Tokyo Nugget #16: There’s no tipping in Japan, but…
There’s actually under-the-table “tipping” in Japanese hospitals. How do I know this? I got the inside scoop from a student of mine. We were doing a fairly easy chapter on restaurant lingo and we were discussing Japan’s tipping culture.
“So no tipping in Japan at all?” I pretended not to know.
“Yes, except in hospitals!”
“What?!” I gasped in surprise. Hey, I thought I knew this town.
“My mother paid 10,000JPY to her doctor when she was in hospital recently.”
Why? Apparently, patients hope to get “better” treatment from busy, harried doctors. Do nurses get “tips”, too? Sometimes, but doctors are the ones you should be gunning for.
“If you press the emergency button when you feel sick in the hospital, the doctor might go to the one who gave him the tip first.”
Good advice if I ever get shipped off to a hospital here.
Photo: mmmfruit
Related posts:
- Tokyo Nugget #8: Everything is the opposite in Japan
- Tokyo Nugget #10: Fruit at ridiculous prices
- My first-ever dental appointment in Japan
June 21st, 2009 at 7:14 am
I looked into this and it seems that the “tip” is given before treatment.
Seems wise I guess, but don’t you think it should be considered unethical for the doctors to take the money?
June 21st, 2009 at 10:29 am
Yeah I think it is one of those “when in Rome” situations. I mean, in Jakarta, folks get regularly pulled over by police and they fleece you of your money in the name of “checking ID”. What do you do, y’know?