Japan Trip Highlights: Improvised communication

Annie wrote yesterday about her very successful efforts at learning and speaking Japanese. I really applaud what she achieved and appreciate how her language skills improved our trip.

I realize, though, that many people will not learn any Japanese before traveling to Tokyo. Whether it's for lack of time or interest, these travelers simply hope for the best as they become a stranger in a strange land. And I get that. Because that was my approach. Call it what you will — arrogance, bravery, naivety — but it worked fairly well for me. Here's why.

1. Tokyo is fairly English friendly. Many important public signs are in English and most street signs include the romanization of the proper Japanese location or name. The many efforts the city's government have made to ease the way for English-speaking visitors were very encouraging.

2. After an early misstep, I made an extra effort to heed signs intended for English-speaking visitors. (What was my blunder? Taking photos in a gift shop that specifically prohibited camera usage. Fortunately, the shopkeep let it slide.) I tried to keep an eye out for any English signage near attraction, store or public transit entrances to avoid any unintentional disrespect.

3. Many restaurants will, if possible, assign an English-speaking waiter to your table. It was common for one waiter to initially greet us in Japanese and try to engage us. If we stumbled through a response, we were apparently reassigned to an English-speaking waiter. Of course, the level of English fluency varied greatly, but I noticed and appreciated the efforts made to accommodate us.

4. After repeatedly hearing from international travelers that a little language knowledge goes a long way, I found that advice very true. I kept handy a piece of paper with the phonetic Japanese spelling of certain key phrases: "Do you understand English?" and "I don't understand Japanese." Not just helpful, the paper helped me present myself as something other than an arrogant American. I only wish I'd added the phrase for "pardon me."

5. When words failed us, we used non-verbal communication. The most complex request I expected to make during my trip was asking video game retailers if they stocked a certain game. So before we left, I found and printed a copy of the game's packaging. When we wandered through Akihabara, I handed the paper to store employees with a quizzical yet hopeful look in my eyes. Each clerk understood my request and promptly checked their stock. After a few misses and sincere apologies, I found a store selling the game. In another example, we used a guidebook's photo to seek directions to one landmark. We didn't fully understand the directions, but we were pointed in the right direction.

6. In a city as populous and cosmopolitan as Tokyo, it's not uncommon for bilingual speakers to be in the crowd. One travel guide generally steered me correctly when it suggested that I look for younger, approachable adults to find someone who speaks English. This advice served me particularly well in the moments before I saw Japanese Emperor Akihoto's motorcade. But that's another story.

7. The efforts Annie and I made at using our Japanese phrasebook were — quite literally — applauded. We didn't use it often, but our Lonely Planet Japanese Phrasebook did enhance our experience in Tokyo. Our invoking the phrase "It was a real feast!" after one particularly good meal elicited smiles, laughter and applause.

Our experience left me, like Annie, having wished I'd known more Japanese before landing in the country. But all things considered, we didn't do too bad with our occasionally improvised communication solutions.