RE: No Chicken at the Chicken Place--They Must Be Racist! (Thoughts on the dangerous cocktail of assumptions, prejudice, and alcohol)
As a foreigner in Japan it's wise to be just as wary of foreigners perceiving racism where there is none as it is to be wary of actual racism by Japanese. I've encountered both, and in my experience it's much more likely the foreigner is exaggerating than that there was actual racism involved. Most racism I've ever experienced here has either been innocent remarks where the person didn't realize it was racist, or just the occasional loser muttering "kusai" under his breath as he passed by. Of course, there's also the kind of reverse racism / foreigner worship kind of stuff. And yeah, apparently there are places that really do bar foreigners, but I've never actually encountered one.
But that's all beside the point. The real crime here is that a yakitori shop ran out of chicken at the time it is needed most. I have NEVER seen that. Shame. Shame. Shame.
Hahah. you said it, brother. And agreed. A lot of foreigners here are hypersensitive, as I apparently was for a few moments last night. I've just been back to the place just now. Dude was nothing but cool. Felt good to set the record straight.
Yeah, it's happened to me at times too. Have to keep myself in check. There are plenty of other things to get annoyed about in Japan that are actually real. Like at the conbini, their insistence on piling my change on top of my receipt before handing it to me.
I don't know who told them to do that, but it needs to stop. But if I was back in the states I'd be annoyed with probably bigger issues, so I try not to complain that much.