A Culture of Convenience

In a way, it's an image of modern Japan that many people do know. The vending machine is something that it seems like the modern Japanese wouldn't know what to do without. Vending machines can carry anything from the usual drinks or food, to books, videos, or even porn (the infamous used panty vending machine, I hear, is long since gone). The omnipresent convenience stores from common ones like Circle K and 7-11 (or technically 7 & I-Holdings), to more Japanese flavors like the Daily Yamazaki, "konbini" (a Japanese abbreviation of "convenience") are an integral part of Japanese life. Unlike convenience stores in the US, their Japanese counterparts carry basically anything you could need for daily living. Granted, they may not have the best quality or price, but you could get by simply shopping at konbini. Above is a picture of a slightly different kind of konbini...the name literally translating as "adult convenience store". I'll leave you to guess what they sell there. Anyway, back to the normal kind, they carry quite a decent selection of food if you happen to be in a rush or the local restaurants happen to be closed.

Even better for quick and cheap food or drink, I would say, are the 100 yen shops. Also fairly common, the majority of the products they carry cost only a hundred yen, which is a bit under a dollar. 100 yen shops, wow, honestly I could devote a post simply to them, if I felt like putting out the effort. You may have visited dollar shops in your own country, but they are something else in Japan. I have been in shops that were 7 floors high, full of practically anything you could need. Granted, there was a bit more there that cost more than 100 yen, but anything that wasn't 100 was more than reasonable. Many of the smaller shops (like the 99 Shop, better known as the kyukyu) stay open 24 hours, much like the convenience stores.

An extension of the ever-so-helpful vending machine, even some restaurants are beginning to streamline the ordering process. Out front or just inside the door, some small restaurants are adding ticket vending machines where you can simply buy a ticket for the meal you would like, the buttons having the price, name, and, not uncommonly, a picture of the meal. Usually, you buy a ticket for the entree, as well as tickets for side dishes or larger portions. What the instigating factor was in the move towards automating this process was, I can only guess. Did they find it to inefficient to have to wait for words? Were too many customers running out without paying? Somehow, I doubt it was just to make ordering easier for gaijin who don't happen to know much in the way of Japanese. Still, if you happen to be in an unsociable mood, it's rather nice to be able to have a fresh-cooked meal without having to say a word. Other places, like some fancy izakaya (Japanese style pubs) will actually have what basically amounts to a tablet PC or other handy touch-screen so you can make your order. Don't ask me about the bones dangling on the chain. I have no idea.

Speaking of interesting ways of ordering, my personal favorite was at a maid cafe. Honestly, maid cafes are another thing that could deserve a post of it's own (plus I find them interesting!), but I'll at least mention them. I only went to one maid cafe during my stay in Japan, and I can say I somewhat regret that fact. What I regret is not having gone more! They're so much fun! In my favorite twist on the ordering process, at the particular maid cafe that I went to, girls dressed up in maid outfits (who refer to you as "master" and speak in extremely formal Japanese) serve your meal. Best part? At least at the cafe I was at, you called them over to you with a tiny hand-bell that was placed on the table. The person who accompanied me to this cafe ordered an omelette and, when it arrived, the maid asked what she would like drawn (in ketchup) on omelette. In the confusion (my colleague hadn't known such a service was available), we simply told her to draw whatever she wanted, which turned out to be a bunny face. Later, when we ordered parfaits, two maids came to serve us and add toppings at our table. As strange as it may seem, I can truly say that this was one of my best experiences in Japan. The atmosphere was so perfect, with a European decor and classical music on top of the maid service.

Speaking of service, if you hate when the clerks in a shop seem like vultures circling ("helping"?) you as you try and look at things, stay clear of clothing shops in Japan. That was probably one of the most annoying things that I encountered in Japan. Basically, the smaller the shop, the more you will get watched. It wasn't even because I was a foreigner, because I saw them doing it for Japanese people as well. Japan, on top of loving convenience, is a service-oriented culture. They love having good service, with someone always at hand to help them if they need it. Look a little confused? There's someone right there, eager to help. Personally, I would rather be left in peace while I look at things, but I guess the Japanese are used to it. There is pretty much a job for everyone because of that. I can't tell you how many times I've laughed at the guys who literally just stand around construction sites making sure the pedestrians nearby are safe or helping those who are lost. Talk about an easy job. Even the koban (police boxes) often serve more of a purpose of giving people directions than keeping the peace. I can say from personal experience that the police are very helpful if you need to figure out where you are going, so if you go to Japan, feel free to ask for help! They usually have a big map, so even if you can't understand, as long as you have a name or address, they can usually point out where you need to be.

Looking for God? God is in the vending machine.

Sidetracked: On Fair Use

This post is a bit different from the primary subject of this blog, so feel free to disregard it if you are not interested. I have my reasons for posting this (laziness, primarily), though, so it will be done.

Note to whom it may concern: I did not receive any feedback in my folder, and I figure it is probably too late at the moment to try and get it back in time for the midnight deadline, so I'm going to post it as-is. If you wish me to revise it later, I can come back and edit.

Copyright has been a sensitive issue in modern times as people become more concerned with protecting their creations within the growing competition. With the advancement of technology within the last century, it has become a relatively simple affair to find obscure (or not-so-obscure) works and plagiarize them, or simply make a copy of them without any compensation to the creator. With the advent of the Internet, this has become as simple as a few mouse clicks. File sharing has been portrayed, especially by the RIAA, as the bane of the music industry. I would say that, rather than destroying the industry, it is a step towards a new type of creative culture.

I strongly agree with Negativland's "Tenets of Free Appropriation" in that provided an artist does not copy another's entire work, sampling should be allowed under "fair use". As long as the person who samples the work credits the original author, there should be no issue, even if it is used in a commercial release. In my opinion, however, if an artist would like to sample someone's entire work and turn it into something different, so long as it is a promotional, non-profit release rather than a commercial release, this should also be acceptable. While I have never heard the "Grey Album", I would assume it is a release that falls along these lines.

It seems to me that this is at odds with the idea proposed in "Technorealism". The author of said article proposes that there is a need for greater protection of works, but I disagree with this. Considering the pervasiveness of the Internet in our culture, it seems that protecting every work is no longer possible. Even the RIAA has admitted that stopping piracy and the spread of copyrighted materials is impossible. There are always ways of subverting copy protection schemes, so rather than trying to stop it, we should try to embrace the use of this technology by artists. The Internet remix culture thrives off of using mp3s to create interesting new works, which may offer a new interpretation of the original that contributes to the musical field, sometimes surpassing the original. These works can not only serve as excellent publicity for the remixer, but also for the original creator, so long as the original track is adequately recognizable or the remixer gives proper credit.

In conclusion, I propose that rather than shun or more heavily regulate the spread of art, there needs to be a deeper, conscious move towards ethical use at the user's end. Rather than simply plagiarizing a work and attempting to pass it off as their own (and possibly get away with it), artists who sample should openly give credit. Along with that, artists need to treat their own works as something that is alive and ever-changing, allowing others to create derivative works that may offer a new and unexpected interpretation of themes. It isn't regulation that is needed, but rather a change in the intrinsic thought processes regarding copyright and fair use. With that, legitimate artists would have nothing to fear, provided they reveal the works from which they have sampled.

Diversity in Fashion

Japan generally gets the reputation of being dull and drab, full of businessmen clothed in conservative attire, a sea of black, grey, and brown. While even modern guidebooks will often give readers the same stereotypical impression, the truth is not so simple. Of course, it is true that the majority of the businessmen are dressed that simply, and their underlings, the lowly shopkeepers and the like, are often trapped in uniforms. Uniforms are another common image of Japan, with it's prominent school uniforms, the most famous (or infamous) being the classic sailor style.

The truth of the matter is, even Japan lets it's proverbial hair down from time to time. Whereas guidebooks may tell you that people in Japan do not wear shorts, I have personally seen quite a number of Japanese people doing just that! Granted, they may not be quite as pervasive as they are in the West, but considering the excessive heat and humidity of the Japanese summer, it is common sense that some people would want a little air flow. Actually, you begin to ask yourself how the more conservative even survive the heat in slacks and long sleeves.

I think there may be no greater example of fashion diversity in the world that rivals that of the Japanese youth. Stuck in school uniforms all week, they have a tendency to go the furthest in turning against the norms. The little critter pictured above (a prairie dog, if you were wondering) I encountered at Himeji Castle, and serves as a perfect example, I think! Walking around a fashionable district like Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Harajuku in Tokyo, or Shinsaibashi and Nanba in Osaka, especially on a weekend, you can take in more different styles than you ever knew existed. The spread of styles among guys is generally wider than it is in the USA, but the gals are the ones who really go all out. Unusual hair colors? Check. Short shorts and massive hair extensions? It's there. Tan-in-a-bottle with brightly colored makeup? Go for it. Victorian dresses covered in ribbons and lace? Yes, even that. Unfortunately I do not have any pictures uploaded, but for a sampling of a few of the looks, check here, here, and here.

And that's only the tip of the iceberg.

Before I finish, I thought I would leave you with one more picture to hammer home the idea of my previous post.

An Urban Jungle?

Having only recently returned from a year abroad in Japan, I'd like to use this blog to communicate my experiences and opinions about the country, as well as dispel some common myths that gaijin (foreigners) tend to have. I don't claim to be some sort of expert who has dedicated their life to the study of everything Japanese, but compared to your average person on the street, I like to think I have some perspective.

Japan. Most people tend to picture the extremes: samurai and geisha in their kimono scurrying about the muddy streets, or high-tech robots, neon lights, and sardine-can trains. While nowadays the tendency is definitely toward the latter vision, it's true that one can find a little bit of both, often even without looking too hard. Honestly, the diversity is staggering. The sheer number of people concentrated in Japan's cities makes for an interesting clash of visions and ideas, but the question that comes to mind, especially to Americans is this: how can they stand living so close together? Well, the thing is, gaijin do tend to picture Japan as an urban landscape, but this is only a part of the truth. The fact of the matter is, a large portion of Japan's roughly California-sized landmass is mountains, which makes sprawling out quite difficult. The result is a country where the majority of it's 120,000,000+ population is forced to live in an urban center of some sort.

Loud, yes, but there is never a dull moment.