Day 14, Thursday - Foriegners' Bar

Foreigners' Bar

After a couple of monot-onous days at my in-laws, I escaped to the city. But, not before I ate dinner at home. I had planned to go the city in the afternoon. However, my mother in-law came home before I left and changed my plans. She'd returned from grocery shopping, and I helped her carry in groceries. And then out of nowhere, my mother in-law asked me what kind of meat I wanted for dinner. For most people this wouldn't be anything special, but for me and my mother in-law alone, such conversations are as close as we get to bonding. I answered that I would like steak, and steak is what she began to prepare. I didn't have the heart or bad manners to leave before dinner. After eating a delicious steak dinner, I was glad I'd stayed.

Once I finished dinner, my wife drove me to the city. I'm always appreciative when I get a ride to the city because it's 25 minutes quicker than the bus. Once at the city, I walked to the bar. To me everything downtown is relative to the position of the bus stop I use. Jeff's World Bar is 10 minutes and two streets and one back alley away from my stop, and in a pinch I can get to the stop in five minutes, but I look like a purse snatcher, which violates one my core tenants of conduct while in a foreign country, don't attract attention to yourself.

I arrived at the bar around 8:30. The bar was empty except for three out of place tradesmen. I talked with the tradesmen a bit, but the conversation wasn't going well because they were drunk and slurring their speech. I bet they were there for the all you can drink special. The all you can drink special isn't special at all—You save money up front but you pay for it the next day. I talked with a couple of people, and one conversation with an English woman was interesting. She'd graduated from college a few years back with a degree in performing arts with a emphasis in comedy. English college undergrads have to write dissertations and hers was on jokes told after the September, 11th attacks in the USA. I was taken back to find the first joke told in America about the attacks was told the day after. The joke was some sort of jab at Arabs. Too soon, my time was up, and I left the bar to catch the bus.

Days 11-13, Monday-Wednesday - Home Bound with Colds

Home Bound

For the first time out of four trips to Japan, my wife and I came down with colds. I beat my cold in record time, but my wife took almost a week to become well again. While my wife convalesced, I didn't go anywhere, therefore I will share some of my thoughts on two Japanese practices instead of recollecting the days. I'll talk about how Japan is putting retired Japanese men back to work as volunteers. Next, I'll talk about uniforms and how almost every job in Japan requires one.

Putting Retires Back to Work

As Japan's workforce begins to retire in increasing numbers, many once working men and their wives suffer. The men who spent most of their time away from home working find it hard to stay at home with nothing to do. Likewise, many of the housewives find it hard to put up with their husbands who don't know how to cook, clean, or do laundry. As a consequence, previously functioning marriages are stressed.

To deal with these problems classes are being offered to educate men on how to cook and do chores. Also, volunteering programs which specialize in getting the retirees out of the house and being productive are becoming common. Therefore, it's ordinary to see a bunch of senior citizens out sweeping sidewalks or grounds keeping. It's great. The benefits are numerous: seniors get physical exercise and a place to fraternize, wives get a break from their husbands, and people get cleaner surroundings for free.

Uniforms for The Masses

Uniforms are practical, uplifting, and attractive, and almost every occupation in Japan has a uniform, such as bus drivers, custodians, information clerks, primary students, and so forth. Japan's customer service is demonstrably better than many other developed nations', and the clean and consistent clothing worn by service staff adds to the exemplary service, because the customer's and the worker's expectations are higher. For example, when the local bus driver is clothed in a suit of dark blue clothes, black dress shoes, white gloves, and topped with a cap with a black visor, I have observed everyone's behavior to be more civil. Nations with unsatisfied customers could learn from Japan.

Day 10, Sunday - Making Mochi and Yard Work

Making Mochi

My father in-law's family has lived in the same area for about two hundred years, therefor my father in-law knows just about everyone in the rural area where he lives. Having an "in" gives me many opportunities I might not have if I was just a tourist. For instance, one time I got to attend a village counsel meeting at a bar. I served as an after meeting show, not on purpose, while everyone ate and drank.

Another occasion occurred Sunday. I got to make mochi, a special type of sticky rice that's steamed and then pounded until it forms a doughy blob. Mochi is associated with New Year's in Japan, and locals get together to make it.

Yard Work

Later in the day, I was called out to help in the two hundred year old garden that dates back to the Edo period (1600-1867). My father in-law's life revolves around the garden. He spends most of his free time pruning, cleaning, and improving it. And, he really likes to garden when he has captive audience, which is why I'm summoned often to help.

My task this time was to quarter wood with an ax, which was fun in contrast to raking leaves and picking weeds. In addition to being fun, I'm always taken back by how old my father in-law's garden is. I try to image what the surrounding area might have looked like when it was first cultivated during feudal the period. Even though I would like to think the area was populated by samurai, I think it was mostly populated by farmers.

Day 9, Saturday - City: Appliance Store and Foreigners' Bar

Appliance Store

With 30 minutes to spare before my favorite bar opened at 8:00 p.m., I snapped photos of Japanese specific appliances. The most interesting one from a foreigners' standpoint is the washlet because unlike other Japanese appliances you will get to give one a go. These hi-tech seats have multiply bidet functions and heated seats as base functions. Hi-tech toilet seats in Japan entered the market in the 80's and have become a multimillion dollar industry. The seats range from a $200 to $1,000. The seats I saw at the appliance store were about $400. Foreigners' tip, on most seats the red button with a square in it cancels the current function, so if you accidentally press a button and don't like the results—push the red button with the square in it.

In addition to toilet seats, rice cookers in Japan are superior to American rice cookers. There's usually one feature to be found on an American rice cooker, cook. But you "basic" Japanese rice cookers have clocks, time delay cook, reheat, cook, and cook and keep warm. Also they cost more than the ordinary white $40 Target rice cooker. Prices range from $50 to $500, with the average being $250.

Foreigners' Bars

Foreigners' bars in Japan are complex micro-cosms. Many are given bad raps as being only meat markets, which they're, but there's more to them than the classic bar scene. The real beauty in foreigners' bars is the kind of in-depth, cross-culture, discussions you can have about politics, race, and religion. For example, on my last outing there was people from Chad, Germany, Japan, and the USA.

Effectively answering questions and presenting my ideas while not setting somebody off with cultural insensitivity is good practice in foreign diplomacy.

In addition to heavier subjects, foreigners' bars are great places to practice Japanese. With the help of a few drinks I've carried on conversations that I didn't think I had the fluency to do.

Day 8, Friday - Dinner with Friends

Dinner with Friends

Friday my wife and I, got out of the house and away from the in-laws to go have dinner in the city with a Japanese family, of four we met back in the states. Just the same as the people we dined with in Tokyo, my wife met them while interpreting. Unlike the couple form Tokyo, however, I had been introduced to them before, because twice before we had dinner together.

We drove to their condo in downtown. After finding their condo we called up to them and were let in. I was intrigued as I entered their condo, because I had never been in one before. The entry was narrow and crowed with shoes, therefore I had a difficult time to take off my shoes without knocking over things or my wife. In contrast to the entry, the living room was about the same size as an average American living room. But like most Japanese residences I've been to, it was devoid of Western furniture.

Instead of siting in chairs, we sat on the floor at their kotatsu, a type of Japanese table with a top about foot and half from the ground. Being, too, polite to ask to see their whole condo as they had asked to see are whole house, the only other room I saw was the kitchen. The kitchen was no bigger than the kitchen in my first studio apartment. After much conversation, and way past when my left leg went to sleep from siting on the floor, we went to Italian restaurant nearby.

Days 5-7, Tues-Thursday - Signs, Errands, and Snow

Life at The In-Laws'

When I'm staying at my in-laws' my vacation changes from busy days of visiting world-famous places and eating exotic foods to lazy days of visiting "relatives" and eating home cooking. Both are good.

I use all of the time for leisure. I play guitar three hours of every day, and I read a book every four days, and I sleep 10 hours every night. Last year I read, Cryptonomicon, Davinci code, Digital Fortress, Fast Food Nation, and Yakuza: Japan's Criminal Underworld. In addition, to keep things interesting and for a bit of respite from the in-laws, I take the bus to the city twice a week to shop, eat, and drink.

Signs

I spotted this sign while taking a walk. Most pictorial signs in Japan are easy to understand, but I couldn't figure out this sign without the help of a Japanese. The sign means a mother can take her opposite gender child into the restroom with her. This sign is even funnier than the picture on the blue button of the washlet toilet seat that shows a stream of water spraying butt cheeks—and I can attest when I pushed the button it did exactly what was depicted.

Errands

Mid-week was filled with errands. My wife had to get her final wisdom tooth extracted, which even without insurance was $100 cheaper than back home. Coincidentally, Japanese have yet to en mass sue their medical professionals. Also, I went grocery shopping to buy my favorite Japanese foods. I bought oatmeal and peanut butter for breakfast, too, because I won't start the day with soup and rice. Oatmeal and peanut butter are difficult to find, therefore I had visit three stories to find them.

Snow

It snowed Thursday snarling traffic and shutting down mass transit. I was surprised what an inch of snow did to people not used to snow. My father in-law's commute to work normal takes 45 minutes, but the day it snowed it took 2 hours 45 minutes. By afternoon the sun melted most of it and all was well.

Day 4, Monday - Tokyo to Kumamoto

Tokyo

The 19th marked my last day in Tokyo. From Tokyo, I traveled to Kumamoto to stay with my in-laws. Before leaving, I went and visited the grounds of the Imperial Palace. Unfortunately, the inner grounds are closed on Mondays and I wasn't able to photograph anything inside. From a different time, the Imperial Palace, with its large moats, green gardens, and castle structures, was conspicuous against Tokyo's cityscape.

Kumamoto

From Haneda airport I caught a direct flight to Kumamoto, which was a first for me. Usually I fly to Fukuoka, and then ride by car to Kumamoto. The direct flight saved an hour and half.

The population difference between Tokyo and Kumamoto was apparent on approach to Kumamoto airport. Instead of seeing pockets of skyscrapers, of the major wards in Tokyo within endless multistory buildings, I saw rice paddies, single family homes, and limited urban areas, all against a back drop of green mountains and amber winter grasses.

Furthermore, I knew I was in Kumamoto when I arrived at my in-laws. My bedroom was the same temperature as the outside air, 40 degrees +/- 10. Central heat and insulation has not caught on where my in-laws live. Which is not usually a problem, because Kumamoto has mild winters. But this year is one of the coldest in memory.

Day 3, Sunday - Asakusa, Yokohama, Ginza, Roppongi

Asakusa

Asakusa is one of Tokyo's oldest wards, and the Senso-ji Buddhist temple is the oldest temple in Tokyo dating circa 628. Because Senso-ji is well known, I wanted to see it. I found the paintings on the ceiling in the main temple the most moving. I also liked the larger than life statues of demon looking men, but they're protected with wire mesh, so I couldn't get a good picture of them.

Yokohama

Many people who work in Tokyo live elsewhere, and every time I'm at a train station during rush hour, I'm reminded of the fact. The scene looks similar to a science video of blood cells flowing through vessels. Only so much can be gained from watching, so I decided to ride a train out and back for a taste of commuting. I rode a "local", which stops at every station, to Yokohama. After a 45 minute ride, which went by quickly, I arrived in Yokohama station. From there I took the subway to China town to eat lunch.

Ginza

Upon returning to Tokyo from Yokohama, I watched one act of a kabuki play in Ginza. People filled all of the main seats and balconies. On the forth floor, where you can watch a single act from, was standing room only. The performance wasn't entertaining in the Hollywood sense, but from a cultural aspect, I found the plays portrayal of medieval Japan interesting.

Roppongi

For dinner, my wife and I went to dinner with some people she met state side while interpreting for them. The whole night was odd. Starting with being picked up at our hotel in a big German sports car by the wife of the couple we had dinner with. She drove the large car more swiftly and skillly than a taxi driver. At the end of the wild ride, we ended up at a robata in Roppongi.

The restaurant was very different from what I've seen in Japan. The room was occupied almost entirely by weaved baskets of food, two grills, and two chefs. The chefs are far from the counter, where you sit. They use long wooden paddles to pick up the food you choose and to server it to you, too. I was told the restaurant was well known. Just last week, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie ate there while promoting their new movie, "Mr. and Mrs. Smith". I also think the restaurant was expensive, but I don't know, because the prices weren't posted and I wasn't offered the chance to pay.

Moreover, the food was excellent, and it didn't require any knowledge of price or notoriety to for me to enjoy it. Everything was grilled and seasoned only with salt. The couple ordering for me, orderd a whole red Snapper for me, and I shared Japanese mushrooms, asparagus, potatoes, and high grade beef with everyone else. The Snapper was some of the best fish I've had, and I left only the head and spine.

Day 2, Saturday - Ueno, Akihabara, and Shinjuku

Ueno

From Tsukiji I rode the Hibaya line to Ueno to visit the Tokyo National Museum. A few years ago, I wouldn't have been found anywhere near such stuffy places as museums, but after having to read a thousand pages worth of excerpts from famous Japanese literature from the 712 to the modern day, my interest was piqued. I wanted to get a better idea of the life and times of authors, such as Murasaki Shikibu, Otomo no Yakamochi, and Tokyo National Museum has many artifacts from every major Japanese period from 8,000 BCE.

Akihabara

Akihabara is Tokyo's electronics and comic book retail district. It attracts droves of un-socialized backpack wearing nerds, geeks, and those seeking bargain electronics. And from the photo you can see I fit right in. I always like to include field trips in, while on vacation. This year's field trip was to Tokyo's Transportation Museum in Akihabara. The museum covered all modes of transportation, however, I found only the train exhibits interesting. Walking carefully, as not step on the hundred or so kids running around, I took in a cross-sected steam locomotive and train simulators. I was the only "kid" that was enamored with the train sliced in half.

Shinjuku

After working up a good appetite from dotting Tokyo, I rode the subway to Korean town in Shinjuku for dinner. Shinjuku is better known for its lively nightlife than its Korean town, but the food is excellent in Korean town and relatively inexpensive. I ate a Korean simmer dish and Korean fried rice. In addition, I had many different kinds of pickles called namool, which comes customarily with all Korean dishes.

Day 2, Saturday - Tsukiji and Tokyo Metro

Photographs

Tip: you can, click on each photo to see the original un-resized from my digital camera. Beware, each original can take minute or more to load.

Tsukiji

When traveling to Japan, aside from the feeling of fatigue, I tend to benefit from jet lag. Flying from Mountain Time to Japan Standard Time, which is 16 hours ahead, causes me to wake up before 6:00 a.m. for the first three days. Normally, I stay up late and rise late. With such an early start on the day, I get to see downtown Tokyo minus the millions of people that would usually be there. In fact, the average worker in Tokyo arrives to work at around 9:00 a.m.

The people are involved with the fish market in Tsukiji, however, are not like most workers. Their days start some time before 5:00 a.m. and are over by early afternoon. I eat some of the freshest sushi in Tsukiji. It's so tasty that I'm willing to emerge from the still sleeping wards of the city to eat among fish mongers on power carts and old ladies shopping.

Tokyo Metro, The Best Way to Get Around

With stations in every major ward, the Metro is convenient. It is inexpensive, too; $7 buys a day pass. Most stations are foreign friendly with some signs being quadralingual, English, Japanese, Korean, and Mandarin, and most being bilingual, English and Japanese. Also, the subway ticket vending machines are bilingual. I do have trouble figuring out which train to take, and with 13 subway lines it can be a challenge, but I recently discovered that Tokyo Metro provides a routing application in English on their Web site that plans my route for me. I will have to give it a go next year.

Another advantage of riding subway trains is I never get too lost. If I hop the wrong train, I just get off at the next station wait one minute, and go back to the station I came from, which is quite nice compared to the panic I feel after I figure out I boarded the wrong bus.

Day 1, Friday - Arrived at the Hotel in Tsukiji, Tokyo

After an hour train ride form Narita airport to Tokyo station and waiting in line for a taxi, we arrived at our hotel, The New Hankyu, in the Tsukiji ward of Tokyo. The hotel occupies the 32nd to the final floor, the 38th floor, of a high-rise downtown residence building. The room's view was beautiful especially at night. With a river, smaller buildings, and high-rises, the view was in picture perfect thirds.

Feeling the effects of jet travel we took a quick meal at Tokyo station, and after arriving at our hotel we bathed and retired for the night.

Facts of the day:

• Narita airport is not in Tokyo, Tokyo, rather, it's in Narita, Chiba, a bordering city and prefecture.
• Taxies in Tokyo charge by distance and time. For instance, if you wait at a stop light for a minute it'll cost you about a dollar. Base fair starts at $6.60.