It’s often the little things that you remember about visiting a country. Yep, there’s the big stuff—Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, The Hermitage. I’ve been fortunate to see a lot of them but what I often remember when I return home from a trip are the weird little juxtapositions of odd stuff or the funny moments of people watching.
This blog is a collection of those kinds of experiences on a three week trip to Japan. It’s the stuff that makes me smile, out and out laugh or marvel with how different our cultures are while understanding that we are all the same underneath.
Cuteness
I’ll begin with cuteness. Japan likes cute stuff. The Hello Kitty themed train (recent blog post), bus decorations, signs in public spaces are all part of Japanese life.
Bus Names
Bus names amused me. The Lucky Bus sounds like a good idea but I’m intrigued with Tiger Bus as well. Sounds like a sports team or band. The name is much more interesting than Bus Number 4.
Frog Theme Retail
I got a major kick out of a shopping street in Matsumoto with a frog theme. Yep, there were frogs on the signs, photo poster, merchandise and even a frog altar. I’ve been involved or interested in retail all of my life and have never seen anything like this. I wonder if the theme helps to increase sales? What do you think?
Canine Buddies
Dogs. I love dogs. Millie, Izzy and Jitters were truly a joy so it would make sense that I found myself drawn to the love that some Japanese seem to have for their canine buddies to the point of dressing alike.
Amusing Signs
Signs. The signs are endlessly funny. I laughed when I saw the one telling us what will happen when the lever is pressed on the ketchup server. Bathroom signs are especially informative. Do you think guests at a hotel need to be told not to lean over the railing of the deck outside the breakfast room? How how about informing guests in a hotel about the consequences of not turning off the water. I wonder if we have signs here in the U.S. that cause amusement for foreign visitors.
How about the sign at the shoe rack to be careful not to take someone else’s shoes. Often in Japan one is expected to take shoes off and put on slippers. My lime green walking shoes would make it hard for someone to take by mistake. Lucky me, I guess.
I spotted this lady in a very large gorgeous park. What can I say? How funny. I am wondering what she is doing with the photo she took.
I’ll end with these two images spotted in the high end shopping area of Tokyo. Bored kids in the Prada store and where do you suppose this piece of art is going to end up?
Heads Up
Susan will be giving a presentation at Olli at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids on November 30 at 9:30.
Join her on a journey to the Land of the Rising Sun where she will share photography from three multi week trips to Japan over the last four years.
Experience the Cherry Blossom festival, the bullet trains, interesting art focused venues, Buddhist Temples, Shinto Shrines and both Atomic Bomb sites along with a plethora of other items and experiences around this exotic destination.
