Japanese Surprises

7 Japanese Surprises for the Savvy Traveler

By Yvonne Lanelli, Freelance Writer

April 2007

Japan—you’ve researched your trip to the land of geisha, samurai and the Rising Sun. You know that “Ohio” is not a state and that “Tokyo,” the modern capital, is an anagram of “Kyoto,” the ancient one.

But what is a “paper driver” or “Viking lunch”? Why is a whistling intersection a good thing? And why is Japan’s most revered author not Japanese?

Follow these tips and become the smart visitor-san!

(The suffix “san” denotes respect. When meeting Mr. Mitsue Yamaguchi, for example, place your palms together, bow gently from the waist and address him as Mitsue-san.)

Now, tips (and surprises) on getting there and around!

Most international flights, including those from the US, arrive at Tokyo Narita (NRT). If needing accommodations in Tokyo, you may make hotel reservations in Terminal #2, Main Building, First Floor. www.narita-airport.jp/en.
If your ultimate destination is another city in Japan, that flight may depart from Tokyo’s domestic airport, Haneda (HND), on the opposite side of Tokyo. The fastest, easiest way to get from NRT to HND is to take the Airport Limousine Bus, cost approx. $30 US, approx. 70 minute ride, no charge for baggage. This bus also stops at major hotels in Tokyo. www.limousinebus.co.jp/en/
Out for a stroll? When the traffic light changes from Don’t Walk to Walk and you hear whistling, it’s not a masher; it’s the signal itself. As long as the Walk signal is lit, the intersection whistles rhythmically. The whistling stops just before Walk changes to Don’t Walk. Whistling aids the poorly-sighted pedestrian as does a bright yellow strip down the center of the sidewalk with inch-high grids. When the sidewalk comes to an intersection, the grids change to bumps. Even in heavy boots, I could feel the difference in sidewalk texture.
Need money but the banks are closed or you left your passport in the hotel? Then head for the post office. Japanese post offices have ATM machines that accept major brands such as Mastercard and Visa. These machines are frequently located outside the lobby area, accessible 24/7.
Public toilets frequently offer both Western-style sit-down facilities and traditional Japanese squat toilets. These are utilized as follows: Face the “hood.” Place your feet on either side of the porcelain and squat. Flush by pressing a lever on the pipe or button on the wall. Want to feel like royalty? Visit the gold restroom in the city of Kanazawa, famous for its gold leaf manufacturing, wherein a piece of gold alloy the size of a nickel is hammered so thinly light passes through it. Gold leaf adorns lacquer ware and jewelry and is an alleged anti-aging ingredient in expensive cosmetic lotion. Visit the gold leaf shop in the Higashi Chaya district, view the demonstration, shop the gift store then excuse yourself to the ladies’ or men’s room. Yup—gold leaf adorns all the walls—but not the actual plumbing itself. (Too bad; could give new meaning to the word “throne.”)
English, which Japanese study beginning in junior high school, is considered a “fashionable” language. Phrases of English unique to Japan have become part of their vocabulary, such as “Viking lunch” and “paper driver.” A Viking lunch is a smorgasbord, the all-you-can-eat buffet. A paper driver resides in cities such as Tokyo where traffic is so thick that most people use public transportation. But some status seekers buy an expensive car anyway, pay the exorbitant registration and licensing fees,—but never drive. Instead they park the car in an expensive garage. Oh, yes, they have a driver’s license, so technically, they drive—but it’s only on paper.
One of Japan’s most revered authors is not Japanese but an Irish Greek. Lafcadio Hearn was born in the 1800s in Greece of a Greek mother and Irish father. Eventually he became a journalist in the US and was assigned by Harper’s magazine as a correspondent to Japan. He discovered both his life’s passion—to write about Japan for the Western audience—and his life’s love, a Japanese woman. He married her, became a naturalized Japanese citizen and became one of Japan’s most beloved authors. The Japanese have preserved his former home in the city of Matsue as a museum.

Sayonara!