ISO 100 | 18mm | f4.0 | 1/8sec
This photo was clicked by my friend at an entertainment center. The racks around me are full of Japanese anime and comics. I am currently in Nishinasuno, Japan on a work assignment. Japan is an amazing place. There are so many things about this place that are so different from India. The way of life, the climate, the food, the people are all so different. Their technology is second to none and they are so meticulous about the little things in life. Their transport system is one of the best in the world. The Shinkansen (Bullet Train) can cover a distance of 1000km in 2.5 hours, which is an amazing feat. Everyone is so disciplined its shocking. Very quiet and very particular about time. Thats how Japanese people are. When a bus is scheduled to arrive at 8.02am, you can bet your ass that it will. When you enter and leave the bus, you can be sure that the driver will greet you. No way is he going to miss. This is how friendly people are. One of my colleagues here lost a significant amount of money here once. It probably fell out of his jacket pocket. The next day, he was called to the Police station and his money was returned. I have no idea how they tracked him down. Amazing. I am ranting here about the Japanese and their way of life in no particular order. I just want to share what I have experienced in these last few weeks. Every corridor of buildings has mirrors on turns so that people in a hurry can see the other end and avoid bumping into one another. Simple solution to a common problem. Vending machines are present in every nook and corner of the city to buy drinks and food. Even deserted places. The buildings are not made of concrete but materials like wood, plastics etc because this is an earthquake prone country. The youth are obsessed with mobiles. Thats the trend everywhere these days but this is on a much larger scale. Another thing is noticed is that people don't call each other. They text each other. When you enter a train you will see 80% of the people with a cellphone in their hand, texting someone. The girls are pretty and some of the guys look like girls too, with their makeup, funky hairstyles and feminine looks. You see a lot of school girls on bicycles early in the morning. Most travel by train. Walk down 5 min to a cycle lot, pick up their bikes and cycle down the rest of the way to school. The only problem I have faced here is the language. Its very diffcult to ask for help be the it the supermarket or whether you have lost your way.
All in all it has been an awesome experience and there are so many things that we can learn from the Japanese. I will be posting more photos as time passes by and I explore this country a little at a time, while enjoying every bit of it.
