tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51039149192497060242012-01-30T08:00:01.582-08:00...that I will and won't miss when I eventually leave.Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comBlogger8401100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-24335673498292182332012-01-30T08:00:00.000-08:002012-01-30T08:00:01.676-08:00

Delicious Dominica soup curry with many well-prepared vegetables including a tasty bit of burdock.  "Gobo" means "burdock" in Japanese. Before coming here, burdock was something that I had to pick off my clothes after a childhood romp through the field behind my rural home. It was certainly not something that was included in a delicious salad that could be purchased in nearly every deli and

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-31289886878926667232012-01-27T08:00:00.000-08:002012-01-27T08:00:02.823-08:00

My students, who think America does not have four distinct seasons and each area experiences a very limited range of weather, often can't conceive of the idea that I've lived in a place with an actual winter "like Japan". Never mind that Tokyo does not get very cold and sees about one, possibly two days of light snow per year, if that. I grew up in an area along the same latitude as Hokkaido

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-78466960644600914392012-01-26T08:00:00.000-08:002012-01-26T08:00:08.396-08:00

A doll thrown into the pile of items to be burned at a shrine during New Year's holidays.  When we're children, we often anthropomorphize our dolls and toys. The entire concept of Toy Story is based on the idea that we all once felt our toys were real and capable of feeling. That being said, as a culture, and particularly as adults, we don't view dolls as anything other than memories of

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-88142735020787795072012-01-25T08:00:00.000-08:002012-01-25T15:25:24.288-08:00

Some English teachers operate under the dubious philosophy that if they speak English poorly, their students with comprehension problems will have an easier time understanding. Sitting next to one of these teachers provides one with a steady stream of dropped articles ("a", "the", "an"), plurals that lost their s's, and adjectives subbing for adverbs. An example would be something like, "boy

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-71374832580633566302012-01-24T08:00:00.000-08:002012-01-24T16:49:43.151-08:00

One of my students loves Michael Jackson. Well, there's a very good chance that more than one of them loves him as he has been super popular in Japan since his death. At any rate, there was a tribute performance to him that included performers of various nationalities including, of course, Japanese. She praised the Koreans and the Americans, but said little about her countrymen. I asked her

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-11904007598202536972012-01-23T08:00:00.000-08:002012-01-23T08:00:06.043-08:00

One of my students recently told me that she went to an Italian restaurant which was offering venison as a special dish. She asked me if I'd ever tried deer meat, and I told her that, because I grew up very poor, I indeed had eaten venison because sometimes my family had no money for food and my father would have to kill deer, rabbits, and, even squirrels, so we'd have food to eat. This

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-58700815767787856242012-01-20T08:00:00.000-08:002012-01-20T08:00:00.937-08:00

I have spent a long time pondering what it is that essentially makes American culture different from Japanese culture. While I do not flatter myself sufficiently to believe I have anything resembling a full understanding, I think that one essential aspect of Japanese culture is that there is a very high valuation of order. This is why there are so many rules and relatively rigid thinking.

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-60228674063939217422012-01-19T08:00:00.000-08:002012-01-19T08:00:05.648-08:00

I know that all cultures have "rules", but Japan has more than I grew up with and they apply to the smallest things. For instance, you can't serve certain dishes with certain foods. It's not that they don't taste good together, but it is simply "not done". This is particularly so among the older set, but I've had younger people complain about things like women putting on make-up on trains.

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-59296630690851441632012-01-18T18:59:00.000-08:002012-01-18T19:13:58.888-08:00

Most people are familiar with the Rashomon effect either by that particular term or as the old statement about there being three sides to every story, yours, mine, and the truth. In Akira Kurosawa's Rashomon movie, he attempted to illustrate this concept in his own inimitable way. Personally, I think some "truths" are too big to be known or understood by any one person and that such truths are

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-75057678535982647712012-01-18T08:00:00.000-08:002012-01-18T08:00:02.716-08:00

"Oshibori" are wet towels, sometimes hot, sometimes not, and sometimes real cloth and sometimes a paper towel, that you are given at the beginning of a meal in restaurants in Japan. They are given to allow you to approach your food with clean hands. One of my students once mentioned their absence in restaurants in the U.S. and said she didn't know what people did to make sure they had clean

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-81245415246413478912012-01-17T08:00:00.000-08:002012-01-17T19:48:30.697-08:00

I've said before and I'm sure I'll say it again and again; context is everything. I've been in Japan a long time and haven't been home for 20 years. As a result of this, I've started to absorb a lot of the negative, skewed and distorted perspectives about life in America that the Japanese have. They talk incessantly about guns, violence, crime, and safety as if you risk getting mugged on every

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-52421484738488388772012-01-16T08:00:00.000-08:002012-01-16T08:00:08.770-08:00

A box sent to us from a friend which had to be sent by airmail parcel post which cost a whopping $69. The value of the contents was likely lower than the cost of the shipping. I imagine our fate once we leave Japan will be to be relegated to such exorbitant fees or to not send anything to friends abroad. Because my husband and I got together as penpals, and he spent a year alone in Japan

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-25807679422017630552012-01-13T08:00:00.000-08:002012-01-13T08:00:10.025-08:00

Neighborhood kitty doesn't care what word I use. It just wants a place to sleep. Sometimes the simplest conversations get tangled in a web of confusion and the use of the word "bike" in Japan always seems to spin this web. When I'm speaking in English with a Japanese person and ask, "have you ever had your bike stolen," and the answer will be, "I don't have a bike." That same person may have

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-6300638445902598782012-01-12T08:00:00.000-08:002012-01-12T08:00:03.535-08:00

As someone who grew up in a small town with small minds and a white bread Christian mentality, I'm very familiar with the negative aspects of Christianity. It's also easy to point an accusing finger at a lot of societal turmoil, war and suffering and hang the blame on Christian fundamentalism. However, not all Christians are militant and many do a lot of good in the world. Back home, this

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-27569545603582925202012-01-11T08:00:00.000-08:002012-01-11T08:00:02.975-08:00

I've said before that the Japanese aren't particularly religious, though they do go through the motions (visiting shrines and temples, praying, etc.) a lot for a non-religious people, and they aren't uptight about religion and tend to ignore proselytizers. During New Year's holidays, Christians stand in front of the entrance of Meiji shrine, the most popular shrine for hatsumode (first

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-68288266198382403292012-01-10T08:00:00.000-08:002012-01-10T08:00:01.643-08:00

A crowded department store during New Year's sales. I'd love to see this bunch cleared out with a song. When shops are about to close back home, announcements are often made which are the polite equivalent of "we're closing soon so finish what you're doing and get out." In Japan, they handle it in a gentler way. When the time for the shop to close is coming up, they start playing Auld Lang

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-79891557857112338542012-01-09T08:00:00.000-08:002012-01-09T08:00:06.378-08:00

Nine times out of ten, when a Japanese woman says she has bought "cosmetics", she has picked up a plethora of skin care products (not make-up). In fact, most women under 50 have a "skin care regime" that they go through which costs them a pretty penny. Because my skin is clear and pale, I'm often asked what I do to maintain it. The answer is, "nothing." I buy soap which is 3 bars for 98 yen (

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-34059519916105649032012-01-06T08:00:00.000-08:002012-01-06T08:00:07.910-08:00

Worldwide, there are a lot of incredible places with illumination. Sometimes they are ostentatious and ridiculous and sometimes beautiful. I'm not a huge fan of the gigantic over-the-top displays and am more of a fan of places which manage to generate a mood. For me, the most magical display in Tokyo is the Blue Forest in front of the Caretta building in Shiodome. During the day, it's a

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-56923262167244357822012-01-05T08:00:00.000-08:002012-01-06T17:28:24.763-08:00

The flip-side to the lingering inferiority complex that the Japanese people have about their position relative to Western cultures and China is the superiority complex about Asia. There is an interesting contradiction displayed in regards to China in particular. The Japanese frequently criticize all things Chinese from the lack of order as demonstrated by not lining up to the rudeness to the

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-69866156577785767492012-01-04T08:00:00.000-08:002012-01-04T08:00:00.511-08:00

Politeness in Japan can sometimes be carried to ridiculous levels, and nowhere is this more obvious than in the slow motion hang up of phones. In my former office, when a salesman called a client, he put the receiver back in the cradle as if he were settling a sleeping baby into its bed and trying not to make the least little move that would jar it awake. I asked why salesmen took about 5

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-43465928171041053902012-01-03T08:00:00.000-08:002012-01-03T08:00:06.026-08:00

Japan has the third largest economy in the world with the 10th largest population. Tokyo leads the world's major cities in patent applications. The country is known for its superior technology. Their cars dominate the automobile market. Japan is a very small country with almost no natural resources. The fact that their food, pop culture, and products are known and desired and that they are an

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-29000380299165913872012-01-02T08:00:00.000-08:002012-01-02T08:00:02.144-08:00

No, these guys aren't standing around playing a tune every day at 5:00, but this is a marginally better picture than showing the loud speaker that the recording is played over. In many parts of Tokyo, there is a bit of music that plays every day at around 5:00 p.m. My husband and I have dubbed it the "children go home" music. The truth is that I don't know what purpose it serves, but we guess

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-58441542688349763012011-12-30T08:00:00.000-08:002011-12-30T19:12:38.350-08:00

(continued from parts 1 and 2) The third day (second day after surgery) was one that I knew would be the hardest. I woke up at 5:00 a.m. And paced the lounge for about a half hour. Considering how small it was, I'm surprised I didn't wear a groove into the floor. At least I was going to get solid food this time, though the doctor said breakfast at that hospital was “only bread”. Only bread

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-3531342114542772752011-12-29T08:00:00.000-08:002012-01-08T02:48:27.951-08:00

(Continued from part 1) The lounge, such as it was. Actually, it was pretty comfortable. Santa didn't mind hanging out there.  I was told that the surgery would happen in the afternoon of the 20th, but they didn't know when for sure because it depended on what sort of other operations were done and any complications or unforeseen issues. Admission would be from 9:30 am and they'd take me

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-88156005413684775582011-12-28T08:00:00.000-08:002011-12-31T01:24:51.653-08:00

I'm going to take a very temporary break from my usual posting style on this blog to do a three-part long-form piece to detail my recent experiences with the Japanese medical system. At the end of the third part, I will further deviate from form and allow comments. I have only one request of people who read this post and choose to comment and that is to take it at face value for what it is; it is

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-59772552230922378102011-12-27T08:00:00.000-08:002011-12-27T21:22:09.298-08:00

A rack of costumes that young women can borrow for activities in a gaming center.  The Wikipedia entry for cosplay ("costume play") claims it is a type "performance art". This has to be one of the most pretentious and inaccurate explanations I have ever heard of the tendency of some people to put on costumes resembling anime (cartoon) characters. In the U.S., I think cosplay tends to be a

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-21561612455031064722011-12-26T08:00:00.000-08:002011-12-26T08:00:02.766-08:00

I live along a Japan Railway (JR) line that is famous for attracting suicidal jumpers. The line is named the Chuo line, and foreigners waggishly call it the "Chuocide" line because it so frequently is disrupted by those intent on offing themselves. JR obviously would rather this not happen, but rather than do what many subways have done and put up walls with electronic gates that disallow

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-12062481036024895802011-12-23T08:00:00.000-08:002011-12-23T01:20:19.007-08:00

This may be my imagination, but writing my address back home was always a lot faster and easier than writing my Tokyo address. The length could have something to do with the byzantine naming of streets and nearly incomprehensible way of laying out blocks that it requires a system of three numbers (chome-banchi-go) in addition to information on the building, apartment number, city within a

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-12119744861136557972011-12-22T08:00:00.000-08:002011-12-22T08:00:00.574-08:00

Click for a bigger picture of Santas carrying a mikoshi in front of a temple.  I realize that sending Christmas cards is a dying custom, but I still love them. Living in Japan affords me the chance to buy and receive unique designs that mix and match Japanese culture with traditional western Christmas imagery. Seeing this marriage between east and west, particularly when Santa is involved,

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-37922483970266007672011-12-21T08:00:00.000-08:002011-12-29T04:31:24.051-08:00

Most people who have never been to Japan but are interested in Japanese culture and cuisine believe the litmus test for tolerating said cuisine weirdness is an enjoyment of sushi, or perhaps, sashimi. If you can stomach raw fish, you may believe you earned your member's badge. If you've actually lived here, you know that adoring sushi is something only lightweights regard as an

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-40296182748059231532011-12-20T08:00:00.000-08:002011-12-20T08:00:10.527-08:00

There are a lot of efforts in Japan to simulate Christmas, but most of it comes off as simply copying images without any of the concurrent spirit. Strangely enough, the thing that really tastes like Christmas to me are chinsukou cookies. They smell like what mom was baking for the holidays when I was growing up and taste like heaven. There are many things that are like them made in other

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-63455336849759441242011-12-19T08:00:00.000-08:002011-12-19T08:00:06.905-08:00

Perhaps I'm paranoid or overly sensitive about how people deal with their pets, but it makes me very nervous when I see an unsupervised parked bicycle with a dog sitting in it. The primary problem I have with it is that parked bikes are relatively unstable and I'm concerned that a careless pedestrian or cyclist, a gust of wind, or even a small earthquake will send the bike toppling and the

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-69098099738481078742011-12-16T08:00:00.000-08:002011-12-16T08:00:00.208-08:00

I'm not sure why, but Japan loves it some moai. If you don't know what they are, they're the Easter Island heads. Like the Statue of Liberty replicas, moai seem to show up in the oddest places for no reason other than people seem to think they are neat. In Kyushu, there are replicas of them. There are fan magazines devoted to them and many novelty items sold with a moai theme. I'm not sure

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-65410499022585835082011-12-15T08:00:00.000-08:002011-12-15T08:00:00.908-08:00

Foreign women in Japan have a variety of support networks to help them cope with the difficulties of being a minority here. Unfortunately, I don't fit in with any of those groups. One of the biggest groups is the AFWJ, Association of Foreign Wives of Japanese. Since my husband is American, the "welcome" sign isn't hanging on that door for me. There is also the Tokyo American Club Women's Group

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-18681510203129494352011-12-14T08:00:00.000-08:002011-12-14T17:56:52.073-08:00

My husband and I were walking around Nishi-Ogikubo, one of many little stops that have little of note to offer that we decided to explore, and I decided to peruse a Japanese sweets shop. I found myself waiting to buy a couple of small bean cakes behind a woman who apparently needed a remedial class in how to purchase goods from a shop. In the few minutes that we twiddled our thumbs, one of

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-4422436277489448282011-12-13T08:00:00.000-08:002011-12-15T00:06:33.657-08:00

One of my students once told me about an experience she had while riding the train. She was sitting with several other people when a family of three, mother, father and child, boarded the train. The woman from this trio started loudly sniping about how no one was forfeiting their seat for her despite the fact that she was displaying a badge that indicated that she was pregnant. Like many

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-91736058096874495242011-12-12T08:00:00.000-08:002011-12-12T08:00:02.365-08:00

I appreciate simplicity. In fact, one of the reasons I set up this blog as a form of short form expression is that I want to try to minimize my verbiage. Sometimes things are better when you take things away from them. In Japan, nothing illustrates this better than some of their cuter cartoon characters like the mouthless cat. While I am sick of "Hello Kitty", because I can never escape her

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-72825628809265546492011-12-09T08:00:00.000-08:002011-12-09T08:00:06.362-08:00

I've written before that context really matters in digesting experiences in Japan and I find it incredibly irksome when people break rules in Japan compared to back home. Part of the reason for this is the insistence by both Japanese and foreigners that the Japanese are so lawful and obedient. Another reason is that I get called on any tiny infraction of the rules, spoken or otherwise. I

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-91978243726182219372011-12-08T08:00:00.000-08:002011-12-08T08:00:05.370-08:00

She turned her back because I was taking her picture. Back when I first came to Japan, every department store had an elevator operator who pushed the buttons for you with her immaculate white gloved hands. She was polite and carried out her work as if she were shepherding small children safely to school through perilous lands rather than helping middle-aged housewives spend their husband's

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-52481180326195003932011-12-07T08:00:00.000-08:002011-12-07T08:00:09.324-08:00

Walk through any busy, crowded street or station full of commuters attempting to dodge each other and you will sooner or later run across the "chopper". This is a man who thinks that by putting out his hand and chopping through the air that the crowds will part before him and let him through. In fact, he expects that you will facilitate his easy movement through the throng at your own expense

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-19300091783259898372011-12-06T08:00:00.000-08:002011-12-06T08:00:03.763-08:00

I've talked to quite a few Japanese folks about intelligence and there are two major differences between them and most Americans. First, they want their politicians to be smart and very preferably smarter than they perceive themselves to be. There isn't a thread of anti-intellectualism in political discourse in this country. Second, most Japanese people don't believe they are smarter than

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-70062891408644886332011-12-05T08:00:00.000-08:002011-12-05T08:00:06.416-08:00

At lunch recently with a new acquaintance, she remarked that she felt all Caucasians should spend some time in Japan to begin to get a clue of what it feels like to be a minority in their home countries. One of the experiences which certainly breeds empathy for black folks back home is not being picked up by cabs. Another is being followed around in stores. This generally happens in larger

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-64601162135313174882011-12-02T08:00:00.000-08:002011-12-02T08:00:01.889-08:00

I'm not a big subscriber to the "weird Japan" mentality. One of the reasons I don't get so into it is that so much of it is clearly manufactured to be novel (e.g., maid cafes) and is little different than similarly generated oddness in other cultures which links not to human nature, but calculated commercial interests. However, when the weirdness manifests as a small component of a larger "

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-41579494503336678722011-12-01T08:00:00.000-08:002011-12-01T08:00:05.448-08:00

I don't mind if Japanese people use Japanese English (as opposed to "Engrish", which is a whole other kettle of fish) because it is understandable that they do. If I'm teaching them, I just point out that they shouldn't use it and tell them the correct words or phrases. Unfortunately, sometimes you find yourself being unable to make yourself understood unless you resort to using it yourself.

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-55343892668079001782011-11-30T08:00:00.000-08:002011-11-30T22:58:40.904-08:00

Many moons ago, I had an American co-worker with a Japanese boyfriend who was looking at a visa that was soon to expire and no full-time job to gain sponsorship from. The boyfriend wasn't ready to get married so a spouse visa looked rather out of bounds. Fortunately for her, she got pregnant. Voila, problem solved! Most Japanese men will marry a woman if she gets pregnant and wants to keep

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-14960373621387527582011-11-29T08:00:00.000-08:002011-11-29T08:00:02.856-08:00

Have you ever approached a strange cat to pet it and as you approach, it is eyeing you warily with muscles tensed such that you fear it will perceive you as a threat and bolt if you make just one tiny wrong move? Often, I feel that way when it comes to talking to Japanese people (the "cats"). Twice I've said things on FaceBook which were meant to be informational, but they ended up being

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-8631750932466478072011-11-28T08:00:00.000-08:002011-11-28T08:00:08.359-08:00

Back in my early days in Japan, there were few foods that I liked and trusted not to present me with a filling of sweetened beans. At that time, I was pretty squeamish about any of "that Japanese stuff". One of the easily enjoyable and reliable treats is/was amashoku, a half-cookie/half cake sort of baked good which is lightly sweet and has enough dryness to give it a pleasant cookie texture

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-14311109715410224732011-11-25T08:00:00.000-08:002011-11-25T08:00:02.513-08:00

Students often ask me about my first impression of Japan. I always give them an honest answer, and they really don't like it. The first thing I thought when I stepped off the plane in Narita was "I smell fish". When I sit at home teaching my students with the windows open, invariably, one of my neighbors will stink up the great outdoors with fish. Unfortunately, some of them seem to be

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-5092009115035961742011-11-24T08:00:00.000-08:002011-11-24T08:00:01.990-08:00

Bagna Cauda on display, the big fad of 2011. All countries have fads, and I'm sure many have food fads, though Japan's seem to occur with greater intensity and frequency than I recall experiencing back home. Many of them get started by a T.V. program which highlights a particular dish, restaurant or food. Sometimes it is impossible to trace, but once the ball gets rolling, everyone jumps on

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-54203931492872810652011-11-23T08:00:00.000-08:002011-11-23T08:00:01.378-08:00

I always get gawked at in public because of my appearance. Though I don't like seeing people do triple takes when they see me and just have to look back again and again, it's usually just basic rudeness. When my husband (who is also American) and I are out walking around, we, rather reasonably, speak English to each other. It's important to say here that we are not loud talkers. We speak at a

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-15855737523526179562011-11-22T08:00:00.000-08:002011-11-22T08:00:07.101-08:00

Since I haven't been to an American movie theater in over two decades, I had forgotten how badly behaved that some people can be. Often the absence of a bad experience does not register as a necessarily good one. I hadn't thought about how people do extremely rude things in movie theaters in the U.S. until I saw some FaceBook updates about people who talked loudly, kicked the back of seats,

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-78683978567866005512011-11-21T08:00:00.000-08:002011-11-21T08:00:00.610-08:00

Some posts are especially tricky to write and this one has to top them all both in terms of expressing the complexity of the feelings and the risk of being misinterpreted (willfully, in many cases, as self-righteousness needs to find an outlet even if it is an inappropriate one). I should note that the atomic bombs were dropped more than 20 years before I was born and no member of my family

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-75786024794509052822011-11-18T08:00:00.000-08:002011-11-18T08:00:02.763-08:00

This is actually a thank you sign at a rikshaw ride, but it's the only picture I have with the words "thank you" on it in English. There's a custom/habit in Japan which sometimes receives a little flak from more feminist-oriented types, and no small resistance from at least a handful of the foreign wives of Japanese men. This custom is one in which wives thank their husbands for going to the

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-27095626113699262462011-11-17T06:29:00.000-08:002011-11-17T06:29:00.093-08:00

The obscured word is "Shut". Sometimes I wonder if my most ardent stalkers realize the risk they take with their hostile e-mail messages and the trollish responses that they make as they follow me to every site I comment on around the web. If anything untoward were ever to befall me, from a robbery to an attack to an unfortunate fatal accident, the first finger would be pointed straight at

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-66695046253729696582011-11-16T08:00:00.000-08:002011-11-16T08:00:00.620-08:00

If you've ever sat in a coffee shop next to someone really noisy and had trouble tuning out the details of their personal life, you can understand where I'm coming from with this. I'll be the first to admit that my Japanese skill pretty much blows and that I have to pay attention to what is being said to understand. It's not the sort of thing which effortlessly enters my consciousness, but

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-46638144618779352242011-11-15T08:00:00.000-08:002011-11-15T08:00:08.999-08:00

One of my students has a brother who lives in San Diego. He has gained 15 kg. (33 lbs.) in two years due to eating American-size meals. I suggested that he not eat everything he is served and prepare his own food more frequenlty, but she wasn't having any of that sort of crazy logic. No, it was the American food that was the problem, not his laziness about cooking or inability not to gobble

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-90718813739128395512011-11-14T08:00:00.000-08:002011-11-14T08:00:10.471-08:00

OK, no matter how much I understand about Japanese business, I don't know why this video shop is named "Slum." If you have ever gone into a video rental shop in Japan, you may note that there are often more foreign titles than domestic ones. What fairly obvious conclusion would you reach? If you're like most people (including myself), you would conclude that foreign titles are more popular

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-78508400193200968022011-11-11T08:00:00.000-08:002011-11-11T08:00:11.234-08:00

One of my coworkers was a chef in Australia and he remarked that he should appreciate the fact that Japanese food is quite subtle in taste, but the truth is that he actually finds Japanese food rather bland. I'll admit that my foreign taste buds also favor intense flavors. It's not that I can't appreciate some of the subtler flavors, but my favorite things are definitely stronger (yuzu

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-45469092320003616512011-11-10T08:00:00.000-08:002011-11-10T08:00:03.962-08:00

I've said before that Japan conducts a sort of "soft socialism", but it's not necessarily rooted in the redistribution of wealth. There is, however, relative economic parity in Japan with a large middle class, few rich people, and few poor people. This is accomplished by not offering presidents and CEOs obscenely lavish salaries and keeping the bottom income bracket a little further from the

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-2264622897138279952011-11-09T02:45:00.000-08:002011-11-09T02:45:00.780-08:00

Fruit in Japan is expensive, though not quite as obscenely so as most foreign folks believe. Still, many Japanese people do not routinely eat fruit except for bananas because it's on the dear side and that makes it hard to include as part of their regular diet. Fruit is often a treasured gift, unless it is persimmons that are harvested by the truckload and freely dispensed when in season.

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-16658680235150925082011-11-08T08:00:00.000-08:002011-11-08T08:00:06.676-08:00

I don't know what it's like to run a train in America, especially in a metropolis like New York in which there is a large and complex system servicing a wide area. I can say that standing behind the engineer and watching how he operates when you get on a Japan Railway train is a pretty fascinating experience. He is sitting in there alone, but follows a very rigid routine of gesturing and

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-52722861592429451742011-11-07T08:00:00.000-08:002011-11-07T08:00:10.730-08:00

Even the frozen French fries are better in Japan because, you know, they mix them with mini-weenies.  Upon returning from a trip to Hawaii, one of my students asked me if I thought Japanese watermelon was sweeter than American watermelon. My truthful reply was that I've had sweet melon in both countries and relatively tasteless stuff in both of them. I've probably had more so-so watermelon in

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-27360349061150169662011-11-04T08:00:00.000-07:002011-11-04T08:00:09.371-07:00

The Yebisu beer museum in Ebisu. I'm a creature that fascinates most Japanese folks because I don't drink and have never drunk alcohol of any kind. When I say this, they respond with surprise and then get a strange look on their faces. That look, I'm pretty sure, relates to whatever reason they've conjured up for my avoidance of what can be seen as a magic elixir of relaxation and a lubricant

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-72139028829796531942011-11-03T08:00:00.000-07:002011-11-03T08:00:00.137-07:00

In theory, I should love okonomiyaki. Well, I should love it as much as you can love a food that looks like someone hurled the contents of their dinner onto a grill. For a society so obsessed with the appearance of food, it's surprising that this "Japanese savory pancake" is so popular. Okonomiyaki is a food that is prepared "as you like it", so you can customize the composition.

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-43929567839780357002011-11-02T08:00:00.000-07:002011-11-02T08:00:01.364-07:00

He's probably not even a KISS fan. One of the drawbacks about people who live in cultures with a great emphasis on individuality is that the people who comprise that culture often don't know who they are or what they define themselves by. This results in people defining themselves by trivial matters such as the soda brands they drink, the sports teams they follow, political party, choice of

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-44965183990164415252011-11-01T08:00:00.000-07:002011-11-01T08:00:01.325-07:00

When you think of Japanese food, the last thing you probably think of is sugar. It is absolutely true that the sweets have less total sugar than a lot of Western sweets. However, sugar (or artificial sweetene) is added to plenty of savory foods and traditional dishes. Sukiyaki, nimono, and other dishes have sugar and/or sweet sake as components. A great deal of savory sembei also includes

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-46487156371884321682011-10-31T08:00:00.000-07:002011-10-31T08:18:34.643-07:00

Back home, we used to go to a discount store called "Big Lots". At that time, it was an awesomely awful store that sold strange food (often from developing countries or eastern Europe) near or past its expiration date, fashion that was so utterly unfashionable that those who had any sense of taste wouldn't buy it at any price, and items which were so dubious in their utility or appearance that

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-57587431132527229482011-10-28T08:00:00.000-07:002011-10-28T17:44:12.026-07:00

While not being confronted over niggling infractions like taking a photo in a no camera zone is a bonus when living in Japan, the fact that the Japanese are so reluctant to confront people who break rules can be inconvenient and troubling as well. In particular, when someone breaks a rule which affects others strongly and no one with authority calls them on it, it can be very irritating. One

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-54328659939710903902011-10-27T08:00:00.001-07:002011-10-27T08:00:08.205-07:00

Click to see a legible version.  One of the things you learn pretty quickly in Japan is that Japanese people are quite reluctant to confront people who break the rules (either willfully or unwittingly). If you enter a space which says "no photos", there's a pretty good chance that people won't tell you to put away your camera if they see you taking pictures. This applies not only to

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-40183756399771215042011-10-26T08:00:00.000-07:002011-10-26T16:21:18.481-07:00

Offense at a word is in the eye of the beholder. Racially insensitive product name or really bad katakana translation of "mommy"? One of the longest running debates in the world of foreigners is whether or not being called a "gaijin" (outsider/foreigner) is offensive. The term "gaijkokujin" is generally viewed as being more polite. Frankly, I think this is a trivial issue which masks the real

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-28138116397438315222011-10-25T08:00:00.000-07:002011-10-25T08:00:01.121-07:00

One of my students recently went on a package tour to the U.S. As part of the deal, she visited Las Vegas and took a bus to the Grand Canyon. I told her that I was surprised at this pairing because those two places aren't exactly easy to hit during one short vacation. She responded essentially with 'they're pretty close to each other.' That was before she went on her trip. After she came back,

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-71395763623573672642011-10-24T08:00:00.000-07:002011-10-24T08:00:04.886-07:00

This woman at Adores gaming center was giving some sort of discount card or ticket to everyone who came in, but didn't offer any to my husband and I. This is despite the fact that we actually patronize their establishments.  Walking down the streets of Tokyo or going into shops, you see people sometimes handing out free samples, tissues, coupons, and flyers. Ninety-nine percent of the time,

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-43705821857358102011-10-21T08:00:00.000-07:002011-11-06T03:35:56.409-08:00

Some time ago, I attempted to have a dialog with someone whose experiences in Japan and opinions as a consequence of those differences were rather different than mine. The exchange ended at an impasse because it was clear that we would never agree. It wasn't that there was fundamental disagreement, but we couldn't settle even on a basic structure on which to reach conclusions. As an example

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-1751560857566726702011-10-20T08:00:00.000-07:002011-10-20T08:00:00.571-07:00

Osmanthus fragrans is a type of flowering tree which is pretty common in Tokyo. There is one growing behind my apartment and in front of it. Most Tokyoites recognize it's pleasantly sweet smell and view it as a part of the seasonal change experience. For me, I will not only associate the scent with life in Japan, as the tree is not common in the United States, but also the change from

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-8603776123414032512011-10-19T08:00:00.000-07:002011-10-19T08:00:09.676-07:00

Among the many things I have said which have sparked arguments with other foreign people in Japan was the fact that we regard our bosses in the U.S. as being of relatively equal status to us. Conversely, in Japan, there is the sense that your superiors and those who have seniority have a higher status than you. The issue of status at work is often confused with the issues of power and

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-91511535014527400222011-10-18T08:00:00.000-07:002011-10-18T08:00:07.353-07:00

The old gods of Greece are often portrayed as competing with one another and fighting amongst themselves. Cultures with multiple gods rarely show them playing nice together, but Japan's 7 lucky gods are often shown as one big happy family. They're on a boat taking a little cruise together or hanging out looking like they're all smiles. Their images often adorn products or are placed in front

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-21814838518140747882011-10-17T08:00:00.000-07:002011-10-27T07:21:47.403-07:00

Personally, I don't care if people have their fetishes as long as they keep them private and they don't harm anyone in order to fulfill them. It's really none of my business, unless it is flashed in my face on a regular basis. "Panchera" is the Japanese word for panty fetishism, and you see it everywhere. There are anime-style signs with girls' dresses flipping up showing their cartoon

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-37283255215667103312011-10-14T08:00:00.000-07:002011-10-14T08:00:01.236-07:00

Corn is everywhere in Western food, but it's usually a background ingredient except when it is served whole or shucked as a side dish. For our snacks, you find that we cover up the corn with strongly flavored powders and spices, or, in the case of cereal, sugar. In Japan, "corn" is often placed front and center as a flavor and a component. I've had corn sembei, and even corn caramels, and

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-44470435201516095402011-10-13T08:00:00.000-07:002011-10-13T08:00:01.545-07:00

Yes, it's dead. I rarely see a live one. I just hear them incessantly for months. I'm sure there are plenty of places in which cicadas reside. For all I know, I experienced them back home, but they weren't nearly as strongly associated with negative experiences there as they are here. What I don't remember about them anywhere else is experiencing them for so long or at such high volume.

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-57032176235904653622011-10-12T08:00:00.000-07:002011-10-13T16:21:36.001-07:00

If all of the criminal element would just wear these types of jackets, the police would have a much easier time doing their job. Old cartoons used to show the bad guy as having a long mustache that he twirled as he contemplated his dastardly deeds. Criminals were shown wearing striped prison outfits or were snaggle-toothed, wearing eye patches or masks, or leather-clad punks. These days,

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-19515449691140225062011-10-11T08:00:00.000-07:002011-10-11T08:00:11.885-07:00

There's a trend in Japan which I find vaguely disturbing, and that's young women who get long and ridiculous-looking false eyelashes glued onto their eyelids. This trend has been gaining momentum over the past few years and more and more women look like they're walking around with spider legs attached to their faces. Frankly, it looks pretty creepy and can be quite distracting when you're

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-82918451706086177132011-10-10T08:00:00.000-07:002011-10-10T18:59:54.482-07:00

They're either channeling the world's most famous genocidal maniac or Hercules Poirot.  One of my students recently went to France and said that one thing she noticed was that there were a lot of old buildings and reminders of old culture in Paris. She compared this to her home city, Tokyo, which is a place which seems intent on tearing down any structure that is approaching the equivalent of

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-26864632392341323882011-10-07T08:00:00.000-07:002011-10-07T16:18:15.340-07:00

Seiyu is a chain of supermarkets with branches in most major areas of Tokyo. I can't speak for all Seiyu supermarkets in Japan, but I can speak for the one nearest me. In fact, if it weren't one of the cheaper places to get certain types of food, I'd avoid it. I'm too poor, however, to walk away from the prices, but there are things about it that annoy me. One of the things is that our

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-60452748064225538362011-10-06T08:00:00.000-07:002011-10-06T08:00:03.677-07:00

Hyuganatsu is a Japanese citrus fruit which fragrant and a bit sour. When I was first given one of these fruits, I was told I'd have to put sugar on it to eat it. However, I ate it as it was and found it delicious. I may have gotten lucky and had the world's least sour hyuganatsu, but it made me wish I could get them more easily (they're not only a Japanese fruit, but regional and not

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-33754955368863112572011-10-05T08:00:00.000-07:002011-10-05T15:36:26.693-07:00

Actual selection at Mister Donut at 9:00 am. There's a well-known commercial from the 80's in which a man stumbles out of bed at an ungodly hour to go off and make doughnuts so that they are ready for breakfast. In Japan, no one is getting up before the sun shines. In fact, I'm guessing most are sleeping in later than the average commuter salaryman. I'm not a huge doughnut eater, but once

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-47571657976729523882011-10-04T08:00:00.000-07:002011-10-04T08:00:07.516-07:00

"Shodo" is Japanese calligraphy. I don't practice or study it, but I do enjoy the results of what other people do. What is more, I love seeing people doing it on the street in tourist areas. Western people in general have a fascination with the look and feel of Chinese characters (kanji) and calligraphy extends the interest level a bit further. The style, energy and orientation reflect the

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-64477938030568825472011-10-03T08:00:00.000-07:002011-10-03T08:00:00.126-07:00

The only animal being treated badly here is the poor master of that stubborn bulldog. I realize that animal population control is a difficult thing and that cost is a part of the consideration. Sometimes animals have to be euthanized or they will suffer worse fates (life in a tiny cage, starvation, death by disease, etc.). How a country on the whole deals with this problem is a reflection of

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-45213392565911252672011-09-30T08:00:00.001-07:002011-09-30T08:00:08.699-07:00

What's for dessert? Vinegar, of course! Of course, when I say I'll miss drinking vinegar, I don't mean me personally, but the fact that the Japanese do it. And it's not that "only" they do it, because apparently folk medicine worldwide claims vinegar will cure everything that ails you. It's more the pervasiveness of vinegar for drinking and how it is more fully integrated into the culture

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-6438527344607460412011-09-29T16:05:00.000-07:002011-09-29T16:05:01.026-07:00

Yeah, I'm talking about this guy (among others). Learn how to use the equipment fellow! I haven't lived in the U.S. for a long time, so this may be a problem there as well, but it's something I never experienced there. When I go to markets in Japan, at least 30% of the time when I am buying more than one of the same item, the cashier will scan the same item through again and again rather than

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-50447567342485452732011-09-28T08:00:00.000-07:002011-09-28T08:00:02.163-07:00

At this stage of the year, the vines are about 4 stories high, and they're not finished yet. Goya is a vegetable that is often translated to mean "bitter gourd". It looks like a big cucumber with a bad skin disease and is famous for being a part of Okinawan cuisine. Some Japanese folks swear by it and others detest it. It's one of those polarizing things, but mainly, I notice it in the summer

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-21041242551350555972011-09-27T08:00:00.000-07:002011-11-27T16:22:30.636-08:00

I'm going to blow your mind, and very likely piss you off when I say that Japanese people do not know Japanese culture by virtue of being born in Japan. Don't believe me? Next time the Golden Week holidays roll around, ask your friends what each day celebrates and how it is observed. Or, ask them what a mikoshi is/does. Being of a culture is not the same as being educated in it and sometimes

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-89512251142923727372011-09-26T08:00:00.000-07:002011-09-26T08:00:10.510-07:00

The Japan Times newspaper used to run a series of columns by an American writer named Don Maloney which was compiled into a book called  "Japan: It's Not All Raw Fish." In one of his articles, Maloney talks about the inconvenience of life in Tokyo and how much more cumbersome it is than life in the U.S. A reader wrote to Maloney and talked about how he and his wife cope just fine with the high

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-67151002959866848262011-09-23T08:00:00.000-07:002011-09-23T08:00:11.571-07:00

Okay, this guy definitely isn't helping the image of facial hair, but give him a break. This picture was taken at a summer festival, not at the office. You'd all look less than ready for Wall Street in 93 degree heat and high humidity at a crowded public gathering. When my husband came to Japan in 1989 seeking a job, his brother, who also lives in Japan, recommended that he shave off his

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-17159594310351660802011-09-22T08:00:00.000-07:002011-09-24T17:07:17.904-07:00

As I've said before, dealing with garbage in Japan is complex. It's so complicated that many Japanese folks get it wrong, too. There are different rules for different neighborhoods and some subtler rules come into play about washing garbage. You can't, for instance, put out a can of food that has expired. You have to empty the food and wash the can. It's easy for people who have busy lives to

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-72525549766253965982011-09-21T08:00:00.000-07:002011-09-21T08:00:01.286-07:00

A (rather nice-looking) sign created by and placed in a trash collection area by a self-appointed "trash cop" reminding everyone that today's trash collection is over. This is to let them know not to put out more trash bags until the next collection day. Some people are vigilant about making sure the trash on the curb of their block is properly done and that doesn't necessarily have to be a

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-20754804725831238652011-09-20T08:00:00.000-07:002011-09-20T08:00:01.744-07:00

Things may have changed since I was living back home, but most of the capsule (or bubble) machines that sold little plastic balls with an item inside were designed for kids. Not only that, but the stuff you got in them was pretty crappy and tended to hold ones attention for about 15 minutes then end up mashed into the carpet of your parents' car when you returned home. In Japan, there are

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-53962179357436215282011-09-19T02:16:00.000-07:002011-09-19T02:16:00.647-07:00

As I've mentioned before, Japanese banks have paltry interest rates on savings accounts. In fact, I'm surprised most people don't hide their money in old bento boxes and bury it in the back yard. That probably has more to do with the fact that so few people have actual backyards than it being considered a lesser option than putting it in the bank. Since I'd prefer to lose as little of my money

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-60674678792661649042011-09-16T08:00:00.000-07:002011-09-16T08:00:10.913-07:00

Sumo wrestlers are famed for the stoicism. Tournament winners will stand sweating and tired in front of an interviewer staring straight ahead and grunting minimal answers. They rarely smile or show any overt happiness, even when they are elated at their victory. This is an extreme example of emotional control, and few average Japanese folks have such a tight reign on their feelings. That being

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-55211642708798737552011-09-15T08:00:00.000-07:002011-09-15T08:00:10.562-07:00

One of my students is a lovely older lady who is friendly, fun to talk to, and frequently gives me gifts. She's a delightful person who makes mundane stories sound interesting and makes an effort to carry on a conversation, unlike some students who sit there like a lump and expect the teacher to interrogate them into improving their English while they grudgingly utter short replies. She's a

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5103914919249706024.post-80032156595284296382011-09-14T22:39:00.000-07:002011-09-14T22:39:00.146-07:00

Most of the time, I go about my business in life like everyone else. This is often a part of the sleepwalking through life that we all do as we perform routine behaviors. When you first come in Japan, the "oh wow" factor tends to dominate as the novelty of all the little differences make you think normal things are awesome because they are 10% different and have Japanese writing all over them.

Orchid64http://www.blogger.com/profile/07132543155589881288noreply@blogger.com