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Summer Holidays In Japan

posted on Thursday, July 24, 2008 07:57 AM

Poor students though.. they have to go to bukatsu (club) for most days, if not all of their summer holidays, and the thought of the 1st year junior high school students just standing there doing nothing, except for fetching the loose ball and refilling the water bottles for their elders... well, makes me quite sick... but this is Japanese culture, and who am I to rebel against it?

Staying on the topic of Japanese culture... it just struck me that there aren't many (if any) local corner shops... we have convenience stores, supermarkets, department stores, etc... which all play a grand part in breaking down the community. I seldom see neighbours standing out in the sunshine talking with each other for a long while or popping in and out of each other's houses. It's a shame to say this, but the only place you can go to create a sense of community and have an ongoing dialogue with someone is perhaps at your local izakaya (japanese style pub) or barbers. It's always quite surprising that there aren't many markets around, well... it's not Japanese behaviour to be calling-out prices and make conversation with strangers now is it.

And no, I have yet to come across a farmer's market. Japan is very much a buisness orientated country. The sense of community has been dimobilised dramatically... much more worse than in the UK. You even have restaurants where you can make your order at a machine, it gives you a ticket, and then you hand that ticket to a member of staff... and they come back with your food... I watched several customers do this... and none of them said anything to the staff... no "thank you, yes, no, thank you for the meal, goodbye", or anything... and that is acceptable and normal in Japanese culture. I miss going to Dalston market (in London) and my local corner shop... where you would ask and be asked how is your mother, how is everything going... etc...

But on a more positive note for Japan... I have seen many Toyota Hybrid Synergy cars on the road... quite a lot recently... so well done... kudos for all those with hybrid cars!

I will leave you with an interesting video. Peace protest which took place in Tokyo in May, and inspired by a group in America:

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Comments

Vixie Labanda

Thursday, July 31, 2008 05:00 PM

what happens when you stop? the japs will take photos of you! har har! loved the video!!! super interesting! and the article? as usual, makes me stop, wonder, and say to myself... yeah, that´s true. hybrid cars in exchange of a warm smile and hello... wow...

Barry Crisp

Sunday, August 03, 2008 10:33 AM

Haha... yes, they most certainly will. Thank you always for stopping by my blog from time to time. Yeah, technology is back on the up in Japan, but communication is on the down.