Ryan's Journal

The sun set twice. So I guess it's two.

We'll play a game first, and we'll call it "How to spot an Asian gaijin in Tokyo": wears sunglasses, grows some substantial facial hair, wears something other than a color on the white-black gradient, is taller than 5'6", looks left at intersections. Maybe one in a hundred people here wear sunglasses, and then I'm not so sure they're native.

I can see why people would choose this country to be an ex-pat. Low crime, polite society, not too expensive (compared to, say, London), fascinating history and culture. I almost feel bad for those of Caucasian descent who make the transition; you can become every inch like a Japanese citizen, but you look like Sean Connery - you're seriously out of luck.

I need to figure out when next I can return to this country. It was pointed out to me that travel back to America is going to be difficult from now on if you try to pack something with liquids in it in a carry-on. I guess I'll be packing my store of Tokyo fun drinks in the luggage. There are vending machines every hundred meters.

They say Japanese people are very clean. It's because they live in Japan in August: hot and humid, sweating like nowhere else.

You must login to leave a comment