"So where we are heading for dinner now?" said hubby while driving us after work and picked the children. Every in the car one was hungry, quick decission is needed.

"Up to you" I replied.

"OK…how about Tenya?"offered him addressing the chain tempura shop.

"No, I am not into fried things…too oily" said I.

"OK…how about Wanoka?" offered him addressing the Japanese nabe (boiled in a pot) dishes restaurant. This is to counter his first offer of oily food with the much more healthy boiled food.

"No, I don’t like their summer menu selection" said I.

"OK…how about Grazy Garden?" offered him addressing the Italian family restaurant.

"No, children don’t eat much everytime we go there. They don’t like it" said I.

"OK…how about Springs Hotel?"offered him addressing the buffet dinner at nearby hotel.

"No, too expensive for weekday dinner" said I.

"OK…how about Bamiyan?" offered him addressing the chain Chinese restaurant.

"No, their seafood selection is too limited, crowded and take ages to get the food served" said I.

"OK…how about Yamato?" offered him addressing our favorite sushi restaurant. Almost gave up by now.

"No….we had sushi yesterday and the day before..too much raw fish is not good for tiny stomach" said I concerning about my two years old who crazy about sushi.

"OK…how about you choose?"He gave up.

"No…I have no idea. Whatever is ok. Up to you"

"Honey, you are impossible"

Dear hubby, bear with me.

Have you ever scared of something not even clear what?
I do.
I don’t know why, I know I should not believe it, but the fact is, for five years in a row, October has been always a tough month for me.
There is always something happen in October. A planned ones and surprised ones too. The happening is different from year to year. But it always consumes all of my energy and drain my emotion too. A moth with a lot of sleepless nights.

This morning, my always healthy CRV, all of a sudden didn’t react when I turned the ignition. No sound, nothing. Then I ran to nearby bus stop to find out no bus toward my office scheduled before 9:19 (Damn! Don’t they think for people who need to go to office before 9?) So I loosed my chance to try to go to office by bus for the first time, after experiencing a car problem for the first time in Japan. Hubby came out after I called him by the mobile and surrendered his car key. I got to be selfish driving his car and let him drop the kids to Day care center by bus, but I have a 9:15 meeting.
Is this an omen? A preliminary test entering October?

The fact that this is Ramadhan month, that I should be more patience and leave it all to God didn’t affect much.
I should manage my soul. I should pray more. I am a lazy bastard.

If in other country the customer is King, here in Japan customer is God. The saying "Okyakusama kamisama" (means: The customer is God) is printed deeply in every heart and brain of any business player here. My current job is not direct Japanese customer facing, so lowering myself is not a requirement. But for others who face customer daily, this is part of life.

Being customer here, I enjoy myself:

- No matter how you dress, what you buy (or not buy at all), the shop keeper will treat you well and greet you politely "Irrashaimasse…" (Welcome) when you enter the store, and "Domo arigatou gozaimashita…" (thank you very much) when you left. Feel free to store gazing and ask to have a check on many model of branded bag in fine boutique without receiving any rude look when you dress so casual…

- If you enjoy being saluted and respected, here is the place. The shop keeper will bow to you. A friend visited from Indonesia said "Oh I feel so good receiving a deep bow from a country who once came to Indonesia for invasion" when our car just left the gas station leaving two of the worker bow 90 degree in respect until our car can no longer be seen from their sight.

- Return policy in customer favor. My boss told me how it surprised him (he is a Korean) when he came back to Bic Camera (one of the big electronic Superstore) by the advise of a colleague, to return his vacuum cleaner he bought two months ago. The machine has no problem or defect, only after using that for two months, he wished to have a newer model with quieter sound. Bic Camera accepted that and said to him " sorry for being patient for the last two months with this machine".
Similar experience to me too, when I bought a notebook screen filter which I decided that I don’t like it after five weeks.
The above are for product not on discount or sale promotion though.
Well, it might be one of the reason price is high in Japan, to cover the above practice.

- If ever the shop make a mistake, the will apologize to you like they want to cry. When a restaurant mistakenly charge me with 23 glasses of Ginger Ale while actually we consume three only (the fat finger hit both number in the cash register), I didn’t realize that until the random check of my credit card bill two month later (stupid me never check my receipt on the spot). Two weeks after I found out, when I got a chance I tried my luck to go to the restaurant and showed the bill. I was prepared with the argument, how come two customer dine in consumed 23 glasses. But I can keep the argument to myself, as once they saw the bill, the face of the restaurant mgr turned red and he started to apologize, gave us free drinks and dinner voucher while we waited for the correction. He kept on apologizing until I feel a bit embarrassed… common man, this is just a simple mistake….I am fine.

- When hubby mistakenly touch the ceramic vase on the rack and it fell down and broken to pieces ( I was….Oh My God…I lost 10,000yen!), the shop keeper is rather apologized to us for putting the good on the rack that can endanger customer (!) and make sure hubby hand is not hurt. No "pecah berarti membeli". Recently happen a lot too when Ken our 1,5 years old like to throw away glass from his hand once he finished the drink (and he hate plastic cup!)

Having said the above, surprisingly (to my Indonesian brain), the customer don’t take the advantage. The respect is from both side.
For customer service, I love Japan. Specially remembering my sister story of her experience living in France, where if you return to a shop to change a defected product, the shop will not be friendly and blame you why you didn’t check in detail before purchase the item.

Never happen in Japan.

If in other country the customer is King, here in Japan customer is God. The saying "Okyakusama kamisama" (means: The customer is God) is printed deeply in every heart and brain of any business player here. My current job is not direct Japanese customer facing, so lowering myself is not a requirement. But for others who face customer daily, this is part of life.

Being customer here, I enjoy myself:

- No matter how you dress, what you buy (or not buy at all), the shop keeper will treat you well and greet you politely "Irrashaimasse…" (Welcome) when you enter the store, and "Domo arigatou gozaimashita…" (thank you very much) when you left. Feel free to store gazing and ask to have a check on many model of branded bag in fine boutique without receiving any rude look when you dress so casual…

- If you enjoy being saluted and respected, here is the place. The shop keeper will bow to you. A friend visited from Indonesia said "Oh I feel so good receiving a deep bow from a country who once came to Indonesia for invasion" when our car just left the gas station leaving two of the worker bow 90 degree in respect until our car can no longer be seen from their sight.

- Return policy in customer favor. My boss told me how it surprised him (he is a Korean) when he came back to Bic Camera (one of the big electronic Superstore) by the advise of a colleague, to return his vacuum cleaner he bought two months ago. The machine has no problem or defect, only after using that for two months, he wished to have a newer model with quieter sound. Bic Camera accepted that and said to him " sorry for being patient for the last two months with this machine".
Similar experience to me too, when I bought a notebook screen filter which I decided that I don’t like it after five weeks.
The above are for product not on discount or sale promotion though.
Well, it might be one of the reason price is high in Japan, to cover the above practice.

- If ever the shop make a mistake, the will apologize to you like they want to cry. When a restaurant mistakenly charge me with 23 glasses of Ginger Ale while actually we consume three only (the fat finger hit both number in the cash register), I didn’t realize that until the random check of my credit card bill two month later (stupid me never check my receipt on the spot). Two weeks after I found out, when I got a chance I tried my luck to go to the restaurant and showed the bill. I was prepared with the argument, how come two customer dine in consumed 23 glasses. But I can keep the argument to myself, as once they saw the bill, the face of the restaurant mgr turned red and he started to apologize, gave us free drinks and dinner voucher while we waited for the correction. He kept on apologizing until I feel a bit embarrassed… common man, this is just a simple mistake….I am fine.

- When hubby mistakenly touch the ceramic vase on the rack and it fell down and broken to pieces ( I was….Oh My God…I lost 10,000yen!), the shop keeper is rather apologized to us for putting the good on the rack that can endanger customer (!) and make sure hubby hand is not hurt. No "pecah berarti membeli". Recently happen a lot too when Ken our 1,5 years old like to throw away glass from his hand once he finished the drink (and he hate plastic cup!)

Having said the above, surprisingly (to my Indonesian brain), the customer don’t take the advantage. The respect is from both side.
For customer service, I love Japan. Specially remembering my sister story of her experience living in France, where if you return to a shop to change a defected product, the shop will not be friendly and blame you why you didn’t check in detail before purchase the item.

Never happen in Japan.

If in other country the customer is King, here in Japan customer is God. The saying "Okyakusama kamisama" (means: The customer is God) is printed deeply in every heart and brain of any business player here. My current job is not direct Japanese customer facing, so lowering myself is not a requirement. But for others who face customer daily, this is part of life.

Being customer here, I enjoy myself:

- No matter how you dress, what you buy (or not buy at all), the shop keeper will treat you well and greet you politely "Irrashaimasse…" (Welcome) when you enter the store, and "Domo arigatou gozaimashita…" (thank you very much) when you left. Feel free to store gazing and ask to have a check on many model of branded bag in fine boutique without receiving any rude look when you dress so casual…

- If you enjoy being saluted and respected, here is the place. The shop keeper will bow to you. A friend visited from Indonesia said "Oh I feel so good receiving a deep bow from a country who once came to Indonesia for invasion" when our car just left the gas station leaving two of the worker bow 90 degree in respect until our car can no longer be seen from their sight.

- Return policy in customer favor. My boss told me how it surprised him (he is a Korean) when he came back to Bic Camera (one of the big electronic Superstore) by the advise of a colleague, to return his vacuum cleaner he bought two months ago. The machine has no problem or defect, only after using that for two months, he wished to have a newer model with quieter sound. Bic Camera accepted that and said to him " sorry for being patient for the last two months with this machine".
Similar experience to me too, when I bought a notebook screen filter which I decided that I don’t like it after five weeks.
The above are for product not on discount or sale promotion though.
Well, it might be one of the reason price is high in Japan, to cover the above practice.

- If ever the shop make a mistake, the will apologize to you like they want to cry. When a restaurant mistakenly charge me with 23 glasses of Ginger Ale while actually we consume three only (the fat finger hit both number in the cash register), I didn’t realize that until the random check of my credit card bill two month later (stupid me never check my receipt on the spot). Two weeks after I found out, when I got a chance I tried my luck to go to the restaurant and showed the bill. I was prepared with the argument, how come two customer dine in consumed 23 glasses. But I can keep the argument to myself, as once they saw the bill, the face of the restaurant mgr turned red and he started to apologize, gave us free drinks and dinner voucher while we waited for the correction. He kept on apologizing until I feel a bit embarrassed… common man, this is just a simple mistake….I am fine.

- When hubby mistakenly touch the ceramic vase on the rack and it fell down and broken to pieces ( I was….Oh My God…I lost 10,000yen!), the shop keeper is rather apologized to us for putting the good on the rack that can endanger customer (!) and make sure hubby hand is not hurt. No "pecah berarti membeli". Recently happen a lot too when Ken our 1,5 years old like to throw away glass from his hand once he finished the drink (and he hate plastic cup!)

Having said the above, surprisingly (to my Indonesian brain), the customer don’t take the advantage. The respect is from both side.
For customer service, I love Japan. Specially remembering my sister story of her experience living in France, where if you return to a shop to change a defected product, the shop will not be friendly and blame you why you didn’t check in detail before purchase the item.

Never happen in Japan.

Last week I took a half day PM off for something that has been always my passion: Broadway Musical. It was the Wednesday matinee of "Movin’ Out" a musical choreographed and directed by Twyla Tharp, wrapping a story using series of music of the legendary Billy Joel. They came to Tokyo for 8 weeks show.

OK, I will not talk about the cast and story as it can be seen in the website. And although I am the amateur fans of Broadway, let me say my humble impression.

Unlike usual musical where the artist dance and sing the song and script, "Movin’ Out" dancer demanded to dance better as they don’t have to sing. Matthew Friedman on the piano, as lead vocal sang 25 song of Billy Joel’s bundling the story. He is good, no doubt. His voice, expression, stamina. All the hits including The River of Dreams, Uptown Girl, The Way You are and surely Movin’ Out delivered perfectly. Dancer just need to concentrate on their business: dancing. And they did, they are great. The choreography was rich. From classic ballet, contemporary, till all the hip hop was tied-in perfectly. Brendan King as Eddie and Holly Cruikshank as Brenda were really really talented dancers. Stunning! Costume was perfect, lighting, no complaint. 
However, I don’t feel the real connection from one to another. Everything is great, but it is not easy to understand the story if you didn’t read about the play before. Luckily I am that good audience who always learn in detail about what I am about to see, so there were points that I need to transfer the info in whisper when hubby next to me got lost.

All the song sang by one man, in one voice, so you got to listen carefully to understand the song represent which character (it helps a lot if you are familiar with Billy Joel’s lyric). Because of that too, the stage is equally divided into two for the dancing and the band. Stage set to have two floors. Band took the upper side with Matthew and his piano placed in the center where hubby put his attention a lot of the time. While, dancing took the lower side where my attention went most of the time.

Photo credit: Russell Bouthiller

Saying the above, the play was enjoyable. Specially because the quality of work of each element as I mentioned above. Beside, between the tough schedule of works and routine and tiring housework like I have, this one is more than a refreshment.

Last week I took a half day PM off for something that has been always my passion: Broadway Musical. It was the Wednesday matinee of "Movin’ Out" a musical choreographed and directed by Twyla Tharp, wrapping a story using series of music of the legendary Billy Joel. They came to Tokyo for 8 weeks show.

OK, I will not talk about the cast and story as it can be seen in the website. And although I am the amateur fans of Broadway, let me say my humble impression.

Unlike usual musical where the artist dance and sing the song and script, "Movin’ Out" dancer demanded to dance better as they don’t have to sing. Matthew Friedman on the piano, as lead vocal sang 25 song of Billy Joel’s bundling the story. He is good, no doubt. His voice, expression, stamina. All the hits including The River of Dreams, Uptown Girl, The Way You are and surely Movin’ Out delivered perfectly. Dancer just need to concentrate on their business: dancing. And they did, they are great. The choreography was rich. From classic ballet, contemporary, till all the hip hop was tied-in perfectly. Brendan King as Eddie and Holly Cruikshank as Brenda were really really talented dancers. Stunning! Costume was perfect, lighting, no complaint. 
However, I don’t feel the real connection from one to another. Everything is great, but it is not easy to understand the story if you didn’t read about the play before. Luckily I am that good audience who always learn in detail about what I am about to see, so there were points that I need to transfer the info in whisper when hubby next to me got lost.

All the song sang by one man, in one voice, so you got to listen carefully to understand the song represent which character (it helps a lot if you are familiar with Billy Joel’s lyric). Because of that too, the stage is equally divided into two for the dancing and the band. Stage set to have two floors. Band took the upper side with Matthew and his piano placed in the center where hubby put his attention a lot of the time. While, dancing took the lower side where my attention went most of the time.

Photo credit: Russell Bouthiller

Saying the above, the play was enjoyable. Specially because the quality of work of each element as I mentioned above. Beside, between the tough schedule of works and routine and tiring housework like I have, this one is more than a refreshment.

Last week I took a half day PM off for something that has been always my passion: Broadway Musical. It was the Wednesday matinee of "Movin’ Out" a musical choreographed and directed by Twyla Tharp, wrapping a story using series of music of the legendary Billy Joel. They came to Tokyo for 8 weeks show.

OK, I will not talk about the cast and story as it can be seen in the website. And although I am the amateur fans of Broadway, let me say my humble impression.

Unlike usual musical where the artist dance and sing the song and script, "Movin’ Out" dancer demanded to dance better as they don’t have to sing. Matthew Friedman on the piano, as lead vocal sang 25 song of Billy Joel’s bundling the story. He is good, no doubt. His voice, expression, stamina. All the hits including The River of Dreams, Uptown Girl, The Way You are and surely Movin’ Out delivered perfectly. Dancer just need to concentrate on their business: dancing. And they did, they are great. The choreography was rich. From classic ballet, contemporary, till all the hip hop was tied-in perfectly. Brendan King as Eddie and Holly Cruikshank as Brenda were really really talented dancers. Stunning! Costume was perfect, lighting, no complaint. 
However, I don’t feel the real connection from one to another. Everything is great, but it is not easy to understand the story if you didn’t read about the play before. Luckily I am that good audience who always learn in detail about what I am about to see, so there were points that I need to transfer the info in whisper when hubby next to me got lost.

All the song sang by one man, in one voice, so you got to listen carefully to understand the song represent which character (it helps a lot if you are familiar with Billy Joel’s lyric). Because of that too, the stage is equally divided into two for the dancing and the band. Stage set to have two floors. Band took the upper side with Matthew and his piano placed in the center where hubby put his attention a lot of the time. While, dancing took the lower side where my attention went most of the time.

Photo credit: Russell Bouthiller

Saying the above, the play was enjoyable. Specially because the quality of work of each element as I mentioned above. Beside, between the tough schedule of works and routine and tiring housework like I have, this one is more than a refreshment.