completely like Japanese (well, I was born there; but I lived in the States long enough, and I am gaijin by my definition, but it's not by theirs) -- so when I travel to Japan, I'd naturally hand money to clerk, either he/she would either give me this funny looks, or told politely (occasionally frustrated) to place that money on the tray. So sometimes…

I'm Asian and I could pass for Japanese if I really wanted to try at it. Also, my wife is Japanese so it isn't a hard leap for anyone in Japan to make when they see us together. This was more of a disadvantage to me than I had realized since Japanese are far more willing to make allowances in social lapses for obvious foreigners than say, a socially awkward Japanese. I find that instead of trying so hard to blend in, it might be easier to simply embrace standing out. So instead of a "konnichiwa", I start out with a confident "Hi!" in a cheery American tone (we all know that one) and proceed in broken Japanese. Even better when they hear me speaking unaccented English with my wife. That way, they know that I'm a clueless tourist and not a socially inept local.

Re: Japanese Change Trays

#132

Post by fenomas »

minikomi wrote: post #98

Lived in Japan for 8 years and have worked part time in cafes .. The training I got was to leave the money in the tray until you confer the change to the customer. It prevents things like "hang on! I gave you 5000 not 1000!" - the money paid stays in plain sight until the transaction is complete. Shop staff almost never put the money away before you get your change.

I always assumed this was the main reason the trays are used. This, and the fact that either party can easily tip the tray into their hand to gather change, rather than picking up coins one by one or scooping them off the edge of the table.

Whenever Japan comes up people assume some matter of politeness is involved, but a lot of times the explanation is much simpler.

Re: Japanese Change Trays

#133

Post by girvo »

littlepooghish wrote: post #57
dropit_sphere wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It seems like you're purposely picking a fight. Is this really a line of discussion that belongs here, given the topic?

Oh I'm sorry - is it rude to interrupt someone's day with a question about religious beliefs? I had no idea! (sarcasm)

Hacker News is not the place for this.

Re: Japanese Change Trays

#134

Post by lovemenot »

deciplex wrote: post #125
lovemenot wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Funnily enough I was just at a 7-11 in Tokyo about 30 minutes ago, just as you were writing this comment, and before I had read this thread. I happened to notice that such a tray was not in use there, which felt more efficient. Of course 7-11 is mostly a franchise business, so it may the store owner's decision.

Which one? I think it is more likely you just missed it. I've never noticed a convenience store without one, though now I guess I will be looking out for it.

Just north from Suidobashi station, Mita line, North exit. The till nearest the door. It was a male Japanese cashier (unusual at that store) who seemed particularly dynamic. Possibly a management trainee.

Re: Japanese Change Trays

#135

Post by JoeAltmaier »

minikomi wrote: post #98

Lived in Japan for 8 years and have worked part time in cafes .. The training I got was to leave the money in the tray until you confer the change to the customer. It prevents things like "hang on! I gave you 5000 not 1000!" - the money paid stays in plain sight until the transaction is complete. Shop staff almost never put the money away before you get your change.

I believe the penalties for stealing are severe in Japan. So anything that disambiguates who's money is whos is very important.

Re: Japanese Change Trays

#136

Post by rangibaby »

shinymark wrote: post #110
beloch wrote: post #93

Question: Is money considered "dirty" in Japan? In North America, women keep bills and coins in their purses next to used tissues, and studies have shown that men's wallets have an even higher concentration of bacteria than women's purses. We sit on and, on hot days, sweat on our money all day. Let's face it, the stuff is pretty disgusting. However, if somebody hands you a twenty, your first reaction is usually not,…

I'm not sure. One thing I can say from experience though is that bills in Japan are newer and cleaner than they are in the US. My impression is that it would be unthinkable in Japan to write on a bill with a pen or to crumple it up. Also, I'd guess bills that start to get worn are taken out of circulation much earlier. Compare that to the US where I've seen a supermarket teller draw a line with a pen across a bill af…

There are machines at banks used mainly to swap old bills for new ones (新札). It's considered not-so-good form to pay for something with beat up bills, so they get a lot of use.

Re: Japanese Change Trays

#137

Post by fenomas »

ingsoc79 wrote: post #2

Pro tip: if you want to review the correct pronunciation of the word "gai-jin," skip the tray and hand your cash directly to the clerk.

This is crazy talk. To a rough approximation Japanese shop clerks are the politest organisms on earth. On top of which, these change trays are a simple nicety, not some kind of social obligation.

Re: Japanese Change Trays

#138

Post by fenomas »

Someone1234 wrote: post #10
ingsoc79 wrote: post #2

Pro tip: if you want to review the correct pronunciation of the word "gai-jin," skip the tray and hand your cash directly to the clerk.

This comment only makes sense if you know what "gaijin" means, it appears to mean roughly "foreigner" (or more literally "outside person").

Yep, it's simply the informal word for "foreigner". In theory there's a sense of "outsider", and that meaning is listed in the dictionary, but in practice one never hears the word used in reference to a Japanese person who's an outsider in some other context.

Re: Japanese Change Trays

#139

Post by nandemo »

eloisant wrote: post #34
bryanlarsen wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"alien" more correctly captures the connotation. "gaijin" is very much a derogatory word. "gaikokujin" (person from a different country) is more neutral.

Gaikokujin is indeed the correct word for foreigner. Gaijin is slang. It's not necessarily used with a derogatory meaning. Also it's important to note that it's mostly used for white people, they'll never call a Chinese or Korean "gaijin" for example.

> they'll never call a Chinese or Korean "gaijin" for example.

Not true, "gaijin" can be used to refer to any foreigner/non-Japanese. It's just that there are many Chinese and Koreans in Japan, and the countries are neighbors, so it's common to use the more specific words "Chinese" and "Korean" when the nationality is known.

In the same sense that I might say "Eastern European" but a Hungarian would say "Romanian" or "Czech" etc.

Also, though gaijin used to mean "outsider", and that usage is still listed in dictionaires, it's basically obsolete. Nobody (in Japan) calls a Japanese "gaijin".

Re: Japanese Change Trays

#140

Post by fenomas »

kijin wrote: post #108
beloch wrote: post #93

Question: Is money considered "dirty" in Japan? In North America, women keep bills and coins in their purses next to used tissues, and studies have shown that men's wallets have an even higher concentration of bacteria than women's purses. We sit on and, on hot days, sweat on our money all day. Let's face it, the stuff is pretty disgusting. However, if somebody hands you a twenty, your first reaction is usually not,…

In most cases, the cachier or teller just grabs your money from the tray with their bare hands, and places change on the tray with the same bare hands. In terms of hygiene, it's no different from handling money directly.

Further, these trays are also common in banks, convenience stores and so on. No particular connection to hygiene.
Post reply on HN