30 Things You Should Know and/or Will Love about Japan Series: # 12

#12 - Take Off Your Shoes, Onegaishimasu (Please)

In Japan, you always take off your shoes when entering a house.  This is a habit we got into quickly, it is especially helpful when living with small children.  (They really can dirty up a place fast).  Most apartments are equipped with large shoe closets upon entering that store many pairs of shoes.

It keeps houses cleaner and it helps prevent damage to the tatami flooring in tatami rooms.

There are other places that you may also have to remove your shoes including certain restaurant seating and the dentist's office. The most surprising to me was the dressing rooms at department stores.  You leave your shoes outside the changing room when you try things on.

In most schools, students have indoor and outdoor shoes.  At our school, this rule holds true for the elementary school.  The middle and high schoolers (and teachers) don't have to change their shoes, even thought they share a lot of the same spaces, I guess they are less prone to have dirty shoes.

It is always intriguing to me how people deftly slip in and out of their shoes - their socked feet don't touch the entry way and slip easily into house slippers.  This takes practice.  Shoes are neatly slipped off and usually left facing towards the door, so one can slip them back on and continue out the door when exiting.  I truly find this an art, one that I am often fumbling around as I pick up kids and have bags slung around my shoulders.  At a very young age, kids independently take off their shoes as soon as they enter a house.

Last week, I went on a middle school trip and students had to bring four pairs of shoes - water shoes, indoor shoes/slippers, indoor sneakers and outdoor sneakers.  It was serious business.

Continuing on with this shoe business, you never put your feet up on things.  Even kids are expected to keep their feet off the seats of the train and in other public places.

Even with 55 kids, they all take off their shoes before entering the tatami room.

30 Things You Should Know and/or Will Love about Japan Series: # 11

#11 Rokko Island

Rokko Island

Rokko Island is a rectangular man-made island.  There is a great 5 km (3.1 mile) "Greenbelt" path that encloses the residential area of the island which is great to run/walk around and is dotted with great views, playgrounds and planned plantings.  Outside of that, there are shipyards for containers and a few other commercial buildings.

Middle of Rokko Island

Within the residential area, there are restaurants, schools, parks, grocery stores, a water park... Anything one might need when living on an island.  Unfortunately, in the past few years, many businesses have left Rokko Island, so there isn't as much a variety of restaurants and shopping.

It is the perfect place if you are under 10 or over 60.

We get around on bike and by foot.  We are only 5 minutes from work and grocery stores by bike (and really anything else on the island).

It does get a bit boring and we often wish there were more restaurant choices on island.  We wish that it was easier to go out and buy a gift or get the kids new shoes (as it was when we first moved to the island five years ago).  But, the kids have a lot of freedom on island.   Maximo rides ahead of us on his bike and has a key to our apartment.  While there are cars, there are lights and crossing signals everywhere.  There are hedges separating most of the sidewalks and roads, so when you are walking with an unpredictable toddler, it is usually pretty safe.

Maximo walking home with his friends

While sometimes we yearn for more exciting (shopping and eating, mostly) options nearby, we never have to worry about traffic or being jammed on a train on a busy commute to work.  It's easy to hop on the Rokko Liner and head into Sannomiya (the heart of Kobe) and enjoy meals, shopping and all the things we miss in our day to day home-to-work-to-home life.

Lola in the River Mall

In the middle of the island, there is the River Mall, a man-made "river" which is great for the kids to play in when it's hot.  This is where most of the shops, hotels, restaurants can be found on island.

View North from our apartment towards Kobe

There is a decent ex-pat population on Rokko Island due to the two international schools and Proctor and Gamble.  It is one of the few places in Japan you'll regularly see many foreigners. Due to this population, the grocery stores have a wider variety of products and we can get pretty much whatever we want (for a price, of course).

The City and the inhabitants (especially the large population of retirees) do a great job of keeping the island beautiful and clean.  There are a lot of sculptures around island and there are flowers, trees and plants everywhere you look.

The day after you arrive, we'll be at work, and you can go explore the island...you'll never be more than 15 minutes from our apartment.

30 Things You Should Know and/or Will Love about Japan Series: # 10

These posts are written for Carrie, Pete, and Elvia for their imminent trip to Japan, but of course, anyone traveling to Japan or dreaming of traveling to Japan can enjoy.

#10 Trash Talk

Image Credit: http://blogs.afp.com/correspondent

In Japan, trash sorting and pick-up is serious business, as you can see from the above image. At first it's a bit overwhelming, but now when we go back to the U.S. in the summer, we're shocked by the amount we just "throw away", even with the recycling programs we have in Savannah and CT.

In Japan, the major trash sorting categories (as understood by a foreigner) are:

Burnable trash - this goes to an incinerator and is food scrap, non-recyclable paper, and other burnable items.

Pura - this is plastic packaging - plastic wrap, plastic wrap from snacks, packaging from meat in the grocery store, and thin styrofoam, labels from PET bottles.

PET - this is plastic bottles - mostly drink containers.  But on this day of recycling, we can also recycle glass bottles, aluminum and tin cans.

Non-burnable trash - Hard plastics, and other small (that can fit into a bag) non burnable items.

While we can recycle A LOT, it is difficult to get rid of things (especially large things) you no longer want.  You cannot just go to a dump and drop it off, or what was even easier in Peru, just leave it by the side of the road, where someone else would grab it or it would be collected with the trash.

This is sometimes very difficult, especially because living spaces are so small in Japan.  The only other frustrating thing about trash is finding a trash can in a public place (other than a train station) can sometimes be challenging.

In Japan, people are really good good about cleaning up after themselves.   We went to a big festival and were given tongs and trash bags to carry out our trash with us.  

Frequently, different groups (schools, apartment complexes) organize clean-ups where they don their gloves, tongs and a variety of different trash bags to collect trash around their neighborhoods.

Regularly we see people on Rokko Island picking up trash when they are out walking their dog in the morning, just because.

Japan is a highly populated country, and they have great systems in place for people to live in harmony as best they can.  In Japan, people really respect nature and cleanliness, and everyone contributes.

30 Things You Should Know and/or Will Love about Japan Series: # 9

These posts are written for Carrie, Pete, and Elvia for their imminent trip to Japan, but of course, anyone traveling to Japan or dreaming of traveling to Japan can enjoy.

#9: Cosplay

Cosplay "costume play" is where grown adults dress up in (intricate & expensive) costumes with accessories that usually represent a character, from Manga (Japanese adult cartoon) or other sources.

Our island is often a playground for "Cosplayers" and photographers on the weekends.  The spaceship-like Fashion Museum and the Proctor & Gamble Building (which Lola refers to Monsters' Inc.), are perfect backdrops to pink and blue-haired sword-wielding futuristic warriors.

It's always entertaining to watch and I love the juxtaposition of kids playing in the River Mall with all these futuristic funky characters getting photographed in the background.

If you want to learn more about Cosplay, read here (or Google it yourself!).

30 Things You Should Know and/or Will Love about Japan Series: # 8

These posts are written for Carrie, Pete, and Elvia for their imminent trip to Japan, but of course, anyone traveling to Japan or dreaming of traveling to Japan can enjoy.

#8: Great advertisements/public announcements

Image Credit: http://wwwscriblets-bleets.blogspot.jp/

I often spend my train rides trying to figure out the meaning of the advertisements/public announcements.  Many times they are straightforward and easy to figure out the message (even when one is illiterate).  

But often times, I look at the posters and have no idea what the advertisement is about or there is just a really interesting/strange way of attracting people to the advertisement - not ones you would normally see in the U.S.  There are usually include cute animals or beautiful girls.

Sometimes the are funny because there are issues with English translation.

Here are some posted here at train stations.  I need to take pictures of more, because they are great.  

Image Credit: www.japantrends.com

30 Things You Should Know and/or Will Love about Japan Series: # 7

These posts are written for Carrie, Pete, and Elvia for their imminent trip to Japan, but of course, anyone traveling to Japan or dreaming of traveling to Japan can enjoy.

Tiny beers

#7 Teeny Tiny Things

When we first moved to Japan, I was amazed by how tiny things were - tiny apartments, tiny refrigerators, tiny packages of meat/fish at the grocery store, tiny portions at restaurants, and more.  After a while, you really get use to it, and now when we go back home I'm shocked by how big everything is - cars, meals served at restaurants, stores, etc.

Tiny Taco

 It's hard in these images to really get the perspective of how tiny some things are, but when you'll get here you'll see.

You get used to the tininess.
A large house isn't needed.
A massive meal isn't necessary.
Everything is cute.
While many things are tiny... they are really efficient and/or of the best quality.

A tiny moving truck

30 Things You Should Know and/or Will Love about Japan Series: # 6

These posts are written for Carrie, Pete, and Elvia for their imminent trip to Japan, but of course, anyone traveling to Japan or dreaming of traveling to Japan can enjoy.

#6: Tonkatsu

This is one of my favorite sandwiches of all time.  While you can get it in the deli section of most grocery stores, train stations and the convenience stores definitely sell them, I've found, the best is getting a really good quality one from a bakery.

Tonkatsu is just a pork cutlet.  It is served many different ways.  In a sandwich, it is usually on crust-less white bread, with cabbage, tonkatsu sauce and a mustard-y like sauce.

30 Things You Should Know and/or Will Love about Japan Series: # 5

These posts are written for Carrie, Pete, and Elvia for their imminent trip to Japan, but of course, anyone traveling to Japan or dreaming of traveling to Japan can enjoy.

This has nothing to do with the post, other than it's in Japan.
Ikuta Shrine, Sannomiya, Kobe, Japan - Sakura (Cherry Blossom) season

#5 A few simple words

We've lived in Japan for four years and as many of you know, Lola has the best Japanese in the house.  It's a bit embarrassing to tell people how long we've been here when our Japanese is so poor.  It's true that it is a difficult language, we are busy with work and our own little Lemleys, and our days are mostly filled with work which is all in English, but it's no excuse.  

The younger the Lemley, the better their Japanese.

Kawaii - "Cute" in Japanese

You will only be here for two weeks, while you shouldn't go out in your spare time and get the Rosetta Stone program for Japanese, here are the most important phrases you'll want to use when you are out and about.

Sumimasen - "Sue-me-ma-sen" Excuse me or I'm sorry.  #1 most used word by foreigners.

Konnichiwa - "Ko-Knee-Chee-Wa" Hello. (used about 10 am - 6 pm)

Ohayo Gozaimasu - "Ohio Go-Z-eye-mas" Good Morning.

Arigato - (Please leave off the "Mr. Roboto") - Thank you.

Wakarimasen - "Wa-car-ee-ma-sen" I don't understand.

Most important thing - Bow A LOT.  

Japanese people are lovely, friendly and very forgiving, more on this later...

30 Things You Should Know and/or Will Love about Japan Series: # 4

These posts are written for Carrie, Pete, and Elvia for their imminent trip to Japan, but of course, anyone traveling to Japan or dreaming of traveling to Japan can enjoy.

#4: Sushi Go Round

This is Maximo's favorite fast food option.  If we give him choice to go out to eat, he always asks for sushi-go-round.

There are many different sushi-go-rounds, but the premise is the same:

You sit down, order your drinks, and the sushi just rolls by and you grab what you want.

The color of the plate indicates the price of the sushi.  You can also order sushi from the menu and it will arrive to your table - either directly from the sushi chef, or it notifies you by sound when it's arriving, or there are even ones where a little train delivers it right to you.

It's a great way to "load up" on sushi.  They also have some non-sushi options like edamame, tempura, miso soup and other things.

When we're done stuffing our faces with sushi, the lady counts up all our plates by color and then we get the bill.

This will be a fun meal out for all of us!

30 Things You Should Know and/or Will Love about Japan Series: # 3

These posts are written for Carrie, Pete, and Elvia for their imminent trip to Japan, but of course, anyone traveling to Japan or dreaming of traveling to Japan can enjoy.

# 3 Vending Machines

Vending Machines abound in Japan.  The most are filled with drinks, but there are many others - filled with food, cigarettes, souvenirs and many other "needed" items.  As you can see in this article, 24 Vending Machines You Won't Believe Exist, Japan takes credit for most of the vending machines.

It's great to be able to grab a coffee, water, juice or my favorite, Lemon Tea, whenever you're feeling a bit thirsty.  By the time you get here, most machines will be switched out to match consumers needs as the weather changes and have hot and cold options.  So, when you are out and about, and are thinking about using a machine, remember that blue means the drink is cold and red means it is hot (see picture below). 

There are all sorts of fun (and sometimes weird) drinks to try.  Most of them have things like corn soup, so make sure you really study the picture on the can (as you will be almost completely illiterate here).

I even found some Pepsi for Carrie close to the house, although it's a super tiny can, so it may be more of a "Red Bull-type" Pepsi product.  It may be just what you need on your first jet lagged mornings.

30 Things You Should Know and/or Will Love about Japan Series: # 2

These posts are written for Carrie, Pete, and Elvia for their imminent trip to Japan, but of course, anyone traveling to Japan or dreaming of traveling to Japan can enjoy.

#2 Weird & Wonderful Toilets

You just don't know the pleasure of sitting down on a warm toilet seat when you've had to get up in the middle of a chilly night.  Our bums are spoiled.  I never knew what I was missing.  We are seriously considering getting a Japanese toilet for our US house.

Toilets are heated.

They have all sorts of cleaning options.

They can play music/fake flush to mask unpleasant sounds in public restrooms.

You sometimes have an option of a strong flush & smaller flushes.

Some have sinks on the back for more efficient water use.

In homes, toilets are in separate rooms from the rest of the bathroom - there's no waiting to take your shower while your brother (let's say Tim, here) is reading the morning paper on the toilet.

Japan has a mix of "seat" toilets and squat public toilets.

Japanese public bathrooms are normally very clean, which makes it nice when you're out for a night on the town, sightseeing, at a concert or any other place that usually has questionable bathrooms.

What may be the most uncomfortable part of the trip is that that there will be 7 of us (well, 6 1/2 - Lola only uses the toilet when she wants to) sharing one toilet for two weeks.

So when you finally make it into that closet sized room - enjoy the warm seat and try one of the features (please make sure you are sitting down if you are playing with the buttons).

A sink that does it all - lather, wash, dry

Regular buttons on a toilet - most do not have nice English translations

30 Things You Should Know and/or Will Love about Japan Series: # 1

These posts are written for Carrie, Pete, and Elvia for their imminent trip to Japan, but of course, anyone traveling to Japan or dreaming of traveling to Japan can enjoy.

#1 - Safe, Efficient, Clean Transportation

When you arrive, you will land, breeze through immigration, customs and baggage within 10-15 minutes.

Buses and trains are PUNCTUAL.  They leave when they say they leave and arrive in the same manner.  Besides our bikes and our feet, we use public transportation to get everywhere.  It is clean and very quiet.

There are many rules to traveling on a train - being respectful being the over arching rule.

You should take up only one, bags should be in your lap or at your feet.
You should be quiet.
You should not eat or drink.
You should not talk on your cellphone.

So many rules... but the train is peaceful and one can relax and "people watch"