Japanese exchange rates/cost of eating out (was Re: "The Mark-8 was an Intel 8008")

From: Mail List <mail.list_at_analog-and-digital-solutions.com>
Date: Wed Jul 2 15:20:01 2003

Hello Ethan,

> I personally saw a steak advertised in a window for 8000 Yen.
> ~115 Yen to the US Dollar.

I just did the division. Then that would have been a $69.56 steak.

> but I can read Japanese menus

That is a very good thing to be able to do. I have a very hard time
with Japanese, Korean, and Chinese character sets. German,
French, Spanish, and Italian are so much more comfortable for me.


Best Regards




At 12:49 PM 7/2/03 -0700, you wrote:
>--- Mail List <mail.list_at_analog-and-digital-solutions.com> wrote:
> > Hello Paxton,
> >
> > I don't know what it is like these days, but back in the 90's the US
> > dollar wasn't worth much in exchange against the Yen.
>
>~115 Yen to the US Dollar. It was 105 when I was there in 1996. It's
>been better recently, it was worse formerly. I _think_ the US dollar
>hit a low of 87 Yen or so around the time you are thinking of.
>
> > some of the other instructors told me what it was like to try to
> > go out on the local economy. Something like a hamburger being
> > $35.00 and such. I don't think they were BS'ing me about that either.
>
>I personally saw a steak advertised in a window for 8000 Yen. I
>chose to eat down the street at a "yakitori" place (grilled meat
>on skewers) and had the most expensive meal of my trip - $22.00 USD
>for a plate full of food and one or two beers. Most of my meals were
>in the $6.00 to $8.00 range, but I can read Japanese menus and did not
>go to the places frequented by Americans.
>
>Yes, I'm certain that there were $35.00 hamburgers to be had. Local
>cuisine (Soba, Ramen, Sashimi, Sushi, etc.) is much cheaper there
>than beef. Save money in Tokyo - eat fish. Insisting on an American
>diet in Asia is an expensive way to go.
>
>-ethan
Received on Wed Jul 02 2003 - 15:20:01 BST