Service in stores in Japan is incredible. It really puts American service to absolute shame and disgrace.

For example, my trip to the large One Dollar Store (百円ショップ) this afternoon:

Walking through the main entrance, I’m greeted by random employees who welcome me into the store (「いらっしゃいませ」) and bow. As I’m walking through the isles browsing around, any and all employees that I happen to walk near that are stocking the shelves or passing through, again, greet me in the same manor.

After I’ve found everything I need and get in the checkout line, when it’s my turn to check out, the girl appologizes for making me wait in line for so long. She rings up everything and announces the total price. When I hand the money, she announces how much she’s receiving and then also how much the change is. The change along with the receipt are given to me with a bow and “please come again.”

All of this is said to me. Sometimes this service is somewhat found in the US in supermarkets and what-not but it so often feels impersonal and the person checking you out is often spaced out or just not into their job.

At a supermarket that’s close by (アオキスーパー), I once asked somebody that was stocking the shelves where the salad dressing was. Did he get confused and ask somebody else like in America? Did he point in the general direction of the store to where he thought it may be? How about point to the isle number where it could be? No sooner than I uttered the ending clause to my sentence, he dropped what he was doing, asked me politely to follow him, walked directly to the salad dressing several isles away, and proceeded to briefly explain the various flavors available.

I’ve encountered this type of service at everywhere I’ve been so far with some stores even more polite, and I’m sure other areas of Japan vary in ways. It’s almost a joy to go shopping.