Brendan in Japan: The Japanese way

Saturday, September 17, 2005

The Japanese way

Doing it the Japanese way...

Since arriving here in Japan I have been impressed by all sorts of things the Japanese seem to do really smartly.

- A coke can/bottle or "cattle". Combines all the recyclability and coolness of a can with the resealability and easy pour qualities of a bottle. Genius.
- A single tap for your shower and sink, also combining your hot and cold tap allowing you to have a stream of any temperature water.
- Two flushing options depending on whether you've wee-ed or poo-ed!
- On trainplatforms the places where the doors of the train will come to a rest are marked so that people queue up. When it comes to getting on, getting off - passengers are let out one side and people let in the other side.

Other additions to this exciting feature will follow.

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The story

I arrived here in Japan in 2005 on a scholarship. I was gleefully ignorant about the country, ill-prepared and basically only came because I wouldn't have to pay a thing and well... it seemed cool.

At first I hated much of it: the food, the accommodation, and the prospect of being blown away by an approaching Typhoon. But now, two years later, I love it.

I have spent my time learning Japanese (fascinating in numerous ways), frivilled away too much time in the time-warp capsules of Japanese style internet cafes, camped it up with some barbershop, and been to lots of festivals - some beautiful, some with lots of fire, and some with lots of fire where I got drunk and joined in.

There's been the odd bit of travelling around Asia too, with trips to China, the Bridge over the River Kwai in Thailand, Korea and the homeless snows of Northern Japan.

During my time I've had some surprises: professors that find it de rigeur to start a scholarship with an organized boozing session; a nation of women that are enchanted by the western male; or a the cultural-muddle that is a Japanese Christmas. (Especially hearing about how - in a particularly inspired feat of confusion - a department store once presented a Chrismas scene with Santa nailed to a cross.)

I 've also been baffled by the odd gadget, impressed by the odd bit of Japanese design (confused by others) and been delighted by the warped incorporation of English into Japanese.

Started as a "day job" my teaching position at a local primary school has turned into my daily pleasure. Though part of the Tsuzuki Gakuen (a kind of Microsoft of Japanese education), which means even regular school events like Sports Day are a bit odd, children are simply the most fascinating and amusing category of human being alive. (See above.)

Two years since arriving, I now enjoy reflecting in words or pictures more generally on Japan: Everything from Japan's sex industry, its unique approach to religion, to its vending-machine fetish.

In April 2008, I finished teaching and moved to Tokyo, where I am currently interning for a Japanese MP, deep in the heart of the Japanese political system. Which is another way of saying I clean cups and answer the phone.

All Over

Saturday, September 17, 2005

The Japanese way

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