Japan is a peaceful country

Sometimes television news stories that go on and on about inane minutia - like a prefectural breakdown of the number of people who died from choking on mochi (rice cakes?) over the New Year. And sometimes I roll my eyes. Hiro takes a disturbing amount of consolation from it being an indication that Japan is a peaceful nation...and that is why they have time to devote to nation building through mochi comparisons. But the other day I was out and Jietai (the self defence force - Japan's equivalent of an army since it's bound to have an army) was out and about picking up rubbish in the neighbourhood... Each armed with a plastic bag they were collecting bottle tops and cigarette butts and flyaway paper and plastic....
Maybe Japan really is a peaceful country...

3 insignificant oddities

1.  I went to uni today rather cross because I had left my photocopy card with about 3000Y on it (30$) in the photocopy machine outside the graduates lounge yesterday.    The delight of the day was finding it still in the machine... either no one had noticed it, or if they had, they'd decided not to steal it.

2.  I handed in my 5th last assignment of the term today.  I finished it last week.... now that is odd.  I handed in another one a week early on Monday - really odd.  (My undergrad. lecturers would probably have a stroke if they knew..... - a whole term and not a single extension....)  next one nearly done, then 2 to go.....

3. On a less cheery note,  I decided to get a doner kebab from the van parked outside the uni.  I am very partial to doner kebabs and I was hungry.   Hiro has been away most of the week so I have been subsisting on toast & poached eggs with lashing of butter, and Dars chocolate which Hiro bought in bulk because it was on sale (you don't save money on a sale if you weren't going to buy it anyway....)  But I digress.  The doner kebab had cabbage and  tomato sauce (a.k.a ketchup)  eewwwwww.  I should have known that they were cheapskates when there was no beef option there...

Manners have run their course... almost

From youpouch, via Japan Today, these were voted the most annoying manner breaches by consumers.  It's interesting to note they are all infringements to the self rather than concern for the well being of others.... hmm... maybe the posters need to crank it up a notch....

1. Sitting with legs crossed or spread out on a packed train

2. Rushing on to the train when I’m trying to get off

3. Cranking up the volume so I can hear your headphones

4. Dozing off with your head on my shoulder

5. Blocking the door without any intention of moving aside

6. Doing your makeup from start to finish on the train

7. Searching for your commuter pass right in front of the ticket gate

8. Couples: too much public display of affection

9. Bringing a child on to the train during rush hour and shouting, “Don’t push him!”

Survey of users of Pouch (http://youpouch.com)

Manners have run their course...

The narrative of this is hard to work out. The message is be considerate to others and the younger woman has stood up to get the older woman's furoshiki bundle from the overhead space, because she is too short to reach it.But that doesn't make a whole lot of sense. How did it get there in the first place? Why wasn't she standing to give the older woman a seat... puzzling.

The woman here has her feet on the seat... rather unusual, at least she had the good grace to take off her shoes (as per Japanese custom) had I been closer, maybe I would have preferred her shoes were on.


For me the irritation these days is people playing portable play stations engrossed in the game, standing by the door in a trance... oblivious to anyone getting on or off. A particular problem near Akihabara....