[Housetek]

1. Why do the Japanese flash the peace sign with their fingers ehen seeing westerns?
they do this in Vietnam too...
the peace sign is pretty universal so its very safe way of saying hello

2. Is it any theft at all in the city? I saw people leaving their belonging unantended all the time.
im sure there is.. but generally very safe place. i left my backpack at the bottom of a elevator in Roppongi one night for 4 hours, finally realized i left it and ran back it was there untouched.
* was a elevator in front of a club also*

3. I`ve allways heard the stories about "don`t leave the job before the boss". Is this still a part of the workingculture?
There is a whole world of japanese business culture, just way to much to go over.

4. What about the Japanese sex industry. I saw alot of it in Shinjuku. I also heard that this area was commonly visited when people where going out to have some fun. Can you tell me more about the area? In Lost in Translation Bill Murray are offered a hooker from the people he works for (I also read about it in a Murukami book- Dance, dance, dance). Is this common?

well it is said that japan consumes the most pornography in the world.
*meaning buying alot of tapes, sex toys, etc etc.*
Its every where, not just Shinjuku.

Shinjuku IS a fun area, and by no means is it known for hookers and stuff like that.

I personally like Shinjuku b/c:

great tempura places to eat
cool people
they breakdance at this huge glass building around 7-12 every nice day
lots of arcades, bowling alleys, kareoki, movie theaters
random stores that sell weird stuff

and yes it has some sex shops and whatnot, but pretty much every area in Tokyo has one or 2.

and no people dont go around offering you hookers

FYI if your walking around and some one offers you a massage, just shake your head and keep walking.

If you walk around roppongi for more then 5 mins you'll prolly be approached by one of those girls or get chased by a black guy trying to get you to come to his strip club or shot bar =P




5. What about the schoolgirl/goth fashion. Is that inspired from a cartoon or something?
no, i recommend a google search on lolita and goth style, its just waaay to much to get into.

its not just based on a cartoon, its like a whole community or life style.

im not all into it but i find it interesting.



Some things i find strange:
1. how its acceptable to pass out drunk on the street while wearing a business suit.

2.how one minute your casually standing in a train, and the next stop you are being crushed by 100 people trying to get on.

3. the unusual amount of Doner Kabab Stands there are

4. why they love paris hilton so much

5. and alot of buildings are missing a 4th floor but still have the 13th floor.
*yes i kno 4 = Shi and its bad luck and means death* but just weird to me to see 1 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 13.

thats all i can think of now =P