This post is not about Japan's recovery from the WW II/the atom bomb/March '11 tsunami and the subsequent rise to the atmospheric levels of economic and technological development. If you've come here expecting to read about the never-say-die, you-can't-break-my-will spirit of the Japanese, I'm no expert in those topics. This post is also not about how clean, organized, respectful and culturally different/rich that nation is. Instead, these are some useless casual observations about the people/country that I have personally made over the time that I have spent there. In other words, if you've come here expecting any value at all in return for your time, I have two words: Hello newcomer!
The scramble crossing. This is the best thing to happen to mankind since the tilting wet grinder. (Why does it always have to be sliced bread?) The light turns green and a sea of humanity crisscrosses at every major intersection in all possible directions. To give you an idea, I have written this post entirely from the time saved by using the diagonal crossing. And that is a lot of time given my writing skills. If big cities across the world haven't done this, they should. If most of them already do, I must travel more.
The pencil box. That's right. Every working adult in Japan seems to carry a fully loaded pencil box. The said pencil box would have, at a conservative estimate, multiple mechanical pencils (with spare leads, of course), an assortment of pens with multicolor refills, a few erasers [a Jap colleague of mine routinely doodles during meetings with his pencil and erases them afterwards with his eraser. I mean, how cool is that? Au contraire, I have to lock up my note books. Should someone rifle through the pages of my office notebook, I'll be sitting across from the HR head and answering very awkward questions.] some highlighters, a solitary correction ink dispenser and a six-inch ruler. Yes, you heard me: A six-inch ruler. Ever seen one since class X? Me neither.
The suit. The Japanese national obsession with suits never ceases to amuse me. (It seems to be the same case in Korea too.) Suits of many colors, materials, styles, prices. Suits for men, suits for women. Suits as uniforms, uniforms as suits. They are just everywhere. I'm all for dressing up for the occasion. But wearing a suit every single day of the week wears me out. Even if it is not me that is actually wearing one. Interestingly, this year, the thermostats are set higher because of the power shortage and the general agreement has been to do away with the suits during business meetings. Just when I finally got myself one and learned to knot a tie.
Eye drops. Moisturizing the eyes seems to be a national past time. Waiting for the train? A couple of drops. In the taxi? A couple of drops. Before lunch? A quick squeeze. After lunch? Reach for the bottle. Most, if not all, of the people that I work with seem to be carrying a tiny bottle of some concoction meant to keep their eyes moist and clean.
Wet towels. Simple, handy and convenient. Saves you a pre-meal trip to the wash basin, saves so many (t)issues during the meal and offers a means to salvage some pride to even the most clumsiest of eaters. A dollop of curry on your favorite shirt? No problemo! A drop of soy sauce on your tie? Worry not! As someone blessed with two left hands when it comes to handling chop sticks, I can't count the number of times I've carried out covert clean up missions with a wet towel on shirts, ties and pants. Of people sitting next to me.
Air craft boarding. This is the smoothest exercise involving the movement of an assembled group of people from one point to another. If aircraft boarding was a sport, Japan would be world champs. Everyone is small, lean, smart, organized and disciplined. Announce - board - settle is the routine. Compare that with the standard boarding procedure in Chennai: announce - mad rush - try taking the first class line with an economy class boarding pass - quick calls to bid farewell one more time - stuff that coffin-sized cabin baggage into the overhead cabinet while blocking the aisle - negotiate a seat change to sit next to a friend - demand a pre-take off whiskey. We have some catching up to do.
Texting and cellphone accessories. The Japs (And Koreans. And Singaporeans.) seem to be maniacal texters. People, girls particularly, are on the phone, typing away at 90 miles per hour. Particularly on trains. Flip open...type text....close...flip open....read....giggle....type text....close. Round and round they go till they finally get off at their station. And the cellphones look like a decorated cow on maattu pongal day: inconvenienced and clumsy.
The scramble crossing. This is the best thing to happen to mankind since the tilting wet grinder. (Why does it always have to be sliced bread?) The light turns green and a sea of humanity crisscrosses at every major intersection in all possible directions. To give you an idea, I have written this post entirely from the time saved by using the diagonal crossing. And that is a lot of time given my writing skills. If big cities across the world haven't done this, they should. If most of them already do, I must travel more.
The pencil box. That's right. Every working adult in Japan seems to carry a fully loaded pencil box. The said pencil box would have, at a conservative estimate, multiple mechanical pencils (with spare leads, of course), an assortment of pens with multicolor refills, a few erasers [a Jap colleague of mine routinely doodles during meetings with his pencil and erases them afterwards with his eraser. I mean, how cool is that? Au contraire, I have to lock up my note books. Should someone rifle through the pages of my office notebook, I'll be sitting across from the HR head and answering very awkward questions.] some highlighters, a solitary correction ink dispenser and a six-inch ruler. Yes, you heard me: A six-inch ruler. Ever seen one since class X? Me neither.
The suit. The Japanese national obsession with suits never ceases to amuse me. (It seems to be the same case in Korea too.) Suits of many colors, materials, styles, prices. Suits for men, suits for women. Suits as uniforms, uniforms as suits. They are just everywhere. I'm all for dressing up for the occasion. But wearing a suit every single day of the week wears me out. Even if it is not me that is actually wearing one. Interestingly, this year, the thermostats are set higher because of the power shortage and the general agreement has been to do away with the suits during business meetings. Just when I finally got myself one and learned to knot a tie.
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| A quiet morning at the Tokyo Station |
Wet towels. Simple, handy and convenient. Saves you a pre-meal trip to the wash basin, saves so many (t)issues during the meal and offers a means to salvage some pride to even the most clumsiest of eaters. A dollop of curry on your favorite shirt? No problemo! A drop of soy sauce on your tie? Worry not! As someone blessed with two left hands when it comes to handling chop sticks, I can't count the number of times I've carried out covert clean up missions with a wet towel on shirts, ties and pants. Of people sitting next to me.
Air craft boarding. This is the smoothest exercise involving the movement of an assembled group of people from one point to another. If aircraft boarding was a sport, Japan would be world champs. Everyone is small, lean, smart, organized and disciplined. Announce - board - settle is the routine. Compare that with the standard boarding procedure in Chennai: announce - mad rush - try taking the first class line with an economy class boarding pass - quick calls to bid farewell one more time - stuff that coffin-sized cabin baggage into the overhead cabinet while blocking the aisle - negotiate a seat change to sit next to a friend - demand a pre-take off whiskey. We have some catching up to do.
Texting and cellphone accessories. The Japs (And Koreans. And Singaporeans.) seem to be maniacal texters. People, girls particularly, are on the phone, typing away at 90 miles per hour. Particularly on trains. Flip open...type text....close...flip open....read....giggle....type text....close. Round and round they go till they finally get off at their station. And the cellphones look like a decorated cow on maattu pongal day: inconvenienced and clumsy.
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| Yamaguchi-san on a conference call. |
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