Perhaps the most profound thing that I’ve learned so far is that people everywhere are basically the same. It seems that every place contains at least a few amazing people, and I always seem to stumble upon them.
There are several common traits that people everywhere share: we love, fear, hope, dream, hate, laugh, cry, and we all wonder where this tangled web of choice and consequence will lead us. Although some paths may cross for merely a short time, and some paths may never cross, the mere sway of the branches is enough to change everything.
It’s also becoming clear to me that a life worth living is a life spent reaching out to others, whether it be thousands, or a single person. As I’ve found out through less than forgiving experience, when the last train settles into the station for the night, all that we are left with is each other. No matter how much we try to ignore it, the waxing and waning of our happiness is largely dependent on others. We live and die at the hands of friends and enemies, no matter which part of the world we inhabit.
With this in mind, is it not worthwhile to leave home with reckless abandon in order to bring a smile to someone’s face half a world away? Is it not worth the risk of leaving home in order to experience the adventure of the return journey? Does it really matter where we end up?
It seems to me that the point of the journey is to gain the companionship of the fellow traveler, and despite our worries and fears, home is never farther than a twelve hour plane ride.
I’ve given you my first impression of Japan, but now that I’ve been here for almost two weeks, I feel as if there are some more subtleties that are worth pointing out. Some things are exaggerated for entertainment purposes…
The Japanese are known for bowing. It’s a sign of respect and appreciation. Sometimes this leads to a most unfortunate event known by the world (or at least to me) as a bow off. This can occur when someone bows for a second time, in an attempt to keep from being shown up by a more impressive bow. What results is an epic battle for rights of having the last bow. Although no one has officially died from a “bow off” it has been known to occasionally result in the inabilty to stop bowing, as seen in this video.
The drunks in Japan are absolutely fantastic! I’ve seen men fall asleep while on the escalator and remain standing the entire time, while wobbling violently. Drunks in Japan are also much less of a “problem” compared to drunks in the states. They don’t bother others, most merely hang on for dear life to the subway hand rings, and stagger off at their appropriate stops. Drinking is a very popular hobby of many Japanese businessmen, and it serves as a way to unwind after a strenuous work day.
There are no paper towels in any subway restrooms. On top of this, there are no cruddy old towels or air dryers either. You must simply use your shirt, or the shirt of an unsuspecting businessman. Since we’re on the subject of restrooms, Japanese toilets are the most complicated contraptions that I’ve ever come into contact with. Most Japanese toilets require an electrical outlet, which seems quite dangerous. Some Japanese toilets have heated seats, while others talk, and I’m sure that there is a toilet out there somewhere that makes a mean cup of coffee. What makes this toilet extravagance even more of an oddity is that most public toilets are indeed quite crappy (pun intended?). Most public toilets are merely holes in the ground, with a small piece of porcelain surrounding them. It seems that the Japanese could settle for having all decent toilets, instead of a spread between holes and flushing espresso machines.
It’s not uncommon to see 50-60 year old men playing Nintendo DS on the subways. It’s also quite a common sight to see a cane in one hand and a cell phone in the other. Everyone here loves their technology, and age doesn’t seem to be a prohibiting factor when it comes to carrying around a Hello Kitty cell phone. Manga is the book of choice (basically a thicker comic book). The common Japanese subway goer seems rather quiet and introverted, but video games and comics often show that there is playfulness beneath the surface.
It’s a tad embarrassing to say this, but during our first day or so in Japan we completely relied on snack foods for nourishment, seeing as we had no idea where to find a market. This has led me to discover some of the most amazing treats that would put any American packaged snack to shame. Not only do the Japanese win in the taste category, but they also stomp the competition in presentation. For some reason, the Japanese seem to love excess packaging which is apparent when opening a can of Pringle-like chips here (Chip Star). Aside from the can, the chips are also wrapped in a plastic wrapper. Here are some of the delectables that i’ve discovered along my short journey. The Japanese word for snack is okashi (お菓子).
Crunky
Crunky is simply fantastic. Not only is it a beefed up version of the American Crunch bar (more crunch for your ￥), it’s name is also hilarious. Try putting a little more Crunk in your day.
The Peach Pouch
This isn’t the actual name for this tasty temptation, but it’s how it has become affectionately known by our group. The peach pouch seems to be a mixture or peach juice and peach flavored gelatin, a texture that might make some gag, but a snack that has become one of my favorites, and it’s only 49 kcal!
Pocky
Pocky is a crunchy stick covered in some type of coating (all delicious). These Pocky are apple yogurt, but the strawberry and chocolate Pocky are good as well. They actually have “Pocky for Men” which is more of a bitter chocolate (apparently the women can’t handle it).
Pure Gummies
Pure Gummies come in many flavors, and I assume that they are made with real fruit juice, since they taste exactly like their target fruit. The lime are the best in my opinion, but the others are good too.
Creepy Panda Cookies
さくさくぱんだ or Sakusaku Panda are delicious, but creepy, panda cookies and are definitely the most entertaining food that I’ve had so far. There are actually rare faces that you can find in the boxes (the angry looking one in the picture).
To say that the first few days in Japan were easy would be a lie, but I was expecting no different. What has made the last few days bearable has been the amazing people here. I say this now having gained my bearings and having gained a bit of insight into some of the cultural etiquette. Here are a few of the things that I’ve learned over the passed few days. Fortunately, I haven’t had any embarrassing moments; however, I have had some humorous ones.
Outside shoes are never to be worn past the entryway of the house.
Shoes can remain in the entryway; however, our house has wooden shoe boxes for each of the rooms.
Inside sandals must be taken off when entering the bathroom or kitchen.
There are communal slippers that are in each of these rooms. This is unfortunate for me, seeing as the “community” has very small feet.
When purchasing something, money should be placed in a tray if available, and is handed back in the same way.
Most Japanese store workers are aware of western customs, and will hand back cash to westerners, but it is polite to use the tray if available.
Vending machines are everywhere!
There are literally at least two vending machines on every corner, and there are several beer vending machines. They contain every kind of drink or cigarette imaginable. It is also important to note that just because something looks like water does not mean that it is water!
Notice, Tommy Lee Jones is a huge advert star in Japan.
The Japanese nearly worship forgotten American celebrities.
As seen on the vending machine, Tommy Lee Jones is huge in Japan! He’s the face of a popular brand of coffee drinks.
There are no public trash cans.
All trash in Japan is sorted into bottles, cans, containers, and general trash (possibly more categories?), and it is the responsibility of everyone to sort their own trash. Fortunately, there are can and bottle bins besides most vending machines, or else I would be carrying around a backpack full of empty bottles during my day. Also, most convenient stores that sell boxed lunches have sorting bins outside of the store.
Freshly prepared meals from convenient stores are cheaper, healthier, and more delicious than any convenient store meal in America!
These meals can be anything from salad to tempura(てんぷら）which can be fried vegetables or meats. Most dishes besides salads of course come with rice, which is soft, sticky and delicious.
Japanese things that are expensive in America are dirt cheap in Japan.
Sushi here is around $3 for an entire tray, and manga (Japanese comics popular in America) range from $3-$7, rather than $10 or above.
American fast food is only slightly more expensive but ten times tastier in Japan
The cheese on my Wendy’s double was actually melted, and there were two pieces. The only downside is that Japanese portions are smaller!
Wendy's in Japan!
The Japanese love English, but don’t always use it correctly.
This often leads to hilarity.
“Doing and another, there is a first time for everything” ~ girl’s t-shirt
“My desire love sweets” ~ girl’s t-shirt
Sometimes words are not enough…
Toilet use instructions.
One should stand on the left side of the escalator, to allow room for those that wish to walk.
Fruit can be very expensive.
About $6.50 for four apples; however, they are large and delicious.
A warning for the vertically gifted.
This image has not been tampered with; this is the door to my room.
The kindness and hospitality of the Japanese makes up for everything that one might find difficult to understand when first entering the country.
