Buying a chair¹

We all know that the Japanese are very honest by nature. But I had a very un-Japanese kind of experience in Kyoto while we were buying a chair. In one shop the man said, “It is on sale, so I won’t be able to reduce the price. This is the cheapest price in Japan, and you won’t get this chair at a better price anywhere else.” Kirit was the translator.

I looked at the man and then said to Kirit, “Let us go to some other store.”

Right across the street we found another chair that was just like the one in the first store, but it also had a footrest. In spite of that, it was six or seven thousand yen less than the first one. It was a better price and, in addition, it had a footrest! Kirit was so excited.

Later I told Kirit’s mother, “Your son is a very, very good boy. I am very proud of him.” But unfortunately, not all Japanese are like him.