Japan is a unique country, steeped in hundreds of years of isolated history but now striving almost desperately to become more westernized. Whether becoming westernized is a good thing or not is up to debate but it makes for a very fascinating modern culture. History vs Modern: City vs Garden Tokyo is populated by tightly-packed nondescript gray buildings, narrow streets (with narrow cars) and apartments stacked from two stories high to fifteen stories high. Commercial areas have taller buildings with massive television screens and banner advertisements on the sides while store names are displayed in huge, bright lights. The architecture, though improving is, all around, rather dull. However the effort is made by both residents (who put potted plants on every inch of their balconies and porches) and by the government (who puts trees along roads and sidewalks where they can) to break up the concrete monotony. But then you walk into a Japanese Garden and it is a different world. There are a number of gardens right in central Tokyo. When you walk in, you can almost forget you're within one of the biggest cities in the world. Walled and fully landscaped - including ponds, hills, flower gardens and hundred-year-old trees - these gardens have clearly been developed previous to the buildings around them. These beautiful gardens are a fine spacious breather to the crowded everyday. Kabuki vs Takarazuka These are two very opposite, but very unique Japanese phenomenon. Kabuki is the one most people have heard of since it has been around since the mid 1600s. Kabuki is a stylized form of play, using traditional stories and dance, performed in full kimonos and make-up. The style is based off a puppet-type show that existed before. The dialogue is often stretched out, almost song-like, and strumming music usually accompanies the story throughout. All Kabuki actors are male, even the ones playing female characters. Originally, Kabuki was performed by all women, but was banned in the early 1600s due it its sensuality. Takarazuka is quite the opposite. Relatively new (the first show was in 1914), Takarazuka is also a stylized form of play, but their stories and dances are more modern, often American musicals, with lots of feathers and sequins. Costumes are complex, but far from the traditional kimono, resemble western styles and include lots of color. All Takarazuka actors are female, even the ones playing male parts. In this case, the original creator intended it to be performed by women only. See this Takarazuka page for more info. I had the opportunity to witness both a Kabuki show (the full 5 hours, but with English translation) and a Takarazuka show (populated with hordes of Japanese women and almost no foreigners nor any translation whatsoever). Both were quite memorable experiences. I'll also mention that Kabuki actors are well respected and the adoration for Takarazuka actresses borders on obsessive. Sumo vs Baseball To the western eye, Sumo seems a strangely primitive yet ritualized sport. Although the basic rules are simple enough to gather in a single sitting, the details surrounding it are so complex that multiple sittings still leave the foreigner baffled. The concept that a country populated with short, slender people has a sport where the fat giants wrestle for control of the ring is rather ironic, yet still fascinating. Also a shock to the foreigner is the clothing (or lack thereof) the sumo wrestlers wear. Then there's baseball, an equally popular sport of the Japanese world. Very similar to American baseball, the Japanese have equal gusto for this more western sport. It's interesting to flip the channels and see baseball, golf and (I'm not kidding) the occasional American-style football game with Japanese players then suddenly see two sumo wrestlers going at it. Only in Japan. Only in Japan: Karaoke This Japanese tradition has spread quickly across the world, but karaoke in Japan still surpasses everywhere else. Why? First off, you can get your own personal karaoke room (for 1 - 15 people) with two microphones, your own television screen to read the lyrics from, and a menu from which you can order food and drinks on a phone and have them delivered right to your door. This is great for those of us who don't want to embarrass ourselves in front of strangers, but still want the extras. Secondly, there is always a fine selection of music. Although Japanese artists take up the majority of the phone-book sized song list, the Americans (and even Koreans and Chinese, too) get a pretty big chunk as well. I've never had a problem keeping myself amused for hours on the songs they provide (which include a nice variety of genres and everything from the 60s to today. The Beatles section is always huge). Best of all, karaoke places are extremely easy to find. Even my little neighborhood had a place and major commercial areas have dozens. Cost: $1-$5 per person per hour depending on the time of day (peak times are weekend nights). Pachinko This Japanese tradition has not caught on anywhere else. It is a form of gambling -- well, let's be straight, it is gambling -- and the retrieval of winnings is rather complex due to the fact that gambling is, in fact, illegal. However, perhaps it is not so strictly enforced since pachinko parlors outnumber karaoke places by triple the amount. I did try it once and found myself a machine in a room full of serious-faced smoking men. I got strange looks until I put money into the machine, then I got lots of help on how to maneuver the ball thing so that the little silver marbles would flow into one slot and not the other. I was terrified of actually winning since I didn't want to have to go into some back alley to collect what I won. Luckily, my lack of skill lost me 1000 yen ($10) within a few minutes. Manga Comic books you say? Maybe, but comparing typical American comic books to manga is like comparing a convenience store to Wal-mart. Manga is HUGE. Sure, they are both essentially graphic novels - many becoming TV series or movies - but the American comic book industry is small beans to the world of manga. One major difference besides the amount of manga produced is that an equal, if not more, amount of manga is drawn by and aimed toward women. Every book store in Japan has a manga section (usually split into 'girls' and 'boys' sections). The Kinokuniya in Shinjuku has one of it's six floors devoted entirely to it. Animate is a chain devoted entirely to selling manga, anime and related merchandise. There is an eight-floor Animate in Ikebukuro in Tokyo. K-Books and Book-off are two chains that sell used manga and doujinshi. What is doujinshi? Well, if you had any doubts as to the popularity of manga, then doujinshi should quench them. Doujinshi is essentially amateur manga, drawn by either amateurs or pros, either original stories or, more often, fanart based off other series' characters and themes. I've heard the doujinshi convention (twice a year in Tokyo) is like a dealer's room on speed. Japanisms: Business cards Never leave home without one, especially if you plan to do any business in Japan. Remember to take a proffered business card with both hands, read it carefully, then either place it on the table in front of you or put it in a nice business card holder that, of course, you own. Elevators The Japanese do not let an elevator door close on its own. They hold the open button until everyone is on and then press the close button. Even in large, crowded department stores, there is elevator etiquette. The back, left position (facing the elevator) is the position of honor, or something. Bowing The Japanese don't expect foreigners to bow, but be prepared to be bowed to. If you decide to bow (when meeting, departing or saying thank you), be careful not to bump your head. A 45 degree angle generally works. Women, clasp your hands in front when bowing. Men - keep your arms at the side. If you are a newscaster, then just a bend toward the camera is all that's required. Convenience stores Yes, they have 7-11, Circle-K, ampm, as well as Lawsons, FamilyMart, and a few other chains. However, note that a 7-11 in Japan is not a 7-11 in America. Usually, one row is dedicated to cup-o-noodles (and other Japanese lunchables) and that there will only be one brand of bottled soda (in the middle of two dozen brands of bottled tea). You'll find Snickers, Kit-Kat's and M&Ms usually, but you'll mostly encounter Meiji chocolate and Pocky. Cell phones Everyone, and I mean everyone, has at least one keitai (cell phone). You should get one if you're planning on spending a lot of time there. Small decorations that hang from your cell phones can be found almost anywhere. Teenagers like to see how many they can fit. Fast food McDonalds, Wendys, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Dominoes, Subway - they all can be found in Tokyo (McDonalds can be found on almost every block). Note: Pizza is paper thin and the cheese is disappointing but burgers actually seem superior to me. And the workers are, like all Japanese workers, extremely polite. The menu is in katakana, but there are ample photos for pointing. For ordering out loud, it would probably help to speak in a Japanese accent. (Saying 'hamburger' using the full American 'r' sound might confuse them. Say 'haam-baa-gaa'.) Driving Yes, you drive on the left side of the road in Japan. Road signs are quite, quite different from their western equivalents and usually only give directions in kanji. You cannot own a car (in the big city) unless you can prove you have off-street parking for it. And, apparently, roadworthy tests are so strict that most cars fail after a few years. Hence, most every car you see will look brand new. Gas is in litres and don't be surprised when the attendants pump gas in your car from a tube protruding mysteriously from the ceiling. Toilets You can choose a big flush or a little flush, depending. Also, western-style toilets are so common now that the foreigner not wanting to squat will not have too much trouble. Need a clean western-style public toilet? Go to McDonalds. Or try a department store. If it's a western-style toilet, but it is full of buttons, don't worry. The buttons do all sorts of things like warm up the seat or squirt water at your bottom. Experiment if you want. Ever notice those people handing out tissue packets outside of subway stations? This is because typical public toilets (which are only squat toilets) don't carry toilet paper. Note to squatters: it just takes practice. Face the hood, bring your pants down to your knees, spread your feet out a bit and squat flat-footed. Even ryokans (traditional Japanese inns) will usually have a western-option. Just look at all the stalls until you find one. Note: Since Japanese women are apparently really self-conscious about the sound of their peeing, you will sometimes see a little button. If you press it, it makes a loud, watery sound to mask your own sound. It scared the crap out of me. Um, no not literally. Umbrellas Carrying one at all times (especially in Tokyo) is not a bad idea since it is known to sporadically rain. The problem: everyone carries umbrellas. Maybe raincoats aren't fashionable? Once, I was umbrellaless in Akihabara (starring Tom Hanks) and it started to rain. It was so crowded that I managed to stay dry by threading through all the other umbrella-carrying people. Note: if you are shopping in the rain, look for a funny little stand near the entrance with long, plastic things hanging. You put your umbrella down through the top and it will come out in a nice umbrella-sized plastic bag so you don't get any items wet while shopping. Confused? Watch other patrons do it first. Books Most books and newspapers open 'from the back' and one reads up to down first, then right to left. However, some manuals and such read exactly like American books (except for, you know, spaces in between the words). Bookstores abound (especially in the Jimboucho area) and standing and reading an entire book or magazine while in the store is not only perfectly acceptable, but there's even a word for it: tateyomi. Restaurants There are massive numbers of restaurants in Tokyo. I don't think I would be exaggerating to say that every third or fourth store serves food. Ramen is the most commonly found food followed by other noodle-based dishes (udon, soba, etc). In addition, you'll find a number of tempura, sushi, tonkastsu, yakitori, sukiyaki and other such places. We might only refer to ramen in America as the little Top-ramen college food packages. Don't let that deter you. Every bowl of ramen I had in Japan was fantastic. Tipping is never required (yay!). In a few restaurants, you'll need to take your shoes off at the door, but for smaller or inexpensive places, this is rarely necessary. Many nice restaurants will have low tables and you sit (cross-legged is fine) on the cushions. Very clever nice restaurants will have the illusion of low tables and cushions but there is actually a lower level for your feet, so you can sit in the cushion like a chair. Just as many restaurants have booths and western-style tables and chairs. About ordering: foreigners don't have to worry much since almost every restaurant as a wax display of all the items on their menu. If no wax, the almost certainly full color pictures. This is extremely helpful to the person who cannot read Japanese. Most prices are in the Arabic numbers westerners are used to, though the occasional restaurant will have prices in kanji. A circle is zero. One line is one. Two lines is two. Three lines is three. A square with a couple lines in it is four. Beyond that gets complicated except for ten, which is a plus sign. My favorite Japanese food is shabu-shabu. It's a sukiyaki-like meal that needs directions, but it's worth it! Subways and Trains The train system in Japan is absolutely phenomenal. You can get anywhere fast. Signs tend to be in English lettering as well as the kanji, so you can't get into too much trouble. An inner-city subway ride costs about $1.50 and ticket stations are easy to find and use, though are usually entirely in Japanese. Basically, if can find the correct price to where you are going on the map, you can buy the correct ticket just by looking at the numbers. Careful not to look at the child's price by mistake. Put your ticket through the turnstile and keep it through your ride. The turnstile at the other end will eat it unless you can use it to transfer. While riding, people will usually offer their seats to the elderly and handicapped if it is not too crowded. If you are standing, face the door. I got lots of strange looks by facing the center of the car (then again, I got strange looks on a regular basis due to being foreign and at least if I faced the door, I didn't see them -- or I could watch their reflection surreptitiously). It's generally not considered polite or lawful to eat while on the subway, though it's not strictly enforced. Note: Japan has a reputation for having extremely crowded subways - subways so crowded that people push so even more people can fit. I took a rush-hour subway train in central Tokyo for over a year and never experienced this. Though there were about a dozen 'sardine' days, where I couldn't move an inch, even if I wanted to. What you usually have to do in cases of mega-crowds is exit (you have no choice, really) at major stations, then reboard with everyone else. If your stop is not major, you'll have to get on the train going the other direction and stand as close as you can to the door. Eating in public Basically the rule is: don't walk while eating or drinking. It's considered rude. You've noticed the hundreds of vending machines? You're actually supposed to stand next to the vending machine to consume your drink, which you then throw into the recycle trash next to it. Doumo When you don't know what to say, say 'doumo'. It is the ultimate all-purpose word! (The meaning could be defined as 'thanks' I suppose, but it's quite flexible) Hello Kitty Don't be alarmed by by the sheer amount of Hello Kitty merchandise everywhere, it's just a fad that never went out of fashion. Granted, it is a cute kitten but it somehow manages to have a personality despite having no facial expression. School Uniforms All students in junior high and high school are required to wear uniforms. And, sadly, many of the girls uniforms do resemble the 'sailor outfits' seen in anime - though the skirts are usually knee-length. Worse is that girls are required to wear skirts even when the weather gets cold - hence all the big socks and leg warmers. You'll see the uniforms even on Saturdays. Elementary school children (who are adorable!) often wear matching hats when going on excursions. Television Japanese television is a culture in itself. Game shows, variety shows, music countdowns, and talk shows (hosting rock star and actor celebrities who are all but worshipped) abound. No sitcoms exist (except for the imported foreign ones) but prime-time soap operas are quite common. However, unlike say Days of Our Lives which has been running forty-odd years, these dramas are usually more like mini-series with twelve or so episodes. Anime also plays a pretty big part in programming, especially if you have pay stations like WOWOW. Programs on regular television that you might recognize are Iron Chef (and lots of other wacky competition cooking programs) as well as the Who Wants to be a Millionaire show where the best part is hearing Japanese contestants (who win only 10 million yen - about $100,000) say 'Fainaru Ahnsaa Desu.' They also play the occasional American movie. If you're lucky, it will be 'bilingual' which means that the left and right speaker each have a different language. The catch is that you need to have a VCR that has the button that switches them (which is mostly a matter of trial and error since my remote control had about twenty kanji-labeled buttons) NHK is the equivalent of PBS and plays some neat commercial-free stuff except that they are a little more aggressive about 'donations' (they came to my door even and were worse than salesman). Golf, sumo and baseball are also seen a great deal during the appropriate seasons. Children's shows are terribly cute - I used to watch them in the mornings. One even taught English phrases. They do have Sesame Street dubbed, too. Japanese advertisements are also lots of fun. Dollar stores Not just a phenomenon in one country, this concept is everywhere. In Japan, they are called 100-yen stores. I once found a three-story 100-yen store and bought all my dinnerware there cheap! (Forks and spoons are no problem to find). Supermarkets Everyday food shopping in Japan takes a little practice. I went to the same supermarket for a year and still did not understand the contents of about half the aisles. Produce is limited and expensive, but at least familiar. Milk products taste rather bitter, but I managed, especially in cereal and with chocolate syrup (which I found one tiny container of Hersheys after very much searching). The largest container of milk you can get is about a quart (not even a half gallon let alone, ha ha, a gallon) Cheese is mostly scarce, except for shredded mozzarella for pizza (which I used) or fancy hours du vouers type. American staples like cereal, peanut butter, and jelly exist, but have no variety and are overpriced. Macaroni and Cheese simply does not exist. Bread is decent and you can choose the width of your slices but can only buy at most 8 slices at a time. Munchies abound and everything is individually packaged to the extreme. If you're lucky, you can find an itsy teency Haagen Dazs, but if not you can settle for lots of other frozen sweets. Only in rare cases will the checker actually bag your groceries. Usually, they give you a few plastic bags and you bring your basket / cart to hold multiple baskets to the tables beyond to bag your own groceries. They have little bits of tape and such so nothing falls out and considering that most people have to carry their groceries home (no one drives unnecessarily in Tokyo) everything is carry-friendly. Movies Seeing a movie at a theatre in Japan is the most expensive in the world. About US$18.00 whether it's a matinee or not. Despite this, movie theatres are consistently packed. It's too bad no movie theatre has come up with the concept of stadium seating yet, though I suppose only the rare Japanese person is tall enough to be a real nuisance. Some theatres have a 'reserved' seating area for a price and others let you in based on how early you bought your ticket (which is a brilliant idea really). Advertisements and previews take up at least fifteen minutes before a show. About 70% of movies are foreign (mostly American) and are subtitled so both English and Japanese speaking viewers can appreciate it. Video rentals, on the other hand, are almost identical to video rentals in the US. It costs $3 - $4 and you can get a video, DVD, or game for a night, or a week. The only difference, really, is that their sections are split into American, Japanese, and Anime before being split into minor genres (it worked perfect for me that the American and Anime videos were on the same floor - I never had to venture to the all-Japanese third floor). They are listed alphabetically by the Japanese alphabet which can be frustrating since you can never be quite sure of what the Japanese name of the American movie is. The selection is, of course, inferior to say Blockbuster, but it's pretty decent. Be careful that you don't accidentally rent a Japanese dub, though (unless you rent dubs on purpose like me to practice Japanese). On the side of the box, it will say English or Japanese (or bilingual) and knowing the kanji for both of these is useful. Mikoshi carrying Japan has a number of festivals, but some of the most interesting are the ones where groups of people in Happi robes carry a Mikoshi (a small shrine about the size of a car engine) across town - through traffic - to it's mother shrine. It is a huge procession (I was involved once) of men and women but somehow, the cars don't seem to mind the delay. The Mikoshi itself is carried on wooden slats which really aren't that heavy when so many people carry it. The hard part is deciphering what the heck they're chanting. I heard it over and over all night and still couldn't figure it out. Music J-pop is a phenomenon all in itself. What is most odd about it is that, although the Japanese music market is absolutely huge and actually distributes pretty decent music, I've never seen it available anywhere else but in Japan. Perhaps the 'world' sections of some stores will have a few selections, but nothing prepared me for just how much music the Japanese make. What is also odd is that in huge music chain stores (HMV, etc), the Japanese CDs are more expensive than imported British or American CDs. Where, say, a Jimmy Eat World CD will run you $20, The Yellow Monkey (a Japanese band) will be $35. Unlike the video store selection, the selection of music at a major music store will actually out-do almost any store in the States. I've found American CDs in Japan that I would be hard-pressed to find anywhere in the States (except maybe Amazon). Music stores in Japan are serious business. Huge and full of listening stations, posters, top-ten lists, etc, they are absolutely astounding. Granted, smaller stores and chains exist that more resemble a typical music store here, but once you've been in the big place, it's hard to go back. I probably would only have learned one or two Japanese songs that I saw ads on TV for a lot if I had not listened to the one English radio station (InterFM: 76.1) which played 10% Japanese music in addition to the overplayed top 40 hits and a few 70s and 80s songs. What is great about this station, besides the friendly American-style DJs, is that there are almost no commercials. I listened to it every day at work. They even have a website. Notice that 76.1 is beyond the range of American radios - you'll have to buy a radio in Japan to get this and any decent Japanese radio stations. Grass What? Grass? Where? There's none in children's parks and none in Japanese gardens and not even in back yards (for residents outside of Tokyo who actually have yards). Perhaps there's just not enough cows to produce sod. Children play on dirt. No, wait, there's a bit of grass at Ueno park. Okay, everyone, look long and hard at the grass near the main fountain of Ueno park since that's the last grass you'll see for awhile. (Note: Ueno park is the biggest park in Tokyo (like Central Park) however, don't confuse this with my adoration of gardens. A garden is a square block or more, walled, and costs about $3 to see. A park is free, huge, with lots of big sidewalks and cherry trees, but you don't get that 'feeling' you get in the gardens.) Shrines and Temples Most Japanese consider themselves both Buddhist and Shinto, which is ironic considering that one has a god and one doesn't. However, I'm told that Japanese follow Buddhist traditions for birth-related events and Shinto for death-related events (or vise versa?). Japan is consequently peppered with Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. The architecture of these, unlike the city buildings, is quite lovely and peaceful. Shrines and temples are much less stringent about ritual than, say, the Catholic church. First, they are open to anyone, at anytime and you can go as often or as rare as you want and stay as short or as long as you want. You can take as many photos as you want without worry and the most you ever feel obligated to give is five cents. The ritual: For Shinto shrines (you can tell these by the simple tall gates you walk under to get to them - two poles holding up a slightly curved pole at the top and one just below it), you purify your hands by dipping the ladle into the top pool of water, then pouring it over one hand, then the other, dripping into the lower pool. Hold the ladle upright at the end so the last bit of water washed the handle. Also, you can cup some water in your mouth and spit it out to purify your mouth. Note: none of this is required and you can do as much or as little as you feel like doing (I usually do the hand bit, but not the mouth bit). When you get to the main temple bit (you face the inside, but never actually enter), you'll see a wooden grill-like thing. Throw a five-cent yen coin (the small gold coin with the hole in the middle) into the grill and put your hands in a praying position. Bow twice and clap twice while thinking introspectively. Again, do as little or as much as you want. It only takes a few seconds usually. When in doubt, look at what everyone else is doing. For Buddhist temples, the purification bit is exactly the same. (You'll find tall fountains of water with a number of ladles in it on your right or left as you enter.) Buddhist temples have similar architecture, but are usually are bigger and more detailed. Here you will see the five-story pagodas and other buildings in the temple complex. The gate of a Buddhist temple is thick, has a giant red lantern above, and is often guarded by two stone statues (one has it's mouth open and one doesn't). Don't be surprised if you see a number of swastikas... this symbol means 'peace' in this setting. As you walk through toward the main temple, you'll see a smoking cauldron. Within is incense sticks. If you want, add your own incense stick. Here, what you do is fan the incense in your direction toward a place you want to improve your health or stamina. (Mothers who want to make their children smarter fan the incense smoke toward their child's head.) Afterward, you enter the front porch of the temple (never the temple interior itself - but it's blocked off anyway). Here you can throw a five-yen or ten-yen piece into the grille and bow with your hands in a prayer position. You're not supposed to clap like you do at Shinto, but you'll hear people doing it anyway. In both shrines and temples, you can buy a variety of merchandise, postcards, and charms on your way out. These are very foreigner-friendly and often have the meanings of the various charms in English. Also, you can get your fortune. For an honesty-system payment of 100 yen, you shake and turn over a tube. A stick comes part of the way out with a number on it (in kanji). Nearby will be a chest full of dozens of tiny drawers. Find the drawer that matches your number and open it. Inside is your fortune. Fortunes are usually translated (very amusingly) into English. Other Fun Things: The standard size of paper is A4 (slightly longer and thinner than letter size) Tokyo Disneyland is almost identical to it's counterpart except for details like the Star Tours robots speaking in Japanese Go-chui kudasai means 'caution'. You will hear it on nearly every subway announcement. Single yen pieces are virtually worthless yet they still have not phased them out nor even discovered the concept of give-a-yen take-a-yen containers If someone says 'gaijin-san' or 'o-gyaku-sama' they are probably talking to you. 'Irrashaimase!' just means welcome. Don't be alarmed when this is said to you often and/or loudly and don't feel any obligation to reply In Japanese music, products and advertisements, you will see/hear a great deal of nonsensical English. Cans of tea and sports drinks are especially amusing to read. I've still never figured out why the Japanese use 'J' to refer to Japan (like JR or J-pop) when the Japanese word for Japan is 'Nippon' Those trucks you see on the street with the cats on them? The three kanji mean Takyubin and they are the equivalent of UPS (they deliver your packages) The animated film Kiki's Delivery Service uses the same kanji. The title literally means Witch Delivery) Businessmen and women wear suits, even on the hottest of days so, naturally, they sweat. Every Japanese person I know carries a handkerchief for this reason - to pat their foreheads and necks on hot days. Luckily most buildings and subways are air conditioned. Elderly Japanese are really, really short. Roppongi is the area of Tokyo where most of the foreigners live. It's also one of the most dangerous places to be after dark (along with Ikebukuro and Shinjuku). There's a dozen ways to say 'excuse me' in Japanese, but no way to say 'bless you' Those tall fences poking up in between buildings? Golf driving ranges somehow squeezed in the city. Japanese stores decorate for Christmas but no one really celebrates it other than to eat cake. Valentines Day is still Day o' Chocolate however girls are supposed to give it to guys. Personally, I think girls need it more. Yes you can buy beer and cigarettes in vending machines. The drinking/tobacco age may be 20, but this is another rule not stringently enforced. If you see people walking around in surgical masks, they are not doctors. They have hay fever. Hot springs! I'll have a section for this in the future someday since it is one of the major Japanese pastimes. I still have to get used to the idea of getting nude with strangers, though. Pink, yellow, and bright orange are legitimate fashion colors. So are six-inch tall shoes (I cringe when watching girls in these shoes walking down three flights of subway stairs). Jeans are not quite as common, however. Nearly every apartment in Tokyo has a balcony. Why? So the Japanese can hang out their clothes to dry and air out their futons. There are laundromats (with dryers) but people rarely own anything beyond a washer (with only a 'cold' setting). If you look foreign, people will try their English on you (let alone that you might be French or Russian). If you're a young woman alone, older men may try to pick up on you - but are easily turned away. The Japanese will be very tolerant of a foreigner's inability to sit on their feet for more than five minutes Looking for a bit of history? A number of people dress up in kimonos on Sundays and go to their local shrine or temple. It is amusing to see these people in full traditional dress outside a McDonals talking on their cell phone though. New Years would be the day when the shrines are the most crowded. Snowboarding is far cooler than skiing, apparently The speech of Japanese women is far easier to understand than men. They annunciate. Also, the speech patterns and endings are very different for men and women, which is a bit odd to someone learning the language. Japanese bathtubs rock! They're deep and high and designed to be filled to overflowing, but a bit narrow actually. Japan is a cash society. Handing over hundreds of dollars in cash is no biggie and, in fact, ATMS usually give you 10,000 yen bills ($100 bills). You can definitely use credit cards, but personal checks are virtually nonexistent. To pay a bill, you have it taken out of your account, or you pay at the post office or convenience store. To give a friend in a different city money, you can transfer it to their account using an ATM and cash. If you win a yahoo-japan auction, they will most likely give you their bank account number, not their address. Wow, that was long. Anyway, I highly recommend a visit to Japan. It's a great, new experience to have in a fairly safe and polite place.