If you ever visit Japan, be prepared with lots of yen. Some shops just refuse to accept any other currency, not even dollars, and exchange machines are not always at hand. The Japanese currency has coins upto 500. Their coins are in the denomination of 1, 2, 5, 10, 50, 100 and 500yen and for them, it is just small change. Keeping this in mind, it was yet a shock for me to read the price tags of fruits. One pineapple was 1500yen and 4 bananas were for 500yen.
Another odd observation was that, at almost every kerb, there was a game parlour, with loud music blaring every time the door swung to let a client enter or exit. Bright lights and with a full crowd inside. So many young adults were patronizing these parlours that it was strange for me to note. So it was obvious that the Japanese adults, even middle aged men, enjoy video games, at public places.
Walking along a Tokyo footpath is a very mixed experience. The sleek world brand shops, and the well heeled crowd made me feel that I was on an alien planet. So many young boys and girls hold menus and discounted food coupons, trying to coax people to patronize their restaurants. The pavement itself is an instructional signpost. Painted on the pavements were messages that designated the areas for the public, as 'no smoking' zones, 'cyclist friendly', no walking dog zone etc. Special areas are designated for smokers, and these are labelled on the pavement and on certain closed booths along the metro station. I recall the first strange sight as we exited the airport on arrival, was of a glass booth that invited smokers to freely enjoy their cigarettes within its precinct. So thoughtful towards the non-smoking public, is the Japanese government.
The footpaths are also specially embedded with one inch round metal circles. These form a path for the visually impaired to follow easily and safely. As the footpath branches out onto a zebra crossing, these circular knobs are replaced by sharper, conical ones. And they continue along the entire length of the zebra and onto the next pavement. Even the public phone booths have two separate phones, one at the normal expected height, and another at a lower level, for the wheel chair bound persons. So thoughtful towards the handicapped is the Japanese government.
The Japanese love their dogs. They prefer tiny breeds and dress them and then walk with their little dogs in special dog prams. I saw poodles, all trimmed and bowed, and all the possible tiny, hairy breed like the Pekingese, terriers, the Japanese Chin, the maltese, the lhasa apso..........The dogs were treated almost like their babies, all dolled up and cute and cuddly and in safe little dog prams.
And the weather is so cool and pleasant, at 16 degrees C, so most of the dogs are the furry ones that are favoured.
The most wonderful thing was that, I hardly noticed any police personnel, and yet the public place rules were followed impeccably. I wish this would be replicated in India.
Another odd observation was that, at almost every kerb, there was a game parlour, with loud music blaring every time the door swung to let a client enter or exit. Bright lights and with a full crowd inside. So many young adults were patronizing these parlours that it was strange for me to note. So it was obvious that the Japanese adults, even middle aged men, enjoy video games, at public places.
Walking along a Tokyo footpath is a very mixed experience. The sleek world brand shops, and the well heeled crowd made me feel that I was on an alien planet. So many young boys and girls hold menus and discounted food coupons, trying to coax people to patronize their restaurants. The pavement itself is an instructional signpost. Painted on the pavements were messages that designated the areas for the public, as 'no smoking' zones, 'cyclist friendly', no walking dog zone etc. Special areas are designated for smokers, and these are labelled on the pavement and on certain closed booths along the metro station. I recall the first strange sight as we exited the airport on arrival, was of a glass booth that invited smokers to freely enjoy their cigarettes within its precinct. So thoughtful towards the non-smoking public, is the Japanese government.
The footpaths are also specially embedded with one inch round metal circles. These form a path for the visually impaired to follow easily and safely. As the footpath branches out onto a zebra crossing, these circular knobs are replaced by sharper, conical ones. And they continue along the entire length of the zebra and onto the next pavement. Even the public phone booths have two separate phones, one at the normal expected height, and another at a lower level, for the wheel chair bound persons. So thoughtful towards the handicapped is the Japanese government.
The Japanese love their dogs. They prefer tiny breeds and dress them and then walk with their little dogs in special dog prams. I saw poodles, all trimmed and bowed, and all the possible tiny, hairy breed like the Pekingese, terriers, the Japanese Chin, the maltese, the lhasa apso..........The dogs were treated almost like their babies, all dolled up and cute and cuddly and in safe little dog prams.
And the weather is so cool and pleasant, at 16 degrees C, so most of the dogs are the furry ones that are favoured.
The most wonderful thing was that, I hardly noticed any police personnel, and yet the public place rules were followed impeccably. I wish this would be replicated in India.
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