Impressions of Japan – happy, friendly faces / small places (great space utilization); narrow allies with shops in them / the very best hospitality!! first class service / bowing hello & goodbye / many slippers everywhere (in taxis, in hotels, and in every room entrance in the medical device development center on campus) / very, very clean (streets, wash up before meals, taxis with very white doilies over the headrests) / ferris wheels / many urban streets yet very safe feeling / vending machines on every corner with all sorts of stuff in them / fresh food – fish, seafood, and yummy Kobe beef (George Bush Sr.’s fav I guess) / people dressed up so formally every day / ladies with umbrellas to keep the sun off / cute babies and children / little English on signs or lips yet somehow they really will work with you to order meals, perform transactions, or perform services / really loved the women clothing styles (from a girl that doesn’t shop too much – flowers, embroidered, flowing, layers – styles are just like my favorite way-too-expensive store, Anthropologie, but half the price)
Compai & Adi-gato Japan!! Adi-gato. Your culture is very beautiful; your people are very nice.