Omotenashi...

In every other country except America, tips are non existent. The staff will think you are looking down on them if you try and it is never a good thing to piss off your service staff. Whilst in Tokyo for the first time, an izakaya down an alley called my name. I walked through the glass doors and took my place at the bar. Next to me was a group of Japanese people about my age. 

As the sake kept pouring, we started to try and talk to each other. There was a lot of broken English and Japanese going around yet we became friends. Upon finishing out drinks, I payed my tab and tried to tip the bar teneder. Everyone laughed at me and kept saying we are not in America. 

Then, one of the girls pulled me aside and told me that there is a word that you use when you want to thank someone for their service. She explained how this word, omotenashi, was the Japanese form of the American tip. So now I know, and now you know what I know about tipping in Japan. Omotenashi and thanks for reading!!