Balancing Better in the Land of Pedestrians

If I was actually probably learning Japanese, I'd write "Daily Life" in Japanese, and then you could all be impressed/have no clue what I was writing. Unfortunately, I'm stuck at the word-of-the-day level. I can describe all objects as lively, pretty, cute, dangerous, tasty, green or purple. I request your kindness. It's my fault. There is no need to say thank you.

On the bright side, I'm doing much better with my hashi than I was at first. The score for tonight: no noodles on lap/floor, only one noodle down shirt. This means my hashi skills roughly approximate my silverware abilities. My next goal is to learn to properly cut meat in the US without having to lean into it.

Some of my long-standing foibles are par for the course in Japan. R often comments on the degree of "consensus culture" and the degree of consulting that goes into social planning. People will typically call each other five or six times over the course of an evening to develop mutually acceptable social plans. I don't think I'd notice this if it weren't pointed out to me-- after all, what is gchat for?

I also have a tendency to be overly diffident and diplomatic when making small scale plans: "Oh, I really don't have a preference. Whatever you decide sounds good to me." I think I take this far enough so that it may become annoying rather than polite at home, but it definitely is the acceptable way to make decisions here.

I really like the strong pedestrian orientation of everything. Not only is space an issue, but drivers' licenses cost around 5,000 dollars, so cars are much less common than in the states. All the streets are very narrow and there are a lot of very hilly neighborhoods through which only one car could drive through at a time. There are neighborhoods not accessible by car at all, and stairs that connect lower and higher neighborhoods.

I noticed the different layout--and the uber efficient train system-- much earlier, but have only recently noticed some of the other effects of the scarcity of cars. At the grocery story, the only carts are sort of half-sized double decker carts that are used to tote a heavy basket, and most customers carry baskets. No point in buying a cart full of groceries you will then be unable to carry home, probably over several hills. Anything larger than groceries can be delivered.

I'm in Japan until the 18th, and then will be back in the states for the holidays and at least some of the winter. I'm going to Hakonei, a mountain town with lots of onsen, this weekend, and will go to Kyoto and Osaka shortly before leaving.