Adrift in Japan

"Pointo Cado" Mania

One of the things that Matt and I didn't jump in on when we first got here is the point card that seems to be so ubiquitous here. Okay, yes, we did manage to sign up for a Gold Point Card at Yodobashi Camera, which has served us well. We have over 43,000 yen in points and I'm hoping to use those points soon to buy a new digital camera to take with us when we go to Kyoto in May (Matt got a new film camera, I get a digital with the points. Good deal, huh?) But our Yodobashi Gold Point Card is the only real point card we have.

And every store has one. You can't make a purchase anywhere without being asked if you have one. Sometimes I can understand the question ("Pointo cado o motte imasu ka?") but sometimes I can't and I just assume that's what they're asking. For all I know they're asking if I would prefer paper or plastic. Just a quick list of the point cards I don't have that I probably should have signed up for: Seibu and Loft (Club One), Daimaru, Stellar Place, Maruzen... okay, actually, that's not so bad. I guess I don't shop in too many places. Matt and I realized at some point we should have signed up for the cards but we have finished all our major purchases and don't expect to spend much more, and we don't even know how much you have to spend to earn rewards, or what the rewards are.

I do however have stamp-for-purchase cards from several places - one for Toppi, the keitan sushi place we like, and one for Baskin Robbins. Actually we got one for our favorite Italian place here too, once, but I lost it, and they haven't given us a new one, but we regularly get dinner coupons there so maybe they think there's no point in giving us a stamp card. I also have a discount card for the dry cleaners that gives some ridiculously small percentage off each visit but it's better than nothing. And a couple of days ago I picked up Starbucks's new promotion for the summer, which as far as I can tell, not really being able to read the material that well, seems to be some sort of stamp card that includes spaces for whether you have tried all of their "Summer Experiences" (seasonal beverages).

This post was prompted by today's visit to McDonald's. I bought a "Happi Setto" -- the Japanese happy meal, because they're giving away little stuffed dogs from The Dog artist collection (I got a little bulldog). And the woman asked me if I would like to sign up for a McDonald's point card. Yep, you heard me. As of today I am the (proud?) ownder of my very own McDonald's point card. It's good for a year according to info on the card -- expires 2005/04/19. I'm not sure what I can get with points and I don't really eat at McDonalds that often, so I'm not sure how useful it will be. Still, it's pretty funny. And I might go back and buy another Happi Setto so I can get another mini-doggie in a different breed. Plus, I got a scratch card today and won what I seem to have determined is a Minute Maid Orange, small size. So I have to go back at least once.

(To our loyal readers, who are pretty much friends, family and the odd knitting blogger, I apologize for the recent irregular blogging at this site. Stay tuned for more regular updates and the addition of a new photo gallery.)

'Lost in Translation' doesn't translate well in Japan | csmonitor.com

Now that Lost in Translation has actually been released in Japan, here's an article in the Christian Science Monistor
about what the Japanese think.

Babble

Currently filling my spare time playing Babble. Sort of like Boggle but with points depending on both Scrabble letter values and word length. If you're looking for me there, my user name is "devvie."

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