Tag: toilets in Japan

Although I've been in Japan for more than 20 years, there are some things I've never really mastered, like eating ...

Do you know what year it is? I often don't, thanks to the Japanese custom of counting years according to ...

There are certain benefits to being in Japan, including the ability to go almost anywhere by train and toilets that ...

Japan has been called "the only country that cares what its foreigners think," and judging from the large number of ...

When foreigners visit Japan, they naturally focus on areas of the country that stand out to them as unique, like ...

Japan is a unique country in the way that traditional architecture, clothing and other elements of daily life exist side-by-side ...

The Japanese are ahead of the U.S. in several key areas, including the availability of square watermelons and taxis with ...

Japan is a great place, really, with clean streets that are always safe to walk down at night, an excellent ...

I'm back in Japan after a rather grueling trip that included a canceled flight from San Diego to Los Angeles ...

You probably don't think of Japanese foods like omurice (an omelet served over rice with a ketchup heart drawn on ...

Two defining characteristics of the Japanese people are general humility and the ability to get along harmoniously with others in ...

I often write about the kokumin-sei or "national character" of the Japanese. By and large they're a harmonious people, preferring ...

"You know you've been in Japan too long when you are jealous of your friend because the camera strap that ...

Last time I wrote about our trip to Taiwan, which was both chaotic and fun. While I couldn't make myself ...

One thing I've noticed about the Japanese: they're very good at is appreciating nostalgia, and on any given day you're ...

One of the themes of being an American expat in Japan is discovering how much the country has taken various ...

My son has joined me here in San Diego, and we're having fun doing father-and-son stuff together in the States. ...

There are certain unique things about Japan. They have cars with names like Perky, Sunny and Mitsubishi Thanks Chariot. Taxi ...

There are some things I like about Japan. Drinking a can of hot "corn soup" on the train platform during ...

When foreigners visit Japan, they naturally focus on certain areas that stand out to them as unique, like maid cafes ...

One thing about learning a foreign language like Japanese: words don't always match up neatly, and it's not uncommon to ...

There are certain skills the Japanese people possess, which we poor gaijin usually lack. Like the ability to sit for ...

One of the first great mysteries foreigners encounter in Japan are toilets with a handles that turn in two different ...

I like to think back on what Japan was like when I first arrived, in 1991. Although the Tokyo land ...