Battle Sidewalk!

Everything in Japan has a rule, a tradition, or a proper way that must be followed. From my experience, it is an order-based country and the people here like everything to follow the rules. This system seems to be thrown off by one minor contradiction: PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT SIDE OF THE FREAKING SIDEWALK TO WALK ON!

For the longest time I thought it was me. I tried the right side, I tried the left side, I even walked down the middle of the sidewalk, but I would ALWAYS end up almost running into someone as I went down the street. People seem to just walk haphazardly around on the sidewalks, and then glare at me no matter where I am. Throw in a few bikes weaving in and out, and you have a full fledged battle on your hands when going down the street.

I thought that I found the answer when I traveled to Osaka for the first time. In Tokyo, everyone stands on the left hand side of escalators and let people walk on the right, but Osaka was the opposite. This was explained to me in historic terms: Samurai warriors lived in the capital and went to the left to keep their swords (kept on left hip) from hitting other people. The people of Osaka were mainly accountants who carried around counting machines and wore kimonos. The kimono is open on the right hand side, so the people from Osaka would stay to the right to prevent pickpockets from robbing them.

It still didn't explain why the escalator norm does not continue once off the stairs, and why I keep dancing with people on the sidewalk. Today we asked two of our co-workers which side of the sidewalk was the proper one to use when walking. One replied "the left" and the other said "the right."

Sigh....