Some small hotels don’t want foreign guests

Don’t sweat fellow gaijins , it’s our brilliant Dollar bills they wouln’t get a sight of in the next , like … a century
!!!

Why should they adapt? Say you run a nice quite ryokan in a quiet rural, mountainous area. Your main selling point is the traditional atmosphere of a wooden building with tatami on the floors, a nice, but humble hot spring, good, but undeniably Japanese food and a friendly staff. Let’s assume they turn a small, but stable, profit. Their clientèle consists mainly of Japanese couples and groups of co-workers looking for a break from a hectic life in the big city, longing for an environment where they can relax, and feel as if time is standing still.

Now, I doubt such a ryokan would object to a foreign couple that speaks Japanese, and exhibits all the signs of people that know how to behave in such a traditional environment, or would at least ask when in doubt. Or perhaps they wouldn’t object, or rather even welcome, a small group of Japanese friends accompanied by a foreigner that shows at least some signs of understanding the local culture.

The tone James strikes in this article makes it seem that the staff of such a ryokan, who may barely speak a few words of English, should be obliged to welcome busloads of foreign tourists who can’t speak a single word of Japanese, have a completely different set of norms and values, and may not understand some of the most basic rules of conduct in such an environment. May the kami be merciful if they even bring their offspring!

You’re welcome to explain this in any way you see fit, but if you want to bridge the divide between “them” and “us”, why should they be expected to be able to deal with foreign tourists, foreign values and a foreign language in their own land? That’s not only rude, it is pure and simple cultural imperialism.

郷に入っては郷に従え。

it is their honne, right

got to agree with kevin. there is a myth that there are all these impenetrable customs about living/travelling in japan. i remember reading up on these sorts of things before i first came over here but was informed when i did arrive that most were anachronisms. i think it feeds into the way that (some) japanese like to see themselves but just puts up walls between us and can be used as an excuse for less tangible fears of the unknown

i feel a little sympathetic to the retired couple pension owners but i think their fear is based on prejudice and not helped by images they must see in the media. also, i agree that someone should remind these people that it is not necessary to be a fluent english speaker in order be a good host.

Just personal opinion, but if it was me…there are so many places where one can stay.This is business, after all, if the company(ryokan) wants to develop and prosper, they need to find more ways to attract more capital(money), including foreign capital from foreign tourists.If they think keeping the current policy of taking only guests they can communicate with will keep the enterprise alive, it is again their choise.And we, foreigners, haven’t run out of places to stay when we travel around Japan.I’ve never stayed in ryokan so far-it is much more expensive than a hotel or YH.Also, there are enough ryokans with English speaking stuff in the most common tourist sites for all who want to experience Japanese lifestyle.
BTW, for ponta:Humility and humbleness are two essential Japanese virtues.Boasting with your Japanese language skills, (B- level) just to prove that the others don’t speak Japanese and to humiliate them just makes you look…nasakenai.

“The survey results indicate a fear of the unknown. Small ryokans that have never had foreign guests simply do not know what to expect, and their owners are very nervous about the communication and service problems that will occur with foreign guests that do not speak Japanese. The number of foreign tourists coming to Japan is increasing every year, and these hotels will have to overcome their fears if they want to cash in on the opportunity.”

And IF there is a STRONG demand for these small ryokans, they will do so accordingly. Let the market dictate whether these ryokans should employ foreign speakers and/or install foreigner friendly facilities.

Some ryokans may just not need them simply because they are content on servicing Japanese customers and have done so for many years.

旅館のオヤジ「なに怒ってるんだがわかんない。」
旅館の女将「こういう外人さん多いのよ、レイシズムとか言ってすぐ怒り出す外人さんが・・・さて、さて、さて、困ったものだわね。
ゆっくり話せばわかるかしら？」
旅館のオヤジ「で、お、きゃ、く、さ、ん。な、ん、で、す、かあああ？に・ほ・ん・じ・ん・に・も・わ・か・る・よ・う・に・は・な・し・て・く・だ・さ・い・な？」

a good point.
And I　have been making valid argument in Japnese.
You just refuse to communicate in what little Japanese you know.
And since you have no preference over language, let me make a valid arugment in Japanese.

まず、経済的な観点からいって、特に集客に困っていないなら、これらの旅館が日本語ができない外国人を接待するコストを考えて、新たなビジネスモデル採用する理由はあまりない。これをもって人種差別的だ、というのはいかがなものか、というのがはじめの論点です。

つぎに、英語で電話予約をされて、、日本語のみで答える。そこで、相手の外国人が英語のサービスがないと考えその旅館をやめる、というのは、これも合理的でしょう。

例えばの話、日本語がわからない投稿者の中には、日本語でレスされて、応答をやめる人もいるでしょう。多少なりとも日本語ができて応答してくれる人もいるかもしれません。そこで両者共に応答する相手に関して合理的な選別がされるわけです。

ジョンさんはこのように、日本語で答える旅館業者が人種差別的だとおっしゃているのでしょうか？だとしたら、私はそうは思いません。

I think I’ve made valid point. Now it is your time to make a valid point by your action.

ぼくはわりに議論が好きですので、それに、日本語なら気軽ですし、どうぞ,feel free to comment.

John, your argument is not boosted by merely claiming ponta is writing bollocks. You need to be more specific. Otherwise you come off as being purely negative, without any intent to engage in debate.

ジョンさん
ぼくは前にも書きましたけど、議論は嫌いじゃない。だから、議論するのはかまわないんですが、以前ご自身やハリー氏が反論できない議論をぼくがしたからといって、、ここでそれを持ち出すのはいかがなものか、と思いますよ。論者の問題と論題とは区別しましょうよ。

you appear to be able to read my words, but fail to comprehend my words. And as such you have gone down a road of assumptions that have no relevance to the point I am making.

ジョンさん、正直ぼくはこういうーーーほかにも似たのがありますけどーーーコメントに応答するのがめんどうくさいんですよ。例えば、ボクが日本語で書いて、ジョンさんが応答しないとき、you appear to be unable to read even my words and fial to comprehend my words　なんて言い返して何になるんですか？論題から離れていくだけでしょう？
ボクはボクに反論した人を憶えておいて、今度登場したときにやっつけてやろうなんて野暮なことは考えていません。一期一会、そのときそのときの議論を愉しめばよい。overthnker さんやLBさん、あるいは他の方々とも意見は違うこともありますーーoverthinker 氏とはkenntanaka氏の件でやりあいましたし、LBさんとは矢島美容室の件で意見が違いますーーーが、すばらしい論者として尊敬していますよ。だから、ジョンさんの次回のすばらしい議論を期待しています。
　一応、ジョンさんの議論についていいますと、ジョンさんは「旅館の女将が日本語で対応する、それによって、外人の方がそのホテルを選択しない」というあり方に「外人を拒絶し、人種差別主義である」という想定をみたーーーということですね・・・しかし、ここに間違いあります。
　女将が、日本語で通すということは、日本語でしゃべれる外人さんを拒絶することを意味しないのです。それはぼくがリンクしたビデオでも明らかでしょう。電話予約で一貫して日本語で話されて、コミニケーションがとれなくてその旅館についてあきらめるのは、ジョンさん、あなたのように、日本語が理解できず、片言の日本語もしゃべろうとしない旅行者だと思いますがね。で、日本の旅館が日本語で通して、日本語ができる外国人がそこに泊まればそれでよし、しかし、仮に外国人がその旅館を選択しなかった場合、どうして、それが人種差別的になるんですか？

　ハリー氏とはまた議論できるのを楽しみにしてますけど、ハリー氏のときに日本語で書いたのは彼がトーン云々や理解力云々といった本質的でないこと言ったからです。
　今回は、ジョンさん、ぼくが日本語で書いているのは、旅館業者が電話で日本語のみで応答している場面を重ね合わせているのです。日本語ができないジョンさんはどうするか、と。片言でわかったり、しゃべれたりするひとなら議論は続けられるでしょう。しかし、それもできなければ、議論は続かない。ジョンさんはあきらめる。しかし、ぼくが、日本語で通したからと言って人種差別主義者にならないのは、英語で通したジョンさんが、英語で通したからといって人種差別主義者や、外国人嫌いーーこの場合日本人嫌いーーーにならない、の同様です。これが私の例示による議論です。
　おまけとして、日本語のみで応対されたときのジョンさんらの反応は、日本において、外国人コミニティーで日本語で意思伝達しようとする日本人が一部在日外国人から受ける応対を暗示しているかもしれませんね。
　日本での生活、愉しんで下さい。

I never said that I didn’t agree with you on this issue. I was just pointing out to Ponta that you are an unreasonable person to try and have a discussion with, whether we have the same opinions or not.

“The total and complete lack of comprehension by some posters on this site is truly outstanding.”

As is the lack of reasonable debate. You are consistently refusing to engage in any, and merely repeat your contention that you are not understood, like some petulant teenager. I agree with LB. This is trolling.

“Your continual and demonstrably poor lack of understanding stifles any debate here.”

Then demonstrate it rather than merely claiming it. I am sure you will also claim that your use of “catamite” is not intended to cast aspersions of the sexual preferences of anyone here in what might be seen as an ad hominem attack….