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The Royal Treatment
 Begin by boosting
your ego. Plan to be at one of the major department stores a few minutes
before opening time so that you can be part of the daily ceremony. Uniform-clad
young ladies, dark-suited sales clerks, and members of top management
are on hand to greet customers and bow them in to the store.
Since Japanese department
stores carry such a wide range of merchandise from clothing, crafts,
and food, to toys, housewares, and home furnishings, they are a great
place to browse as well as to shop. Sales staff is usually abundant
and attentive -- perhaps overly so. Many Americans, not wanting to appear
rude, find it exhausting to acknowledge all overtures made by salespeople.
Japanese customers wanting to browse will ignore staff, or respond to
such advances with a perfunctory nod, at best.
Japanese stores
train their staff to actively engage customers in conversation. Beginning
with a slight bow and general welcome (Irrashaimase!), salespeople switch
to a more assertive, encouraging mode once a customer displays interest
by touching an item. Seeing a customer read a label carefully, alert
sale clerks will offer information on laundering: Sentaku wo raku
ni dekimasu yo... ("It's a cinch to wash..."), or fit
Ooki saizu mo gozaimasu ga... ("That comes in larger sizes.")
The Fitting Room
Trying things on
does not have to be a trying experience; a few simple rules apply: 1)
Ask first. Policies and restrictions vary. If a sales person hasn't
already approached you, you should seek out the nearest one. All sales
personnel will be wearing name badges with the store's logo; women are
usually in uniform, men in dark suits.
"Can this be tried on?" (Shichaku , dekimasu ka? )
"Sure" (Dozo.)
Or possibly, "I'm afraid not..." (Moshi wake gozaimasen
ga ...)
2) Remove your shoes
BEFORE stepping up on the platform. Most fitting rooms are really tent-like
stalls set up amidst the merchandise on the floor. Typically a small,
raised podium is enclosed by a curtain. Don't be surprised if a sales
person turns your shoes around for you while you try things on. This
is to make it easier for you to put your shoes back on when leaving.
3) Bring, or wear,
socks or stockings when trying on shoes. Most stores will not permit
customers to try shoes on barefooted. Not all stores provide disposable
stocking foot covers, so bring your own.
Making a Purchase
Unlike some other
Asian cities, Tokyo is not a place to haggle over prices. The price
of each item is clearly marked. Japan has a consumption tax, called
shohizei, on all goods and services. Prices marked on some things,
however, may not include this tax, for which you will be charged separately.
When in doubt, ask. The tax is currently 5% [January, 2000]
Although more Japanese
are using credit cards these days, especially when traveling overseas,
cash is still the most common method of payment in Japan, even for large
purchases such as appliances. Most Japanese department stores and some
shops, especially those that cater to foreign visitors, will accept
major credit cards. Again, when in doubt, ask.
Putting something
on hold, whether for a few hours or several days, is not customarily
done. So, you can't count on sales clerks setting an item aside for
you while you look elsewhere, or grab a quick bite to eat.
Paying in installments,
called bunkatsu-barai, is becoming more popular, especially among
the young adult population. Finance charges vary from item to item,
and from store to store.
Wrapping It Up
Once you've made your decision
to buy an item, allow yourself a little extra time for wrapping rituals,
which can be slow and seem tedious. You'll probably be asked if the item
is for personal use (go-jitaku yo desu ka?) or to give to someone
else (okurimono desu ka? or purezento desu ka?). Selecting
the right paper, ribbon, and message for presents is an important part
of the Japanese gift-giving tradition. Japanese customers will provide
sales clerks with detailed information on the age, status and relationship
of the intended recipient in order to make appropriate wrapping choices.
Awareness of environmental
issues is increasing in Japan, and many stores have begun to use recycled
components and to reduce the total amount of material used to wrap an
item. Still, compared with America and Europe, items tend to be elaborately
packaged. In supermarkets, Japanese customers will segregate food from
non-grocery items when packing up their carts. That's why extra bags
are provided.
It's For Keeps
Unlike America,
where return and exchange policies are prominently displayed near cash
registers, if you want to know what a particular store's policy is in
Japan, you will need to make inquiries.
All the stores
interviewed for this article stated that returns or exchanges are possible
with original receipts in hand. My own experience and observation of
local habits, though, leads me to conclude that any attempt to return
merchandise is considered very bad form. Unless it is a defective
product, most Japanese customers will refrain from bringing an item
back to the store where it was purchased. When there is a problem, though,
the store will apologize profusely and act as advocate on behalf of
the customer to obtain a replacement from the manufacuter or supplier.
Refunds are rare; store credit is sometimes offered.
Other Amenities and Services
When it rains,
plastic slip-on covers, that keep your umbrella from dripping on you,
others, and the merchandise, are provided at most stores. Help yourself
to one as you enter; remove the cover and place it in the receptacle
provided for that purpose when you leave. I often take an extra cover
with me to use later when boarding a train or a bus.
Children are not
just tolerated, they are actually welcomed, at Japanese stores, especially
in the toy and book sections where displays and sample games are set
up to attract, and hold, their attention. Other child-friendly facilities
in Japanese department stores include state-of-the-art mother-and-child
toilets, as well as diaper changing tables, in many of the ladies bathrooms.
Major department
stores and a few supermarkets offer delivery services, for a fee. Most
neighborhood shops and markets, however, do not. International and domestic
shipping and postage is costly; you'll want to carry your purchases
with you.
Open for Business?
Most stores are
open on weekends and Japanese national holidays, but business hours
and days can be quirky. It is always best to check with the store. The
following 8-digit phone numbers are all in Tokyo; from other locations
in Japan, dial area code 03 before these local numbers. Internationally,
dial the country code 81 + city code 3 before local numbers. With the
exception of Isetan, all phones listed here will be answered in Japanese.
Department Stores:
Isetan (Foreign Customer Service) 3225-2514
Keio (Shinjuku) 3342-2111
Matsuzakaya (Ginza) 3572-1111
Mitsukoshi (Ginza) 3562-1111, (Shinjuku) 3354-1111, (Nihonbashi) 3241-3311
Odakyu (Shinjuku) 3342-1111
Seibu (Shibuya) 3462-0111 (Ikebukuro) 3981-0111
Takashimaya (Nihonbashi) 3211-4111
Tokyu (Shibuya) 3477-3111 (Nihonbashi) 3273-3111
Specialty Stores:
Tokyu Hands (Shibuya; do-it-yourself & crafts) 5489-5111
Seibu Loft (Shibuya; do-it-yourself & crafts)
Ito-ya (Ginza; stationary) 3561-8311
Kinokuniya (Shinjuku; books) 3354-0131
Maruzen (Nihonbashi; books) 3272-7211
Jena (Ginza; books) 3571-2980
Meida-ya (Kyobashi; supermarket) 3271-1111
Kinokuniya (Aoyama; supermarket) 3409-1231
National Azabu Supermarket (Azabu) 3442-3181
(First published in The International Herald Tribune,
July 1996. Copyright (c) Elizabeth Andoh. All rights reserved.)
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