More on Japanese Haircuts

In a previous post I mentioned a writer for the Japan Times and their interesting articles, but I think I have changed my mind. I've made it through just about all of this guys articles in the Japan Times and have come to the conclusion that this guy is too much of a typical American for me. In one of his articles, he actually says "I hate karaoke." Who hates karaoke??? Its probably because he is on the older side, but this article kind of bothered me. You can poke fun at Japan's odors, odd food, and crowds but anyone who has any doubts in the Japanese haircut has some serious issues. The line "But I dreaded going to a Japanese barber" made my blood boil. First of all, what the hell is a 'Barber'? Its not the 50's anymore, I think hair stylist or even hair artist is more appropriate.

I'll admit that I was a bit nervous the first time I went to get a haircut in Japan, but that was because I had been there a whole month and was worried I couldn't make small talk (which was not a problem at all). Every Japanese person under 40 had awesome hair and was 'man pretty', so I was not at all worried about what the final product would look like.

Actual haircut aside, the experience is well worth whatever you are paying. I don't know about you but I don't mind being pampered and massaged for dirt cheap.

I guess in the end it doesn't matter what that guy thinks. More haircuts for me!

Gaijin Perspective

I managed to stumble upon a writer for The Japan Times, Thomas Dillon. He is a gaijin living in Japan. Well, not really Japan, in Tokyo. His views are a little jaded and his love for Japan is not as passionate as mine, but we have a lot of common ground. His articles have reminded me of a lot of feelings I have about Japan, many of which I have forgotten about.
Its strange how easy and how quickly it is to get used to something when its in your face ever day. Things such as the smells of Japan, or how ridiculous it is to buy souvenirs for everyone you know has already been moved to the back of my mind. I only notice the smells of Japan after being away for a long time, and I AM one of those idiots that follows the omiyage code of conduct.
Allow me to explain. When it comes to shopping and ritualistic obligation, Japan takes the gold for both. So when someone goes on a vacation, no matter the occassion, it is no surprise that they are expected to buy omiyage (souvenirs) for everyone and anyone they know or plan on knowing. A concept that, on the surfaces, sounds wasteful and expensive...which it is. However, I found myself taking part in before I even knew I was ４万円 poorer on both my trip to Korea and Hiroshima. By the way, ４万円 buys you quite a bit of momijimanju and crap to hang from your phone...
As for the smells, Japan just smells like Japan to me. It is a unique and wonderful smell that I have learned to associate with drunken good times. I wish they bottled that smell. I've been trying to pick apart the exact smell but it always eludes me. I'm sure that fish and soy sauce are a major part of it, but that sounds a tad racist...Rest assured, if I ever put my finger on it, I will share it with the world.

Here are the two articles that jogged my memory. They are worth a read.
An Odor by Any Other Name
A Journey on the Road More Traveled

Japanese Food

やった！ I got myself some of those unique Kit Kats I was talking about earlier. I still need to find some of the seasonal ones to try (though they probably aren't around anymore), but I have Soy Sauce and Red Bean Paste now. Honestly, I'm usually not a big fan of the red bean paste. I wasn't too fond of the original もみじまんじゅ　(Momijimanju), the popular sweet from 宮島 (Miyajima) that is filled with red bean paste. I was a bit skeptical about the red bean Kit Kat, but it was awesome. It was somewhat chewy, and the bean paste was not overpowering. The taste was almost caramel-ish. It doesn't taste nearly as strange as its name implies. The Sakura and Green Tea Kit Kat's however taste exactly how they sound and are extremely delicious. I love just about anything green tea flavored but the Sakura one was quite refreshing. Whenever you find them, buy them in bulk!

Speaking of Japanese food, Banana Vending machines are making their way across Japan. If you click on that article, it has some good information, but I'm not too fond of the writer (it sounds like they have no idea what they are talking about). If they sold bananas in vending machines in America, then I would share their concerns with freshness. I wouldn't eat a Twinkie out of an American vending machine for fear of it being well past the expiration date, but I trust Japan. The line "You can find them almost everywhere, if you know where to look." doesn't make much sense either...
This concept just further supports the idea that ANYTHING can be bought from a vending machine in Japan. If I could only find a vending machine with out of season Kit Kat flavors....