Many department stores in Japan employ someone at the shop entrance to welcome customers as they come in.
They usually bow as the customer goes past and say
Irasshaimase ( Welcome )
The first time I go to see it was in a Robinsons Dept store in Kasukabe, I was with my Waifu, her Mum and sister and my older brother. My brother and I had never been in Japan before so almost everyday was a new experience.
My wife and the rest of my inlaws headed towards the womens’ clothes section and my self and my bro decided to check out some of the things for sale in the food section in the basement.
Irasshaimase!
It only took about 5 seconds before the first employee noticed us and offered an Irasshaimase. Not being used to this it seemed really rude to just ignore him so we gave a little nod of the head and turned to look at some of the exotic veggies. A second employee had heard the first and seeing two Gaikokujin in his midst he offered his own Irasshaimase.
And from there it just took off in a strange Mexican wave ( in Japanese ) across the store.
Every member of staff who was in hearing distance of an Irasshaimase looked up and offered their own welcome. We tried moving towards a quiet corner but found ourselves the focus of a bowing, greeting circle.
It was just too weird – we turned and fled towards the escalator.
Funny story. It is always off-putting to be surrounded by people who are yelling at you in a strange language even if it is just a greeting for coming into their store.
Always wondered what would be a humorous retort in this situation… maybe scream back “do itashi mashite”… or maybe not.
I felt that I really should buy something since they were paying so much attention to us.
Maybe I should just reply with the same phrase and bow
“Irasshaimase Fight to the death”
I can totally relate to this story! I remember visiting a large Book-Off store my first time in Japan, and once the first person saw me come in and said “irasshaimase” it echoed around the store, like you said. At Book-Off, though, they were yelling Irasshaimase Konnichiwaaaaaaaaaaaa. Many years later, I’m used to it now, but I could not get over it the first time
I work at a bar and we call it out when people come in. Many times I won’t even look at the door and yell it out. Sometimes it’s a gaijin who just came in and I wonder, should I go to an English “Good Evening” or stick with the Japanese. That sometimes feels weird.
Although “irasshaimase” can loosely be translated to “welcome,” I do not consider it to be a greeting. Literally, “irasshaimase” means “(someone has) arrived,” in polite Japanese. I guess it’s their way to alert people around them that a customer is in the store and to indirectly let the customer know they noticed you’re inside. When you think they greet you with “irasshaimase,” it is common to ignore it, since they are not really greeting you — they are just affirming to their peers that you arrived.
However, I can relate to your story. Ever went to a Yodobashi Camera store?
Thanks for the comment Rémi, that makes a lot of sense. I noticed that in some other places the employee would shout this out and not even make eye contact, just keep working.
I went into a Yodobashi Camera in Osaka I think, it was like running a gauntlet! They had people with megaphones at the door shouting about their special offers as well as the usual Irasshai.
You’ve got to brace yourself to go shopping sometimes ne?
When I first came to Japan, Ma-ku-do-na-ru-do (MacDonald’s Hamburgers) was just making it’s big start. I was shy about going in, I felt that I could survive without fast food. My Japanese frineds liked to eat french fries and talk, so I would go with them. The first time I went in, it was during a slow period, but they still had a full staff on. 15 people all suddenly shouting “IRASHAIMASE!!!” at the same time can be quite a surprise. Now I go into a big store it reminds me of playing Marco Polo in the pool.
Hepkess, I think you’ve just suggested what my response will be from now on.
If I hear “Irasshaimase” I just shout “Polo”
Won’t make sense to anyone else but I think it’s perfect
Thanks for all the comments everyone.
I remember that at Starbucks in Japan in order to promote the “western” feel they would go out of their way to simply say “konnichiwa” instead of “irasshaimase.” Having been in Japan for so long it felt really strange at first! I wanted my irasshai back.
Cool blog!
Got caught once in a department store mass irasshaimase. I felt embarrased for myself (baka gaijin) and for the indentured servants store employees bowing and scraping for the opportunity to assist me.
Guess I’m not the only one who gets put off by such things – my okaasan once said to me she’s ‘tired of all the flowery depaato keigo, just complete the transaction, so I can get on with my day’.
I was put off by a smarty-pants clerk at Daimaru. He rebuffed me in English for my having persisted in looking at a sale bin of men’s t-shirts after being told there were no LLs. I told him in Japanese that not only was he rude, I wear a different size, both American men and women wear “men’s” t-shirts, and that he should be ashamed of treating a customer so badly.
That reminds me of the “Snoopy” store in Minato Mirai 21, Yokohama.
In the morning, the staff would shout “irasshaimase” in unison to anyone who walked within a few metres of the door.
I walked by in the afternoon, their “batteries” had run down and the “irasshaimase” was a slow, exhasusted whisper.
Women in kiimonos bowed and loudly “irasshaimase’d” people to a new “kaiten” in my town (NOT in Japan).
Some people looked stunned and walked in, others ran away!
I walked in, bowed slightly and said “domo” (thanks).
Shall we call it a “Japanese Wave”?
“People bowing one after the other and saying “irasshaimase” to new arrivals”
Please come up with a better term if you think mine will remind people of the recent tsunami.
No Kidding!!!
I was on business in Tokyo and one Saturday I hiked all around Shinjuku. In the process I nearly got got ‘Irasshaimased’ to death. But what was really odd was how the greeters would tire out to the point of just moving their bodies in the facsimile of a bow and saying “eeeeh?” The next week back in New York I watched “Lost In Translation.” It’s good post traumatic stress therapy.