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The USA sorely needs efficient mass transit to solve traffic, urban logistics, and human density issues. Also, a bullet train service between corridors (I'm thinking Boston -> NYC -> Philly -> D.C. and LA to San Fran, maybe between big cities in Texas, maybe Chicago to St. Louis or Detroit, maaaybe). I just wish those living in the boonies would understand and not shoot down every reasonable transportation bill that comes along as "dem gub'ment bein' loose wit' mah money". The fact that I live 5 miles away from work with no reasonable bus service (I'd have to transfer at least once and ride it for an hour) and I don't trust the drivers to be safe with bicyclists is a crime.
At the same time, boy am I glad I live with a little breathing room. Though, I guess over time I could get used to "the huddle" which I term much of the living in Europe and Asia.
I saw bigger portions than last time I was there, and also a few more fat people. The Japanese better watch out, larger portions are almost always bad in the first world. Though, they have a long ways to "catch up" to the Americans (and I live in a slim corner here in the Pac NW). And thankfully the traditional meals at home haven't been super sized (yet).
I didn't see a lot of children, even in the neighborhoods. Only places I saw more children were the Doraemon museum and the neighborhoods close to kindergartens. I contrast to my generation (Gen Y) who seems, in America, to have started having kids. I see many more baby strollers now in the US than in Japan. Yoikes! Start having those kids ... though the corporations don't seem to be doing any favors with stagnant wages and a blatantly sexist job market (lack of maternity leave and a concrete ceiling for mothers being the biggest cultural changes that would help the Japanese out greatly in this area).
The Japanese were greatly surprised and appreciated my bumbling attempts at their language. Thankfully I'm slightly beyond dangerous baby conversation levels and could find out where a good store was that sells marriage chopsticks for my in-laws. Also, it appears that people are still learning English early, college and high school entrance exams were going on and I got a few "hello" and "how are you" phrases. One girl had obviously been going to conversation school.
For all the expounding on how children are beaten into submission at an early age, it seems most schoolkids seemed straight and happy-ish. May just be me though.
Kyoto is pretty any season. And four days isn't nearly enough time.
I think I'm Tokyo-ed out. I did get to go to the Edo-Tokyo museum and the Ryogoku area. I'd enjoy exploring there more, maybe see a sumo match, prices seemed reasonable enough, not unlike baseball tickets or football (American) tickets. And I guess Akihabara if I wanted another fix of modern culture (though I'm still OK with my first experience being my "last" back in 2007).
Sontoku Ninomiya was the man. Visited his house, his "shrine" and was humbled by an in-law who gave me a family heirloom scroll with words written by him (a replica of course but written in the early 1900s ... and he may have been a little tipsy ... I'll have to ask my cousin-in-law to see if it's really OK to have it). Gonna have to read more about the man.
In the end I was sorry to have left. I'm seriously contemplating moving there, though I'm starting to see the issues with their society (all societies have them) and a Japanese-american I know said he would be careful wishing to live there, for my kids' sake.
I agree on most points, but actually Japan has plenty of space and breathing room, particularly in Tohoku-the Northeast. Houses there were quite spacious.
I definitely agree about number one. I've spent some time on Shikoku in what was described to me as "the countryside" . . . but considering there was bus service, a train station to large cities and small towns within walking distance, and grocery stores and other amenities a few minutes away by bike, it was more like the American suburbs I know. More convenient, actually, since it had public transportation.
There, too, the houses were pretty spacious, but of a different layout than what we're used to here (one bathroom, for example, no basement, and not much of a yard).
The inconvenience of suburban life is what struck me when I returned to the US, and I think the contrast is even greater after spending time in South Korea, where they're even more packed in. Oh, and not having health insurance. Oh, and the size of people here.
The USA sorely needs efficient mass transit to solve traffic, urban logistics, and human density issues. Also, a bullet train service between corridors (I'm thinking Boston -> NYC -> Philly -> D.C. and LA to San Fran, maybe between big cities in Texas, maybe Chicago to St. Louis or Detroit, maaaybe). I just wish those living in the boonies would understand and not shoot down every reasonable transportation bill that comes along as "dem gub'ment bein' loose wit' mah money". The fact that I live 5 miles away from work with no reasonable bus service (I'd have to transfer at least once and ride it for an hour) and I don't trust the drivers to be safe with bicyclists is a crime.
At the same time, boy am I glad I live with a little breathing room. Though, I guess over time I could get used to "the huddle" which I term much of the living in Europe and Asia.
I saw bigger portions than last time I was there, and also a few more fat people. The Japanese better watch out, larger portions are almost always bad in the first world. Though, they have a long ways to "catch up" to the Americans (and I live in a slim corner here in the Pac NW). And thankfully the traditional meals at home haven't been super sized (yet).
I didn't see a lot of children, even in the neighborhoods. Only places I saw more children were the Doraemon museum and the neighborhoods close to kindergartens. I contrast to my generation (Gen Y) who seems, in America, to have started having kids. I see many more baby strollers now in the US than in Japan. Yoikes! Start having those kids ... though the corporations don't seem to be doing any favors with stagnant wages and a blatantly sexist job market (lack of maternity leave and a concrete ceiling for mothers being the biggest cultural changes that would help the Japanese out greatly in this area).
The Japanese were greatly surprised and appreciated my bumbling attempts at their language. Thankfully I'm slightly beyond dangerous baby conversation levels and could find out where a good store was that sells marriage chopsticks for my in-laws. Also, it appears that people are still learning English early, college and high school entrance exams were going on and I got a few "hello" and "how are you" phrases. One girl had obviously been going to conversation school.
For all the expounding on how children are beaten into submission at an early age, it seems most schoolkids seemed straight and happy-ish. May just be me though.
Kyoto is pretty any season. And four days isn't nearly enough time.
I think I'm Tokyo-ed out. I did get to go to the Edo-Tokyo museum and the Ryogoku area. I'd enjoy exploring there more, maybe see a sumo match, prices seemed reasonable enough, not unlike baseball tickets or football (American) tickets. And I guess Akihabara if I wanted another fix of modern culture (though I'm still OK with my first experience being my "last" back in 2007).
Sontoku Ninomiya was the man. Visited his house, his "shrine" and was humbled by an in-law who gave me a family heirloom scroll with words written by him (a replica of course but written in the early 1900s ... and he may have been a little tipsy ... I'll have to ask my cousin-in-law to see if it's really OK to have it). Gonna have to read more about the man.
In the end I was sorry to have left. I'm seriously contemplating moving there, though I'm starting to see the issues with their society (all societies have them) and a Japanese-american I know said he would be careful wishing to live there, for my kids' sake.
I think you spent all your time in Tokyo though? For the most part?
Outside of Tokyo, you see a lot more space and bigger houses, and tons of breathing room. A lot of it gorgeously beautiful and relaxing. I've been living in Niigata and the greater Osaka area. Both places I've had a ton of breathing room and such.
100% agree about the U.S. needing to do something about it's public transportation. The U.S. is just so very very very far behind in so many things, and the people so unaware of it. They seem to strongly resist it as well, which just makes it more backwards. The zoning of the U.S. though is what makes decent public transportion so unlikely though. In the rest of the world, you see a gazillion cool things built up all around metro/subway stations. But in the U.S, you just see a large parking lot, and typical zoned nothingness. It's just counter-productive and illogical all the way around the way the U.S. does things, which is why people resist it altogether in the U.S. My opinion anyways.
I think you spent all your time in Tokyo though? For the most part?
Outside of Tokyo, you see a lot more space and bigger houses, and tons of breathing room. A lot of it gorgeously beautiful and relaxing. I've been living in Niigata and the greater Osaka area. Both places I've had a ton of breathing room and such.
100% agree about the U.S. needing to do something about it's public transportation. The U.S. is just so very very very far behind in so many things, and the people so unaware of it. They seem to strongly resist it as well, which just makes it more backwards. The zoning of the U.S. though is what makes decent public transportion so unlikely though. In the rest of the world, you see a gazillion cool things built up all around metro/subway stations. But in the U.S, you just see a large parking lot, and typical zoned nothingness. It's just counter-productive and illogical all the way around the way the U.S. does things, which is why people resist it altogether in the U.S. My opinion anyways.
I would love to see decent rail in the states. Bullet trains that connect all major regions and cities. It would have such a positive financial impact, and offer a serious alternative to air travel.
I understand we currently have Amtrak, but it is so expensive, slow and lacks good routes and coverage.
I understand there are two major works planned at this time. One is a line that will run from St Louis to Chicago ending in Detroit at the border and another that runs from Washington State, through Oregon and into California. The St Louis -Chicago-Detroit line is to be a bullet train and the Spanish RENFE is building a "Talgo" on the West Coast line. How true this is I am not sure but I know some of the planners and engineers from Spain who are working on the US Talgo. Progress is very slow. I suppose its a money thing.
I like reading those posts about what America needs.
What America really need is revolution and I am pretty sure comrade Hussein think same way but his revolution is quite opposite of mine.
I like reading those posts about what America needs.
What America really need is revolution and I am pretty sure comrade Hussein think same way but his revolution is quite opposite of mine.
... I think I'd rather have "comrade Hussein's" revolution more than yours. Maybe I'm wrong, but probably not.
I like reading those posts about what America needs.
What America really need is revolution and I am pretty sure comrade Hussein think same way but his revolution is quite opposite of mine.
Don't think we have that many problems where we need a "revolution"
Even if we did have a revolution you people will just find new things to complain about.
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