Back home in rural Pennsylvania, we used to leave our front door unlocked all of the time because crime was so rare. When salespeople or strangers on formal business came to our house, they would knock and after we replied, they would stand behind the door and announce themselves. We (the owners of the domicile) would then open the door and let them in. In Tokyo, there is a rather disturbing
vendredi 29 octobre 2010
Won't Miss #249 - door handle grabbers
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
Back home in rural Pennsylvania, we used to leave our front door unlocked all of the time because crime was so rare. When salespeople or strangers on formal business came to our house, they would knock and after we replied, they would stand behind the door and announce themselves. We (the owners of the domicile) would then open the door and let them in. In Tokyo, there is a rather disturbing
jeudi 28 octobre 2010
Will Miss #248 - one day "event" sales
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
One Day Shop Fuji renting the space to a music seller who has many CDs for 10 yen (11 cents) each.
When I was a child, my grandmother used to take us to auctions where copious quantities of new and varied items were sold for cheap. There was something really cool about the unpredictable nature of the types of items that are sold. I never knew what was going to be on offer. On the main shopping
When I was a child, my grandmother used to take us to auctions where copious quantities of new and varied items were sold for cheap. There was something really cool about the unpredictable nature of the types of items that are sold. I never knew what was going to be on offer. On the main shopping
mercredi 27 octobre 2010
Won't Miss #248 - Softbank
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
My issues with Softbank are two-fold (at the moment). First, if you sign a contract with them and you are not Japanese, you must provide two forms of official identification such as your alien registration card, passport, or government issue health insurance card. If you are Japanese, you only need to provide one piece of official identification or two very flimsy pieces (like student I.D. and
mardi 26 octobre 2010
Will Miss #247 - pacifism
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
Back home, people are generally comfortable with the idea of going to war and of their armed force's going abroad and taking part in aggressive activities. The Japanese have a culture which is very strongly based on pacifism. Most Japanese people place peace above many other interests. It's one of the reasons Japan is always paying off terrorists who kidnap their representatives and media
lundi 25 octobre 2010
Won't Miss #247 - squid
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
Early on in my stay in Japan, I would see packages of "onion rings" like the type you see above. Unfortunately, they did not have a little cartoon on them so I was in for a rude awakening. I realize that there are some people who love squid, but it's like chewing on an eraser to me. Seeing these battered squid rings always brings about an initial positive conditioned response which is always
vendredi 22 octobre 2010
Will Miss #246 - traditional sweets shops
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
One of the joys of living in Japan is that there are a plethora of traditional sweets shops that offer fresh treats made daily and in great variety. Very early in my time in Japan, I became a fan of white bean cakes, and often enjoy the unique offerings of manju or other traditional treats that are available at such shops. They are not only fresh, but each shop has its own special selection.
jeudi 21 octobre 2010
Won't Miss #246 - need for extreme AM quiet
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
Sometimes I wake up really early and can't go back to sleep. No big deal, right? It happens to everyone. Well, when you live in an apartment which is the total size of most Western living rooms and separated by doors which are the equivalent of cardboard when it comes to sound insulation, you can't do anything for fear of waking the other inhabitants of your home and forcing them to face the
mercredi 20 octobre 2010
Will Miss #245 - housing brochures
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
Click to see a larger version.
I have a peculiar fascination with the types of housing brochures that litter my mailbox. At least once a week, I get a large flyer advertising condominiums in my area. I'm fascinated by them for a variety of reasons. First of all, I like to see the sizes and relative prices. Second, I like to see how they conceptualize the spaces and lay them out. Third, I'm
I have a peculiar fascination with the types of housing brochures that litter my mailbox. At least once a week, I get a large flyer advertising condominiums in my area. I'm fascinated by them for a variety of reasons. First of all, I like to see the sizes and relative prices. Second, I like to see how they conceptualize the spaces and lay them out. Third, I'm
mardi 19 octobre 2010
Won't Miss #245 - Japanese bread
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
This bread makes gorgeous and decadent toast. Each slice is as thick as two regular slices, perhaps thicker. Coffee shops often use this sort of bread for toast and coffee breakfast sets. I never eat it.
Sometimes, things that are good in every way are not necessarily good for you. One of those things is Japanese bread. If I were to come as a tourist and dine on buttered toast and coffee for
Sometimes, things that are good in every way are not necessarily good for you. One of those things is Japanese bread. If I were to come as a tourist and dine on buttered toast and coffee for
lundi 18 octobre 2010
Will Miss #244 - automated ordering
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
A few buttons on a huge automated ordering machine. These are for curry and curry toppings.
Japan has long been famous for its technological innovations. Some day, I'm sure that they will be able to do away with people altogether in the service industry. Given that the birthrate is a bit under 1.4, they'll probably need to do this. For now though, they do the best they can to put technology into
Japan has long been famous for its technological innovations. Some day, I'm sure that they will be able to do away with people altogether in the service industry. Given that the birthrate is a bit under 1.4, they'll probably need to do this. For now though, they do the best they can to put technology into
vendredi 15 octobre 2010
Won't Miss #244 - bike abuse
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
One of the things you'll find out rapidly in Japan if you ride a bicycle is that other people have no respect whatsoever for your bike. Besides filling your basket with their empty beverage cans, used tissues, and onigiri wrappers (something I dealt with on a daily basis when I parked at the station for work), they will also do whatever it takes to cram into what limited bike parking space is
jeudi 14 octobre 2010
Won't Miss #243 - screeching amado
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
The amado are behind Batman's motorcycle.
I'm written before about the virtues of amado, metal shutters that slide across your windows and lock in the center, and how I like how they provide multiple benefits. I wrote that post in the winter and forgot about the bad side to them and that is that they often very loudly screech when opened and closed. Apparently, part of the maintenance fee I pay
I'm written before about the virtues of amado, metal shutters that slide across your windows and lock in the center, and how I like how they provide multiple benefits. I wrote that post in the winter and forgot about the bad side to them and that is that they often very loudly screech when opened and closed. Apparently, part of the maintenance fee I pay
mercredi 13 octobre 2010
Will Miss #243 - neighborhood freebies
Posted on 00:14 by Unknown
The sign behind the cups on the left tells people they are welcome to take these things.
I'm not sure if this is something which is common all over Japan (or Tokyo) or if it just happens in my neighborhood, but I often see people putting out free items with a sign encouraging anyone who wants them to take the objects on offer. More often than not, it's dishes, but sometimes it is pieces of
I'm not sure if this is something which is common all over Japan (or Tokyo) or if it just happens in my neighborhood, but I often see people putting out free items with a sign encouraging anyone who wants them to take the objects on offer. More often than not, it's dishes, but sometimes it is pieces of
mardi 12 octobre 2010
Won't Miss #242 - useless maintenance fees
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
My landlord uses my maintenance fee to paint the metal guard leading to my building a fetching shade of battleship gray once every 3 or 4 years. Yeah, that costs about $1600 a year (which is what they get from our entire building in maintenance fees).
Maintenance fees for rented spaces are not uncommon in many countries and there is no reason why Japan should be any different. However,
Maintenance fees for rented spaces are not uncommon in many countries and there is no reason why Japan should be any different. However,
lundi 11 octobre 2010
Will Miss #242 - Curry House Cocoichibanya
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
If you think Japanese food is healthy, then you don't know the guilty pleasures of Curry House Cocoichibanya. One of my favorite ways to eat myself into a carb stupor is to get a cheese curry bento with pari pari chicken (grilled crispy skin chicken) and garlic. The basic bentos are so huge though that I can only eat half. That's okay because then I can re-stupify the next day on the leftovers.
vendredi 8 octobre 2010
Will Miss #241 - attitude toward (same gender) nudity
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
One of my students had foreign guests visit her family and they went to an onsen. The foreign couple refused to take part with her family when visiting the hot springs even though it was all women in one pool and all men in a completely separate one. My student couldn't understand their squeamishness, and asked me why they wouldn't join them. I told her that we have a lot of shame in connection
jeudi 7 octobre 2010
Won't Miss #241 - the doodoo street
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
Signs like this one telling people not to leave their dog's feces all over the place are abundant in residential areas in Tokyo. There wouldn't be a need for these signs to be plastered everywhere if people weren't leaving poop behind when walking their dogs.
There's a back street near my home which I always take to go shopping for groceries as it leads to a wonderful shopping area not too far
There's a back street near my home which I always take to go shopping for groceries as it leads to a wonderful shopping area not too far
mercredi 6 octobre 2010
Will Miss #240 - dekopon
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
Before coming to Japan, I was not a fan of fresh oranges, though I did like orange-flavored foods. Most of them didn't seem to have much taste, and I didn't like the texture. Since coming to Japan, I've found that there are some much more flavorful options on the orange front. One of those options is dekopon (marketed as "sumo citrus" in the U.S.), a variety of orange with a protruding navel
mardi 5 octobre 2010
Won't Miss #240 - frequently feeling defensive
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
If you walk up to a dog that has never seen you before and look it straight in the eyes while holding your hand above its head to pat it, there is a decent chance the dog will bite you. All animals find staring to be an act of aggression and challenge. It makes them angry. Humans, being animals, are no different. One of the consequences of being stared at all the time is that you become
lundi 4 octobre 2010
Will Miss #239 - a culture of gaman
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
One of the character qualities that Japanese culture encourages and builds into it citizens is something called "gaman". It can mean slightly different things, but it essentially means to practice tolerance in the face of hardship rather than to complain, act out, or be confrontational. The manner in which this manifests in life here is that (the vast majority of) people tend to be patient with
Posted in foreigners, gaman, Japanese culture, manners, patience, tolerance, will miss
|
No comments
vendredi 1 octobre 2010
Won't Miss #239 - sharing slippers
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
My husband got a pair of Birkenstocks that had been worn twice by their previous owner via Freecycle in Tokyo. We had been having problems finding a new pair in his size (and he doesn't have big feet!) and were delighted when a pair that were big enough showed up in the Freecycle mailing list. My friend Shawn had a bit of an "ick" response to the idea that we'd accept second-hand shoes, even
Inscription à :
Commentaires (Atom)