anikuma

was the samuri a warrior, or later just a thug!? Sorry deeply debated question

pucci

The samurai was a bureaucrat in fancy dress.

anikuma

a thug with a fancy dress and a shiny sword........

mike, i know what you mean about those apartments. Luckily I live in the inaka. I guess a problem in many cities lately are empty apartments. Maybe time to knock down some walls and offer people some bigger places to live.

mike

That's interesting. I always thought that there was a lot more building going on in Japan (especially Tokyo), than could possibly be used by the population. Once I read that the building boom of the 1980's and early 1990's had taken on an unwarranted momentum and that there are now more empty rooms than there are people in Tokyo.

This must be the case because even the poorest Chinese family has more living space than their Japanese cousins. An interesting thing is that the Japanese people I knew in the early 1980's who enjoyed the biggest economic boom years in world history, today live in the same beehive apartments as they did before the boom. Their lifestyles did not improve one single bit with the exception that their apartments are now more cramped with designer clothes and purses. Perhaps some folks have cars that were less common twenty years ago. Besides that, it must be a sobering realization for many Japanese that, after the smoke clears, very little progress was made for all the efforts put forth.

What a curious phenominon indeed.

Toki

It's actually quite simple. Japanese people enjoy pain.
I can go on for hours on this one, but since it is painful and I am not really Japanese (by lineage only), I will defer.

By the way, Japanese Energy Drinks are basically small carbonated concocations that contain plenty of vitamins, ginsing, caffiene, and nicotine. We got a case of this Ribovitan D from one of our suppliers as a summer gift. Being in the games industry here, the case was gone very quickly. There is a powerful mint gum here with nicotine and caffeine too.

Lastly, hardest working people people in Japan might be the sales guys. After all, all those late nights are often counted as Meals and Entertainment.

- Jeff

roadfix

Quite true......and in Japanese it's called "GAMAN".......
Even immediately following that big earthquake in Kansai 8 yrs ago the Japanese were very reluctant to accept foreign help/aid......"SHOGANAI"....
Everything in Japan seems to be "shoganai" if things just don't go right....
Unfortunately, I carry that element in my blood...

George

Paul L.

Boku mo!

roadfix

Hey Paul.....are you a 'happa' like me???

George

Paul L.

Don't think I know that one. I learned Japanese in Okinawa though so perhaps they don't use that term down there? Or maybe it is just that I am way out of practice! (I know I need to practice but am too shy/embarrassed to actually try and engage someone in conversaition that I know is Japanese).

pucci

Cyclists enjoy pain. C'mon admit it's true.

roadfix

"Happa" is a Japanese slang for half breed and only pretains to one being half Japanese only.....

George

anikuma

the whole pain thing and many other issues western people have with japan seem to stem from Zen Budishm, and the hodge podge mixture of other faiths.....according to an american turned zen-priest. defiantely a funny country, nice to stay here for awhile, but i couldn't bring myself to raise a family here.

Toki

I vote for the hodge podge part. There is a simple patience in Zen Buddhism (the aforementioned GAMAN), but Japanese sometimes go out of their way to feel pain (if it hurts, it must be good for you). Even the Japanese admit that they like standing in long lines...

And, anikuma, you are getting more of the "real deal". Everything in Tokyo is schizophrenic. I only get the pure unadulterated weirdness when I visit my in-laws out in the mountains of Gumma, but in some ways, I like it better.

I suppose that if I really wanted to settle here, I could, but I would do it different. I would probably not live near Shinjuku where I do now and I would have to get car only so I could get my bike out into the country.

Right now, I just look forward next year when I can enjoy the SoCal weather.

- Jeff

Paul L.

I learned that as nisei. Down in Okinawa I think they use the term hafu as well but I think the term nisei is generally more polite. Always good to learn more tango!

Toki

Yeah. I hear "ha-fu" in Japan. I think "ha-ppa" is more the Hawaiian equivalent, but being "ni-kkei", I don't know if I really know what is correct. "Nisei" literally means second generation. Nowadays most people are "san-sei" or "yon-sei" (3rd and 4th gen respectively). I like to say that I am "two and a half generation" to throw people off.

The new accepted PC term seems to be "bi-racial" or "bi-cultural". A friend of mine calls his kids "doubles" instead of "halfs".

BTW, to clarify any misunderstanding. I don't dislike Japan for being weird. I was just thinking about it overnight, but the pain thing does have another upside. There tends to be a higher level of social reponsibility here because people are willing to "just deal with it". I dropped my wallet once on a busy street and when I went to the Police Box to report it lost, it was waiting for me! Someone had taken the time to walk over to the police box which was blocks away!

Of course, it was not in Shinjuku. An acquaintance of mine actually had her purse stolen while she was there. I would have not had as much luck there...

- Jeff

anikuma

That much is true, living in the inaka...we get a steady diet of natto! I do like the inaka better, than the cities. The people here, are very cool, laid back. I don't get all the staring and gajin-da stuff. That usually happens in cities of all places. I knew the inaka-jin were cool when i stopped at a mom and pop grocery store on a 100km ride. Sporting the cycling fashion, and the old ladies who saw me, didn't even blink. They just asked where i was going and wished me luck. it was very cool.

I'm also moving next year. Either to upstate NY or Ontario. Back to university.

I totally agree with you on the weirdness toki, and some of the basic good manners that still exist. Though, little kids have tired to break into my house before. Shogakko students just really curious about the english teachers house.

The only thing that really grinds me about japan is the depiction of women in Manga, and basically how they are treated. I'm not trying to generalize. But some on their manga is real horrifiying. I think that Waseda university gang **** issue is just the tip of the iceberg.

Not saying anywhere else is any better, but sometimes........


Dave

rjtokyo

Hey fellow cyclists in Japan. tokyo2wheeler and I (rjtokyo) are doing a ride around Mt. Fuji next Saturday, 11/1. Anyone want to join us? I was over there this past Tuesday and the leaves are starting to turn; should be just right around the 1st. We've got cabins to stay at Friday night at Yamanaka Ko, take off about 6am on Saturday, ride around Kawaguchi Ko, and then the loop around Fuji San. Total about 120km. One big climb (14.4km) on the south side; lots of wide open roads!! What do you think??

We're starting to do rides like these about once a month. If you want to be on the info list let me know. Let's go ride!!

pucci

Sounds like a nice ride. I rode to Hinazuru pass in Yamanashi (between Akikawa and Tsuru this Sunday and the leaves are just staring to turn.

Overnights are difficult for me but keep posting your rides. Maybe we will get together sometime.

rjtokyo

Sounds like a nice section pucci. Did you come up from Tsuru? We'll be just west of there on Saturday.

In case it's still an option, we've changed the trip to just a day ride. Drive in from Tokyo and start the ride around 8am from Shirataki Falls, then do the southern climb while we're still fresh, loop through Yamanaka Ko, around Kawaguchi Ko, then finish back at Shirataki probably around 4pm or so.

Good idea about posting the rides. If something matches your schedule that would be great!

pucci

We rode from Yokohama and turned back at the top of Hinazuru Pass. Came to a bit over 140 kms. The first section up to Sagami-ko is terrible, but from there it is all country roads. There is a really nice wooded climb along the undeveloped side of Sagami-ko that leads to Fujino. You wouldn't believe it is the other side of the same lake - no dump trucks, no love hotels, no swan boats.

This weekend is looking very tricky, but keep posting.

mike

I was never one to get all wrapped up in political correctness, but I always felt that the term "half-breed" was very insulting.

It seems from some of the posts that George (the Fixer) is multi-cultural Japanese American, but still he uses this term.

Are other Japanese-Americans using the term half-breed to refer to multi-cultural people these days? I must be way out of touch.