Japan is full of surprises. For example, here I was strolling around a department store, when suddenly I saw someone dressed in what I believe to be a giraffe costume. It seems this person was just hanging out with friends and I could see no apparent reason to be wearing a giraffe costume. Although one... Continue Reading →
Docile Japanese cats
Are Japanese cats more docile than other cats? Before having lived in Japan, I would have thought this to be a ridiculous question. Surely cats are the same everywhere? Cats are not subject to cultural differences, are they? But living in Japan, surprises are never far off. I have seen Japanese cats tolerate things from... Continue Reading →
Japanese women don’t put their purse on the ground
Have you ever noticed that Japanese women never put their purse on the ground? It seems like a pretty straightforward thing but it really drew my attention in Japan. When Japanese women are in a cafĂ© or restaurant, they will sit a bit forward on their chair and place their purse behind them on the... Continue Reading →
People watching – Kimono on the train
After living in Japan for a while, you start to experience something that I like to call the 'hello-you're-in-japan-face-slap'. I have talked about it in previous posts. It means that you have gradually gotten used to all the wonderful Japanese things that excited you so much at first. Life in Japan has started to seem... Continue Reading →
People watching – Sexy mom
I never get tired of watching people in Japan. The way people dress and express themselves seems so much more varied than in Belgium. Although on the one hand, Japan is a society governed by rules, on the other hand I have the impression that Japanese people in some cases enjoy more personal freedom than... Continue Reading →
People watching – Japanese monk
After living in Japan for a while, you kind of get used to all the things that used to excite you so much at first. But every once in a while, you get what I like to call the 'hello-you're-in-japan-face-slap'. Today I will tell you about one of those faceslap moments that stand out in... Continue Reading →