AUTOGRAPHS

For An Exotic And Rewarding Vacation, Visit Japan

Most westerner get their information about Japan from the news media. Just as we would hate to have foreigners judge America by our news broadcasts, seeing Japan through the sensational video we receive is inaccurate. The pace of life in Japan is very much like it is here and getting out to visit with the people can be a special experience.

Concept of family is very strong in Japan. Even one’s name, when used in an introduction comes as a family name first and then the given name. So we may refer to the famous baseball player has Ichiro Suzuki, then his native land to introduce himself as Suzuki, Ichiro. This is but one of many subtle differences between Japan and the United States.

With the current popularity of Japanese food such as sushi and sashimi one might think the greatest difference between our culinary tastes was between fish and meat. In truth there are two major differences; the US prefers sauces based on tomato ketchup while Japan prefers soy sauce, and Americans eat bread every day, whereas Japanese eat rice every day. So while bread making machines are common in American kitchens rice cookers are common in every Japanese kitchen.

These devices vary in sophistication, much like bread makers do here in the US. But for straight functionality at a value price, a Zojirushi rice cooker has taken the lions share of the market. They are available here and many Americans are finding that cooked this way, especially if your model allows for delayed time cooking, makes rice an easy alternative to bread, though on an occasional basis. College students also find them good products because the rice can be stored conveniently for a long time, cooked when needed.

If you visit Japanese home, make sure you are wearing good socks without holes. That is because you will be required to remove your shoes before entering the home. The Japanese feel very strongly that one should not track dirt from outside into the house. Most foreigners interested in your brief time with this cultural difference adopted it for their own home.

The majority of homes in Japan have Tatami mat floors. These mats are made of intricately woven rice straw. Originally, the centers of the mats were also constructed from rice straw but increasingly today the centers are made of a synthetic material. These types of fluids stay cool in summer and warm in winter, but require a more gentle cleaning and western floor made of wood or that is carpeted. That is the most popular floor cleaning devices are handheld vacuums.

Visiting Japan can be a truly rewarding and exciting event. If you are courageous enough to try, the rewards are great. The people are friendly and welcoming, especially of Americans, and their society is enigmatically tied to both the future and the past. Their ability to adopt new technology is legend, while they revere both nature and their cultural heritage which is many times longer than American history.

Ichiro Suzuki pitching in Japanese All-Star Game 1996 (Long-Version 2)