Japan Log
Chennai
On the way to the airport in Chennai, my call taxi fell into a pothole and broke its shocks. The journey to the airport completed in an auto.
Tokyo, Narita International Airport
Tokyo, To=Eastern, Kyo=Capital. All my connections were late and I missed the last flight to Oita. The airline staff are extraordinarily courteous and almost uncomfortably apologetic as they make arrangements for the night's stay.
Tokyo, Haneda Domestic Airport
I wake up in the morning and look at my ticket. It says "NH812". I don't know which airline NH is, so I head to the first counter. The person behind it signs 14, then walks up from behind the counter, and walks me all the way to counter 14. Turns out I needed to go to All Nippon Airlines, and his counter (and he) represented a different airline. I don't know why, but I was embarrassed. I had not asked him to walk me, that was his choice. Yet, I was embarrassed.
Oita, Kyushu Island, Japan
Oita, finally! I get dropped off at the train station. The hotel is the tallest building in the small town and is not difficult to find from anywhere in it. I walk a few block to it. The pavement is wide enough to accommodate a car. It has special tiles laid down the middle for blind people to follow. There is even a separate lane for bicycles on the pavement, and people actually seem to use it.
Field Office, Oita, Japan
We have a translator assigned to us. He is our guide, translator as well as driver. He is meticulous in attending meetings, even if everyone speaks English. He picks up the technical details of our project from these in order be able to more effectively translate.
Toshiba, Oita
I go into the Toshiba factory. Cannot walk and talk on the cell phone. Cannot eat or drink anywhere inside factory compound. Need to neatly put away our bag (zipped) after we put on the clean room suits for entering the controlled environment in the manufacturing floor. Yoshi (our translator) is reminded to tell the gringos to put away their shoes neatly. He rolls his eyes.
More Toshiba
Yoshi had left the umbrella in the slots provided for them on either side of the door. When we came out, we notice that someone had emptied the umbrellas from one side so that all of them could be bunched up neatly at the corner of one of the two sides. The whole business leaves me speechless.
Even More Toshiba
The breakroom in the factory has 8 different bins for recycle. The bottled drinks have labels that tear off. The label, bottle and cap all go in different bins.
Yufuin, Japan
We went to Yufuin, a local tourist place. Spent a nice day walking around the mountain town. Ate the famous Udon noodles made and served the traditional way. On our return we did not have time to buy the train ticket. Upon exiting at our destination, they just asked us where we got on and issued the appropriate ticket.
Sexuality
Driving around with Yoshi, Kim asks why Japanese women speak in a high pitched voice. Yoshi is a bit stumped. Kim asks if it is because it makes women seem younger. Yoshi answers an uncertain yes. Kim concludes that it makes them sound too young. "I don't know why all women do that. Is that because Japanese men are...", she leaves the rest unsaid. I later notice that the Discovery Channel guide to Japan has a story about high pitched voice cultivated by Japanese women. I ask Kim if that is where she got the idea from. She confirms. It is all very impregnable, and Yoshi does not have anything to say. I dont know where Discovery channel got its story, but I did not notice what they and Kim apparently did.
The Emperor System
Japan has been in a 20 year recession. Its stock market is at a 26 year low. To put that in context, if the same thing had happened in the US, then DOW would be selling at 1000 now. Yoshi is convinced that the recession will end if only Japan got rid of the "Emperor System". I tell him that Japan's problems weigh trillions of dollar, while the "Emperor System" probably costs only millions. He is not convinced. I ask him if his feeling is shared by many. He says that he is not sure because "crazies will attack me if I say these things in public". Politics is the same everywhere.
I ask a table of 3 Japanese guys what the name of the Emperor was. None of them did. They all knew the Empress' name (Michiko). The Emperor's name is aparently "The Emperor".
Food
Strange as it is, today is the first time I have eaten French cuisine. Probably because this time the company is picking up the tab. The portions are small, the courses are many and there is meticulous attention to detail in every course and between courses. Sorbet is served after the appetizer to change the taste in the mouth in preparation for the main course. The good stuff is in the little things. The Japanese live by that. Apparently, so do the French.
Aoki-san took us to the local specialty. A squid restaurant. We were served fresh squid. Unfortunately, it was too fresh. It was still moving. I think I will draw my line at Sashimi. We were taken by the owner to the big tank that had the squids swimming around. Thankfully, the tour was after dinner. It would have been unsettling to be introduced to my dinner before the meal.
Culture
I went and watched the Oita Symphony Orchestra today. The hall was full and the crowd was dressed more informally than in San Francisco. They were deeply appreciative and the performance was breathtaking. As Rachmininov's music filled the hall, I was suddenly reminded of Isha and was overwhelmed with sadness about being so far away from her. Love.
A sumo wrestling championship is going on in Fukuoka and it is all over TV. The top dozen or so wrestlers are all non-Japanese.
The night life enjoys a vigorous life. Things come alive at 10:00 and then disappear again before daylight. The same signs promising "angelic girls" at night have Santa smiling at you in the morning. There are "talking" places where men go to talk to women. I assumed that it just a euphemism. Turns out that is all they do in these places. It sets you back 30 dollars an hour. I am probably priced out of the Japanese sex industry.
Kyushu in general is famous for its hot springs. We went to the big Kahuna, Beppu and went to a commercial hot spring there. They had all kinds of baths, stone pool, sand bath, showers, outdoor, and even a water fall. There were something like 500 naked men running around the place. I somehow missed the part where it was supposed to be relaxing. A week later, we went to a small natural hot spring near Mount Aso. It was surrounded by small trees and a garden, the sky above was cloudy and it was drizzling. It was quiet. It was wonderful.
There you go again
It is Yoshi's last day as translator. He apologies for not doing a better job, and tells us he is going to try harder the next time. If I were Reagan, I would have said "There you go again", not to Yoshi, but to Japan.
Japanese
Arigatou gozaimasu - Thank you very much
Doi tashi maste (Dont touch my mustache, said our translator helpfully) - You are welcome
Onsen - Hot spring
Sushi - Fish (mostly raw) with vinegar rice
Sashimi - Sushi without the rice
Tempura - Breaded and fried fish and veggies
Yakutori - Chicken on skillets
Japanese English
Grand-theater - Guranshiato (same thing pronounced differently)
Mussorgsky - Musurugusuki (even nouns are not immune to adaptation)
Courtesy at ANA Oasis Hotel, Oita Japan
Thank you for triggering the sensor on the automatic door for me, so I do not have to stand in front of it and trigger it myself. Thank you for taking my umbrella so I dont have to walk two feet to put it away myself. Thank you for handing me a pen so I dont have to move my hand too much to pick it up for the signature. Thank you for all the bows while you are doing all this. Thanking for running ahead of me to press the button for the elevator. Oh, now you are making a formal bow as the lift door closes in front of me. Stop it! Now you are just being nasty!
Smoking
There is extraordinary orderliness about the places as well as the people here. And yet, they smoke everywhere. Walkways not lined with shops end up being littered with cigarette butts. Restaurants are smoke filled holes. "Japan is full of contradictions", concludes KZ, a veteran of Japan visits.
Society
Two kids start fighting on the train. More precisely, one kid is kicking the other kid, who in turn shows no sign of responding. It is pretty vicious too. Everyone has their eyes averted, and nobody seems to notice what is happening in plain sight. KZ looks at the kids and says to us "Lets break it up", and moves towards them. This triggers a Japanese gentleman to get up and go pull them apart. Yet, nobody else looks. Nobody else moves.
Street Music
I sense something odd about the street music. We have walked the entire length of the road and the music has not changed, either in content or in volume. I wonder what is happening. It is only when I make a conscious effort to notice that I realize it is not coming from the shops but from speakers buried at the side of the road, part of public service. They are playing Bach.
Back Home
I checked in early at Oita, and they put me on an earlier flight so I dont have to wait. I checked in early at Tokyo, and got upgraded to Business class. Executive Lounge and all. No idea why. Could they be making up for some lapse? Maybe they had caused me some inconvenience that I did not notice.
On the way to the airport in Chennai, my call taxi fell into a pothole and broke its shocks. The journey to the airport completed in an auto.
Tokyo, Narita International Airport
Tokyo, To=Eastern, Kyo=Capital. All my connections were late and I missed the last flight to Oita. The airline staff are extraordinarily courteous and almost uncomfortably apologetic as they make arrangements for the night's stay.
Tokyo, Haneda Domestic Airport
I wake up in the morning and look at my ticket. It says "NH812". I don't know which airline NH is, so I head to the first counter. The person behind it signs 14, then walks up from behind the counter, and walks me all the way to counter 14. Turns out I needed to go to All Nippon Airlines, and his counter (and he) represented a different airline. I don't know why, but I was embarrassed. I had not asked him to walk me, that was his choice. Yet, I was embarrassed.
Oita, Kyushu Island, Japan
Oita, finally! I get dropped off at the train station. The hotel is the tallest building in the small town and is not difficult to find from anywhere in it. I walk a few block to it. The pavement is wide enough to accommodate a car. It has special tiles laid down the middle for blind people to follow. There is even a separate lane for bicycles on the pavement, and people actually seem to use it.
Field Office, Oita, Japan
We have a translator assigned to us. He is our guide, translator as well as driver. He is meticulous in attending meetings, even if everyone speaks English. He picks up the technical details of our project from these in order be able to more effectively translate.
Toshiba, Oita
I go into the Toshiba factory. Cannot walk and talk on the cell phone. Cannot eat or drink anywhere inside factory compound. Need to neatly put away our bag (zipped) after we put on the clean room suits for entering the controlled environment in the manufacturing floor. Yoshi (our translator) is reminded to tell the gringos to put away their shoes neatly. He rolls his eyes.
More Toshiba
Yoshi had left the umbrella in the slots provided for them on either side of the door. When we came out, we notice that someone had emptied the umbrellas from one side so that all of them could be bunched up neatly at the corner of one of the two sides. The whole business leaves me speechless.
Even More Toshiba
The breakroom in the factory has 8 different bins for recycle. The bottled drinks have labels that tear off. The label, bottle and cap all go in different bins.
Yufuin, Japan
We went to Yufuin, a local tourist place. Spent a nice day walking around the mountain town. Ate the famous Udon noodles made and served the traditional way. On our return we did not have time to buy the train ticket. Upon exiting at our destination, they just asked us where we got on and issued the appropriate ticket.
Sexuality
Driving around with Yoshi, Kim asks why Japanese women speak in a high pitched voice. Yoshi is a bit stumped. Kim asks if it is because it makes women seem younger. Yoshi answers an uncertain yes. Kim concludes that it makes them sound too young. "I don't know why all women do that. Is that because Japanese men are...", she leaves the rest unsaid. I later notice that the Discovery Channel guide to Japan has a story about high pitched voice cultivated by Japanese women. I ask Kim if that is where she got the idea from. She confirms. It is all very impregnable, and Yoshi does not have anything to say. I dont know where Discovery channel got its story, but I did not notice what they and Kim apparently did.
The Emperor System
Japan has been in a 20 year recession. Its stock market is at a 26 year low. To put that in context, if the same thing had happened in the US, then DOW would be selling at 1000 now. Yoshi is convinced that the recession will end if only Japan got rid of the "Emperor System". I tell him that Japan's problems weigh trillions of dollar, while the "Emperor System" probably costs only millions. He is not convinced. I ask him if his feeling is shared by many. He says that he is not sure because "crazies will attack me if I say these things in public". Politics is the same everywhere.
I ask a table of 3 Japanese guys what the name of the Emperor was. None of them did. They all knew the Empress' name (Michiko). The Emperor's name is aparently "The Emperor".
Food
Strange as it is, today is the first time I have eaten French cuisine. Probably because this time the company is picking up the tab. The portions are small, the courses are many and there is meticulous attention to detail in every course and between courses. Sorbet is served after the appetizer to change the taste in the mouth in preparation for the main course. The good stuff is in the little things. The Japanese live by that. Apparently, so do the French.
Aoki-san took us to the local specialty. A squid restaurant. We were served fresh squid. Unfortunately, it was too fresh. It was still moving. I think I will draw my line at Sashimi. We were taken by the owner to the big tank that had the squids swimming around. Thankfully, the tour was after dinner. It would have been unsettling to be introduced to my dinner before the meal.
Culture
I went and watched the Oita Symphony Orchestra today. The hall was full and the crowd was dressed more informally than in San Francisco. They were deeply appreciative and the performance was breathtaking. As Rachmininov's music filled the hall, I was suddenly reminded of Isha and was overwhelmed with sadness about being so far away from her. Love.
A sumo wrestling championship is going on in Fukuoka and it is all over TV. The top dozen or so wrestlers are all non-Japanese.
The night life enjoys a vigorous life. Things come alive at 10:00 and then disappear again before daylight. The same signs promising "angelic girls" at night have Santa smiling at you in the morning. There are "talking" places where men go to talk to women. I assumed that it just a euphemism. Turns out that is all they do in these places. It sets you back 30 dollars an hour. I am probably priced out of the Japanese sex industry.
Kyushu in general is famous for its hot springs. We went to the big Kahuna, Beppu and went to a commercial hot spring there. They had all kinds of baths, stone pool, sand bath, showers, outdoor, and even a water fall. There were something like 500 naked men running around the place. I somehow missed the part where it was supposed to be relaxing. A week later, we went to a small natural hot spring near Mount Aso. It was surrounded by small trees and a garden, the sky above was cloudy and it was drizzling. It was quiet. It was wonderful.
There you go again
It is Yoshi's last day as translator. He apologies for not doing a better job, and tells us he is going to try harder the next time. If I were Reagan, I would have said "There you go again", not to Yoshi, but to Japan.
Japanese
Arigatou gozaimasu - Thank you very much
Doi tashi maste (Dont touch my mustache, said our translator helpfully) - You are welcome
Onsen - Hot spring
Sushi - Fish (mostly raw) with vinegar rice
Sashimi - Sushi without the rice
Tempura - Breaded and fried fish and veggies
Yakutori - Chicken on skillets
Japanese English
Grand-theater - Guranshiato (same thing pronounced differently)
Mussorgsky - Musurugusuki (even nouns are not immune to adaptation)
Courtesy at ANA Oasis Hotel, Oita Japan
Thank you for triggering the sensor on the automatic door for me, so I do not have to stand in front of it and trigger it myself. Thank you for taking my umbrella so I dont have to walk two feet to put it away myself. Thank you for handing me a pen so I dont have to move my hand too much to pick it up for the signature. Thank you for all the bows while you are doing all this. Thanking for running ahead of me to press the button for the elevator. Oh, now you are making a formal bow as the lift door closes in front of me. Stop it! Now you are just being nasty!
Smoking
There is extraordinary orderliness about the places as well as the people here. And yet, they smoke everywhere. Walkways not lined with shops end up being littered with cigarette butts. Restaurants are smoke filled holes. "Japan is full of contradictions", concludes KZ, a veteran of Japan visits.
Society
Two kids start fighting on the train. More precisely, one kid is kicking the other kid, who in turn shows no sign of responding. It is pretty vicious too. Everyone has their eyes averted, and nobody seems to notice what is happening in plain sight. KZ looks at the kids and says to us "Lets break it up", and moves towards them. This triggers a Japanese gentleman to get up and go pull them apart. Yet, nobody else looks. Nobody else moves.
Street Music
I sense something odd about the street music. We have walked the entire length of the road and the music has not changed, either in content or in volume. I wonder what is happening. It is only when I make a conscious effort to notice that I realize it is not coming from the shops but from speakers buried at the side of the road, part of public service. They are playing Bach.
Back Home
I checked in early at Oita, and they put me on an earlier flight so I dont have to wait. I checked in early at Tokyo, and got upgraded to Business class. Executive Lounge and all. No idea why. Could they be making up for some lapse? Maybe they had caused me some inconvenience that I did not notice.
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