Cats galore

I was surprised to find out that stray cats are scattered throughout Japan. I see them scavenging about during the day and night at odd moments, when I least expect it. I suspect people give up their house pets easily here, which is terrible. Then, they probably repopulate quickly out in the wild, especially if they are not spayed. On my usual return home from work in the late evening, a black cat has crossed my path a few times, usually from the right to left. Luckily, I am still alive and well; fingers crossed. On another account, I've seen a cat being surrounded by several large ravens. I felt like rescuing the poor cat before something ominous would happen. But I dare not cross the path of ravens. Ravens in Japan are known to be bullies to humans and animals alike, allegedly snatching snacks from the hands of children and pecking away at those who have tried to confront them. They are also believed to have a keen sense of memory and can seek repeated revenge to those who have offended them, so the best thing to do is avoid them at all costs. When one hears the loud "caw, caw, caw," from the ravens flying in and out of the train station, keep calm and carry on.

I've seen cats in the office parking lot across from my apartment, usually hiding near the wheels of a car. On a positive note, someone is feeding these furry creatures, as some of them tend to be quite plump (or pregnant) and I've spotted cat food a couple of times near the parking lot. I try to feed these cats whenever I can with seafood inspired junk food. Lately, I've been feeding them dried fish strips, a Taiwanese snack made for humans and not cats. But they seem to like it. I've also seen a beautiful, gray cat a couple of times at the local park. A cat lady was able to get its attention, and managed to pet it, but when I tried, it just ran away. I also hear them at night, through the walls of my boxy apartment, howling and hissing at each other through the darkness.

Cat cafes are found everywhere. I visited one in Tokyo lately, and although the cats were adorable, I felt slightly disappointed. The price was slightly steep, at about $10 USD for one hour, and there was a sharp cat stench. I was surprised, but I guess the ventilation in a compact building doesn't help, and if there are 10 or more cats incased in a room, it is hard to keep up with them all, especially if each one has a mind of its own (uncontrollable). Also, I tried to get their attention, but they could care less about me. I think they recognized that I was a dog, according to the Chinese zodiac. Perhaps I should have acted disinterested; then I would've had their undivided attention. I prefer my previous trip to a bird cafe which housed mostly owls. Although they were still and mostly sleeping, I admired their silent wisdom and beauty.

In addition, there are a few cat islands in Japan. The one that sticks out to me the most is Tashirojima. It is located in Miyagi prefecture, north of Tokyo, which was unfortunately victim to the 2011 tsunami. This island is known for having a higher feral cat population than humans. Most of the humans on the island are elderly. Fishermen here are known to feed the cats. These are some lucky cats, when you think of all the sashimi they are getting every day. Although off the beaten path, Tashirojima is becoming a popular tourist destination for cat lovers. The recommended time to visit is in the summer, as one needs to take a ferry to the island, and traveling by boat in the winter would be really cold, with all the strong wind gusts. Take a moment to Youtube cat island. You'll be entertained with what you see.

Kuro burger

Burger King released a "kuro burger," or black burger, earlier this September, just a month before Halloween. Like a small child, amplified advertising caught my attention, and I couldn't resist the temptation of trying it. I knew I would be disappointed, but I developed a craving that couldn't be tempered. It tasted a bit spooky.

Having a taste for food adventures, I knew getting to Burger King would be a food quest and I was up for the challenge. I had to hop on a train over an hour away to Shinagawa, as there is no Burger King in my neighborhood. After getting off the train, I got utterly lost and frustrated, but once I reached a certain spot, I smelled the distinct aroma of fast food nearby. After a few twirls in the light rain around the same block, I followed the smell, and found Burger King lodged next to a Labi department store.

Like you had imagined, this burger is black, including the bun. There are two kuro burgers available. One is the kuro pearl, which comes with cheese but without vegetables and mayonnaise. The second version I tried was the kuro diamond burger, or the deluxe version of the kuro burger, with similar main staple ingredients to that of the whopper, with onions, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise, but it has a wildly different flavor profile. The bun tasted of plain charcoal, but not smoky barbecue charcoal. It was unsavory. The cheese and special sauce was supposed to taste like squid ink, but I'm not sure what it tasted like, perhaps some kind of artificially processed food product that is made to taste like squid ink. The artificial seafood taste was rather unusual and didn't blend in with the burger theme. It would have tasted better in some sort of seafood dish or on top of rice. Each bite had me thinking the next one would be tastier and better, but no, each bite was equally disappointing. I think the best part of the burger was the vegetables and mayonnaise, as those ingredients had not been tampered in charcoal or squid ink.

I finished my burger as I had paid about 8,000 yen (8 USD) for my meal and wanted to make sure I wasn't wasting my hard earned yen. The fries were a bit cold and soggy, as they had been sitting out of the fryer for a while, but otherwise tasty, just like battered french fries from any Burger King. This burger was not for me, but chewing the burger got bits of it glued to the grooves of my teeth, which was pretty amusing. I also stumbled upon a decent used bookstore in Shinagawa called Good Day Books, which I would not have otherwise visited had it not been for the kuro burger. The selection was quite decent, and the prices were slightly discounted from the original prices, but not a discount in comparison to used bookstores in the United States. But it did the trick, and I stocked up on a few reads.

An early morning start at Tsukiji Market! *New photo slideshow included*

I recently visited the world renown Tsukiji Market's tuna auction in Tokyo. As featured on various food focused television programs, one has probably come across Tsukiji's tuna auction on television before. Visiting Tsukiji involves planning a few days ahead before going. The market is open to the public on select days, as notated on the Tsukiji Market calendar: Tsukiji Market Calendar. The tuna auction only takes place early in the morning. Also, only 120 visitors are permitted into the tuna auction area per day. These factors make entrance challenging but not impossible, if one is well prepared and willing to wait in line for several hours.

My visit to Tsukiji involved staying overnight at an affordable hotel near the market.  Trains in Tokyo shut down fairly early, and don't run during awkward hours like 3:30 am, so one needs to stay at a hotel nearby, or snooze in a 24 hour cafe, but the former option sounded more realistic, given I was traveling alone. I paid only about $59 USD by booking a room at the APA Hotel Tsukiji-Eki-Minami through Expedia. This included a complimentary Japanese style breakfast and free wireless internet. This was great, given I wasn't expecting any perks for paying less than $60 USD. My room was snug and comfortable. It was a bit dusty, but convenience trumped this tiny nuisance, being only a 6-7 minute walk from Tsukiji Market.

The night before, I plotted myself down at a sushi restaurant a few blocks down from Tsukiji Market and devoured fresh chirashi don, a heaping bowl of miso soup and green tea. Chirashi don is called "scattered sushi," and is served over rice in a bowl or don.  My favorite were the fish eggs over shiso. The eggs popped in my mouth, releasing their oily texture, contrasted by the intensely aromatic flavor of the shiso leaf.  A big bowl of hot miso helped even out the rawness of the chirashi don. I finished my meal with a cup of green tea that I ordered by mistake. The sushi chef confused my request for the check in Japanese with green tea. I'm not sure how these two requests sounded remotely alike, so I should probably work on my Japanese. Also, knowing how sensitive I am to caffeine in the evening, I knew I had a long night ahead of me.

Back at the hotel, I rolled around in bed all night with light sleep in anticipation of the next morning. The green tea I had with dinner fueled my insomnia. Around 2:30 am, I headed over to the market. Not to my surprise, there were already 3 people waiting in line outside of the ticket gate. We chatted while being uncomfortably bitten by mosquitoes. Around past 3:00 am, staff welcomed us into the waiting room, where each person was given a colored vest and told to move towards the front of the room.  The purpose of the vest is for personal safety, as there is constant vehicle movement outside of the market.  We sat down on the floor for about 2 hours and waited for the room to fill up to 120 people. Folks were divided into two groups of 60. 60 from the first group were given a neon yellow vest and 60 from the second group were given a dark blue vest. We joked that the second group was given an inconspicuous color since they were arriving later. Apparently, their safety was not guaranteed (just kidding).

Time went by relatively quickly, although my excitement deteriorated into sleeping with my eyes open. Soon enough, my group was invited to enter the market.

The market was a large warehouse divided into two sections, with one half being the auction area. I took as many photos as possible, given there's a time limit for being there. There was some incredibly big fish that resembled baby seals more than fish given their mere size. Their fish tails had been previously removed. To be fair to conservationists out there, after watching mounds of dead frozen fish being inspected, it pulled on my empathic side, and I recalled how overfishing of bluefin tuna is a serious problem, which I hope can be resolved in my lifetime.

The workers there walk around in jumpsuits, rubber rain boots to avoid slipping and carry a fairly intimidating stick. The stick has a curved, sharp hook which is used to inspect the tuna. Workers walked around using the stick to check the flesh below the fins of the tuna. When not using the stick, I saw workers swinging the stick around like a toy or hooking it on their trousers. Besides the fish, I noticed the funky hairstyles (or lack thereof) of the workers. One man looked like an Asian version of Mr. T, being incredibly tall, with a shaved head that was shiny like a waxed apple, with all due respect. Another person had anime style hair. I noticed their camaraderie.

On the auction side, a bell would ring and workers would be projecting their voices enthusiastically. Fish was chosen and whisked away into the back of trucks. Immediately after the auction finished, we were asked to exit. Outside, danger was coming from every direction with big trucks and fast moving transport carts haphazardly whizzing by. I later heard an American mention it reminded her of the game "Frogger." I'm not a gamer, but I know what "Frogger" is and agree.

                                          

I returned my yellow vest and made my way to Uogashi Yokocho, an unpretentious shopping and restaurant area located next to the market. I waited in line for one sushi restaurant, but the line wasn't budging with all the tourists, so I was recommended by some visitors to check out another restaurant likely serving the same fare, sushi. The other restaurant had only a quick 10 minute wait, which was not bad in comparison to the other restaurant where the line was barely moving, even after I had finished my meal. This was all happening at about 6:30 in the morning.

The sushi at this restaurant was amazing. Unfortunately, I didn't take any photos, as the dining area was a tight squeeze, and I had already placed my bag on the floor. Picking up my bag and getting my camera out meant possibly elbowing my neighbors. I admired the chef's personal touch, an older man with a friendly demeanor, who gave one piece of sushi to each customer immediately after hand crafting each piece, rather than providing each customer an entire plate of sushi at once. When I was given the sea urchin, I hesitated and offered it to my neighbor. Although I understand sea urchin is a delicacy, I tried it before but found the taste bitter and the texture difficult to chew. My neighbor said yes, but out of concern probably for sanitation, the chef removed my sea urchin and gave me another piece of sushi instead. I finished my meal off with a hot bowl of miso soup, and then sipped on a comforting cup of green tea. This cost me $40 USD but was well worth the price.

I then returned to my hotel and had a second breakfast of traditional Japanese food. It was well balanced and nutritious with pickled vegetables, fish, seaweed and soup. But after having sushi for breakfast, I felt a bit spoiled with my previously established food standards.

If you are a sushi lover, and happen to be in Japan on vacation or living there, please visit the Tsukiji Market. I guarantee it is worth the wait.

                                                            ***Photo slideshow***
                                                           Tsukiji Market Album

                                               ***Information on Tsukiji Market***
                                                               Tsukiji Market

Chibatman!

Watch out! Chibatman is coming. That's right, you heard me. Chibatman. My Dad recently shared an article about Chibatman. Chibatman is a mysterious man dressed up as Batman who drives around Chiba prefecture in a motorcycle. Unlike the real Batman who comes out at night, Chibatman can be spotted during daylight hours in traffic, and is seemingly law abiding with his respectful driving manners. During my short time living here so far, I'm not entirely shocked with this behavior. I once watched an English speaking television program called "Cool Japan," in which one episode mentioned the popularity of mimicry, or trying to be like someone else. Some of the people featured practicing mimicry prove the Japanese can skillfully bring it to a whole new level with voices or actions just like the original person. Sometimes I wonder how Chibatman manages to have ample time to dress up as a comic book/movie character during the day. Chibatman, what's your day job?

https://www.yahoo.com/movies/mysterious-batman-like-character-captures-the-95933855482.html

Revised blog title

My blog title has officially changed from Nippon to Nihon. Why? Both have the same meaning of Japan, but are used in different situations. I recently learned from locals that Nippon is a formal term that is not used everyday, but is reserved for use during sporting events, and is printed on money and postage. Nihon is the preferred colloquial term, frequently used in media, and also found in familiar everyday Japanese language, such as Nihongo (Japanese language), or Watashi wa Nihon jin des (I am from Japan).

Wear what you like (outside the office)

The array of clothing styles found in Japan will never cease to surprise me. On the one hand, clothing worn can be culturally traditional or conservative, but then also imaginative, trendy or just plain weird.  (That's cool, whatever floats your boat)! On the traditional side, every summer, you will often see young women dressed up in the yukata, which is a casual version of the kimono worn in the summertime, to attend various firework festivals held throughout the island. This eye catching garment is equipped with beautiful designs and is worn with geta, traditional Japanese wooden sandals that make a distinctive clunky "clock clock" noise when walking. Nowadays, women can also be seen wearing the yukata with rubber-soled flip flops. (Flip flops seem more comfortable anyway)!

 Conservative dress is expected in office settings. This means a full suit and for ladies, skirts must be worn with pantyhose (sigh). Summer dress is allowed during the summer, meaning men can forgo the suit jacket and tie due to unforgiving summer heat. Bleak color schemes of black and grey suits are normally worn. The typical shirt is a crisp white button down. When taking the train every morning, I notice a pattern of dress among office workers, especially the men. This is definitely different from what I'm used to in the United States where I was accustomed to wearing business casual clothes. However, sometimes exceptions can be made. For instance, I once thought a middle-aged man was preparing to bike home from his workplace. But it turns out he was in his usual work attire. He openly told me that he likes wearing a size small women's leggings because they are comfortable. Equipped with his leggings were skater shoes with different colored neon shoe laces. Remember, there are always quirks in the system!

Now about casual clothes! When people are not toiling away for 12 hour workdays in their cubicles, what do they wear? For the most part, the sky's the limit! Cross dressing or suggestive clothing can be seen. I once spotted a young man nonchalantly standing in line to buy food. He certainly caught my eye with his mesh, long white tennis shirt that he wore as a dress, and a sports bra underneath. The length of the shirt barely covered his sergeant privates which were minimally concealed in a brightly colored thong.  However, older men and women tend to dress more conservatively. But if you are older and happen to dress outrageously, that seems to be OK too.

Harajuku is probably the area with the most kooky clothing styles sold or worn in the Tokyo area. Goth, punk, burlesque, S&M, cosplay, or anything eccentric can be found here. Cosplay is to dress up in your favorite character, such as, anime.  Totally nerdy, I know.

Hats are also trendy in Japan. Yes, all styles of hats are worn in the summertime.  Knit winter hats, fedoras, fishing hats, baseball caps, and I'm sure many more styles of hats I haven't mentioned are worn too. I can understand wearing a fedora or baseball hat to keep out the sun, but don't quite understand the purpose of a knit winter hat in the blazing humidity. Must just be like a fashionable accent to one's attire; I don't know.

The tolerance people have for individualized clothing choices outside the workplace is refreshing. Perhaps it is a way to express your personality safely without being judged, reprimanded or "losing face" in an otherwise strict work environment. Perhaps individualized expressions of style is a form of release from societal expectations in a normally group oriented culture. I hope to continue observing people's way of dress. I'll never know what color of the rainbow I'll get.

Holidays in Japan

Overall, there are more public holidays in Japan in comparison to the United States. Here's a list of recognized holidays with my workplace. I have 16 holidays in one calendar year! With my previous employer, it was about 10. I've already had one holiday since being in Japan, Ocean Day otherwise known as Sea Day. This is to celebrate the ocean and remember the importance of the ocean to Japan as an island nation. In Japan, high priority is made towards maintaining harmonious relationships and Ocean Day characterizes this by paying respect to the depths of nature. Also, as a nation that falls victim to frequent natural disasters, this holiday is a valid reason for reiterating national unity. Typical activities include a beach trip or a leisurely bike stroll around your neighborhood (from my observations, at least).

Ocean Day

Monday, July 21, 2014

Respect for the Aged Day

Monday, September 15, 2014

Autumnal Equinox Day 

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Sports Day

Monday, October 13, 2014

Culture Day

Monday, November 3, 2014

Labor Thanksgiving Day

Sunday, November 23, 2014

Emperor’s Birthday 

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Christmas Day

Thursday, December 25, 2014

New Years Day/January 1^st 

Thursday, January 1, 2015

Coming of Age Day

Monday, January 12, 2015

National Foundation Day

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Vernal Equinox

Saturday, March 21, 2015

Showa Day

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Constitution Memorial Day

Sunday, May 3, 2015

Greenery Day

Monday, May 4, 2015

Children’s Day 

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Welcome to Japan, Gaijin.

I just arrived in Japan about one month ago. As with any transition moving overseas, there was excitement from the moment I arrived. As soon as I stepped into immigration, I was placed into a room with other foreigners (gaijin) with visas to Japan. The room was fully equipped, corner baby crib included. I waited patiently to be called. Meanwhile, an earthquake drill began. Rather than presenting a distressing bell, I heard an automated voice on the intercom instructing us to be calm. I thought everyone had to evacuate. But no one was told to do anything, so it was business as usual. The drill lasted well over an hour. I was ready to leave the airport when it ended.

The apartment that I reserved from overseas turned out to be a disappointment. It was backdated and next to a graveyard. Apparently, this set up is not unusual in Japan, but I prefer the land of the living, unless this is a zombie movie? Not the mention the neighborhood had a rusty, depressing feel to it. So my answer was no thanks, I'll pass. On the flipside, with gracious assistance from locals, I found a brand new apartment conveniently located outside of my workplace. Month to month rent is very affordable, but upon moving in, there are upfront fees which can be costly. I knew about these fees ahead of time, so this part was not a surprise.

My apartment is in a neighborhood with everything you need within walking distance: a convenient store, cheap eats, including, a decent Indian and Nepalese restaurant (my favorite cuisine), and a Katsudon place. Katsudon is a deep-fried pork cutlet served on top of rice with egg and a sauce. This restaurant also includes seafood katsu as well, such as shrimp and cuttlefish.

As for setting up a bank account in Japan, this takes forever. Expect to wait several weeks to have your account activated. The first step involves interacting with the bank teller on and off for 2.5 hours. What this means is the banking teller will provide you with a number, then you will wait to be called, then you will meet with the teller, then the teller will rub his/her head and mumble, then consult his/her associates, will read over a massive manual, then will ask for you to sit down again. This process repeats for about 2.5 hours. Next, they will mail you your bank card, which takes one to two business weeks. Upon receiving your bank card, you cannot use it immediately. You must wait for your bank book to arrive. This takes another one to two business weeks. I think you get my drift here.

Japan is a country of procedures, order and hierarchy. Gaijin (foreigners) are no exception. If anything, gaijin will be treated extra meticulously.