Toilets in Japan: Take 3

This is my final week in Tokyo...my assignment actually ends on Thursday. I'll be traveling to China for a week before my return to the U.S. Of course, I'm excited to get back home, but I'm also really going to miss so much about living and working in Tokyo.

I've made some really great times, expanded my horizons...and encountered so many interesting things. One of this first and silliest posts I made in my blog was about toilets. So, I guess I'm returning to my roots a bit with this post.

This is an interesting toilet, in that, it's connected to a faucet. So, when you flush this toilet water comes out the faucet simultaneously... I know that it's not dirty water or anything, but the fact that the water comes out of the faucet at the exact time you're flushing seems more than a little strange to me. Convenient, yes...but it's still hard to get the idea of out your head that you're not washing your hands with dirty water...lol

Happy Birthday, Tokyo Disney!!

This season marks the 25th anniversary of Disney in Tokyo...so it's one year younger than me...how exciting!! It's a really big attraction here, as in most places, so I wanted to make sure to visit before I leave Tokyo next week (time really flies when your having fun). To be honest, I really feel like Disney is best enjoyed with kids in tow or maybe as part of a romantic couple. It's definitely about the experience - about the sights and sounds as opposed to the exciting rides. With that understood, there are two opportunities for enjoying Disney in Tokyo...Disney Land or Disney Sea. Disney Land, as I've heard is more targeted towards children and the Disney Characters while Disney Land is the home of more of the exciting rides. I'm a rider, so it was an easy choice for me...Disney Sea. I had a great time in the Tower of Terror (2 times) and in the Journey to the Center of the Earth Ride. My friend and I discovered that we could basically eliminate the wait time by riding the roller coaster as single riders. By breezing by the lines that lasted for about two hours, we had the opportunity to ride the roller coaster 3 times in less the amount of time it took other riders to go on only once. The only downside was that we didn't get to ride together...but took our chances with random strangers. In the end, it was well worth it and we had a great time...definitely an option to consider for future amusement park visits.

Sexual Harrassment in Tokyo

Let me begin by saying that based on my experiences, Tokyo is an astonishingly safe city. The crime I hear being reported is extremely rare, and compared to the US, is practically non-existent. I've never felt unsafe or concerned about my safety, in spite of walking around by myself at all times of the day or night. In preparation for assignment, I was warned of the possibility of being harassed or touched inappropriately, especially in crowded commuter trains. To combat that phenomenon, I have noticed "women only" cars on certain trains, regulated at certain times. Fortunately, I have not experienced any such incidents. I have had a few questionable remarks directed my way, but nothing that I wouldn't experience in the US, or any other country for that matter. In fact, this interesting sign has been the closest I've been to any real sexual harassment!!

Welcome to Akihabara: Electric Town

One of the first things that people ask about when they hear that I'm in Japan is the electronics. They want to know about all the deals and cool gadgets that I've found here...and I generally don't have much to say on the topic. This is for two main reasons. One, the few times that I've ventured over to an electronics store to buy something, I've noticed that the prices weren't any cheaper than the ones I can find in the U.S. and online. I'm a bargain hunter first and foremost, so in spite of Japan's reputation, I wasn't overly impressed. The second reason is probably most important, I'm not technically savvy....at all. I'm always the last to buy the new gadgets, I don't care to have the most updated cell phone, and I'm not certain of the specs of my digital pink camera. But, for those who are interested...I'd suggest a trip to Akihabara. This area of Tokyo is famous for electronic and computer goods...lots of speciality stores and opportunities for to explore, for those who are so inclined...

See more about Akihabara at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akihabara

Some Sumo

Although I live in a major sports city (go Steelers) I'm not much of a sports fan. I'm embarrassed to admit that I have never been to a pro football game or hockey game or baseball game...or really any of the big games that are so big in Pittsburgh. I often find it hard to watch games on tv, but in spite of these facts, I was really eager to go to watch Sumo while in Tokyo. As I imagined, the tradition and rituals surrounding the matches seemed as important as the actual match. Going to a match was pretty exciting, even for a non-sports fan. The size of the participants, the excitement in the crowd and the opportunity to watch big men in diapers was too hard to pass up. Tons (haha) of fun!!

Traveling Tips: Take the Shinkansen

When people talk about how good the transportation system in Japan is, they aren't lying. I didn't bring my car here, and many/most residents of Tokyo don't drive (similar to other big cities like NYC, Washington DC). Although I do miss the freedom associated with driving, I would not want to have to worry about driving on the left side of the street, reading signs, parking, etc... And, the public transportation system is quite convenient, punctual, and pretty easy to figure out. Most signs are also written in English (especially in the city) and I have been able to make do with my extremely limited Japanese and most people's ability to explain the basics in English. I travel for the most part on the metro and subway, but have also had the pleasure of riding in the Shinkansen or the "bullet train." It's a high speed and super comfortable way to travel, especially for those longer trips. It can be a bit pricey, but when traveling make sure to make comparisons and factor in the Shinkansen...it's always a great option!

For more information about the Shinkansen, go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinkansen

Absolut Icebar: Tokyo Style

The Absolut Icebar in Tokyo isn't a reflection of Japanese culture. It's actually an import from Sweden, and while I was there last year, I didn't get a chance to go. When I heard that there was one in Tokyo...I signed up immediately. It's cold, it's a novelty, and it's tons of fun to attend with friends. Although it took awhile to convince my friends to bear with the temperature, I think they all had a good time and would go again (maybe next time in the summer).

Roppongi, the area of Tokyo where the Icebar is located has so many places to go and is quite infamous for it's lively nightlife. Foreigners are everywhere in Roppongi, so whatever you're looking for - you're sure to find. Have fun, and stay warm!

You must make a reservation beforehand...you can do it online at: http://www.icebartokyo.com/eng/index.html

Who Needs A Pedicure? Dr. Fish to the Rescue

Back in the States, I get pedicures quite regularly. Especially in the summer...everybody likes to have pretty feet, right? And not to be gross, but dry dead skin is never attractive on your feet...no matter how much pink polish you use...dry skin will make your feet look positively gross. In my quest for soft feet, void of dead skin, I've used a number of products some with better results than others. A few years back, I recall seeing a spot on the news about a new craze in upscale salons...where the clients put their feet into tanks of water where little fish come and feast on the dead skin on their feet. The salon was charging outrageous prices...so i didn't really think much of it...just another thing that's out of my range.

Imagine my surprise, then, while strolling through the foot onsen at Odaiba, I saw an advertisement for Dr. Fish. For about 1500 Yen, I could have these little fish nibble on my feet and emerge with silky smooth feet. I was so excited, I let out a yelp and pressured my friend into going in with me. I was so excited about the idea, that I forgot to consider the reality of the situation...little creatures touching me...eeek! I am embarrassed to admit that in spite of the calm of the other patrons (old and young alike) I couldn't stop myself from screaming and shaking every time my feet touched the water. My friend and I caused quite a commotion and probably should have charged a fee for being the entertainment of the afternoon. I was involuntarily reacting...I couldn't stop my spasms, screams, and splashing...I literally felt like I was on Fear Factor or something. I think my feet spent about 10 collective seconds in the water and being serviced by the fish...and I had nightmares all night long. I usually try to post cute pictures of myself on my blog, but for this one the terror and fear in my eyes express my feelings about the experience...more so than any words I can write down...

Sand Bathing at Odaiba

It may appear from the pictures from the pictures above that I've been buried alive on a beach somewhere...however, this was actually a sand bath I enjoyed at the Odaiba Onsen over the weekend. My friend Sherry and I were wrapped in towels and then packed in hot sand to lay immobile for 15 minutes. My packer mentioned the heated sand would help to lessen any back pain and be relaxing. It was soothing and in spite of the intense heat, I found myself drifting off to sleep (I can sleep anywhere, I tell you). It was great, a fun experience and the warm shower afterwards was extremely refreshing. Definitely fun...just remember to remove any jewelry or metal on your body...that sand is soooo hot!!

Onsen Adventures: Part 2

As you many of you recall, I had serious doubts about going to onsen while here in Japan. In spite of my love for hot tubbing, I was totally freaked out about public nudity. As my assignment nears an end (only a little over a month to go) I suddenly felt the desire to conquer my fears and go for it. After serious consideration, and the helpful advice of my Japanese tutor (thanks, Tomoko-san) and trusted colleague (Morimoto-san), I decided to go to Odaiba Onsen over the weekend. In addition to a sudden and unexpected burst of courage, I was also persuaded by the description of all the things to do at this onsen. In addition to the traditional onsen, there were also large foot onsens, massage areas, lots of places to eat, a relaxation room, sand baths...and the opportunity to walk around in a yukata all day and take lots of pictures. I knew this was the place for me, and I was not disappointed. Determined to make the most of it, I participated in the foot onsen, traditional onsen, foot bath, had a shiatsu massage, a sand bath, and even dipped my feet into a pool of little fish for dead skin removal. Along the way, I ate some moderately good fun and took a long nap in the relaxation room...bliss...I loved it. I would definitely recommend it, and for more information click on...http://www009.upp.so-net.ne.jp/enjoytokyo/area/ooedo.html

Toilets in Japan: Take 2

In one of my earlier posts, I took pictures and discussed my shock at seeing a toilet of a completely different variety....completely grounded (often found in stations and outdoor facilities). I would be remiss, however, if I didn't revisit the subject one last time. In addition to those types of toilets, the ones most common in Japan are actually a huge upgrade to the ones in the States and other places I visited.

In addition to flushing, these toilets offer a wide array other other options to make your experience better. I won't go into the embarrassing details, but if you like a warm seat, warm water sprays, and even music while enjoying your private time...you're in luck!!

Happy New Year!!

I'm back!! I had the opportunity to go home (back to the US) for Christmas and the New Year. It was a great trip, lots of time to be back around friends and family and enjoy many of the things I miss while here in Tokyo. It was fun to drive my car around, understand the language around me, sleep in my old bed, etc. As vacations always go, they come to the end and now I'm back in Tokyo. One of many things I did before heading back to the States for the holidays was attend a few office holiday parties. I also participated in a bit of Japanese lottery...back in the States, I'm not much of a lottery player...but I couldn't resist the opportunity while here in Japan. I purchased a ticket and am waiting to find out if I'm going to be a millionaire...keep your finger crossed. After purchasing my tickets, I made sure to touch the money god...it may give me more luck...haha!

Skiing in Japan

The irony of the situation is that for nearly the last two years I've lived in Pittsburgh, PA. For those unfamiliar, Pittsburgh has PLENTY of snow. It's so cold there and there are plenty of places to ski, if one so desires. I've lived in other cold places too, most notably Germany, which of course provides endless opportunities for snowy adventures. In spite of these facts, I have never attempted to ski or snowboard in my life. I'm not the outdoorsy type, in all honesty, and skiing has always been one of those things that I say I would do, but never feel motivated enough to do. So, when of my colleagues here in Japan informed me of a trip to a ski resort with about 4o other employees, I jumped at the chance. The planning was taken care of, I could rent my equipment there and I would be going out with a bunch of novices (some who had never seen snow before in their lives). Although in Japan, the group I went with was completely non-Japanese. These were a bunch of global recruits - relatively new employees recruited from other Asian countries to come work in Japan. Joining me would be a group of people from countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia...etc. In my head, I imagined I should do fine...I'd at least seen snow and even attempted to ice skate once before coming to Japan. I didn't even fall when I did it. Ice skating and my ability to walk and drive on snow (thanks Pittsburgh) in no way prepared me for the travesty of attempting to ski. I couldn't even stand up in the things....it was horrible. I fell five times within the first few minutes and sat there immobile in the snow...how embarrassing! Most of the people I went with opted for snowboarding, so after taking of my skis I traded them in for a snowboard...hoping for better luck. It was better, in a relative sense. I still couldn't stand up and spent over thirty minutes at the top of the hill trying to stand up. After some maneuvering, I finally figured it out and made my way down. It was a long and hard journey and halfway there I stopped out of sheer exhaustion and the pain of my frequent falls. Determined to make the best of this experience, I convinced another skier in a similar position to snap a few pictures. It was an interesting experience, but I will say, do not attempt without some type of instruction/training beforehand...this isn't something to pick up along the way. Skiing in Japan certainly sounds cool...but limping in Japan does not....

Partying on the Yakatabune...

One of the many things to do here is Tokyo is to enjoy an evening on a yakatabune. After participating in a week long training course for European managers of the Japanese company that I work for, we ended our time together on a yakatabune - a Japanese party boat. The boat ride took us on a tour of the city on the Tokyo bay. We enjoyed the lights and the sights all while dining on traditional Japanese cuisine - sashimi, tempura, and shabu shabu. Combine tons of fun with unlimited drinks and a karaoke machine and we were ready to roll. The ride was far too short, but it was a great experience...a fun way to enjoy the culture associated with yakatabune, enjoy the sights and listen to your colleagues rap along to their favorite Emimen tune (thanks, Sven)!

Enjoy...

Lions and Tigers and Kangaroos?

I mentioned on an earlier post that my co-worker and I took a driving trip to see Mt Fuji a few weekends ago. In addition to seeing the famous Mt. Fuji, we also took some time out to enjoy a safari located really close by. I'm a little scared of animals, to be perfectly honest, but for the last few years or so I've expressed an interest in going to the zoo. As silly as this seems, I could never find anyone to go with and it was never a huge priority...so I just didn't do it. But, the idea of a safari was super exciting to me and I was super excited to see Mt Fuji and a safari all in one day trip. The safari didn't disappoint, and I was excited to see the animals so close up. As we drove by in our rental, we got to see the animals up close and personal and all with the snow covered top of Mt Fuji in the near distance. Highly recommended trip!!

Go to the Museum...I recommed the Tokyo Edo

On my own, I'm ashamed to admit...I'm not a museum goer. I usually save museums for big trips to interesting places...I haven't been to one in a few years actually and that was in New York. But, whenever I go...I'm usually pretty excited to be there and wonder why I don't go more often. This weekend, I accompanied some European managers from Toshiba on a sightseeing tour and one of the places we visited was the Tokyo Edo museum. Honestly, I'd recommend it to others...in addition to the traditional exhibits, there are lots of interactive exhibits and really well-done replicas. It's a nice size and really energized my interest in absorbing as much Japanese culture as I can...two thumbs up!

Fantastic Mt. Fuji

Of the many things to do while in Japan, visiting Mt Fuji is usually tops of most people's list. In fact, a few of my co-woke rs here asked me if I wanted to join them in a climb of Mt Fuji a few days after I got here. I was torn...while I really appreciated their offer to include me in their fun, I knew that that this would be not a fun experience for me. I'm not the climbing type, I don't generally enjoy nature...and I would hate to have a safety scare so soon after arriving here in the country. So, I had to politely decline. I've been here for nearly three months, so another co-worker and I took a drive up to the area over our holiday weekend. What made me excited about THIS trip was the fact that (1) we wouldn't be climbing any mountains, (2) we could see the snow-covered Mt Fuji as opposed since it is the end of November and (3) our entire trip wouldn't be based on seeing the mountain. As much as I wanted to see Mt Fuji, I'd hoped to have something else to do. My friend and I visited a safari at Mt Fuji...this picture was taken in the parking lot of the safari...yeah!! So, in addition to marveling at the mountain in the distance we actually planned to do other things that day...love it!

Feeling Fat..

I've basically accepted the fact that I'm a monster here in Japan. I haven't been thin since I was a child, but never have I felt sooooo big. At least when I felt big alone, I could always find someone who was my size or bigger...and feel a little better about it...

No such luck here. In spite of my efforts to get my weight in check, no matter how well I do...I'll always be super huge here. I tower over most everyone and know without confirmation that I could never run into a store and pick up some pantyhose, shoes, gloves...nothing and expect it not to be a big ordeal. When the shopping bug hits me, I take myself to an American or European store and breath a small sigh of relief.

Yesterday, on a shopping trip after work to pick up a farewell gift for someone, I finally felt the desire to do a little investigating to confirm my fears. I cruised over to the sale rack and picked up some cute Guess heels on the large rack. Never one for conversions, I picked up the shoe flipped it over and was astounded to see that the Large shoes were a size 7. Intrigued...I checked the Medium shoes -6 or 6.5...and the small 5 or 5.5...interesting, indeed. Never the one to hide my feelings, my shock and dismay were easily picked up by my shocking buddies. Sensing my concerns, they suggested that we go to the equivalent of a Big and Tall shop if I wanted to make a purchase. In spite of the offer, I've decided to save my money and wait for my trip back to the States...I need to save money anyways!!

On a trip to the countryside last weekend, I finally found someone who was bigger than me...and couldn't resist taking a picture of the evidence...haha!

Chesnuts Roasting on a random street in a random town outside Tokyo....

At the train station near my job, I noticed these strange little food items for sell. I wondered what they were, as I can't read anything but English...was pretty curious.

So, on a weekend trip to a small town outside of Japan, I encountered them again on the street. I stopped to inspect and asked my friend what they were.

Oddly enough...they were chesnuts. Not nearly as exotic as I assumed. I like peanuts, pecans, and cashews are okay with me...so I gave them a try. Exotic or not...I'll pass...I tried to hide my displeasure...but I guess I have a lot learn in that department...

I'm with the band...Beatles in Japan

Going to hear live music is one of those things I always think sounds like a good idea...but I rarely do it. I'm always busy and honestly there aren't that many people that I'd actually want to hear live. And then there's the question of venue...too big and I'm lost...too expensive and I'm not going. Oddly enough, several of my co-workers are musical...they love to sing Karaoke and play a variety of musical instruments...how impressive.

Last week, I was invited to a live performance at a venue not far from work. The price was reasonable, it was on a Thursday...and how often would I get the opportunity to hear a Japanese band cover Beatles hits? The decision was made, I had a great time...and I got to take pics with the band...lucky me.

In addition to my customary picture, I've also included a snippet of the performance...and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it actually works!