Japan Calling

[Lifeisagame]

Arrived yesterday, today stuck hotel as Typhoon hammers the city I am in.
Quite interesting, when you know you are safe, I am in a central square in this city. The Typhoon has being raging most of the day. It, every 15 minutes or so, suddenly slams into the hotel and then moves around to other section.
In September when I was here there was searing heat 30-35 and about 95% humidity. A lot of people died in Japan during the intense heat this Summer many being elderly folk with no air conditioning.
March I got an earthquake of 6.5, this was an extraordinary insight into why so many die in earthquakes. I was lying on this very bed with laptop when it struck. I am on the 5th floor and Everthing was shaking or moving, even difficult to stay in the bed. But the most amazing part of it was the whole main quake lasted less than one minute. Therefore you were going Nowhere and would have No chance of escape an incredible experience.
Last October a Super Typhoon hit the day I was due to go home, 10 years since last one. My hotel is a busines hotel in a manufacturing city so there are no frills.
So as I had to cancel my flight I looked out the window and all seemed calm except some rain. Main Super Typhoon was scheduled to hit land later.
I decided I would get hotel brolly and nip around to off licence to get a few cans. I left hotel no problem then turned into the main street and was left standing there like an ejit with just the handle and center stalk of brolly the rest soared out of site, lol I stil got my beers. The ferocity of that one was phenominal compared to this one at about 120kpg.
So I decided to bore you lot with my views of Japan.
People here are the most hospitable, helpful and genuine that I have ever experienced. I am coming here 19 years now, same hotel and same room.
Got off the coach at 18.20 yesterday and one of my friends was waiting, journey time door to door is about 22.5 hours, we went over to my hotel, lol they don't ask me to register anymore just give my key. Up to room drop luggage and at 18.30 was sitting with five more friends here to eat and drink.
After 3 hours back to soom and stay awake most of night with jetlag.
My room is also interesting, 2 beds, internet, tv, bathroom. TV has zero english channels so forget it, except when Sumo is on and it took long time to really understand that. My Bathroom bath is about 3-4 foot long, the shower is at my belly button and then there is my Toilet. My Toilet is Remote Controlled, before you sit down to do your business you set the tempreture of the Seat. Then when you have done what you came for, you pick up your Remote Control and set the Pressure and Temp of the water then you press the approriate button, male or female and you hear this noise under you as the water pump moves into position and then it Washes you
it is hilarious.
Also, in some restaurants (male) there is urinal, toilet two types sit or squat (never trusted the squat one), a hand basin and finally a large square trough about 2ft x 2x and 1ft deep. This is to facilitate you if you are ill and want to get sick
Well I will leave it there and if there is any interest I will expand on all the other aspects of Japan, which I love, that I have seen.
Domo Arigato

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

Had a stopover in Tokyo and was left with some strange impressions. The height thing is weird because I'm six foot on a good day and 5'11 when rains but I felt like a giant walking down the street there and the traffic lights looked noticeably lower than they would in Europe. Odd sensation to get an insight into what the world looks like to a basketball player!

Odd enough at breakfast in my hotel as well as there were a fair few kids around and slowly realised that they were all sitting eating their breakfast and staring at the gai' jinn almost without blinking.

Narita is a strange place too with long walkways almost deserted and with those little directional machines where you press a button to discover where you are and check your destination is moving closer... strangely serene for a large airport.

I did like finding the kimono laid out on the bed in the hotel room and was quite chuffed with it.

[Lifeisagame]

Interestingly the height of people over here has changed dramatically over the years. Am similar height to you and it is not unusual to see many many Japanese the same height now. Kimono is great if it would only go all around my belly
Narita totally changed, if you are walking through it and stop, immediately a person will appear and ask if you require advice, amazing.

[C. Flower]

I have two Japanese friends, one a judoka and the other a landscape architect. I love their levelness of temper, the way they are good listeners, the way they are thorough and systematic and very funny. Very good people to go out with for the night. Some of the best meals I've had, from the food and fun point of view, have been sitting around a table to eat a Japanese meal with glass-slim slices of beef and crunchy vegetables cooked in front of us, sticky rice with yes a raw egg and endless little hits of warm sake.Oh yes, and talk, talk talk.

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

Thats an interesting comment about Narita- in the 1990's it was clearly policy there to automate as much as possible. A retreat towards human based services... I hear you on the height thing as I know the average Japanese height has shot up since the 1960's and the fast-food diet of the west hit Japan.

[Lifeisagame]

True they love to entertain, but I still cannot understand where they put all the food they eat. Beware of warm Sake in small shot sizes, blow your brains out.
Their absolute passion for Cherry Blossom trees is astounding.
Also, the rice is, without doubt, the best in the World.
Ehh not into the Seaweed for breakfast though. Particularly if you were bold with the Sake the night before.

[Lifeisagame]

Thats an interesting comment about Narita- in the 1990's it was clearly policy there to automate as much as possible. A retreat towards human based services... I hear you on the height thing as I know the average Japanese height has shot up since the 1960's and the fast-food diet of the west hit Japan.

You have to love the times and adherence to same of public transport.
Where I am is not the terminus for airport coach, yet when I book my coach it can be the 6.03am coach and it arrives at 6.03 exactly.

[C. Flower]

You have to love the times and adherence to same of public transport.
Where I am is not the terminus for airport coach, yet when I book my coach it can be the 6.03am coach and it arrives at 6.03 exactly.

Yes, I arranged for a visit by Japanese journalists to meet some Irish musicians once. They specified the time of 2.17 p.m. - and arrived at exactly that time, in spite of having to negotiate some pretty unforgiving and unsigned Irish back roads.

[Lifeisagame]

Also the Vending machines in the street for soft drinks and cigarettes. They can be in side streets or main streets and on 24/7, never ever saw one tampered with. Also, the cigarette machine requires a special card to activate it, young people cannot use.
Wonder how long they would last at home, given that we have people taking ATMs out with JCBs.
Traffic lights are interesting, small intersection and not a car to be seen. But if the pedestrian light is red you don't cross.

[Lifeisagame]

Irish Bar beside my hotel, went in last night for a late snack and beer, maybe 11.00pm the owner noticed I had cut myself shaving and commented, then he threw on his jacket left a full bar with only one staff and came back in about 10 minutes with a new bottle of Nivea Skin Care lotion, unbelievable.
In March when I was here, on the Monday I gave him a list and said to have it for Wednesday.
I arrived with friends about 20, and then took off my jacket went into the Kitchen and made a Grand Irish Coddle, lol enough for my friends and everyone else in the bar. Ehh it was personally served by me with the bread on the side, then I sang a couple of traditional ballads while they were eating. Great night and is now on the menu as xxxxxx san's Irish Coddle

[Slim Buddha]

You have to love the times and adherence to same of public transport.
Where I am is not the terminus for airport coach, yet when I book my coach it can be the 6.03am coach and it arrives at 6.03 exactly.

You don't have to go to Japan to get public transport arriving exactly when it is supposed to arrive. Is it clean there? As in, no litter lying around disfiguring the appearance of the place?

[Lifeisagame]

You don't have to go to Japan to get public transport arriving exactly when it is supposed to arrive. Is it clean there? As in, no litter lying around disfiguring the appearance of the place?

Yes it is really clean, to the extent that it is not unusual to see a person take a pouch out of their pocket and empty Butts of cigarettes into a public ashtray rather than chuck them on the street like elsewhere.
I will say this though, this is Japan not China and they are worlds apart.

[Sidewinder]

I've always had a bit of a facination with Japan. Always wanted to visit there - d'ye know if there's much in the way of work for a not-quite-as-young-as-I-used-to-be gaijin?

[Lifeisagame]

I've always had a bit of a facination with Japan. Always wanted to visit there - d'ye know if there's much in the way of work for a not-quite-as-young-as-I-used-to-be gaijin?

Hi
Work situation is tough, but there is a massive industry for teaching English.
Can get you a contact address and PM if you want. It is only round the corner from me and features Ireland.
People really want their children to be Global.

[Slim Buddha]

Yes it is really clean, to the extent that it is not unusual to see a person take a pouch out of their pocket and empty Butts of cigarettes into a public ashtray rather than chuck them on the street like elsewhere.
I will say this though, this is Japan not China and they are worlds apart.

I was in China 2 years ago and have to agree with you. My reason for asking is that I heard from a colleague who worked in Japan for 6 years that they are big on the idea that the citizen has obligations towards society. A practical example was the way public spaces are treated. Thanks for confirming what he said to me before.