(Ms.) Tomo Kimura’s Translation/Tokyo Notes

永久就職

This is the term Dr. Wakaoji uses when he says “Even if you get fired, you can just marry me!” Eikyuu Shuushoku (literally, “Employment for Life”) is a euphemism for a woman getting married and becoming a housewife.

Shibuya Location

The game arcade that Takuto and Hikari goes to actually exists. It used to be called Game Fantasia when the manga was being serialized, but now the name’s been changed to Adores Shibuya.

Valentine’s Day in Japan

Here it’s the women who give chocolates to guys on Feb. 14. Guys who received chocolates are supposed to give something back on “White Day”, which is Mar. 14. There is something called “Nibai-gaeshi” and “Sanbai-gaeshi”, which means that whatever the guy gives back be at least two or three times worth what he received (!)

Then there’s the “Giri Choco” - the obligatory chocolates that you give to your co-workers/bosses/friends. When I used to work for a Japanese company, we had to buy a whole batch of chocolates each year to distribute to all our male colleagues, our bosses, the bosses’ and bosses, and to clients as well.

Christmas as a Couples Event

Christmas eve has become a couples event night here, with couples exchanging gifts and having dinner together. At the height of the “bubble economy” the cool thing to do was to reserve an expensive hotel room, have a French dinner at a posh place, and give jewelry to your girlfriend (Tiffany’s open heart pendant was immensely popular then). Even now, a lot of hotels have special “Christmas dinner/stay plans” for couples who want to celebrate Christmas in style.

Love Hotels

These are hotels that couples go to have sex. You can “rest” for a couple of hours. Or if you check in late enough, you can “stay” the night. The rooms and bathrooms are very well equipped. Some rooms even come with your own swimming pool and sauna!

Usually love hotels are built in a cluster, within walking distance of major stations like Shibuya and Shinjuku. The exterior is often gaudy. Some of the stranger buildings I’ve seen looked like western castles, or had what looked like an Eiffel tower or a Greek-looking statue on top.

Also called “boutique hotels”, “fashion hotels”, “couples hotels”, among other names.

Okonomiyaki

I’m not sure when mayonnaise started being served with okonomiyaki. If you go eat at an okonomiyaki shop now, your okonomiyaki comes with mayonnaise. If you buy okonomiyaki at your local convenience store, it comes with a pouch of mayonnaise.

Growing up in Kansai, a lot of our weekend lunches was okonomiyaki (and yakisoba too). When I visit my parents, my mom usually makes okonomiyaki, but no mayonnaise in the Kimura residence (^^) Just lots of katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) and aonori (powdered green seaweed) on top of the sauce.