The blind are blessed in Japan
One of the first "weird" things I noticed here in Japan, is the presence of these strange yellow "lines" all over the place. Seriously. EVERY major street has these things lining both sides, as well as in train stations, the airport, and pretty much anywhere that the general public walks. As you can see, there are these weird bumps on them (that takes a bit of getting used to feeling under your feet unexpectedly...). These are for helping the blind/hard of sight to know where to walk, and where to expect a change (a turn/step/curb/etc..). Pretty neat.
In 1603, a Tokugawa shogunate (military dictatorship) ushered in a long period of isolation from foreign influence in order to secure its power. For 250 years this policy enabled Japan to enjoy stability and a flowering of its indigenous culture. Fol... ... read more 
