Okay so I’m not really turning Japanese but after visiting Tokyo, I can certainly see the appeal and fascination of Tokyo. While I was there I had an amazing dragon roll, realized that Japanese addresses make no sense for actually finding a place, and that cartoons and toys are not always for kids. I also decided that Japanese people are obsessed with pachinko – there are pachinko arcades everywhere! For those like me who are unaware of the pachinko phenomenon, it is a game which looks vaguely like a slot machine combined with a pinball machine which you play with the aim of collecting little metal balls that you weigh and then turn in for prizes. Apparently you used to be able to play for money but then people became addicted so that is no longer allowed. These places used to be open 24 hours but now are mandated to shut down by around midnight.
I also learned that Harajuku is not just the name of one of my favorite perfume lines but also the name of a street. I am constantly surprised by the things I am learning on this trip! The Harajuku neighborhood is full of shops from high end to little street shops specializing in platform shoes to club clothes, sneakers, and jewels to decorate your phone.
One thing I noticed is that it was actually shocking how polite everyone is in Tokyo! Even people handing out fliers on the street were amazingly polite and gracious. Everything happens so fast in Shanghai that manners are frequently left at the door. I hadn’t really been aware of that until I was in a place that was just the opposite. At the airport, I was approached when I was looking around and asked with a smile how I could be helped. All the people in the shops were equally polite and when asked if you need help, the genuinely seem to want to help you; it is not just a greeting.
I am also starting to get used to the look of constant surprise that greets me almost everywhere I go. I incorrectly assumed that I would not be noticed as much in Tokyo as in Shanghai but that proved to be an incorrect assumption. Upon arriving at a club, almost every single face I walked by registered the look of surprise at my presence. I am thankful that it is usually followed by a smile but it is still strange to have people look at me with surprise all of the time. I have also gotten used to people wanting to practice their English at any opportunity with me. I am happy to oblige if I have the time and they are nice about it : )
I also learned that Harajuku is not just the name of one of my favorite perfume lines but also the name of a street. I am constantly surprised by the things I am learning on this trip! The Harajuku neighborhood is full of shops from high end to little street shops specializing in platform shoes to club clothes, sneakers, and jewels to decorate your phone.
One thing I noticed is that it was actually shocking how polite everyone is in Tokyo! Even people handing out fliers on the street were amazingly polite and gracious. Everything happens so fast in Shanghai that manners are frequently left at the door. I hadn’t really been aware of that until I was in a place that was just the opposite. At the airport, I was approached when I was looking around and asked with a smile how I could be helped. All the people in the shops were equally polite and when asked if you need help, the genuinely seem to want to help you; it is not just a greeting.
I am also starting to get used to the look of constant surprise that greets me almost everywhere I go. I incorrectly assumed that I would not be noticed as much in Tokyo as in Shanghai but that proved to be an incorrect assumption. Upon arriving at a club, almost every single face I walked by registered the look of surprise at my presence. I am thankful that it is usually followed by a smile but it is still strange to have people look at me with surprise all of the time. I have also gotten used to people wanting to practice their English at any opportunity with me. I am happy to oblige if I have the time and they are nice about it : )
One of my favorite places was Asakusa with its Buddhist temple and old fashioned shopping arcade and street food vendors. I had fish cakes, Asahi beer, and yummy custard flavored ice cream which was delicious after paying for a self service fortune where you roll a tube with various sticks in it and then pull out a box with your paper fortune written on it. It was in English which was nice – it seems to be pretty true! Here is what it said:
“The moon rises in the sky and gradually getting bright. You will get household goods and your life will be prosperous. Something you’ve left behind will be completed in the end. Then you will be able to be successful. Your wishes will be realized. *a sick person will recover * the lost article will be found * the person you are waiting for will come *building a new house and removal are good *marriage and employment are all good *making a trip is good”
I am not sure if the asterisks mean that the all of those things are supposed to come through or some of them? At any rate it was fun and I liked the last one since I was on a trip when I read the fortune. Also it was a full moon when I got the fortune so the first sentence about the moon being bright was right on. I will see as the year progresses if these things come true! I wonder who is the person I am waiting for and what the New Year will bring? All I know is that this year has brought so many unexpected events that I can scarcely imagine what the next one will bring but I know that whatever happens, it is pretty much guaranteed to be exciting; let the adventure continue!
“The moon rises in the sky and gradually getting bright. You will get household goods and your life will be prosperous. Something you’ve left behind will be completed in the end. Then you will be able to be successful. Your wishes will be realized. *a sick person will recover * the lost article will be found * the person you are waiting for will come *building a new house and removal are good *marriage and employment are all good *making a trip is good”
I am not sure if the asterisks mean that the all of those things are supposed to come through or some of them? At any rate it was fun and I liked the last one since I was on a trip when I read the fortune. Also it was a full moon when I got the fortune so the first sentence about the moon being bright was right on. I will see as the year progresses if these things come true! I wonder who is the person I am waiting for and what the New Year will bring? All I know is that this year has brought so many unexpected events that I can scarcely imagine what the next one will bring but I know that whatever happens, it is pretty much guaranteed to be exciting; let the adventure continue!
