Kanji 円 百 千 万 Money

Counting money

How to count money in Japan.

Counting on one hand

How to count on one hand Japanese style:

As you can see, 0 and 10, 1 and 9, 2 and 8, 3 and 7, 4 and 6 are the same. However, as you count in front of someone, you and they can see that the higher numbers are “on the way back”, so obviously different. Don’t worry: it works!

100 Yen Shop in Tokyo

source subtokyo vlog

Excellent introduction to 100 yen shop, or our $2 store. 
Almost all items are household items mass produced in Asia.

Casual labour アルバイト

アルバイト

The word アルバイト (arubaito) comes from the Dutch word Arbeid. Some say it comes from the German word Arbeit. However, the Dutch have been in Japan for 400 years, while the Germans arrived only recently. Surely the Dutch would have introduced it into Nagasaki first.

It means casual work, not-salaried work, come-and-go work, hard work, cheap work. In fact, a lot of Japan’s economic success has been built on the backs of its workers. After the various wars, it was the larger population who supplied cheap labour without any real financial long-term obligations from the companies. 

アルバイト

These days there are stricter labour laws, but still a fair percentage of the work force is アルバイト. Of course, the main supply of these casual workers comes from high school and university students and these days also immigrant workers (sometimes legal, sometimes well…) 

Why do they put up with it? Mainly because it is quick, not too many problems, quick pocket money and no long-term commitment and obligations. Also, no real qualifications needed and training on the job. Presto!

アルバイト

アルバイト

850 Yen gives the idea

アルバイト

Look at these innocent, keen youngsters! Who wouldn’t want to earn pocket money in such a pretty outfit?

アルバイト

Clean, easy work in a relatively clean and safe environment

Over 18, of course

830 Yen

The wage is almost buried in the text

Obviously not the main feature

Work till 10 at night – what time will you come home?

アルバイト

Hmmm… no money mentioned…

It must be the fun you are going for

Clean work, good environment. Gloves provided

アルバイト

700 Yen (=two cups of coffee, by the way) an hour

The Young Happy Team

アルバイト

850 Yen (=two and a half cups of coffee an hour)

Finish at 10:00 at night

アルバイト

アルバイト

Performance Pay: between 750 and 900 yen

In the food business line

Tam Tam it is at 900 Yen

We so don’t want to ring

Let’s do the sums, people:

At 800 yen for 8 hours, you would earn 6400 yen a day. For 5 days (during your holidays) you would earn 32000 yen. Great pocket money, if you can earn it, live at home (for free) and you only want to buy a stereo. Not at all enough for rent, for food bills, or for long-term work.

Often mothers, housewives, will prefer to commit to similar “walk-in-walk-out” work, but they like a legally stronger commitment from the boss. They prefer to work locally, as they live locally, and then they negotiate パート (paato), which is part-time work. More money, but also more personal commitment.

アルバイト

501 Versatile American money. アメリカのおかね

アメリカのドル

1,0000 ドル

2,0000 ドル

3,0000 ドル

4,0000 ドル

5,0000 ドル

6,0000 ドル

7,0000 ドル

8,0000 ドル

9,0000 ドル

10,0000 ドル

11,0000 ドル

20,0000 ドル

55,0000 ドル

100,0000 ドル

555,0000 ドル

for

smaller amounts 

and 

for thousands

Yen 円 えん Money おかね

for

bigger amounts

Yen 円 えん

These are all the denominations available to Japanese. Japan is still very much a cash society, so most Japanese people carry a lot of cash around with them. It is a very safe country as there are always lots of witnesses to any crime. Petty pickpocket-ting doesn’t seem to be part of the Japanese psyche. In any case, Japan is spread over islands, so where to go with so many witnesses willing to dob you in? The problem occurs when Japanese people go overseas and they imagine that other countries are just as safe…

昭和三十九年

しょうわ３９ねん

shōwa sanjūkyū nen

The 39th year of the reign of Emperor Showa (=1964)