Traditional to Modern and Everything In Between

---

Yesterday was a rainy day in Kyoto (actually every day we've been here so far has been overcast and rainy) so Hime-ji Castle was scrapped. Instead we took a break from sightseeing and did some mundane things such as exchanging money and trying to use an international ATM with our Visa cards (which despite setting up pin numbers for before we left do not appear to work...damn).

Wandering in a department store we spotted some interesting items. Both were in the liquor section, which is quite extensive in Japan. The first was called "Dog Line" and it was a bottle of wine wrapped in paper with different breeds of dogs on the front. We don't know if this was wine for dogs, or dog lovers, or what. But it made for a giggle. The second was wine in a can! How sophisticated. Later in the day we also spotted wine for sale in the vending machines, very convenient.

When we were heading back to the guesthouse I decided to use the Lavatory in the train station, the same high tech station with the big skyway and the crew washing the stairs. This is where I met my match. I knew it was bound to happen eventually, but I don't think I was prepared for it so soon! Especially in such a new beautiful train station. I'm talking about none other than squat toilets. I turn the corner and get a glance inside one of the stalls and almost froze. Of course I'm not about to make a scene, so I enter just like I do this normally every single day. I stood there staring at it for awhile before deciding I wasn't ready for this huge leap into the culture and that I would hold it until we got to the guesthouse. It's incredible, the contrast between traditional and modern. Prior to this almost every toilet I've seen in Japan is fancy. They have buttons on the side that warm the seat, shoot streams of water up at you, blow dry you, two different flush settings...and then this! Of course I realized the need for me to research this further, and I found out quite a lot about Japanese toilets when we returned to the GH. Check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_toilet if you would like to read up on this phenomenon.

Turns out a large majority of toilets in train stations and such are squat toilets. A common form of advertising here is to hand out little packets of kleenex, it makes a lot more sense now why. For all you girls, if you're coming to Asia anytime soon, make sure you *always* have a little packet of kleenex in your pocket. Because chances are the toilet will not supply it!! Or it has a machine and you can pay for a little packet. I was thankful I did my research was was prepared for my next encounter, because I wouldn't have to wait too long. Today I had to use THREE squatters. Yes three. Two in train stations and one in a department store. I must admit, I was almost a little excited. It's pretty easy once you get the hang of it, but I definitely recommend pulling the pants down and practicing at home, just to make sure you have the right technique and your pants are adequately out of the way!! (just practice the position, you don't actually have to try squatting on your seat or anything!)

After some research done yesterday we realized it would be much cheaper to see Hime-ji from Osaka, and that the train from Kyoto to Osaka is also relatively inexpensive. Since we only have 3 days in Osaka we decided to go there today to wander around Den Den Town (Osaka's electronic haven, much like Tokyo's Akihabara) and use one day in Osaka to see Hime-ji. Once again the day was overcast and threatening to rain in Kyoto, and the humidity is just awful. You only need to be outside for a minute before you're swimming in a pool of stickyness, and that's at 9am! 45 minutes on the train and we arrive in Osaka, to blue skies and HEAT. I think we both melted off about 5lbs today just trekking around in the insane heat.

We tried to save some money by only taking one train line to Den Den Town, our Lonely Planet suggested we change and go one stop on another line. But one train ticket is 200 Yen ($2) so we figured we could save it and walk. Hah. Right. After walking for blocks in the heat and finding no electronics whatsoever, we caved and asked someone (it can be hit or miss asking someone, either they speak little English and can help you, or they speak no English and still try to help you even after you've decided you don't want help). The person suggested we hop on the train and change lines and go up one stop. Just like the guidebook said. So we did (and grumbled about the waste of 400 Yen) and voila! One stop up we exit the station and there we are, electronic heaven.

As most of you probably know me and Dev can wander and look at electronics for hours and days on end. So we had a splendid time browsing shops and oogling all the wonderful toys, a lot of which we don't see at home. It's incredible to see a 7 story building completely full of floor after floor of computer peripherals. The selection here is endless.

Den Den Town is home to yet another SuperPotato, which we spent probably an hour in digging through old Nintendo titles. Dev snapped a ton of pics in here, if he was Japanese I think working here would be his dream job.

Mixed in with all the electronics was yet more porn stores. In a society so aware of appearances I'm surprised the adult entertainment industry isn't more discreet. An interesting tidbit I read on the toilet webpage said that women are so self concious about their pee making noise that some continuosly flush the toilet to drown out the sound. To avoid this horrible waste of water a company created a sound device which attachs to the wall next to the toilet and plays a recorded toilet flush noise. But some women think it sounds too artificial and continue to use the real flushing method!

The number of older people you see using cell phones is outrageous too. I know most of our parents at home can use the cell no problem, and store numbers, but you see people who are old enough to be great grandparents playing games or taking photos with their cell phones. Today on the ride back to the GH a very old man asked me if we were from Canada (I had a maple leaf on my tshirt) and we had a nice chat about his visit to Vancouver and Banff. Sure enough he whips out his cell phone and starts showing me pictures of Mount Fuji! To think that most of these people grew up and spent a fair portion of their lives living very traditionally here in Japan, it's cute to see them all so technology literate.

This evening we also got hopelessly lost for the first time ever. It was dark and we mistakenly got off a train stop too early, and started walking down little dark side streets and back alleys, thinking we knew where we were going. Soon enough we realized we had no idea where we were. We tried backtracking to the train station and then walking a different way, nope no luck still hopelessly lost. After walking up and down the street, wondering what we should do since we don't even know the name of any streets around our GH, we had the smart idea to follow the train tracks up to the next station. Worked like a charm and we were back home in 10 min.

2 more days left in Kyoto before we move on to Osaka. I think we could have gotten by with a week in Japan, things are expensive especially train rides, and we have been eating cheap ramen day in and day out. It's delicious ramen, don't get me wrong, but I'm really craving a pepperoni pizza right about now!!

Tomorrow we planned to go see a whole bunch of temples, but after being on our feet for 13 hours today we're going to see how we feel in the morning. Sunday is Nara and we don't want to be too tired for that. Also we are pretty much at budget every day, so to save a few bucks and try to do free things doesn't hurt.

Corgi's must be one of the most popular breeds of dogs here. We came across two pups being walked yesterday (on seperate occasions) and I've never seen so much merchandise with Welsh Corgi on it. I want to buy it all!!

Our first week under our belts and we couldn't be having more fun. It's hard to think we still have 10 or 11 more months of this. China is going to be a huge shock compared to Japan I think. Much more crowded, much more dirty, much more of a language barrier. I could live in Japan, it's so modern and they seem to be quite innovative. When you flush the toilet there is a faucet on the top of the bowl that pours water for you to rinse your hands in. It's the water that is being brought into the tank, to fill the bowl after the next flush! How extremely smart is that?! You save water and wash your hands!

This entry contained a lot about toilets. I'm not going to post any pictures, it's midnight and we're both exhausted. Most of the pics we took today were from SuperPotato anyways! Hope you are all keeping well, we miss you!

Erin and Devlin

ps-would someone mind taking some pictures of our tree and shrubs in our front lawn and send them to us? We're dying to know how it all looks!! Thanks!!

---

Comments

[Martin]

Question for you Dev
Hey, Still sounds like you are both having a good time, and Erin has mastered the acient art of squatting ;) How much is an apple macbook pro Devlin? Is it cheaper than here? Thanks keep the stories coming. Martin

[Andrew (The Landlord :p)]

Trees & Shrubs!!
Gooood morning! I saw your tenant the other day, grass is on half your yard... on one side of your cement walkway, the bigger part is still dirt although it looks ready to go. Your cute little shrubs arrived and are sitting in pots on the front waiting to be planted... looks like its allll coming together. I might lay some sod with your tenant in the backyard.....we'll see!! You would be amazed how much more construction is complete in your area since you left... its incredible how quickly they throw it up. It felt so private in your backyard and on your street given that most houses are at least framed on the entire street as well as all the boulevard on both sides and going further down the street.... I will take some pictures when the landscaping is done... how do I post them?! As for your blog... sounds like more exciting times... I must admit, I do enjoy living vicariously through you two! Enjoy the squatters...sounds like you are right used to them now...I can arrange to have all your bathrooms refitted for squateers upon your return! ha ha Have Fun guys

[K & A ;0)]

Your Home
Andrew and I will venture down to your parts and take some pictures for you tonight...I imagine they're in already? I guess we'll find out tonight :P Keep on the lookout for the self cleaning toilets! They have them in San Fransico, so maybe with all this cool technology, they have them SOMEWHERE in Asia! That would be cool....although I imagine they don't do much to conserve water!!! haha Will have to look at these toilets on that site you posted maybe later tonight! How crazy ~ Thanks for the warning...perhaps I will bring a WHOLE suitecase full of kleenex when we come :P hahaha Darn men for having it easy GRR I hope that the Dog Line isn't called that because they excreted something from DOGS :|...yuck. Wonder if the wine in the cans tastes tinny? Weird... Oh *sigh* I feel like I want to write more because I miss you guys so much....but don't have much else to say :| .....so...........I guess it's Toodles for now........BIG HUGS XOXOXO have fun..............and ... I Guess.....until next time....cao

[Erin n Devlin]

Nope :P
Unfortunately MacBook Pro's are not noticeably any cheaper here. Believe me I looked. They do however have a World Cup edition XBox 360, I will send you pictures. I also took some pics of soccer ball blank DVD's. To buy a Core2 Duo chip is pretty cheap!! Should I send one home for you?? Haha. Thanks for the comments, hope work is ok. Devlin

[anonymous]

the squat toilets definitely grew on me...and i really liked the ones with the mini sink above...id be surprised if tokyo didn't have the self cleaning toilets kim speaks of...theyre in most major cities in the world...ive used them in boston and montevideo...theyre a really neat invention...too bad it cost $$ to use them...i think something like $2 or $4! sex in japanese culture is so weird...apparently they never talk about it...most people have premarital sex and have to go to love hotels to do so...a lot of men have affairs...and porn is everywhere!!! i was put off, but at the same time expected it when i saw a HELLO KITTY vibrator in a sex shop in tokyo...eeeeep!

[Erin n Devlin]

Agreed, so weird.
I am honestly so surprised to see the porn stores everywhere, without so much as a window shade to hide what lays behind the walls! In N. America you are considered almost sleazy to be seen in those stores, I wonder if it's the same here? For a society which tries to be discreet about a lot of things (I actually witnessed a woman in the toilet today continuously flushing to drown out her "noise") this is right there in the open. We just giggle and keep on walking when we see them, we haven't made the same mistake we made that first day!! I've read that the love hotels are kinda dying too, and the ones that are left have really toned down the rooms to the point where most are just regular hotel type rooms where you can pay by the hour. They are also pretty expensive! They cost more for an hour than we are paying for a night in our guesthouses! Gotta love Japanese quirkyness!!

[Andrea]

I was of the understanding that for a love hotel to work...you have to arrive late at night...they're cheap then for some reason...and you don't pay by the hour then... i would have liked to have experienced one...but i tend to think id be dissapointed...a friend of mine stayed in several...im not sure if she took any pics...i should ask her!