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If you live in Japan, have you been going out to your local restaurants and shopping as often as you usually do to try and help those businesses get through the coronavirus crisis?

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Not quite the same. I popped into a popular burger joint today and was astonished at the long line, full of young families and school kids, some coughing and sneezing freely. Hot and crowded, I quickly escaped. If I catch something I know where it was!

Needing to sort out a problem with the mobile phone, I ventured inside one of their outlets and was positively embarrassed by the guy taking his time to sort everything out, explaining it, and showing me all the cool things I could do with my phone and how I could collect over JPY 2,000 in unused PayPay credit points. I kept glancing over my shoulder and apologizing when they must be so busy. "Not at all", he replied with a smile. "No customers at all these days."

Everyone in police headquarters was wearing a mask, and at the printers, and the hardware store, everywhere I went. "Good manners", they assured me. Luckily almost everywhere had hand sprays, so I helped myself liberally. At the antiques shop the owner tried to sell me an antique matchlock. "Only JPY 250,000, cheap, right?" he whispered. OK, I could have bought it and supported his business, but I was not feeling as generous as that.

So although I understand the question, and perhaps we do need to support friendly businesses, that has not really been part of the equation for me.

This has given me an idea, though. Maybe I should eat out at some of my old regular haunts in a spirit of support? :8)

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I have been shopping and going out as usual, but not to help businesses so much as I refuse to panic after something that is not worth panicking over.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Same as always for me too!

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Yes, still supporting local businesses and trying to keep a regular routine, but with additional hand washing. I will have to say though, I've completely cut off any kaiten sushi restaurants. There are just too many ways that they could be a vector for disease.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I have always bought food from the local farmer's market, nothing has changed.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Yes.

Many of my friends are involved in small outlets and suchlike.

I am avoiding the bigger places with the bigger crowds.

They will survive the economic hit but the smaller places are taking a hit and families are struggling.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

I'll change my habits when there's a zombie outbreak like in World War Z. :D

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The train station looks so empty at night compared to any other day till last month. The Lawson at the station has always been packed but last night just a few people. No big lines waiting for the bus and not hectic at all. It was kind of weird.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Shopping, local shops, restaurants, as usual, no mask.

I carry alcohol towelettes, and do the hand washing, as always!

I'm keeping it local, avoiding the train unless necessary.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

We having been carrying on as normal, but with more handwashing. No choice, my husband is self employed.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

After speaking with several doctors over the weekend, the consensus is that this whole thing has been hugely exaggerated by the media. The risk of contamination/death is roughly the same as seasonal influenza. I refuse to buy into all the hype. I have changed nothing about my daily life. I wash my hands with hot water and soap just as many times during the day as I did before. I don't wear a mask. I go out and eat where I want, when I want.

8 ( +10 / -2 )

Shopping, not as often because of course my child doesn't enjoy it and there's nowhere for her to play. Restaurants I don't mind as long as there's not a lot of shared space like 回転寿司 or like a ramen counter.

Though we did go out to a decently nice yakiniku restaurant the other day for my FIL's birthday and no workers were wearing mask and one waitress was absolutely coughing her head off in the backroom every 5 minutes so...

3 ( +5 / -2 )

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