1. How do Japanese ride their bicycles?
A. They are special lanes in Tokyo where bikers drive, just as in Holland. In the smaller towns, bikers just drive on the street.
B. People do not drive bikes in Tokyo, you barely spot them.
C. People bike on the sidewalk in between the pedestrians.
D. I don't know, but for sure not on the sidewalks, as Tokyo is a way too busy city for this.
Japanese drive their bikes on the pedestrian lane. Whereas in Holland you get a fine for doing so, in Japan you get a fine when you bike on the street, meant solely for cars!! This means, watch out while you are walking the sideways... don't look up to much to the tall buildings, commercials and people around you, bikers coming from all directions!!
2. Why does the toilet start flushing as soon as I sit my ass on the toilet seat?
A. This clearly is to make you pie more easy, the sound of running water is perfect for that.
B. This is to flush anything that comes out immediately, Japanese do not like to waste their time, and want everything clean at any point in time.
C. This is in order to cover up the noises you are making while doing your business on the toilet, it is shameful if other people would overhear that.
D. It is simply because the Japanese have such a large water supply that they can afford constantly running the toilet.
If the toilet does not start running upon taking your seat, covering up for noises is provided by a small sound system attached to the wall indicated by the sign: "flushing sound effect". In any case, you should avoid the possibility that other people hear what kind of business you are doing in that small room called the toilet.... and therefore spilling water is accepted like that! This while the water supply in Japan can certainly not be called perfect, being an island country and having so many people concentrated on such a small areas (read: Tokyo), all kinds of systems are implemented to get clean water running out of the tap. Therefore, and extra surprise for me to find out that the running toilet was just to cover up bad noises...
3. Why do people in the metro and on the street wear those white mouth covers?
A. They have a cold.
B. They do not want to inhale the bad air of the city.
C. They do not want to smell the bad odor of their neighbor in the metro.
D. They want to protect themselves from getting a cold.
This is because THEY have a cold themselves! Obviously you don't wanna make somebody else sick because you are (totally unaccepted!!), so in order to avoid this, one should keep his/her own basils to oneself and wear a mouth mask.
4. What do the Japanese say when they hang up the phone?
A. It was nice talking to you.
B. Goodbye.
C. Sorry to have bothered you.
D. Have a nice day.
Japanese always excuse themselves... also when we would say "thank you" they oftentimes say "sorry", and therefore as one can imagine, have several words for saying sorry.
So remember, "thank you" may seems to be translatable in "doomo", or more polite, "doomo arigatoo", or even more politer "doomo arigatoo gozaimasu", but actually one should choose one of the "sorries" and thereby once again choosing the appropriate level of formality...
As an example, when hanging up the phone you also say "sorry to have bothered you", and as a last trick, the one who made the phone call should hang up, in case the other party hangs up this is considered rude, as the calling party might not have been done making the phone call!
5. If you have a cold, you better....
A. ...take a hot bath.
B. ...take a hot bath, but the best you can do is go to an onsen (Japanese natural spring).
C. ...do not take a bath.
D. ...do not take a bath, and moreover are not allowed into an onsen.
Once again, due to the fact that you could make other people sick, you should not go to the public onsen when having a cold. Now you may think this may seem reasonable, as all share the same bath, but how does that work at home taking your own hot bath?! Well... here the trick is that the bath is shared by the whole family and thus one should also not bath at home, as making your family members sick is of course not OK... :)
6. In a Japanese onsen....
A. ... you first take a long bath where after you completely wash you self. This is because it is dirty to bath together with others, and thus it is important to clean yourself afterwards.
B. ... you first wash yourself completely before you take a long bath with others. This is because it is dirty to get into the bath just like that.
C. ... you were a bikini or a towel, the Japanese are easily ashamed and do not like to walk around naked like that.
D. ... you are naked, more over you share the bath top with both men and women.
E. Both A and C are correct.
F. Both B and D are correct.
The previous question might has given away part of the answer... Yes, you first wash yourself completely before you take a long bath with others. This is because it is dirty to get into the bath just like that. Showers complete with shampoo, soap and all the necessities are provided, before you reach the actual onsen. Further, the only piece of clothing is a small towel you get to put on your head (this so your sweat from your forehead doesn't drip in the bath and so doesn't make the bath dirty) and oftentimes onsen are unisex shared public places. Separate bath facilities do exist in some places as well.
7. In the metro...
A. ... it is extremely noisy as they are so many people.
B. ... it is extremely dirty because they are so many people.
C. ... it is extremely quiet although there are so many people.
D. ... it is extremely noisy because everybody is watching TV and movies on their cell phone and playing computer games all journey long.
I have never been in a more QUIET yet overly crowed place than the metro in Tokyo!!! At first it was scary to be with so many people in the same place and hear no sound at all.. Further people with claustrophobic tensions (read: Niqui) will NOT survive taking the subway in Tokyo during rush hour (read: most of the day, maybe the weekend days could be seen as outside the rush hour). Although PACKED, nobody is talking, it is moreover NOT allowed to use your phone, it is NOT allowed to eat nor drink... As expected Tokyo is EXTREMELY CLEAN as well, although surprisingly there are NO trash bins to be found... a mystery one would think at first... but think about it, when you don't eat, smoke, nor drink outside, why would you NEED trash bins..??
8. When leaving the restaurant you thank the waiter and chef (owner) by...
A. ... giving him/her a long speech full with words of thanks.
B. ... giving him/ her a large tip.
C. ... saying the dinner/ lunch you just had was like a party fest.
D. ... greeting and wishing the waiter a nice day, if you want, you also leave a tip.
First of all, in Japan you DON'T TIP. It is simply not done. I still cannot get used to it. Not only in restaurants, no where. You never tip anywhere. Secondly, you thank by saying you had a dinner/lunch like a fest; it was a real treatment. Goshisoo sama deshita!! If you want to express more gratitude you say may express words of thanks, and greet by saying "I go and come back", or "I will come again".
9. One of the first Japanese words that I learned was Jidoohanbaiki (vending machine) because...
A. ... the Japanese invented the vending machine.
B. ... vending machine are found everywhere in Japan, from street, office, school, to onsen and kabuki theater.
C. ... in Japan the vending machines sell hot coffee and tea from a can.
D. Both A and B are true.
E. Both B and C are true.
And because a picture tells more than a thousand words ;)
Yes, this kind of vending machines are found EVERYWHERE in Tokyo!! And no, I am not over exaggerating. Even in the relax room of the onsen, which was completely in traditional Japanese style, with tatami (floor) and low tables, the drinks had to be bought from the vending machine...10. In the Japanese language there are....
A. Two levels of formality just like in Dutch, German and Spanish.
B. Three levels of formality one for friends, one for family and one for your boss and seniors.
C. More than three levels of formality, as they are several combinations possible for example being your friend, but older than you, or being your senior but younger than you.
D. More than five levels of formality, for each group a specific one that you always use towards that person.
E. More than six levels of formality, depending on the context you may use various forms to one and the same person thus switching level when the situation requires necessary.
This is WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYY to complicated to explain and still keep it interesting... it is too difficult to explain how the language works, and I must say that without an effort to try to speak a small small little bit, it would have been even harder to ever ever ever understand only a small little tiny bit the social context, culture and way of doing of the Japanese....
11. About laughing: Kirsten...
A. Has indeed a large problem in Japan, because laughing is not considered appropriate.
B. Has a large problem in Japan, because laughing is not considered appropriate for female, especially not so loud as I do, if you laugh you have to hold your hand in front of your mouth.
C. Has no problem at all, as laughing is just as in Western society extremely appreciated.
D. Has the same problem as back home, sometimes I laugh too loud in too public places, which may not always be appreciated.
E. Both A and B are true.
F. Both C and D are true.
Yes, I was afraid of A and B (dont ask me way), but the opposite is more than true, a smile is truly universal (at least let me say that in Japan this still holds), a smile open doors, giving a smile makes the people receiving one feel good. So therefore... I have no problem at all, as laughing is just as in Western society extremely appreciated and still have the same problem as back home, sometimes I laugh too loud in too public places, which may not always be appreciated.
12. Kirsten, since she has arrived in Japan did not have a day without...
A. ... drinking alcohol.
B. ... getting lost in Tokyo.
C. ... taking medicine, visiting the pharmacy or hospital.
D. ... getting into trouble because of her bad manners in speaking Japanese.
And I official broke this record! Let me inform you that from last Monday onwards, I already had my first two days without any medicine!!!! And secondly add an record of not drinking alcohol for almost two weeks (I am not sure how proud I should be on the fact this is actually recorded as a record.... hope you still follow me.. ;)). Lastly, yes I am already member of two hospitals in Tokyo (ik heb een portomonnee vol met Japanse pondskaartjes)!! (also not really proud on that record I have to admit...). Further happy to inform I had many days without getting lost and without getting into trouble... :)
13. About food: Kirsten...
A. Eats fives times a day, as a meal here certainly not suffices for her strong appetite.
B. Has a stock of food in her hotel room, as one hour after dinner she is already hungry again.
C. Is full after a good dinner of sushi.
D. Never eats sushi alone for dinner.
Sushi in Holland should change its name, as I became of the opinion that it is NO sushi! It is in no way comparable to sushi here.... At to my bigger surprise, I do get full of it!! It could be a proper meal indeed!
14. About Japan and Tokyo: Kirsten is lost in Tokyo because...
A. She does not know the way.
B. She does not speak the language.
C. She looks so different than the Japanese.
D. The city is so big.
E. None of the above.
If in any way I am lost in Tokyo it is because... Tokyo is many worlds in one... every metro station (and there are about 600) is a new world, every exist of every metro station is a new world (and a metro station has about 10 to...), every corner is a new world, every department store (huuuuuuuuge) is a new world, every small restaurant is a new world, every sentence, conversation, bite, smell, or sight is a new world... that is why I am lost.... in my new world.
15. About Kirsten's state of mind:
A. I am happy because I live in Tokyo.
B. I am sad because I am still sick.
C. I am amazed by everything that Japan has to offer.
D. I am about to break a leg on a ski trip.
E. I won the second price in the Robeco ice skate tournament near mountain Fuji.
F. I am surprised that I still didn't get properly drunk of sake.
G. I am extremely looking forward, but a bit frightened as really EVERYTHING is in Japanese.
H. All of the above.
I. None of the above.
ALL OF THE ABOVE, except B!!! I am not sick any more!!! Yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Further, now officially booked... the ski trip... leaving Tokyo with the shinkansen (bullet train) the 15 of February (Yes, Niq on your birthday I fly over the rails with 550 km/uur and will be thinking of you!), coming back the 17th....
More writing on my latest trip (this morning at 4.30 A.M...) in my next posting...
Curious what I have done this early in the morning?? Find out which animal was recently sold for a record price of 130,000 euro... or read again later this week....
Big kiss X X x x x x Kirsten
