Aquatic Inference Engine

-one-
The close door button (-> <-) in japanese elevators works…instantaneously. Almost worth the trip just to see that alone.

-two-
Subway fare here is ~$2 (you pay varying amounts based on distance, and it’s calculated when you exit the system - identical i believe to the DC metro where you have to run your ticket both to enter and exit, and there are kiosks at the exits to add additional fare to your ticket if you’ve gone too far). The catch, you pay a new fare everytime you change trains…owwwwwwwwww. [Edit: yes, it really is that insane, in fact, it's much more insane b/c those are just the subway lines, there's also a ton of commuter lines and commercial lines (run by companies not the state) that you can choose from, I have a map of the whole system for south-central japan and it's the size of a movie poster...]

-three-
To date, doorways that I cannot walk through without ducking my head:

Five of the nine in our apartment (three of the ones I can walk through being the front and porch doors - so I’m ducking for four out of six inside - also there’s about a three inch ledge i have to step up over while exiting my bedroom, so while I am busy remembering to duck for the door jamb and stave off a cracked skull, i have to simultaneously step up to prevent stubbed toes - and this is japan so you’re not wearing shoes inside, and it’s dark and you just got up from sleeping to go to the bathroom anyway…owwwwwwwwwwww).

All the subway-car doors that I rode on today - I don’t remember from last night (different trains) because I was too tired.

Doorways I can walk through:

Itabashi ward office - fully automated door that’s at least fifteen feet tall, slightly odd.

McDonald’s (see lesson four).

Family Market 24h Convenience Store.

-four-
A friday in late April, boy sits at orientation for prospective job teaching english in japan. Man conducting the session tells group that no matter what they think of McDonald’s now, they will be inside one within 48 hours of landing in japan. Boy Scoffs. A friday in early June, barely 24 hours after landing in japan, boy walks over a half-mile in the rain searching for a McDonald’s, when he spots one in the distance, he knows that he will be bitterly, bitterly disappointed if it is closed. McDonald’s 1 - Boy 0.

-five-
Everyone recycles here, it is the law or else culturally demanded behaviour…even McDonald’s (yay!).

-six-
Boy has biggest shower of his life since his Somerville apartment, tall enough to stand in and lots of room to move around - and full of cleverly considered Japanese functional/ergonomical elements - boy will enjoy bathing in japan after all (yay!).