Japan.english

20.2.01

special cosmetics

Have you seen them once? One of those girls with make-up that makes her looking like a negative picture, a ganguro? If you take a closer look, you`ll notice they are prepared for everything, carrying a complete make-up and nail set, spare clothes, a mobile with the melody of the latest J-Pop chartbreaker... but what do they use behind the scenes? What exactly is the inventory of the die-hard ganguro? You`ll only find that out, if you spy around a little in their territory, the hygiene- and beautyshops.

I have been surprised by that breast firming gel in hygiene shops, which is supposed to be smeared regularily on the breasts. I don`t know if there`s stuff like that in european sexshops, but I certainly haven`t seen them in hygiene shops. There`s one problem with the use of that product: As my absolutely objective and representative survey about breast size shows, are Japanese breast so small that those extravagant expenses would be much ado about nothing. ;-)

A maschine described in a manga for young girls made me almost die of laughter: It looked like some kind of plumper with a suction pump, adolescent girls, presumably not matching the propagated ideal breast size in the media, are supposed to put them over their breast and suck them so they grow bigger! If young girls are the target group of such mangas, then I don`t wonder why people have so many complexes later in life...

7.2.01

Modern Japan

When I arrived in Japan at the Kansai Airport last year in April, I took the train to Kyoto. On my way I was very surprised to see the poor state of the infrastructure in the area. Japan, the world`s economy number two? How does that fit to all those old houses made of wood and tinroofs, the chaotic telephone and electricity poles, the homeless under the bridges (yes, I know, they have those elsewhere, too) and the generally poor condition of the economy?

You get a different picture walking through Dendentown in Osaka or the Ginza in Tokyo. Miniturization at it`s best on every corner. Mp3-Player as small as a lighter, flatscreens as flat as a book - I was standing speechless in front of a foil on a shop window, somehow they managed to project a pin sharp TV picture on that. The new digital TV called BS is not bad either, the resolution great. The mobiles are also smaller than anything you can buy in Germany, and I guess you can wait a few years until they sell those MDLPs, too.

5.2.01

To the end of my year in Japan, I have to leave the foreign students dorm and look for an appartment or a homestay in the aera of Kyoto. The main problem is - and always has been - the money. First, I tried to find a family for homestay myself, posting into newsgroups, asking friends, writing handbills and have them displayed at busy places... but all that didn`t really work. Luckily, I heard about the Kyoto International Center, where foreigners can find everything from accomodation, sales, Internetaccess, personal counseling to free japanese classes, a huge blackboard for personal ads, tourist information, journals and local magazins in several languages, etc.
They have two files with over 50 accomodation offers, appartments, homestays as well as houses as a whole. Homestays in Kyoto are very difficult to find, and some are not what the file says it is. The staff is very helpful and rings up the owners of the places you find suitable. A direct meeting is neccessary in any case!
I have found appartments which seemed to have survived one or two world wars, as cheap as 15.000 Yen or even free in exchange for four hours of english conversation in return. The downside: No heater - and walls as thin as a book - no bed or futon, no shower or bath, no washing maschine. If you want, you can live like your grandparents... ;-)