EmanReleipS wrote:
I feel exactly like that. And I know what you mean about the gaijin that are fascinated by Japan. I have many friends that left Japan very disappointed. Thankfully I ended up going there because I like the language and I went there with only one expectation: I was expecting to find things that I will like and things that I will dislike about Japan. And exactly that happened. That was pretty much the lesson I had learned during my first exchange visit (to the USA): Every country has its amazing and less amazing aspects. As you stay abroad for a long period, you get to know your own home country better and in the end, you decide where you like it more (home or abroad). I realized back in the USA that I wanted to stay in Germany (by now my opinion has slightly changed to Northern Europe). As such, I pretty much simply accepted what I found in Japan.
But I felt pretty bad one time when I was in Harajuku (part of Tokyo known for weird clothes) and saw fellow gaijin there, who went so insane over those funky pieces of clothing....I just thought that Harajuku must have been what they thought all of Japan was like, only to discover upon coming to Japan that the crazy fashion of Harajuku is the exception. I think the media is making a lot of people believe that all of Japan is kinda wacko, which some people really seem to like. And when they get there, they are shocked and disappointed by the conformity and suppression of individuality.
Anyways, I miss the feeling of safety, that no one steals (except if it's a bike), various food items, free water in restaurants, clean and free toilets, and karaoke.
By the way, I went to the Tokyo Game Show. The computer game section was tiny. Computer games apparently still have the image of all being erotic games. They had one new shooter game and a bunch of guys playing Counter Strike Source. That was a bit of a let-down.
I went to Harajuku a few times. I presume you went down Takashita street too?
There 's a nice temple no so far from there though which often holds Japanese weddings...a weird experience as everyone but the bride has to wear black!
I miss Akihabara, all the electronics shops in one place! It's not what it used to be anymore though. It's been taken over by all the perverts with their school girl fetish crap, costumes, manga and all that stuff. I used to go to buy electronic components, broken PCs, second hand computer parts etc, you could get really interesting stuff there for low prices. A good shop I used to visit was called Akizushi denshi. I think it's still there, it was doing well the last time I visited, but that was about 5 years ago now.
I miss the low crime rate, the lack of aggression you get from people, trains that are efficient and run on time, the karaoke (what did you sing BTW?).
One thing I miss a lot is the vending machine system, it's amazing. And I'm not talking about the crap in the media about used girl's panties machines (I never saw any such thing, but everyone goes on about it when you mention Japan). What I mean is you can put a 10,000 yen note in a machine for a 200 yen drink and get change! These machines must be full of money, but they don't get vandalised or robbed. You can also get hot coffee in a can. The machines are well maintained and I never ever had a problem with them, they just WORK!
When coming back to Japan, I used to get off the plane at Narita, pick up my car from the car park (where it would have been valeted - and left for up to a month for what you would pay at Heathrow for about a day), drive to a petrol station, watch the pretty girls are they washed my windows and put fuel in the car and drive home feeling strangely at home but not at home...
Clean toilets? Ok, you might have space age ones in the modern buildings, but you never went into the countryside much then? Some there were absolutely awful!!! Also, most places rarely have soap and people just rinse their hands under a tap (or from the little pipe that refills the cistern) after using the toilet, which is a bit disgusting! No wonder they bow and don't shake hands!
But seriously, I had food poisoning more times when I was in Japan than anywhere else I've been.
I lived in Germany for a while, but that's a whole different kettle of currywurst!!!
