Ukiyo-e

Sunday, Yoko and I went to a ukiyo-e exhibit at the Yamaguchi Museum of Art in Yamaguchi City. It was amazing to see the original works of pictures I have only seen in prints. I couldn’t believe that some of these were more than 300 years old.

Ukiyo-e means ‘pictures of the floating world’ and became popular in the 17th century. They aren’t drawings or traditional paintings, they are woodblock prints. Three people were often involved in the process: the artist who designed the print, the woodcutter who craved the wood, and the painter who inked and pressed the blocks onto paper. The most famous ukiyo-e print is Great Wave Off Kanagawa by Hokusai. I was delighted that I could see the actual original and not a reproduction.

These prints of the 17th century were aimed at the merchant class, who were experiencing great growth due to the Edo period’s rising economy. Common themes were of travel and scenery, beautiful women, plants and animals, and famous actors and sumo wrestlers. The actor and sumo wrestlers pictures were interesting, in that they are basically ancient versions of today’s pop star posters and trading cards. A ukiyo-e depicting famous actors in a play is like today’s movie posters.

There were many different styles represented. Some artists were bold and colorful, some vague and monochromatic. Some of the details were amazing, especially the depiction of kimono patterns. Looking at Hokusai’s sketchbook, I was amazed at the level of detail he did. It reminded me of comic artist George Perez, who was famous for squeezing as much detail as he could into backgrounds and such.

These works are housed at museums all around the world; I feel very fortunate I was able to see such an eclectic and historical gathering all in one place.

Ukiyo-e coffee at the museum cafe

The Sauce And Salad Approach

I don't like Japanese food very much. That may be a shock to my readers, considering many of you know I live in Japan. And authentic, real-life Japanese food is very different from what is labeled Japanese food in America.

Sometimes my friends ask me how Japanese food is different from American cuisine. I often answer by stating what there isn't in Japan; like turkey, cold cuts, and chili. Most people understand that every country has different ingredients. But there was more to it than that and it took me a while to figure it out. So, I came up with the Sauce vs. Salad approach.

These two are a metaphor for how American and Japanese food are different. Bear with me on this. American food is Sauce. I don't mean it uses a lot of sauce for cooking, but the American style of cooking is like a sauce. Sauces bring together many different ingredients to create a new flavor. You combine tomatoes, herbs, spices, and other foods that, when finished, don't taste like one particular thing. The sauce doesn't entirely taste like tomatoes or herbs or spices. It is something new combined from all the ingredients. I think casseroles are a good example of this: many things coming together to create a new taste.

Japanese cooking uses the Salad approach. In salads, many items are brought together but retain their individual flavors. When you get a forkful of lettuce and tomatoes, you are going to taste the lettuce and tomatoes in equal measure. They are together, but not combined. They are their own flavors. Japanese cooking is like that. Dishes are made to enhance the natural flavor of the main dish. Tempura is great example. Although it is a fried coating, like fried chicken, the coating itself is flavorless and light. It is used to compliment the shrimp or pumpkin or whatever it is covering. The main taste isn't the tempura coating, it's the food itself. Dipping sauces and coatings are used to compliment the main ingredients. Thus, it is like a salad: many ingredients together maintaining their own flavor.

Which means, at least for me, many dishes taste the same in Japanese cooking. If you have five dishes that have shrimp as the main ingredient, and the goal is to enhance, not coverup or change the flavor, then you will get five dishes that taste like shrimp. Every food has a strong presence of the main ingredient. Since I am not a big seafood and vegetable fan, that limits a lot of Japanese food I like.

Most of the foreigners I've met in Japan fall into two groups: they love Japanese food or hate it. I'm in the middle. I'll eat it, but I prefer American food.

I hope my readers have found this post informative. Leave comments if you have them. As always, thanks for reading.

I'd Live In Tokyo

If money & jobs weren’t a factor, what one place in the world would you live?That is easy.

Tokyo.

All my life I’ve lived in small towns. Cody, Wyoming had a population of about 8,000 people and West Blocton, Alabama has about 1,500. Iwakuni in Japan is the largest city I’ve ever lived in and it is small by Japanese standards. As I tell people, when it comes to living in Iwakuni, it has everything you need, not necessarily everything you want.

I love Tokyo. I have visited many times, although the longest I’ve stayed is three days. I’d love to spend an entire week there. It has everything and most of it is in easy reach. The public transportation is really convenient  Even the crowds don’t bother me very much, although it does some other people. I remember the first time I went there with Yoko. We arrived in Tokyo Station about 11pm. The place was dead, almost empty. Yoko said she was surprised so many people were there. Totally different impressions. That’s my country girl, lol.

There are major events going on all the time. Many lesser-known singers and artists have shows only in Tokyo. My favorite group, Morning Musume, always have concerts and handshake events in Tokyo, and I know I’d spend a lot of money going to them.

Don’t forget the import food stores, either. With probably the largest concentration of expats in Japan, I’m sure I could find restaurants and stores to satisfy my palette. There’s an Outback Steakhouse in Shibuya!

When I go to Tokyo, I almost always stay at the same hotel: Asia Center Of Japan. It’s a hotel that caters to foreigners. It is cheap, convenient, and located in the quiet district of Akasaka. I love it. It’s only a few stops from Shibuya, which is a major hub for changing to other train lines. I can travel to Shinjuku, Akihabara, and Ginza without too much trouble. Not to mention the trains run about every two - five minutes. Some trains here in Yamaguchi prefecture run every two hours.

Despite how many times I have been to Tokyo, there is still so much I haven’t seen. I’d love to go to the Fuji Television building in Odaiba, Tokyo Sky Tree, and many other places. It’s so full of interesting architecture and landscapes, like the Tsutaya in Daikanyama and the metropolitan building in Shinjuku, that I wish I was a photographer. So many interesting places. I could probably do photo blog posts for a year.

Without a doubt, my favorite place is Akihabara. But it also one of the noisiest places in Tokyo. Almost every electronics shop has a salesperson with a microphone hawking their discounts. There are the anime stores, discount shops, and my favorite: maid cafes.

There you have it. My dream city. As always, thanks for reading.

The Moment It All Changed...

Life is full of pivotal moments. You can trace the course of your life and say “If I hadn’t done this, then this wouldn’t have happened” and “If I had done this…” and so on. It’s a little difficult to pick out the big pivots. After all, if you hadn’t done the little changes, would your life still have led you to the big changes.

I’m going to go out on a limb here and say one of the most pivotal moments in my life was leaving America for Japan when I joined the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme.

It hadn’t been the first time I had been in Japan (this was in 2007), I had been there as an exchange student in Osaka in 2005. It wasn’t even the first time I had spent time away from home: I did that in 2005 and also earlier when I spent the summer semester at the Savannah College Of Art And Design. But I was leaving for at least a year. Overseas. If I was homesick, I couldn’t hop on the nearest Greyhound and make a surprise visit. I was pretty much SOL on that point. 

I remember saying goodbye to mom at the Atlanta hotel. We were both so choked up. The enormity of what I was doing was starting to hit me. As an only child, I’m attached to my parents. But here I was, leaving them behind across an ocean to start a new adventure. Most kids leave town or the state. I left thecountry.

The next few days are a blur. The flight, going through customs, the orientations and meetings in Tokyo, flying to my assigned city. But after several months, I felt free and like an adult. I’ve never been very adult-like, in my opinion. But here all the responsibilities were on me. If I didn’t cook, I didn’t get fed. I was living alone in my own apartment. It was fun and felt great. 

That first year I felt I really grew as a person. It may have happened later in life, but it changed me. So much happened that first year that would affect my decision to stay (which I did), I met Yoko whom I would later date then marry, and so much more. My friends always said I would go to Japan and never come back. I expected to stay for only a year, three at most.

Looks like they were right.

The nicest thing about being here is that I knew no one. It was a clean slate. I could be me, with all the geekiness and idiosyncrasies that came with it. I could buy what I wanted, eat where I wanted, go where and when I wanted.

Of course I had responsibilities. It wasn’t all play and no work. But that helped me grow too. I learned how much of a hypocrite I am (more than I expected) and how lazy I can be about certain things, like learning Japanese. But life is always about growing. And I feel I’ve grown the most in these last six years.

As always, thanks for reading.

Comfort Foods

I admit I am a picky eater. But I wouldn’t say I have comfort foods in the traditional sense; there isn’t anything I NEED to eat when I’m sad or depressed.

But I guess I do have comfort food, in the sense that I have a lot that I miss from America. And when I can get it here in Japan, I pounce on it.

Import stores charge a fortune for their goods, nearly twice as much, and sometimes more. And they can’t get everything. I don’t order much food from the internet. Truthfully because I have never really looked into it, plus I’m afraid of what the shipping costs will be, especially for frozen/refrigerated items.

So I content myself with Jupiter, the import store in Hiroshima. If I had pick my comfort foods based on what I have bought the most of from there, it would be: A&W Root Beer, Van Camp’s Pork and Beans, Hormel Chili, and Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. These might seem like everyday staples of a grocery store, but believe it or not they are almost nonexistent in Japan.

Almost every Japanese person I know hates root beer. It’s because the same flavoring it uses is also used to flavor medicine here in Japan. Hence their nickname for it, “medicine cola.” Chili is almost impossible to make due to a lack of dried beans (or almost any bean) in stores. You see where I’m going with this? I can deal with big social and cultural differences, but little things like the this, every day foods you’d expect in almost every country, is really fascinating. And sometimes frustrating.

I’m not a big fan of Japanese food. While I believe I fit in rather well culturally, and I think I’ve adapted nicely to Japan, food is the one thing I really cling to. I’m very “American” in my choice of food. My wife Westernizes quite a bit of our cooking and she likes Western food, but can’t eat it every day. But I’ll pick Western over Japanese any day. Give me tacos instead of okonomiyaki.

What about you, reader? Any comfort foods. Comment, like, or reblog. As always, thanks for reading.

Where Foreigners Fear To Tread

Japan scares me.

Not as a society or culturally. But even after six years here, I'm still a stranger in a strange land. I know most of it has to do with not knowing Japanese. Yes, I've been here for more than half a decade and my Japanese level is still the same as it was when I arrived. Maybe even worse. But that is (or is not) another post. I admit that sometimes I am afraid to go out my door.

A lot of times, especially on weekends, I create a little bubble around myself. Most of the time it isn't on purpose. I just get to watching movies or TV, listening to music, reading, and it is all in English. Then it's a quick jaunt to 7-11 and I'm reminded I'm half a world away from where I grew up as soon as the clerk opens her mouth to welcome me to the store.

It's this fear and dislocation that often prevents me from trying new places. Case in point was Cafe Ange, a little coffee shop only a few hundred meters away from the door to my apartment's lobby. I have passed by numerous times and always told myself I would go in. Months passed and I never did. Last week I plucked up my courage and went in. The inside was very beautiful, although how you can mess up a BLT sandwich is beyond me. The point is, I had to force myself to go. Sure, it's a little cafe but when you can't read or pronounce 90% of what's on the menu, it's a daunting task.

I've realized that since I've been married, I rely on Yoko quite a bit; possibly more than I should. Living on my own, I was forced to interact with postal clerks and waiters. Now, I just put off what I need to do until Yoko and I can do it together. That's not good. I need to regain a bit of my independence. But when someone makes your life easier in a foreign land, you find yourself leaning on them more and more.

I'm not blaming her. Also, I love Japan, as many of my friends (here and abroad) will attest to. But I admit I sometimes have to make a conscious effort to get out the front door.

As always, thanks for reading.

Not my lunch at Cafe Ange. This is a nice breakfast at Primavera.

Christmas In Translation

Last year, I wrote a Christmas post for another author's blog. It got a few good comments so I'm deciding to repost it here on Resonant Blue.

*************************

Flashing Christmas lights decorate the store windows. Malls and restaurants are playing Christmas music and snow will soon be falling in the northern climes. Presents are wrapped and greeting cards signed, and the KFC dinner is on the table for the big feast. (Insert screeching record sound here). Kentucky Fried Chicken? For Christmas dinner?! What's going on? Turkey and pumpkin pie may be staples of Christmas dinner in America, but it's KFC and Christmas cake in Japan.

I'm an expatriate living in Japan. I've been here just over five years, and I tell you, living overseas can be tough. Even when things are similar, like McDonald's, supermarkets, and Christmas, sometimes the little differences between what you’re use to and what the custom is, are the hardest to deal with.

Christmas in Japan is not a religious holiday. While Christianity is present in Japan, Buddhism and Shinto are the two dominant religions. Christmas came to Japan in the 1800s by missionaries and the first recorded Christmas was celebrated in my home prefecture of Yamaguchi, at the southern end of the big island. That being said, Christmas is looked on as a romantic holiday, more akin to America’s Valentine’s Day.

Couples often have romantic dinners, take walks to enjoy the light displays, and give each other a gift of affection. Romance is in the cold winter air, there’s a reason WHAM’s Last Christmas and Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas Is You are among the most popular Christmas songs. Christmas is somewhat romantic in America also. It’s a time for friends and family, visiting each other’s relatives, maybe even popping the question on that perfect sleigh ride. I spent my first Christmas in Japan alone, with my two feet tall fake tree and some DVDs. But it didn’t get me down. I decorated the tree just like I use to in America, listening to Amy Grant Christmas music and putting the presents mom had mailed me under the tree. Sure, I was alone. But by doing the same holiday traditions in Japan I had done in America, I brought a little piece of home with me. Was it a bad Christmas? No. Just different.

Presents are another staple of Christmas and here in Japan, even this is different. There is no Black Friday or Cyber Monday here; in fact, my wife (who is Japanese) had never heard of these terms before. There are Christmas sales at the store but there is no loud push for you to buy, buy, buy and get that last-minute shopping done. Most people, even children, get one or two presents. That’s it. Sure, some get more, but the norm seems to be one or two. And Santa (whom Japanese kids think lives in Finland or Norway, maybe Greenland) doesn’t put their presents under the tree, which is typically three feet high; he puts them beside their pillow or on the floor at the head of their bed.

When it comes to food, that may be the biggest difference. Turkey is almost non-existent in Japan, and even if they did live here, there is no way they would fit in an average sized oven. Most Japanese people I have met have never eaten turkey in their life; for them, chicken is close enough. KFC runs specials on absolutely gorgeous Christmas dinners for the family and eating KFC on Christmas is usual. But if an American can’t live without turkey or pumpkin pie on Christmas, the Japanese can’t live without their Christmas cake. Often white with strawberries on top (sometimes chocolate or buttercream flavored as well) these are a holiday staple everyone eats every year. Every store, food shop, and convenience store sells these cakes and most of the time you have to order them.

But what is truly missing from Christmas in Japan is the rush: the madness to shop, shop, shop, the stress of getting every family member a gift, driving from store to store looking for the best deal. Christmas is just another holiday here, slightly more important that others, but not the biggest. It’s for the couples, for the romantics, for the parents to show some love to their kids.

That’s what I love most about Christmas: love. Christmas is more about love than Valentine’s Day. It’s the love of Christians for Jesus Christ. It’s the love Santa has for children, wanting to make boys and girls happy. It’s the love of humanity helping each other. It’s a season to love and be loved. And the slowness the Japanese have about the season, the emphasis on romance, is what made me like Christmas even more.

Teaching junior high students about Christmas and discussing differing customs with Japanese people made me realize I can make my own Christmas. Here in Japan, I got to introduce Christmas the way I wanted it to be. I don’t look at my waist high tree as puny, I look at it as the tree my wife and I bought together. She enjoys American music and I was able to introduce my tradition of listening to Amy Grant while we decorate. Her parents are delighted that I give them gifts for Christmas. I’ve eaten Japanese Christmas cake and looked at the Christmas lights while holding hands with my wife. I’ve made my own Christmas here. And when you’re living apart from everything familiar and comforting to you, that’s what you have to do. Make it your own. No matter where you are, Christmas is where you make it.

************************

As always, thanks for reading and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Japan: Summer Break Isn't Really A Break

Summer vacation. The phrase means three months of freedom from the rigors of school. Long car trips, camping out, and s'mores. Almost 12 weeks of "No more pencils, no more books, no more teachers's dirty looks", as the Alice Cooper song goes. If possible, you avoided the school building like a swamp and that final month of summer was agonizing, counting down the days until a whole new year started and the grind began again. It's not quite the same in Japan.

Keep in mind, I have only worked in junior high schools. Elementary and high schools are run slightly different but there are many similarities. And also, when talking about different cultures, not everything is the same across the board. Just the same way there are small differences from school distrct to school district in America, it is the same in Japan. But a lot of the following seems to be pretty standard.

The school year starts in April in Japan and ends in March. There is only a two week break between the two. Summer vacation, starting in July, lasts about six weeks. Yep, barely a month and a half. If you are in a school club; mostly sports like basketball, tennis, baseball, and volleyball, you'll be expected to come to the school every day for club practice. This includes weekends. Most of the practices last about five hours, either outside or in the gym. Keep in mind, schools and school gyms have no central heat and air. That's right, no a/c in the gym during the day in August.

What happened to school books and pencils during summer break in America? Mostly tossed into closets and pushed under beds, never to be seen again until they are covered with dust bunnies when resurrected three months later. Again, it's different in Japan because the students are assigned summer homework. Given out on the last day of school, they are expected to be turned in when classes start back up.

While this may seem somewhat draconian for the students, it isn't much better for the teachers. Almost every teacher is involved in a club; if their students practice during the summer they have to be there as well. Also, many of the teachers take turns being at the school for security. Every day, at least one teacher is there for about eight hours to make sure it isn't vandalized or being improperly used. This includes weekends as well. Also, it is not allowed for teachers to get a part-time, second job. No chance of earning extra income during the year.

This isn't all doom and gloom. Some students and teachers don't have summer clubs. The prime traveling season is during Obon week in August, when most families go on trips and to festivals. Fireworks and festivals are in abundance during the summer, with most activities in the afternoons and evenings, giving students a chance to relax.

Questions or comments? Leave them below. As always, thanks for reading.

Japan: Japanese Thoughts On America

Last post, I gave signs that a foreigner has been living in Japan too long. Now is the flip side: signs that a Japanese person has been in America too long, which was originally posted here. It's amazing the things that we take for granted being the same all over the world. 

“You know you’ve been in America for too long when…” jokes written by Japanese people.

These jokes are an excellent insight into the cultural differences between the United States and Japan. If you don’t understand why a Japanese person would associate these behaviors or ways of thinking with being in America too long, do ask in the comments, and we’ll get some explanation.

You’ve been in the U.S. too long when…

…you wear a T-shirt even in winter.
…you blow your nose in public.
…you don’t wear skirts any more.
…you feel you’re lucky when the train has arrived 5 minutes late.
…you think it’s natural to say thank you to a cashier in a supermarket.
…you use paper napkins like water.
…you are not surprised when you see a very fat person, and you feel you are slim.
…you don’t mind using a dowdy umbrella.
…you don’t even carry an umbrella.
…you feel uncomfortable when a shop staff bows to you.
…you go across a street when the light is red but there are no cars.

You don’t feel inconvenienced even if you don’t handle actual cash for an entire month.

When you’re able to drink blue or green colored soft drinks without hesitating at all.

When the fact that your waitress is wearing shocking pick nail polish doesn’t surprise you one bit.

When you’re watching a Japanese movie or television show, and for some reason you feel something isn’t quite right… After a while you realize that it’s because everyone is driving on the left side of the road.

When you receive compliments from others you’re not humble at all and just say “thanks”.

When you have your glasses or contact lenses prescription adjusted, and the strength of the new prescription doesn’t surprise you at all.

When you’re not excited or impressed at all when you see a real gun.

When you’re amazed at the cleanliness of the toilets in Narita Airport.

When you begin to think that you haven’t completely brushed your teeth unless you have also flossed.

When you start eating Oyakodon with a spoon.

When don’t think anything of young girls wearing camisoles that completely reveal their bra straps. To the contrary, when you let your guard down you find yourself doing the same as well.

When you’re back in Japan at a public toilet and realize that the people around you aren’t letting the water make a splashing sound when they’re peeing.

When find the the date format of, “2007/10/01″ a little strange.

When you see a size 30 cm women’s shoe in the shoe store and you don’t even respond, “Geez that’s huge!”

When someone tells you that, “American food tastes bad”, you think, “really?”

When you’ve got pictures decorating your desk at work.

When, for the past 10 years or so, you’ve had no idea what year it is according to the Heisei calendar.

When you leave a space of about 50 cm between you and the person lining up in front of you at the supermarket.

When your “skirt to pants” ratio becomes 1:4 (meaning you own 4 times as many pants as you do skirts, for girls of course).

When you have completely lost the habit of dividing up your trash.

Japan: Maybe I've Been Here Too Long

I came across this post and had to share it. I didn't write it and the credit goes to the original poster. It is an interesting insight into a different culture. Lists like this are funnier to the people living them but I believe even my friends not in Japan will appreciate. It offers a glimpse into culture that no travel guide can point out. If you have any questions or comments after reading this, I'd love to answer them. And for the record, a lot of these apply to me.

The 101 Signs You've Been in Japan Too Long posted by John Spacey, Japan Talk, September 19, 2012 At some point every foreign resident of Japan starts to wonder — have I been here too long? Here are the top signs you've been in Japan so long that you're basically Japanese: 1. When you're outside Japan you still call non-Japanese gaijin. 2. You've continued to work through a shindo 3 earthquake without slowing down or bothering to mention it. 3. You're giving the peace sign in most of your Facebook photos.  4. You start to get nervous when there are too many gaijin in a bar.  5. You don't find engrish funny anymore.    6. You're allergic to cedar.  7. Most of your vacations are geared towards taking hot baths.  8. You've started to reserve seats with your wallet / purse. You don't have the slightest worry that it might be stolen.  9. You get the urge to stare at gaijin.  10. You bow when you're on the phone.  11. You no longer feel that 3 seat bars are all that small.  12. You regularly use a manga cafe as a hotel.  13. When your train is one minute late you start to think it's your fault (maybe you have the wrong information).  14. You no longer remember the English names for most types of fish.  15. You're curious about people's blood type.  16. You join Japanese bus tours outside of Japan.  17. You've started buying those strange English t-shirts.    18. You can't read a book in public that doesn't have a book cover.  19. You're starting to believe that romaji is English.  20. You ask people to "teach" you their phone number.  21. You own a mama chari.  22. It no longer bothers you that OIOI is pronounced marui.  23. You get annoyed when young Japanese people use informal Japanese.  24. You've become extremely nostalgic about sakura.  25. You regularly sleep at work.  26. You've often wished you had a doko demo door.  27. You remember important dates by the heisei (平成) year.  28. You start to think that oyaji gyagu are funny (the corny jokes told by middle aged Japanese men).  29. You can ride a bicycle with a tiny clear plastic umbrella and not get wet.  30. You can wear a yukata properly.  31. You mumble Oh toh toh toh when someone pours your beer for you.  32. You start feeling that many Japanese futon are too soft.  33. You say heeeeey a lot.  34. You enjoy cooking your own food at restaurants.  35. You don't pull over when police flash their lights.  36. At the first sign of a cold you wear a mask.  37. You often ask police for directions.  38. You can sing enka at Karaoke.  39. When you use a taxi in your home country — you wait for the door to open automatically.  40. You have accidentally apologized in Japanese in your home country.  41. You don't feel Shibuya is all that crowded.  42. You turn your headlights off when you come to a stoplight.  43. You eat curry rice (kare raisu) at least once a week.  44. Paying two months reikin (gift money) for an apartment doesn't bother you.  45. You can hum the don quixote song.  46. You can do seiza for 30 minutes without complaining.  47. You can eat Cream Collon without giggling.  48. You never travel with a toothbrush.  Japanese hotels always provide a toothbrush  49. (woman) You go naked at onsen without thinking about it but would never go topless at a beach.  50. You think Chinese Kanji is hilarious.  51. You run for the train in a panic because there won't be another one for 1 minute.  52. You've taken a 3 day vacation that involves a 8 hour (or longer) flight.  53. You only know the size of your apartment in 畳(jyou).  54. You think of the "Japanese only" line at Narita as a status symbol.  55. You don't mind when every channel on television is talking about food.  56. You get the urge to yell sumimasen at restaurants in your home country.  57. You started to think that noodles are an ok filling for a sandwich.  58. You're starting to doubt your English pronunciation of Rs and Ls.  59. You bought a little plastic chair for your shower.  60. You have mastered more than one Japanese martial art.  61. You drink corn soup from a can.  62. You own more than 8 umbrellas.  63. You can't take an international flight without buying duty free.  64. You have used a stranger for support when sleeping on a train.    65. You're starting to add -san to the names of other gaijin.  66. You are starting to think natto tastes good.  67. You chose your bank by its cartoon character.  68. Your friends back home ask you what "genki" means.  69. You look for umbrella condoms when you enter stores outside Japan.  70. You've become very picky about rice.  71. You think it's normal for people over 30 to read comics (manga) on the train.  72. You bow when you shake hands.  73. You think there's food in the basement of all department stores.  74. You have a gold drivers license.  75. You're not angry when politicians with loudspeakers wake you up at 8 on Saturday morning.  76. You complain that young people these days are losing their kanji skills.  77. You think 20 minutes is too long for lunch.  78. You always back-in when you park — no matter what the situation.  79. When you return to your home country you take lots of photos at the supermarket.  80. You started to believe that bicycle related crime is a very serious problem.  81. You complain about the dangerous lack of vending machines outside Japan.  82. You have slept standing on a train.    83. You're starting to think that coffee in a can tastes alright.  84. You reserve half of your luggage space for omiyage (souvenirs).  85. You buy kitchen appliances based on the songs they can sing.  86. You have purchased eggs from a vending machine.  87. You no longer get lost in Shinjuku station.  88. You don't hesitate when you put 10,000 yen into a train ticket vending machine.  89. You can't use a toilet that doesn't have lots of buttons.  90. You've asked for an "American coffee" when you're in America.  91. You believe that there's an onsen to cure all aliments.  92. You're starting to get Japanese comedy shows.  93. You think that corn & mayonnaise is a perfectly reasonable topping for pizza.  94. You know the theme songs for most of the products at your local konbini (convenience store).  95. You have said the phrase moshiwake gozaimasen.  96. You buy sake by the jug.    97. (man) You never give presents on valentines day.  98. When someone is talking you say "unn" a lot to show that you're listening.  99. You no longer mind having to pay for NHK.  100. You have a hanko.  101. You think stoplights are red, yellow and blue.

Japan: English Isn't Always The Same

English pronunciation by Japanese speakers is often ridiculed by native speakers. There is even a name for it: Engrish. The most common mispronunciation is the L and R sound, which don't have separate sounds in Japanese. There are about 40 separate sounds in English, while Japanese has around 20. In short, there are simply sounds in English that do not exist in Japanese. This leads to words like "stoker" and stalker" sounding the same to Japanese people.

But there are tons of articles on the topic, so I'm going to focus on something a little different. English is used every day in Japanese, often in a simplistic manner, mostly in advertising, music, and stores. This "Japanese English" is interesting because, while the words may be spelled correctly, the meaning has been slightly changed. An example I learned working in school was that students sometimes say their teacher is a skinhead. Can you guess the meaning? Nope, they aren't saying their teacher is violent or a racist. It means he is bald. The skin is showing on the top of his head. Skin+head. Makes sense, right? As soon as I learned this, I taught my students never to say skinhead in America. I told them what it means in America and taught them to use the term bald.

There are many more examples. If a Japanese person offers you ice in the summer, they aren't talking about frozen water. Ice means ice cream. I was at Baskin Robbins (called 31 in Japan) and saw a sign selling ice sand. My first image was of a dirty ice cube. It was an advertisement for ice cream sandwich. Sandwich often gets shortened to sand.

Shortening of words and names is common in Japan. Kimura Takuya, the most popular member of the group SMAP, is referred to as KimuTaku. This shortening is often applied to English, which often doesn't work. Beauty salons often advertise Hair and Make, as in hair and make-up. Here are more examples of English that has taken on slightly different meanings.

Top light = sky light

Long T = long sleeve T-shirt

Don't mind. = Don't worry, never mind. Said when you make a mistake, like missing a hit in volleyball. 

Baske = Basketball. I play baske.

Catch ball = the game of catch. I sometimes play catch ball with my dad.

Happy Christmas = often used as a greeting. Popular due to the John Lennon song.

Code = coordinate. Often used on fashion sites to talk about a coordinated set of clothes.

I hope you have enjoyed this little piece about differences in languages. Just because it is English, don't assume it means the same thing everywhere in the world. And if you travel abroad, don't get offended or ridicule because the English is wrong. As always, leave comments and thanks for reading.

Japan: Tanabata

Tanabata, also known as the star festival, is usually celebrated on July 7, although some parts of the country celebrate on a different day, often in August. For this festival, people write their dreams and wishes on narrow pieces of colorful paper and tie them to a bamboo branch. These branches can be small ones in the home bought especially for the occasion; or ones in parks and shrines across the country. The trees are often decorated with streamers and paper link chains. Many shopping areas decorate for the holiday and there are festivals all over the country.

Tanabata came from China and has a folklore story related to it. There are several variations of the story but the basic version goes like this: a weaver princess named Orihime fell in love with a cow herder names Hikoboshi. Both of them lived in the sky. After marriage the two were so in love they neglected their jobs. Orihime's father the king was furious and separated them with a river called the Milky Way. Orihime was despondent over the loss of her lover. Her father felt bad for her and agreed that they could meet once a year, on the seventh day of the seventh month. But if it's rainy, the two lovers must wait another year to meet again.

Daikanyama Tsutaya

During our vacation, Yoko and I went to Tsutaya in Daikanyama. Tsutaya is chain store that began in Osaka selling and renting movies, books, and music. It is now nationwide, and with its yellow and blue color motif, it reminds me of Blockbuster Video. Tsutaya caters to younger people and in 2011 the company decided to create a store that was more mature and aimed towards adults.

Known as T-site, the store's concept is "a library in the woods." And it does that extremely well. T-site is made up of three buildings connected by Magazine Street, a 55 meter walkway that runs through all three buildings. Several satellite buildings surround Tsutaya, including a pet services shop, an import children's store, a shop with battery-assisted bicycles, a camera store, and a restaurant.

Each main building houses its own specialty section, like music, movies, travel books, architecture books, and so on. The facade of the stores has a "T" motif which is quite modern looking and beautiful. The bookstore was the only one from Japan that was mentioned in Flavorwire's 20 Most Beautiful Bookstores In The World.

The atmosphere was so different. It was like moving from Wal-Mart's book section to a Barnes & Noble. Most of the interiors were rich dark wood, lots of tables to sit and read at, and the surroundings were so peaceful. Most of the windows looked out onto the surrounding trees and lawns, adding to the "woods" feeling.

It was a wonderful place. I didn't take any pictures, so enjoy these taken from the official website.

Japan: Golden Week

Golden Week is a period that contains several holidays that fall within a seven day period. Coupled with luckily placed weekends, it is one of the busiest travel times in the country, coming after New Year's and obon.

The holidays are: the emperor's birthday, Greenery Day, Showa Day, Constitution Memorial Day, and Children's Day. There is also an unofficial floating holiday in there because of a unique rule; any day between two holidays is converted into a holiday for that year, and if a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the following Monday is a holiday for that year as well.

For those reasons, most companies give their employees the week off and some businesses shut down entirely. Most people travel and prices for hotels and airlines go up, it's an expensive time to go anywhere. And because everyone else is going places, it is crowded. Sometimes, the most popular destination spots, like Kiyomizudera, are swarmed with people.

I don't like traveling during this time because everyone else is doing it too.

Japan: White Day

Last month, I talked about Valentine's Day in Japan, and left off with a mention of White Day.

On March 14, a month after Valentine's Day, men who received chocolate or gifts on Valentine's Day return the favor. Most of the gifts are white; either white chocolate, white clothes such as lingerie, cookies, or jewelry, and so on. Marshmallows are also an acceptable gift.

The holiday started in 1978, by the National Confectionary Industry Association, on the basis that men should pay back the women who gave them honmei- or giri-choco. But there is a slight caveat: the gifts men give should be two or three times the cost of the Valentine's gift they received. That general rule is called sanbai gaeshi, meaning "triple the return."

Like Valentine's Day; romantic movies, candlelight dinners, and romantic getaways are not the norm. While there are Valentine's and White Day cards, they are nothing like the Hallmark cards in America.

On a personal note, I don't celebrate White Day. My wife Yoko likes the American version of Valentine's Day, so we exchange chocolate and go out to dinner on February 14.

As always, thanks for reading.

Japan: Hina Matsuri

March 3 in Japan is know as Hina Matsuri (雛祭り), either the Japanese Doll Festival, or more commonly, Girls's Day. It is a celebration for families with daughters, in hoping they will grow up to be prosperous and happy.

Small ornamental dolls, called hina-ningyou, are displayed on a seven-tier platform that is covered in red carpet. The dolls represent members of the Imperial court of the Heian Period (794-1185 A.D.), which is when the festival started. The top tier has the dolls of the Emperor and Empress. Tier two holds the three court ladies. Tier three has five male musicians and their instruments. The fourth tier has two ministers, one a young man and the second an old man. Tier five holds either three court helpers or three samurai protectors. Tiers six and seven often hold various items like furniture, carriages, and other items of court life.

Such sets can often be very expensive, so not every household has a seven-teir platform. If you can afford only one level, it is the top, with the Emperor and Empress. The displays are set up in February and taken down March 4, any later than that and the result will be a late marriage for the daughter.

There are not many activities associated with this day. One, however, called nagashibina, is sending straw hina dolls out to sea on a boat; the dolls are thought to be taking bad spirits and troubles away from the family. This custom is not practiced much today; the dolls used to be sent down rivers and were often caught in fishermens's nets. The Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto still does this, but sets the boats and dolls out onto the sea. When the onlookers have left after the festival, the people of the shrine gather up the boats from the water and burn them. 

There are several foods associated with the holiday: shirozake, a sake made from fermented rice. Colored, bite-sized crackers flavored with sugar or soy sauce are called hina-arare and are easily available in grocery stores, often in brightly colored pink packaging especially designed for the holiday. And hishimochi, a diamond-shaped colored rice cake. Chirashizushi, which is sushi rice flavored with sugar, vinegar, and topped with raw fish and other ingredients) is often eaten. A salty soup called ushiojiru containing clams still in the shell is also served. Clam shells in food are the symbol of a united and peaceful couple, because a pair of clam shells fits perfectly, and no pair but the original pair of shells can do so.

Japan: Valentine's Day

February. The month of love. Though the air may be chilly, hearts are warm with affection. Couples search for the perfect tokens of affection and plan romantic getaways. Couples-to-be are nervous about having the perfect date. Cinemas play romantic movies and it seems the world is colored in red.

In my continuing series, I look at Valentine's day in Japan. The holiday came to the country in 1936, when a company ran ads targeting foreigners. Giving heart-shaped chocolate was introduced the '50s and the holiday gained in popularity in the 1960s.

No one is quite sure what caused the custom to diverge from the American version. Some say it was a translation error. But whatever happened, on Valentine's Day only women give chocolate to men. And not just any chocolate will do, or the same to chocolate to everyone. It can be divided into four main classes: favorite chocolate (honmei-choko (本命チョコ), friend chocolate (tomo-choko (友チョコ), obligation chocolate giri-choko (義理チョコ), and ultra obligation chocolate (chō-giri choko). Honmei-choko is given to loved ones, mostly husbands and boyfriends. Tomo-choko is given by girls to their female friends. This custom is fairly recent and is gaining popularity. Giri-choko is given by women to their male co-workers. This can be school staff, office workers, and so on. Whatever job it is they work at. Chou-giri-choko is cheap chocolate given to unpopular male co-workers.

Unlike America, giving greeting cards, candy, flowers, and other such gifts is uncommon. The main thought driving the giving of chocolate is giving the right amount to each person. Many women make chocolate for honmei-choko. The major companies, like Meiji and Ghana, set up huge displays of their chocolate bars. At these colorful kiosks, everything you need to make chocolate is there, as well as all the decorations; like silver balls, white sprinkles, sugar, and more. You can make it as a simple as a heart-shaped piece of chocolate or so glittery and sparkly it looks like it should belong in a jewelry store in Shibuya.

Chocolate companies make nearly half their sales during this time of year. Most large department stores, like Parco and Sogo, have basement floors dedicated to food stalls. In February these places come a chocolate paradise, with different companies displaying their goods in glass display cases. Prices range from cheap to expensive, depending on the company and the design of the chocolates.

Romantic date nights aren't common on this day. Those are usually reserved for Christmas Eve. But it is the time to express your love. If you've had a crush on that boy in school, now is the time to tell him. Want to confess to the new male staff member? Upgrade to the highest quality giro-choco, or better yet, make it yourself.

"What about the men?" you ask. "Are they off the hook?" Not by a long shot. They have their own holiday, White Day, and I will talk about that next month.