August, 2016. No sakura lining up my path, no snow-cladded town, no maple leaves to paint a picture-perfect Kyoto. Japan is witnessing the last month of summer. Hanging in the air is this tension between tropical humidity and a typhoon-ready attitude. Any minute then and there, it could pour down on you until your shoes are soaked inside-out, or it could give you uncontrollable sweating (and swearing). August it is, my flight itinerary said.
I forgot to mention Obon festival — Japan’s biggest festival of the year, where everyone gets about a week off work/school. Thousands after thousands of people flocking from big cities to their vacation bookings, or returning to their hometowns, resulting in major shop closings and an unusual traffic wherever we went. All in all, it was a poor choice to visit Japan. Yet, the final verdict is, as all Japan’s mind-bogging ad commercials, she never disappoints you.
I. The Culture Shock
It is impossible to experience Japan without some sort of culture shock, no matter how well-prepared you are. Why are they so attentive and considerate? Why do I feel like a Lord at Haneda Airport even with my Economy-class-Eastern-China-Airlines stub? What’s with the loud, uplifting restaurant greetings that occurs every three minutes? ( Still), seriously, why these Japan commercials? Why, the subtle and considerate choice of materials, and the Wabi-sabi touches that add even more charm?
Without being able to understand Japan obsession with kawaii and weird thangs, I was able to solve a few mysteries observed. Most credits go to Be, my local guide, even though my curiosity led me to stray into these topics for more than an hour.
The lack of trash bin
It’s freaking hard to trash everywhere in this country. Even at major stations, malls, tourist attractions.. there seemed to be no trash bin in sight. How is it that they could keep this country as clean, to say the least, as Singapore? There were several times I had to turn to a staff for help, and to my surprise they just simply smiled their hospitable smile and took it from my hand with both their hands.
Turned out, they deliberately choose to do so. 1995, Tokyo subway sarin gas attack killed a dozen of passengers, leaving thousands with post-injury effects. Haruki Murakami also wrote about the event in his book Underground. Japan was in deep horror with chemical terrorism, so in an effort to curb such threats, trash bins were almost completely removed. Each station would have one or two trash bins but given the size of train stations in Tokyo, the only realistic option you have is to hold on to your scraps and wait until the next convenient store. That’s the most useful place to trash, have a quick snack/breakfast ( Why is it so hard to find breakfast here?), shelter from the rain, get Studio Ghibli Museum ticket ( only at Lawson stores; as the museum doesn’t sell ticket at their premise, do take note).Filled water bottles found in front of the neighbours’
This practice has to do with the crows. Crow to Japan is like Cockroach to Vietnam ( sorry Vietnam, but it’s true); or Pigeon to Singapore. They Oooo all the time. These bottles, when filled with water, will distort a crow’s view of itself, therefore scare it away. I don’t know how well this method works, but couldn’t help feeling like there’s an anti-narcissist, psycho-y mentality behind this.Apron-like clothes adorned on stone statues
It’s eerier than I thought. These cute aprons are placed by parents whose children overcome serious illness as a way to pray tribute. The garment is believed to help protect children under the shield of Jizō God. But in some cases, it is the grieving parents of a passed-away child who adorn the rock statues. Bright and child-like in colors, but I’m not sure if I could feel good looking at them again.
II. A Mascot Nation
You’ll find mascots everywhere, from government/military establishments ( police, army..) to a random restaurant found 200 metres from the hostel. No shortage of cuddly mascots, even in prison. A friend told me there is actually a mascot contest. Yes, that’s how serious Japan handles cuteness.
III. English? Sou desu ka.
I will not forget Iida-shi, a sleepy, almost-ghost-like town in Nagano. Except for our host Ogawa-san and his designer staff, everyone else spoke to us in Japanese, and we patiently replied in English+gestures+every improvisation at hand, and so forth. I’d be ridiculous to blame them for not speaking my language(s), but this could be tiring at times: train delays/really hungry and could not read the menu/tell the price/therefore taking too much time sitting in their limited seats restaurant/way-finding problems…
But amidst the struggle, I later realized how much of an ignorant tourist I was. After a serious struggle at this BBQ restaurant in Iida-shi, Marc and I found such a simple solution — Ordering food in Japan for dummies. It’s such little effort to gain so much more — new language experience, relief/appreciation from the staff, saved us so much time and annoyance.
It was a new experience for me — coming from South East Asian where English is a secondary language in many countries, it is not hard to poke a few basic phrases from anyone, or at least shop assistants. I feel half annoyed, half excited to be lost in translation. It challenges me and nurtures new sensations, when placed in such unlikely situation. Because I do not understand Japanese, I will assume that the old cute lady at that grocery store complimented me as being ‘kawaii’; that food tasted a lot better when we conquered the ordering challenge; that many unexpected events only added up to the fun of this journey.
Thank you Japan, for motivating me to step out of my language comfort zone. It was fun to Japonise English words and to decode your thick accent. Marc was effortlessly good at it, I wasn’t.
There are probably at least a dozen things more about Japan that took me by surprise. To simply be there, in this sci-fi-inspired city, where millions pour into train stations everyday and release themselves to the ground like ants in a raid, where they bound and raise loud in restaurants but quiet and motionless on the train, where you cannot simply not having fun, whichever way you choose to go around. Because, Japan.
For something quieter, fingers crossed that I’ll finish my Kyoto entry before it’s too late.