What The Japanese Have That You Don't

Finally, I have a scientific response to the often asked "what do the Japanese have that we (Americans) don't?"
Besides the obvious answer of manners and an understanding of the world outside their own country, the Japanese have a specific gene that Americans do not.

In USA TODAY, I just read that the Japanese have a specific gene for breaking down porphyran, which is found in seaweed. Pretty sweet でしょう？ So much for 'we are all the same on the inside'.

One a similar note, I freakin love 海苔 (nori/seaweed). There are all different types of seaweed and its found in all types of Japanese cuisine. You can put it on your rice like this, or you can just eat the dried sheets like big potato chips (probably my favorite way to enjoy it). Probably not good for your sodium intake, but delicious!

Jihanki

I've only talked about these in passing, but I'd like to discuss vending machines, 自販機, in a little more detail. In America you only hear about the weird ones that dispense panties, liquor, and porn. This is just the tip of the iceberg. I would venture to say you could get EVERYTHING you could want from a vending machine in Japan. Here are some futsuu and bizarre vending machines.

This article offers some additional insight into Japanese society and vending machines and how vending machines actually work in Japan. I have yet to see a machine out of order or steal my dollar. Interestingly, you can use 1000 yen bills (about $11) in jihanki, which is unheard of in America. The article is written in real (British) English, so I hope you know what a 'metre' is...

If you don't have any money (like after an expensive trip to Soap Land or something like that) you can use your phone to buy stuff from some vending machines. You can also get cold drinks in the summer, and hot drinks in the winter. Hot corn soup or boss coffee makes the winter bike rides quite tolerable. Recently Japan initiated a pass system requiring a special card to buy cigarettes to keep the underage kids from getting their hands on them. This pass system spread pretty quickly around Osaka, but I'm not sure its made its way to the countryside yet.

The chu-hai vending machine will always hold a special place in my heart but, like the trains, they shut down around midnight. So start your boozing early or plan ahead!

ちゃりに乗る時

I came across this article today and it paints a pretty clear picture of what commuting is like in any Japanese city - not just Tokyo.

I found the 'mamas on bikes' section particularly spot on. Why are you still reading this, read the other article! (’-’*)

One thing they left out of the article is the sweet little bike bell. Unlike in America where the car horn is typically a sign of someone's frustration, the bike bell is a courteous tool that most people (about 99% from my experience) move out of the way for. The only people who don't are the 60+ year old salary men who are stubborn as hell. Here is an awesome video to illustrate my point.

I think now is a good time to bring up an interesting fact about Japan - Japan is more than just Tokyo. Say what?!?! Yeah, its true. Tokyo is a pretty cool city, but its not the only city (though it is the largest city in the world), and a lot of gaijin tend to forget that. But since most movies that deal with Japan take place in Tokyo, and most companies have their headquarters there, you are pretty much forced to see or work in Tokyo at some point in time....so all is forgiven.

I actually found Tokyo to be the least 'Japanese' city in Japan - it has a huge foreign population and a Chipotle - how Japanese could Tokyo actually be??