世論 What Japan Thinks

infoPLANT recently performed a survey by their usual means of a self-selecting public poll available through the iMode menus regarding eating out. 5,926 people successfully completed the questionnaire between June 6th and 13th of this year, of which 67.2% were female.

I’ve previously translated a more detailed poll on eating out habits, but this one contains perhaps a few new revelations that weren’t apparent from the earlier survey. For me, I feel anything over 2,000 yen is a bit dear, and 2,500 yen is definitely pushing the boat out, although it must be noted that we don’t drink alcohol and usually only have just the one soft drink each, often free or discounted within the course menu we usually choose.

I often use discount coupons from free papers like Hot Pepper, but I didn’t realise that they were so favoured by women. It’s also interesting to note that although men eat out much more frequently than women, most of the restaurants I go to the ratio is more like 80% or more female. An interesting future survey may be on the type of restaurant people frequent; men appear to me to spend their time in pubs or the Japanese equivalent of a Greasy Spoon.

Since word of mouth is the top way of finding where to eat, why doesn’t someone start an English-language Japan restaurant Web two point naught CGM AJAX thingamajig?
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[part 1] [part 2]

goo Research recently conducted a survey to see what people thought about eating out. 2,195 people from the goo Research monitors answered a private internet survey. 48.6% of the sample was male, 18.1% were teenagers, 17.5% were in their twenties, 19.8% in their thirties, 21.5% in their forties, 17.0% in their fifties, 4.6% in their sixties, and 1.6% seventy years old or older.

Since this second half is about discount tokens, I’ll introduce probably about the best English-language discount coupon I know, for Hakkakuan in Daimaru, Osaka. I’ve used it twice, and depending on which staff you get, you get either both of the discounts or have to choose one. Get there just before 5pm and you can get an early dinner at lunchtime prices, including all you can eat silken tofu. Some of the set menus are all vegetarian. Next, whenever you eat out make sure to get a point card from the restaurant if they have one. Many places have such a scheme, and the discounts available amount to usually 5% to 10% off.
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[part 1] [part 2]

goo Research recently conducted a survey to see what people thought about eating out. 2,195 people from the goo Research monitors answered a private internet survey. 48.6% of the sample was male, 18.1% were teenagers, 17.5% were in their twenties, 19.8% in their thirties, 21.5% in their forties, 17.0% in their fifties, 4.6% in their sixties, and 1.6% seventy years old or older.

For me, lunchtime is usually bread from a local bread shop; we have a subsidised canteen, but I have never got used to slurping, and I dislike the school lunch atmosphere of the place! I would personally define my special meals out as either work parties or, if it is with wifey, going out explicitly to eat and spending more than 2,000 yen each, which would put me in the four to five times a year bracket or so. One nice place for special meals is 梅の花, Ume no Hana, “Plum Blossom”, a posh tofu place. The one in Kobe Motomachi (and that part of Kobe has a lovely collection of old solid stone buildings, rather a rarity in Japan) has excellent views over the harbour and mountains, and the private rooms make for a wonderful date!
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