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12-11-2008, 11:08 AM
I think my loves have already been covered, but I'll try to list them:
Food: Japanese food is superb. From stalls selling rice-crackers to bars selling amazing food (I'm a particular fan of the Doma Doma chain), from Yoshinoya's cheap'n'cheerful to the absurdity of Lotteria, from the underground food city by Kyoto's train station to little hidden ramen basements in Tokyo backstreets. I've yet to have a meal which was sub-standard in any way. People: The Japanese are polite to strangers. This makes being a temporary gaijin an extremely pleasant experience. My closest major city is London, where getting bruised by other padestrians is a very common occurence. I've only been shoulder-barged by two Japanese in all my travels. I've had total strangers ask in English if I require assistance when I was standing around looking a bit lost - and none of them tried to stab me  (again, a viable concern when you're used to London).Temples and Shrines: I absolutely adore that you can find these just about anywhere. A tiny gap between shops can lead to a hundred steps which suddenly remove you completely from modern Japan. The architecture and landscape separating these havens from the world are so skilfully designed that you can be in central Tokyo yet have complete peace and quiet. Even children using them as shortcuts to and from school are generally quiet so as not to disturb others. And after a busy day on one's feet, finding a seat is extremely welcome. Shopping: So much thought and effort goes into some of the simplest household items. You can buy things in Japan which simply do not exist outside that country. Even better, you can buy things in regions of Japan which do not exist elsewhere in the country. Japan has yet to have its cities homogenised by multinational corporations, and even in the busiest places independent stores thrive. It's not just the volume of cute items, although that's certainly a factor. Public Transportation: Clean, efficient, timely. Cultural Schizophrenia: Now, I love this about the Japanese. They are a brutal mixture of old and new, traditional and modern, but it works. From an historical perspective it's easy to see how they make it work, but it's still a joy to experience. Acceptance: I know, an odd one, but for me I find it refreshing that the Japanese do not belittle other Japanese for liking strange things. I've found middle-aged salarymen in a roleplaying games shop discussing whether or not to buy the latest Vampire expansion. Teenagers mass at Meiji-Jingu to stand around and hopefully get snapped by fashion photographers. Cosplaying is not only acceptable, it's done with love and flair. Little old ladies tap out emails on mobile phones which have so many cute things dangling off them I'm surprised the phone isn't too heavy to lift. People seem a lot freer to express themselves and have fun the way they choose to in Japan (obviously so long as they don't turn up to the office dressed as a maid). I live in a country where to have interests which aren't "normal" gets one a lot of stick. Vending Machines: Egads, but I love them. I love being able to get a drink without having to hunt down a shop in the middle of nowhere. I love the vending machine in one hotel we stayed at which sold self-heating curry. I love gashapon machines. I love finding machines on lonely street corners which haven't even been vandalised. I love that not all vending machines carry the same range of drinks, snacks, or whatever else it's selling. Public Toilets: Yes, I love these, too. In the UK most public toilets were closed down during the IRA bombings, and finding one in an emergency isn't easy. Most often you're left to sneak into a McDonald's or a pub and pretend to be a customer whilst running off to abuse their customer-only facilities. In Japan they're damn-near everywhere you would need them to be, they're clean, they're quite often actually stocked with paper even though all guide books say to carry your own, and they're free. I often prefer the squat toilets while in Japan, because I have an odd phobia about loos which flush while I'm sitting on them, which self-flushing ones tend to do, so without going into too much detail it's nice to just relax. Sumo: Good grief, Sumo tournaments are addictive viewing. It's such a shame that the sport is in decline among young Japanese athletes. Television: Shimura Zoo is the best TV show ever. The best! I've seen a lady with otter babies she'd rescued who had to teach them to swim. I've seen a cat who loves to be vacuumed. I've seen cats who sit on ticket barriers at small train stations. Words cannot express how much I love this programme. Nekobukkuro: So, you go to Tokyu Hands in Ikkebukuro, and head up to the 8th floor. There you give a nice man some money, and he lets you in to pet cats for as long as you like. They take homeless cats off the street, give them vetinary care, feed them and give them a home, and let people in to fuss and play with them. They have staff there to ensure the cats are well-treated by visitors. They take cats out of the public area after a couple of hours to ensure the cats get plenty of rest, and bring out fully-rested moggies. The animals are well cared-for, and it was truly heartwarming to see children treating them with respect and gentleness. Art: I adore sumi-e and other Japanese art forms, and I love the styles that Japanese artists employ. They have a unique artistic heritage which informs even the most modern artist. There are masses of museums across Japan dedicated to art, and each that I've been to has been a pleasure to visit (if, sometimes, a little hard to find). I don't doubt that there's more, but that's it for now 
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12-16-2008, 09:49 AM
You're welcome
 Having been brought down by 'flu this past week, it's reminded me of yet another thing to love about Japan: People will wear a mask when they are ill, to try to save you from catching their illness.
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12-18-2008, 08:25 AM
troo you remind me of the kind of guy that coughs blood and faints alot for no aparent reason.
Onsens Hands #$@%#%# down seriously if it wern't for onsens i'd prolly die of stress in japan. OMFG these things are like heaven, Pay $20 get food, massage, lavander, blueberry, sulfur bot baths. Herbal cold baths Those little Ice hut things that some of them have. Herbal Mist rooms, Steam rooms, Sauna's Outdoor LIBERATION! i can be nude and enjoy a nice breeze or i can be sitting in a volcanic natural onsens in the mountains while having snow and admiring the monkeys fight each other over food i throw at them. Godamn they are like heaven on earth i swear to god. The Food this literally almost made me "jizz in my pants" (for those who havent seen the new SNL skit i suggest you look it up ;p) Wagyu is like the most perfect beef can get anywhere in the world its like god decided to share some of his own flesh just so humans could tast pure ecstasy. And the Ramen i have never seen such a cheap meal taste so good and to be so filling. This may be a bit controversial and inapropriate but hey, japanese girls, Although i enjoy all the flavors of the world :P I have to say they are def in my top 3. and it may seem sexest but damn the japanese girls like to serve and help you in anyway possible....not to mention they're natural....umm....evolution thats happened in a certain place (though bad sometimes especailly when they are climaxing its like a bear trap).... Last but not least weird to say this but im a gamer at heart the arcades....these things are awsome...like they actually have the machines from Yu-Gi-Oh that read cards and crap that you place down....i mean wtf is that shit i had like a whole deck over there for some reason which ended up being rare and i sold it for a bloody profit? i mean what the hell... these things are amazing who comes up with a budget that big to blow on entertainment technology..ugh if only they didnt have such stressful enviroments at work and lifestyle then it would be utopia
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12-19-2008, 02:53 PM
Food
Tech traditions Language History Hot springs Diligence towards work Music Easy public transportation Cleanliness Manners Festivals Anime Kendo/Martial Arts So many gamers. I am also tend lean towards Asian women not just Japanese ones though. 
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12-22-2008, 10:48 AM
Quote:
 I also love: Umbrella stands: You can pop your umbrella in a stand outside most shops, museums, and even many houses, and no matter how long you're inside, nobody steals it. Your umbrella is still there, unharmed, with no nasty surprises lurking inside. I know, I'm starting to give the impression that England is a cesspool  Blue roofing tiles: Every now and then you'll see a house with blue roof tiles. I think they look stunning. Obviously if everyone's roof were blue it'd get old, but just to see them once in a while is glorious. Kit-Kats: Japanese Kit-Kats come in a startlingly wide array of flavours. Over here we just get the basic Kit-Kat, a mint one, an orange one, and a dark chocolate one. Occasionally we'll get something else, but it's rare. In Japan I've had vanilla, cookies and cream, green tea, and goodness knows what else. Calpis boiled sweets: My god. They really do taste of Calpis! Aquarius: I love the stuff, and it's nigh-impossible to get hold of in the UK. The lovely people at The Japan Centre looked quite apologetic when I asked if they ever planned to stock any, and responded with "We have Pocari Sweat..." Yes, and sadly Pocari Sweat genuinely tastes of sweat. For an invigorating, easy drink when you're hot and tired, nothing beats Aquarius. It's seen me through many days of castles, temples, shrines and shopping. Reading: The Japanese are avid readers. When a writer's despondent about the low percentage of readers in the world, they should head to Japan. Children: Now, I loathe children. I loathe the way we treat them like, well, babies until they're about sixteen, then suddenly expect them to behave like adults. I loathe juuuust about everything about kids. But in Japan, they're treated with respect, and very much as though they are simply miniature adults. They're not coddled, innocence is not forced upon them in some idealised attempt to protect them from the world, and they're not treated like idiots. In return, Japanese children are generally more well-balanced, well-behaved, and tolerable than our little b*ggers. They'll get themselves to and from school, they'll queue and follow their teachers around tourist attractions, and while they're obviously as rowdy as any other children when they cram onto a bus, their rowdiness doesn't spill out onto other passengers. Two thumbs-up to Japanese parenting! Yakuza: A strange one, I know. But it does amuse me that the criminal element keep offices and regular working hours, and that one can make an appointment with one's friendly local loan shark in comfortable surroundings and have a surprisingly pleasant experience getting one's illegal business dealt with. Obviously I am in no way condoning finger-breaking, prostitution, or other illicit activities, but only in Japan would the mafiosos rent office space and have business cards. Koban: At the other end of the spectrum is the prevalence of little police huts staffed with three or four officers whose job is mostly to provide a helping hand to anyone who needs it. You're never far from a koban, and thus never far from someone who's happy to provide directions, give emergency aid, and recommend a good local restaurant. Honesty: Lost something? You can almost guarantee that if someone's found it, they've handed it over to the police. Even cash. Even large sums of cash, intact.
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12-22-2008, 02:24 PM
Quote:
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12-22-2008, 02:26 PM
Food
Tech traditions Language History Hot springs Diligence towards work Music Easy public transportation Cleanliness Manners Festivals Anime Kendo/Martial Arts So many gamers. I am also tend lean towards Asian women not just Japanese ones though.
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