Tokyo & Osaka, Japan - Week 4

Hello Family and Friends,

We have settled into being a little less touristy since my mom and sister left us. Did some laundry, well, not exactly. Found a wash and fold place to do laundry for us. This took us out of the touristy area of Tokyo and into a more livable neighborhood. I was commenting to Brett that this particular area feels like a place I could live. We were still in Shinjuku just away from the central park and the hotels. Then I saw Burger King on one side of the street, KFC on the other side of the street, Subway two doors down. Of course, the most American street in Tokyo wouldn't be complete without a McDonald's, which I saw when we rounded the corner. No wonder the neighborhood felt familiar, it little had the american stereotype of fast food chains in one place. Never mind, don't want to live in this neighborhood. There was a sizable Daiso, which is the Japanese version of the dollar store. Except the conversion makes it even cheaper than the dollar store, making everything about 75 cents. We have really come to love this store. Every time, we go there we spend about $10 USD buying things likes toys, snacks, corner guards and crafts. There is a similar store called CanDo. We are so familiar with both brands that we have decided we like CanDo toys better than Daiso toys.

This is our second time in Shinjuku and we keep finding things, Not only is Tokyo's metro systems a puzzle, but their city is a puzzle with hidden treasures. We were walking around town and just ran into a labyrinth of food stalls and then upon exiting the entertainment district of Shinjuku. Kabukichō.

Walked down this street because it was cute and busy. It was full of authentic Japanese restaurants.

Historically it was the red light district, but now it's a popular tourist stop with bars, restaurants, karaoke and shops.

Just Japan being itself and putting Godzilla on top of a hotel because it can.

We spent about five more days in Shinjuku for the second round before heading to Osaka. Wasn't really sure what to expect of Osaka, but turns out we both feel that it is more livable than Tokyo. Surprisingly, we have spent more time under ground than we have above ground. It all started when Brett had to go on a late night pacifier run. Somehow we lost both of Atlas's pacifiers and without one it was going to be a late night. Brett's pacifier run was unsuccessful, but what he did find was a whole underground world. Most of the stores were closed but that didn't stop thousands of 20 somethings from hanging out. Brett didn't know where all these people came from and what they were doing. After a miserable night in which Atlas woke every hour crying for his pacifier the next morning Brett showed me where he explored retracing his steps with Atlas and I. Except this time all the stores were open, We successfully found a pacifier and a two level Daiso. We even found what I'm going to call a farmers market, but underground. They had fresh produce, meat and fish. As well as vendors selling all kinds of food and sweets. I got sucked in by the honey and tea vendors. They had honey from all over the world.

Atlas being entertained by an advertisement for a Japanese puppet show as we explore one of many underground tunnels.

We have been hanging out below ground for the last two days and still haven't gone down even half of the pathways. One evening, Atlas and I took a walk around the block at the surface level just to get some fresh air. Brett has no problem spending all his time underground away from the sun. It's his batman fever dream come true. However, we did convince Brett to go on an above ground adventure when visiting the Tazaemon Pier. It was such a fun place full of people and lights.

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Trying to capture the energy of this place. "Run the World" by Beyonce playing in the background wasn't intentional, but it is perfect.

We took a little boat cruise along the river.

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Atlas waving to people on the dock.

It was also the dirtiest place I have seen in Japan. The public trashcans were overflowing and people were just smoking in the streets. For most of Japan, there are no public trash cans. Public trashcans were removed in Japan following the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin gas attacks. Security concerns, specifically to prevent terrorists from hiding hazardous materials in public bins, led to the widespread removal of garbage cans from train stations, parks, and city streets. Instead of trash cans, a culture of taking trash home prevails, supported by a remarkably clean public environment. However, tourist don't take their trash home. In touristy areas, trash cans have returned and I think Japan is better off without them. Also this is the only area in Japan where I have seen people smoking in the streets. In other areas we have visited, there are designated smoking areas. They are essentially large booths without roofs. It's great, smokers can do their thing and the rest of the public doesn't have to smell it. While visiting the pier I physically had to dodge smoke being blown into my face.

I understand why the Japanese don't like foreigners. Japan was a very isolationist country. They had their ways and traditions, but after world war II they opened up their borders and culture to the rest of the world and I feel like we haven't done a good job of respecting them. Based on tourist behavior in Japan I can empathize with their feelings of wanting to exclude foreigners from their society. I mean, I don't like it, but I get it. Japan may technically allow foreigners to visit, live and even work in Japan, but they make sure you know that you will never be a part of their society. As we are looking into what it will take to live here, we have run across some blaring examples to let you know they don't want "others". For example, if you're a foreigner, landlords can choose to not rent to you for no other reason. A business can have a policy that they don't rent to foreigners and it is completely legal. Also for my natural black self, finding products for my skin shade and hair texture just isn't a thing. I don't mean the make-up, just the skin care products like sunscreen. I bought sunscreen from an american brand that advertised no tint and it went on my face white. Did a google search for hair care products for black hair and the only place to buy products is near bases. Supposedly, some schools make you color and straighten your hair so that their is uniformity. Just another glaring red signal of "other" isn't welcomed. I have really enjoyed visiting Japan, but don't see us living here.

We unfortunately had first hand interaction with the medical system. One night, Brett (of course it was him) had terrible stomach pain that had gotten worse over the last 24 hours. At 2:30 in the morning I had the hotel call us an ambulance. They came to the room, they got Brett and everything was going as well as it could be under the circumstances. When I asked which hospital they would take him to, they said it depended on his systems and what doctors were available at the various hospitals. I equate it to essentially determining what trauma level they think he needs. The paramedics choose a hospital and Atlas and I get in a taxi and follow Brett to the hospital. Straight away they ask for a deposit. Wait, they are letting me know right up front the minimal amount an emergency visit will cost, what is this voodoo? I'm an American, don't they know that I get treatment, have no idea what it's going to cost and then get a bill months to years later for an absurd amount. In fact, they mentioned the cost for every procedure and test. "We want to do a CT scan and it's going to cost 60,000 yen, do you want this service?" At one point I felt like the cost was holding them back. I was like run whatever test you have to, I don't care how much it cost, we didn't come to the ER in an ambulance for a culture experience. My husband is in a lot of pain. Fix it and then tell me how to prevent it. After imaging and blood work they still didn't know what was wrong with him. The next step was an endoscopy, which they said would cost more, but the pain was subsiding with some proactive medicines that were administered so we elected to go home.

Atlas and I waiting in the ER for Brett at around 3:30am.

Now one thing the ER in Japan didn't treat well was pain. In the states we have made pain the 5th vital sign, because we were historically very terrible at managing pain. Therefore, when we have been to the ER in the states for gallbladder and kidney stones, they treat the pain and then do diagnostics. In Japan, they gave Brett acetaminophen and then every hour asked him if his symptoms were better. If it was acetaminophen levels of pain, we would not be at the ER in another country. They never pulled out a pain scale or asked him directly about his pain. There is some debate that by treating pain as a 5th vital sign we draw too much attention to it and thereby make it worse. As of now Brett's abdominal pain is being treated like a stomach ulcer. The pain is at a level where it doesn't wake him up when sleeping and he's on a bland diet. Hopefully no more ER visits. It's no fun when Brett hurts and I was scared the whole time.