Konnichiwa! I arrived in Japan a few days ago, and a have never felt like so much of a noob. There are so many intricacies that you must know to get by here, so you pick them up quite quickly (well, most of them). To help you in imagining that you are here too I thought I'd let you know my 10 newbie facts for Tokyo.
1. Everyone speaks Japanese
Now this may sound silly, but when I say everyone speaks Japanese this means that you do too. It doesn't matter how out of place you look in Japan, everyone will still assume you know Japanese. This is not to say that I can't speak a little Japanese of course - but it's only just enough to scrape by. Now when out and about I tend just to smile politely and hand over cash - luckily prices are written numerically so I always know what I'm doing.
2. You take your rubbish home
There is a lot to buy in Tokyo, and there is also a lot of packaging that comes along with it. One thing to keep in mind when shopping is that you will most likely have to cart all your rubbish home with you. There are hardly ever any rubbish bins - yet the place is strangely clean. This is because it is considered bad manner to leave or dispose of rubbish in public. The Japanese are a highly respectful people and this is one of the many ways they show it.
3. No phone calls on the train
Another manner that should be observed is not talking on your phone on the train. This is strange to me, having experienced most of my training in America where brash onboard calls make you feel like you are watching a live sitcom performance. But in Tokyo everyone is polite and respectful. I do wonder if it is so they can all enjoy a peaceful sleep on their way home from work.
4. Toilets are amazing
According to my host Kei, you have reached another level in your relationship with your friends of the opposite sex when you discuss toilets, this is because they are so interestingly different. Female toilets tend to boast an array of sounds and musical backdrops so shy women can relieve themselves without the embarrassment of being heard. Apparently women used to leave the taps running to disguise the sounds, but it of course wasted a lot of water so thus the sound features were added. Now if you think girls always take the longest to spend a yen then think again. My other host Kotato informed me that some male toilets have games you can play while you pee. These
pee and play games are urine-controlled games created by Sega. Apparently the strength of your urine stream determines the outcome of the game. Makes you want to drink a lot of sake right? These toilets usually incur a small fee, but free versions can be found in the popular district of Shibuya.
5. What's in your food?
I may not be able to read a menu, but one thing I do know is how many calories are in my food. Quite a few places list the calories on the menus so you know exactly what you are getting. Good for the weight conscience traveller who has a penchant for delicious Japanese sweets. As for the ingredients there is most likely some nori (seaweed), tofu, sesame or soy in there somewhere - and most menus have big Denny's style pictures which makes choosing things easier. Oh and mysterious round balls are often comprised of fishy things - so being seafood shy, I stay away from them.
6. Bikes are everywhere
Here people bike on the footpath. Most people ring their bell to let you know they are coming up behind you fast, and if you are lucky you can dodge out of the way in time. You can rent bikes in Tokyo but it can be very expensive and keep in mind if you borrow one you are not insured, so accidents are not an option.
7. Everything is kawaii
In Japanese
kawaii means cute. And pretty much everything is kawaii. There are little colourful cartoons on pretty much everything like your milk, on signage and on clothing. There are fully grown men in swish suits playing a games of
UFO catcher trying to win a kawaii
Rilakkuma plushies, women wearing all manner of kawaii accessories from Harajuku bargin stores, and spotting people dressed in
cosplay is not an uncommon occurrence. In Tokyo colourful and cute is not just for kids.
8. People love their plants
This is one thing I really appreciate about Tokyo, despite it being a large city with many many buildings there is greenery everywhere. Most houses, not matter how small, have little gardens surrounding them. There are also lots of plant stores dotted around where I'm staying which gives it a nice homely atmosphere.
9. You don't get much sleep
There is so much going on that you wouldn't want to of course. But here in Tokyo the sun usually rises around 4.30am and it starts heating up pretty quickly, so its no wonder the locals only sleep for an average of 5.15 hours per night.
10. It's not as technologically advanced as you'd think.
Coming from New Zealand I feel like I've come from the future. Here there are no smart gates at customs, and the train tickets aren't half as easy as they could be. Foreigners can't get cash out from ATM machines either, so I'm regretting not bringing more cash with me. There are plenty of vending machines for sure but when it comes to technological devices to make your life simpler, there doesn't seem to be many that I'm aware of yet - except of course the amazing
portable wi-fi router that you take with you in your handbag.
All and all I am loving Tokyo, and highly recommend it. I look forward to coming back to Japan for a good look around someday. Today I am off to the
Studio Ghibli museum - responsible for many inspiring anime films. More photos will come soon - I seem to have left behind my camera cable so will need to procure a new one asap.
Have you ever been to Japan? If so, what was your favourite part? And if not, would you like to go someday?
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