TOKYO
Space:
Space is so tight in Tokyo that
you see things that don't exist in the rest of the world. I found one
toilet that had the sink built into the top of the toilet. As soon as you
flushed the toilet the water started pouring in the sink. It was logical
since the toilet room was no more than 6 to 7 inches wider then the toilet, on
each side.
The closet in my motel room is no more than 14 inches wide.
There are "love hotels" throughout Tokyo where the Japanese go for a
few hours because their normal living space is shared with other relatives or
flat mates. Also, they have capsule hotels where each person gets a
sleeping cubbyhole that's maybe 4 feet tall by 4 feet wide and 8 feet deep.
These cubbyholes are stacked three to four high. The rest of the facility
has common swimming, bathing, and entertainment areas. These hotels also
serve another purpose. Because the trains stop running at 12:00 PM, the
late party animal may not be able to get home. Cabs rates are silly ($6.60
to step in the door). Voila! An industry is born.
One final thought on the premium of space: Japan has half of the
population of the entire United States crammed into an area the size of
California.
Eating:
I had my mandatory McDonald's. They don't have a Big Mac here so a regular
hamburger, small Coke and fries are $5.80.
One evening I had an Italian dinner - Caprisi salad, spaghetti Bolognese, two
glasses of wine and coffee in a very modest restaurant - $39.00.
In the front of nearly every restaurant they display plastic reproductions of
the dishes they serve. In most cases the reproductions are lifelike but in
some cases they aren't impressive and look yucky!
The People:
The Japanese people I met were friendly and helpful, if I approached them for
help. Nobody went out of their way to initiate conversation. I
assume that is because of the language barrier but I also think the Japanese are
very formal and not too willing to take risks. I would estimate that 90%
of the men over 25 years of age wore suits and ties -- very few people in casual
clothing.
