tag:living.in-japan.jp,2008://3 2008-02-05T02:31:10Z Living In Japan - A Foreigner's Guide to Life in Japan. Japanese Culture, Language, Lifestyle, History, Events, and more! Movable Type 3.33 tag:living.in-japan.jp,2008://3.299 2008-02-04T06:14:04Z 2008-02-05T02:31:10Z

Another unique character about Japanese is that they will try their best to prevent themselves from being a vector in spreading the virus to other person. This could be done (in case of influenza) by wearing a mask.

Anonymous ひどい風邪をひいている。。。I've catch cold...and it is the worst one among several series of influenza I've had before in my life...Seems like my body is still in the stage of adapting to the winter condition..cold and dry...I still managed to attend my everyday routine to the kenkyuushitsu but with less experimental activity and more to surfing and reading journals.. My bad influenza starts with only a few cough but it get worst day by day..By recommendation from a lab friend, I bought Benzablock, self-remedy lozenges (24　in a box) for cough and flu with natural herbs costing 900Yen at the Coop's pharmacy. They even bought me some kairo カイロ, sticky patches like koyok in Malaysia but you stick it outside your inner (not directly on skin) and it will transmit heat to your body so that you will feel pleasant in the cold winter. A few attempts seems promising but nevertheless, I still have running nose and dry cough (It was real bad when I'm accidentally awaken in the middle of the night just due to coughing and don't really aware when did it ends and continue sleeping). Despite of the never ending cold, I thanked my lab mates a lot for their approaches in trying to make me better. Japanese, although advance in technology and standard of living, still possess the uniqueness of Asian culture in morality and good conduct. This treatment makes me really feel that I'm not that far from home. Another unique character about Japanese is that they will try their best to prevent themselves from being a vector in spreading the virus to other person. This could be done (in case of influenza) by wearing a mask. During winter and rainy season in Japan, you could find almost everyone with influenza or running nose will cover themselves with masks. In spring however, the mask is used to prevent from inhaling pollens, a common phenomenon where thousands were warded due to allergic reaction and this has become a common reason to escape school and work. There is even a USB-attached mask on sale (please refer this catchy advertisement at my blog ilhamica.blogspot.com). Thanks to God that I rarely fell sick but when I got hit once, it will be a heavy one.I personally feel that this fight with influenza and dry cough will never ends without an antibiotic as it keeps on haunting me for two weeks. So one day, I and Asmadi (another Malaysian friend in Energy Science doing phd trying to cure his frequently nose bleeding) seek consultation at the Kyoto University Student's Clinic (same with Klinik Mahasiswa in UM but with better service). After filling the all-Nihongo form (luckily I practised writing my faculty address and home address a lot earlier) and helping Madi explaining to the cute nurse about his condition, I got my consultation from a young physician and a friendly nurse asking friendly questions after realizing that I could understand Japanese. As a result, I end up with several medication prescribed by the physician and being charged 390Yen. So affordable for students like me!! (please refer pics). I went back to the kenkyuushitsu and straight consuming the prescribed drug. One of them which comes in a form of white powder in a small packet is sooooooooooooooooooooo bitter!!!!Never had anything like this before!!! As I complained about it, a friend next to my desk Matsuda-san said that there is an old Japanese proverb 良薬口に苦し　Ryouyaku kuchi ni nigashi which means Good medicine tastes bitter. I automatically remembered about a Malay proverb 'pahit seperti hempedu' and later spend some time explaining it to them. May I have a speedy recovery so that everyone in the kenkyuushitsu will be safe from the virus. Hehehe..till then, I need to sleep...seems like the flu pills I consumed earlier has started to react...]]> tag:living.in-japan.jp,2007://3.295 2007-12-06T02:15:11Z 2007-12-06T02:31:03Z

While living in the 'dirty' part of Shibuya last time I regularly walked through pink town to get to the station in the morning. One such morning I was approached by a reasonably normal looking Japanese man who wanted to inquire about the purchase of my dirty pantyhose.

little lora When uninitiated people think of Japan they generally think of the centuries old history and rich culture however these things have nothing to do with the daily experience of life in Tokyo. Well my life anyway. Having lived in a guest house in Maruyamacho, the 'dirty' part of Shibuya I have seen and heard a lot of things. Being a young, blonde, white woman in Tokyo you can get yourself into some very strange situations, very easily. It's not that I purposely go out of my way to get into these situations I guess I'm just a general freak magnet. While living in the 'dirty' part of Shibuya last time I regularly walked through pink town to get to the station in the morning. One such morning I was approached by a reasonably normal looking Japanese man who wanted to inquire about the purchase of my dirty pantyhose. Being from a relatively small Australian city my first thought was that he genuinely needed a pair of pantyhose, for example to use as some kind of tie or something. (I had seen such a thing done on a candid camera style show) Oh how naive I was back then! While following me to the station he filled me in on his freaky little secret. After living in Paris for 5 years he developed a foot fetish. He assured me that he didn't want to wear them or anything, just have them for a good sniff. As if that makes him some how less of a freak, I mean yes wearing them would be really weird but sniffing the sweaty, hot, summer foot smell of them is perfectly fine. Apparently according to my freaky, little friend there used to be vending machines in Shibuya where you could purchase such items. However 'they' and I'm not sure who 'they' are have cracked down and so he is now forced to appeal to kind hearted gaijin ladies if he wants to indulge. You might be wondering what the going rate for a pair of used pantyhose might be? Well, this was about 2 years ago now but see through, beige nylons command a hefty 5000 yen while opaque, black tights sell for a lesser amount of 3000 yen. They also must be worn for several hours, preferable in a hotter, sweatier climate. My friend was also interested in negotiating a deal that would involve him licking my toes and feet, yeah right I want my feet to end up in plastic bags in your freezer! Having moved away from the seedy areas of Shibuya this time around I thought I was less likely to have these kind of unusual experiences. Not so! Last weekend I was relieved of several pairs of my finest underwear, welcome back! The panties in question went missing from the communal laundry under my apartment building. Of course there is a chance that it was a fellow gaijin on the hunt for a party of frilly knickers but something tells me it's more likely to have been a passing pervert in the form of a Japanese salary man. No offense of course. The thing I don't really understand is that they were stolen from the dryer and therefore clean. It's just like stealing them from a shop. Only in Japan can you lose a wallet full of cash and get it back untouched yet have to keep your underwear under lock and key. Having turned down an offer of 5000 yen for the pantyhose I'm a little bit annoyed that someone is prancing around their apartment in my undies for free! Upon telling the horrified, male staff member at the rental agency I was informed that a police report would be filed on my behalf. The hunt for the missing panties continues! ]]> tag:living.in-japan.jp,2007://3.291 2007-10-29T20:22:00Z 2007-11-01T02:23:49Z

Psychic Lover is one of the biggest names in Japanese anime music. They have written theme songs or supporting music for Power Rangers, Witchblade, Gaiking, and Transformers (among many others).

Ben Whaley bwhaleyjapan.blogspot.com ¥1000 says you have never heard of them. Their name is Psychic Lover (サイキックラバー), and I spent ample time during my two weeks in the anime division at Columbia Music hanging out with them. The guy on the left is Yoffy (pronounced yoh-fee) and the guy on the right is Jo (pronounced Jo). Both guys are 29, though like every Japanese person, they certainly don’t look that old. Yoffy is responsible for the band’s name, and is the composer and lead vocalist for all the duo’s songs. Jo works on lyrics, provides backup vocals, and shreds through wicked guitar solos. Psychic Lover is one of the biggest names in Japanese anime music. They have written theme songs or supporting music for Power Rangers, Witchblade, Gaiking, and Transformers (among many others). Their most recent single is the ending theme for to the current Power Rangers series in Japan, Go Go Adventure Rangers (轟轟戦隊ボウケンジャー). Their song, entitled “On The Road,” rose to number 14 in the Japanese singles chart, an unprecedented feat for an anime song not associated with a Miyazaki film. I met Psychic Lover at Tokyo AM radio as they prepared to participate in a short promotional program (i.e. they were signing tons of release forms and couldn’t do anything but bow and say “hi”). What they were participating in was a pretty average Japanese radio program. Japanese radio stations often feature short twenty minute shows with actors, musicians, and other celebrities who banter comedic dialogue back and forth (comedic if you’re Japanese that is) and introduce the songs that the radio station is currently broadcasting during that half hour block. In turn for hosting, the artists get to plug their latest product and upcoming events a million times on the air. This radio station visit was considerably more relaxed than the previous trip with my Enka division colleagues, where I was hit on constantly by a gay Japanese man. Sakamoto-chan, as he calls himself, was a 22-year old, head-shaven, designer glasses sporting college student (I didn’t catch his major), who became a radio personality sensation thanks to his unique ability to mimic the voice of a perpetually startled, chain-smoking Japanese schoolgirl. He squeals phrases like “You are my everything,” on the radio, complete with the female-specific suffixes. When I first met Sakamoto-chan, he jumped straight into, “You’re cute,” in lieu of a personal introduction, and asked me if I liked boys, only to sigh under his breath, “You probably like girls huh?” But I digress... I spent most of my pre-show time at Tokyo AM talking with one of my new love interests, Nana. She is my age and works for the radio station. She also went to high school in America, so she could speak great English Nana is a second-tier DJ. She was honest, however, and told me that she really only reads that line at the end of the broadcast that goes, “The proceeding program was brought to you by Fukamoto Whale Blubber, Tofu-a-Go-Go, Discount Samurai Swords and listeners like you! I watched Psychic Lover do their show – Nana was in the hot seat right alongside them, though she didn’t say much. The three of them were provided with a script of all their stupid jokes and banter, but were encouraged to improvise by the director in the sound booth. I laughed at a few jokes which were pretty funny (due mostly to the overenthusiastic delivery of Yoffy and Jo who were reminiscent of a really bad stand-up comedy duo). Occasionally, someone would mess up and everyone would pause and retry a bit multiple times. One bit had to be rerecorded several times until Jo could successfully say with a straight face that he pretends to fall asleep on the train in order to rest his head on the shoulder of the lady sitting beside him. This is the kind of humor that had everyone in the sound booth (except me) wiping tears of laughter from their eyes. Psychic Lover’s Director, Mizuhara-san, showed up after the recording process was done and his boisterous presence was almost impossible to ignore. Mizuhara-san is a big man, over six feet tall, with enough fat mass attached to his bones to give him an imposing, jiggly presence. He wore a black suit, had spiky short hair, and wiped sweat from his brow with a purple washcloth. Psychic Lover asked me to read some of their English song lyrics with my native pronunciation. I read the lyrics and was treated to ooohs and aaaaahs and a round of applause. The Japanese people in the room took turns telling me how good my English pronunciation was. I told them that I had been studying English for 22 years, so they shouldn’t feel bad. As Psychic Lover, myself, and Kubota-san (my anime section coworker and Psychic Lover’s representative from Columbia) were readying to go to our post-recording kanpai, the radio station was flooded with young female voice actresses from radio shows, CD albums, and anime programs, all lined up to participate in the next broadcast. This delayed our departure by a few minutes, as all the girls wanted to giggle and fawn over Psychic Lover. All of said voice actresses were sugar and spice and everything “gag me with a spoon” nice. One easy-to-remember voice actress was dressed in a full bubblegum pink-colored track suit with bright green Converse shoes and her hair in tight pigtails. “She is very very adorable,” Mizuhara-san said, pointing to her as she practiced blowing kisses on the couch, despite there being no one to receive the kisses in front of her. She was able to get out her name in English during our meeting, followed by, “I love you!” and assorted giggles. It was all I could do to bow without upchucking my lunch. Death by cuteness; I guess such a thing really does exist in Japan. Psychic Lover, Kubota-san, and I went to a nearby yakitori or skewered assorted meat parts restaurant (it is not that bad when you wash it down with crisp, cold Asahi Super Dry!). Our waiter was super energetic and would fire punches off and say “OKAY” in English whenever anybody ordered. What can I say, Psychic Lover are really fun guys. All smiles. Not only were Yoffy and Jo both super friendly, they seemed genuinely interested in talking and getting to know me. The two of them loved the fact that I could speak Japanese and would gasp in awe when I told them about the different Japanese foods I eat or that I had been to a maid café. As we all drank more, the Japanese side began attempting more English and I attempted to keep my Japanese intelligible after repeated glasses of booze. Kubota-san, who has traveled to Australia and America, asked me questions in English about American culture or my family and I answered him in Japanese. This dual language exchange brought Jo nearly rolling on the floor in laughter. While Yoffy said he had been to Hawaii once, Jo has never left Japan. Though they use a lot of English phrases in their lyrics, it is fair to say that Yoffy and Jo don’t speak English. Yoffy told me that he came up with the name “Psychic Lover” and asked me what it meant in English. At the time, I said that it didn’t really have a meaning, but retrospectively, I guess the band’s name could refer to someone who can psychically predict and fulfill one’s sexual and relationship desires. I think that much would have been lost in translation had I attempted to explain it in Japanese. Jo asked me to explain “L” and “R” sounds to him since Japanese people don’t have these sounds in their language. I always use the example of “lice” versus “rice” to illustrate the pronunciation differences. Jo told me that all Japanese people study English starting from middle school, beginning with the phrase “this is a pen." He explained to me that there is a song you listen to in middle school with the lyrics “this is a pen.” Thus, Yoffy and Jo began singing, “this is a pen – a pen – a pen. This is a pen – a pen – a pen” in unison while swinging their chopsticks back and forth. Before I knew it Kubota-san had joined in and I figured I might as well fill in the harmony. There we were, the four of us, laughing and singing like idiots about ball point pens in the middle of a hole-in-the-wall drinking place in some corner of Tokyo. Though the drinks and food orders stopped soon after...“this is a pen” would linger on through the night air. Life just doesn't get much better. B.E.W.]]> tag:living.in-japan.jp,2007://3.283 2007-10-02T07:40:08Z 2007-10-02T08:21:49Z

Ameyayoko market in Ueno is equal parts flea market, auction house, fresh market, thrift store, and labyrinthine game center. In other words, it's awesome.

Hanuman Welch Since the transplanting has now reached it's seventh month, I have begun to truly miss some things. These things, would have gone unnoticed, and un-missed, for the most part. A decent slice of pizza and a normal jar of peanut butter, bottoming out this list. Being from the south, however, I had began missing something that I was sure I would be unable to find in the land of the corn, mayo, egg, potato pizza. It was a weekend tradition among my friends that persisted for many a year. I speak, of course, of the flea market. Most of my friends were devout thrifters and loved the flea market for its endless mountains of cheap vintage clothing. Not to mention the hours afforded observing the colorful cross section of drowning victims in the human gene pool. Luckily, I have found a more then acceptable substitute. Ameyayoko market in Ueno is equal parts flea market, auction house, fresh market, thrift store, and labyrinthine game center. In other words, it's awesome. It is one of the places that I have been lucky to visit that feels wholly 'real'. It could do with the fact that Ueno has a bit of a reputation. The reputation is that Ueno is a little seedy, a little dirty, and a little sketchy after night fall. My kind of place. Ameyayoko market is exactly the sort of outdoor bazaar that one would expect to find nested comfortably between the train tracks and a reputation like that. Vendors hocking everything from tube socks and bargain clearance clothing; to high end knock off Prada handbags and matsutake mushrooms (10,000 yen for a pack of four mushrooms). The market possesses an atmosphere of anti-pretension. A welcome change from the vibe in most spots in Tokyo. The people are here to shop, not impress strangers with their Louis Vuitton clutches. I spent most of my time sifting through vintage denim jackets in the many stores specializing in now defunct American styles of the past. I also had the chance to try Ameyayoko's culinary submission in the realm of regional 'poor man's food'. Ameyayoko-yaki. Ueno's own interpretation of Okonomiyaki. Delicious, if I don't say so myself. The market is laid out in a Y, with no discernible organization whatsoever. Chaos suits Ameyayoko. The brave can venture off the beaten path in the hopes of finding better deals on fresh maguro, as well as anything else the mind can conjure. Pachinko and game centers are interwoven seamlessly above, below, and throughout the market. A breathing, sweating, shouting lesson in sociology, Ameyayoko is a thrift junky's wet dream. If you've got the time, set aside five or six hours to be moved along by the tide of humanity to the tune of a thousand shouted irasshaimases. To get to the market, go to Ueno station and look for the Ameyayoko-cho exit and hang a right after exiting the station. Enjoy. ]]> tag:living.in-japan.jp,2007://3.282 2007-09-28T05:01:50Z 2007-09-28T06:45:50Z

Our first real adventure in Japan came in the form of picking up our equipment. Anyone who has Dj'ed before is aware of the sheer volume of electronic equipment necessary for the craft.

Delicious Duo www.deliciousduo.com Our adventures in Japan started off on a difficult and tumultuous journey. My name is Lance Lasheras, and alongside my best friend Justin Kim, we decided to journey to Japan in order to pursue our dream of becoming world famous DJ's. The reason why we would choose to go to a country in which we know nothing about the culture, language, or industry is simply because our genre of music is very popular there. Our stories will chronicle our adventures in the country, in hopes to entertain others as well as possibly make some contacts while over here. Our first real adventure in Japan came in the form of picking up our equipment. Anyone who has Dj'ed before is aware of the sheer volume of electronic equipment necessary for the craft. While we moved into a home in Noborito, our equipment required to be picked up from the airport, almost two and a half hours away via train. The alternative was to pay an exorbitant amount of money to ride the bus, and being the frugal fools we are we thought we could save some money simply by taking everything via train. The journey to the airport was no challenge at all, giving us the confidence we needed to try and bring it all the way back. However we hit rush hour on the ride home. Those who have never experienced a packed train in Tokyo have no concept of the word claustrophobic. Not only do people squish together tighter then sardines, but they also push themselves on the train no matter how impossible you believe it to be. Our equipment easily took up the space of 15 people on the train, so everyone surrounding us was giving us the most evil glares possible. Let me preface this by stating that the Japanese culture is quite possibly the most polite culture in the world, and if you experience anger or disdain in any way you've done something horribly wrong. Needless to say the three hours it took to get home felt like a lifetime, using every elevator shaft we could find. When we were on trains people would squeeze around us like fungus to a tree until we literally couldn't move. That being said we made it home with everything and felt so happy to be there. The next week was spent getting everything in order to apply for jobs over the weekend. If you would like to hear the album we produced in our small Japanese room in order to get gigs, visit our web site. Hopefully our next story will feature some good news relating to tracking down jobs in the center of Tokyo.]]> tag:living.in-japan.jp,2007://3.281 2007-09-18T07:51:33Z 2007-09-28T07:49:41Z

On arrival in Japan I thought "f#ck it". I decided that this was a great place to "make it" in the music business so that in the future after i at least break the market I could start to record what I enjoy. I auditioned for a few western bands around tokyo but eventually found solace in an all Japanese band.

Anonymous What a wonder it is to witness another country's music industry. Surely, I thought to myself Japan with it's Manga anime and crazy films and game shows would indeed be a melting pot of creativity and flair. I spent the last five years in England floating from band to band and eventually to acoustic night playing my way around drunken venues. Always with a key message in my head about my belief in music and how I would never "sell out" or "be an ego" when it came to becoming famous. On arrival in Japan I thought "f#ck it". I decided that this was a great place to "make it" in the music business so that in the future after i at least break the market I could start to record what I enjoy. I auditioned for a few western bands around tokyo but eventually found solace in an all Japanese band. Their idea was that they would crack the American market with a brand of J-Rock/Emo/Indie/Alternative music style. I have never really been in touch with the cool kids when it came to naming genres so I merely nodded when they suggested this particular style. The First stage was to write English lyrics for songs tunes that had been written by a very Japanese mind. I was given themes and drawn a host of pictures to describe the feeling in each verse, chorus or bridge. It was then my role to turn the pictures in to passable English poetic lyricism. The four tunes were all generally about a group of 25 year olds and their thoughts on what was wrong with the world. Those thoughts largely saying: Politicians are bad, People are corrupt, the pop industry is turning the average person into a dumb sheep and that there is no longer a place for true creativity because the laws of the land are now so quick to crush any radical thought. A fine idea in practise however I have yet to find anyone who can back up there beliefs. One of the songs was about the Asian conflict and the constant trouble between China and Japan. Why do we fight? Why does china hate Japan and why can't we all just be friends?(super cliche). The second stage was to practise regularly in one of the overpriced practise studios in the metropolis area. The studios consisted of recording equipment, microphones, amps and PA systems much the same as a western studio, however in the Japanese studios you're also surrounded by 3 walls of mirrors. I was horrified to find that the mirrors are there so you can "check your image" while your playing. I stood and gazed in ore through the other studio windows at the pretty boy hair done up to the nines "boybands"(which said they were Punku bando) staring at themselves while they jumped in unison and created a Blink 182 look. I was horrified to find out that all Japanese bands are like this. I know its harsh to stereotype but I'm hoping someone will read this and disagree with me, thus introducing me to a decent non commercial Japanese band. Go on I dare you....... The Third stage once we had perfected our 30 minutes song catalogue was to play in a live house. Great, I thought to myself finally I can expose the public to my strict problems with society. I'm sure it will be in a liberal bar filled with all classes and creeds who have come to the bar to be enlightened, such as it (sometimes but rarely) is in England. Alas I was sadly mistaken. When scouting the bar in Ebisu we found that the current live band were dressed as the toys in "Gundam Wing". A stage full of Japanese guys with there instruments, playing self written J-Pop whilst wearing perfect replica pilot outfits from the kids anime show. What was left of my shattered soul then found out that we had to indeed "pay-to-play" in all live houses around tokyo unless we wished to go to a gaijin bar and play on their open mic night. I was more than happy to do so , but was told by the band members that "it is not za Japanese way". After forking out nearly a hundred pounds to play I was then given a host of tickets to sell to all my gaijin buddies. My sales technique went as follows "come see my amateur JAP/ENG band play songs that you've never heard before at 4.30pm in ebisu, you'll surely be amazed at our "stage look". Oh and by the way its fifteen pounds a ticket. A similar price to a newly founded Brit band who had been signed and had at least one chart hit under their belt. This was not the way in I had hoped for. although believing that my pretty white face would be worshipped in some kind of Jesus like stature I still found that this was not enough to satisfy my now trodden down hope that being in a band in Japan is the right thing to do. My final idea is to have my eyes sown together as some sort of tribute to Ayumi Hamasaki, thus creating a niche market and becoming famous merely upon my look. This is the way of the Japanese music industry. Bitter as a lemon. Full Stop.]]> tag:living.in-japan.jp,2007://3.277 2007-08-13T02:44:15Z 2007-08-13T03:57:07Z

The Japanese drink their favorite crisp, cool nama (draft) beer in what are called “jokis” or big beer mugs. These mugs come in three sizes: Housewife, college student, and businessman. The largest businessman sized joki holds about three beers.

Ben Whaley bwhaleyjapan.blogspot.com I once commented to my host father that Asahi Superdry is the king of Japanese beers in my mind. Last Monday marked an adventure in alcoholism one month in the making since that very comment. My host dad Kazuhiko and I hopped a bus and headed downtown to the Asahi Beer Restaurant to drink like there was no tomorrow. My host dad was dressed in a really interesting brownish-yellow suit that made him look like Colonel Mustard from Clue. In the sea of black suits I would soon be swimming in, my jeans and pink polo shirt had gaijin written all over them. The Asahi building houses a regular brewery style restaurant on the bottom floor and a larger banquet room for special events on the second floor. Since the doorman knew my host dad by name, I figured correctly that we would forego the formalities and head straight up to our malt liquor castle in the sky. Little did I know that we would soon be joined by forty or so of my host father’s work colleagues (all men). There was no name tag for me so I had to write my own name in Japanese on a slip of white paper. I then had to sign my name vertically in the guest book. The greeter was afraid that I couldn’t do it so he kept turning the book horizontally until I told him that I wasn’t drunk yet and could manage. I had previously thought that my host father was Yakuza (Japanese mafia), because my family has a lot of money and I never saw him wear any short sleeve shirts (a sure fire sign to me that his body was covered with licentious tattoos). As it turns out however, he works for a venture capital company, and specializes in computers, though he quickly points out jokingly that he knows nothing about how computers work. I figure he must be pretty darn high up in the company by the number of people that came over to introduce themselves to him throughout the evening. My evening, which lasted from 7 PM till 2 AM was a fantastic opportunity to test how much I could actually drink before death set in (I had always been wondering). The Japanese drink their favorite crisp, cool nama (draft) beer in what are called “jokis” or big beer mugs. These mugs come in three sizes: Housewife, college student, and businessman. The largest businessman sized joki holds about three beers. Beer runs as thick as blood in the veins of the average Japanese company worker. Just for comparison to American fathers, my Japanese host dad loves Asahi Beer so much that he not only gave me an Asahi polo shirt and key chain (two items out of his massive Asahi paraphernalia collection), but he also has a keg as a permanent installation in his room at home for when the boys come over. I began drinking beer as the night began and found my favorite Superdry to be as delicious as ever. Several members from my host dad’s company came up and gave speeches at the microphone, welcoming everybody, and extending wishes for continued success. I was quite happily guzzling jokis of beer, when my host dad politely told me that I shouldn’t drink while the company heads were speaking. I swear I saw at least four other guys doing it though. After each speech we would all stand around the rectangular table formation as if we were at a cult meeting as the person at the microphone would bark out “XXXXX KANPAI!!!!!” We would all respond by screaming KANPAI!!!! and downing the rest of our mug. Examples include: “Suteki na kanojo wo sagasu KANPAI!!!” – “For finding a sexy girlfriend…KANPAI!!!” - An individual kanpai that I shared with a 20-something business man. OR “Motto beer wo nomou KANPAI!!!” - “For drinking more beer…KANPAI!!!” - Yelled by a drunk guy a good way into the evening. Thanks to the amazing service staff, by the time I finished one of my jokis, another full one was already waiting. About halfway through the evening, representatives from Asahi Beer came to join our party and gave us cans of Prime Time, an Asahi brand that has not yet hit the shelves. My host dad, who was already several mugs ahead of me by this point, would mime shoving the can underneath his jacket and laugh hysterically as he said we should smuggle them out. The Asahi rep (always concerned about his customer’s opinions) went around and individually asked everyone in the room what they thought of the new beer. I said it tasted fine, but just about everyone else gave him nothing but criticisms of the “disgusting” flavor as his reddening face dripped beads of sweat. I was told that there was going to be food to counteract the effects of the massive alcohol intake. To be fair, there was food, however Japanese delicacies like sliced raw fish and tofu don’t exactly fill you up when you are drinking nothing but beer. Throughout the evening there were no water glasses and no alternatives to do anything but drink. Because of this, the group got progressively more and more rowdy and incoherent. As the night progressed I quickly lost count of my intake. There’s a hierarchy of words to describe being tanked, smashed, or wickedly f*cked up in Japanese. The highest word is “beron beron.” I wasn’t quite beron beron yet when I started making some interesting cultural observations in between trips to the bathroom: 1) Japanese businessmen like to rub each other when drunk. This isn’t a sexual rubbing; rather, it most closely mimics how a trainer would rub his prize fighter’s shoulders as he rests in the corner between rounds. There’s nothing you can do to avoid this. As the drunken men circled the room, regardless of whether they had met me or not, I would get the boxer rub. At one point I recall seeing my host father cradling another man in his arms as he laughed and whispered in his ear. 2) The greatest practical joke in the world is a foreigner who can speak Japanese. I cannot tell you how many times my host dad nearly collapsed to the floor in fits of laughter upon playing out his favorite put over. Whenever a businessman would come over to bow deeply to my host father, that same businessman would simultaneously have to make a decision as to if he wanted to engage the already visibly incoherent gaijin or not. If he chose to do so, he would nervously say “Hello” or “Hajimemashite” to me while presenting his business card (I now have a stack of these from people I cannot remember meeting). Even as drunk as I was, I could still muster “Hi, I’m Ben, nice to meet you” in Japanese. Regardless of the businessman’s reaction to my utterance, my host father would burst out with tears of laughter saying, “Bet you didn’t think he could speak Japanese - BAH HAH HAHA.” He would then tell the business man that I was “his son” (referring to my status in the host family) and make a joke about sleeping with another woman. 3) My Japanese doesn’t get better when I drink – I simply don’t care as much about the mistakes I make. At one point I remember a gray haired businessman telling me all about his motorbike tours around the mountains. At that point my eyes were creating a nifty strobe light effect and my face felt like it was modeler’s clay. I watched, almost outside of myself, as his Japanese words shot by my ears as incomprehensible projectiles. I remember smiling and nodding a lot and saying, “uh huh, uh huh." I also remember that I really wanted to participate in the conversation so I took it upon myself to comment on whatever individual vocabulary words I could identify from his lecture. For instance, if he said, “And when I took the bike up past 50 around the winding lake road, you wouldn't believe the view of the sunset!” I would respond with something along the lines of, “lakes are filled with water.” 4) In a land where public humiliation is worth its weight in gold, I am King Midas. I was in the bathroom when I heard my name being called over the microphone. I knew that the minute I left the safety of my heated Toto washlet, I would be fair game. Pairs of hands ushered me up to the microphone (probably a good idea because I couldn’t walk too well) as I tried to say “this is a bad idea” in Japanese. I had given away the fact that I could speak Japanese by enacting my father’s practical joke to virtually everyone in the room, so now it was time for me to deliver a speech in front of the now 50 or so stinking drunks (myself included) in the room. My first line was killer (you’ll have to imagine my drunken Japanese voice): “I’m really tanked, so I’m not sure if you’re gonna be able to understand me or not.” This line produced a lot of laughs. After that, I rambled incoherently in a mishmash of honorific Japanese as I tried to wholeheartedly express my gratitude for the invitation and the experience. I ended with a kanpai to “yukoh” or friendship and watched as my host dad drained his joki in three seconds flat. I eventually was taken home in a taxi by one of my host father’s colleagues who lives nearby. My host dad would continue to drink through the morning with his buddies and not come home (something that angered my host mom). My chaperone initially took me to another bar to drink more, but when I truthfully told him that I had had enough, we went back to my house. I made it to school the next morning with the worst hangover of my life. I rode the bus (standing room only), because biking was out of the question, and it was all I could do to hold it together as the cabin swung back and forth. It was a personal goal of mine not to defile the middle school girl text messaging on her cell phone in front of me. Once at the center, I found that if I sat perfectly still on the couch with my mouth slightly eschewed and a can of closed Candian Dry Ginger Ale positioned at 90 degrees in my right hand, I could avoid the urge to blow chunks. Once in the classroom however, I got severe motion sickness as I tilted my head downwards to read the newspaper article positioned on the table. I took the article slow, one character at a time, like I was a Japanese preschooler. Somehow the word must have got around that I was hung-over - maybe the fact that I was stoically sucking on a lemon gave me away (the lemon was my host mom’s surefire remedy). Please remember for the future, when one of your friends is visibly exerting every ounce of their strength to not throw up, it is of the utmost importance that you ask them repeatedly, “Hey, do you have a hangover? Huh? Do ya?” I got better as the day got longer. At one point my host mom called the center to ask if I was alright (she didn’t seem that concerned when I left the house gagging in the morning). All the ladies who work in the office then took turns laughing and gabbing about how I was “yowai” or weak when it came to alcohol. Ah well, I deserved it I guess. While drinking, I asked my host father if this get-together was a special event because of all the people that were present. He told me that these nomikai or drinking parties happen every month. So, there’s always next month! KANPAI!!!]]> tag:living.in-japan.jp,2007://3.276 2007-08-07T04:10:36Z 2007-08-07T04:38:49Z

MIZUSHOUBAI as a term covers quite a few bases in that it is a blanket expression under which you will find your Hostess and Host clubs, ringky dink "snacks" and even the acclaimed and often glorified (nonsensically) Geisha "houses" or clubs or whatever. Essentially it's any place that one can go and drink and the girls (or boys) that you are flirting with are paid to do just that, flirt with you.

Mrblackmagic Hostess and Host bars/clubs etc... Really, what is more symbolic of Japan's world renowned strangeness than the MIZUSHOUBAI culture? MIZUSHOUBAI as a term covers quite a few bases in that it is a blanket expression under which you will find your Hostess and Host clubs, ringky dink "snacks" and even the acclaimed and often glorified (nonsensically) Geisha "houses" or clubs or whatever. Essentially it's any place that one can go and drink and the girls (or boys) that you are flirting with are paid to do just that, flirt with you. In addition to flirting with you they are generally trying to get you and your party to buy more drinks both for yourselves and for THEM and to buy more expensive drinks as you become progressively more drunk! Sounds like a good time right?!?! For any of you "Gaijin" who have spent more than and hour in Tokyo you have probably heard of Roppongi or as my friend Dean likes to say "The PONN". It's basically the Gaijin meet open minded interested-in-Gaijin Japanese girl location. 5 years ago the filth of Roppongi had gotten pretty intolerable and recently efforts have been made in conjunction with commercial ventures such as Roppongi Hills and The Ritz to clean up this area....did anyone notice how Vanilla closed even though it was busy every night?? yep...they bought that. Now...here is the interesting part...as the Gaijin dumps close, plans are being made and executed to open new Japanese clubs, predominantly HOSTESS clubs, in their place. One such club that has been open in The PONN for sometime and is packed nightly is "GLOVE". High end Hostess club, essentially Japanese only BUT accessible if you look decent (wearing a suit) and you can speak the language. I and my compatriots did not look decent, but friends who know the people there made arrangements for us and in we went (the security guard at the door was about 4 feet tall and looked like he was going to have a heart attack when he saw me coming). Huge club, lots and lots of pretty girls. Don't get your hopes up.... We all spoke Japanese but the powers that be, that send girls to the tables continually sent girls that they thought had English ability ie. FILIPINO GIRLS....I was less than psyched...as were my partners....not that filipino women are bad (they are knock out attractive and cool to boot, but we were trying to go all Nippon) but I have to admit the filipino girls were by far better than the Japanese girls who claimed to speak English and looked....less than fantastic. In the end...big bill....drunk but not nearly enough and largely disappointed. I recommend normal bars. It's easy to talk to women that are buying drinks and very well might buy YOU drinks if the conversation goes well...Hostess clubs are worth a cursory visit just to get a load of this strange bit of culture, something that many Japanese men routinely enjoy. Now....Chinese "snacks" in rural areas are a different story altogether....but that's a story for another time...]]> tag:living.in-japan.jp,2007://3.273 2007-07-11T16:02:18Z 2007-07-12T06:37:14Z

It may surprise you to know that there are still a number of small (under an acre) farms where locals grow fruit and vegetables. They often have a table set up where you can buy a few of the pickings before they go to market.

Steven Coleman garageband.com/artist/steventroycoleman Let me tell you about my neighborhood here on the outskirts of Tokyo. It may surprise you to know that there are still a number of small (under an acre) farms where locals grow fruit and vegetables. They often have a table set up where you can buy a few of the pickings before they go to market. There is a tofu shop, where beans are pressure cooked and made into fresh tofu and aburage daily. Three generations can be seen working there. Even on Sunday I often see the shop master cleaning, adjusting his equipment, or just hanging out. Clearly it’s a labor of love. There is also a delicious bakery run by a young couple. They are friendly, and promote organic and other healthy products. On holidays they always bake up seasonal goodies: German ‘stolen’ for Christmas, chocolate fudge for Valentine’s Day. I recently found tucked away on a backstreet, a knife sharpening shop. Now I know where to get a professional edge on my perennially dull kitchen knives. I needed some planks to build a shelf in my apartment, and visited the local wood purveyor. With lumber in all shapes and sizes, he helped me to pick out what I needed, then proceeded to plane it, cut it, and finish it to smooth perfection. This was truly ‘Old World’ service. My next door neighbor works out of his home. He has a small laboratory where he makes custom molded-to-order false teeth for dentists. I was amazed. Take a stereotypical snapshot of Japan, and call it a day: pachinko parlors, stylists, and convenience stores slick and ubiquitous would seem to dominate the city’s horizon. But the next time meander the Japanese backstreets, maybe your own, take a closer look at the vibrancy and the variety of the small businesses at your fingertips. You’ll be surprised. ]]> tag:living.in-japan.jp,2007://3.271 2007-07-08T11:54:24Z 2007-07-09T01:27:42Z

Upon arrival in Japan I was impressed with the train system. As a New Yorker I have been used to the nuances of a disorganized transportation system. Allow me to compare.

ann6380 Upon arrival in Japan I was impressed with the train system. As a New Yorker I have been used to the nuances of a disorganized transportation system. Allow me to compare. The first thing you notice in the NY subway is the smell or rather the stench. The repulsive odor consists of rat droppings, trash, urine and the homeless. There is no such thing as ventilation. So imagine getting dressed going to work smelling fresh and clean then having to subject your fine wardrobe to the stench of this underworld. By the time you get to work you will feel as dirty as the less fortunate that make it their home. In the Japanese system the setup is familiar. The suica is reminiscent of the NYC metrocard. The automated purchasing machine is more prevalent and reliant. However, once you step on a platform you soon realize the clean travel environment. I look on the tracks and see train tracks, not rats or trash, but tracks. The clean chairs are a welcome retreat for wary legs. I often wonder how they keep the upholstery on the seats so clean. No gum or spills…that’s amazing! My true fascination is the ability for Japanese to obey the no talking on the cell phone rule. In the US this would never work. Cell phones have only increased the number of ways we annoy each other. Thank God New York trains run mostly underground. We are already in therapy for cell phone rage. The Japanese display a calm consideration for each other. That’s what I admire about them the most. No loud talking, no rude gestures, no panhandling and no disturbances. A peaceful ride into the city is what JR brings. Every time I get on the train in Japan it’s like a road trip; the scenery is fantastic. Sometimes it’s a ride through time and culture. Other times it’s like journeying to the emerald city of Oz. ]]> tag:living.in-japan.jp,2007://3.270 2007-07-01T23:56:32Z 2007-07-02T02:39:39Z

If you've never been to Japan before, your media-fed impressions might include whispering notions of tattooed yakuza with concealed weapons, industrious and resourceful stalkers from the pages of The Daily Mail, people leaping to their deaths in front of commuter trains, and perhaps even an unspoken fear of lightening fast martial arts being used to kick your ass up against a wire fence in a narrow Tokyo alley.

jbkelly1981 It's said that Japan is one of the safest places to live in the world. Ask any foreigner who stepped off the plane three months ago and they’ll tell you about the time they collapsed in an alcoholic stupor on the steps of a train station and woke up four hours later with the contents of their bags – wallet, phone, keys, iPod – strewn around them untouched. One the other hand, ask a Japanese person and they’ll tell you about the time they were “attacked” by a man on a train who actually just coughed on them. And perhaps a female colleague will tell you about being chased down the road by a man cycling a bike, holding an umbrella and masturbating at the same time. And about how her underpants go missing when she dries them on her first floor balcony. It may have one of the lowest crime rates in the world, but we all know about Lindsay Hawker and the bathtub full of sand. If you've never been to Japan before, your media-fed impressions might include whispering notions of tattooed yakuza with concealed weapons, industrious and resourceful stalkers from the pages of The Daily Mail, people leaping to their deaths in front of commuter trains, and perhaps even an unspoken fear of lightening fast martial arts being used to kick your ass up against a wire fence in a narrow Tokyo alley. I’ve been living in Japan for two years. Not so long in some respects but it feels like quite a long time. I’ll give you some anecdotal evidence, from my own experience and from others, but I’ll try to build the case that Japan is safer than any other country I have been to or lived in because that is my genuine impression of this country. Where does the idea that Japan is a safe country come from? Back home, wherever that may be, everyone has had something stolen at some point in their lives. If you aren’t Japanese I’ll bet you have. I’ve met hundreds of Japanese people in my two years of teaching and in the course of creating conversations I’ve talked about crime with most of them – it’s a subject almost guaranteed to get a response. The vast majority of them have never had anything stolen – except for umbrellas and bicycles which seem to change hands like small change. Almost all of them have never been mugged, never had their possessions stolen from their house, and have never knowingly witnessed a crime. Tokyoites will claim that the city can be dangerous, and say certain areas are best avoided. Kabuki-cho in Shinjuku is usually always mentioned as a gang area. I have walked through this area many times at all times of the day and night and I didn’t feel unsafe at all. It seemed to be a little dirtier and there were more young people hanging around but compared to a weekend night in Glasgow for example (the stabbing capital of Europe) it was nothing. Some gang members get shot now and again and their headquarters might be in Kabuki-cho but I think it’s only dangerous if you are actually in a rival gang, or your are seriously determined to get into trouble. It would seem that some Tokyo people are mistaking actual danger with fear. The anecdotal evidence is abundant and it weighs heavily on the side of Japan being safe. There are countless instances of my friends falling asleep on trains and waking up with all their possessions. Wallets lost in the street finding their way back to their mailboxes. Bags left on restaurant tables not disappearing when the owner goes to the bathroom. Delivery men leaving boxes in open vans. Cars with handbags, golf bags, wallets visible inside. Drunk people in the street being fifty year old business men and not 15 year olds in enormous gangs. No aggravating eye contact on commuter trains. Some would consider that, in Japan, manners and the notion of honour are the constraining factors binding potential criminals to honest behaviour. Compared to most of the west, it seems that criminals are dehumanized to a greater extent in Japan. Prisons are not as comfortable as they are in the west (and a couple of my friends can attest to this). In the course of the conversations I mentioned before many of my students would condone harsh sentences for criminals without really considering mitigating factors – a three year prison sentence for shoplifting for example, without considering what the person stole or why. But if you look closely at public opinion in the west (and by that I am referring mainly to Britain, as I haven’t lived in the US or Canada or Europe) a large number of people have similar attitudes towards criminals, especially the tabloid reading public. I think the only difference here between Japan and the west is that our actual sentencing seems to be more lenient. Japan is safe, many of my students tell me honestly, because there are not many foreigners yet. I don’t know if there is any truth to this but people of this opinion point to the correlation between immigration numbers and crime figures. In particular they blame the Chinese and Koreans, and the media certainly likes to report crime perpetrated by foreigners. I think the safety of Japan is related to this in the respect that Japan does have an extremely strong sense of national identity, which sometimes can appear to border on racism. That feeling of national identity exists in the west, of course, such as post 9/11 USA, but in my experience, unlike Japan it’s not associated with such a strong sense of national responsibility. Japanese people are more likely to ask “what do people expect me to do?” rather than “what can people do for me?” All this can lead to the newcomer in Japan feeling like they couldn’t get mugged if they tried. It’s taken two years and a couple of incidents to make me realise that’s not the case. My friend, as a fresh-off-the-plane gaijin, lit up a cigarette on a train platform (since there were no non-smoking signs) and was accosted by a business man who shouted at him, followed him onto the train and continued to verbally abuse him for the entire train journey. Another friend of mine was attacked in a nightclub. We had just arrived and he was sober and not making a nuisance of himself, but nevertheless someone walked up to him and punched him in the face, threw him to the floor and ripped his shirt, for no other reason than an apparent dislike of his face. My friends and I went to the police station and were told that they basically didn’t care about what happened to us. There are stories of friends going to Roppongi for a night out and not showing the kind of caution they would back home, and waking up with no memory and a maxed-out credit card. Three of my colleagues went out one night and one of them stupidly stole a lipstick from a convenience store. I don’t know his reasons for stealing a woman’s cosmetic product but perhaps in Australia it would only get him a slapped wrist and a fine. For his efforts he and his two friends were put in jail for three days, and the police tried to force confessions from all of them claiming they had video evidence showing that they had all conspired to steal the makeup. No doubt the police were just trying to put the frighteners on them, but bear in mind that if they had wanted the police could legally have held my friends for 23 days without access to a telephone or a lawyer. The murder of Lindsay Hawker struck a nerve with the British public because of the bizarre circumstances of her death. She was stalked by her student and found dead on his balcony in a bathtub full of sand. The stalker issue is one worth addressing. I have heard a couple of first hand stories of people being followed. The first thing I notice is that it’s only girls who are stalked. To their consternation and contrary to what many male foreigners living in Japan will try to tell you, male foreigners are almost never followed home by Japanese girls. A lot of foreign girls attract unwanted attention, although mainly just in the form of wayward glances. I would say that Japan is still safe in this respect but there seems to be anecdotal evidence of a greater tendency towards obsessive behaviour among Japanese men towards young foreign females, particularly those who correspond to common impressions of beautiful western women. I honestly don’t know what the stalking figures are for Japan compared to western countries so I can’t objectively say if it’s more of an issue here. All I can say is if you show the same caution you would at home when walking home alone or dealing with strangers then you almost certainly won’t end up in the newspapers, or in a bathtub full of sand. Concerning drugs offences: in Britain a small amount of cannabis will get nothing other than a warning and the confiscation of your stash. In Japan you could face a five-year prison sentence. The recent case of Nova teachers caught in Roppongi with a small amount of cocaine and cannabis highlights the Japanese attitude towards drugs offences; whereas in the west it wouldn’t make a local newspaper it gained national coverage in Japan and the fact that the suspects were foreign English teachers certainly had something to do with that. With the exception of some stalker-related incidents most of these incidents were because people didn’t take the due consideration they would back home. Being punched in the face for no reason in a British nightclub is not outside the realm of possibility. Drugs offences and theft will get you into some form of trouble anywhere, all that differs is the extent of the punishment. Japan can be an incredible place to live if you follow the lead of those around you and don’t take unnecessary risks. If you show the same responsibility for your well being as you do back home, you can enjoy an even greater degree of safety. If you start thinking, like a surprising number of people, that you are invincible and that no matter how drunk you get you’ll still wake up with your wallet and all your teeth then there isn’t a country in the world safe enough for you. ]]> tag:living.in-japan.jp,2007://3.267 2007-06-28T12:33:17Z 2007-06-28T14:48:26Z

When you first stepped on Japan’s ground, you felt a mix of excitement and fear. Excitement for doing new things and fear of being treated as an alien.

Nene When you decided to live in a foreign land for good, you understood that you had to learn its language and culture. You knew that homesickness would surely linger in your lonesome moments．You had feared of what will be your life in that land. You were worried to be alone and forsaken by your only companion upon whom you depend so much. You had no idea how the people would treat you. You were not confident that you could adjust to the new atmosphere. However, you managed to pretend to become strong and held on to your decision. When you first stepped on Japan’s ground, you felt a mix of excitement and fear. Excitement for doing new things and fear of being treated as an alien. At first, you were introduced to many acquaintances, brought to many beautiful places and exposed to cultures and traditions of Japan. Then, you tried to accept the new environment and system and acted as if everyday is a normal day. You have tried to acquire a job not related to your field and felt disappointed because you were not accepted. You have decided to learn the language and culture seriously because it is a must. You have restrained yourself from doing things that will disappoint other people. You have behaved as if you were a saint because you don’t want others to criticize you and give impression that all people from your country are same as you. You have told them your own culture, food, language, etc. but they just simply said they are all strange. You tried to be friendly to anybody, but you couldn’t find real friendship. You were once treated unjustly because you are an alien. There were moments that you felt alone and disappointed of the things that were happening to you. You realized that you lost your career and felt unfruitful in this land. You believed that you haven’t done what you ought to do because there were barriers. However, there were more happy moments than sadness, because your companion, who gives you inspiration to hang on, doesn’t forsake you. This land is fertile so you have to keep in mind that there will come a time that you will become fruitful. ]]> tag:living.in-japan.jp,2007://3.264 2007-06-26T09:57:57Z 2007-06-26T23:06:02Z

When I was in my country I used to watch Korean dramas that were broadcast on television. I became so absorbed with them that even though the drama was broadcast late at night I still watched it regularly.

Nene When I was in my country I used to watch Korean dramas that were broadcast on television. I became so absorbed with them that even though the drama was broadcast late at night I still watched it regularly. However, my husband is even more absorbed than me with Korean drama. At that time that he had no job yet, he used to watch Korean drama almost everyday and even now in his free time he watches Korean drama. He rents DVDs from Tsutaya Discas, a DVD rental shop. Because there are no English subtitles or caption in the DVD, I can’t watch them. There was a time that I became angry with my husband because of Korean drama. I was talking to him about something but he did not say any word. I realized he was watching the drama, “All In” starring Lee Byung Hun and Song Hae Gyo, so I told him to stop it and talk to me first. But he continued on watching until I become irritated. In my annoyance, I threw him a pillow to disrupt him. He just stared at me and continued watching the drama. I threw more pillows and started crying so he stopped the drama and faced me. He asked me, “What’s wrong with you?”. I told him because of Korean dramas he didn’t give me attention. Eventually, we reconciled after that scene. Korean dramas are becoming more popular in Japan. The first drama to be broadcast in Japan was “Winter Sonata” in 2004. It became a big hit and Japanese become more interested in visiting Korea and learning the Korean language. Many Korean stories have similarities in themes, character development and etc. but the portrayal of morality, virtues, and customs are more appealing to Asian audiences. The actors are good looking and their attire is actually fascinating. However, the main reason why Japanese liked Korean drama very much is that the customs, traditions and sceneries, that are shown in Korean drama setting, are very similar to Japan’s. ]]> tag:living.in-japan.jp,2007://3.263 2007-06-26T08:30:43Z 2007-06-26T14:39:02Z

Bathing at home in Japan has some special procedures. They take a bath usually every evening. Before they enter the bath tub, they have to clean themselves while sitting on a low stool, they can shampoo and drench themselves with hot water. After they soak, they don’t drain the water on the tub because somebody will use it again.

Nene I have learned some things about Japanese culture that really surprised me because they are completely different from my culture. Food Unlike in my country, slurping while eating is considered good table manners in Japan. In fact, it signifies that you have a strong personality. But if you don’t do the slurping they will consider you weak and shy. The slurping is also their way of telling that the food is delicious. Bathing There are many ‘onsen’ or hot springs around Japan. Japanese like to soak in a hot spring all naked, without any piece of clothing. They put a small towel on top of their head which can be used to cover their genitals when getting out of the water. Commonly, public hot springs are gender separated but there are also mixed baths. If you are not comfortable being naked in front of other people, you can have "kashikiri" or private bath, which is available at some Japanese hotels. Private baths are sometimes also known as "kazokuburo" or family baths. Bathing at home in Japan has some special procedures. They take a bath usually every evening. Before they enter the bath tub, they have to clean themselves while sitting on a low stool, they can shampoo and drench themselves with hot water. After they soak, they don’t drain the water on the tub because somebody will use it again. Once, when I watched a Japanese movie, I was surprised because a father and his two young daughters were taking a bath at the same time. I have learned that young children usually bathe with their parents in Japan. Language Even though English schools in Japan are spreading like mushrooms, most of the Japanese people still don’t learn English language because of the fact that they don’t need English for their everyday living. They are using their own language in any field of endeavor. Manga Whenever I'm in a train or bus I usually observe Japanese people reading Manga, or comic books. Manga readers come in all ages from schoolboys to retired men. I learned that there are categories of manga, depending on the age of desired audience. The manga industry in Japan has such a great impact on Japan’s market. When I browsed some bookstores, I noticed there are many racks of manga. My husband told me that Manga is Japan’s culture.]]> tag:living.in-japan.jp,2007://3.262 2007-06-26T06:27:16Z 2007-06-26T09:42:20Z

While I was at the train station, I happened to see a group of people who bowed many times, before parting. “Why is it that their bowing seemed endless? Once is enough. They are overdoing it.” I told my husband. He replied, “You should appreciate Japanese politeness”.

Nene The progress of one’s country depends on its culture. In my 7 months of stay in Japan, I have already witnessed some very impressive things about Japanese culture: Business: In business, when Japanese meet for the first time in business meeting, they usually give each other a ‘meishi’ or business card. The card tells your name, your job title, the organization you work for, your address and telephone, etc. By looking at the card, they will know who must use more polite words. Do not put it in your bag or keep it as soon as you received it, and if there is table you have to put it on the table in front of you. After work, they usually say “Otsukaresamadeshita”, and bow to each other many times. While I was at the train station, I happened to see a group of people who bowed many times, before parting. “Why is it that their bowing seemed endless? Once is enough. They are overdoing it.” I told my husband. He replied, “You should appreciate Japanese politeness”. Japanese bow when they say "Thank you", "Sorry", "Hello", "Good bye", "Congratulations", "Excuse me", "Good Morning", "Good night", etc. To bow to an older person or with higher position in the society, is to bend longer and deeper. Men usually bow with their hands on their side, while women bow with their hands touched in front of their thighs. The left hand must cover the right hand which signifies humbleness. In Western countries, they are used to shaking hands to greet people but Japanese feel uncomfortable about physical contact so they just bow their head instead. The services in private or public offices are really satisfying. The employees behave in a very refined and friendly way. Probably because of competition every employee is trained to behave the best. In parties or meetings, Japanese usually pour drinks for each other. They cannot leave each other’s glass empty unless one says, “iie, kekko desu!” But traditionally, women are supposed to be the ones who should pour drinks for men. Home: When you visit somebody’s house, you have to say “Ojamashimasu” which means “I am here to disturb you”. At the entrance of the house which is called ‘genkan’, there is a step and you have to take off your shoes before stepping up. After you take off your shoes, the resident of that house will then turn your shoes facing the door, so that when you leave the house it is ready for wearing. It is their way of service to the visitor. When you leave the house, you should say “Ojamashimashita” which means “I have disturbed you”. Language While I am learning the Japanese language, I noticed that they have polite reference to many things. They add ‘O’ or ‘Go’ in the beginning of the word, such as ‘Osara’ means plate, ‘Oshouyu’ means soy sauce, 'Gokyoudai' refers to somebody’s sibling, ‘Goshujin’ refers to somebody’s husband, and more. I realized they even have polite references for small things in the house. Transportation: In a train or bus, elder people, pregnant women and the handicapped are given priority to have a seat. If you are sitting and some old people are standing everybody will stare at you. ]]>