Thus far, the topics of the few entries that I have found time to post (mainly due to laziness) have just been minor incidents or things that I have notice. Today, however, I feel like pointing out some of the more interesting/weird things that I have noticed here. For instance, the existence of the kancho. Really, the kancho is less of a thing and more of a gesture, mostly performed by hyperactive children and drunken adults. The kancho is performed by clasping your hands together and extending your index fingers. This form then targets the exhaust pipe of the mark, and pokes. I here that children do it, I know that drunk adults do.
One of my personal favorites is the sign at the train station that simply reads, "Don't run into the train". I know what it means but I cannot help but be amused by the ambiguous language.
Also, police cars here do not intimidate like police cars in the states. If a cop is in a hurry in the state, a loud, piercing siren cuts through the air at a volume that can be heard at nearly a mile, inside of a car. Here the cop cars don't have sirens, they have some sort of muzak producing device. This same device also contains a recording of a Japanese lady politely asking for people to get out of the way in a cutsie falsetto voice. Imagine my surprise. Perhaps, the IPD should adopt a similar system, and that way they could safely apprehend the criminals as they are gripped in the throes of uncontrollable laughter.
Next item: cigarette advertisements. Now most of them are pretty standard smoke ads you know people having a good time, rugged men, mermaids, you know, the whole bit. But there is one that particularly catches my eye for it disturbing lunacy. You know those animal noses that you can buy at the zoo? Yeah, the people in the ads for this company are all wearing those noses. Looking like characters from some twisted children's morning show, they peddle their wares. I don't know though, maybe it is an anti-smoking campaign; you know, stop smoking or you too will turn into a dumbass.
This one isn't so much something strange that I notice from time to time. Rather this is an isolated event. I was walking to the post office to pick up my toothpaste (long story), when a lady ran past me. She was definately moving faster than me as I was moving at a leisurely pace. But I somehow kept catching up with her even though, so far as I know she never stopped running. It was like suddenly my legs had been possessed by the spirit of Jason Vorhees. Well at least his legs.
Well, I finally got around to joining a gym. It is owned by Konami of video game(DDR) fame, and is aptly named Konami Sports Club. It is a really good deal for me because I work out with my roommate who is a former minor-league soccer player who used to also be a personal trainer. So I provide him with a spot and he provides me with much needed management. Anyhow, this does actually have a point. This place also has aerobics classes on the 4th floor. But rather than just going to the aerobics class and doing it, the people in the class get there about an hour early and practice the dance-like routine. So at any given time, standing in the middle of the gym there will be some Japanese man or woman spinning and bouncing as though to music that no one else can here. That and the outfits crack me up. It was very difficult for me to find clothes. Not because I am so big here, but because I don't want to wear common Japanese work-out clothes. For instance the other day there was a guy at the gym who was wearing a tight fitting t-shirt with a pair of tight spandex, well, I guess you would call them shorts, but they were closer to speedos. This little guy, was mainly there trying to mack on the ladies (unsuccessfully), but occaisionally he would attempt to lift some of the smaller weights. So anyhow, this is getting long, but most men wear spandex, and most women wear long loose fitting shorts. Hey, wa' happened! Oh well, I suppose its only fair. Except to me because I have to see these guys, and it isn't pretty.
That is all for me, for now. I am shore your eyes are beginning to become strained from sitting through this long thing, and I thank you as always for sticking it out to the bitter end. Goodnight (mourning U.S.).
