We’re halfway through our travels through Japan and the weird and wonderful experiences keep coming thick and fast. While some of the habits and the etiquette are becoming familiar there are still things that don’t make sense. Here are a handful of the questions that have us wondering if we just need a little more time to get it or whether these are just some of those confusing quirks that every nation can boast.
1. How can anyone afford to travel by train in Japan? With our rail passes we have paid once and don’t have to worry about how much each trip costs, but with some regional journeys upwards of £100 for a one-way fare it’s a wonder to us that the trains are so full. I’ve asked several Japanese people about this and received different answers, none of which have shed any real light on the question.
2. Bullet trains offer speed, reliability, plenty of leg room and of course, vending machines. In short, everything you could want for a train journey. Everything that is, apart from wi-fi. In such a technically advanced nation this presumably is not down to the fact that it can’t be done. I haven’t yet worked out the reason for not including wi-fi on board the trains.
3. I’m convinced that Japanese children must be the brightest in the world. There are three Japanese alphabets, two with 46 characters each and one with thousands. On top of this most people can make sense of the Roman letters. Just getting a basic level of literacy is surely enough to mark you out as a genius. I am reminded of my previous life as an optometrist when I encountered so many 5 and 6 year olds in Britain who were unable to decipher the letter chart.
4. Why is individuality in the dress of the typical salary-man restricted to his man-bag? White shirts, black trousers, no tie – the uniform is strictly adhered to by millions, with armies of men on show in every city and it appears in every business. Yet look at the variety of man-bags on display and you’ll find the one item where an employee can mark out his own identity.
5. I’ve seen hundreds of golf driving ranges. Their giant nets blight the skyline of every Japanese city. I’ve yet to see a golf course. Do they exist, or do most Japanese men never get that ultimate fulfilment of hitting a hole in one?
6. Why has Japan chosen its current time zone? It may have its roots when Japan was principally a rural economy but makes no sense today, particularly in the east of the country where the sun sets at 5.45 even in August and comes up well before 5am. Surely the country should think about moving their clocks one or even two hours forward.
7. For such an immaculately clean country there is a total absence of litter bins. The fact that eating while walking is a no-no in Japan may limit the need for the thousands of bins we see around European towns and cities. Even so, trying to dispose of an empty drinks can or ice-cream wrapper is a tough task. Fortunately for the price of an apologetic smile most shops will accept your trash whether or not you bought your wares from them.
8. Pachinko. What’s it all about? Walk into a Vegas-like room filled with machines and the first thing that strikes you is the deafening noise. But unlike slot machines where the purpose of the exercise is clear, in pachinko nothing makes sense. The gambler (and it is a real addiction for many in Japan) throws their silver balls into the machine. Lights flash, manga characters dance about on screen, balls fly about in all directions and eventually, with seemingly no input from the player, a number of balls fall from the bottom of the machine. Utter nonsense to the unenlightened observer, but judging by the enormous Vegas Vegas halls in every town and city it is something of a national obsession among the Japanese youth.
It is pleasing to know that the experiences of the next two weeks, rather than shed light on these questions are likely to introduce us to many new observations that make very little sense to us.
Andy,
A friend just returned with stories of toilets that play flush sounds, and cisterns that double as hand basins. Lets have a Top 10 Japanese toilet innovations.
Start your research here: http://www.geekologie.com/2008/03/washing-machinetoilet-combo-sa.php
You’re right Mark – the loos warrant a post of their own. The research on this one is still ongoing.
I have my something to tell…
I went to Japan with my parents and the only ATM we can use was the post office one and it was close at 6 pm…. why?!
Yes, it does sound a bit strange that ATMs close for the night. So far we have planned ahead and never run low on money. Let’s hope we never need an emergency ATM!
Hi Andy,
Some interesting questions there…I will try and answer a few of your q’s –
1. Local trains are very cheap, but long distance travel on the shinkansen is a bit pricey. However, it is only really pricey when converting the cost into today’s UK rate. It is not as expensive as it appears for people earning yen. The GBP£ is awful at the mo.
2. Still not really into Wi-fi in Japan, although you can get phone signals just about anywhere. I have been several thousand feet up a mountain or under ground on the subway and still get perfect reception. Most people will access internet this way.
5. They do have quite a few golf courses, but not in the heart of the city. Get out into the countryside and there are loads. they are quite expensive though!
6. I have often questioned the sense behind the time zone and I believe it has been discussed in Japan. Japan are very serious about their rice crops and it has been suggested that if they were to alter the time zone, the rice would get confused!?! – seriously!
7. There are loads of bins in Japan, but you have to make sure you are putting the rubbish in the right bin – burnable, tins, paper, plastic bottles etc. It is a very clean country though and great how the Japanese respect the environment they live in – all part of Shintoism…
8. Don’t really get pachinko myself and as far as I can tell it is a game of complete luck and addiction. I have had people on tour winning a few hundred quid not knowing what they are doing.
I am enjoying reading the blog pieces Andy. the great thing about Japan in my mind, is that it is unlike any other place in the world and that everyday, you will experience something completely new. Look forward to reading more….
Thank you James – great to get an expert opinion on these points. Yes, every day we imagine how the prices (most of which are very reasonable) would look if we were getting 250 yen to the pound.
As for the pachinko we watched for a while until our ears could take no more but were not tempted to play.
We bumped into some of your clients on Miyajima but sadly never got the chance to say hello. Shinko couldn’t sing your praises enough though!
I think bullet trains are so fast they speed past the connection. When we were on the shinkansen we blew past Superman. I was amazed I could drink a beer on the trains. I thought it was going so fast when I took a sip the beer would fly past my face, but then I remembered a high school physics class that explained why this did not happen.
Thanks Andy really interesting post. I think just about everyone has heard something positive about Japanese toilets. Aren’t the the 2nd most imported item to the Rich US citizens?
Three Japanese alphabets, two with 46 characters each and one with thousands? This really is a lot Andy! How many Japanese words did you learn so far and which one has been the most useful?
Very few words so far Carina. Smiling a lot and lots of konichawas and arigatos seem to do the trick
How I wish I could learn kanji, at least a 1000 characters. Spoken language is one thing, but to have a mastery over the 10000+ characters, now for that, you have to be the brightest in the world.