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shmooj · Joined: 11 Sep 2003 Posts: 1758 Location: Seoul, ROK

The light changed to red and the car in front of me stopped. I waited patiently. More cars pulled up to stop in the oncoming lane opposite. We waited and I started to see signs and notice that they were doing work on the road at this junction. Hmmm, seemed the road to the left was closed. Then, I noticed that the road to the right was closed to. Then I realised, ironically, as the light turned to green (or blue if you must insist on it), that the cars had been waiting at a stop light to allow non-existent cars to pass on a road that was completely closed both ways.

And why? Because the light was red of course. No one on the maintenance crew had thought of disabling it for the duration and not one of the drivers had realised that there was no need to stop.

I've since been back through that light twice and will go through twice more today. Each time people stop. I'm just waiting for my turn to be first in the queue so I can sail nonchalantly through on a red.

As I reflected on all this and my (soon to be ending) time in Japan, I realised how the situation illustrated the culture here so very well.

"Aaaah, now THIS is Japan." I thought.

Anyone else have experiences which help define the essence of Japan.

buffy · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 57

Wiping the little rat dog's ass after it does it's business.

vash3000 · Joined: 13 Nov 2003 Posts: 56

Perhaps not the essence of Japan, but ...

I find the cars small enough to drive on the sidewalks, and no one seems to mind.

Hmm ...on second thought, maybe that does say something about the culture.

Cheers!
V.

unchi pants · Joined: 20 Dec 2003 Posts: 64

Picture it: Tokyo in winter... Parent's Day ... 8 young children and their parents in a small stuffy classroom with all the windows closed and the heating turned up to sauna level.

Mid lesson, one child breaks wind ... Not just any old wind, but the stinkiest, smelliest thing you have ever smelled in your whole life. We're talking holocaust level here ...

Anyway, absolutely no-one flinched ... Not one movement or change in facial expression. NOTHING. ZERO ... Incredible! It was truly a disgusting smell.

But then I thought to myself... Afterall, this is Japan!

fat_chris · Joined: 10 Sep 2003 Posts: 3198 Location: Beijing

shmooj,

Actually, if you removed all place name references from your excerpt, I would have sworn that you were writing about the Germans in Germany.

Cool

BenJ · Joined: 11 May 2003 Posts: 209 Location: Nagoya

gold!

ntropy · Joined: 11 Oct 2003 Posts: 671 Location: ghurba

... our story continues. A JHS principal's office. The ALT and the principal politely chatting and drinking green tea. The phone rings. A mother. Demanding to know what the apple of her eye should wear to school in the morn, the school uniform or the gym uniform. Well, either is acceptable, answers the principal. But not acceptable to the mother. She demands to know which one, seems genuinely distressed having to decide.

The system isn't just forced down from above. It's demanded from down below.

nihontone · Joined: 14 Jan 2004 Posts: 21 Location: Kobe

Wiping a dogs bum in public and not fliching - only in Japan! The entrenched inability of almost everybody to think on their feet or just make a snap decision. Buffy and Ntropy - you guys nailed it!

Nihontone

unchi pants · Joined: 20 Dec 2003 Posts: 64

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

Fat people on little mopeds. The fatter they are, the smaller the moped. There are hardly any fat Japanese people, but they all seem to ride mopeds.

Students riding their bikes and using their k-tais at the same time, not looking where they are going and weaving in and out of traffic.

Great idea for a thread. Laughing

bshabu · Joined: 03 Apr 2003 Posts: 200 Location: Kumagaya

I received two beer coupons from my part-time work awhile back. I took them to my local supa. I got my beers and hand then lady my coupons. Then she gave me 55yen back. I thought myself WHAT THE #%$&?

I was told be a friend of mine that those coupons are actually like gift certificates. The supa sells beer a lower price then suggested retail price. The supa gave me back the difference.

"Now this is Japan"

shmooj · Joined: 11 Sep 2003 Posts: 1758 Location: Seoul, ROK

nihontone · Joined: 14 Jan 2004 Posts: 21 Location: Kobe

Unchi pants,

Wiping a dog's arse in public is not indicative of being able to make quick decisions. I was commenting on Ntropy's story about the Mum and the uniform choice as well. The two points are separate. I don't think there is just one "essence of Japan". For me, these two points work. One shows the complete shamelessness of Nihonjin. The other shows the reluctance of Nihonjin to think outside the box. For you and others, maybe these aren't right.

Nihontone

nihontone · Joined: 14 Jan 2004 Posts: 21 Location: Kobe

PS: And obviously not all Japanese people are shameless or unable to think outside the box.

TokyoLiz · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1548 Location: Tokyo, Japan

The evening I found myself dressed in dancing shoes and dress pedaling a mamachari up a hill towards my house which was located at the back of a shrine, trying to keep my eyes on the road and fumble for my keitai in the front basket which happened to be full of mikan. As I squeaked a moshi moshi in a Minnie Mouse voice, I started laughing. I'd gone native!