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.