Long Trip to Japan Summary
Recently used all my vacation hours and visited Japan.
Here are some differences I noticed
1. Many "useless job opportunities in Japan". Elevator girls, crosswalk guards everywhere, people standing in front of cash exchange machines, people everywhere to just be yelling the obvious, etc.
(pic not by me)
They can all be easily automated
2. Elmos are a rip off in Japan. ~$70 US + limit 1 / customer.
3. No tips accepted. I always scratch my head when they work so hard to please you. What's the incentive?
4. people love lines. not exactly true. But the tip to finding a good restaurant here is to find a restaurant with lines since they don't have yelp here so this forms lines at a few restaurants and keeps others empty.
5. Sushi is cheap in Japan! Well at least compared to US
6. Fruits are expensive in Japan. This melon here is around $29 USD, but many can be found for $100. Strawberries, watermelons.. ridiculous. It's not especially good or anything either. I bought strawberries that were about $0.75 a piece and they tasted exactly the same as Costco strawberries
7. Almost all bathrooms are nice and by Toto. First you sit down and the seat warms up, secondly, they have this button to air out the smell so even you don't have to smell your own poopoo, thirdly, they clean your butt for you with warm water (you can adjust the strength and even adjust the location it sprays), fourthly, you can select how big you want the flush to be. This saves water and toilet paper
8. Driver is "usually" on the right side
9. Almost every home is equipped with filtered water
10. Yoshinoya is the same in Japan. I heard many times that Yoshinoya in Japan is so much better and they do present it better and give you more options, but when it comes down to beef bowl vs beef bowl, it's the same
11. Cars have clear corners in Japan. US requires you to have amber in your corner lights.
12. In Japan, New Years is the biggest holiday. At the start of it, Japanese families usually eat "osechi ryori." Each part of the osechi means something. Like seaweed symbolizes happiness for the year.
13. Love hotels can be spotted everywhere. It's a hotel that let's you stay for 3-4 hours or more if needed. It only costs like $40 and they call it "service time" or "rest time." This one I took a picture of has some special theme
14. Many people are browsing on their cell phones, PSP, or DS. You sit on a train, 50% of the people'll have their cell phones out and browsing
15. Mister Donut is hot in Japan. Apparently it's a company that started in Texas, but spreading like virus around asia
16. Japanese Postal Service
17. A few restaurant differences. Many have this machine outside of the restaurant where you choose what you want to eat like a vending machine and get a ticket. Give this ticket when you enter and they'll start making the food. Also keep in mind the menus are usually at the table. First time, I sat at the table and just waited for them to give me one. I also one time handed them the menu after I was done ordering and they gave it back to me.
18. Amazon.co.jp gives free shipping if you order over $15 USD. =P They also ship EXTREMELY fast.. probably because Japan isn't so big.
19. Japan has Chinatowns. Yes. Strangely things are very expensive here.
20. Green Pearl Tea in Japan is the best! I always heard Pearl Tea in Japan is good and I suspected it to be the same as Fantasia, but this pearl tea gave me the same reaction as the food critic from Ratatouille when he ate ratatouille.
21. There's a lot of foot traffic, so many people perform on the streets
22. 7-Eleven and other convenience stores have great food! I think I ate at 7-eleven about 10 times.
23. Avoid trains during rush hour... I found it funny at first how they packed people into trains and I was still laughing when I was being pushed into the train but that turned into pain and fear really quickly. Never again.
This is exactly what happened
27. UFO catchers are hot in Japan. Almost every block where there are couples/kids, there is a UFO catcher store and they are made extremely well. It's easy to win, but usually takes a couple of tries to win.
At first, I just didn't get it.. I kept losing my money, but then I watched this youtube video and I became pro.
Here are some of my winnings =P
28. Pachinko is hot in Japan as well. It's pretty much a legal casino. I lost about $10 and just didn't find it exciting so I left it at that.
29. Japan has a lot of temples.. and they take your money left and right if you are gullible enough. There will be a place for "love" "education" "career".. etc. etc.. and you feel the need to throw money for each subject so everything will be well.
30. Green Tea is hot in Japan. Remember "Maccha" is the word for green tea
31. Oshiri Kajiri Mushi (Butt Biting Bug) is apparently hot in Japan right now. Don't ask.
I can go on and on.. but definitely visit Japan once in your life time! :)
The rest are some random moments I've had in Japan
old cemetary
Fujisan
View from hotel
Greentea Ice Cream
Omote san doori
Ramen Museum
Kid about to step on dog's feet. Crazy timing. I was just trying to take a picture of the dog and this kid walked in. His mom bowed to the dog after this... pretty funny.
Yokohama
Flea Market
Akihabara - hentai and geek's paradise
Google Japan
Shibuya
Hiroshima
Tenpozan Ferris Wheel
Kaiyukan
Rokkosan Mountain Hike
Doutombori
Here are some differences I noticed
1. Many "useless job opportunities in Japan". Elevator girls, crosswalk guards everywhere, people standing in front of cash exchange machines, people everywhere to just be yelling the obvious, etc.
(pic not by me)
They can all be easily automated
2. Elmos are a rip off in Japan. ~$70 US + limit 1 / customer.
3. No tips accepted. I always scratch my head when they work so hard to please you. What's the incentive?
4. people love lines. not exactly true. But the tip to finding a good restaurant here is to find a restaurant with lines since they don't have yelp here so this forms lines at a few restaurants and keeps others empty.
5. Sushi is cheap in Japan! Well at least compared to US
6. Fruits are expensive in Japan. This melon here is around $29 USD, but many can be found for $100. Strawberries, watermelons.. ridiculous. It's not especially good or anything either. I bought strawberries that were about $0.75 a piece and they tasted exactly the same as Costco strawberries
7. Almost all bathrooms are nice and by Toto. First you sit down and the seat warms up, secondly, they have this button to air out the smell so even you don't have to smell your own poopoo, thirdly, they clean your butt for you with warm water (you can adjust the strength and even adjust the location it sprays), fourthly, you can select how big you want the flush to be. This saves water and toilet paper
8. Driver is "usually" on the right side
9. Almost every home is equipped with filtered water
10. Yoshinoya is the same in Japan. I heard many times that Yoshinoya in Japan is so much better and they do present it better and give you more options, but when it comes down to beef bowl vs beef bowl, it's the same
11. Cars have clear corners in Japan. US requires you to have amber in your corner lights.
12. In Japan, New Years is the biggest holiday. At the start of it, Japanese families usually eat "osechi ryori." Each part of the osechi means something. Like seaweed symbolizes happiness for the year.
13. Love hotels can be spotted everywhere. It's a hotel that let's you stay for 3-4 hours or more if needed. It only costs like $40 and they call it "service time" or "rest time." This one I took a picture of has some special theme
14. Many people are browsing on their cell phones, PSP, or DS. You sit on a train, 50% of the people'll have their cell phones out and browsing
15. Mister Donut is hot in Japan. Apparently it's a company that started in Texas, but spreading like virus around asia
16. Japanese Postal Service
17. A few restaurant differences. Many have this machine outside of the restaurant where you choose what you want to eat like a vending machine and get a ticket. Give this ticket when you enter and they'll start making the food. Also keep in mind the menus are usually at the table. First time, I sat at the table and just waited for them to give me one. I also one time handed them the menu after I was done ordering and they gave it back to me.
18. Amazon.co.jp gives free shipping if you order over $15 USD. =P They also ship EXTREMELY fast.. probably because Japan isn't so big.
19. Japan has Chinatowns. Yes. Strangely things are very expensive here.
20. Green Pearl Tea in Japan is the best! I always heard Pearl Tea in Japan is good and I suspected it to be the same as Fantasia, but this pearl tea gave me the same reaction as the food critic from Ratatouille when he ate ratatouille.
21. There's a lot of foot traffic, so many people perform on the streets
22. 7-Eleven and other convenience stores have great food! I think I ate at 7-eleven about 10 times.
23. Avoid trains during rush hour... I found it funny at first how they packed people into trains and I was still laughing when I was being pushed into the train but that turned into pain and fear really quickly. Never again.
This is exactly what happened
24. Supermarkets will lower the price of their food when it becomes about 30 mins ~ hour away from closing. I got ehse sushi/yakitoris for 40% off!
25. Every service treats you like a king. I walked into 7-eleven and bought a drink and they would bow and thank me like I did them a huge favor. I also asked a janitor which train to take and he was extremely helpful.
(pic not by me)
27. UFO catchers are hot in Japan. Almost every block where there are couples/kids, there is a UFO catcher store and they are made extremely well. It's easy to win, but usually takes a couple of tries to win.
At first, I just didn't get it.. I kept losing my money, but then I watched this youtube video and I became pro.
Here are some of my winnings =P
28. Pachinko is hot in Japan as well. It's pretty much a legal casino. I lost about $10 and just didn't find it exciting so I left it at that.
29. Japan has a lot of temples.. and they take your money left and right if you are gullible enough. There will be a place for "love" "education" "career".. etc. etc.. and you feel the need to throw money for each subject so everything will be well.
30. Green Tea is hot in Japan. Remember "Maccha" is the word for green tea
31. Oshiri Kajiri Mushi (Butt Biting Bug) is apparently hot in Japan right now. Don't ask.
I can go on and on.. but definitely visit Japan once in your life time! :)
The rest are some random moments I've had in Japan
old cemetary
Fujisan
View from hotel
Greentea Ice Cream
Omote san doori
Ramen Museum
Kid about to step on dog's feet. Crazy timing. I was just trying to take a picture of the dog and this kid walked in. His mom bowed to the dog after this... pretty funny.
Yokohama
Flea Market
Akihabara - hentai and geek's paradise
Google Japan
Shibuya
Hiroshima
Tenpozan Ferris Wheel
Kaiyukan
Rokkosan Mountain Hike
Doutombori
posted by Kenjiro Y at 12:35 PM
3 comments
