JAPANESE ARUARU
Before calling family in Japan, a traveler may count on their fingers beside a clock. Add a few hours, subtract them, start again. Their local friend sees exactly the same clock, but what to call this afternoon back home remains under discussion.
A Japanese traveler may order in another language, then finish with an automatic “arigatou.” An attempt to try again produces another “arigatou.” The server has already handed over the cup. The thank-you is taking longer than the order.
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A Japanese traveler arrives alone and holds up one finger when asked how many. Then comes an order for three dishes. The server takes another look at the entrance, but nobody else appears. The only arrivals are the plates.
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At the checkout, a Japanese traveler may spread unfamiliar coins across their palm. The cashier points to one, and the traveler studies the rest. Somewhere along the way, a simple payment starts to look like two people solving a tiny puzzle.
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Hold a door for a group of Japanese travelers, and you may get a little bow from each person passing through. The person holding it nods back every time. By the last traveler, their neck has had more to do than the hand holding the door.
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When the bill arrives, Japanese travelers can end up holding a small meeting, calculators out. Everyone has the same bill, but a different answer for the tip. They ordered in no time. When the server returns, the meeting is still in session.
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