Tipping in Japan

Just the Tip of Gratuity Culture

Honestly, I shouldn’t have been laughing but I couldn’t help myself. I really do try to sympathize with the plight of visitors traveling abroad in foreign lands. This one, however, was just too comical. You see, right in front of my eyes, a scene was playing itself out that I had only heard mentioned in exaggeration. From what I could gather, a North American couple was making their way out of a Japanese restaurant. The pair was followed by a frantic looking staff member who was waving a couple of bills high above his head while hastily pursuing the two. Though he was doing all he could to capture their attention, his cries fell on deaf ears. After all, the duo didn’t speak the local tongue. While this scene might confuse those from many western countries, I knew instantly what had happened. They had gone and done something they shouldn’t have. They left a tip!

Anyone who isn’t living under a rock already knows that Japan is renowned globally for its impeccable “omotenashi” service culture. Nevertheless, I have a few qualms with how the rigidity of the roles interacts with those who don’t realize their underlying boundaries. That said, generally speaking, the quality and standard of service in Japan is FAR higher than those back home. As such, it often comes as a shock to visitors that tipping is almost entirely unheard of here…