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....
Monday, July 6, 2009
Catching up (again)
I have once again fallen into the cycle of traveling quite a bit and then becoming a couch potato when I get home. Now I have to catch up on almost an entire week's worth of activities...ugh
Not much to report from last Tuesday. We spent a few hours at work planning out what we wanted to see in some of the cities that we were going to go to, but didn't do much else. July 1st was the start of the fiscal year for the company, so everyone had more important things to do than worry about us.
On Wednesday morning we took off for Toyohashi to see the plant where all of the trains are made. It is a huge facility that not only produces the bullet train, but also over 30 different models for domestic use as well as export. The Toyohashi plant built the cars for rail in LA, Chicago, Maryland, and many other lines across the world. They currently have a final assembly plant in Milwaukee, so a few of the people we talked to had been to Wisconsin! We briefly talked about Miller beer and Brewers baseball :)
After our plant tour, we took another train to Nagoya to check in at the Marriott. The hotel is operated by a subsidiary of our company, and is located in the high rise above the train station. Known as one of the best business hotels in the country, the Marriott has cool views and nice rooms. Mine was on the 39th floor, and had a nice view of a fancy fashion school across the street.
My two favorite features were the fancy bathroom with a window looking over the spiral building across the street, and the sky lounge on the 52nd floor. We treated ourselves to some fancy drinks and some very sophisticated appetizers in the form of french fried potatoes (fancy, eh?) There was a piano+singer duet that "just flew in from Saigon for a few weeks" playing in the lounge, and we watched a storm form out the windows. Here we are acting like we are really cool in the elevator.
The next morning we checked out of the hotel and took a local train to Takayama, a mountainous city located at the geographic center of Japan. We checked into another company owned hotel, and sat down for a lecture on the hotel business and local tourism. After the lecture, we were treated to an amazing 7 course dinner in the hotel's restaurant. The main course was Hida beef, a local specialty that was cooked right at the table, and melted in your mouth.
Here is the view from my room:
After dinner I decided to check out the main attraction for the hotel, the traditional Japanese baths (onsen) that overlooked the mountains. There are two floors, one for men and one for women, with a variety of different hot baths and pools to sit in. It was nice and relaxing once I got used to naked Japanese men walking all over the place. The baths are traditionally taken in the nude, except for the small towel that many wear on their head to keep dry. Here I am with my towel:
As I was short on pockets, I did not bring my camera to the bath, but here is a picture that I stole off of their website. Same view, but no snow when we were there:
The next morning we explored town for a few hours before our train ride back to Tokyo. We checked out a morning market, the old private homes, a historical government building, and a replica folk village. It made me feel like I was at Old World Wisconsin.
The train ride back was pretty empty, so I switched some seats out and relaxed:
The next day was the 4th of July, so Mike and I decided to go back to America. Since that was logistically difficult, we settled for going to Yokosuka, a town about an hour out of Tokyo and the home of the United States Seventh Fleet. They had a big celebration going on, and we got settled in just in time for a great firework show over the water. Even more impressive than the fireworks was the Japanese turnout for the American celebration. One local man heard me cheering and brought me a 24oz (non-alcoholic!) beer as a gift. It was very touching and will also allow me to add international ambassador to my resume.
After the show we went down to Club Alliance to pretend we were back in the United States. We conversed with people in English, ate hamburgers, and drank Miller Lite. They even had red, white, and blue drinks! I added a tiny American flag to one of my drinks (you can barely see it in the picture below), and then took off to catch a train ride home before service ended. The celebration was fun, but neither of us wanted to miss the last train and sleep in the park.
Sunday was pretty uneventful. I finished watching season one of The Sopranos, and went to mass in Roppongi again.
Today was our first day of station staff duty, aka actual work. We met at Tokyo Station, changed into uniforms, and had an all day crash course on how to be a good station staff member. After a thorough tour of the station we received lessons in bowing, important Japanese phrases, and how to wear a uniform. After learning how to do a proper salute, I was more convinced than ever that the train company is actually a secret military force in disguise.
Tomorrow we have one more day of lessons and video watching before they will let us near real customers. I guess that is not entirely true though, as Edson and I attempted to help a Finnish woman and her daughter who were lost in the station during our tour. Sure, most foreign visitors speak English, but that didn't mean we knew anything about how to help her find her train. Fortunately for us, one of the girls we were working with also spoke English and was there when we tried being helpful.
Well, I guess I have one more day to memorize the platform layout and the name of every station in the greater Tokyo area..
Not much to report from last Tuesday. We spent a few hours at work planning out what we wanted to see in some of the cities that we were going to go to, but didn't do much else. July 1st was the start of the fiscal year for the company, so everyone had more important things to do than worry about us.
On Wednesday morning we took off for Toyohashi to see the plant where all of the trains are made. It is a huge facility that not only produces the bullet train, but also over 30 different models for domestic use as well as export. The Toyohashi plant built the cars for rail in LA, Chicago, Maryland, and many other lines across the world. They currently have a final assembly plant in Milwaukee, so a few of the people we talked to had been to Wisconsin! We briefly talked about Miller beer and Brewers baseball :)
After our plant tour, we took another train to Nagoya to check in at the Marriott. The hotel is operated by a subsidiary of our company, and is located in the high rise above the train station. Known as one of the best business hotels in the country, the Marriott has cool views and nice rooms. Mine was on the 39th floor, and had a nice view of a fancy fashion school across the street.
My two favorite features were the fancy bathroom with a window looking over the spiral building across the street, and the sky lounge on the 52nd floor. We treated ourselves to some fancy drinks and some very sophisticated appetizers in the form of french fried potatoes (fancy, eh?) There was a piano+singer duet that "just flew in from Saigon for a few weeks" playing in the lounge, and we watched a storm form out the windows. Here we are acting like we are really cool in the elevator.
The next morning we checked out of the hotel and took a local train to Takayama, a mountainous city located at the geographic center of Japan. We checked into another company owned hotel, and sat down for a lecture on the hotel business and local tourism. After the lecture, we were treated to an amazing 7 course dinner in the hotel's restaurant. The main course was Hida beef, a local specialty that was cooked right at the table, and melted in your mouth.
Here is the view from my room:
After dinner I decided to check out the main attraction for the hotel, the traditional Japanese baths (onsen) that overlooked the mountains. There are two floors, one for men and one for women, with a variety of different hot baths and pools to sit in. It was nice and relaxing once I got used to naked Japanese men walking all over the place. The baths are traditionally taken in the nude, except for the small towel that many wear on their head to keep dry. Here I am with my towel:
As I was short on pockets, I did not bring my camera to the bath, but here is a picture that I stole off of their website. Same view, but no snow when we were there:
The next morning we explored town for a few hours before our train ride back to Tokyo. We checked out a morning market, the old private homes, a historical government building, and a replica folk village. It made me feel like I was at Old World Wisconsin.
The train ride back was pretty empty, so I switched some seats out and relaxed:
The next day was the 4th of July, so Mike and I decided to go back to America. Since that was logistically difficult, we settled for going to Yokosuka, a town about an hour out of Tokyo and the home of the United States Seventh Fleet. They had a big celebration going on, and we got settled in just in time for a great firework show over the water. Even more impressive than the fireworks was the Japanese turnout for the American celebration. One local man heard me cheering and brought me a 24oz (non-alcoholic!) beer as a gift. It was very touching and will also allow me to add international ambassador to my resume.
After the show we went down to Club Alliance to pretend we were back in the United States. We conversed with people in English, ate hamburgers, and drank Miller Lite. They even had red, white, and blue drinks! I added a tiny American flag to one of my drinks (you can barely see it in the picture below), and then took off to catch a train ride home before service ended. The celebration was fun, but neither of us wanted to miss the last train and sleep in the park.
Sunday was pretty uneventful. I finished watching season one of The Sopranos, and went to mass in Roppongi again.
Today was our first day of station staff duty, aka actual work. We met at Tokyo Station, changed into uniforms, and had an all day crash course on how to be a good station staff member. After a thorough tour of the station we received lessons in bowing, important Japanese phrases, and how to wear a uniform. After learning how to do a proper salute, I was more convinced than ever that the train company is actually a secret military force in disguise.
Tomorrow we have one more day of lessons and video watching before they will let us near real customers. I guess that is not entirely true though, as Edson and I attempted to help a Finnish woman and her daughter who were lost in the station during our tour. Sure, most foreign visitors speak English, but that didn't mean we knew anything about how to help her find her train. Fortunately for us, one of the girls we were working with also spoke English and was there when we tried being helpful.
Well, I guess I have one more day to memorize the platform layout and the name of every station in the greater Tokyo area..
Intergalactic-Planetary, Planetary-Intergalactic
As Josh pointed out in the comments earlier, our work uniforms look quite similar to those worn by the Beastie Boys in their intergalactic music video. There is good reason for this, as their costumes are modeled after Japanese construction workers, and the entire video was shot in Japan. Many of the stations that we work at and trains that we take are used as the setting. Below is our tribute to the group:
If I can find the exact outfits and a video camera, we will recreate the entire video one of these weekends....
If I can find the exact outfits and a video camera, we will recreate the entire video one of these weekends....
Monday, June 29, 2009
The hard life (a grueling day at work)
Today we had to be at work at 11am, an early hour that people were not meant to be awake for. I forced myself to get up before noon (I actually got up at 6am) and got to work on time. We had some "research time," where we got to plan what sights we wanted to see in Takayama. By this time we had worked up quite the appetite, so we went and bought lunch in the station.
After lunch we met at the Shinkansen platform to travel to Mishima, a town 120km outside of Tokyo. We arrived 37 minutes later and walked to the Mishima Training Center. This is one of two centers where new employees have their intensive two month training program, as well as where current employees return for periodic classes. The grounds are pretty cool, the highlight being the spectacular view of Mt. Fuji to the West.
We met with the directors of the facility, and learned a bit more about training at the facility and the daily life of the students. My basic impression was that it was a combination of being in high school, in the military, and at work all at the same time. There were 8 class periods every day, a strict schedule (don't be late!), and compulsory physical fitness (including a 20mi hike).
Dorms are right at the facility, which can handle over 1,000 students at any one time. It is most busy in the spring, as most of their new hires come directly out of high school or college. They definitely have a large production, and take their training very seriously.
After our tour, we took the train back to Tokyo and were done for the day. I told you it was a grueling work day.
After lunch we met at the Shinkansen platform to travel to Mishima, a town 120km outside of Tokyo. We arrived 37 minutes later and walked to the Mishima Training Center. This is one of two centers where new employees have their intensive two month training program, as well as where current employees return for periodic classes. The grounds are pretty cool, the highlight being the spectacular view of Mt. Fuji to the West.
We met with the directors of the facility, and learned a bit more about training at the facility and the daily life of the students. My basic impression was that it was a combination of being in high school, in the military, and at work all at the same time. There were 8 class periods every day, a strict schedule (don't be late!), and compulsory physical fitness (including a 20mi hike).
Dorms are right at the facility, which can handle over 1,000 students at any one time. It is most busy in the spring, as most of their new hires come directly out of high school or college. They definitely have a large production, and take their training very seriously.
After our tour, we took the train back to Tokyo and were done for the day. I told you it was a grueling work day.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
It's hot out
...and humid. I am staying inside and watching movies in the air conditioning today.
On a related note, it is going to be hot and humid for the rest of the month and I am not looking forward to wearing a suit every day.
Most companies in Tokyo have adopted the national "Cool Biz" campaign which allows employees to wear short sleeve shirts and no tie to work. This is nice and cool for employees and drastically reduces the electric bills and carbon footprint of the companies. Guess which company isn't participating...
On days when we are walking around a lot I hate it, but it is pretty nice to be able to go to an air conditioned office when we have to work in the building. 82 degrees indoors doesn't sound like much fun no matter what you are wearing.
On a related note, it is going to be hot and humid for the rest of the month and I am not looking forward to wearing a suit every day.
Most companies in Tokyo have adopted the national "Cool Biz" campaign which allows employees to wear short sleeve shirts and no tie to work. This is nice and cool for employees and drastically reduces the electric bills and carbon footprint of the companies. Guess which company isn't participating...
On days when we are walking around a lot I hate it, but it is pretty nice to be able to go to an air conditioned office when we have to work in the building. 82 degrees indoors doesn't sound like much fun no matter what you are wearing.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Maintenance and Hamamatsu
After breakfast on Wednesday, we met up with some employees from the Rail Center and Track Maintenance Department. We had a very special opportunity to see the rail lines up close and personal during normal operating hours. With trains traveling at 270km/hr, they are obviously very concerned with keeping people far away. We were two feet away:
After watching trains and learning about the tracks we had lunch and then learned about how the rail lines are maintained every night. There is a lot of crazy heavy duty equipment and many hours of work involved. We then went to the rail yard, which is where they make precision welds to create flawless 200m long sections of track. The rail yard was flying an American flag for us when we arrived. Below is a picture of it, as well as me working in the yard and a sample of what a stack of rail looks like.
For dinner that night we went out to a local restaurant called Boss Burger, which had big screen TVs and country music blaring over the speakers. The burger was good, but I don't think it was big enough to be called The Boss.
The next morning we had free time, as we would not be going to work until late at night. We checked out of the hotel and explored town. Below is a picture of Hamamatsu Castle. It was first built around 400 years ago, and was the site of many battles. I also made my way to an air base and museum where I got to see a lot of cool planes flying and on display.
At night we got a chance to see track maintenance firsthand. The shift starts at 11PM with a briefing on the night's work. By midnight the trains are done running, and the crew heads out to the tracks. We got to see the process for replacing ballast, the rocks underneath the tracks. As many trains pass over the ballast slowly gets crushed and must be replaced to ensure a smooth and even ride. Work goes until just before trains start running again at 6am, but we only stayed out until 3.
After watching trains and learning about the tracks we had lunch and then learned about how the rail lines are maintained every night. There is a lot of crazy heavy duty equipment and many hours of work involved. We then went to the rail yard, which is where they make precision welds to create flawless 200m long sections of track. The rail yard was flying an American flag for us when we arrived. Below is a picture of it, as well as me working in the yard and a sample of what a stack of rail looks like.
For dinner that night we went out to a local restaurant called Boss Burger, which had big screen TVs and country music blaring over the speakers. The burger was good, but I don't think it was big enough to be called The Boss.
The next morning we had free time, as we would not be going to work until late at night. We checked out of the hotel and explored town. Below is a picture of Hamamatsu Castle. It was first built around 400 years ago, and was the site of many battles. I also made my way to an air base and museum where I got to see a lot of cool planes flying and on display.
At night we got a chance to see track maintenance firsthand. The shift starts at 11PM with a briefing on the night's work. By midnight the trains are done running, and the crew heads out to the tracks. We got to see the process for replacing ballast, the rocks underneath the tracks. As many trains pass over the ballast slowly gets crushed and must be replaced to ensure a smooth and even ride. Work goes until just before trains start running again at 6am, but we only stayed out until 3.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
I am still alive
Ok, I realize it has been a few days since I have posted so here is the update:
Last Friday we checked out the Tokyo Metro line, which consists of 9 different subway lines crisscrossing the city. Our presentation was given by an American woman from New York. It was almost weird listening to a native English give a presentation, but we learned a lot about their routes and business model. The Tokyo Metro receives most of their capital from the city of Tokyo, but is in the process of becoming completely privately owned. The most interesting thing about the subway line is that it shares rail lines with 2 or 3 other private train companies. Passengers can ride on one train across the different territories without getting off. Only the drivers change as the trains move from one company's zone to another. Great for the passengers, but I am glad I am not the guy trying to coordinate the schedules of 3 train companies on one line.
After the lecture we had lunch and checked out Old Tokyo. Here I am by a temple. Besides Roppongi, Old Tokyo had the highest concentration of foreign travelers that I have seen since I got here. Once lunch was over, we took the subway across the city to check out the newest Tokyo Metro line and some of their newly renovated stations.
This weekend was a lot of fun. On Friday night we stayed in and watched movies. Then Kazuma and his girlfriend came over and we listened to old American songs and sang along. On Saturday, I met up with Adam, the brother of my co-worker in Wisconsin (Sam). We met at "What the Dickens," a British pub located smack dab in the middle of Tokyo. It just so happens that some of his college buddies also live in Japan, and I got to see their band play that night. The guys are all from Minnesota so we got to talk sports a bit. I am going to meet one of the guys for lunch sometime, and am planning on going to a Japanese baseball game with Adam on July 10th.
On the way back home, I rushed to get the last train (with a quick stop to grab a burger at Wendy's) and made it at the last minute. I was pretty bummed when I found out the train stopped for the night at the stop before mine, but within walking distance. When I got off the train everyone started running towards a different platform, so I followed. There was one more train there, but it was already very packed. I barely squeezed myself in, and was followed by a few more people that somehow also squeezed in. I ended up in the middle of the train. I was very pleased with myself until the train started moving...the wrong way. So much for following the crowd. Now two stops and a few miles from home, I took a $20 cab ride back to my place.
Stayed in the apartment all day Sunday and watched movies...
On Monday morning, we took off for Hamamatsu. We had a lecture on the operations of the Hamamatsu workshop and then took off for our hotel. We checked into the Grand Hotel Hamamatsu, and explored the town a bit. There isn't a whole lot here, but it is still a fairly large city with the usual shopping and restaurants. We had dinner at a local chain, and dessert at a Mister Donut. Apparently Mister Donut used to be a huge competitor for Dunkin Donuts in the US, until DD bought them out. They now mainly operate in Asia and El Salvador.
Today we went back to the workshop, which specializes in the complete overhaul of the Shinkansen trains every 1.2 million km. One of the trains was just getting done, so we got to tag along for the test run to Nagoya. The train was loaded with sensors and computers to make sure everything was working correctly. We ate lunch on the train, which was probably the fanciest bento box ever eaten on a train. It was amazing. The main course was eel, a local Hamamatsu speciality.
I think you are about caught up now. I am back in the hotel room this evening just watching some movies. Tomorrow I get to wear this fancy getup and learn about repairing rail lines:
Last Friday we checked out the Tokyo Metro line, which consists of 9 different subway lines crisscrossing the city. Our presentation was given by an American woman from New York. It was almost weird listening to a native English give a presentation, but we learned a lot about their routes and business model. The Tokyo Metro receives most of their capital from the city of Tokyo, but is in the process of becoming completely privately owned. The most interesting thing about the subway line is that it shares rail lines with 2 or 3 other private train companies. Passengers can ride on one train across the different territories without getting off. Only the drivers change as the trains move from one company's zone to another. Great for the passengers, but I am glad I am not the guy trying to coordinate the schedules of 3 train companies on one line.
After the lecture we had lunch and checked out Old Tokyo. Here I am by a temple. Besides Roppongi, Old Tokyo had the highest concentration of foreign travelers that I have seen since I got here. Once lunch was over, we took the subway across the city to check out the newest Tokyo Metro line and some of their newly renovated stations.
This weekend was a lot of fun. On Friday night we stayed in and watched movies. Then Kazuma and his girlfriend came over and we listened to old American songs and sang along. On Saturday, I met up with Adam, the brother of my co-worker in Wisconsin (Sam). We met at "What the Dickens," a British pub located smack dab in the middle of Tokyo. It just so happens that some of his college buddies also live in Japan, and I got to see their band play that night. The guys are all from Minnesota so we got to talk sports a bit. I am going to meet one of the guys for lunch sometime, and am planning on going to a Japanese baseball game with Adam on July 10th.
On the way back home, I rushed to get the last train (with a quick stop to grab a burger at Wendy's) and made it at the last minute. I was pretty bummed when I found out the train stopped for the night at the stop before mine, but within walking distance. When I got off the train everyone started running towards a different platform, so I followed. There was one more train there, but it was already very packed. I barely squeezed myself in, and was followed by a few more people that somehow also squeezed in. I ended up in the middle of the train. I was very pleased with myself until the train started moving...the wrong way. So much for following the crowd. Now two stops and a few miles from home, I took a $20 cab ride back to my place.
Stayed in the apartment all day Sunday and watched movies...
On Monday morning, we took off for Hamamatsu. We had a lecture on the operations of the Hamamatsu workshop and then took off for our hotel. We checked into the Grand Hotel Hamamatsu, and explored the town a bit. There isn't a whole lot here, but it is still a fairly large city with the usual shopping and restaurants. We had dinner at a local chain, and dessert at a Mister Donut. Apparently Mister Donut used to be a huge competitor for Dunkin Donuts in the US, until DD bought them out. They now mainly operate in Asia and El Salvador.
Today we went back to the workshop, which specializes in the complete overhaul of the Shinkansen trains every 1.2 million km. One of the trains was just getting done, so we got to tag along for the test run to Nagoya. The train was loaded with sensors and computers to make sure everything was working correctly. We ate lunch on the train, which was probably the fanciest bento box ever eaten on a train. It was amazing. The main course was eel, a local Hamamatsu speciality.
I think you are about caught up now. I am back in the hotel room this evening just watching some movies. Tomorrow I get to wear this fancy getup and learn about repairing rail lines:
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Mag Lev and Rolling Stock Yard
As it currently stands, the Shinkansen operations between Tokyo and Osaka have reached an almost perfect level of operation. There are no delays (.5min/train/year), the trains are running at their top speed for the tracks (270km/hr), and the maximum number of trains per hour are used during many times of the day. In order for JRC to expand and improve their services, they have been researching a superconducting maglev train since 1962.
Since the projects inception they have made great strides and now have a full passenger version that can travel over 500km/hr! Here is the history and the principles behind the train if you want some further reading: Superconducting Maglev. On its proposed new line, this train will cut travel time Tokyo-Osaka from 2.5 hours down to 1! There are still tests to be run, and a huge amount of lines to lay before the train will be operations, however. If everything goes to plan, you will be able to ride the mag-lev in 2025.
For the second half of the day we traveled to one of the rolling stock yards. This is where trains go for their scheduled maintenance, as well as for nighttime storage. We donned hard hats and got a close up look at train maintenance. As with most of their operations, the maintenance is done frequently and thoroughly. Here are a few pictures:
Since the projects inception they have made great strides and now have a full passenger version that can travel over 500km/hr! Here is the history and the principles behind the train if you want some further reading: Superconducting Maglev. On its proposed new line, this train will cut travel time Tokyo-Osaka from 2.5 hours down to 1! There are still tests to be run, and a huge amount of lines to lay before the train will be operations, however. If everything goes to plan, you will be able to ride the mag-lev in 2025.
For the second half of the day we traveled to one of the rolling stock yards. This is where trains go for their scheduled maintenance, as well as for nighttime storage. We donned hard hats and got a close up look at train maintenance. As with most of their operations, the maintenance is done frequently and thoroughly. Here are a few pictures:
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Operations Fun + Trip Planning
Today we had a series of lectures from the Shinkansen Operations Division, which deals with train scheduling, passenger facilities, car operations, and customer satisfaction. The coolest fact that we learned was that it would take over 550 Boeing 747's to carry the same number of passengers each way as the Shinkansen does every day. It's the equivalent of 24 jumbo jets taking off at every hour of the day to travel between NY and DC in the states. The train does it with around 200 departures over 17 hours. Thats a lot of people. About 400,000 round trip every day.
We had lunch at a buffet style restaurant on the top floor of a local office building. It had a great view, and was the most filling meal I have had since I got to Japan. Yum.
In other news, I am starting to look into a side trip for when the program is over. I am officially done the night of July 24th, and my flight home is currently not until the 29th. That only leaves a few days to travel, but I also have the option of changing my departure date depending on seat availability. Here is what I was thinking:
1. Go to Hong Kong. I have enough FF miles to get there, and Edson has a friend that lives there. This option would be very cheap if we could stay at his place.
2. Go to Korea. I can easily reach it with FF miles, and probably do business class if I wanted to burn through all of them. Korea is the shortest international flight which is a major plus.
3. Go to Okinawa. I would want to go here just for the diving. There are supposed to be some great reefs and tropical beaches. Theoretically, this would use the least amount of miles but the lady at American Airlines said that she couldn't find any flights available during my dates. I could check again or spend a few hundred traveling there.
4. Go to Hawaii. I don't really have enough miles, and it doesn't make much sense to travel to Hawaii and back to Japan for my flight. But Hawaii is still cool.
5. Go somewhere else. Again, I theoretically have enough miles to get to many other places according to the AA website. I don't know if this is true though because the miles numbers weren't exactly correct on the flights I did check. Anyway, I know I could go to Mongolia for sure as well as maybe the following: Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Guam, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Saipan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam.
Send me an email or leave a comment below if you have any suggestions or ideas for what I should do. If you have been to any of these places, or think I should go to North Korea on a secret mission to disable their nuclear program and prevent "a thousand-fold retaliation", let me know as well.
We had lunch at a buffet style restaurant on the top floor of a local office building. It had a great view, and was the most filling meal I have had since I got to Japan. Yum.
In other news, I am starting to look into a side trip for when the program is over. I am officially done the night of July 24th, and my flight home is currently not until the 29th. That only leaves a few days to travel, but I also have the option of changing my departure date depending on seat availability. Here is what I was thinking:
1. Go to Hong Kong. I have enough FF miles to get there, and Edson has a friend that lives there. This option would be very cheap if we could stay at his place.
2. Go to Korea. I can easily reach it with FF miles, and probably do business class if I wanted to burn through all of them. Korea is the shortest international flight which is a major plus.
3. Go to Okinawa. I would want to go here just for the diving. There are supposed to be some great reefs and tropical beaches. Theoretically, this would use the least amount of miles but the lady at American Airlines said that she couldn't find any flights available during my dates. I could check again or spend a few hundred traveling there.
4. Go to Hawaii. I don't really have enough miles, and it doesn't make much sense to travel to Hawaii and back to Japan for my flight. But Hawaii is still cool.
5. Go somewhere else. Again, I theoretically have enough miles to get to many other places according to the AA website. I don't know if this is true though because the miles numbers weren't exactly correct on the flights I did check. Anyway, I know I could go to Mongolia for sure as well as maybe the following: Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Guam, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Saipan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam.
Send me an email or leave a comment below if you have any suggestions or ideas for what I should do. If you have been to any of these places, or think I should go to North Korea on a secret mission to disable their nuclear program and prevent "a thousand-fold retaliation", let me know as well.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Osaka
Our grueling work week started this Monday at 11am, when we had to meet at the office with bags packed for an overnight. Edson and I were almost late, but had just enough time to grab an iced coffee out of the work vending machine. Vending machines are all over the place in Japan, by the way. I may dedicate a post to pictures of all of the vending machines some time.
We traveled to Tokyo station to begin our assignment: travel to Osaka via the Shinkansen train, and then return via one of the national airlines. The purpose of this exercise was to compare the two competing modes of travel in terms of speed, comfort, amenities, and overall experience. The Shinkansen took about 2.5 hours, and was a very enjoyable and uneventful ride. I forgot to bring my headphones, so I was sans music for the entire trip.
Once in Osaka, we checked into our hotel and set our to explore the city. Osaka is the third largest city in Japan, and one of the top 20 global cities in the world. Although many Japanese companies have moved their headquarters to Tokyo, Osaka is home to many big names like Panasonic, Sharp, and Sanyo.
Our first stop was the Osaka Castle, a huge building that was first built in the late 1500's. Like most things in Japan, it had to be reconstructed after WWII, but it retains much of the original material. It is a huge impressive building.
We then went and had dinner at a local restaurant and tried the local specialty of okonomiyaki. It sounds fancy, but is really just fried food on a stick. I had some beef, pork, cheese, and ice cream. Wash it down with a beer and you could swear that you were back in Wisconsin. The picture below is the area that we ate in. There was another tower similar to the Tokyo tower, but we did not go up in it.
After dinner we took the train down to Dōtonbori, a major hangout and shopping area. The more time I spend in Japan, the more I am convinced that shopping is the national pastime. There are nice clothing stores EVERYWHERE, and the youth culture seems to revolve around the shopping areas. This area was pretty impressive, with a high density shopping area centered around a pedestrian mall. This shot is of a famous bridge and neon billboards.
Our last stop was the floating garden, but we had to rush back to get to it before it closed. The floating garden building is perhaps the single coolest building that I have ever been to, as you might be able to tell from the pictures. The building consists of two main towers, which are connected on the top levels and have two escalators traveling across the gap in between them. The top connected levels have a 360 degree view of Osaka, and an open rooftop where you can walk around. I told Nicole I want to have our wedding here, so everyone book your tickets to Japan.
We had a second dinner at a local fast food restaurant, where I helped a Japanese girl with her English homework. This morning we regrouped after breakfast and took off for the airport. The flight back was faster than the train, but the overall travel time was about the same when you factor in getting to and from the airports. You still need to start at the train station (unless you want to pay a ton for a taxi) when you are taking a flight, and there are no security hassles or waiting for a flight with the Shinkansen. If I were to plan a trip to Osaka on my own, I would probably take the train.
It is now pouring rain, so I am staying in my room listening to music and downloading movies to watch. Tomorrow we are heading back to Tokyo Station for a lecture on Shinkansen Operations.
We traveled to Tokyo station to begin our assignment: travel to Osaka via the Shinkansen train, and then return via one of the national airlines. The purpose of this exercise was to compare the two competing modes of travel in terms of speed, comfort, amenities, and overall experience. The Shinkansen took about 2.5 hours, and was a very enjoyable and uneventful ride. I forgot to bring my headphones, so I was sans music for the entire trip.
Once in Osaka, we checked into our hotel and set our to explore the city. Osaka is the third largest city in Japan, and one of the top 20 global cities in the world. Although many Japanese companies have moved their headquarters to Tokyo, Osaka is home to many big names like Panasonic, Sharp, and Sanyo.
Our first stop was the Osaka Castle, a huge building that was first built in the late 1500's. Like most things in Japan, it had to be reconstructed after WWII, but it retains much of the original material. It is a huge impressive building.
We then went and had dinner at a local restaurant and tried the local specialty of okonomiyaki. It sounds fancy, but is really just fried food on a stick. I had some beef, pork, cheese, and ice cream. Wash it down with a beer and you could swear that you were back in Wisconsin. The picture below is the area that we ate in. There was another tower similar to the Tokyo tower, but we did not go up in it.
After dinner we took the train down to Dōtonbori, a major hangout and shopping area. The more time I spend in Japan, the more I am convinced that shopping is the national pastime. There are nice clothing stores EVERYWHERE, and the youth culture seems to revolve around the shopping areas. This area was pretty impressive, with a high density shopping area centered around a pedestrian mall. This shot is of a famous bridge and neon billboards.
Our last stop was the floating garden, but we had to rush back to get to it before it closed. The floating garden building is perhaps the single coolest building that I have ever been to, as you might be able to tell from the pictures. The building consists of two main towers, which are connected on the top levels and have two escalators traveling across the gap in between them. The top connected levels have a 360 degree view of Osaka, and an open rooftop where you can walk around. I told Nicole I want to have our wedding here, so everyone book your tickets to Japan.
We had a second dinner at a local fast food restaurant, where I helped a Japanese girl with her English homework. This morning we regrouped after breakfast and took off for the airport. The flight back was faster than the train, but the overall travel time was about the same when you factor in getting to and from the airports. You still need to start at the train station (unless you want to pay a ton for a taxi) when you are taking a flight, and there are no security hassles or waiting for a flight with the Shinkansen. If I were to plan a trip to Osaka on my own, I would probably take the train.
It is now pouring rain, so I am staying in my room listening to music and downloading movies to watch. Tomorrow we are heading back to Tokyo Station for a lecture on Shinkansen Operations.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Movie Day
Sunday was pretty uneventful. I spent most of the day just relaxing in the apartment. I did find out that one my my neighbors owns a Lamborghini, which is in a parking garage down the street. There is also a second bowling alley down the street from us.
Mike, Edson and I went to the new Star Trek movie in Roppongi because they were having half price tickets that day. We ate dinner at a bagel store, and then bought more food at the theater. Tickets were $10, but food prices were much more reasonable than in the states. The theaters also have reserved seating, which was pretty cool. It was a really nice cinema and the movie was really good.
Today we are heading to Osaka to learn about stategies for competing with the airlines.
Mike, Edson and I went to the new Star Trek movie in Roppongi because they were having half price tickets that day. We ate dinner at a bagel store, and then bought more food at the theater. Tickets were $10, but food prices were much more reasonable than in the states. The theaters also have reserved seating, which was pretty cool. It was a really nice cinema and the movie was really good.
Today we are heading to Osaka to learn about stategies for competing with the airlines.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Fishing with the Chairman
I don't remember if I mentioned this or not, but when we met with Chairman Kasai he told us that we should go fishing while in Japan and offered to set it up. We thought he was just being polite, but it turns out he was serious. He set up a net fishing trip for us in Nagoya on July 21st, and told us that he will be joining us if his schedule allows for it!
I thought it was really cool, but didn't really comprehend how big of a deal it was until we were talking to the marketing guys over dinner. They were astonished that we not only met him, but that we were going on a recreational excursion with him. He is so high up in the company that most employees have never met him, and most that have only did so when hearing him speak on a company related topic. I think that I am going to pick up a copy of his book and read it before our trip so I have something intelligent to discuss with him.
So I've got that going for me...
I thought it was really cool, but didn't really comprehend how big of a deal it was until we were talking to the marketing guys over dinner. They were astonished that we not only met him, but that we were going on a recreational excursion with him. He is so high up in the company that most employees have never met him, and most that have only did so when hearing him speak on a company related topic. I think that I am going to pick up a copy of his book and read it before our trip so I have something intelligent to discuss with him.
So I've got that going for me...
The rest of the week...
So I haven't written for a few days due to a combination of busy days and extreme laziness. Here is what I have been up to the past few days:
On Wednesday we had to be in the office very early. Very early means 8:45 in case you were wondering. We had lectures from the marketing division and safety division that took up most of the day. Both lectures were pretty much what you would expect for marketing and keeping rail transportation safe. The airlines are their biggest competition, and they pride themselves in a flawless safety record since their launch. For lunch we ate at Denny's again, but this time I ordered a more Japanese meal.
Thursday was an adventure to Nagoya, a large city about 1.5 hours away from Tokyo on the train. This was our first trip as regular passengers on the bullet train. Compared to an airplane there was a lot more leg room and the seats reclined further. We were excited to try out the wireless internet on board (I wanted to listen to the Brewers' game), but we found out that you had to be a subscriber to Japanese cell phone service in order to get a password.
Once in Nagoya, we took a 40 minute bus ride to JR's Technical Research Institute. This is another James Bond-esque facility where they improve on and create new materials and trains. Apparently JR had a lot to do with the invention of the photo catalytic air purifier, and now use them in the smoking cars on their trains. It was a cool facility, but we were not able to take any pictures while we were there.
On Friday we had another brief lecture from the marketing department, where we learned about the IC cards used in Japan. IC cards are basically pre-paid cards that you can reload with money in any of the train stations. The cool part about them is that you only need to hover them over the entrance gate, and your account will automatically be debited. Every train company has their own version, and many are compatible. This means that if you own one, you never need to stop and buy a train ticket or adjust a fare. Some Japanese cell phones are equipped with them now, eliminating the need for a physical card. You can even use them on many vending machines and in stores!
We spent the rest of the day traveling around Tokyo testing out our IC cards. We were able to take JR trains, the subway, private rail, the monorail, and a bus with the same card. Pretty amazing cooperation between so many companies. During our excursion we got to see a lot more of the city, as well as Toyota's giant showroom. After work the marketing guys took us to dinner at a alleyway restaurant where many people gather after work. They did the ordering for the table, which turned out to be pretty interesting. We had chicken cartilage, chicken skin, chicken hearts, and chicken liver...pretty much everything except the meat of the chicken. It really wasn't as bad as I expected, and went well with a cold beer. I watched a movie and turned in early that night.
This morning we left the apartment building at 6am, and took a short trek to the Tsukiji fish market, one of the largest in the world. The market was absolutely insane, with trucks, fish, and people running all over the place. There were hundreds of fish, muscles, and even a few turtles for sale. The first picture is giant tuna, and the second is a mix of different fish (and octopus) on display.
After the fish market we went to have breakfast at the train station. We were going to eat fresh sushi at the market, but there was a huge line in front of every restaurant in the area. We then took a walk through a park and over to the Imperial Palace grounds. The palace is only open 2 days every year so we could only take pictures from the outside. The grounds were very impressive, with lawns that looked like they could have been at a world class golf course.
I am currently taking the rest of the afternoon easy in the apartment. Maybe I will make some rice and curry for dinner. After dinner I want to go to one of the bars or restaurants with a cool view of Tokyo. Next week we are doing our first overnight trip, where we are heading to Osaka by train and then flying back in order to compare the two competing modes of transportation. We also have a lecture from the Operations Division and get to check out the new Maglev train!
On Wednesday we had to be in the office very early. Very early means 8:45 in case you were wondering. We had lectures from the marketing division and safety division that took up most of the day. Both lectures were pretty much what you would expect for marketing and keeping rail transportation safe. The airlines are their biggest competition, and they pride themselves in a flawless safety record since their launch. For lunch we ate at Denny's again, but this time I ordered a more Japanese meal.
Thursday was an adventure to Nagoya, a large city about 1.5 hours away from Tokyo on the train. This was our first trip as regular passengers on the bullet train. Compared to an airplane there was a lot more leg room and the seats reclined further. We were excited to try out the wireless internet on board (I wanted to listen to the Brewers' game), but we found out that you had to be a subscriber to Japanese cell phone service in order to get a password.
Once in Nagoya, we took a 40 minute bus ride to JR's Technical Research Institute. This is another James Bond-esque facility where they improve on and create new materials and trains. Apparently JR had a lot to do with the invention of the photo catalytic air purifier, and now use them in the smoking cars on their trains. It was a cool facility, but we were not able to take any pictures while we were there.
On Friday we had another brief lecture from the marketing department, where we learned about the IC cards used in Japan. IC cards are basically pre-paid cards that you can reload with money in any of the train stations. The cool part about them is that you only need to hover them over the entrance gate, and your account will automatically be debited. Every train company has their own version, and many are compatible. This means that if you own one, you never need to stop and buy a train ticket or adjust a fare. Some Japanese cell phones are equipped with them now, eliminating the need for a physical card. You can even use them on many vending machines and in stores!
We spent the rest of the day traveling around Tokyo testing out our IC cards. We were able to take JR trains, the subway, private rail, the monorail, and a bus with the same card. Pretty amazing cooperation between so many companies. During our excursion we got to see a lot more of the city, as well as Toyota's giant showroom. After work the marketing guys took us to dinner at a alleyway restaurant where many people gather after work. They did the ordering for the table, which turned out to be pretty interesting. We had chicken cartilage, chicken skin, chicken hearts, and chicken liver...pretty much everything except the meat of the chicken. It really wasn't as bad as I expected, and went well with a cold beer. I watched a movie and turned in early that night.
This morning we left the apartment building at 6am, and took a short trek to the Tsukiji fish market, one of the largest in the world. The market was absolutely insane, with trucks, fish, and people running all over the place. There were hundreds of fish, muscles, and even a few turtles for sale. The first picture is giant tuna, and the second is a mix of different fish (and octopus) on display.
After the fish market we went to have breakfast at the train station. We were going to eat fresh sushi at the market, but there was a huge line in front of every restaurant in the area. We then took a walk through a park and over to the Imperial Palace grounds. The palace is only open 2 days every year so we could only take pictures from the outside. The grounds were very impressive, with lawns that looked like they could have been at a world class golf course.
I am currently taking the rest of the afternoon easy in the apartment. Maybe I will make some rice and curry for dinner. After dinner I want to go to one of the bars or restaurants with a cool view of Tokyo. Next week we are doing our first overnight trip, where we are heading to Osaka by train and then flying back in order to compare the two competing modes of transportation. We also have a lecture from the Operations Division and get to check out the new Maglev train!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Advertising
We got a crash course in marketing today, with a lecture on advertising in and around the trains and stations. The rest of the day was spent traveling to different stations around Tokyo to compare advertising locations and content. We also stopped at one of Japan's most famous ad agencies and toured their museum. This was pretty cool, with print ads dating back to the Edo period and modern tv ads in the same place.
After the museum we had lunch with the ad guys, and continued on our city tour. We checked out ads on the different Tokyo trains, as well as the metro and some of Japan's most famous attractions.
At the end of the day the ad guys presented us with miniature models of the Shinkansen to take home with us. I can't decide whether I should keep it in the box as a gift, or open it and drive it around the room.
After the museum we had lunch with the ad guys, and continued on our city tour. We checked out ads on the different Tokyo trains, as well as the metro and some of Japan's most famous attractions.
At the end of the day the ad guys presented us with miniature models of the Shinkansen to take home with us. I can't decide whether I should keep it in the box as a gift, or open it and drive it around the room.
Monday, June 8, 2009
All aboard!
Today was probably the most fun day of work so far. We met at the Tamachi station this morning and traveled a few stops to the main Tokyo station where we met the Train Crew Depot Staff. This is the group that manages all of the drivers and conductors for the Shinkansen bullet trains. After a brief presentation, we got a chance to try our hand in the conductor simulator, which is basically a mock up train car with a virtual train station.
The conductor stands in the last car, and is in charge of operating the train doors. They also control the emergency brake and make sure the train is parked in the correct position. I was pretty good at the basic operations, but had to reopen the doors twice because virtual people kept trying to jump in the doors at the last minute.
We then got to ride in a series 300 (not the type pictured below) up in the driver's cabin! It was an amazing experience being able to look out the front window of a train going 270 km/hr. We flew down the tracks for about an hour, and then got off at a stop for lunch.
After lunch we caught another train headed back to Tokyo, and followed the conductors around for a while to learn what they do while the train is in motion. I then took a short nap before we got to the station. Once back in Tokyo we went down to the driver's training simulator and practiced pulling the train into the station. It was much harder than it looked to get it parked right! The train is has automatic safety features that will slow it down or stop it to avoid a collision, but the driver is in charge of calculating the speed for an exactly on-time arrival, and driving it under 30km/hr. I was parked a little to short for passengers to get off, but I blame the blaring siren they set off in my ear while I was driving.
After work I went down to the tailor shop and got myself a birthday present; a custom built suit. It is going to be a gray 2-button suit, and is going to cost me less than a new suit off the rack back home! I got to pick everything from the fabric and buttons, to the pockets and lapels. He is even going to monogram the inside of it for me! I will post pictures in 2 weeks when it is done.
Here is a quick video from inside the cockpit of the train. We pass another Shinkansen going the other way in less than a second. Each train is about 1/4 mile long...
The conductor stands in the last car, and is in charge of operating the train doors. They also control the emergency brake and make sure the train is parked in the correct position. I was pretty good at the basic operations, but had to reopen the doors twice because virtual people kept trying to jump in the doors at the last minute.
We then got to ride in a series 300 (not the type pictured below) up in the driver's cabin! It was an amazing experience being able to look out the front window of a train going 270 km/hr. We flew down the tracks for about an hour, and then got off at a stop for lunch.
After lunch we caught another train headed back to Tokyo, and followed the conductors around for a while to learn what they do while the train is in motion. I then took a short nap before we got to the station. Once back in Tokyo we went down to the driver's training simulator and practiced pulling the train into the station. It was much harder than it looked to get it parked right! The train is has automatic safety features that will slow it down or stop it to avoid a collision, but the driver is in charge of calculating the speed for an exactly on-time arrival, and driving it under 30km/hr. I was parked a little to short for passengers to get off, but I blame the blaring siren they set off in my ear while I was driving.
After work I went down to the tailor shop and got myself a birthday present; a custom built suit. It is going to be a gray 2-button suit, and is going to cost me less than a new suit off the rack back home! I got to pick everything from the fabric and buttons, to the pockets and lapels. He is even going to monogram the inside of it for me! I will post pictures in 2 weeks when it is done.
Here is a quick video from inside the cockpit of the train. We pass another Shinkansen going the other way in less than a second. Each train is about 1/4 mile long...
Sunday
Edson and I went to Harajuku, the trendy teenager hangout on the weekends. There was a long pedestrian mall, which was completely packed with Tokyo's teens. We walked a little further and found more upscale shopping and an older crowd. While down there we stopped in at the Audi store and oogled the $130,000 r8.
We finally made it down to the scene that makes Harajuku famous; the costumed groups that hang out there every Sunday. Here are a few of the weird things we saw:
After that unique experience, we went into the large park just on the other side of the costumed people. There was a tranquil walk down to a large temple:
We had dinner at a Japanese burger chain, where I made the mistake of ordering a lemonade. I forgot that lemonade to most of the world is just lemon juice. Sour.
We finally made it down to the scene that makes Harajuku famous; the costumed groups that hang out there every Sunday. Here are a few of the weird things we saw:
After that unique experience, we went into the large park just on the other side of the costumed people. There was a tranquil walk down to a large temple:
We had dinner at a Japanese burger chain, where I made the mistake of ordering a lemonade. I forgot that lemonade to most of the world is just lemon juice. Sour.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Earthquake!
| MAG | UTC DATE-TIME y/m/d h:m:s | LAT deg | LON deg | DEPTH km | Region | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MAP | 5.9 | 2009/06/06 05:52:45 | 35.440 | 140.925 | 44.0 | NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN |
I have officially experienced my first earthquake! Just before 3pm the room started shaking left and right for a few seconds. At first I thought it was a large truck driving by, but then realized that I had never felt that much movement from a vehicle. I decided to put some pants on just in case it got worse, but that was about the extent of it.
As you can see above, the epicenter was off the east coast of Japan but almost directly in line Tokyo. The richter scale reading in Tokyo was in the upper 3's, felt and recorded but significant damage not likely.
I was also surprised how quiet it was. I was talking with one of the other interns and we both agreed that we had expected at least some rumbling noises or something...I blame Hollywood
Good morning
It is 6am and I have just arrived home. We went to Roppongi last night with Kazuma and Lee, Tokyo natives that were friends with one of the interns last year. We stopped for some dinner at a rice bowl restaurant, and then went to club GasPanic for a few hours. I met a some young businessmen that wanted to practice their English, and got some business cards. We also got the DJ to play "Jump around" in homage to the UW.
We left the club before we got too deaf and went to a traditional Japanese restaurant. They served us a variety of Japanese foods and drinks. We stayed until 4:30, and then walked through a discount department store until the trains re-opened at 5:00.
I can't believe how packed the trains all were for so early in the morning. There were clearly a lot of drunk younger people waiting on the platform, but I couldn't tell if the older people and people in suits had been up all night, or if they really had somewhere to be that early on a Saturday morning....
Bed time.
We left the club before we got too deaf and went to a traditional Japanese restaurant. They served us a variety of Japanese foods and drinks. We stayed until 4:30, and then walked through a discount department store until the trains re-opened at 5:00.
I can't believe how packed the trains all were for so early in the morning. There were clearly a lot of drunk younger people waiting on the platform, but I couldn't tell if the older people and people in suits had been up all night, or if they really had somewhere to be that early on a Saturday morning....
Bed time.
Photos
My photos so far are up on facebook. I don't feel like re-posting them here right now, but I will eventually. For now, you will have to look on facebook.
Bento Boxes
The more I learn about this company, the more I am convinced that they run all of Japan. Today we were given a lecture on the subsidiary companies owned by CJR, an impressive list that include distribution companies, real estate management, leisure and service companies, and other transportation. Nearly 1/3 of their annual revenue is from sources other than train tickets!
After the lecture we took a trip to one of these companies, a bento box factory. Bento is basically a box lunch that is sold all across the country. These ones were bound for CJR train stations, and are also sold on the Shinkansen lines. We had to remove our shoes and put on hair nets before we even entered the building, the first of many cleanliness precautions taken there. The presentation started off with lunch (my type of lecture), and discussed the basic layout and philosophy of the plant. It was basically 1. Cleanliness 2. Good tasting food 3. Good presentation 4-8. Cleanliness.
To get any further into the plant we had to put on full clean suits, masks, and special shoes that are only worn inside the production area. After being lint rolled twice, blasted with air once, and scrubbing our hands as thoroughly as surgeons, we were finally allowed to get near the food. The production facility was pristine and very efficient. We were able to follow the food from the truck, to cooking, into the box and into the wrapping area. I sampled a few things off the line to ensure freshness.
I am still amazed by the focus on the absolutely pristine environment. I never expected all of the precautions. The bathroom was the best example of this. If you went to the bathroom, the doors would not unlock unless you first washed your hands. There were three parts of the sink that had to be activated; soap, wash, and sanitizer after you had dried your hands. If you decided you did not want to do this you would just have to live in the bathroom forever.
Japan in general seems to be very germophobic, with masks worn by many people and constant talk about illness. Before we even got off the plane we were exposed to this mentality. The plane was boarded by masked health officials that walked the aisles looking for ill people to quarantine. This continued at work, were we were told the first day that if we thought we were getting a cold that they could arrange a doctor for us. Today, we found out that many school trips have been cancelled across the country due to the swine flu. Swine flu that hasn't been reported in Japan.
I finally got the rice cooker to work! Rice for dinner tonight, then out exploring.
After the lecture we took a trip to one of these companies, a bento box factory. Bento is basically a box lunch that is sold all across the country. These ones were bound for CJR train stations, and are also sold on the Shinkansen lines. We had to remove our shoes and put on hair nets before we even entered the building, the first of many cleanliness precautions taken there. The presentation started off with lunch (my type of lecture), and discussed the basic layout and philosophy of the plant. It was basically 1. Cleanliness 2. Good tasting food 3. Good presentation 4-8. Cleanliness.
To get any further into the plant we had to put on full clean suits, masks, and special shoes that are only worn inside the production area. After being lint rolled twice, blasted with air once, and scrubbing our hands as thoroughly as surgeons, we were finally allowed to get near the food. The production facility was pristine and very efficient. We were able to follow the food from the truck, to cooking, into the box and into the wrapping area. I sampled a few things off the line to ensure freshness.
I am still amazed by the focus on the absolutely pristine environment. I never expected all of the precautions. The bathroom was the best example of this. If you went to the bathroom, the doors would not unlock unless you first washed your hands. There were three parts of the sink that had to be activated; soap, wash, and sanitizer after you had dried your hands. If you decided you did not want to do this you would just have to live in the bathroom forever.
Japan in general seems to be very germophobic, with masks worn by many people and constant talk about illness. Before we even got off the plane we were exposed to this mentality. The plane was boarded by masked health officials that walked the aisles looking for ill people to quarantine. This continued at work, were we were told the first day that if we thought we were getting a cold that they could arrange a doctor for us. Today, we found out that many school trips have been cancelled across the country due to the swine flu. Swine flu that hasn't been reported in Japan.
I finally got the rice cooker to work! Rice for dinner tonight, then out exploring.
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