Along with the still ubiquitous masks, the other great inescapable eyesores of Covid-era Japan have been the various types of partitions, which are still standard in supermarkets, convenience stores, post offices, etc.
I love the partitions. I feel like I am in jail and I get to say "Get me the hell out of here! I am innocent! My lawyer screwed me!" Unfortunately, I am the only one laughing.
One of my students is the CEO of a food service company. He wants to remove them but the customers have come to prefer them, especially the female customers. They feel more comfortable dining there alone with the partitions. The reduce the number of customers they can seat at one time and even when at full capacity with them, the most they can seat is 10% less than with out.
Not going to be able to rebuild the economy like that.
I'm going to Japan on an exchange semester this fall and I'm curious, is this partitioning prevalent in Izakayas/bars as well? Or is it mainly restaurants? I thought by the time I go to Japan, they would have at least partially stopped with this craziness but alas.. masks and partitioning still going strong I see.
Some restaurant chains still have partitions on tables, and some ramen restaurants have them between the counter seats. But I'd say most places in central Tokyo don't have them.
1st thing we do in place with partitions - we take them off and put on them on the floor. Masks were never "compulsory" in Japan I think except perhaps for hospitals and such. We moved here in March 2022 and I've had the face-nappy on only handful of times. Don't worry about it and enjoy Japan! The more masked people the more oxygen for you! And less shedding (my wife would say)
Im not that worried about having to wear a mask since I know its not compulsory, I do like seeing people's faces though and the dystopian look of everyone wearing mask doesn't sit quite right with me.
It’s never been compulsory, yet I have lost 2/3 of my earnings for not complying with the masking recommendations. Hotels were and I believe still are allowed to compel mask use. I know the one I stayed in last simmer did. The I one I stayed at last spring did not say anything to me about me not being masked but it has damaged my relationship with my in-laws to say nothing of that between my wife, kids and I. Got the stink eye from two people yesterday as I picked my child up from cram school. However, I did see a few families from overseas in Tokyo last week and a couple of gaijin who appeared to live here with out masks.
While they have not been compulsory, I have been told I must either don a mask or leave. Until the end of this just finished school year, my kids have been required to wear a mask all day everyday these past 3 years. Many businesses are requiring their employees to continue wearing them. It will be interesting to see if this continues until after GW when supposedly this is all to end.
Yes with at least some with signs telling it is prohibited to talk and to have groups larger than four people. However, this is not universal. Just how prevalent it is in Tokyo, I have no idea as I have not gone out there in over 3 years now, despite it being just across the river from my home. In my city, many have followed all these “ recommendations” as if they’re were God’s law and straight from his lips. A few, however have found ways around them. The only thing I can say for sure is that things are not as they were at the very beginning of 2020.
We do not patronize any covidian restaurant that maintains these things and generally avoid covidian supermarkets and shops. We turn around and leave. Fortunately there are enough around us without them.
Our local pharmacy has these useless plastic barriers in place but, alas, the staff are not fastidious in keeping them clean and the smears/droplet marks are all too visible when viewed from a certain angle. I’m so tempted to comment on them, but fear being banished from the premises because of the “Our staff will not tolerate any form of abuse” notices which are prominently displayed. These maddening notices are ubiquitous now in the UK and the most innocent of remarks can be viewed as “abuse” by a grumpy shop assistant.
I just checked with my 3rd grader. Those individual partitions were used off and on for snack time over these past 3 years. I have seen them, though the ones they have “looked purpose built”.
Stupid is as stupid does.
The Partition People have same mentality as those Japanese soldiers that hid out in the jungle, decades after WW2 ended.
Categorically incapable of changing gears.
Funny, in a sad sort of way.
I think his name was Onoda. He is revered in some circles. Not in mine.
He was referred to in the book, "The Subtle Art of not Giving a F***"
Sounds familiar.
His commanding officer was (fortunately) still alive and officially relieved him of duty.
Sheesh!
I believe 20 years after the war had ended. Sheesh is right.
I love the partitions. I feel like I am in jail and I get to say "Get me the hell out of here! I am innocent! My lawyer screwed me!" Unfortunately, I am the only one laughing.
True. ;)
Hey . . . your lawyer? How about "the police framed me" and "my lawyer is incompetent?" Heh. More realistic.
OK. I will give it a shot at the supermarket today.
I have not seen a single place that had these, remove them. They all still have them.
There’s a ramen place near me that got rid of the partitions on the counter. But yeah, most places seem content to leave them in place.
Well, that is progress.
One of my students is the CEO of a food service company. He wants to remove them but the customers have come to prefer them, especially the female customers. They feel more comfortable dining there alone with the partitions. The reduce the number of customers they can seat at one time and even when at full capacity with them, the most they can seat is 10% less than with out.
Not going to be able to rebuild the economy like that.
I'm going to Japan on an exchange semester this fall and I'm curious, is this partitioning prevalent in Izakayas/bars as well? Or is it mainly restaurants? I thought by the time I go to Japan, they would have at least partially stopped with this craziness but alas.. masks and partitioning still going strong I see.
Some restaurant chains still have partitions on tables, and some ramen restaurants have them between the counter seats. But I'd say most places in central Tokyo don't have them.
That is great news. I hope, I need for this to all end in less than a month.
1st thing we do in place with partitions - we take them off and put on them on the floor. Masks were never "compulsory" in Japan I think except perhaps for hospitals and such. We moved here in March 2022 and I've had the face-nappy on only handful of times. Don't worry about it and enjoy Japan! The more masked people the more oxygen for you! And less shedding (my wife would say)
Im not that worried about having to wear a mask since I know its not compulsory, I do like seeing people's faces though and the dystopian look of everyone wearing mask doesn't sit quite right with me.
It’s never been compulsory, yet I have lost 2/3 of my earnings for not complying with the masking recommendations. Hotels were and I believe still are allowed to compel mask use. I know the one I stayed in last simmer did. The I one I stayed at last spring did not say anything to me about me not being masked but it has damaged my relationship with my in-laws to say nothing of that between my wife, kids and I. Got the stink eye from two people yesterday as I picked my child up from cram school. However, I did see a few families from overseas in Tokyo last week and a couple of gaijin who appeared to live here with out masks.
While they have not been compulsory, I have been told I must either don a mask or leave. Until the end of this just finished school year, my kids have been required to wear a mask all day everyday these past 3 years. Many businesses are requiring their employees to continue wearing them. It will be interesting to see if this continues until after GW when supposedly this is all to end.
Yes with at least some with signs telling it is prohibited to talk and to have groups larger than four people. However, this is not universal. Just how prevalent it is in Tokyo, I have no idea as I have not gone out there in over 3 years now, despite it being just across the river from my home. In my city, many have followed all these “ recommendations” as if they’re were God’s law and straight from his lips. A few, however have found ways around them. The only thing I can say for sure is that things are not as they were at the very beginning of 2020.
We do not patronize any covidian restaurant that maintains these things and generally avoid covidian supermarkets and shops. We turn around and leave. Fortunately there are enough around us without them.
Our local pharmacy has these useless plastic barriers in place but, alas, the staff are not fastidious in keeping them clean and the smears/droplet marks are all too visible when viewed from a certain angle. I’m so tempted to comment on them, but fear being banished from the premises because of the “Our staff will not tolerate any form of abuse” notices which are prominently displayed. These maddening notices are ubiquitous now in the UK and the most innocent of remarks can be viewed as “abuse” by a grumpy shop assistant.
The droplet marks "just show that they work!" 🙄
I just checked with my 3rd grader. Those individual partitions were used off and on for snack time over these past 3 years. I have seen them, though the ones they have “looked purpose built”.