Today is Valentines Day.
Japan celebrates Valentines Day too…but not the same way as in America and other western countries.
Also, Japan has an “original” holiday one month later that is more similar to America’s Valentines Day.
Click here to read a post that I wrote three years ago that explains Valentines Day and White Day in Japan.
In addition to what I wrote in that post, Dominos Pizza in Japan offers a heart-shaped pizza for Valentines Day.
In America, does Domino’s Pizza have funny or unusual coupons?
Or is it another “only-in-Japan” thing?
Because, once again, Domino’s Japan is offering 25% off specials to customers that fit some crazy stipulations.
Some of the funny new Domino’s Japan coupons.
For example, customers in Japan can get 25% off their pizza order if the pizza delivery person sees that they:
– have facial hair (a beard and/or a mustache),
– have “piggy tails“,
– have a last name with four Japanese kanji characters (very few Japanese people have such a long name),
– have a twin sibling,
– are wearing glamorous clothes,
– are in the eleventh grade (high school ID required),
– have a pet parakeet,
– are wearing a “dorky” T-shirt,
– speak with an accent from another area of Japan (than the one they’re currently in), or
– show a receipt that proves they’ve already ordered a Domino’s pizza earlier that same day.
Coupons can’t be combined in one order…but if someone meets all of the above stipulations, they can get 50% off of their order (the odds of such a person existing are probably extremely slim though).
Many people think that prices in Japan are extravagantly high…but, just like anywhere, “locals” know where to go to get the best deals.
I’ll tell you a few secrets for saving money in Tokyo.
First of all, today is 子供の日 (Children’s Day).
Admission to city zoos is free today. But, be warned, free admission to a zoo in a huge metropolis on a warm day that is also a public holiday means that the zoo will extremely crowded.
Visitors to Japan complain that movie tickets and pizza are too expensive in Japan…and they are—if you pay full price.
For pizza, Shakey’s Pizza has all-you-can-eat specials that range in price from about ¥800 to ¥1,900 depending on what day and what time you go (lunch time on regular weekdays is cheapest).
And Domino’s Pizza has specials often in Japan. Currently they are offering a “Buy one get one free” deal if you pick up the pizza yourself (rather than getting it delivered).
Domino’s Pizza Japan “Buy-One-Get-One-Free” for pick-up orders.
If you go to a movie theater in Japan, you shouldn’t pay the full box-office ticket price.
On the first day of every month, it is “Ladies Day” at the movies in Japan. Women can buy a ticket for only ¥1,000. Some theaters offer discounts on Wednesdays, too.
For men, and on other days, you should buy movie tickets from a チケット・ショップ (“Ticket Shop”) that are found all around Japan.
Ticket Shops sell movie tickets at a discount.
Thay also sell tickets for amusement parks, concerts, sporting events, museum admission, trains, McDonalds coffee, and a number of other things.
You should always try a discount ticket shop before you buy any type of ticket in Japan.
Tickets in a チケット・ショップ (Ticket Shop) in Japan.
Does your country have money-saving techniques such as these that “locals” know about?
Last year I wrote a post about Dominos Pizza in Japan hiring one person for their TV commercial for ¥2,500,000 (about US$31,000) per hour.
Dominos Pizza chose that amount (¥2500000) because it was the chain’s 25th anniversary in Japan.
Well, now Dole Banana in Japan is looking to hire one person to be in their TV ads. The position will pay ¥877,000 (about US$11,437) per hour.
¥877,000 was chosen because “8-7-7” can be pronounced, in Japanese, as “ba-na-na“.
The ad for the position with "Dole Banana, Japan" that pays ¥877,000 / hour.
To apply for this position, you must write a self-promoting message on the “Dole, Japan” Facebook page and then click the 「いいね！」 (“Like”) button.
But if you want to apply for this position, you should be in Japan (or able / willing to come here soon) and be legally eligible to work in Japan. The ability to speak Japanese is also a requirement, most likely.
Also, I’m sure that they’re looking for someone with charisma and who has no problem with the self-deprecating TV commercials that Dole Japan is known for.
Famous Japanese celebrity Shingo Katori has been the "face" of Dole, Japan for years now.
Dominos Pizza is celebrating their 50th anniversary this year and their 25th anniversary in Japan.
So to celebrate their 25th anniversary, Dominos Japan is running a unique gimmick.
Next week (2010 November 10th), they will begin accepting applications for a temporary position that pays 250万円 (¥2,500,000 (about US$31,000)) for an hour’s work one day in December (2010).
Domino's Pizza Japan is offering a position that pays ¥2,500,000 (US$31,000) per hour.
The position will be offered to only one person.
The only requirements to be eligible are that applicants be legally allowed to work in Japan and must be at least eighteen years old.
Dominos Japan will begin accepting applications beginning on 2010 November 10 and this position is for one hour only one day in December.
The salary for that one hour will be 250万円 (¥2,500,000 (about US$31,000).
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On a different note, today is a holiday in Japan. It’s 「文化の日」 (“Culture Day”) today.
(Click here to read my F.A.Q. about Japan’s holidays.
A 21-year old English woman named Lisa Courtney has recently been entered into the Guiness Book Of World Records for the “World’s Largest Pokemon Collection”.
「ポケモン」 (Pokemon) is a Japanese abbreviation for 「ポケットモンスター」 (Pocket Monster).
It’s a Japanese franchise of characters used in cartoons, movies, comics, games and toys.
Lisa Courtney said that she was severally bullied in school due to a physical handicap and she began collecting Pokemon toys since she was about eight years old to cope with the bullying.
In the thirteen years that she has been collecting, she has acquired over 13,000 Pokemon items…which qualified her for the world record.
Lisa Courtney and her huge Pokemon collection
She has even been to Japan a few times and bought some “only-in-Japan” Pokemon items. She said that she plans to come to Japan for another visit sometime this year.
I think 13,000 toys is too much personally…but it’s her hobby and it helped her feel better from being bullied (which, by the way, is unbelievable that a child would get bullied because of a handicap!).
When she visits Japan this year, she should order the “Kids Pokemon pizza” from Dominos Pizza in Japan.
In your country, what types of food can you have delivered?
Is it good? Is it expensive?
As far as I remember, in America only pizza and maybe Chinese food is available for delivery.
Isn’t that right?
In Japan, you can have 寿司 (Sushi), カレー (Curried rice), ラメーン (Ramen), お弁当 (Japanese box lunches), 酒 (alcohol), ピザ (pizza), “Kentucky Fried Chicken“, and more delivered to your home.
All of it is quite good and most is quite affordable.
梅酒 (Plum wine) can be delivered to your home (as well as beer, sake, wine, etc)
寿司 (Sushi) is usually about ¥100 (US $0.90) a piece.
カツカレー (Pork cutlet & curry rice)
When you order 出前 (delivery) Sushi, Ramen, Curried rice and other foods like that, it usually comes served on ceramic dishes. When you finish the meal, you wash the dishes and put them outside your front door…and the delivery man comes back the next day to pick up the dishes.
Would such a system work in your country?
One thing that is expensive in Japan is ピザ (pizza), though.
I think the pizza menu is much better in Japan than in America…but many foreigners are surprised by pizza toppings that are popular in Japan, such as Japanese mayonnaise, corn, and potatoes.
Do such pizza toppings seem shocking to you? They’re actually quite good.
Japan has American pizza chains “Dominos” and “Pizza Hut“, as well as domestic chains like “Pizza-La” and “Wheely“.
Because the differences in toppings, pizza restaurants in Japan (even the American one) serve better side menus, desserts and drink choices than in America. (Most Japanese people could never eat just pizza for dinner. They want a salad and maybe some other side dish, as well.)
Another difference is the price. We almost never order a pizza…as I mentioned above, Japanese food is much more affordable in Japan than pizza.
For example, I checked prices on both the U.S. “Dominos“ and Japanese “Dominos“ websites.
In America, a large “Honolulu Hawaiian” pizza with a coupon costs US$13 (¥1198*)…but a comparable pizza at Dominos in Japan is called the 「トロピカル」 (“Tropical“) and costs ¥3100 (US $33.65*) for a large pie.
*(US dollar amounts are based on the ¥→US$ exchange rate on February 8, 2009. The US dollar is currently very weak.)
U.S. "Dominos" menu
At "Dominos Japan", you can get a "Quattro" pizza and a salad or potatoes for about US$25.
Kids' "Pikachu set" at "Dominos Japan"
"Mayo, Tuna, Corn Pizza" is actually quite good!
Baked potato is a side-dish at Dominos Japan.
Shrimp and potatoes is another side-menu here.
Dominos Japan's drink choices: Coke, orange juice, 御茶 (Green Tea), 紅茶 (Brown Tea)
Tokyo Five 
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