Japan, and How I Failed to Figure it Out

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In the blog post Japan, and How I Failed to Figure it Out, published on July 18, 2014, Tim Urban recounts his two-week trip to Japan as part of his "Odd Things in Odd Places" series. Urban's fascination with Japanese culture stemmed from a Gmail theme depicting rural Japanese life. When readers selected Japan as his travel destination, he anticipated experiencing that idyllic setting. However, upon arriving in the bustling city of Tokyo, Urban quickly realized that his expectations were far removed from reality. He then became determined to understand Japanese culture and immersed himself in urban life, deciding to visit the countryside in his next trip. 
Throughout the post, Urban provides anecdotes and observations that highlight various aspects of Japanese social norms, including extreme politeness and perplexing customs. He touches on topics such as the thriving sex industry and the strict regulations surrounding trash disposal. He continues by sharing his experiences ranging from dining at a high-end sushi restaurant called Sukiyabashi Jiro to exploring the vibrant Tsukiji fish market at dawn. He also recounts encounters with robots and peculiar snack foods that left him bewildered.
Attempting to embrace different personas, such as a pachinko parlor worker or a costumed mascot, Urban encountered barriers that prevented him from fully integrating into Japanese society. Due to being unable to pretend to be someone there for a day like he did in the other countries, Urban instead went to the Hello Kitty World, recording a video of his trip, noting that he probably seemed conspicuous in the theme park compared to everyone else.
== Full post ==
https://waitbutwhy.com/2014/07/japan-and-how-i-failed-to-figure-it-out.html
Category:Archive posts
Category:Odd Things in Odd Places