I feel fairly at home with many Japanese customs ... but there are still a few things that still manage to catch me off guard sometimes. These include:
* seeing TV meteorologists publicly apologize when their weather predictions were wrong
* the swirling sonic assault of pachinko parlors (and sometimes electronics stores).
* finding whale meat at the supermarket
* how people wear surgical masks if they've got a cold (to keep from infecting others)
* the constant "KAW" of gigantic crows
* the astonishing array of food-themed television programs on TV featuring young people who drive around tasting regional/local foods and uttering guttural cries of "ummm. Umai!" and "Oishi!" (Delicious!) between mouthfuls. Watched this one the other day. I never seem to get tired of watching people overcome by food ecstasy.
(mask photo by Gary Trinh, news photo courtesy of the Rojak Daily)
