Have you ever seen a sign that said "no foreigners" or "Japanese Only"?

Question

I live on Okinawa and I've seen a couple of places that display a sign like that - well anyway I was just wondering if any one of yall that lives on mainland Japan ever see a sign like that, usually on a restaurant , bar or hotel.

Answer 1

I never saw one; I was mainly in Tokyo, Osaka and Kobe.

Answer 2

There were a couple places that didn't allow drunk foriegners in and they were mainly strip clubs that catered to old Japanese guys... They didn't have any signs in the areas I visited, and I never had the need to visit a strip club in Japan (my wife would be very upset) but some of the guys at work would complain about not being let into some of these places. But it's about the establishment owner's policy in keeping order and a certain clientel. If a place wants to have young women dance naked and only rich old horney Japanese dudes watch, they will make policies such as "no drunk people" or something similar to "we reserve the right to refuse service to anyone" or simply that you must wear a suit to get in. There is no doubt in my mind that these policies are aimed at keeping out certain people such as drunk foriegners. BUT- it is Japanese law that they cannot discriminate against customers because of race, creed or nationality. That is a fact! If you speak Japanese and can convey this point to a doorman who is not letting you in because you are American, ask for the manager and tell him that you will report him to the city for discrimination. This all has to be done in Japanese though, plus I wouldn't even want to go into a place that doesn't want me there. My money is better spent on places that want my buisiness.

Okinawa is a whole different ballgame than the mainland though. I've been to Sapporo, Hokkaido but never did see any signs like that either. Okinawa has a lot of anti-American people because of all the jacked up things that military people have done there. Last time I was there was 2003 and there was a problem with military people trashing the beach and partying on the seawall. Nobody wants their home trashed and these 18-25 year old military guys that are away from the US for the first time screw it up for everyone else. In 2002, someone (US Military) on the island did something stupid and even though we were just there for a week of training, we were restricted and had to be indoors by 10pm! All because some drunk military guy did something jacked up. When we did get to go tour Okinawa I spoke Japanese to the shop employees and taxi drivers and never had a problem...

Put it like this, would you want a drunk Japanese guy running around your town breaking stuff, causing problems and such? Nope, and the Japanese don't want drunk Americans doing the same thing in their towns... That's why there are signs like that

Answer 3

I have been in Tokyo for 8 years and haven't come across a sign like this. I have walked into places that feel a bit tense at first, then warm up if you speak Japanese well (I don't, but wife does). I have been to Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Nagasaki, Hiroshima, Kumomoto, Kagoshima, Beppu in western Japan and Sapporo and Asahikawa in Hokkaido I also spent some time in Nagano. I have never seen a sign that restricted foreigners. The only time I really felt nervous about being foreign was in a coed mudbath in Beppu. The place had a bit of a Yakuza feel to it (my impression). I felt some pretty hostile stares for a few minutes then I settled down in the mud and forgot all about the other folks, they in turn ignored me, so it didn't turn out all that bad.

All in all, I found most Japanese to be very accomodating, although you will run into rudeness and prejudice as well. I believe the others who have said they have run across these signs, but I have not. I do know that many real estate agents will direct you away from housing if the owners are not comfortable with foreigners.

Answer 4

no, and I have lived in Japan for a total of 6 years. That said, I havent been up to Hokkaido yet, and apparently that's where you can find alot of those types of signs (if you google gaijin activist Debito Arudo you can read all about it.) If did run into one, I would likely A) rip the sign off and B) not patronize the place afterwards. Why would you want to give your hard earned money to racist and/or ignorant people anyway? (Most of the places that do discriminate like this are either onsen that have had problems in the past with visiting sailors or right-wing yakuza type places.) If I found something like this on a convenience store door or a chain restaurant, then I would be on the phone to the corporate office raising hell. Had an unrelated "gaijin" issue with Eneos once like this -- the corporate office reamed out the local operator and they offered me an apology (plus a refund).

Answer 5

Yes, but it was years ago in Tokyo - maybe the 1980s. Some bars and geisha houses did not allow non-Japanese in and posted signs to that effect. In most cases, I didn't want to go anyway because they were too expensive.

Answer 6

There were signs like these in Kyoto on some of the geisha houses when I was there. I suppose they don't want drunk foreigners who mistake geishas for prostitutes. Didn't see anything like that in Tokyo, although I've been told there are some. I'm Caucasian, but I can understand these signs somewhat, particularly since we Americans are not always the best respecters of other cultures, even when we're in another country!! The Japanese word for foreigner, "gaijin," translates as barbarian, and when you see how some tourists behave you can understand why.

Answer 7

I have never seen one and I hope I never do. Whether it is in Okinawa, the US, or ANYWHERE! The closest I have seen to this was a monastery in Greece requiring women to be in dresses -- yeah, right.

In NYC in the 1890s there were signs that said No Dogs or Irishmen allowed. Those of us familiar with US History know of the Jom Crow 'separate but equal' laws which are fortunately a thing of the past. I certainly hope the Japanese are more progressive than you suggest, though if not I hope we can convince them that they should be.

Answer 8

Never seen that.
I only know that in the past, no women is allowed to go to Koya-san (Kyoto) --- a sacred mountain only for spiritual pilgrimages.
Women are discriminated rather than foreigners.

Answer 9

I lived in Aomori for a period of time and never saw signs there of that nature. Most people were quite welcoming.

Answer 10

in hotels somewhere in Nagoya...

i remember when we were stranded at Nagoya (i think its 12am) so there were no trains already..its so freezing cold and when we enter this hotel we're sorry because none of us can speak Jpanese fluently so we stayed chilling outside and wait for the train to come by the morning...

poor gaijins....