Irasshaimase!

The sense of hospitality in Japan is impressive.

When you enter a shop in Japan, you are systematically welcomed with the usual expression: irasshaimase! (いらっしゃいませ), which literally means “come in” (nice, but usually, you’re already in the shop). The problem is that to make sure you heard it, they will repeat it continuously and loudly: irasshaimase, irasshaimase! And when there are more than one vendor, each of them will shout in turn.

OK, that’s when you enter, but there is also an expression for when you go out: arigatoh gozaimashita! (ありがとうございました) And you’ll hear it until you left the shop. When you know this means “thank you very much”, you laugh when you leave the shop without buying anything and every (!) vendor is thanking you…