Japan (aka Nihon), or at least the parts I've seen of it, is to put it mildly a land of contradictions. Almost every other day one is confronted by a situation that makes little to no sense but that's just the way it is.
For example take ATMs. For many of you an ATM may be nothing more than a 24 hour cash dispenser - but around here it could be an entire logistical mission to find the 7 Eleven with an ATM that accepts foreign cards or the end of an otherwise exciting evening if you haven't timed your withdrawal properly. You see many ATMs in Japan keep banking hours. Yes that's right banking hours like they need to um, rest at night. Why I find that particularly baffling is because you can have biometric security over and above the conventional PIN, but god forbid you try to get some of your cash out after like 9pm.
Then there's cell phones or "ketai" as they are called here. Probably the most advanced mobile communication system in the world with 3G as the absolute minimum standard but good luck trying to find a handset with predictive text in English.
I've mentioned the space age toilets, complete with on board processors. But you still see hordes of middle aged men urinating in bushes, in view of main roads and a variety of other public places.
Just yesterday I watched a high school student board the train and he was positively resonating attitude. He had the outrageous bed head look (which I'm guessing is in contravention of some school regulation or another). He looked over the occupants of the carriage with a sense of utter disdain, menacingly eyeing each passenger. Just then his phone rings and he pulls out a bright pink mobile which even had shiny little bits and stickers on it. So much for Mr Tough Guy...
I could go on but I think you get the gist...
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