Job Discussion Forums

[TokyoLiz]

JimDunlop,

Maybe it's a Chiba thing, the smokeless Mossburgers.

What the heck is it with people lighting up any old where. Two labourers on the Joban Line yesterday morning started to light up on the train before their stop! Crazy, thoughtless kids.

My pet peeve is going to my favorite secret coffee shop on a Sunday afternoon, whole place to myself, cafe au lait in a luxurious Spode china cup, cool jazz on the stereo, writing in my journal and getting smoked out by some grizzled gang of ojichan who arrive after me. Grrr.

[lajzar]

I heard a rumour that some branches of Mos are totally non-smoking, and that such branches have a distinctive green colour scheme. Can anyone confirm?

[Zzonkmiles]

This thread made me think of a piece of advice that many people outside of Japan may find to be useful.

Japan can be a very, very difficult place to live in if you hate smoking, are a vegetarian, hate conformity, are paranoid, or are a strong feminist who recoils at the mistreatment of women.

I'm not dismissing these issues as trivial, nor am I branding the people concerned with these issues as whiners. I'm saying that change occurs very slowly in Japan and it can be quite frustrating to have to deal with this on a daily basis and be virtually powerless to change the situation in general.

[JimDunlop2]

Zzonk: but just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you...

[BradS]

Heh, yeah, I guess but you can actually make a difference. Don't dine in restaurants that are smoking or have no no smoking areas. I'm pretty sure that everyone here has Japanese friends. Next time you're out for a drink or a bite to eat and deciding where to go, simply say you don't want to eat/drink at a place that has smoking in it. Want to send a message to the restaurant's manager or staff? Simply ask them if there's a no smoking area. If there is one fine. But if it's simply a small sign in a table and they tell you THAT table is the no smoking area, tell the waitress that you don't want to eat there. Especially if you're with a group of people, and Japanese people at that.

It won't happen over night, but it will make a difference. It's all too easy to simply give in and eat anywhere. Just think to yourself, "Would I eat here back home?"

Now, if only something could be done about those "Smoking Zones" on train stations. Those are HELL when you have a breeze blowing towards you and 15 smokers upwind.

[wintersweet]

[unsung]

I was at Starbucks studying my Japanese. My seat was by the window and although I can see the smokers, thankfully there is a three inch thick bullet proof Starbucks inc.* plexy glass window between us so I didn't have to smell anything.

A girl outside kept on catching my eye everytime I looked out. I think she might have been interested in me. but as far as smoking women go, they're about as attractive as a farmer taking a dump on the can. Well, as I said, she kept on looking up at me. Closing time came and I notice she was lingering by the door. As I was leaving she started calling out something. "Walk faster, walk faster..just get the F outta there" Luckily I got out there in one piece.

* Starbucks is a copyrighted trademark. Any unlawful usage will result in fines suspetion etc..

[BradS]

Last night I told a man on Nishi Nippori St platform that he can't smoke there (he was right in front of the No Smoking sign for crying out loud!!!) and he bolted! I scared the Hell out of him and all I did was point to the sign and say "Mitte". Fair enough my face looked a but pissed off, but I didn't mean to scare the guy. It sure was fun though.

[markle]

Saw an interesting innovation yesterday. A small eatery near home had smoking/nonsmoking times like nonsnoking 12-2.

[JimDunlop2]

Expand the non-smoking times to go from 12:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. and you'll have my undivided attention.

[BradS]

Exactly. Unless they flush out the entire building and air con systems after smoking hour, I think they're kind of missing the point. Like jumping in a taxi after the passenger before you has been lighting up.

[unsung]

[JimDunlop2]

Hey Brad! How's the website coming?

Recently the Daily Yomiuri had an excellent story on non-smoking bars in Japan. Read here: http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/features/scene/20060716TDY22005.htm

There's also a Japanese site similar to yours called kinen style. That's here: http://www.kinen-style.com/ They've got a lotta stuff there but unfortunately it's all in Japanese -- but it may help you include some more establishments on your English site.

Cheers,

JD

[Lynn]

I just came back from a week long visit to Japan. I was really looking forward to Mr. Donuts. (I actually don't like American doughnuts) While my husband was shopping, I had planned to wait for him at misdo and meet up there. I took one look at the shop from outside and saw it was a smoker's paradise. I didn't even enter the shop. My husband and I searched for a place for me to wait, but every place was smokey or had a few "non-smoking" tables amongst the smoke. In the end, I had to wait at Starbucks. I'm not a Staba fan, and I was expecially disappointed that I had travelled so far to be at a shop I can go to any day here in the states.

In observation, though, I noticed that Japanese people *do* want nonsmoking shops. Starbucks was standing room only. Customers just stood up near the rubbish bins drinking their coffee waiting for a table to open.

[JimDunlop2]