DAY 3: the journey continues

     Due to time differences and lack of sleep during flights, I went to bed really early the first day (around 10) and was already up at 6 a.m. Watching a sunrise in the land where the sun rises is amazing.

After taking a nice breakfast, I decided to go for a run. I put on a shirt and a t-shirt as the weather was really sunny and warm and went outside. The path I took was went along a small channel. On both sides of it there are blooming cherries (also known as sakura) and in the channel there are huge beautiful carps and other fishes. I was the only one running along that place.

Strangely, before I assumed that Japanese people do many sports. Maybe it was not the right time or not the correct place...

UNFRIENDLY JAPANESE

     I didn't even believe those exist in this lovely country. But here is my story. The day before I have purchased a converter to be able to charge my devices. The funny thing is that I knew the voltage difference, but I didn't exactly know the plug type. So of course the one that I had purchases was wrong. My Japanese friends suggested me to return it an buy a new one. This is what I did. I picked up a correct plug at the store and headed to a cashier desk, expecting a usual Japanese hospitality and friendliness. After a few minutes trying to explain to the guy what I wanted to do, an old lady came to me and ask if I needed help in English. SHe helped me to explain that I wanted to return the thing back. The salesman stared at me and then asked in Japanese-English: Why? Did you open it? I said that I had bought a wrong one. He starred at me again and told to follow him. We went to another "return" desk. I gave him the receipt, a converter that I wanted to return and the one I wanted to buy. He could not understand why I wanted to return two converters and had a receipt just for one... Finally he figured it out, and with an angry stare printed out a receipt. Than he filled it in with some complex Kanji (old Chinese characters also used in Japanese), then he made me sigh it and put a funny small red stamp on it which looked like lipstick to me and it was finally set. However the  impression that those lovely and always friendly Japanese people could be also unfriendly was left. 

RICE

     On the way out I was looking at some other devices for sale and saw a desk with rice cookers. For those who don't know it is a very convenient Japanese device where you simply put rice and it cooks it to a perfect condition. A day ago I have purchased a big bag of Japanese white rice and was excited to try it. By the way, rice here is of very high quality but very expensive. My Taiwanese colleague (much more expert in rice than I am) has said, that Japanese rice is really tasty and much better than the one they have. So back to the rice cooker. Back in the days when I was still living in the East of Russia on Sailing island with my parents we used to have a rice cooker from Japan, so I knew how to get around with it and that it was really convenient thing. So I decided to buy one. I picked the cheapest model for 5000 yen (40 Euro) and got it. The saleswoman was extremely nice and friendly, so the

GRADUATION DAYS

    I figured that out only after, but today was the graduation ceremony in many Tokyo universities. I was wondering before, because saw many young Japanese males in suites and thought, that if I would wear a suit,        I would look completely alike. 

      Our metro station located in Yokohoma and not Tokyo. For those, who don't know, the boarder of Tokyo and Yokohama is now very vague and two cities together create a humongous megalopolis with population up to 40 million people. Near our metro station there is a university campus and the graduation ceremony today was held there. Some girls were wearing traditional kimono and some flowers in their hair. All guys were wearing suits and ties. 

     Another thing that really wondered me, on the road crossing on two sides of the road there were 4 people wearing suits and small red flowers on a suit. They were "traffic regulators". Whenever the traffic light would turn yellow, they would stand in front of the crowd not letting them cross. Apparently, if they wouldn't be there, everyone would be just running across the street on red (which I would never expect from Japanese to be honest). 

OPENING OF A STORE

     Most Japanese stores open at 10. But when I say at 10 I mean it. Exactly at 9:59 the doors open and happy salesmen and saleswomen are standing along the sides, greeting you and bowing. This is something people need to see. It gives such a great feeling of order and that they care about the customers. Will go to the stores again in the morning. 

JAPANESE BARS

    This evening we finally met with a group of CEMS students and headed to an Irish pub. The choice of beer is not really big (only 4 types) and the prices are really high (I paid 850 yen for a pint, which is a little less than 7 Euro). 

     To make an order, everyone goes to a bar and has to pay right away (however it is different when we pay all together and not separately). You are not expected to leave a tip plus the prices are high anyway. 

Seems, that drinking strong spirits in Japan is much cheaper that drinking beer. 

Before coming to Japan, I read in a book that Friday (golden day in Japanese) is a really relaxing evening for Japanese workers. Finally they can relax after a long working week, loosen their ties and drink down their stress. I have also heard that Japanese people don't need a lot of alcohol to get drunk, thus a few beers will do. 

    Our CEMS colleagues who live in a dorm a station away have told me, that when they were traveling home that Friday evening by metro, it was fool of drunk people in suites and looked like Wall Street. Policemen have to take care of many of them, as some were blocking the doors of the underground.