I have settled into Tokyo now and am enjoying the life here. Japan seems to have price controls set in place. Whenever you walk into a convenience store like a Family Mart or a Seven Eleven, the prices are relatively the same if not identical. Even at touristy locations, and in Tokyo (the most expensive city in many ways) you will find that the prices remain the same in the convenience stores which I think is fair and I like!!
I may have mentioned this in the past, but Japan is CLEAN and it can often be difficult to find a garbage can!!! There are MANY types of recycling bins and this can get rather confusing to a foreigner...the best way is to look at the pictures (if there are any) and even this can be unclear...
Japan's food is FRESH. Everything ranging from the food served in convenience stores to the food served in restaurants is fresh and there is a lot of care taken in keeping it and serving it that way. I have never heard of anyone having any issues with food poisoning here (although I am sure that it has happened on rare occasion). I believe that any food over one day old is thrown away. The raw food that is served is kept fresh too...there must be some government regulations concerning this matter.
So the sink/shower combination is not uncommon in a Japanese home. However, for a foreigner such as myself this combination is rather strange and has caused me much misfortune. On more than one occasion, upon preparing for bed and aiming to turn the sink on to brush my teeth, I have accidentally wet half of my body to my dismay...
Kabukicho is the most well-known red light area in Tokyo and possibly in all of Japan! I expected to see glamorous young ladies dressed up in all sorts of costumes, aiming to seduce possible patrons into coming in for a drink and potentially more. WRONG. Actually, what you find are a handful of Japanese gentleman (whose English is usually decent) aiming to guide you inside of their establishments and more than a few dark-skinned fellows from all around the globe who make you feel anything but comfortable, trying so hard (even physically) to get you inside of their bars. This actually made me quite uncomfortable and not want to visit the area again at night time.
Upon shopping with a friend, a strange situation (in my opinion occurred). She finished shopping, brought the item to the front desk and then had to actually go upstairs to another floor to pay! Once she paid and brought the receipt down, she was able to take her purchase with her. Also while accompanying a friend in the hospital, a similar situation occurred, where she went to pay, but actually had to wait to insert the card she was given until her number was called. I find that Japan's organization systems can be so orderly that I am unused to it and actually find it strange and confusing at times!
The 1,000 yen haircut is a budget traveler's dream! You pay the vending machine for your haircut (500 Yen for just your bangs [girls usually] and you pay 1000 for a haircut). The job is supposed to take 15 minutes, but can and usually takes upwards of 30 minutes. barbers are neat and efficient, using a large hose which I have never seen before to suck all of the hair off of your face! You leave feeling tidy and clean, and with a heavier wallet than you would have had you visited a normal barber shop! On the topic of vending machines, I have found machines specializing in selling each of the following items: cigarettes, red bulls, cold drinks (energy and sport drinks, etc.), beer, condoms, and USED WOMEN's UNDERWEAR! Actually, that machine was more like a gumball machine, where you put in 500 yen and you got a random pair of used panties! I have heard there are actual vending machines selling these "goods" however there are probably few if any left because apparently it recently became ilWhat a strange place it really is here...
Walmarts are not in Japan, however their INFLUENCE is. I saw Walmart bags the other day in the grocery store. I also have seen many times, the "Great Value" brand on sale, which I know to be Walmart's brand. Globalization 2012.0 folks - it's here, it's real, it's scary. Please stop taking over the world Walmart, thanks!
On another random note, the Japanese are never just free to hang out, always busy! Unlike where I could just send a message a day or two before to friends in Taiwan for example, the culture here seems quite different. It appears that you must make formal plans with the Japanese and a good deal of time before the date in order to see them. If you ask plans the same day or a few days away, from my experience at least it seems that you are unlikely to have any luck...another example of how organized Japan is - its own people's behavior!
I may have mentioned this in the past, but Japan is CLEAN and it can often be difficult to find a garbage can!!! There are MANY types of recycling bins and this can get rather confusing to a foreigner...the best way is to look at the pictures (if there are any) and even this can be unclear...
Japan's food is FRESH. Everything ranging from the food served in convenience stores to the food served in restaurants is fresh and there is a lot of care taken in keeping it and serving it that way. I have never heard of anyone having any issues with food poisoning here (although I am sure that it has happened on rare occasion). I believe that any food over one day old is thrown away. The raw food that is served is kept fresh too...there must be some government regulations concerning this matter.
So the sink/shower combination is not uncommon in a Japanese home. However, for a foreigner such as myself this combination is rather strange and has caused me much misfortune. On more than one occasion, upon preparing for bed and aiming to turn the sink on to brush my teeth, I have accidentally wet half of my body to my dismay...
Kabukicho is the most well-known red light area in Tokyo and possibly in all of Japan! I expected to see glamorous young ladies dressed up in all sorts of costumes, aiming to seduce possible patrons into coming in for a drink and potentially more. WRONG. Actually, what you find are a handful of Japanese gentleman (whose English is usually decent) aiming to guide you inside of their establishments and more than a few dark-skinned fellows from all around the globe who make you feel anything but comfortable, trying so hard (even physically) to get you inside of their bars. This actually made me quite uncomfortable and not want to visit the area again at night time.
Upon shopping with a friend, a strange situation (in my opinion occurred). She finished shopping, brought the item to the front desk and then had to actually go upstairs to another floor to pay! Once she paid and brought the receipt down, she was able to take her purchase with her. Also while accompanying a friend in the hospital, a similar situation occurred, where she went to pay, but actually had to wait to insert the card she was given until her number was called. I find that Japan's organization systems can be so orderly that I am unused to it and actually find it strange and confusing at times!
The 1,000 yen haircut is a budget traveler's dream! You pay the vending machine for your haircut (500 Yen for just your bangs [girls usually] and you pay 1000 for a haircut). The job is supposed to take 15 minutes, but can and usually takes upwards of 30 minutes. barbers are neat and efficient, using a large hose which I have never seen before to suck all of the hair off of your face! You leave feeling tidy and clean, and with a heavier wallet than you would have had you visited a normal barber shop! On the topic of vending machines, I have found machines specializing in selling each of the following items: cigarettes, red bulls, cold drinks (energy and sport drinks, etc.), beer, condoms, and USED WOMEN's UNDERWEAR! Actually, that machine was more like a gumball machine, where you put in 500 yen and you got a random pair of used panties! I have heard there are actual vending machines selling these "goods" however there are probably few if any left because apparently it recently became ilWhat a strange place it really is here...
Walmarts are not in Japan, however their INFLUENCE is. I saw Walmart bags the other day in the grocery store. I also have seen many times, the "Great Value" brand on sale, which I know to be Walmart's brand. Globalization 2012.0 folks - it's here, it's real, it's scary. Please stop taking over the world Walmart, thanks!
On another random note, the Japanese are never just free to hang out, always busy! Unlike where I could just send a message a day or two before to friends in Taiwan for example, the culture here seems quite different. It appears that you must make formal plans with the Japanese and a good deal of time before the date in order to see them. If you ask plans the same day or a few days away, from my experience at least it seems that you are unlikely to have any luck...another example of how organized Japan is - its own people's behavior!
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