Archive for June, 2006

The Mysterious Sound Princess In Japanese Women’s Restrooms

Thursday, June 8th, 2006

Take a look at the photos below. Have you ever seen these devices? All Japanese women have. This device is called the "sound princess" and comes in various models. What does it do? That takes some explanation. Japanese women are well-known for their modesty. Despite the fact that Japan often has restroom stalls with floor-to-ceiling [...]

How To Load A 747-400 In 4 Minutes, 35 Seconds

Sunday, June 4th, 2006

I’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 [...]