Terminal

Thanks to Benjie of Toronto, Canada
It’s an oldie but a goldie.

TGIF Joke of the Week

Raoul’s 2 Cents. October 16, 2026

The Japanese

Please move on to the jokes if you don’t want to ponder.

I’m back from my Japan tour. As I said in my previous email, we visited many of the tourist spots. We walked a lot and we rode a lot of trains. I will share some tips for you would-be travelers to Japan in an upcoming article in Travelingboy.com. For now, I’d like to focus on my observations of the Japanese lifestyle.

Clean, disciplined, respectful, honest, intelligent, friendly — that’s what they are … that’s what is expected. But what is it like to live among them?

We bumped into a Filipina who has been working as a waitress for 3 years and she said her bosses are driven. Some are kind but some can be very demanding. Life for her is hard and stressful. She’s always on her toes and she works more than 8 hours a day. With so many tourists pouring in, it’s understandable. A recent poll said Japan is the number one tourist destination in the world. There were many non-Japanese working in different service-oriented businesses.

We went out for dinner around 9 and in a table beside us were 3 businessmen having a grilled dinner and chugging whisky between their laughter. If this is typical, that means after their regular official work hours, they have the unofficial socializing with the boss. I wonder about their wives and children waiting at home for them. The next day, I saw another businessman who passed out in the steps of a boardwalk.

In the middle of the day, you can see high school kids wearing their school uniform walking the streets. Aren’t they supposed to be in school? I saw a bunch of them every day. Like every society, Japan has its share of rebels … I did see Japanese graffiti and several old dark spots of chewing gum on the pavements — maybe they were littered by the tourists.

The train conductors were interesting. Many were senior citizens. The younger ones would walk back and forth from one carriage to the other making sure everything was honky dory. When they enter the carriage, they bow. Before they leave the carriage they bow like they just did a performance. They take great pride in their work … no matter how repetitive and lowly it may be.

Japan may not have a caste system like India but I think their careers are dictated by the same job as their ancestors before them. If you are born in a family that cooks, chances are, that’s what you will be doing for the rest of your life. It’s so unlike America where every kid can grow up to be president. With their lack of ambition comes the contentment and determination to do their best in whatever their profession. I’m sure this is slowly changing as Japan faces a negative population growth.

The Japanese women can be charming or unbelievably beautiful. Many have pasty porcelain skins with tasteful makeup that make them look like anime dolls. They are fashionable with their bangs and side locks. Many wear very short skirts to show their white skinny legs and heavy elevator shoes. I expected them to talk with unnatural high pitched voices (as they do in anime cartoons and commercials) but they talk normal. Many talk broken English and have a phone app translator handy.

The men are not as fashionable. The unruly just-got-out-of-bed haircut, dark rimmed glasses and uneven teeth are common. Most dress simply with black pants and white shirts. Business suits are standard.

The little school children wearing their uniforms are adorable. Each group wears different colored caps to identify their school especially when they go on field trips. And they are well behaved.

Riding the train, I noticed the tasteful compact architecture of the buildings and the houses. Narrow cars and trucks are parked outside. How ironic that a society so technically advanced still dry their clothes on outdoor clotheslines. ATM machines for food, beverages, money exchange were everywhere.

There are about 8 TV stations. You have the serious news, the fun shows and the zany commercials. Most of the low budget variety shows have a regular stable of men and women panelists who are the observers. Sometimes there are contests. Other times a roving reporter interviews people in the street and these observers nod or laugh and give their critique. It’s almost like watching a random polling about people’s lifestyles. If I spoke Japanese I would appreciate the shows more. Unfortunately, there are no English translations.

Indeed, the Japanese are a curious lot. They remind me of industrious bees who (together) make their society work. What must it be like to live a normal life with a constant flow of tourists who support your economy and observe you like a lab animal? They may seem as complex as their driving on the right side of the car but once you get to know them, I’m sure you’ll enjoy them even more.

TGIF people!

Quotes of the Week

“The whole of Japan is a pure invention. There is no such country, there are no such people…. The Japanese people are… simply a mode of style, an exquisite fancy of art.”

— Oscar Wilde

“Japan never considers time together as time wasted. Rather, it is time invested.”

— Donald Richie

“I love Japan. I love the collision of the modern and ancient worlds coming together in that place. It’s so high-tech and cool.”

— John Lasetter

“Look at London or Paris: they’re both filthy. You don’t get that in Tokyo. The proud residents look after their city.”

— Tadao Ando

“The wise never marry. And when they marry they become otherwise.”

— Japanese Saying

“We were in Japan once where they had 30 kinds of green tea. I thought there was one.”

— Billy Corgan

“Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.”

— 1 Peter 3:7

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”

— 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Memes of the Week

Send me your jokes & memes so I can share them with the rest of our TGIF family. This week, we thank Jess of La Jolla, Norm of Encino, Jan of Alhambra, Tony of Hacienda Heights, and Colleen of Arizona.