Old vs. New

One thing I'm noticing more and more is that this country is a really interesting mix of old and new. On the one hand, Japan is always on the cutting edge of technology. On the other, tradition and old school rules of etiquette rule the daily lives and routines of the Japanese.

The toilets I mentioned are just one of many electronically controlled items in our house. The floors are warmed (just press a button on the wall), there are intercoms and security cameras, and the shower temperature is controlled by a panel on the wall, rather than just turning the knob right or left.

Here is the installation guy trying to explain to me how the shower works:

There are 7 different remote controls for this house for everything from AC units and fans to the floor warmers. In addition, train stations, belt sushi restaurants, banks, even vending machines, are all electronic, user friendly, and completely intuative. It makes interacting with machines fun, rather than frustrating.

Also, the fashion in Tokyo is light years ahead of anything in the states or Europe; recycling is beyond anything I've ever seen; and, the driving laws are so strict that yesterday I saw a boy run out into the middle of the road after a ball, everyone stop on a dime, the boy pick up the ball, smile and bow deeply to the cars, and then just trot back up on the sidewalk with his ball! No one batted an eyelash. I mean, this is an advanced country, people.

And yet!

There is so much red tape to get anything done (the house and car, just for starters), so many old fashioned rules, and the people are seemingly so "quaint" at times that I sort of love it and sort of want to scream all at once. I hate to use the word "quaint" though, because I think I am probably just picking up the polite mask they put on. Like, they probably want to me to think they are quaint or something. Sometimes I want to cause a scene just to see what will happen, but I'm pretty sure people would just continue on their way, politely ignoring whatever I was doing.

Here is the latest bit of red tape and old fashioned process I have been involved in: in order to open a bank account here, you must first obtain a Hanko, or stamp. It's a special stamp you have made with your name spelled out in Katakana so that you can "sign" all your documents with it. You cannot open a bank account without this stamp. It reminds me of the wax seals used back in medieval Europe. Here's mine:

And don't even think that you will actually be able to open the bank account just because you have the hanko. I am having to provide lots and lots of documentation to get this done, and they made me copy down my address on the application form in Kanji! It looked like one of the boys wrote it when I was done. Of course the man in the bank kept saying, "Yes! Looks good!" Polite liar!

Also, people still trade name cards when they meet, and ladies regularly walk around in Kimono. You will see a lot of hip kids, businessmen, and regular Western-looking housewives right along side grandma in her kimono going to the grocery store. Or just waiting for a train:

In traditional cities such as Kyoto, Geisha still perform ceremonies and entertain at tea houses for real. It's not just a tourist attraction; they really entertain traveling businessmen or political leaders:

And I am always feeling there is more than meets the eye here. The juxtaposition of old and new is a never-ending source of fascination for me.

Anyway, I'm totally exhausted, but I feel that I must read more about all this. Then off to bed! Tomorrow is another long one. I hope I get to see more kimonos.