ASIA - My Story. Chapter 4 - People

People are very polite and courteous in Japan. If we are taking a picture on a busy street they always wait for us instead of walking in front of the camera. They are very much into education, not very religious as I understand, more of a secular society with strong sense of cooperation within a community. When so many people live in such a tight space, Japanese have figured out how to coexist peacefully with respect and cooperation towards each other. Many, many, many apartment buildings around. We saw some private houses as well. Not as big like Americans but with neat and very well-planned out spaces around them . Tiny yards, but those who have enough room grow vegetable gardens and rice on every patch available to them. Lots of small cars. One to two kids per family is a norm.

Lots of school students wear uniforms depending which school they belong to.
NO garbage cans around and no trash on streets. Where is it? We still don't know and carry our empty water bottles with us.
People are disciplined to the point of automatism. In Toyota factory we witnessed the following picture: before crossing the street each and every worker pointed and looked to the right, to the left, and straight, and only then crossed the street. Almost like robots. I wish we recorded it on camera.

Clothes. Older people, I mean, 30 and over, are in business suits, mostly black, with white shirts underneath. Younger generation has a distinct look: girls in tight jeans or leggins with short dresses over them. Often nothing on legs, just mini-dresses, shoes, or boots. Some have their hair dyed in red or brown. Guys have lots of hair on their heads, tight jeans and smallish t-shirts. Ladies of all ages don't like suntan and wear hats, visors, umbrellas, gloves, and nylons to stay white and not look like they've been working on a rice field all day. When traveling, couples or families like to wear matching polo shirts. We saw lots of those in airports and hotels.

Also, many wear masks on their faces to protect themselves and others from getting sick.

Tradition is in big style. Many women show off their kimonos, which is usually a gift from a husband. Our tour guide lady told us of a kimono that belonged to her grandma. To wash it, it had to be picked to pieces and after it's clean, sewed up again. Crazy! 

26 May 2009 - Tuesday


Deutche Bank in the morning then flight to Seoul, Korea.

Before our flight we got some souvenirs at Asakusa.