Job Discussion Forums

[Lowly Rollie]

Ok, I know no one's posted on this topic for a few days (weeks!), but I just started reading, and had to add my thoughts here.

I'm currently living in Toronto, and the essence of Japan came to me one day, as I was walking down a crowded Toronto street in the rain. People kept bumping my umbrella. How annoying! That would never happen in Japan!

That, to me, is the essence of Japan. I'd go to Shibuya Station, Hachiko exit, and watch the people cross the street there. Around 4 or 5 p.m., it's completely crowded, thousands and thousands of people, crossing every which-way. In the rain, it was beautiful. It was just a sea of umbrellas, and it was like watching a ballet. The umbrellas would bob and dip, some people raising theirs, others lowering. Some tipping left, some right. There was never any obvious communication about who would do what with their umbrella, it just happened. And no-one's umbrella got bumped.

I've participated in the 'Dance of the Umbrellas', and it really is a thing of beauty, and something that, I think, defines the essence of Japan.

[azarashi sushi]

[Sweetsee]

Try the view of the skinny shopping street that leads from Harajuku station to Meiji street, in the rain. How the umbellas form a river or swirling torrent of umbrellas.


Good one.


Cheers,
S

[guest of Japan]

You are all going crazy if you can find pleasure in Tokyo umbrella wars.

[Sweetsee]

Spent Golden Week at the tip of the Izu peninsula.

All night long kids on the road above our camp played their car audio system at full blast and fired off bottle rockets.

Not one person complained.

[johnslat]

Dear guest of Japan,

[Sweetsee]

Stopping for pedestrians at a marked cross walk behind the stripe while signaling a right turn and and motorists passing on the left.

Stopping for pedestrians while opposing traffic doen't stop.

The reaction of pedestrians to me stopping and allowing them to cross the street at marked cross walks.

The failure of most motorists to allow pedestrian with baby stroller to cross the street in marked cross walk.

Tailgating is the rule, not the exception, including while at a stop.

Motorists failure to yield and even harassing cyclists.

Motorists reluctance to yield to merging motorists even while in traffic jams.

Yesterday witnessed a female motorist driving with infant on her back pulling into traffic and very nearly colliding with on-coming vehicle.

Troops of motorists zig-zgging down the middle of the main street forever.

High school girl in uniform smoking and mailing while on her bicycle.



All this happening while mother is grocery shopping on her bicycle with her three children.

[azarashi sushi]

Sounds absolutely hideous Sweetsee...

I guess that's why they call it Dasaitama.

[Sweetsee]

azarashi sushi,


You got that right.

My favorite: motorists that block cross traffic while waiting for a red light.



Cheers,
S

[azarashi sushi]

Sweetsee,

I can't understand your message.

[Sweetsee]

Azarashi sushi,


Try reading it again.



Cheers,
S

[Synne]

One thing I've noticed about the majority of Japanese ppl I've met is that none seem to have the slightest clue as to what their parents actually do for a living. It is just not a "need-to-know" thing for them at all.

Mind you I've found this the same with many other Asian country inhabitants.

This just strikes me as a oddity that is very related to Japan and other Asian countries.

[Sweetsee]

Try asking ten students how they spend their free time.

[TokyoLiz]

Sweetsee,

A question to be avoided. Free time doesn't exist in Japan.

[ntropy]

No shit!

I have come across teachers in the teachers' room in sweats, clipping their toe nails and watching baseball who claim they're too busy to go home and must work "overtime."