My new CR-Z!

On April 19th bought my first brand new car. A 2011 Honda CR-Z! Since I had no real plans to buy a car this came as somewhat of a surprise. Seeing as my 2002 Accord, Tomo-chan, was having continual problems, however, each of which led to very costly repairs, this seemed like the right thing to do. My new CR-Z, which as of yet has no name, is fully-loaded and is really, really kool and fun to drive. Needless to say I am absolutely thrilled. Still, saying goodbye to Tomoko-chan was a very sad moment for me. To be honest I cried a little. I will miss her.

Two days after buying my new car, I learned that Tomo-chan already has a buyer! Knowing that she won't be lonely makes me feel very happy. Hopefully her new owner will be able to complete the repairs she needs, and take good care of her.

お客様は神様です "The Customer is God"

I came across an article in the Japan Times today entitled, "In Japan, the customer is not king." I usually try to stay out of discussions like these since they have a tendency to turn into flame wars, but after reading the article and the responses to it, I was compelled to offer my response, which I included below. Here is a link to the original article; my response follows.

I hope folks won't mind if I play devil's advocate here. My comments are not directed at any of the responses, nor are they meant to imply that anyone is wrong or insensitive. I merely want to offer a different point of view.
I haven't yet had the experience of being a resident in Japan, but I have spent quite a bit of time there. Furthermore, as someone who works for an international company that does business with big companies in Japan (both the modern and the antiquated ones), I think it might be a mistake, categorically, to draw inferences about Japan's ability to compete in international business based on the experiences of customers in Japanese shops and restaurants. Since this article is primarily focused on the experiences of the latter, I'd like to focus on that.
I know people are fond of the 客様は神様　"Customer is God" proverb、but it's important to remember that there are other factors at work in everyday Japanese consciousness that work in the opposite direction, as well.
I'm reminded of a passage in a novel by 向田邦子 (Mukōda Kuniko) in which the author observed a group of western ladies ordering breakfast at a hotel. She was very surprised that the ladies were so incredibly particular about the way they wanted their meals prepared. She reflected on the example her mother had set for her as a child, and on the idea of having compassion for the wait staff and the chef and cooks who will prepare the meals. She concluded that it's better to stick to the menu and keep it simple when it's tolerable to do so. Here, it might be suggested that the concept of "Customer is God" may include the supreme compassion of a god (lowercase 'g'), and not just the omnipotence of one. Now, Mukōda-san was a Showa era writer, of course, and we might conclude that things are or should be different in modern Japan. With this thought in mind, however, it may be more than just a coincidence (and more than just mere complacency) that "The common (Japanese) man or woman on the street generally accepts the way things are delivered in their vanilla form," no?
The examples given in the article appear quite extreme, so if I may, I'd like to relay an equally extreme experience I had not that long ago. My wife and I were waiting for our waitress at a restaurant in our neighbourhood in Chicago. The waitress was busy with a customer at the next table who was asking to have one of her ordered items substituted for something else. She then started asking about what kind of bread they have and if she could have a bagel instead of the choices she was provided. When the answer was affirmative, she went on to request that the bagel be split in half, lightly toasted and that the center be pulled out. I couldn't help but think, "What the hell?" Maybe this is supposed to be OK, I'm not sure. It seemed really extreme to me and bordered on rude considering the tone she used when speaking to the waitress. Regarding the experiences such as the beer with no foam, couldn't it be that the measurement of portion size in Japan is all about the volume/quantity and not the size of the container as it seems to be in the West?
Anyway, no conclusions here-- like I said, I just wanted to offer a different perspective. I would like to end by wondering something, however. If we are to expect of Japanese customer service the same standards we've become used to in the West, are we perhaps trying to inject a sense of western individualism into a society that basically operates just fine without it?

U.S. Immigration - Green Card

In most of my posts I discuss going to Japan but this time I want to discuss the opposite-- getting into the U.S., via Immigration and Naturalisation Services, otherwise known as INS. During the past few months my wife and I have been in the process of applying for a green card so that she can obtain permanent, legal residency in America. Let me just say that it's been nothing like the land-of-opportunity story of hopes and dreams that's been so highly romanticised during this country's short, 230-year-old history. Instead, it's been a time-consuming, frustrating and somewhat stressful process. In order to explain what I mean, let me describe the parts of the process, which involves many different chores, tasks and fees some of which are fully expected and some of which are a bit surprising.

First comes the completion of several stacks of forms and paperwork under the supervision of an over-priced immigration lawyer. Many of the forms demand that both the applicant (my wife) and the petitioner (me) provide private and personal information such as in-depth facts about family history, employment and educational history, as well as full disclosure of financial information including income, assets, liabilities and taxes. In addition to this, a hefty application fee is collected.

Second is the gathering of documentation. In order to complete the process, INS needs birth certificates, a marriage certificate, passports, IDs, tax returns, paycheck stubs, bank and credit account statements, loan statements and proof of employment in the form of letters written by employers (written according to specific guidelines and containing all required information). Additionally, profiling and finger-printing of the applicant is required during this step.

Third, new forms are created by INS and the immigration lawyer, based on the gathered information. These documents need to be signed and dated and then returned to INS before a specified deadline. Although this step doesn't sound too hard, it's important to understand that you may or may not actually receive the documents in a timely manner. In our case, one of the documents was supposedly mailed to us, but it never arrived so we had to visit the immigration lawyer in person to obtain an original copy that we could use as a replacement. I can't even imagine what would have happened if we were unable to take time off from work to meet with the lawyer, or unable to travel there before the office's *EARLY* closing time. Thankfully for us, having full-time salaried jobs and owning a car made it possible.

Mixed into the whole process, after each of the above steps is quite a lot of waiting and wondering. Another such period of time occurs at this fourth stage, which is finally nearing the end of the process. During this time the applicant and petitioner wait for INS to schedule an appointment for both to meet with an immigration officer in person. Once your appointment date has been set, there is still some more paperwork to be assembled, such as new paycheck stubs, new proof-of-employment letters and copies of bills, insurance documents, photographs and anything that can serve as proof of marriage. If your immigration lawyer is a good one (which my wife's is not), s/he might pro-actively contact you to let you know what's needed.

This final interview appointment is what my wife and I did today, and is the reason why both of us took the day off work. Upon arrival at the INS facility downtown, the typical government-building experience awaited us, complete with sterile-looking walls and floors, security guards, police and metal detectors. In addition to this, the security guards have extremely well-honed skills that help them to speak to everyone entering the facility in a way that makes us feel like criminals with little more than a fifth-grade education.

Once my wife and finally I arrived at our destination, we were handed a pager similar to the ones that restaurants use to communicate that a customer's table is ready. We entered a large room and waited to be paged while we sat nervously and watched the scores of snobby lawyers, angry mothers who didn't complete all of their tasks correctly, and married couples consisting of aging, dis-sheveled white guys with their mail-order-brides. Thankfully, once our pager summoned us to the back-offices, the experience was a good one! A gentleman named Officer Whelan was assigned to our case, and although he was required to ask a lot of questions about our relationship, socioeconomic status and personal lives, he was kind and professional and treated us with respect and dignity. At the end of the interview he informed us that our application would indeed be recommended for approval and that we definitely had "no reason to lose any sleep." We left with smiles on our faces and huge feelings of relief in our hearts. My wife should have her green card within the next 60 to 90 days. Thanks Officer Whelan! To my wife's lawyer-- thanks a lot for nothing AND for charging a premium for it.

Nintendo and the Yakuza

Recently I've taken a bit of an interest in Yakuza culture and have found myself reading articles here and there with great interest. Today I discovered something that truly amazed me-- that the world's beloved Nintendo video game company has connections to Japan's organised crime syndicates!

In order to explain this rather obscure and fascinating connection, I must first explain the origin of the word, やくざ ("yakuza"). This word comes from a combination of three very old Japanese words from a regional dialect: 八つ ("Yattsu" / Eight)　九 ("Kabu" / Nine) and　ざ ("Za" / slang word for 三 or "San" / Three). Yattsu-Kabu-Za ; 8-9-3. Take the abbreviated form of these three words and you get Ya-Ku-Za. Okay, so now that we've established that-- why "8-9-3?"

8-9-3 goes back to a very old Japanese card game called おいちょかぶ (Oicho-Kabu), which has some slight similarities to Blackjack. The game is not played with western-style playing cards, but with a Japanese 40-card deck called 株札 (Kabufuda). Oicho-Kabu was an integral part of Yakuza illegal gambling rings and became very popular for this reason. In Oicho-Kabu, 8-9-3 is the worst possible hand, and results in a score of Zero (yes, 20 = 0 in this game). Zero, being a losing hand is considered useless, and 8-9-3 or "Ya"-"Ku"-"Za," therefore, was used by regular folks to describe the "useless hands" of society. (Is that amazingly interesting or what!?)

Now that we've completed our history lesson, on to my main point-- Nintendo! What seems like it must be common knowledge to many folks was completely new and fascinating to me as I only found out about it this past weekend. When Nintendo was first founded in Kyoto back in 1889, owner 山内 房治郎 (Yamauchi Fusajiro)'s business was the production and sale of Kabufuda (and also 花札 (Hanafuda)) playing card decks! In fact, each deck of cards was hand-made by Yamauchi-san himself! When he could no longer keep up with the huge demand, he hired some employees to help him and that's how the company grew**. The obvious conclusion, therefore, is that a large percentage of Nintendo's first customers were Yakuza!

I would like to state, at this point, that I was not able to find any specific sources of information stating that Nintendo's first customers were, indeed, Yakuza. Based on the time period, and the two groups' respective line of work, however, it seems like a fairly obvious conclusion. Please feel free to leave a comment for me if you have any evidence or information that illustrates the opposite.

**Nintendo still makes Hanafuda (flower-card) decks. One of their modern versions has drawings of all the Mario characters on them.

27-May-2011: NEW UPDATE! Further exploration of this topic was recently posted by Brian Ashcraft of Kotaku.com in his review of the book, "The History of Nintendo."

Goto Tadamasa's Conversion

Goto Tadamasa is quite infamous in Japan as a boss in the 40,000-strong 山口組 (Yamaguchi-gumi) yakuza syndicate, one of the world's largest organised crime outfits with links to North Korea and operations in many other parts of Asia and in the U.S. as well. He is well-known for his extreme use of violence and aggression that includes activities such as the bulldozing of businesses that fail to pay protection money and the brutal beatings of his victims before the eyes of their families.

In 2001 Goto-san worked as an FBI informant in return for travel to the U.S. where he skipped to the front of the organ-donor waiting list with 700+ members to receive a life-saving liver-transplant at UCLA Medical Centre. Although he reportedly provided information that is available to anyone with an internet connection or the ability to read newspapers, his actions obviously infuriated his superiors.

Last September, Goto Tadamasa made a public spectacle of himself when he threw an extravagant birthday celebration for himself in 静岡県 (Shizuoka) and invited five of Japan's most famous enka singers (細川たかし (Hosokawa Takashi), 小林 旭 (Kobayashi Akira), 松原のぶえ (Matsubara Nobue), 角川博 (Kadokawa Hiroshi) and 中条きよし (Nakajou Kiyoshi)) to participate in a golf tournament and lavish party. This, too, enraged his fellow clan-members and also resulted in the performers' expulsion from the NHK's annual oshougatsu celebration enka concert.

Four weeks ago marked a drastic change in life for the 66-year-old Wakagashira (boss). 08-April is a day that's honoured as the birthday of Buddha in Japan and on that day Goto Tadamasa was ordained as a Tendai Buddhist priest at 成願寺 (Jyoganji Temple) in 中野区 Nakano-ku (a district of Tokyo at the west edge of the city). It's a lifestyle change that's met with skepticism and criticism as well as with praise and understanding. Critics believe the move to be nothing more than an escape route away from the leaders of the Yamaguchi-gumi from which Goto-san has been outcast. Others are more sympathetic to his goals, and see him as a changed man who wishes to make amends for his life of evil and live the rest of his life in service to his fellow man. It's too soon to determine his true motives, of course.

What do YOU think?

Thanks to Jake Adelstein, former crime reporter for the Yomiuri Shimbun, for many of the details in this post.

Feature Foto #7: Yosakoi Matsuri

The topic of this Feature Foto post is a style of dance called よさこい (Yosakoi). It has only been practiced as a dance form since the 1950s, but is a modernisation of a much older, traditional Japanese summer dance.

Every summer, people get together within their community to put a dance performance together, featuring clothing and symbols from their home neighbourhood, set to modern music. Each group of performers choreographs and practices their routines and then assembles together to take part in a huge celebration to present their performances at Yosakoi Matsuri which takes place in different places in Japan. This photo was taken at the スーパーよさこい祭 (Super Yosakoi Matsuri) held on the beautiful grounds of 明治神宮 (Meiji Shrine) in Tokyo. This particular dance troupe playfully calls themselves Baka Tokyo (Foolish Tokyo). I really liked the excitement and energy that I captured in this picture, which is why I chose it for this post.

Aside from the awesome dances, costumes and music that makes this colourful event so much fun, there is also an abundance of vendors selling delicious food, treats and drinks. One of the top selling snacks on this day was the cold and fluffy shave ice, mainly because the Super Yosakoi Matsuri takes place in August, and it must have been over 91˚F / 32˚C outside, with 95% humidity under a cloudless sky! I was sweating profusely just watching the show; I can't image what the performers must have felt.

Despite the intense heat, going to Super Yosakoi Matsuri was SO much fun and I think it's something that should not be missed!

Japan Prime Minister's new budget includes Manga Provisions!

President Barack Obama is not the only world leader focusing on new strategies to renew his nation's economy, deploying new strategies for raising revenue. Prime Minister Aso Taro today revealed his new ¥15.4 trillion plan for revitalising Japan's stuggling economy. The two leaders have some common themes in their approach such as reduction of dependency on carbon, provisions for retirement and health care, reform of the private financial sector and stimulus packages for their nation's citizens.

Prime Minister Aso also announced plans for heavy investment in Japan's "soft power" businesses such as anime, manga and fashion! The Prime Minister recognises the increasing popularity and power of these businesses, especially in the overseas markets. His plan calls for the creation of 500,000 new jobs in these businesses/arts over the next 12 years in hopes of tripling or quadrupling their revenue-generation.

This is awesome news for anime/manga addicts everywhere including Aso-san himself who is a self-proclaimed enthusiast. To think that the hobby interests of so many people like me are going to help rebuild Japan's economy is totally kool! It's wonderful in fact. Perhaps this will even help to increase the Prime Minister's diminished approval rating; he's already gained a few points in my book. Way to go Aso-san, keep up the good work!

Sources:
AFP News
jiji.com
Japan Today

***Please Note that I shopped this image for dramatic effect. I am definitely NOT poking fun at Prime Minister Aso, I think he's kool! But... this pic is entertaining, is it not?

Automatic Human Washing Machine!

Wow. It is amazing to see what people invent-- especially in Japan! Need a bath? Just lie back and relax, and let this sleek-looking clamshell-design washing machine make you squeaky-clean! This is the Santelubain 999 from the Avant company in Ukyo-ku (右京区), Kyoto (京都). Not only will it clean your body, but it cleans itself as well!

Here are some of the washing machine's functions:

• Body Shampoo & Shower
  
• Infrared Heat & Steam
  
• Sound Therapy
  
• Aromatherapy
  
• Seaweed Pack
  
• Body Lotion
  

Ohhh No! Mobile phones on airplanes

Mobile phone use is now officially supported and permitted on commercial airline flights for the first time on UK's Ryan Air. The news is not particularly shocking but I do think this is an absolutely horrible idea. Mobile phone users, *particularly* in the West use absolutely NO phone etiquette whatsoever and the selfish and intrusive nature of mobile phone calls in public is now going to make the already-uncomfortable experience of economy-class airline travel much, much worse.

For people like me that already have a lot of trouble sleeping on airplanes, the chance of getting some rest is now less likely than ever. What a disappointment. I hate mobile phone users; I really do-- especially my fellow westerners who are total f&%cking irritating jerks when talking on their damn phones.

Read about this on The Telegraph website.

My neighbour, The Tokyo Rose

I have just recently learned about an amazing piece of history that has been a part of my everyday life for years! It's really an incredible story that begins in Los Angeles, California back in 1941 when a Japanese-American woman named Toguri Ikuko (戸栗郁子) sailed to Japan to visit with a sick relative. Because Toguri-san needed to leave quickly, she had to depart without a passport, obtaining a Certificate of Identification from the U.S. State Department instead. When it came time to return to the U.S., she applied for a U.S. passport but was unable to obtain it before the attack on Pearl Harbour on 07-Dec-1941.

Now stranded in Japan with no chance of departure, Toguri Ikuko was declared an enemy alien by Tōjō Hideki (東條 英機) after refusing to give up her U.S. citizenship. She took a low-paying job in a Japanese news agency to support herself. She gained the trust of Allied forces by smuggling food in to P.O.W.s and by refusing to broadcast Anti-American propaganda of any kind. After becoming experienced in news media, Toguri-san was selected by Allied P.O.W.s to host portions of their radio show, "The Zero Hour," completing a total of 340 broadcasts. She directed much of her broadcast material to her fellow Americans by using American slang, especially that which was popular with Marine and Naval forces stationed in the Pacific.

On 05-Sep-1945, just a few weeks after Japan's surrender, the press had reported that Toguri-san was “Tokyo Rose,” and she was arrested by U.S. Army authorities in Yokohama. A month later, she was released after authorities were unable to uncover any evidence that she supported the Axis forces. After the U.S. Dept. of Justice was able to bring in new evidence and witnesses to her Radio Tokyo (NHK) broadcasts, Toguri-san was brought to San Francisco, on 25-Sep-1948 and detained by the FBI on several counts of treason.

On 05-Jul-1949, Toguri Ikuko was brought to trial before a grand jury, into what was, then, the costliest trial in American history, costing more than $500,000 and included the presentation of 46 witnesses. Toguri-san stated in court that she actually contributed to the sabotage of the Japanese war effort. A box of broadcast tapes was brought to the trial by prosecutors, but not one of them was presented as evidence or played for the jury. After two and a half months of deliberation, despite court testimonials in her favour, she was found guilty on ONE count of treason, having to do with the broadcast of a message about a loss of American ships. She was sentenced to ten years of imprisonment and fined $10,000.

After 6 years and 2 months of serving her sentence, Toguri Ikuko was released on parole. She then moved to Chicago to work at her father's store, J. Toguri Mercantile at 851 W Belmont Ave (just 2 blocks away from my home). On 19-Jan-1977, after learning that individuals who delivered the most damaging testimony at Toguri's trial had lied under oath, President Gerald Ford issued her a full pardon. Later, in January 2006, Toguri-san was given the Edward J. Herlihy Citizenship Award for "her indomitable spirit, love of country, and the example of courage she has given her fellow Americans." Toguri-san described the day as most memorable day of her life.

Toguri Ikuko continued to work at her family's store on Belmont avenue until 8 months later when, on 26-Sep-2006, she died of natural causes. When I think of all the times I visited J. Toguri Mercantile-- all the gifts I bought there for my family and friends, the books and snacks I bought for myself, including the Japanese language textbook I now study, it blows my mind to know that I was so close to such an amazing and important part of history. I never knew that the little old lady who helped my wife and I choose a wedding gift for our friends, who helped me with the Japanese paper collection, was The Tokyo Rose-- who made am amazing contribution to the efforts against the crazed and power-hungry Tōjō Hideki and Emperor Shōwa (昭和天皇 - "Hirohito").

I only wish I had known about her earlier so I could have appreciated her when she was still alive. I think I will stop in to J. Toguri this weekend and ask her family about her. I think that she should not be forgotten and deserves to live on in our hearts and minds.

Feature Foto #4

Tonight my feature photo is Sensō-ji (淺草寺), located in Tokyo's (東京) Asakusa (淺草) neighbourhood. My regular readers might remember that I wrote about Sensō-ji last autumn when I was in Japan. A few of you might also know that this is where I proposed to my wife in 2007! Sensō-ji has two religious sites-- a Buddhist Temple and a Shinto Shrine. The Buddhist temple was built in devotion to Kannon, and was first constructed in 628 A.D. making it Tokyo's oldest temple.

Sensō-ji is one of my most cherished sites on Earth and I usually like to begin every visit to Tokyo by going there. The grounds surrounding the buildings are just beautiful and are surrounded by the most enjoyable and down-to-earth shops, cafes, restaurants and people. I honestly don't mind just hanging around there all day long.

If you have Google Earth, download Sensō-ji's place marker.

Happy MOO Year!!

I'm sorry this has taken me so long, everyone! Happy New Year! Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu! 2009 is the year of the Ox. To celebrate New Year, or O-shougatsu, a special meal was enjoyed at my home. The soup is called O-zouni (雑煮) and is extremely delicious clear broth with mochi rice cake, chicken and thinly-sliced naruto fish cake. Also, next to the soup, is Nori mochi-- mochi rice cakes flavoured with sweetened shoyu (soy sauce) and wrapped in nori (dried, roasted seaweed); this is also very, very tasty. After these were consumed, a wonderful dessert called Anko mochi (not pictured) made of warm sweet mochi rice cake topped with sweet red bean paste was served and this, too, was unbelievably yummy. Served along side these wonderful dishes and eaten throughout the meal and throughout the holiday is Osechi-ryouri. Each of the colourful and tasty items inside the Osechi have a specific meaning for O-shougatsu. For example, you can see the Datemaki (伊達巻き) or sweet, rolled omelette that's served in hopes that many auspicious days will come. Konbu (昆布), the green, rolled seaweed symbolises joyfulness. Kuro-mame (黒豆 - black soybeans) symbolise a wish for health in the New Year. There's a pretty decent English-language explanation of Osechi on about.com.

The serving of osechi-ryouri and these other wonderful New Year foods is a long-standing tradition dating back to the 1st century A.D. Its origins are in samurai celebration and tradition, and my wife and I are proud to participate in the continuation of these beautiful traditions. O-zouni, Nori mochi and Anko mochi courtesy of my wonderful wife, Rinko. Osechi-ryouri courtesy of Mitsuwa Marketplace, the mall of Japan, in Arlington Heights, IL.

(2009 Ox image courtesy of bouncingredball.com)

I *really* miss Japan.

Sorry Everyone-- this post is of a much more personal nature. I don't typically post this kind of content, but as my current thoughts and state of mind are quite overwhelming, it's the only thing fit for me to write about right now.

My readers don't need to look through many of my posts to understand that I really love Japan. Recently, however, something seems to have changed. During my first few visits to that wonderful place, I knew instantly that it could easily become my favourite place on Earth, and I thought that I might enjoy living there some day. Still, I was always more or less happy to get home and get back to my routine.

On 21-Oct I left the U.S. to begin my 5th trip over there. During the third week of my trip, an unexpected feeling came over me-- I stopped feeling like an outsider and felt very much "at home;" like I belong there. I have lots of wonderful friends in Japan, and now family, too. I miss them all. I miss being surrounded by the culture that I love so much. Since coming back to the U.S., I feel....well, homesick! Yeah. I know that it's kind of unrealistic-- after all I did not grow up in Japan. Regardless, however, homesick is definitely what I feel and it's depressing.

After my company opened an office in Tokyo almost 2 years ago, I started to fantasise about my dreams turning into reality, and thought it might be relatively simple to re-locate. I think I was a bit too eager and recently met with the CTO of my company to discuss the matter. I learned that his expectations are very high and that simply moving overseas to continue doing the same job I already do is not what he has in mind. Now I'm feeling very unsure of my future and my possibilities for living in the place that I feel to be my home.

All of these experiences have compounded into a depressing feeling of inadequacy and desperation. These are feelings to which I am unaccustomed, and I can't remember having any experiences that were even similar to this since I was 18 and found myself on a U.S. Navy ship, in the middle of the Indian Ocean, en route to the Persian Gulf to help free Kuwait from Saddam Hussein (or whatever it was that we were really doing over there).

I still can't figure out why my wife decided to leave Japan and move over here to the U.S., although I am happy that she did. I'm just trying to figure out what to do next.

Tokyo resident living in Mexico City Airport

Nohara Hiroshi, a 41-year-old janitor from Tokyo, has been living at Benito Juarez International Airport in Mexico City for the past 85 days! Nohara has become quite the celebrity during recent weeks, having had his photo taken with hundreds of curious locals, many of whom offer him food and clothing. Although this story sounds like something you might expect from Shin-chan's father, Nohara Hiroshi, this guy is real! “I like the airport, I like Mexico,” he said. He could not be persuaded to leave, even by the Japanese embassy, and at this point has no plans for departure.

Check out the weird and interesting story on Bloomberg.com

There is also an MSNBC video (sorry-- an advertisement comes first).

Why Japan Kicks Ass

I came back to the U.S. from Japan a week ago tomorrow, and I'm still in the post-Japan afterglow to some extent. In fact, I am putting even greater effort into working with my employer to try and get a transfer to our Tokyo office. I would really much rather be there than here.

Now, I do have a disclaimer here, because of course Japan is not 100% perfect-- there is no country that's perfect, right? That's what I've been told, anyway. From my own personal point of view, however, the benefits of life in Japan are much more substantial than {a} the negatives associated with Japan and {b} the "benefits" of living in the U.S. The list I keep of Japan's positive qualities, also, has a small quantity of exceptions; Japanese people are humans, after all. For the most part, however, these things are true pretty much ALL of the time. Finally, many of the characteristics of Japan that I list are not "benefits" at all from some folks' perspectives; they are for me however, and this is why it is my own unique point of view.

So, without further ado, here is my list of reasons why Japan Kicks Ass!

[1] Customer Service
I have visited many places in the world, and in my opinion ALL of them have a lot to learn about customer service; businesses in Japan should be the role model here. There is no other place where I have had the experience of salespeople, civil servants, taxi drivers, *everyone* going out of their way to see that customers' go away satisfied, informed, comfortable and fairly-treated. All of this delivered with an interested, friendly demeanor that is free of bad-attitudes, arrogance and/or preferential treatment for select individuals.

[2] Common Courtesy
For the most part, people in Japan behave with common courtesy. This means interacting with other people and with one's surroundings with respect and honour. Actions like helping others, giving up one's seat on the train for the elderly, keeping one's speaking volume low, or picking up after oneself are routine and practiced without instruction. The Japanese language, itself, is constructed in such a way that respect for strangers, elders, superiours or new acquaintances is built right in. That said, this is one of the rules that is most often broken or omitted, but I believe it is very rare for such indiscretions to cross the line into rudeness or disrespect. One time a random security guard used his own mobile phone to call up a record shop in Shibuya that I couldn't find. He asked them for directions and showed me how to get there on a map!!

[3] Cell Phone Etiquette
Japan has one of the most cellphone-centric societies in the world. STILL, people talk on mobile phones at a low, private, non-irritating volume; not loudly or obnoxiously like people in America. The use of mobile phones on public transportation is illegal and this is a very respected law. People use text messaging quite a lot during their journeys, but despite being very crowded at times, buses and trains are nice and QUIET! Soooo nice! The use of mobile phones while driving is also illegal, and because of this drivers in Japan are 1000 times more attentive, careful and respectful than their north american counterparts. Additionally, a Japanese person would never be seen/heard talking on a mobile phone while trying to interact with a cashier, teller or salesperson, while inside of a cinema, or in public places in general. In fact, I saw several people receive phone calls while shopping or eating at restaurants; if the conversation could not be finished in a few seconds, the person went outside! This is so wonderful to me, having only super-rude, irritating and obnoxious phone behaviour as a basis for comparison.

[4] Public Transportation
Trains and buses in Japan are modern, very comfortable, convenient and arrive on-time. They are also CLEAN and do not smell of urine and feces. Additionally, train and bus stations are loaded with clean public bathrooms, convenience stores, shopping, good food and smoking areas. Awesome! There are overwhelming crowds at times, especially in Tokyo, but this is a small price to pay for the other benefits that come with public transport in Japan. While I certainly would not describe the trains as "cheap," I really do not mind since I am not poor and this seems to prevent people from using the trains as a hotel/bathroom. If you are unable to read Japanese and you happen to be at a station without a map in English, it can sometimes be a bit difficult to figure out where to go, but there will certainly be someone nearby who's happy to help.

[5] Good Food
Very few people need to be informed about the healthiness of Japanese food as this is legendary world-wide. What still amazes me, though, is the high quality of food in Japan. I'm not just talking about sushi, soup and noodles, either. All foods ranging from steaks, cuts of beef or chicken to snacks, candy, chocolate and ice cream are very high quality! I do believe that a trip to any department store food court or train station take-out cart would astound most outsiders as there is pretty much nothing of poor quality to eat there. The only low-quality food I have seen, in fact, is that available from the foreign fast-food franchises like McDonald's and Kentucky Fried Chicken. I guess wouldn't actually know for sure, however, since I haven't eaten food from one of those restaurants for nearly 20 years. When in Japan, however, if you DO feel the urge to enjoy a delicious fast-food burger, I recommend MosBurger. This Japanese burger place blows away pretty much every burger and fries place I've ever tried previously.

[6] I guess I could probably keep going on and on. I haven't even mentioned the art, spirituality, beautiful scenery, high technology, amazing cars, etc, etc. I think, however, that I've already stopped being interesting and have probably pissed a few people off. With that I'll end this post here. I just hope I'll have the opportunity soon to continue my life in the surroundings that I love most. I miss Japan.

(Photo Above: Sendai Daikannon statue near Sendai, in Miyagi Prefecture)

あきやすみ ９ - 原宿

Aki yasumi pt. 9 - Harajuku (Autumn Vacation part 9 - Harajuku)

Harajuku (原宿) is the centre of the world when it comes hip, fresh fashion and style. This has got to be the place where new trends in clothing, accessories, hairstyles and lifestyle are born! If you're young and fashionable, Harajuku is the place to be; coincidentally, it is also the place for any of you that have a weakness for cute schoolgirls. ^^

The streets of Harajuku are lined with shops selling everything you need for bring your wardrobe up-to-date, including shops that specialise in the hottest new brands as well as those that sell recycled, gently-worn versions of everything else. Since it's also a known-fact that hardcore shoppers can easily build up a hardcore appetite, there is no shortage of cafes, restaurants and sweetshops.

The other aspect of Harajuku that's very famous is the cosplay scene. While teens dressed in their favourite uniforms, maid outfits and gothic/victorian dress can be seen throughout Japan, Harajuku is where kids who are into the scene go to hang out and be seen. Many of the shops in the area specialise in these clothes as well.

Harajuku is a worthwhile trip if you want to check out what's fresh in fashion. If you're ever in Tokyo for only a short time, I'd recommend adding this to your list. While you're in the area, the legendary and very beautiful Meiji Shrine is right up the street from the Yamanote Line Harajuku Station.

あきやすみ ７ - 新宿区

Aki yasumi pt. 7 - Shinjuku-ku (Autumn Vacation part 7 - Shinjuku-ku)

After spending a few comfortable days in Asakusa, walking around, eating good food, doing some shopping, and hanging out with friends, we moved on to Shinjuku (新宿). Shinjuku has always been one of my favourite parts of Tokyo and I guess it always will be. At seemingly any time of day or night, on any day of the week, something fun and exciting happens there.

Rinko and I spent some time wandering around Nishi-Shinjuku (西新宿 / "skyscraper district"), checking out the craziness in Kabukichō (歌舞伎町), buying kool stuph and finding delicious food. In Nishi-Shinjuku, we were surprised to find an astounding new building! It's called the Cocoon Tower (top photo) and really looks quite amazing. We did manage to go inside, as there is a large Book 1st shop in the lower levels. It's really clean and pristine. Very kool indeed!

Shinjuku is one of the koolest parts of Tokyo, IMHO. There is something there for literally everyone-- from the most discriminating food connoisseurs and art-lovers to the heaviest drinkers and most perverted fetishists, and everyone in between. From name brand designer to street, Shinjuku has everything. This is a spot that should never be skipped during a visit to Tokyo. Some of the most well-known photos and movie footage of Tokyo were shot here. If you're looking for the high-tech, neon imagery that so many folks have in mind when thinking about Tokyo, this is where you want to go. It's also a very centralised location with easy access to all parts of Tokyo and other destinations in Japan. Shinjuku Station is the busiest transportation in the world! Check it out for yourself!

あきやすみ ６ - 秋葉原

Aki yasumi pt. 6 - Akihabara (Autumn Vacation part 6 - Akihabara)

I'm starting to fall behind a little bit on my postings, so this news is a couple of days old. Sorry!
The other day was spent, in its entirety, in Akihabara (秋葉原)! Ya-taaah! This time I was less focused on electronics and gadgets and spent more time shopping for items related to my hobbies! I spent most of the time in Asobit City, Kotobukiya (コトブキヤ) and the 6th Floor of Yodobashi Camera (ヨドバシカメラ). ^^

I enjoyed looking at lots and lots of figures, manga, books, CDs, DVDs and other little gems. It was definitely a lot of fun and I brought back quite a haul as you can see here! Not surprisingly, there is still a lot more I would like to have. I'm wondering if maybe I'll back again for more. heh!



I was extremely tempted to pick up a new Canon EOS Kiss X2 camera. I was worried, though, that I might have buyer's remorse afterward, however, so I didn't get it (although I did find out which shop has the best price, just in case). The exchange rate is particularly horrible right now and the Yen has risen sharply against the Dollar recently. Because of this, some of the electronics I normally enjoy buying are not as good a deal as usual. Without the substantial savings I typically find in Akiba, my consumption of electronics has been suppressed.

One thing I definitely noticed is that the activities in the streets are a little bit more reserved as compared to when I was there last year. I didn't see any street performers at all, and there is a lot more security on patrol. Maybe there is more happening during the weekends...I'm not sure. I know that activities in Akiba have been slight more conservative ever since the Akihabara Massacre in June of this year that claimed the lives of 7 people and left others hositalised.

To finish up the day I had an incredible dinner at Sushizanmen (this means "sushi everyday"). It's the sushi restaurant just outside the Tsukuba Express-side exit of Yodobashi Camera. I highly recommend this place if you're going to Akiba. The food is incredibly fresh, delicious and expertly-prepared. The atmosphere in there is also very lively and welcoming. I had some sashimi and also some nigiri sushi. All of it was very, very good.

あきやすみ ４ - 七五三

Aki yasumi pt. 4 - Shichigosan (Autumn Vacation part 4 - Coming of Age Celebration)

Shichigosan (七五三) is actually the words 3,5 and 7 joined together. The reason it's called this is because it's a celebration for children's coming of age, in hopes of ensuring they have long and happy lives. As such, the years 3,5 and 7 are significant not only because of the auspicious nature of odd numbers, but also because of some very old Samurai traditions associated with these ages. For Shichigosan, boys who are aged three or five and girls who are aged three or seven are dressed in kimono (for the first time, at age 3) and are accompanied by family to visit shrines. 3 yr. old girls typically wear hifu (a thick, padded vest) over their kimono. Boys wear hakama and haori, of course. Both genders' Shichigosan kimono are very colourful and cheerfully-patterned.

Children celebrating Shichigosan are given Chitoseame (千歳飴), or "thousand year candy." It's a long, thin, chewy candy, which simbolises longevity. It is presented to the children in a long bags that are decorated with a crane and a turtle since these also represent a long, healthy life. The candy is really similar to what's known as "taffy" in the west, except it's not quite as sugary-sweet and doesn't glue itself to one's teeth. The markets outside the shrines are all selling this and are all competing with eachother for business. At some of them, there is even some element of show as the candy makers publicly display their skills.

The children go to the shrine or temple with their families and their chitoseame candy and are blessed by the priests. The rest of the day is usually spent with the family. Nowadays some families take the children to professional photo studios, as well. In my photo is my 3-year-old niece, Riko. Is she totally sweet and adorable or what!? In Japan I'm not known as Chris, but am usually called Kurisu (くりす), or just "Kuri," so Riko calls me "Kuri Ooji-chan," or Uncle Chris. So cute!! Today my wife and I went to Kawasaki to get together with my sister and brother in-law and celebrate Riko's special day with her. It was fun! Kawasaki is a kool place-- definitely, and the shrine was overflowing with cuteness.

Just Married!

I hope my readers will forgive me for neglecting my Blog for so long. I have just been so extremely busy and exhausted every minute of every day for the past month. Preparing for a wedding is a very tiring task indeed! But now that it's over, I can definitely say it was worth all the effort and planning. My new wife and I are so happy, we had so much fun, and all of our friends and family can't stop telling us about how much they enjoyed our events and festivities.

There are so many people who spend a year or more planning their wedding and spend many, many tens of thousands of dollars or even more. Our wedding was a first class success, however, and required only slightly more than two months of planning and had a fairly reasonable budget! What my wife and I learned is that weddings are really all about the people who are included. Since our focus was not on displaying a huge spectacle of a show, but instead primarily on making everything nice for our guests, everyone who attended had a really nice time and was really happy; this, of course, made us really happy. Looking back on it, there is nothing at all that we'd have done differently. I think it's very rare to have the confidence enough to believe this.

So thank you all for being patient with me! I now have enough free time to go back to blogging about our favourite interests, and I can go back to all of my activities that provide the content you like to read! Thanks for continuing to support my meager monologues, I do appreciate each and every one of you! どうもありがとうございます！