Nonsense

A little about Japanese arbitrary addresses, Japanese have the most confusing address system in the world I think. A good 90% of the roads aren't named, and those that are named serve no purpose in addresses. And plus a lot of the roads are named the same. Usually a cardinal direction with the word street. I've seen like 5 higashi dori's in Tokyo. (higashi dori literally meaning "east street"). Anyway. So instead of using streets they use this block system. But don't be fooled, even this has no pattern really. Let's use an example.

And address would look like this in Tokyo:

Postal Code: 184-0034
Tokyo-to Chiyoda-ku Fushimi-cho 3-45-2 Suzuki-sama

(Addresses are written opposite the way western countries are, and for better. It's a little less confusing backwards in the crazy Japanese block system.)

Tokyo is the Tokyo metropolis prefecture ("to" means metropolis). Like an American state just with no federal power. Chiyoda is the "ku" or ward of Tokyo. Unlike normal Japanese prefectures Toyko is divided into wards and cities. A ward in Tokyo is pretty much just like a city. So that much is easy to understand. Then there is the "cho" or block. Fushimi is the block. This is just a random section of Chiyoda ward that has been deemed "fushimi block". The 3 means that Mr. Suzuki lives in the 3rd block of Fushimi block. 45 means that he is further located in the 45th division of that 3rd block of Fushimi. And 2 means he is the second house in the 45th division of the 3rd block of Fushimi.

All Japanese houses, businesses etc. have addresses like these and barely any place has their address prominently shown. At least I have never seen an address actually on a building before. Often you get little signs like these every now and then to tell you what block of a certain block you are on.


This saying you are at the 40th division of the 3rd block in Hachimanyama block in Setagaya-ward.

To help you out usually there is a map when you are around a sign like this to tell you where in the division a certain house or business is located. But I would never advise trying to find a place without the internet or a person who has been there before. It is impossible. Japanese people know that and almost all cars have a GPS viewer to show where they are.

So next time you have to turn right at Main street, left at 65th terrace and right again at a named street, think of me in Japan questioning the existance of Japanese sanity when I turn "left after the first vending machine, right at the creek, left at the house with 2 cars and left again at the intersection where there are two mirrors". (note: actual directions in Tokyo)

Japanese lies

As you may have noticed I always claim that the Japanese are lying about something or another. Well I'm ashamed to say I've picked up their habit without even knowing it. Although I call it more of an alternative truth than a lie. You see, I'm often in situations where my awful Japanese cannot compensate for something I have just said or done. For instance, if I'm kind of late for a meeting I don't really know how to say "I couldn't find the right line at Shinjuku and ended up taking the express instead of the limited express which I needed to take. So I got off on the wrong station and had to go back once". Instead I say something more acceptable to my ability, "The trains were running late". I would tell them the truth if I could. But sometimes an alternate truth is just easier on everyone. Including the poor Japanese person who has to listen to me blabber on. Anyway this is well and fine except the other day I caught myself telling somebody the story above. In English. To a native English speaker. I know. I immediately figured out what I was doing and corrected myself but still. Sometimes you just forget what language you are speaking and seek the easiest thing to say.


The sign says "Chikan (translated as pervert or groper) is a crime". I'm not sure what the lady with the folder and the man with his back turned printed NO on it has to do with groping on the train, but it makes someone feel better.

Other than that randomness, school begins again tomorrow. We have a week of finals/last classes and then spring break. I don't understand this system of having a break before finals and having finals and then having a 3 month break, but I'm only western. The only things I really should be worrying about is a 4 page paper on crimes of the Yakuza, in Japanese, and an 8-10 page research paper on phone bling in Japan, in English thank goodness. Other than that, just some tests that won't be anything like the teacher told us in review. The norm for Japan.