This was my third trip to Japan.   During the first month, I stayed in an apartment in
Osaka near the intersection of Tanamachi Street and Machimachi Street.   (You've got
to love some of the names that you hear and see in Japan.)   During the second month, I
stayed with my friend, Dave, who had an apartment in Ashiya/Hyogo on Sanjo-Cho
Street.

This is the third trip that I've taken to an Asian country in the past 11 months.   As you
might have noticed from the "Japan, 2002 (Part 1) " page (from the "Pictures" page), I
was in Japan four months prior to this trip.   Other trips to Asia include Thailand
(November of 2001), The Philippines (June of 2000), Taiwan (April of 2000), and Japan
(also in April of 2000).

As you can imagine, Japan's culture is different than America's culture.   After having
spent enough time here, I started taking notes about some of the more interesting
differences.   This compilation is by no means comprehensive; simply ones that I found particularly interesting.   They are as follows (and the list is sure to grow) --

Some highlights of living in Japan were (in no particular order) --

1) Here are some things about the work environment --

1	Slippers are worn by everyone.   This includes guests.
2	The computer keyboards are English based but have shift capabilities that allow the typing of Japanese characters.   Also, a special key, when pressed, allows the automatic typing of Japanese characters.
3	Software (MS Windows and others) are in Japanese and some have English in parentheses.
4	The restrooms have hand dryers but no paper towels.
5	Toilet seats are heated.
6	Paper recycling is not practiced.
7	Not all companies have their employees exercise before beginning working, contrary to popular American belief.
8	At lunchtime (12:30), an "alarm" goes off in the office.   It has a message, the sound of a chirping bird, and ringing chimes.
9	The office has a smoking room.
10	Occasionally, people run in the office.
11	Women clean the mens rest room whether or not it is occupied.

2) Here are some transportation-related issues --

1	People rarely honk their horns, even though someone may drive their car right in front of them.
2	On trains or subways, nearly no one speaks while riding on them (except if they've been drinking).   Instead, they usually checking or sending messages on their cellular telephones, reading, or sleeping.
3	People ride bikes even while wearing suits or skirts.
4	Cars and bikes regularly park on sidewalks.   This makes it necessary for pedestrians to walk in the curbs or streets.
5	Bikers frequently are talking on cell phones while riding.
6	Bikes are ridden on the sidewalks more frequently than on the streets. They come dangerously close to hitting pedestrians.
7	Crosswalks don't have buttons.
8	It seems that the "transportation department" tries to get people to use public transportation.   Whenever driving on highways, freeways, etc., it is necessary to pay tolls.   For example, when driving from Wakayama to Osaka on November 2nd, we paid approximately $30 in toll fees.
9	The trains have doors and handles (to hold onto in order to keep from falling) that I have to bend down in order to avoid hitting my head on them.
10	When cars are stopped at lights, they turn off their headlights.   This is done to avoid shining them into the eyes of other people in cars, on bicycles, pedestrians, etc.
11	In downtown Osaka, cars regularly park on the sidewalk.
12	Many women walk pigeon-toed.
13	Most people smoke cigarettes.
14	Taxis have manual transmissions -- 3-on-the-tree.
15	Women have been lightening the color of their hair during the past 3 or 4 years.
16	Women walk safely at night, I think.
17	Some of the bathrooms on bullet trains are "Western Style".   In them, a sign recommends holding onto a safety bar.   However, the safety bar is built low (for Japanese people?) and is difficult to reach.
18	When people read, frequently they are reading comic books.   This includes adults.

3) Here are some things about my first apartment, located on Tanimachi -- suji, near Matsuyamachi station, in Osaka --

1	There is no zoning.   Amongst the apartments and condominiums are business buildings, mini-malls, and convenience stores.
2	The water in the bathroom is shared between the sink and the shower.   A hose connects the faucet with the showerhead and a lever is used to switch between the two connections.   As such, they cannot both have water running in them simultaneously.
3	The street outside of my apartment sounds like the "Osaka Grand Prix". Cars race along the street at high speeds, especially during rush hours.
4	The bathroom mirror is situated so low on the wall that I have to bend down in order to see my face.
5	The washing machine on my floor doesn't work.   It looks like World War II surplus.   I checked the floors immediately above and below my floor and neither of them had washing machines at all.
6	Nearly every day, pornography leaflets are dropped off in the mail.   (I don't have a problem with it, but it's unusual compared to The United States.

4) Some generally-interesting things --

1	Few electrical outlets have ground connections on them.
2	When buying time on a prepaid telephone, it costs 1,000 yen for 10 minutes.   (At 121 yen per dollar, that's approximately $8.25 for 10 minutes or 82.5 cents per minutes.   That's expensive!)
3	The doorways leading to stairwells are low, for American standards.   I usually have to duck in order to get under it without hitting my head.
4	In the Shinsaibashi area, there are many homeless people.   They walk around pulling carts on which they carry empty boxes that they find behind stores.   They use the boxes to build makeshift sleeping quarters each night.   They sleep along sidewalks, even along busy streets.
5	Toilet paper holders have "hangers" that cover the toilet paper.   With them, it makes sense to place the paper in the holder so that it rolls over from the top instead of under from the bottom.   The "hanger" will cut the paper off cleanly.
6	When the Japanese people compare the costs of things between their country and the United States (as well as other countries, probably) is to determine how many hamburgers that can be purchased with the same amount of money (i.e., wages).
7	When people honk their horns, it's usually done "quietly" and to let someone know that they are going to pass them; not "loudly" to let someone know that they are angry because they felt that they rudely turned in front of them.
8	Hostess bars are located nearly everywhere, even in upscale-type neighborhoods.   (No, I didn't go to any of them!)
9	Manhole covers are frequently etched with designs instead of simply being flat.
10	Bars don't have bouncers either watching the front door or inside.
11	Umbrellas are available for free in nearly all public places (i.e., restaurants, bars, train stations).
12	Nearly all money is new, not old; worn out money is not usually available.
13	When people use toothpicks in public, they cover their mouths with their free hand.
14	Most organizations use military time to indicate their hours of operation.

National/International Crisis
Strangely, whenever I travel to a country in either Asia or the South Pacific, a national
or international crisis occurs.   During this trip, the crisis was international -- Severe
Acute Respiratory Syndrome ("SARS").   The fun never ends!