Why Tokyo Is Like Disneyland
Thursday, December 25th, 20082 of my favorite places in the world are Tokyo and Disneyland. At first these 2 places may seem very different, one being one of the world's largest cities and the other being a theme park, but there are surprisingly many similarities between the two. Let's make a list and see what we come up [...]
Escalator Etiquette: Kanto vs. Kansai
Tuesday, June 10th, 2008Japan is known for proper etiquette and you can find evidence of “proper behavior” everywhere. Perhaps one area less noticed by visiting foreigners is escalator etiquette. In Japan, every time you ride an escalator, people who are just standing/riding stay to one side to ensure a clear lane for others (who may be in a [...]
McDonald’s in Japan
Sunday, May 27th, 2007Recognize the guy in the image below? Notice he’s promoting “Hello Kitty” products in a showcase. Here’s a hint – he’s the famous owner of a popular chain of fast-food restaurants. Think you know the answer? Guess again. His name isn’t “Ronald McDonald”. It’s “Donald McDonald”. That’s right. Our favorite burger-pushing celebrity has a different [...]
The Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum
Sunday, July 16th, 2006The ramen museum was a short walk away from the station. The inside is pretty neat, designed “Disney-like” to look like 1940s Japan. 10 famous ramen shops were chosen from all over Japan to represent different regional tastes and styles. There are signs to indicate the wait time for each shop, just like a theme [...]
How To Load A 747-400 In 4 Minutes, 35 Seconds
Sunday, June 4th, 2006I’m writing this entry aboard an ANA 747-400 on my way back to Tokyo from Sapporo (short overnight business trip). It’s been almost a year since I moved to Japan (albeit with a 5 month Seoul interruption) but I still can’t help but be impressed at some things native Japanese take for granted in daily [...]