Japan

Random thoughts about my vacation to Japan:

1. There are very few trash can or trash receptacles on the city streets of Tokyo. This makes throwing out trash difficult.

2. There are many vending machines... everywhere. They serve the following most commonly: beer, coffee, coffee derivatives, tea, tea derivatives, soda, water, and sports drinks (Pocari Sweat). I know you enjoy a good bottle of sweat when you want to quench your thirst.

3. Japanese-styled crepes make authentic French crepe-makers cringe. Japanese crepes consist of a dough wrapping filled with whipped cream, chocolate, yogurt, fruit, and/or ice cream. And sometimes a mixture of tuna, mayonnaise, mozzarella cheese, and tomato pizza sauce all at once.

4. Japanese are much more slender and skinny than Americans on average. This made me feel fatter than usual.

5. Japanese are shorter than Americans on average. This made me feel taller than usual.

6. Japanese women tend to wear more makeup than American women. This makes them look more youthful (albeit artificially). I'm not a good judge of age in general, but when I was looking at eye candy on the streets of Tokyo, I was always wondering if I was looking at a 40 year old woman or a teenager.

7. The ero kawaii style (sexy cute) of many young Japanese women. Thanks for the eye candy ladies. This style consists of one of the following:
* High heel shoes, leg-length stockings, extremely short ruffled skirt.
* High heel shoes, knee-high stockings or knee-high socks, extremely short ruffled skirt.
* High heeled knee-high boots, extremely short ruffled skirt.

8. Lack of eye contact. Eye contact is much more subtle and quick in Japan than in the States. I think this may be due to a combination of shyness and the culture of respecting personal comfort. I got the impression that Japanese tend to stick with their own friends and family in public to a higher degree in comparison to the U.S. It is difficult to explain, but consider this final thought - Several times, I experienced a strange feeling of isolation even when walking down an extremely crowded street in Shinjuku. I had an empty feeling in regards to the acknowledgment of my existence.

9. Many Japanese cover their mouths when they smile or laugh. This seems more cultural than anything else. Is this done to prevent breathing or accidentally spitting on other nearby people?

10. Bad teeth. Japanese have comparable levels of dental hygiene in comparison to any other collection of people with first-world dental care. That is to say, I noticed people with perfect teeth and bad teeth just like in the States.

11. Nato, a fermented (read: rotting) soy bean covered in hot mustard and a raw egg smells like death and, unshockingly, tastes like it as well. Some people, including my dining company, enjoyed it. They can have my portion. Enjoy.

12. I can get convenience-level maki sushi (8 - 12 pieces of seaweed wrapped sushi) for anywhere between $2-$4 US dollars in Japan. It tasted good.

13. The rumors regarding cost of living in Tokyo is overrated as far as I could observe. It wasn't as expensive or was equal in general cost to any other big city I have visited or lived in. That isn't to say it is cheap overall, but it is manageable.

14. It is easy to get relatively healthy snack food (yakitori skewered chicken or sushi) for cheap. If the U.S. had this more available in addition to candy bars, hot dogs, or fast food, I think it would be easier to maintain or lose weight.

15. Riding the train is fun and easy, although slightly overpriced. Maybe the price would not be as bad if I got one of the better deals as a resident. I really enjoyed going around the city without needing a car. This makes me want to have better access to public transportation. Passengers also tend to be more well-mannered and the cars are cleaner than U.S. public transportation that I have used. Many U.S. citizens should learn from this rather than shitting on our own doorstep.

16. Lack of engagement. Japanese will not engage foreigners as much as U.S. residents will. I only was engaged a handful of times in my stay either by people who wanted to practice their English with me or via a friend. I think this is because many Japanese do not speak English and are embarassed or have no desire to do so. The U.S. is a huge melting pot with many ethnicities and groups living together. Japan is much more homogeneous. Before knowing someone, a Japanese person will assume a foreigner does not speak Japanese, but a U.S. person will probably assume an ethnic person does speak English. I think this led to some of the lack of engagement. It also made me miss the U.S.

17. Many Japanese women are very attractive, but I remember missing the boldness and confidence of American girls.

18. Whale bacon tastes bad.

19. Whale steak tastes good! I also heard an argument on how Greenpeace and its derivative organizations can be considered eco-terrorists for disturbing Japanese whaling endeavors.

20. Sushi is good. Why is it so expensive in the U.S.? Balls.

21. Smoke filled bars, restaurants, arcades made me miss smokeless bars, restaurants, and arcades. I had forgotten what it was like to come home smelling like an ashtray.

22. Engrish is funny and is very much in full effect in Tokyo.

23. I observed many Japanese men trim or shave their eyebrows as a form of style. I find this style somewhat effeminate on men but taste is a matter of taste.

24. Many common Japanese eateries tend to having counter-style seating rather than table or booth seating. This is due to the more common need to serve single business patrons who want to come in, eat, and leave rather than parties. It was a refreshing change eating more in a community style even if people tend to keep more to themselves as a whole.

25. Whenever I saw a foreigner, I could not help but to look at them. When I am in the U.S., this was never the case for me because there are so many different types of ethnicities and backgrounds on a day-to-day basis.

26. Urban neon sprawl is both amazingly ugly and strangely beautiful at the same time.

I probably have more, but that's all for now folks.