Couple things.
I learned in my Visual Anthropology class Monday that it's illegal to sell used electronics from before 2001. This doesn't seem to be stopping anyone, but it's interesting nonetheless. It's an attempt to boost the technology market and force people to buy new products, but seeing as the only law Japan really seems to be a stickler about is that you can't enter a public bath with a tattoo, it's not enforced.
And I can prove it with the Yu Yu Hakusho Gameboy game I bought last weekend. YYH started in 1990. It was completed by 92 or 93 and so that game is definitely pre-2001.
I was sitting in my room last night, type-type-typing away and notice something out of the corner of my eye. I'm on a roll with what I'm writing, so I glance over real quick as I continue typing then bring my eyes back to the screen. There was something dark, but my brain tells me it must be the edging of the tatami, which is a dark green color.
...That edge of the tatami doesn't have edging.
I look back over and there's a 2-3 inch long cockroach cruising along the wall. First thought? Oh hey, it's a cockroach. Second thought? I should probably go get Okaasan (Katie doesn't like it when things crunch). Third thought? OH CRAP, THERE'S A COCKROACH. MUST TRAP IT AND GET OKAASAN. Need something to trap it with, what do I have, what do I have, what do I have, BOWL.
I have a stack of Arianna's pottery on my desk, and it was unfortunately the only thing that would work that I could reach. So I grabbed the top bowl and slunk to the other side of the room. The roach checked me out and thought about bolting, but I bided my time until I could plunk the bowl over it.
Okaasan knew what cockroach meant, and if I thought she didn't like flies, she loathes cockroaches. She grabbed the box of tissues and headed to battle. Apparently this was one of the largest she's had to deal with, but she was successful, with a giant wad of tissues.
A very entertaining episode. When it was over, I couldn't remember what it was I was going to write next.
I know that you can't go to a public bath with a tattoo but does the whole Japanese public really look down on tattoos? Now that I have a visible one are they gonna give me shit if I go over there?
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't know, seeing as I don't have any, but from what I've heard from other students, that's a high likelihood. If you want to go to a bath house or hot spring, you're either going to need waterproof bandages to cover them, to go to a lower-scale establishment or a yazuka-specific establishment, because they don't let you in if they're visible.
ReplyDeleteBalls.
ReplyDelete