Unique to Me

At first I had contemplated titling this post "Unique to Japan."  But then I thought to myself, "These things might also be found in Korea or China, so maybe it should be titled 'Unique to Asia.'"  But once again I was brought to say to myself (I talk a lot to myself!), "Perhaps many of these things could be experienced even in the good ole USA."  So, as you can see, I finally settled on a title which, I thought, would be the least improper generalization and the most politically correct.

The pictures I will post will obviously be things I have noticed here that I don't consider "every day sights"
I would normally see in good ole Utah.

At the bus stop: If the city doesn't provide ample seating, the people improvise!!!

Every fall the trees along major routes are cut waaaaaay back! 

Surprisingly, by spring they are as full as ever!!!

Strange yard art

I just love bamboo!  It is amazing how fast it grows!

It must be required by law or something because we have yet to see a block without a vending machine!

Honestly, there is at least one on every block!  Calpis (not pronounced at all like it is spelled) is like watered down skim milk with a sweet citric addition.  Strangely enough, I quite like it.
They even make Calpis soda, which isn't bad either!

This is the ever popular cat--maneki-neko--that beckons one to enter an establishment, despite the fact that it appears to be waving goodbye!  It is NOT Hello Kitty, however, as Elder G always calls it!

These are typical pants worn by construction workers--often accompanied by one-toed shoes.

Even our mailman drives a delivery scooter like this.

Cheapest dehydrator in town!  The one on the left has accumulated enough water now
to be tossed away and replaced by the one on the right!  One per cupboard is a must in humid Japan!

This is a typical three-tatami bedroom with a folded-up futon.  Looks like it must be a "double bed" futon.

Most often the houses are just a step or two off the road!

Ahhh!  There's nothing like a heated toilet seat when the bathrooms at church are not heated!!!
Note all the "options" to the right which none of us gaijins could ever figure out!

I just LOVE how preschoolers have to wear hats!  Often times they walk single file with one hand rested on the back of the child in front of them!  So dang cute!

As for tennis, when the park doesn't provide a net, you bring your own portable one!

And if you don't have a portable net, you just make do!!!

I've seen women in dresses riding bikes, but this was the first one wearing a kimono!

These are lint-catching pockets attached to the washer!

Makes me wonder where all the lint ends up in OUR washing machines back home !

Tokyo's expressways are on the ground, above the ground, and under the ground.  If under the ground, "chimneys" like these provide escape for all the exhaust!  Amazing!

Here's a typical "parking lot" near a train station.

And this is a typical vehicle parking lot of two to eight spots.  Seldom are they any larger.  There's just no space for anything bigger!  These are not manned by people; instead, once you park, a metal barrier under your tire prevents you from departing until you pay at the machine.

My most favorite vehicle ever:  The preschool bus in Fussa!!!

Sushi-ro is a popular sushi chain where the food rotates around the restaurant,

 and you reach for what you want as it passes by your booth.

Who says this isn't a tight fit?

And this is so tight that I don't know how the driver ever exited or why he parked where he did!!!

Now do you believe me when I say houses in Japan are narrow?  

Many of them are no wider than a single-car garage back home.

Once again, here's the front step just inches from the street!

I guess some folks just get tuckered out riding the train every day!

The electrical road signs warning of congestion, etc., are very informative--if you're Japanese!!!

Our favorite thing: workers and policeman directing traffic with their "Light Sabers"!

Overdone yard art, anyone?

The green onions here are about two feet long!

In case of rain, you can get a bike that holds its own umbrella!

Or in case of cold weather, you can get a bike that comes equipped with its own hand warmers!

On garbage day, you put it out on the street and cover it with plastic to keep the crows away.

(The darn birds still manage to make a mess, however!)

Japanese "family van"

And another family van.  I've actually seen a woman riding with four kids:  

One up front, one on her back, one in the back seat, and one on that child's lap!!!

New construction is always encased in a mesh "shell."  I can only suppose it is to contain the debris and not to make a mess on the site.  Small or large, all construction follows this set up.

Favorite gambling pastime of Japan:  Pachinko!

These places are PACKED morning to night with hundreds of bicycles parked in the vicinity.  Often times guards keep watch outside.  (And to think we have one of these in our basement!)

I finally witnessed how these parking elevators work.  If you need an explanation, just ask me!

Convenient delivery vehicles!

I hope you can appreciate the size of these two rice cookers at the Nakano ward's kitchen.

They're each about the size of the nearby microwave!

I just love this picture:  The mission home's genkan (shoe porch) on a meeting day.

Here's a modern-day street sweeper using an antique straw broom!

Another traffic warning!  Too bad we don't understand it either!

One nice SUNNY day in May!  Go figure!
No wonder their beautiful skin makes them look 20 years younger!!!

I guess all the vending machines in the area held a get together of their own.

Here's the maneki-neko again with one of our favorite missionaries, Sister Vail.

This is a rather high and scary escalator in the subway.
Since this is one of three in a row, it makes me wonder how far underground we really were!!!

 Another interesting escalator:  This one is in Costco

 and magnetically holds your cart tightly as you travel to the parking garage upstairs.

The safest disposal ever!  You'll never ruin another spoon again!  Why, you might ask?  Because this nonelectric, mesh-covered dish catches all your little garbage.  All you have to do is reach into its gooky, grimy self and remove the cruddy pouch (I called it a hairnet!) and throw it away into your garbage can!

(I can't wait to endanger my spoons once again when I get home!  These things really get gross!!!)

May we never experience a squatty potty again!

Manhole covers can be quite decorative.  They change per different prefectures or large cities,
so you could "collect" quite a few if you were to travel a lot.
This is, of course, the sakura (cherry blossom) flower.

The cemeteries are amazing!  I wish I understood what everything meant.
Apparently a whole family's ashes can be in one granite container;
it's not just for one person like at our cemeteries.

Day Care transportation made easy!!!

Four-seated strollers--also daycare transportation!

Boys wearing shorts were a common site for certain private elementary schools.

 

Our favorite flower, "shaped" Japanese orchids

Skinny is as skinny does!

I hope dogs in the park can read!

Ditto!

This one always bothered me as it was the only plot of grass on the entire property, 

and yet  the owners ruined it with some gross sign!

The Mos Burger chained offered a hamburger with tofu on it!  Yikes!

One of my favorite Japanese symbols, Daruma.  This represents one "Buddha" who sat for seven years staring at a wall until he was "enlightened."  Because it has no arms or legs and is round bottomed, it can't tip over;  hence, the popular saying accompanying it:  "If you fall down seven times, get up eight!"

Originally, simple, painted wooden paddles (hagoita) were used by young girls at New Years to play a form of badminton.  Over the years it has become an art form with elaborately decorated paddles to be hung in the home over the week-long New Year's celebration.

This hagoita painted on by a popular American painter in Japan, Allan West, was priced at over $2,000!!!

It was so awesome on the Sunday following New Years Day
 as  many of the women in the ward wore their kimonos to church.  Sweet, newlywed Kiyomi was the director of our Eikaiwa (English conversation) classes held every Wednesday evening.

 Amazing recycling!!!

Here's another shot of  "Mr. Construction Worker."

Verrrry short skirts are so common in Tokyo! 

As I was saying...

Many train stations are often unbelievably crowded!

They say that if Japanese tee-shirts start to make sense to you, you've been in Japan too long.  

Looks like I can stay here for quite a while yet!