Comments on: Getting change in Japan

By: Ken Y-N

Ken Y-N — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 09:01:24 +0000

Looks like I’m alone in the hating the notes first! At least I’m not the only one bothered by the upside down notes, however.

By: Ken Aston

Ken Aston — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 06:06:18 +0000

Janne, yes I do care, I want them to be in order.

By: Janne

Janne — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 03:21:08 +0000

Ken, they have the numbers in the same place whichever way the bills point. You can’t seriously think that which way the illustrations face matters to you, right?

By: Ken Aston

Ken Aston — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 02:57:20 +0000

Definitely want the notes first. There are a few bars where I know some staff is trying to cheat. Numerous customers reported (and it has happened to me) that the staff handed over the coins, holding back the notes so the customer doesn’t see any, and the customer left forgetting to take the notes. Of course this is an extremely rare case in Japan but it does happen.

Concerning the order of the notes, I hate it that most staff put the larger note on top. Flipping the notes left to right as Janne points out doesn’t work nicely because then the bill are in the wallet facing backward.

By: Janne

Janne — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 02:28:31 +0000

You know, you _can_ flip the pack of notes left to right and suddenly the high 5000 yen bill is in the back…

I too prefer getting the notes first, so I don’t have to juggle change, notes and wallet at the same time.

By: umebossy

umebossy — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 00:09:06 +0000

I hate hate hate it when they put the coins on top of the notes, as they are bound to skitter off and end up under something when I attempt to slide them into my wallet. I’d never encountered that back home but do notice it sometimes here. I much prefer it when they give me the notes first and change second or just put it on one of the little trays so I can pick it up myself!

By: Kenneth H.

Kenneth H. — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 00:02:11 +0000

I have the opposite reaction to the Japanese method of giving change. I love being handed notes first followed by coins. Here in the states you’re always handed notes with coins on top, which I find to be an inconvenience because I don’t keep notes and coins in the same place (in my wallet and pocket respectively). It was always nice for me getting change in Japan, as I had the break to put away the notes and then get the coins put away. Came off to me as a nice component to the generally hospitality driven service industry.

I guess the issue of note order is driven by how you sort your wallet, but I can definitely see that as an annoying point.