You wont find Kabuto....
Trip Start
Apr 28, 2004
1
2
4
Trip End
Ongoing
Kabuto,
Japan
Thursday, June 3, 2004
Good question. Well for starters I like the name and secondly it is the first place I have been hiking in this fair land.
Still doesn't generate too many goose bumps of excitement does it but its a good place as any to start my second report.
Why do Japanese go crazy over forests and scenery when I see them in Australia when 70% of their country is still made of wooded or agricultural beauty with sweeping rugged mountains and untouched forest
Forest
. This is what I was wondering when I stepped of the train 1hr after I left the grey mass of my local city. Where I live you can pretty much head west and pick a random train stop and 30 mins later be walking in the most quietest peaceful havens I have experienced anywhere. Little cascading waterfalls, birds chirping, butterflys frolicking in the undergrowth....yes yes all that really cool nature stuff. It amazes me that a country that goes out of its way to turn its cities into air raid bunkers against any sign of flora and fauna can have so much untamed native beauty nearby. Or maybe thats the way Japanese like it? Keep the cities ugly to remind you of the ever present destructive nature of humanity and the rest of the country as beautiful as possible....i can live with that i guess.Ok I also had some more stereotypes to deal with.
*Japanese work a lot: Simple answer is yes of course. Apparently 2-3 days off a month is considered adequate down time. And to think I have been complaining about working full-time lately haha
*Gender Equality: uhuh yep still pretty whacked in comparison to western society (whacked being the technical term)
Kabuto Valley
. Apparently a lady should open all doors where possible for a business man, offer up her seat on the train, poor drinks for him and a number of other degrading acts. I even saw this couple in a fast food restaurant yesterday make an order ,then the man went and sat down while his girlfriend/wife got some drinks for him and waited for the food then carried both trays over to the table. (ok its hardly criminal but still). Talking to my flat mates gf she said she was sick of Japanese bfs because they constantly demand things and tell you what to do (her words) I proceeded to tell her how if a lad did that back home he should get prepared for a good bitch slappin. Apparently though things are changing and the youth of today are improving equalities or at least a few more doors are opening for ladies (hmm maybe its linked to more foreigners in the country..hm)*Manga: dirty filthy dodgy stuff! in short every young male and for that matter old male and sometimes female read these comics. I cant just tell you how much of a field day the p.c. and censorship council would have with this stuff. Lets just say think of the most graphic debaucharous(sp) and violent acts you can think of and you will find it in these "cartoons" and mostly against women (see above) Apparently its just silly drawings so its ok....right?
*Gameshows are funny and weird: yes, but aren't they everywhere
Kampai!!
. imagine my excitement when i realize that dude on lost in translation is an actual real host hah!Ok I had more stuff but Im getting bored and beer is calling...moshi, moshi Is that you beer?
Other random stuff while I was trying to sleep on the train with the other thousand commuters I couldn't because one of these lovely old japanese man was making one of those sucking/coughing noises that have been driving me insane. I was about to go sick on him but then I remember hes old and I have pity for old people in these country because they suffer from major Notre Daming (or hunch backing) I mean I know people in oz get a bit stooped when they get older but at least we don't measure ours with right angles...ahh its a lil sad. Then i realized that its mainly the old women who suffer the worst namely due to yrs doing hard labour in the rice paddies and so I launched into a debate on gender equalities with him but apparently he couldn't understand.
*Pachinko: sorry just remembered. Most random thing ever. Went into a big one yesterday and was numbed by the deathening roar of ball bearings and zombies pressing buttons. To explain this phenomena which happens to be Korea's greatest export to Japan, its a bit like pokies back home except apparently gambling is illegal or something so basically they use these ball bearing things and you pop them in a machine then proceed to win or lose
Me, Junko and Patrick
! lots and lost of ball bearings, sounds exciting right. Well luckily enough next to each pachinko parlour there happens to be a place that buys and sells ball bearings...very convenient. I really don't know if this is true but its sounds good anyway.ok enough for now...chat soon ok...with that stuff from Nara.
Have included some pics from a party with some japanese friends...warning one shows my first kiss in japan....not as pleasant as it sounds.
k
