Tofugu Comments - Latest Comments in Storytime: Mori Building, Tipping, and Coldstone Japan

Re: Storytime: Mori Building, Tipping, and Coldstone Japan

iamBen — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 10:38:56 -0000

Coldstone, oh the memory's. Over paying for small cups of ice cream. Really, REALLY sweet ice cream. lol. This is just another reason why I can't wait till I go to Japan. :D

Re: Storytime: Mori Building, Tipping, and Coldstone Japan

Asagao — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 10:30:28 -0000

This has completely (unfortunately) inspired one of my friends to go to a Japanese Coldstone with a lot of money and from the time they open until they close, tip them and have them sing... I can only say that I will not be there when they try to kill the culprit. ... I'll be elsewhere... eating my icecream.

Re: Storytime: Mori Building, Tipping, and Coldstone Japan

Javarn — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 07:13:10 -0000

As much as I love japan, and everything about it, I just have to say...
People in japan need to be more like Miyavi if they are going to sing, or at least sing some of His songs xP

Re: Storytime: Mori Building, Tipping, and Coldstone Japan

haingis — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 09:21:16 -0000

it's kinda cool that you noticed the same things as my brother did, it adds to the fun :D (except my brother never paid any people to sing)

Re: Storytime: Mori Building, Tipping, and Coldstone Japan

Jen — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 00:15:16 -0000

They're the ones who took the job; It's their own fault if they don't enjoy the singing. I was once with a group of friends and strangers who pitched in to make a Coldstone shop go through about half their repertoire.
I'm amused by the fact that the Japanese shop employees sing in a much higher key than employees in an American Coldstone.

Re: Storytime: Mori Building, Tipping, and Coldstone Japan

Viet — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 19:52:39 -0000

@George

Arigatou gozaimasu

It's hard to catch the arigatou since they said it really fast.

Re: Storytime: Mori Building, Tipping, and Coldstone Japan

George — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 19:41:08 -0000

What are they saying at the end of both the songs? Just "gozaimasu" ?

Re: Storytime: Mori Building, Tipping, and Coldstone Japan

Be — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 02:23:55 -0000

heigh ho heigh ho its off to work we go~~
AWESOME JOB!
not as good as jrocker but ill take what i can get in japan beacuse [im native] and my friend says some japanese people are really racist..I will try my hardest to succeed!

Re: Storytime: Mori Building, Tipping, and Coldstone Japan

Chimiko — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 23:55:31 -0000

I love singing. I wanna work there xD..

Re: Storytime: Mori Building, Tipping, and Coldstone Japan

Alex — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 21:10:04 -0000

I think it's just genuine politeness. I took a trip up to Hokkaido (the northernmost island) and while my friends went skiing, I went looking for a convenience store. I walked for about an hour and a half or so (I kept asking people where the nearest store was and they all said ten minutes hehe. I guess they figured I was driving). When I got to one, I told the clerk about how long I walked and he was so stunned that he literally got his car out and drove me back to the ski lodge.

I think when they show or escort you to places it's out of genuine courtesy.

Re: Storytime: Mori Building, Tipping, and Coldstone Japan

miya — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 20:59:26 -0000

haha XD this is so crack! i dobt have coldstones in my country, but singing for tips can be quite forcefull ne?
i mean what will happen if we dont gave any money for them?
so what the Coldstone Manager look in their employee is shamless guts to sing?! XDDD
okay~ i'm done..

ah! my lecturer said though, that japanese people are usually very individual and minding their own business.. so hearing that there's still nice friendly ones is a relieve~

Re: Storytime: Mori Building, Tipping, and Coldstone Japan

Noel — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 20:28:12 -0000

I had no idea Coldstone workers sang for tips... shows you how often I visit one though.

Re: Storytime: Mori Building, Tipping, and Coldstone Japan

Antonio Pratas — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 18:19:07 -0000

2 times is bad, really bad, lol.

Please, upload more videos and posts about your trip, it's really cool to see the actual experience of people going there and meeting new places.

Re: Storytime: Mori Building, Tipping, and Coldstone Japan

Nel — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 16:00:57 -0000

:D they crushed my lovely old times memories of Disney's movies... But, I won't blame them more for that since they sang so heartily.

Re: Storytime: Mori Building, Tipping, and Coldstone Japan

Ken — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 07:53:13 -0000

kronik: I agree; most Japanese I encountered in Japan were very friendly and polite. I too, had trouble in the subway system, but being Asian, no random people approached me, nor my girlfriend. :)
I had to rely solely on my beginner Nihongo skills, which surprisingly, was sufficient most of the time.

Another time I experienced extreme kindness was when I was looking for a building in Shibuya, and one girl walked us there (well, about 1/2 way) even though it seemed like she was waiting for someone, because she headed right back to the spot where we first asked for help.

Re: Storytime: Mori Building, Tipping, and Coldstone Japan

kronik — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 07:03:34 -0000

Obviously. Though I see my previous post maybe makes it sound different....
Japanese people are just plain nice :)
Trying to figure out the subway system, random people approached us, asking if they could help. I'm so in love with all japanese people! Not a single person ever got grumpy or unkind or...

Re: Storytime: Mori Building, Tipping, and Coldstone Japan

Viet — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 05:55:36 -0000

@kronik

Koichi was being sarcastic. That's how I interpreted it...

Re: Storytime: Mori Building, Tipping, and Coldstone Japan

kronik — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 05:38:38 -0000

About the guy actually taking you to the Mori building: I don't think it's a guilt trip. When I was over in japan, it occured on 2 or 3 occasions that someone would actually take us to the place we were looking for, rather than just give directions. A woman selling stickers and such for charity took us from Matsumoto station to Matsumoto castle (instead of just saying third left and keep going straight - it's that easy to find actually), and a random young guy asked us what we were looking for at some point whilst we were wandering around Hakata, and took us to a club, even though it was a 15 minute walk, the other way than where he was heading to!
I have no explanation for this. Is it general courtesy or do they expect something in return? They both just seemed pleased to have been able to help out and disappeared before we had a chance to even think about giving them something for the effort.
Either way, it was a very pleasant experience to have random people being so kind to total strangers.
Next time I'll sing them a song.

Re: Storytime: Mori Building, Tipping, and Coldstone Japan

Onimusha Nosferatu — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 02:41:23 -0000

i've never been to a coldstone... now i must got just to have them sing. some of the workers seemed annoyed at the thought of a 2nd song. haha.

Re: Storytime: Mori Building, Tipping, and Coldstone Japan

Kurisutofa — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 01:52:05 -0000

Your so cruel. Haha. The question is, why only Disney songs? "Zippity Doo Dah, Zippity Degozaimasu!"

Re: Storytime: Mori Building, Tipping, and Coldstone Japan

Eevee — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 01:17:22 -0000

I just love how all the guys are working with their backs to the camera, and the girls are really the only ones singing (I heard maybe, one guy in there?). Don’t feel bad for asking them to sing twice Koichi! Some people I know might’ve had to be escorted out of the building because they would not stop.

Since I live in Canada I’ve never even seen a Coldstone, so thank you for the video. Just hearing about it isn’t quite the same.

Wow, no tipping! Do you think they would accept tips if foreigners offered?

Re: Storytime: Mori Building, Tipping, and Coldstone Japan

Viet — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 23:10:45 -0000

See! Now you guys know how awesome it is :O

The employee on the bottom left corner of the pic above knows her role, unlike her shameful coworkers.

Re: Storytime: Mori Building, Tipping, and Coldstone Japan

Erin — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 22:45:09 -0000

Also, people, notice how for Song 2, the employee makes sure that we left them money in the jar before consenting to sing again. Cut-throat.

Re: Storytime: Mori Building, Tipping, and Coldstone Japan

Erin — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 22:42:31 -0000

I think that employee was afraid of having to sing to people and jumped at the chance to leave for a few minutes. Also, thanks for showing me yawning. Jerk.

Re: Storytime: Mori Building, Tipping, and Coldstone Japan

Obesepony — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 22:41:37 -0000

Haha I love how they were at least enthusiastic singing those disney songs. Lately when I hear cold stone people sing in America its seems so painful. No tipping in Japan sounds kinda nice :3