Category: in a Japanese Pond

“What are you doing up here?” she asked when she finally came out, obviously just as angry as I was. “Why did you keep ringing the bell?” “You said to come in. Why didn’t you open the door?” “Because you shouldn’t be here! How will it look if I have a man in my house?”… Continue reading Date

The urinals were along the wall perpendicular to the corridor, with the door beside them in the corner directly opposite the door to the classroom next to mine. Standing there, I could see the girls in the class and if they didn’t look while they were in their room, they couldn’t help but see me… Continue reading Toilets

Fear gripped me before I realised what was happening – or perhaps because I didn’t realise what was happening. The building jumped from side to side. My chair banging against the desk. My jug spilled water into a small puddle that crept towards my laptop. People around me screamed and dived under desks. I knew… Continue reading Earthquake

There were a few on their balconies looking down at the scene, but none inclined to get close. “Well, at least we should call the police.” “They’re on their way. Any of these people can give them the message more quickly, and more accurately, than I can. I don’t even know what number to call.”… Continue reading Police

The Japanese revere their highest mountain, which spears out of the surrounding flatlands near the coastline west of Tokyo. For most of the year, it hides in cloud, but when this creature deigns to appear, the sight is spectacular. Its conical form changes costume with the seasons, but as we approached in summer, lucky enough… Continue reading Fuji-san

After the show it was time for some games to demonstrate how good we were as couples. For each game a number was drawn out of a box and the respective couple was brought out on stage to undergo rigorous questioning about each other, or to perform some embarrassing physical act, the peak being actually… Continue reading Night of Sevens

I didn’t want to tell her, or anyone else, what I feared – that I was on the edge of a major breakdown. Many Japanese businessmen die each year from karoushi, a disease, if I can call it that, which translates literally as ‘excessive work death.’ There’s usually no warning – like a horse that’s… Continue reading Overwork

Catching the train back to town on the second afternoon, I noticed a lone schoolgirl fixing her socks. She was probably coming back from bukatsu which ran the entire year, even through the week of public holidays. She was wearing ruusu sokusu, or ‘loose socks,’ which are long white socks with all the elastic plucked… Continue reading Fashion

“It’s the best reward a teacher can have, when one of her students comes back.” Her eyes were teary as she spoke. “And you’ve come such a long way.” “Actually, I’ve only come from Kobe.” I told her about the job and my new life. “So much has changed. Especially here, ” I said, looking… Continue reading School

“G’day mate,” said JP. “Welcome home.” Home. Really? I looked around. This unfamiliar house could have been anywhere. “Hi. It’s good to be back.” The words were a formality. I wasn’t ‘back’ at all. That night they held a barbecue and invited a few friends around. I felt strange to be sitting in conversation a… Continue reading Reverse Culture Shock