What does "feeling of being in Japan" mean?
Mar 18, 2006, 9:50 am
#31
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Posts: n/a
-I get that Japan feeling when the air raid sirens sound at precisely 12:00PM and 5:00PM.
-I get that Kyu-Shu feeling every day when my neighbour drops by at 7:00AM to drag the Bull Terrier out for a walk (no matter that I have a guest over or not
) But this same neighbor admonishes me for drying my underwear inside/outside where guests/others might see them!
-I get that Kyu-Shu- feeling everytime I am challenged to try some new delicacy.
-I get that Kyu-Shu- feeling when my close Japanese friends invite my parents/family/foreign friends into their homes for fantastic homemade meals, impromptu cooking lessons,flower arrangement classes and kimono wearing(the latter after some potato hooch imbibing).
-I get that Kyu-Shu- feeling when I can drive within 30 minutes to some great natural hot springs for a soak , with a splendid view and only for 300 Yen! ^
[This post has been corrected by TR35R 2006/Mar/18th 8:48AM PT]
-I get that Kyu-Shu feeling every day when my neighbour drops by at 7:00AM to drag the Bull Terrier out for a walk (no matter that I have a guest over or not
) But this same neighbor admonishes me for drying my underwear inside/outside where guests/others might see them!-I get that Kyu-Shu- feeling everytime I am challenged to try some new delicacy.
-I get that Kyu-Shu- feeling when my close Japanese friends invite my parents/family/foreign friends into their homes for fantastic homemade meals, impromptu cooking lessons,flower arrangement classes and kimono wearing(the latter after some potato hooch imbibing).
-I get that Kyu-Shu- feeling when I can drive within 30 minutes to some great natural hot springs for a soak , with a splendid view and only for 300 Yen! ^
Mar 18, 2006, 10:47 am
#32
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New York City
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Posts: 2,833
... coming up the department store escalator, while everyone seems to stumble at the top, I step into a crowd of young women all dressed in identical uniforms, either handing out little packets of toilet paper or shouting into their little cardboard megaphones ...
... never worrying about how many small notes I'm carrying, because I don't have to tip ...
... the sound of the jingles on the JR Yamanote line ...
... never worrying about how many small notes I'm carrying, because I don't have to tip ...
... the sound of the jingles on the JR Yamanote line ...
Mar 18, 2006, 12:09 pm
#33
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Originally Posted by NickW
...young women all dressed in identical uniforms, either handing out little packets of toilet paper or shouting into their little cardboard megaphones ...
Mar 18, 2006, 12:27 pm
#34
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: St. Paul, MN
Programs: I've gone dormant. For now.
Posts: 1,480
Ohh... where to start.
Just a few more geared towards living there:
Waking up and your body is all warm under your huge comfortable comforter, but your nose is cold to the touch because the room is 50 degrees. Reaching out for the remote for the room heater...
Walking around a sakura filled park and enjoying the blooms with every office in the area!
The ability (in smaller cities) to literally be out in the mountains with nothing around, in a matter of minutes from downtown.
Anytime somebody does something totally genuine and thoughtful, for no reason except that they knew it would make you feel good. Thats always a "feeling of being in Japan"
Just a few more geared towards living there:
Waking up and your body is all warm under your huge comfortable comforter, but your nose is cold to the touch because the room is 50 degrees. Reaching out for the remote for the room heater...
Walking around a sakura filled park and enjoying the blooms with every office in the area!
The ability (in smaller cities) to literally be out in the mountains with nothing around, in a matter of minutes from downtown.
Anytime somebody does something totally genuine and thoughtful, for no reason except that they knew it would make you feel good. Thats always a "feeling of being in Japan"
Mar 18, 2006, 3:45 pm
#35
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: London
Posts: 18,406
Originally Posted by NWA_5479
Waking up and your body is all warm under your huge comfortable comforter, but your nose is cold to the touch because the room is 50 degrees.
If the room is cold at 50 degrees, then you haven't been living in Japan for long enough!
(what I mean is that you should eventually get used to using Celcius)
Last edited by LapLap; Aug 10, 2007 at 11:01 am Reason: clarify meaning
Mar 18, 2006, 8:32 pm
#36
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Boston, Jo'burg, HK
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Or, how you can stand at the corner of Aoyama doori and Gaien Nishi (or Gaien Higashi) doori on a weekend afternoon, and watch millions of dollars in high-end automotive hardware parade on by, and everybody all snazzed up with their dogs in sweaters, and all the high end stores and on and on... And, then walk one block away from all that visual and audible noise, and enter a residential area that is dead quiet, with nobody around, with buildings untouched by time (and apparently, maintenance) since 1955...
Mar 19, 2006, 9:29 pm
#37
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Akita, Japan
Programs: UA, Hilton
Posts: 459
Getting served a meal with a fork, when everyone else at the table gets chopsticks.
Sitting down on a toilet seat the first thing in the morning, expecting a cold shock, and being greeted with beautiful warmth.
Seeing the look on someone's face when they say "Hello" in English, and, to their suprise, it works and I answer "Hello" back.
Seeing a guy watching a high-tech TV in his car, while driving on streets that haven't been plowed.
Having to return half of each wedding gift to the people that sent them.
Wondering if that teenager has any clue what the English on her shirt really means.
One word...namahage!
Sitting down on a toilet seat the first thing in the morning, expecting a cold shock, and being greeted with beautiful warmth.
Seeing the look on someone's face when they say "Hello" in English, and, to their suprise, it works and I answer "Hello" back.
Seeing a guy watching a high-tech TV in his car, while driving on streets that haven't been plowed.
Having to return half of each wedding gift to the people that sent them.
Wondering if that teenager has any clue what the English on her shirt really means.
One word...namahage!
Mar 19, 2006, 10:13 pm
#39
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Tokyo, Japan (or Vienna whenever possible)
Posts: 6,379
A real one of these is a good bit of entertainment. Only just discovered the fun that can be had Akita style. Ended up shaking hands and doing polite greet8ings with the big hairy critter.
Mike
Mike
Originally Posted by scirel
...namahage!
Mar 19, 2006, 11:03 pm
#42
formerly known as Tad's Broiled Steaks
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,412
I do not have nearly as much experience in Japan as most of the veterans of the Japan forum, but over the course of my few vacations and one semester spent there, primarily in Tokyo, a "feeling of Japan" for me could be:
-leaving some coins on a baked goods counter at a konbini one night (because I did not enjoy carrying them around, especially the detested 'fives') and coming back the next night remembering my monetary gift to myself, and thus, a dessert gift
-being shown where to go on a map with eccentric use of the middle finger
-accidentally walking into a sperm bank, replete with hentai, rushing quickly outside and then two doors down to an abandoned temple (in Nanao, on the Noto peninsula)
-seeing a jidouhanbaiki (vending machine) hawking glass cans, "new" rice and again, hentai
-wondering if tomorrow, one jidouhanbaiki won't be stocking the same five Boss coffees and corn potages just placed into the machine yesterday
(this makes me want to hop on the first flight to Kappabashi, I could really use another pair of 6000 yen tempura sampuru...)
-leaving some coins on a baked goods counter at a konbini one night (because I did not enjoy carrying them around, especially the detested 'fives') and coming back the next night remembering my monetary gift to myself, and thus, a dessert gift
-being shown where to go on a map with eccentric use of the middle finger
-accidentally walking into a sperm bank, replete with hentai, rushing quickly outside and then two doors down to an abandoned temple (in Nanao, on the Noto peninsula)
-seeing a jidouhanbaiki (vending machine) hawking glass cans, "new" rice and again, hentai
-wondering if tomorrow, one jidouhanbaiki won't be stocking the same five Boss coffees and corn potages just placed into the machine yesterday
(this makes me want to hop on the first flight to Kappabashi, I could really use another pair of 6000 yen tempura sampuru...)
Mar 19, 2006, 11:10 pm
#43
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Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Thanks for the Memories !!!
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You get that Japan feeling when you eat at Mosburger and the hamburger looks exactly like the picture and even tastes good too.....
You get that Japan feeling when you attend a 3 different graduation ceremonies in three different places and they all sing the same songs, and decorate the halls the exact same way.......it's spooky!
You get that Japan feeling when you attend a 3 different graduation ceremonies in three different places and they all sing the same songs, and decorate the halls the exact same way.......it's spooky!
Mar 20, 2006, 1:08 am
#45
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: london & tokyo
Posts: 1,034
Originally Posted by Calcifer
...is going to one of the many sake bars/shops I frequent, some more regularly than others, and having the owner greet me by name even if it's been a year since I've been there...
My favourite mad service experience was getting out of a taxi at the Park Hyatt soon after it opened, because I wanted to go to the shopping centre next door, and the taxi driver did not know where it was. I was shocked to be greeted by name by the hotel doorman as I got out of the taxi (first time to visit the hotel, and I obviously did not have a reservation for that night), and had a tough time convincing my instantly suspicious girlfriend that I did not frequent the place with someone else...