Observation time...

An observation I have made recently:

In Japan, a country of roughly 127 million people and Tokyo a city of roughly 12 million people, almost everyone carries a mobile phone. The mobile phone user count reached 100 million this year and continues to grow. The observation: I never hear a mobile phone ring. Let me say that again. I NEVER hear a mobile phone ring!!

Almost every person that I am around on the streets, the subway and trains, the office, everywhere, has their phone set to vibrate or silent mode. How cool is that?? I never have to listen to some annoying ringtone or have to worry that I will be disturbed while dining with my family.

Want to know what else is cool? Almost no one talks on their mobile phones in public! If they are talking on their phone it is behind their hand shielding their mouths so as not to disturb those around them. They are practically whispering too. Most people use their phones for messaging each other, BlackBerry anyone??, or for games and web browsing. Allowing your mobile phone to ring or talking on it on the trains and subway is a BIG faux paux.

People are courteous and contentious about those around them. On a packed subway if a person, usually a young person, is doing something considered “rude”, like talking on a mobile phone where others can hear you, an elder only has to glance his way to remind him of what is right or wrong. And get this… they listen! They will hang up. A society where one has respect for their elders is truly a refreshing thing. It extends to many aspects of their life too, not just mobile phones.

In America, one might get beat up or worse for telling a youth to hang up their phone because they are being loud or rude. This is largely a regional as well as cultural problem. We should take a few tips from the Japanese. Also, those silly bluetooth headsets that are left on your ear whether you’re using them or not are non-existent. They don’t use them. Idiots in the airport talking so loudly that the entire gate knows their business just wouldn’t be allowed and they aren’t present. Movie theaters do not have phones ringing in them at all! Kids are polite and respectful and it shows.

To live in the US and see this contrast is shocking. When I go back to the States it is going to seem so “loud”. This has been stated by some of my colleagues as well when they travel to North America. Everything is loud by comparison. I hardly ever hear a horn honk either, but that’s a different post…

I think we should all switch our phones to vibrate and text each other more often. That’s what the BlackBerry does best! Oh and respect our elders. I forgot that bit, that’s a good thing too.

For Justin...

Because he thinks Yakuza only wave fans around...

I guess this is what they do on their day off because this dude is missing the fingertips on his middle and index finger!!

Is that me??

I think that's me standing on the left side of the Shrine. No shirt, white pants, holding the fan... Like my tatts?? Haha.

My Japanese Colleague at work, Hiroshi-san, told me that the white vertical banner with black writing hanging off the building is a Police banner and it basically says "People of Asakusa push out the Yakuza!" How funny and ironic! The town obviously doesn't mind them too much.

YAKUZA!

At the Sanja Matsuri festival we went to this weekend, I had read that it might be possible to see some members of Yakuza, or Japanese organized crime/mafia. I didn't know for sure though because everyone I asked about it was very quiet and hush-hush (Shi-Shi), how appropriate! Some people even told me not to believe everything I read in America even though I read that in a local magazine!

Anyway, check out the pictures of the Yakuza at the festival below. Yakuza are identified by their full body tattoos. Normally on any other day in Japan showing your tattoos in public could get you arrested because your basically saying "I'm in the Mafia" by having them. Notice how the tattos are done so that normal business clothing could cover them up. They stop before they get too close to the hands and wrists and before they get too close to the feet and ankles. The older Yakuza sometimes cover their whole bodies after they "retire" from daily life. At that point they kind of become a "badge of honor" :)




I have a ton of pictures but these will give you an idea until I can figure out how to put the rest in an online photo album. Stix? Help Mate! :)

Here is a photo of the shrine where all of this was happening.

This picture was taken the weekend before the festival. During the festival one could not move in this courtyard!

More later. It's time to go to lunch!

RIM Office in Japan:

Here is a picture of the lobby:













It's not terribly huge as you can see but we're not a huge group here in Japan. Maybe 25 employees at the moment. Most of them are Marketing and Operations. The technical and sales team together only add up to about 8 people. It's growing though. My buddy and colleague from when I started with RIM, John McAndrews, will be arriving next month. He's a great guy and we have a lot of fun together!














This is a shrine on the roof of the neighboring building. This type of setting is everywhere in Japan. I'll be walking down the street and wedged between two buildings or tucked down an alley is a shrine. Unfortunately I don't know what they are in honor of, but they are cool none-the-less.

Welcome!

Well this will be my blog space since MaryMegan and Jackson have theirs here.

I think this is where I will share my observations and thoughts on Japan from a business or "Salaryman" perspective. I'll also post pictures once I get a small camera to snap shots as I'm out and about during the work week.

My walk to work, I choose to walk when the weather allows, is about 30-40 minutes depending on how I go and if I walk fast or slower to check things out. I usually get to the office between 9 and 10 in the morning. The start of the work day varies depending on your position and company you work for. Here at RIM Japan most people start at 10 and leave at 6 or 7pm. In some companies it is not uncommon to work from 8am to 9 or 10pm!
Its no wonder why Japan's suicide rate is among the highest in the industrialized world. More than 32,000 Japanese took their own lives in 2004, the bulk of them older Japanese suffering financial woes as the country struggled through a decade of economic stagnation. And 12 to 16 hour work days!!!!

I also get to choose whether I wear a suit or jeans and a polo because I am Technical. If I were in Sales I would wear a suit every day, just like the majority of Japanese. My work experience is a little skewed because I am working for a Canadian company in Japan and not a Japanese one. I can see another building across from ours and I can observe some of the truly Japanese way of office life. I will post a picture when I have one.

Keep checking here often and of course check on MaryMegan's blog for more pics and info about us living and playing and coping in Japan. This is SO amazing.


A Picture of Kyoto in the Spring with Cherry Blossoms (Sakura)