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01:02:55:04, 01:02:58:09, - that I have a job and she|could come back to Australia - 01:02:58:22, 01:03:00:18, - and that job fell through... 01:03:01:02, 01:03:05:07, I felt obliged to at least come|to Japan for a short time. 01:03:05:14, 01:03:08:01, And initially I thought... 01:03:08:09, 01:03:10:19, Six months or a year I would stay here - 01:03:10:22, 01:03:13:13, - then go back to my life in Australia. 01:03:15:07, 01:03:17:11, But as time wore on - 01:03:17:16, 01:03:23:14, - Japan became more home and Australia became more of a distant memory. 01:03:24:02, 01:03:25:23, I didn't really have that much life experience. 01:03:26:03, 01:03:28:16, So I wanted to travel around the world first. 01:03:29:03, 01:03:33:04, However, my journey around the|world did not continue after Japan. 01:03:33:07, 01:03:35:15, And here I am, sixteen and a half years later. 01:03:35:17, 01:03:39:08, Japan always had a certain exotic allure. 01:03:40:21, 01:03:43:05, It all started with ninjas. 01:03:44:07, 01:03:47:21, When I was six, the concept|of ninjas seemed so cool. 01:03:49:03, 01:03:54:06, That kind of was the doorway|to being interested in Japan. 01:03:54:13, 01:03:57:15, I was doing an anthropology class at university. 01:03:57:18, 01:04:00:22, I interviewed four or five people. 01:04:01:00, 01:04:03:14, Some of them were studying|in Japan at the time - 01:04:03:17, 01:04:05:13, - and some of them had studied. 01:04:05:22, 01:04:07:22, And just listening to their stories - 01:04:08:14, 01:04:10:14, - especially the person who|studied here in Kyushu. 01:04:11:10, 01:04:13:10, And she's showing me these photo albums. 01:04:13:15, 01:04:15:15, And I thought: "wow, that looks really fun!" 01:04:15:17, 01:04:19:17, So, I came to Japan through that|international program at first. 01:04:20:15, 01:04:24:19, I was doing Semester at Sea, which is a program done by university of Virginia. 01:04:25:08, 01:04:31:07, You sail around the world, taking classes with different professors on a giant cruise ship. 01:04:31:15, 01:04:35:14, We were supposed to dock in Kobe and|there was the Hanshin earthquake. 01:04:35:21, 01:04:38:15, So the entire port got destroyed. 01:04:39:10, 01:04:41:18, Luckily we were able to dock in Osaka. 01:04:42:20, 01:04:45:18, After that I went to Kyoto for two days - 01:04:45:24, 01:04:48:09, - and got to wander around Kyoto and|Arashiyama and stuff, and it was like - 01:04:48:12, 01:04:51:21, - "wow, OK, this place I would|really like to come back to." 01:04:51:23, 01:04:54:15, I suppose it was the idea - 01:04:54:24, 01:04:59:15, - that there were these really pretty girls - 01:04:59:18, 01:05:02:18, - that you could meet, who were open - 01:05:02:21, 01:05:05:21, - to make friends with a foreigner. 01:05:06:18, 01:05:07:18, Who spoke English 01:05:07:21, 01:05:09:06, And get paid to do it. 01:05:09:14, 01:05:10:24, Which is mostly true. 01:05:11:21, 01:05:13:18, I had that idea because David told me. 01:05:13:20, 01:05:15:00, He visited Vancouver and he told me: 01:05:15:02, 01:05:20:00, "come to Japan, teach pretty girls|and take pictures, and try it." 01:05:21:12, 01:05:24:06, And so I did and that was 19 years ago, 01:05:24:22, 01:05:28:03, For the first time I came to|Japan was about 15 years ago. 01:05:29:08, 01:05:31:13, For my previous job. 01:05:32:15, 01:05:34:20, I came a few times. 01:05:35:01, 01:05:39:19, So...slowly, slowly this country started|to be very interesting to me. 01:05:40:01, 01:05:45:09, And in that period of time|I met a Japanese girl. 01:05:47:18, 01:05:52:13, We moved to Italy and we lived|almost eight years together. 01:05:54:15, 01:05:56:14, I had many, many chances to come to Japan. 01:05:57:01, 01:06:02:00, It was a smooth and long|approach to the country. 01:06:03:14, 01:06:04:23, Three years ago... 01:06:05:03, 01:06:09:07, ...after unfortunately I broke up with this lady... 01:06:09:24, 01:06:14:03, ...I decided it was time to try to live in Japan. 01:06:14:16, 01:06:19:05, Not just spending vacations or|coming here for short visits. 01:06:20:17, 01:06:24:10, I fell in love with a Japanese man,|and I wanted to be with him. 01:06:25:01, 01:06:29:08, And I was interested in living in an other country, so I said: "OK, I'm coming." 01:06:31:11, 01:06:39:04, I came here to teach literature and|Italian language, to a university. 01:06:41:13, 01:06:45:12, In some rather old fashioned|Japanesy-English they say: 01:06:45:21, 01:06:49:09, "What is your purpose in coming to Japan?" 01:06:49:20, 01:06:51:16, I used to tell the truth. 01:06:51:19, 01:06:55:10, I used to say I was kind of economic refugee. 01:06:57:03, 01:07:00:01, And political refugee. 01:07:01:16, 01:07:06:04, But I always felt that Japanese|people felt a little disappointed. 01:07:06:20, 01:07:09:02, I think they hoped that I would say that I - 01:07:09:15, 01:07:14:03, - deeply respect the fine points|of Japanese culture and all that. 01:07:15:03, 01:07:16:20, So I always felt a bit bad. 01:07:17:12, 01:07:20:10, So I thought: "What can I say| that is actually the truth?" 01:07:21:18, 01:07:24:16, But will leave them feeling good. 01:07:26:17, 01:07:29:20, And finally|after a decade or so living here - 01:07:30:13, 01:07:34:23, - I finally stumbled across the correct answer that satisfied everybody, so I think. 01:07:35:03, 01:07:37:11, "What is your purpose in coming to Japan?" 01:07:39:09, 01:07:42:10, "I have a fetish for long, black hair." 01:07:44:13, 01:07:47:13, And the Japanese people would always go: 01:07:47:24, 01:07:50:11, "I see..." 01:07:50:21, 01:07:52:15, Oh no, there's a foreigner in here! 01:07:56:01, 01:07:58:24, It was just going to be a one|year trip, but you know... 01:08:25:21, 01:08:29:01, This is not a society you can|understand overnight! 01:08:33:14, 01:08:37:20, Five years of theoretical studies is not enough. 01:08:40:06, 01:08:42:02, I was living in New York. 01:08:42:09, 01:08:44:02, And going to school there. 01:08:44:07, 01:08:48:18, And they had a very, very strong Asian|studies program at my university. 01:08:51:17, 01:08:56:01, Then, of course, you know, there's a lot Japanese stuff going on in New York. 01:08:56:04, 01:08:59:04, Restaurants and movies and book stores and – 01:08:59:09, 01:09:01:17, - a lot of Japanese people running around so... 01:09:04:15, 01:09:10:07, I had a pretty good idea of a lot|of things before I came here. 01:09:13:00, 01:09:16:11, But of course, you know, the|reality is a lot stronger than... 01:09:18:10, 01:09:20:16, ...than one imagines from New York. 01:09:21:06, 01:09:24:16, I thought maybe Japan was much|more crowded than it was - 01:09:24:19, 01:09:28:02, - and people were much|more rigid and consistent. 01:09:28:07, 01:09:30:01, Most men were 'salarymen'. 01:09:30:12, 01:09:37:05, Most women were house wives who were somewhat dependent, or codependent. 01:09:37:11, 01:09:44:17, Very nice, quiet, very proper behavior country. 01:09:45:03, 01:09:48:15, I think I expected it to be something|similar to Hong Kong. 01:09:49:14, 01:09:50:19, But more expensive. 01:09:50:21, 01:09:54:02, Because when I came here 1990 - 01:09:54:11, 01:09:56:12, - it was the end of the bubble economy - 01:09:56:15, 01:10:01:24, - and this was famous as the most|expensive place in the world - 01:10:02:01, 01:10:04:16, - and that was absolutely true! 01:10:04:18, 01:10:09:15, I always thought there is something mysterious about the writing style of Japanese writers - 01:10:09:23, 01:10:14:07, - because it`s like,|they|concentrate more on details - 01:10:14:15, 01:10:16:13, - and they leave big things out. 01:10:16:19, 01:10:20:23, And the sentences always seemed|a little bit like metaphors for me. 01:10:21:07, 01:10:24:03, But metaphors for something|I did not really understand. 01:10:24:09, 01:10:27:05, So there was a little bit of fascination about it - 01:10:27:08, 01:10:30:04, - but I never really thought about - 01:10:30:12, 01:10:33:17, - Japan in a way like samurai - 01:10:33:24, 01:10:36:22, - or old history or cherry blossom trees. 01:10:36:24, 01:10:40:04, It was never a very fascinating|country for me actually. 01:10:41:01, 01:10:45:03, I think my image was of a very|ultra modern, ultra clean - 01:10:45:23, 01:10:48:17, - tall, glass-spired buildings - 01:10:48:19, 01:10:54:09, - everybody incredibly wealthy, the streets immaculately polished. 01:10:56:14, 01:10:58:03, I was a little surprised... 01:10:58:12, 01:11:03:23, ...when I arrived here and found rice paddies|in the outskirts of Osaka city, and - 01:11:04:20, 01:11:09:15, - the airport was not as modern|as I thought it should be. 01:11:10:01, 01:11:14:03, I landed in Itami, not the new Kansai airport. 01:11:14:14, 01:11:16:11, I had more of a high tech image. 01:11:16:13, 01:11:18:06, Slightly more high tech image - 01:11:19:09, 01:11:21:02, - than is actually here. 01:11:21:18, 01:11:23:18, I had this image of, you know|... 01:11:24:12, 01:11:28:08, A very technologically advanced|society and stuff like that. 01:11:29:05, 01:11:33:16, The technological aspects are kind|of|what I was expecting more of. 01:11:36:16, 01:11:39:02, Pure capitalism and money. 01:11:39:04, 01:11:42:02, Other than that, I really didn't think much. 01:11:42:04, 01:11:44:07, That they behave very strangely. 01:11:44:23, 01:11:48:01, They have those strange hair cuts - 01:11:48:08, 01:11:49:17, - and they dress... 01:11:50:13, 01:11:54:11, But I didn't really notice that in Fukuoka. 01:11:55:00, 01:11:57:21, They all live like totally normal. 01:11:58:03, 01:12:01:05, I was a bit, actually, surprised by that. 01:12:01:10, 01:12:03:23, I didn't know anything about Japan. 01:12:04:18, 01:12:08:00, Except for the cartoons for the manga. 01:12:08:13, 01:12:11:06, Because I grew up with that stuff. 01:12:11:08, 01:12:14:19, So I knew some culture from that. 01:12:15:14, 01:12:19:10, There was one particular image from the TV. 01:12:19:12, 01:12:21:15, I suppose in the 1960's. 01:12:22:20, 01:12:25:07, It was of a young... 01:12:25:18, 01:12:27:08, ...maybe woman... 01:12:29:05, 01:12:30:14, ...in a crowd in Tokyo. 01:12:30:17, 01:12:32:21, This is an image I saw on the TV. 01:12:34:05, 01:12:36:09, She was buying... 01:12:38:19, 01:12:39:20, ...air! 01:12:40:03, 01:12:45:01, From what looked like one of those old telephones that you pick off the wall. 01:12:45:16, 01:12:47:01, But it had a mask. 01:12:47:03, 01:12:50:06, And she puts her money into it,|I guess a vending machine, and... 01:12:50:17, 01:12:52:01, ...put the mask here... 01:12:52:22, 01:12:55:15, ...and breathed in some fresh air. 01:12:55:20, 01:12:58:09, And they were saying how|polluted the Japanese cities were - 01:12:58:13, 01:13:00:16, - and then they cut to all this traffic. 01:13:00:24, 01:13:05:17, So the image before I came was|not a particularly positive one! 01:13:05:19, 01:13:08:17, I assumed all of Japan was sort of|full of... 01:13:09:18, 01:13:11:15, ...pollution and... 01:13:11:19, 01:13:14:05, ...people living horrible city lives. 01:13:31:18, 01:13:33:03, The money handlers. 01:13:33:07, 01:13:34:06, At the airport. 01:13:34:09, 01:13:39:11, The way the money changers|would fan the money out. 01:13:39:22, 01:13:43:07, Their handling of money was so extraordinarily - 01:13:43:12, 01:13:46:08, - swift and skillful and artful. 01:13:48:23, 01:13:50:18, It's all about the money. 01:13:51:00, 01:13:54:21, Coming to Japan from the Siberian area - 01:13:55:07, 01:13:58:24, - you go between Hokkaido and Honshu. 01:14:00:16, 01:14:02:03, And you go down the cost. 01:14:02:10, 01:14:04:17, And I saw Japan from the sea. 01:14:05:17, 01:14:07:15, It was very, very beautiful. 01:14:07:18, 01:14:09:06, A lot of concrete! 01:14:10:06, 01:14:12:23, I was on the fourth floor, no elevator - 01:14:13:06, 01:14:15:15, - going, "Where's the technology?" 01:14:16:03, 01:14:18:13, "I'm in this concrete building with cracks in it!" 01:14:18:18, 01:14:22:06, We were prepared for the fact|that it was going to be hot. 01:14:22:08, 01:14:23:18, And I was prepared for it. 01:14:24:04, 01:14:28:01, But it was so hot and so humid! 01:14:28:06, 01:14:31:03, Just like: "Oh my gosh!|I don't know what to do." 01:14:31:09, 01:14:34:11, My room was small. 01:14:35:02, 01:14:36:22, The houses were all small. 01:14:37:19, 01:14:39:12, The politeness of everybody. 01:14:40:01, 01:14:42:09, The manner of everybody. 01:14:43:03, 01:14:45:14, How clean everything is - 01:14:45:16, 01:14:49:04, - and how well they hide|things that aren't clean. 01:14:49:09, 01:14:51:07, When my plane arrived... 01:14:52:02, 01:14:59:12, ...July 1986 in Narita, there was still... 01:14:59:18, 01:15:03:15, ...armored vehicles on the tarmac. 01:15:04:17, 01:15:06:14, They actually had water cannons. 01:15:06:21, 01:15:09:18, And these were police men but|they looked like Darth Vader|. 01:15:11:12, 01:15:14:21, It looked very intimidating!|So that was quite shocking. 01:15:15:24, 01:15:18:03, I'd never imagine that! 01:15:18:13, 01:15:20:21, Everything was my size. 01:15:21:17, 01:15:25:23, Like when I was in the bus and I was trying to|hold on to the handrails or something - 01:15:26:07, 01:15:30:23, - I didn't have to go on my tip-toes|or, you know, hold on to the bar - 01:15:31:03, 01:15:33:20, - but I could hold on to|the railings comfortably. 01:15:35:04, 01:15:38:03, The little cars, the cars all|looked like little boxes – 01:15:38:05, 01:15:40:01, – and I thought that was really nice. 01:15:40:06, 01:15:44:10, When we came here, in|1990,|when I came to Japan – 01:15:44:17, 01:15:49:07, – the bubble economy hadn't quite burst,|and so there was money to burn – 01:15:49:12, 01:15:51:02, – and all the clubs were busy. 01:15:53:00, 01:15:56:16, The bars were full, and this was|the scene for foreign teachers. 01:15:57:14, 01:15:59:24, All different ages but... 01:16:00:05, 01:16:03:21, My first four hours in Japan... 01:16:03:24, 01:16:05:17, After four hours in Japan, I think... 01:16:06:19, 01:16:10:06, ...we went to the...English style pub... 01:16:11:19, 01:16:13:12, I thought: "This is so interesting!" 01:16:13:23, 01:16:17:06, Everyone's so friendly, there lots of|interesting people and pretty girls, and... 01:16:17:15, 01:16:21:19, ...handsome foreign men speaking Japanese to pretty Japanese girls who's speaking English. 01:16:23:06, 01:16:25:24, And warm and friendly, and... 01:16:26:05, 01:16:28:15, I just thought: "This is Heaven!" And... 01:16:28:17, 01:16:31:08, Maybe I can be someone|new, someone different. 01:16:37:16, 01:16:41:13, Santa Claus almost made it to Japan,|as his primary residence, but – 01:16:41:24, 01:16:46:07, – then of course, soon after I came|to Japan, the bubble burst and – 01:16:46:10, 01:16:50:09, – so Santa Claus, he lit out|for the territory, so to speak. 01:17:19:21, 01:17:23:09, For a foreigner living here, there's as well... 01:17:23:21, 01:17:26:15, ...is a certain sense of cloud cuckooland. 01:17:27:01, 01:17:30:07, I came at 22 and I really never grew up. 01:17:30:09, 01:17:33:05, Japan has the best toys! 01:17:33:09, 01:17:35:04, I love shopping in Tokyo. 01:17:35:06, 01:17:37:15, The compactness is actually really nice. 01:17:37:20, 01:17:39:21, I can ride my bicycle everywhere. 01:17:39:22, 01:17:44:17, My friend, she just left her knapsack|in a department store entrance way. 01:17:45:01, 01:17:46:09, Of course it was there! 01:17:47:00, 01:17:49:06, You can leave your bicycle unlocked... 01:17:49:20, 01:17:52:01, ...and it may not get stolen. 01:17:52:03, 01:17:55:21, It's quite likely it won`t get stolen,|but try that in New York. 01:17:56:03, 01:17:57:12, Actually, I caught a guy once. 01:17:57:14, 01:17:58:16, Stole my bicycle and – 01:17:58:18, 01:18:02:13, – followed him, and trailed him, and|then dragged him to a police station. 01:18:02:14, 01:18:06:09, He left in 15 minutes and I stayed for|two hours trying to explain what I'd done! 01:18:08:11, 01:18:10:23, That really sucked! 01:18:11:13, 01:18:14:18, It's easy to live. It's so easy to live here. Just... 01:18:14:18, 01:18:15:05, It's easy to live. It's so easy to live here. Just... 01:18:15:12, 01:18:16:08, ...like... 01:18:16:12, 01:18:19:22, For some reason more than in America. 01:18:20:07, 01:18:27:13, I think Japan has set a very high standard for me in terms of a lot of things I expect in my life. 01:18:28:03, 01:18:31:05, The Japan in general is very, very clean. 01:18:31:06, 01:18:34:04, The train system didn't fail to impress. 01:18:34:08, 01:18:39:23, When the train says 07:01, don't hop|on the :59 train or the 07:05 train. 01:18:40:10, 01:18:44:06, Go on the 07:01 train, because|it will be there at 07:01. 01:19:30:08, 01:19:34:11, There's nothing major that|really annoys me in Japan. 01:19:34:15, 01:19:40:08, Japan is a fairly easy country to live in, I think. 01:19:40:16, 01:19:47:07, Just how much..little, like major...|few major problems you have.| 01:19:48:05, 01:19:50:07, Just love everything. The|convenience of|everything. 01:19:50:20, 01:19:53:17, How everything is thought out|and their attention to detail – 01:19:54:06, 01:19:55:17, – is untouchable. 01:19:58:09, 01:20:00:09, Makes everything... 01:20:00:13, 01:20:02:24, ...I guess you would say more comfortable. 01:20:05:16, 01:20:10:02, If you are earning Japanese yen|and you go into the rest of Asia – 01:20:10:05, 01:20:12:07, – it's really nice! 01:20:12:09, 01:20:17:18, It's got an incredible maze of hiking trails|along the mountains and stuff like that – 01:20:17:19, 01:20:21:02, – that you can get to easily by busses and stuff. 01:20:21:08, 01:20:23:18, And then there's also things that|you can do if you`ve|got a car. 01:20:24:07, 01:20:29:02, Places going surfing and kayaking,|and sea-kayaking or river-kayaking. 01:20:30:06, 01:20:36:20, Because, it`s about what, 75 % of the land mass is mountainous, you get some really fast rapids. 01:20:36:22, 01:20:42:12, And then it's also islands, I mean, it's|got swell and surf almost all the time. 01:20:42:13, 01:20:45:23, Countryside and nature... 01:20:46:13, 01:20:49:23, ...in general in Japan. The southern islands. 01:20:49:24, 01:20:52:01, This is the part I love the most. 01:20:52:05, 01:20:55:09, Traveling down to some of the islands,|down in south of Kyushu – 01:20:55:13, 01:20:57:23, – like Tanegashima, and Ishigakijima|... 01:20:58:10, 01:21:02:08, Just insanely beautiful places,|and the people are so friendly! 01:21:02:10, 01:21:07:11, It's just like: "Wow! This would be a great|place to live if there was only some jobs." 01:21:18:17, 01:21:22:04, Before I came I was living in Ireland|and there was hardly any sun. 01:21:22:08, 01:21:26:13, So coming and seeing sun even|in winter, for me that's good – 01:21:26:15, 01:21:28:21, – and it doesn't rain as much. 01:21:29:12, 01:21:31:18, And there are definite seasons. 01:21:31:20, 01:21:34:14, So...I'm happy about that. 01:21:34:14, 01:21:37:16, The seasonal changes in Japan... 01:21:38:24, 01:21:43:09, Not necessarily just weather,|but the way life style changes – 01:21:43:12, 01:21:46:09, – and the whole array of events changes. 01:21:46:14, 01:21:48:13, It's really impressive! 01:21:48:15, 01:21:50:05, From a tiny, tiny detail – 01:21:50:23, 01:21:52:08, – in someone's house like the... 01:21:52:16, 01:21:55:12, The decorations they have out|will change by seasons, and... 01:21:56:03, 01:21:58:09, Of course stores and menus and everything. 01:21:58:14, 01:22:00:20, It just seems much closer to... 01:22:01:18, 01:22:06:09, ...something natural than|the 24h America, where... 01:22:06:17, 01:22:08:05, ...nothing changes. 01:22:08:16, 01:22:11:09, You have to go back to England. 01:22:11:14, 01:22:14:15, Of course, flying through Heathrow. 01:22:17:01, 01:22:20:20, You come into the arrivals hall, and... 01:22:20:22, 01:22:25:05, ...there are policemen with machine guns, sub-machine guns or whatever, and... 01:22:25:19, 01:22:27:13, ...bullet proof vests and... 01:22:28:14, 01:22:30:08, ...announcements that your... 01:22:30:16, 01:22:33:21, ...car will be towed away and blown up! 01:22:34:06, 01:22:36:19, And all that stuff which is just... 01:22:37:07, 01:22:39:20, ...business as usual, everyday behavior... 01:22:40:22, 01:22:44:23, ...in 21st century Britain. 01:22:45:16, 01:22:48:04, And I suspect much of the western world. 01:22:51:02, 01:22:53:19, You just don't feel that here at all. 01:22:54:13, 01:22:59:01, There's little sense of potential global crisis. 01:22:59:20, 01:23:01:03, In the supermarket in Japan – 01:23:01:13, 01:23:03:24, – all you need is just somebody|to tell you which isle. 01:23:04:07, 01:23:08:12, But they will run to the place with|you, and they will show you the item. 01:23:08:24, 01:23:13:21, So, I was out of Japan and I was traveling|and I needed cereal and milk. 01:23:14:03, 01:23:16:16, So I went and asked the|shop assistant. I was like – 01:23:16:23, 01:23:19:02, "Where's the long life milk|and where's the cereal?" 01:23:19:06, 01:23:25:08, And he was like: "Cereal is in that isle, and I don't know where the long life milk is." 01:23:25:13, 01:23:28:22, And he just turned around and|continued packing the shelves. 01:23:29:00, 01:23:33:19, So I literally just burst out laughing because|of the contrast, and I was like: "Yeah..." 01:23:36:06, 01:23:39:23, One other fabulous thing in Japan is 'nomihoudai', all you can drink. 01:23:45:09, 01:23:47:04, 'Nomihoudai' is really good! 01:23:51:20, 01:23:57:14, I like the temple gardens, so when you get|a chance to go over there and see them... 01:23:57:17, 01:23:59:00, Very... 01:23:59:02, 01:24:01:19, Peaceful. It's kind of peaceful. 01:24:25:02, 01:24:27:11, Japan is incredibly safe! 01:24:27:16, 01:24:31:02, I've lived here 26 years now. 01:24:32:18, 01:24:36:04, Which is most of my adult life, I suppose. 01:24:38:02, 01:24:42:13, I take it for granted that I can,|sort of,|walk anywhere at night. 01:24:43:15, 01:24:47:13, That my wife can walk anywhere at night. 01:24:48:05, 01:24:49:17, And my female friends... 01:24:50:14, 01:24:55:02, I don't feel that they need escorting|to the bus stop at night kind of thing. 01:24:57:21, 01:25:02:06, That's a really great thing|that I don't appreciate until... 01:25:02:15, 01:25:04:20, ...I travel abroad and... 01:25:06:05, 01:25:10:18, ...suddenly realize I have to take care of my expensive camera equipment or somebody will... 01:25:11:03, 01:25:12:08, ...take off with it. 01:25:12:16, 01:25:15:20, I have four kids, four boys. 01:25:16:23, 01:25:20:24, The oldest is 10 years old and|the youngest is 5 years old. 01:25:22:08, 01:25:24:13, They walk alone to school. 01:25:27:14, 01:25:30:18, They go to the playground|and they have a good time. 01:25:33:00, 01:25:34:21, They ride bicycle too! 01:25:35:05, 01:25:36:16, No problem at all. 01:25:38:01, 01:25:41:06, In Mexico, no way you know,|not even by mistake you know!| 01:25:41:10, 01:25:45:00, Very safe country! You feel|comfortable and relaxed here. 01:25:46:12, 01:25:48:01, I mean, people... 01:25:48:11, 01:25:50:00, ...are so well-mannered here. 01:25:50:12, 01:25:53:20, It's a shame a lot of the rest of|the world can't have the same... 01:25:54:14, 01:25:56:22, ...attitude, I guess, towards others. 01:25:57:21, 01:26:05:00, I have often written about how kind Japanese people are to non-Japanese visitors. 01:26:05:15, 01:26:08:11, Which is often not reported. 01:26:09:07, 01:26:11:19, You get the instances of... 01:26:12:03, 01:26:13:19, ...sort of racist behavior. 01:26:14:00, 01:26:17:00, Which often is reported, I think. 01:26:18:22, 01:26:22:15, And certainly exists of course, but... 01:26:23:00, 01:26:26:02, ...generally I've been treated very kindly. 01:26:26:17, 01:26:30:13, People are always very polite and very smiling. 01:26:30:14, 01:26:33:22, I was a bit freaked-out that|everybody smiled all the time. 01:26:34:00, 01:26:35:21, When I first came, I was just like... 01:26:35:24, 01:26:41:06, "Why are you smiling?" "Why are you|laughing?" "It's not that funny." 01:26:41:09, 01:26:44:13, But you get used to it, and... 01:26:44:19, 01:26:49:02, ...when you leave and you realize that|people don't do that anymore... 01:26:49:19, 01:26:51:16, ...then you kind of like miss that. 01:26:51:19, 01:26:54:03, There's so many options! You're not like in – 01:26:54:04, 01:26:57:18, – if you were in, let's say for example... 01:26:58:02, 01:26:59:07, ...the United States. 01:26:59:11, 01:27:04:00, If you're in the countryside and getting to|a place that's gonna have anything like... 01:27:04:14, 01:27:07:14, ...a Picasso exhibit or...let`s say|... 01:27:08:18, 01:27:11:05, ...some sort of festival or something like that. 01:27:13:01, 01:27:14:18, You're going to be driving for a while! 01:27:15:09, 01:27:18:23, Whereas here, it's like "boom!" |"OK, what's around the corner?" 01:27:19:24, 01:27:22:10, And that makes it really, really fun. 01:27:22:10, 01:27:28:23, There's a lot of fun stuff. I enjoy|what's happening in the cultural life. 01:27:28:24, 01:27:33:08, You look like you're lost, or you look|like you're looking for something – 01:27:33:10, 01:27:36:04, – people will come and will help you. 01:27:36:06, 01:27:39:21, Or if they don't know they will| try to find a way to help you – 01:27:39:21, 01:27:42:14, – and I have that kind of experiences a lot. 01:27:42:14, 01:27:46:06, I've soaked in some hot springs|which I'll never forget. 01:27:46:06, 01:27:48:02, They adore their cherry blossoms. 01:27:48:04, 01:27:51:13, Which is kind of nice to see the enthusiasm. 01:27:52:02, 01:27:55:16, I mean, oo ah... an other tree but... 01:27:58:05, 01:28:00:03, ...in the scale of it all...| 01:28:00:06, 01:28:05:09, It is quite pretty and, people get together. It's|a good excuse for them to get together and... 01:28:05:22, 01:28:07:10, ...everyone seems happy. 01:28:08:09, 01:28:10:02, Which is nice to see. 01:28:10:05, 01:28:12:22, We were invited to join|this group of 'salarymen' – 01:28:12:22, 01:28:17:23, – and later some of the business women|that worked with them showed up. 01:28:19:17, 01:28:21:09, We were invited to join them. 01:28:22:07, 01:28:24:18, "Have a drink!" "Have some food!"| "Don't worry!" 01:28:24:19, 01:28:27:05, We were like: "Should we give|you money..." "Can we, like..." 01:28:27:08, 01:28:28:13, "Go to the convenience store and get..." 01:28:28:14, 01:28:31:14, "No, no, it's OK! It's a company|party, don't worry!" 01:28:31:23, 01:28:34:10, And their department manager showed up. 01:28:35:04, 01:28:37:14, And it was the new employees as well. 01:28:37:17, 01:28:38:24, And so he says to them... 01:28:39:04, 01:28:41:09, "Right! New employees, you|stand up!" 01:28:42:01, 01:28:42:15, "Drink!" 01:28:42:19, 01:28:44:02, That whole,|'iki'. 01:28:45:15, 01:28:46:22, "Stand up!" 01:28:46:23, 01:28:47:18, He drinks. 01:28:47:23, 01:28:49:07, And he kind of comes around to us. 01:28:49:08, 01:28:51:09, And he looks at us and says "Stand up!" 01:28:51:11, 01:28:53:12, So we`re shooting back|'shōchū'. 01:28:54:15, 01:28:56:16, So everybody's quite drunk and... 01:28:57:06, 01:28:59:18, ...the department manager, he's really drunk! 01:29:00:00, 01:29:01:10, Or not, I don't know. 01:29:01:15, 01:29:04:18, He has a bottle of wine in one hand,|a carton of 'shōchū' in another – 01:29:04:18, 01:29:09:16, – and he goes around pouring it all over his employees, who are up and running and screaming! 01:29:09:17, 01:29:11:16, Drunk, but having a great time! 01:29:11:19, 01:29:14:04, As it was, they ended up getting so drunk... 01:29:14:12, 01:29:18:05, ...that, on that blue sheet that they put|out, they started sliding across it – 01:29:18:05, 01:29:23:10, – on their stomachs. So there is sushi flying up! Fried chicken! Potato chips flying! 01:29:24:08, 01:29:28:04, They started rolling. There's a hill there, and they're rolling down the hill in their suits. 01:29:28:13, 01:29:29:05, But! 01:29:29:16, 01:29:33:19, So it's a fabulous time! 11 o'clock the lights|go out, right! The 'hanami' time is over. 01:29:34:05, 01:29:37:00, They all just kind of sober up, and they fold everything up and put it in the garbage – 01:29:37:00, 01:29:39:11, – and go home, and we're like... 01:29:41:17, 01:29:43:10, I lost my telephone. 01:29:47:21, 01:29:49:11, Two days later... 01:29:50:08, 01:29:52:17, ...somebody called me.|They found the telephone! 01:29:53:05, 01:29:55:06, And I went to pick the telephone. 01:29:59:12, 01:30:02:19, One year later I went to the bathroom. 01:30:03:03, 01:30:06:15, And I found a bag with... 01:30:10:13, 01:30:12:03, And I don't have a camera! 01:30:13:04, 01:30:15:00, I really need a camera now. 01:30:18:14, 01:30:21:16, I remembered...when I lost my|telephone, somebody called me. 01:30:21:19, 01:30:22:21, And they returned it. 01:30:23:18, 01:30:25:07, I did the same thing. 01:30:25:21, 01:30:28:01, If I'm in my country... 01:30:29:09, 01:30:31:10, ...maybe I'm gonna keep that money. 01:30:31:14, 01:30:35:17, I'm not sure, you know, but here|they teach me a different way. 01:30:36:17, 01:30:39:18, It's an extraordinary sense of|democracy here, in the sense that... 01:30:41:01, 01:30:43:23, ...everyone gets access to|the rest of the society. 01:30:44:04, 01:30:48:01, Everyone want's to be part of the society,|and nobody want's to be left out. 01:30:48:12, 01:30:54:03, So they go through a lot of effort|to connect the shipping systems – 01:30:54:03, 01:30:57:23, – and the railroads, and bus lines and... 01:30:58:10, 01:31:00:13, So that everybody's connected. 01:31:01:22, 01:31:05:02, There's no need to feel|as if they are different. 01:31:05:15, 01:31:08:21, I am sort of anonymous. 01:31:11:10, 01:31:16:04, Sometimes I think I'm invisible. 01:31:16:06, 01:31:20:05, But I'm not. I'm sure people recognize me. 01:31:20:09, 01:31:24:17, Sometimes being a foreigner in|Japan give you some advantages. 01:31:24:23, 01:31:28:13, Because there's the curiosity|towards the foreigner, so... 01:31:29:07, 01:31:34:09, You are always very welcome to show your pictures, or be part of some event, because... 01:31:35:11, 01:31:38:16, ...people want to know something|coming from outside. 01:31:38:23, 01:31:42:03, As foreigners we are cut a lot of slack, I think. 01:31:42:14, 01:31:44:06, Specially if you're white. 01:31:45:01, 01:31:49:09, If you're a guy from Bangladesh|working in a factory in Osaka... 01:31:50:02, 01:31:53:00, ...I'm sure it doesn't quite apply the same way. 01:32:01:06, 01:32:03:04, We like to grumble. We need to grumble. 01:32:03:15, 01:32:05:14, It's a long tradition among|the foreign community to – 01:32:05:14, 01:32:09:11, – get together and grumble about Japanese people, on Japanese society, about this and that. 01:32:09:15, 01:32:11:24, And that seems to be a bonding thing. 01:32:12:05, 01:32:13:14, It gets a bit tedious. 01:32:14:11, 01:32:17:01, So there are particular bars you|go to when you want to bitch. 01:32:17:04, 01:32:21:13, So, there are after-hours where|usually|men my age ccomplain about this and that. 01:32:22:19, 01:32:25:22, And I suppose it's no different anywhere else. 01:32:27:13, 01:32:30:13, The term I hate the most that|Japanese people use: "Yappari". 01:32:30:16, 01:32:33:00, It's like: "Just as I thought". 01:32:33:04, 01:32:36:06, So, you tried, you know, you're|more Japanese than the Japanese – 01:32:36:07, 01:32:39:06, – and then when you screw up, it's|'yappari'. "I knew it, you're a foreigner!" 01:32:39:09, 01:32:41:11, So it get's a little disappointing|that way, you know. 01:32:41:13, 01:32:44:06, I know I'm never going to be|Japanese. I can wear kimono... 01:32:44:23, 01:32:47:16, I can study Japanese dance,|I can speak the language. 01:32:47:24, 01:32:51:11, I can do a lot of things, but I'm|never going to be Japanese – 01:32:51:15, 01:32:52:17, – and I accept that. 01:32:52:23, 01:32:56:02, However, I would expect a little bit more... 01:32:56:08, 01:32:58:06, ...respect on what I've done. 01:32:58:21, 01:33:02:00, My effort to understand|they're culture, so to speak 01:33:02:07, 01:33:04:05, After five years they still tell me every day: 01:33:04:05, 01:33:06:03, "Oh! You can use the chop-sticks!" 01:33:07:01, 01:33:10:09, But you see me eating with|chop-sticks every day... 01:33:11:23, 01:33:12:16, ...you don't have to... 01:33:12:21, 01:33:15:10, "Oh, you are eating!" "Oh, you eat fish!"|"Oh, you eat this!" 01:33:15:10, 01:33:17:09, They expect as much from you after 16 years - 01:33:17:09, 01:33:20:01, - as they do from a foreigner|who just walked off the boat. 01:33:20:06, 01:33:25:19, For me it's difficult to understand sometimes what Japanese people really mean. 01:33:25:24, 01:33:31:24, I think in Chinese or English, we|say 'yes' or 'no'. It's very clear. 01:33:32:16, 01:33:36:16, But in Japanese, they say... 01:33:37:01, 01:33:40:22, We have to try to think their meaning. 01:33:41:09, 01:33:44:23, Just the comments that people|will make sometimes, like... 01:33:45:00, 01:33:47:22, ...kind of...It's more of a Japanese|cultural thing, like... 01:33:47:24, 01:33:49:03, "Oh, you got fat!" 01:33:49:04, 01:33:51:09, "Wow, you have such a big nose!" 01:33:51:10, 01:33:52:17, "Wow, you are so white!" 01:33:52:17, 01:33:53:24, "Wow, you are so black!" 01:33:54:00, 01:33:57:05, The lack of, kind of inner monologue... 01:33:57:09, 01:33:59:13, ...that comes out of peoples mouths sometimes. 01:33:59:17, 01:34:03:04, A long time ago, several things annoyed me. 01:34:03:15, 01:34:05:01, Now... 01:34:05:06, 01:34:08:17, I really can't think of anything|that genuinely annoys me. 01:34:08:17, 01:34:13:07, I've either grown accustomed to it...or... 01:34:14:23, 01:34:17:00, ...Japan has stopped doing it. 01:34:17:05, 01:34:19:00, Bureaucracy 01:34:21:08, 01:34:26:14, The way things must be done,|is the way things will be done. 01:34:26:15, 01:34:30:09, There is no concept of|negotiation or explanation. 01:34:30:14, 01:34:34:21, You can ask why something is done,|and usually the answer is tautological. 01:34:34:22, 01:34:36:13, It is done because it is done. 01:34:36:24, 01:34:39:09, And you're like...but why am I doing this? Why... 01:34:39:14, 01:34:41:10, Why do I have to do this this way? 01:34:41:11, 01:34:44:11, And they'll just say: "Because you do". 01:34:44:23, 01:34:47:23, And you can fight all you want. In|America it's all about negotiation – 01:34:47:23, 01:34:51:14, – you complain to the boss and|something may change, but here it's... 01:34:51:22, 01:34:54:19, ...it's like yelling at a very old wall. 01:34:55:09, 01:34:57:23, It's not gonna move because you want it to. 01:34:58:07, 01:34:59:20, Here's one that drives me crazy. 01:35:00:06, 01:35:02:21, The Japanese traffic laws sometimes. 01:35:03:22, 01:35:08:17, If...I was in a parked car at a stop light – 01:35:08:17, 01:35:11:21, – and a car behind me, hit me from behind. 01:35:12:06, 01:35:17:12, And in that car there was a child who| wasn't in child seat, and that child died. 01:35:17:17, 01:35:21:10, I could be held responsible|for that child's death. Legally. 01:35:21:16, 01:35:27:15, Adaptation of foreign culture just for|fashion, or just for following a style – 01:35:27:15, 01:35:30:13, – without the really deep meaning of it – 01:35:30:13, 01:35:35:16, – is annoying for me because there|are some things that I do believe in – 01:35:35:16, 01:35:40:16, – and it's hard to see people|taking it just as a fashion. 01:35:40:20, 01:35:47:16, You go to a bakery store|and you buy...three breads. 01:35:48:00, 01:35:51:14, And they pack each bread in a small bag – 01:35:51:18, 01:35:55:19, – and then these three bags into a bigger bag – 01:35:55:21, 01:35:59:15, – and then this proper bag for the take-out. 01:35:59:21, 01:36:02:21, So that's really, really annoying because... 01:36:03:16, 01:36:08:23, ...at the same time they have these very restrictive laws about the garbage. 01:36:09:06, 01:36:11:00, I'm so tired of this – 01:36:11:02, 01:36:15:05, – situation you have in the Japanese houses|of sidling along when you pass somebody – 01:36:15:05, 01:36:20:24, – on a stair case or in a hall because|everything is at least 80 cm or less. 01:36:22:13, 01:36:29:05, Whereas in America it would be|90 or 100, or maybe even 110 cm. 01:36:29:11, 01:36:31:05, It's a huge difference! 01:36:31:05, 01:36:39:13, People live in very easy environment. 01:36:39:19, 01:36:46:08, And they don't work like their|parents. I think this is a bad thing. 01:36:46:18, 01:36:49:08, In a small city like Tottori... 01:36:51:13, 01:36:55:14, ...when people see me their first|reaction is actually distance. 01:36:55:22, 01:36:58:11, Sometimes people stare at you on the street. 01:36:58:23, 01:37:02:10, Maybe they are afraid they have to|speak English or something like that. 01:37:02:18, 01:37:05:06, They would be ashamed because|they can not really do. 01:37:05:10, 01:37:09:01, I feel lonely in Japan anyway... 01:37:09:14, 01:37:12:10, ...and I don't like it. 01:37:12:13, 01:37:14:01, Without any offense to the men... 01:37:14:19, 01:37:17:21, The quality of men that you get here... 01:37:18:23, 01:37:20:21, If they`re foreign guys... 01:37:20:21, 01:37:24:05, Especially in Fukuoka because|you just don't have a lot of... 01:37:25:20, 01:37:28:19, People kind of coming in, or...|they're older and already married – 01:37:28:19, 01:37:31:14, – because they met, like, their|wives in Canada or whatever. 01:37:32:08, 01:37:34:22, So you get people who... 01:37:35:00, 01:37:38:11, ...aren't eligible or that you|just wouldn't necessarily date. 01:37:38:17, 01:37:41:15, Or they are so focused on|finding a Japanese girl friend – 01:37:41:24, 01:37:44:22, – that, like, you don't exist. 01:37:45:19, 01:37:47:05, And then... 01:37:47:20, 01:37:49:21, ...if you don't speak Japanese... 01:37:50:10, 01:37:56:08, ...a lot of the Japanese guys are kind of like, not available. And the guys that speak English... 01:37:57:00, 01:37:58:18, ...are sometimes a bit... 01:37:59:06, 01:38:00:14, ...strange. 01:38:01:00, 01:38:02:08, I like things big. 01:38:05:06, 01:38:07:18, Japanese on the other hand, like things small. 01:38:07:22, 01:38:08:24, The smaller, the better. 01:38:09:05, 01:38:12:18, I don't like that people tell me:|"Kawaii!" (Pretty), or – 01:38:12:18, 01:38:15:03, – you have "Chiisai kao" (small face). 01:38:15:11, 01:38:17:08, I hate that! 01:38:19:06, 01:38:23:11, "Oh my goodness! Japan is this|such highly developed, refined – 01:38:23:11, 01:38:27:02, – complex, sophisticated, ancient culture. 01:38:28:07, 01:38:30:16, And I am not good enough to... 01:38:32:02, 01:38:34:12, ...bow down before it. 01:38:35:04, 01:38:39:09, And I have heard this|described as a cultural cringe. 01:38:40:17, 01:38:43:11, I've seen it. I've seen people... 01:38:43:16, 01:38:47:03, Particularly people who come|interested in studying... 01:38:47:19, 01:38:51:13, ...things like the tea ceremony, 'ikebana'... 01:38:52:08, 01:38:54:18, Any kind of the particularly rarified... 01:38:55:07, 01:38:57:01, ...high art. 01:38:57:18, 01:39:00:11, I understand why you might feel that way. 01:39:00:13, 01:39:04:14, I understand it can be very intimidating actually. 01:39:04:20, 01:39:09:10, I've been in the presence of people|interviewing for example... 01:39:13:09, 01:39:17:11, It was a very fearsome, actually|rather unpleasant character. 01:39:20:05, 01:39:22:00, Who was... 01:39:22:07, 01:39:24:14, ...very snobbish, and very... 01:39:25:05, 01:39:28:15, ...prepared to use his heritage and power... 01:39:30:16, 01:39:35:14, ...and seemed to delight making|people feel uncomfortable about it. 01:39:36:19, 01:39:39:01, Surfing's gotten a lot more popular here – 01:39:39:01, 01:39:43:09, – so some places you go to, like on|weekends, it can be super crowded! 01:39:43:11, 01:39:47:19, I mean, you can be like Jesus and walk|on water on everybody's surf boards – 01:39:47:19, 01:39:49:01, – and never actually get wet! 01:39:49:10, 01:39:51:07, I can't understand the public art. 01:39:55:10, 01:40:01:12, The bureaucrats in city hall seem to decide|what art is chosen for the public space. 01:40:01:23, 01:40:04:16, I think it's really expensive.|It's really terrible art. 01:40:04:19, 01:40:07:24, And I saw one in Osaka that|I've seen in Kyoto. Same artist 01:40:08:15, 01:40:10:19, Shops opening at 11 o'clock... 01:40:11:18, 01:40:13:22, ...little bit annoying. 01:40:14:12, 01:40:15:16, But, you know... 01:40:15:20, 01:40:20:08, ...I don't get up very early any more, so|that doesn't really affect me very much. 01:40:29:07, 01:40:32:14, I've read about other people|having bad experiences here. 01:40:32:16, 01:40:35:23, I think every year, in about January -|February is a bad experience – 01:40:35:23, 01:40:39:11, – and I always say the same thing: "Next|year I`ll spend winter elsewhere." 01:40:39:13, 01:40:43:04, I get in my room...it`d be freezing cold.|It was December. 01:40:43:07, 01:40:44:10, It was... 01:40:44:22, 01:40:47:16, ...zero degrees perhaps. Some nights. 01:40:48:08, 01:40:50:07, Some nights there was snow, and... 01:40:50:07, 01:40:52:09, ...and there was a little electric heater. 01:40:52:14, 01:40:54:24, And I'd huddle in front of that,|and then I jump into bed. 01:40:55:03, 01:40:56:12, And meanwhile... 01:40:56:24, 01:40:58:23, ...just a room or two away from me... 01:40:59:01, 01:41:00:11, ...behind the paper door... 01:41:00:15, 01:41:03:02, ...was David with the girl he was with that night. 01:41:04:13, 01:41:07:16, I was lonely, and I was miserably cold – 01:41:07:16, 01:41:11:04, – and I get "why did I leave|my ex-girlfriend in Vancouver?". 01:41:11:20, 01:41:17:00, I went to the super market, and I was|going out always with empty bags – 01:41:17:00, 01:41:19:12, – because I didn't know what to buy. 01:41:20:01, 01:41:25:08, I've worn my shoes in the|wrong place a lot of times. 01:41:25:10, 01:41:27:23, Nothing really bad has happened to me. 01:41:28:19, 01:41:31:23, Sometimes I have a lot of problems|with paperwork because... 01:41:31:23, 01:41:37:12, It's hard for me, even I'm studying, trying to translate every 'kanji' in a big contract – 01:41:37:12, 01:41:38:13, – it's impossible! 01:41:39:13, 01:41:41:06, Not being able to read things. 01:41:41:13, 01:41:43:14, In a sentence of Japanese characters. 01:41:44:18, 01:41:46:15, If you don't know one... 01:41:46:19, 01:41:49:16, ...then you cannot understand the sentence. 01:41:49:18, 01:41:54:17, Once I thought I was buying body lotion. 01:41:54:17, 01:41:57:07, Instead it was something to drink. So... 01:41:57:07, 01:42:00:13, I was putting on my body, I was going to sleep. 01:42:00:13, 01:42:02:20, Very sticky! 01:42:37:05, 01:42:41:06, 'Koku' means country,|'min' means the people,|the populus. 01:42:42:21, 01:42:44:12, The populous of the country. 01:42:44:14, 01:42:47:08, The 'min' part of 'kokumin', it's from a picture. 01:42:47:18, 01:42:51:01, The picture actually contains a meaning. 01:42:51:09, 01:42:52:19, And that... 01:42:53:00, 01:42:54:22, ...'kanji' character... 01:42:55:07, 01:42:58:01, ...is derived from the image of an eye... 01:42:58:12, 01:43:01:19, ...and a spear being held to the eye. 01:43:02:11, 01:43:08:10, And...in the ancient Chinese scheme of things... 01:43:09:08, 01:43:12:24, ...the 'kokumin', the public,|were those who were... 01:43:13:05, 01:43:18:12, ...easily held down and intimidated by force. 01:43:20:07, 01:43:22:15, So basically it means slaves. 01:43:22:18, 01:43:26:13, The Japanese mind set is to surrender.|To surrender to authorities. 01:43:26:15, 01:43:28:11, It's acceptance. 01:43:28:16, 01:43:35:05, I was brought up to believe that we are|entitled of course to civil disobedience. 01:43:35:23, 01:43:40:10, If I think something is wrong,|I can stand up and shout about it – 01:43:40:10, 01:43:43:03, – and march down the street to say "No". 01:43:43:18, 01:43:50:08, There's no word for 'civil disobedience' in Japanese, as far as I know that is positive. 01:43:51:03, 01:43:56:15, It tends to be the...same word|that means revolutionary. 01:43:58:13, 01:44:01:04, i.e. bad guy. 01:44:12:01, 01:44:17:01, In our culture most people struggle.|To find out who they are... 01:44:18:03, 01:44:20:17, It's actually very difficult,|you always have to fight. 01:44:20:17, 01:44:24:13, You're fighting against yourself, you're|fighting against the others, you're fighting... 01:44:24:13, 01:44:26:12, ...to find your place in society. 01:44:26:23, 01:44:29:08, The Japanese people don't have it so much. 01:44:30:02, 01:44:32:12, They are just there, they have their place. 01:44:33:01, 01:44:35:11, And you don't need to ask about it. 01:44:35:15, 01:44:36:23, They accept. 01:44:38:00, 01:44:40:22, So this sounds actually pretty peaceful to me. 01:44:41:10, 01:44:45:10, Because of these things,|you might feel very secure. 01:44:45:21, 01:44:50:09, You might feel very safe. Like being a part|of a group, you can know what the other – 01:44:50:09, 01:44:53:08, – people want to do. You can|understand the other people. 01:44:53:20, 01:44:56:13, So you will not have a problem... 01:44:57:02, 01:45:00:06, ...so much of an identity problem maybe. 01:45:00:17, 01:45:04:21, One Japanese person explained|it to me, she said that... 01:45:05:04, 01:45:07:14, ...this is a culture of shame. 01:45:11:24, 01:45:15:23, People are coerced into|behaving in certain ways – 01:45:16:07, 01:45:19:23, – with the threat of being shamed. 01:45:19:24, 01:45:23:15, That's one of the techniques that police use, is... 01:45:23:21, 01:45:27:19, ...if someone's arrested or|caught doing something – 01:45:27:19, 01:45:30:10, – the first thing they'll do, they will call family. 01:45:30:10, 01:45:32:07, And they'll call employers. 01:45:33:11, 01:45:36:20, And say, you know, we've|arrested your chief manager... 01:45:37:15, 01:45:41:04, ...for stealing underwear, or something. 01:45:43:09, 01:45:47:10, They use the shame, the|communal group shaming. 01:45:48:00, 01:45:50:05, The legal system here... 01:45:50:11, 01:45:55:12, Once you're actually caught breaking|the law, on suspicion of something. 01:45:56:12, 01:46:01:01, The conviction rate's like 96%.|Something like that. 01:46:01:22, 01:46:04:18, Basically, once you're arrested|you're going down! 01:46:06:07, 01:46:08:09, So it's actually in your interest... 01:46:08:19, 01:46:10:21, ...to say: "Yes, I did it." 01:46:11:10, 01:46:12:22, "But I realize I was wrong." 01:46:13:09, 01:46:14:21, "I've reflected." 01:46:15:03, 01:46:16:22, "Please treat me kindly." 01:46:17:06, 01:46:21:02, There are very, very big issues|in Japan we can talk you know|. 01:46:21:02, 01:46:24:13, Agriculture is a big problem,|the fishing is a big problem... 01:46:25:03, 01:46:28:10, Some diplomatic problems|with other Asian countries. 01:46:28:10, 01:46:32:15, So many things that people need to care of. 01:46:32:15, 01:46:35:19, Discuss, do something, let`s change or|... 01:46:35:23, 01:46:37:01, And I don't see that happening. 01:46:37:09, 01:46:40:17, I certainly don't trust the Japanese media. 01:46:42:19, 01:46:44:12, Main stream media. 01:46:44:23, 01:46:46:16, TV in particular. 01:46:47:00, 01:46:50:16, There's very little critical|media here, unfortunately. 01:46:51:21, 01:46:55:15, Journalistic practices that we have in the west... 01:46:55:15, 01:46:58:04, There's something that looks a bit like it. 01:46:58:21, 01:47:00:10, But... 01:47:00:22, 01:47:02:11, ...it's not a free press. 01:47:02:11, 01:47:05:07, Now, what's happening with bloggers... 01:47:05:07, 01:47:07:03, ...I don't know. 01:47:07:21, 01:47:11:04, I haven't really heard of any|Japanese bloggers who are, sort of – 01:47:11:04, 01:47:12:16, – telling it like it is. 01:47:14:02, 01:47:15:14, Yet! 01:47:16:06, 01:47:18:09, I would hope that something... 01:47:18:17, 01:47:20:20, ...good emerges in that arena. 01:47:21:11, 01:47:24:02, There's no reason why it shouldn't|of course, except there's – 01:47:24:02, 01:47:26:18, – not really a tradition of it. Yet. 01:47:27:01, 01:47:29:24, There's something here called|the 'kisha-club' system. 01:47:30:19, 01:47:35:21, What it is; the newspapers all|send their representatives to... 01:47:36:11, 01:47:38:00, ...a government office. 01:47:38:02, 01:47:39:16, And the government... 01:47:39:16, 01:47:41:20, ...makes it`s statements. 01:47:42:10, 01:47:45:05, It's already preprepared statements... 01:47:46:10, 01:47:50:20, ...to the journalists, who then go back home|and file their stories with the newspapers. 01:47:51:14, 01:47:56:24, Everyone knows there's a massive problem|in this country with discrimination against... 01:47:57:11, 01:48:00:21, ...Japanese born Koreans, 'buraku' people... 01:48:01:01, 01:48:03:03, To some degree foreigners. 01:48:04:16, 01:48:07:19, That's hardly touched on in main stream media. 01:48:08:07, 01:48:12:03, TV is especially bad. It's just... 01:48:12:10, 01:48:17:11, ...lowest, common denominator entertainment. 01:48:18:02, 01:48:20:09, It's a big problem for Japanese society – 01:48:20:09, 01:48:25:20, – if the government and the law enforcement|agencies, and the mob... 01:48:25:20, 01:48:28:13, ...all have a kind of cozy relationship... 01:48:29:04, 01:48:32:19, ...where it's|not in their interest|for things to change actually. 01:48:35:00, 01:48:39:22, The only way things really could move|forward is through an independent...| 01:48:40:17, 01:48:42:15, ...critical... 01:48:42:15, 01:48:43:24, ...press. 01:49:26:23, 01:49:28:23, Police stopped me... 01:49:29:04, 01:49:33:02, ...and asked me for my Alien Registration Card. 01:49:33:16, 01:49:39:06, But, it was just the way they did it,|and I was so, so upset because... 01:49:39:22, 01:49:41:07, ...I wasn't doing anything. 01:49:41:16, 01:49:44:16, And I even said that, because|I did kind of tell them off. 01:49:44:16, 01:49:45:18, I was jut like, look... 01:49:45:21, 01:49:47:13, "You can't stop me just|because I look different." 01:49:47:13, 01:49:49:18, And they, like, "Well, the Japanese law says that" – 01:49:49:18, 01:49:53:15, – "And if we came to your country, the police| in your country would do the same." 01:49:53:15, 01:49:54:14, And I said '"No". 01:49:54:14, 01:49:56:15, "In my country that is illegal." 01:49:56:15, 01:49:59:22, "You don't stop somebody|because they look different." 01:50:01:11, 01:50:07:02, So for me that kind of brings back|very bad memories in South Africa. 01:50:08:11, 01:50:13:02, I never had to live through|that. I'm too young, but... 01:50:13:02, 01:50:17:09, In South Africa there were pass laws,|where you had to carry your pass. 01:50:18:04, 01:50:20:03, And if you didn't have your pass... 01:50:20:03, 01:50:21:18, ...then basically you got into trouble. 01:50:21:22, 01:50:24:12, There are people who are kept... 01:50:24:19, 01:50:27:23, ...in what they call Detention Centers. 01:50:29:06, 01:50:33:11, Until they are found guilty as charged. 01:50:33:11, 01:50:36:18, So they may not get to court|for a very, very long time. 01:50:38:10, 01:50:42:24, And the police can use that|as an intimidation...device. 01:50:43:05, 01:50:46:23, Many things that I don't expect|from a developed country. 01:50:47:20, 01:50:51:00, When it comes to rights,|it's not developed at all. 01:50:51:00, 01:50:53:23, The watch dog committees, the... 01:50:53:23, 01:50:59:04, ...people who are looking to see where|there might be abuses of power. 01:50:59:22, 01:51:03:18, Simply doesn't exist. There's|not a framework for that. 01:51:03:21, 01:51:07:02, I don't know, they learn| in the school a lot about... 01:51:07:02, 01:51:11:24, ...rights. For example human rights|or something like that, but... 01:51:13:13, 01:51:18:14, I don't know! They learn maybe, but|they never talk or are really concerned. 01:51:18:21, 01:51:23:05, There's a genuine belief that the|police force can do no wrong. 01:51:23:23, 01:51:26:21, One time I was riding my motorcycle and... 01:51:28:10, 01:51:29:19, ...police stopped me. 01:51:29:19, 01:51:32:15, They was waiting for... 01:51:34:13, 01:51:36:10, ...speeding people. 01:51:36:10, 01:51:38:23, And they told me: "It's a sign over there." 01:51:40:00, 01:51:42:11, If that sign in Mexico, I understood, you know. 01:51:43:08, 01:51:47:00, That sign...no more color, red... it kind of rust. 01:51:47:00, 01:51:49:03, But here in Japan... 01:51:49:18, 01:51:51:19, ...is very hard to see signs like that, you know! 01:51:51:19, 01:51:53:17, And... 01:51:53:17, 01:51:56:02, ...I went... 01:51:56:02, 01:52:00:06, ...later, like 2 or 3 weeks later,|and they was doing the same thing. 01:52:00:06, 01:52:02:08, So they are doing business|over there, you know. 01:52:02:22, 01:52:04:24, I'm... 01:52:05:16, 01:52:11:01, ...not keen on the degree to|which the society is policed. 01:52:12:09, 01:52:15:13, It's verging on the fascist... 01:52:16:19, 01:52:19:03, ...out of control... 01:52:20:04, 01:52:26:00, ...dictator style law enforcement organization. 01:52:26:14, 01:52:29:19, In the beginning I was impressed by the police. 01:52:29:22, 01:52:33:02, You know, nice uniforms and nice cars, and... 01:52:34:03, 01:52:37:20, ...I thought everything was... 01:52:38:04, 01:52:39:09, ...straight. 01:52:39:24, 01:52:43:10, But I found out... 01:52:43:20, 01:52:45:17, ...exists something... 01:52:45:17, 01:52:47:07, A little bit crooked. 01:52:51:01, 01:52:57:16, I knew the word 'racism'. I didn't know|what racism was until I came to Japan– 01:52:57:16, 01:52:59:01, – and then actually... 01:52:59:05, 01:53:03:09, ...I guess felt the hate myself|in a lot of ways. Towards myself. 01:53:03:21, 01:53:05:15, Sometimes... 01:53:05:24, 01:53:09:03, ...Italian friends tend to say: "Japanese are..." 01:53:10:02, 01:53:11:21, ...what's the word? Racist? 01:53:13:00, 01:53:17:11, I don't think it is in these terms.|I think it's just shyness. 01:53:17:15, 01:53:20:12, And...difficulty to communicate. 01:53:20:16, 01:53:23:22, So the first impression sometimes... 01:53:25:06, 01:53:30:02, A tourist or a business man who|come to Japan can have this image. 01:53:30:06, 01:53:34:22, But after you spend some time|here, you realize it's not like that. 01:53:34:22, 01:53:36:04, Of course... 01:53:36:08, 01:53:38:08, ...maybe some people can be... 01:53:38:18, 01:53:41:20, ...on the bad side, but that's everywhere. 01:53:41:22, 01:53:44:05, Some of the stupidest things I've ever heard. 01:53:44:05, 01:53:45:07, One of them was:... 01:53:45:07, 01:53:48:00, ...the foreigners come here,|work as English teachers... 01:53:48:09, 01:53:51:16, ...make millions of dollars and|take it back home with them. 01:53:51:16, 01:53:53:14, So they are taking the|money out of the country. 01:53:54:00, 01:53:56:01, Well... 01:53:56:01, 01:54:00:10, Foreigners that I know that work as English teachers earn about 2 500 dollars a month. 01:54:00:21, 01:54:03:10, They can barely scrape through rent... 01:54:03:23, 01:54:06:02, ...and they spend most of it in the pub. 01:54:06:09, 01:54:09:05, I happen to be British. 01:54:11:00, 01:54:13:15, A lot of people expect me to have a horse. 01:54:13:21, 01:54:17:00, And drink tea at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. 01:54:17:06, 01:54:21:04, And speak something which is often|termed the 'King's English'. 01:54:21:18, 01:54:25:19, And, you know, generally behave... 01:54:25:19, 01:54:28:11, ...as a gentleman, as they put it. 01:54:29:03, 01:54:33:21, My wife who I eventually married,|we lived together for about 10 years. 01:54:36:17, 01:54:39:02, Until she finally roped me into getting married. 01:54:40:20, 01:54:42:10, The mother... 01:54:42:10, 01:54:45:18, ...would not acknowledge my|existence for the first five years. 01:54:46:16, 01:54:50:19, I was dressed in a suit, I was|carrying a small brief case... 01:54:51:05, 01:54:54:10, ...and I was walking down|the stairs into the subway. 01:54:54:22, 01:54:58:14, And walking up the stairs,|out of the subway, was a... 01:54:59:14, 01:55:03:22, ...mid 30's Japanese mother|with a couple of kids. 01:55:04:02, 01:55:09:19, And she saw me and grabbed one|of her kids close to her and said: 01:55:09:19, 01:55:12:13, "Abunai! Gaijin!" (Be careful! Foreigner!) 01:55:20:00, 01:55:24:06, There's not so much idea|about what's going on abroad. 01:55:24:06, 01:55:25:05, Like... 01:55:25:11, 01:55:27:04, ...people are not... 01:55:27:08, 01:55:30:10, ...very well informed about|the situation in the world. 01:55:30:10, 01:55:32:09, Like, with any other foreigner... 01:55:32:11, 01:55:36:16, ...you can talk about pretty much everything,|or you can have an opinion about things. 01:55:36:19, 01:55:39:20, They learn 'this' painting is by 'this' painter... 01:55:39:24, 01:55:41:11, ...and from 'this' year. 01:55:41:17, 01:55:46:08, But they don't learn to discuss it. They|don't learn to have an opinion about it. 01:55:46:13, 01:55:49:24, I do have Japanese friends|who like to discuss, but – 01:55:49:24, 01:55:52:11, – they are very few and|they are not the average. 01:55:52:18, 01:55:55:24, I know a lot of Japanese teachers|who would like to... 01:55:57:04, 01:55:58:13, ...implement... 01:55:58:13, 01:56:02:17, ...educational ideas, classroom techniques... 01:56:03:05, 01:56:05:01, ...that they`ve picked up from the west. 01:56:05:20, 01:56:07:08, And can't. 01:56:07:18, 01:56:08:18, Because... 01:56:09:19, 01:56:15:03, ...the ministry of education|is still obsessed with this... 01:56:15:12, 01:56:18:06, ...studying to pass tests. 01:56:19:03, 01:56:24:18, They pay lip service to promoting conversational English, but... 01:56:27:10, 01:56:28:16, It's not real. 01:56:28:16, 01:56:33:13, From elementary school, going through|high school and people in university... 01:56:34:17, 01:56:36:11, ...there is like, a lot of... 01:56:36:11, 01:56:39:16, ...ideas that I think are not... 01:56:39:16, 01:56:42:08, ...in proper order for a developed country. 01:56:45:22, 01:56:47:22, I think... 01:56:48:21, 01:56:52:21, ...Japan has become a little bit more|open and welcoming of foreigners. 01:56:55:10, 01:57:02:11, I wouldn't say it's welcoming|with open arms yet, but... 01:57:02:11, 01:57:05:00, ...I wish it was this easy when I came here. 01:57:05:14, 01:57:09:04, There seems to be a much|more generalized acceptance - 01:57:09:04, 01:57:11:22, - of the fact that there are foreigners around. 01:57:13:07, 01:57:17:01, When I first came...of course|I was in a very rural community... 01:57:17:01, 01:57:18:24, ...but everyone would say: 01:57:18:24, 01:57:21:21, "Gaijin da!" "Gaijin da!" 01:57:22:01, 01:57:24:23, "There goes a gaijin!"|"There goes a foreigner!" 01:57:25:01, 01:57:30:19, And it wasn't limited to just the countryside,|it happened here in Kyoto, big city. 01:57:32:22, 01:57:34:21, It hardly happens these days. 01:57:35:06, 01:57:38:08, These days, more often than not – 01:57:38:08, 01:57:44:20, – a Japanese person will start a conversation|in Japanese, rather than English. 01:57:45:23, 01:57:48:02, English speaking has got a lot better. 01:57:48:02, 01:57:51:07, When I came here nobody could|speak English, but now it's... 01:57:51:07, 01:57:55:07, ...not uncommon to find good|English speakers all over the place. 01:57:56:04, 01:57:59:01, I'm not saying that's because|of my work but, you know... 01:58:04:12, 01:58:08:23, The burst of the economic|bubble had a serious effect. 01:58:09:19, 01:58:12:07, But psychologically the... 01:58:12:24, 01:58:17:17, ...sarin nerve gas incident...|when Oum Shinrikyou people... 01:58:19:06, 01:58:25:00, ...set off the nerve gas in Nagano first,|and then on the subway line in Tokyo. 01:58:26:05, 01:58:32:20, That really affected people`s belief|in the safety of Japanese society. 01:58:35:13, 01:58:39:12, I don't think that can be|overemphasized actually. 01:58:42:12, 01:58:44:21, We had no convenience|stores when I came here. 01:58:44:21, 01:58:47:08, There was no ice-cream when|I came here, to speak of. 01:58:47:08, 01:58:50:12, There was no real bread to speak of. 01:58:53:17, 01:58:57:06, It's illegal now to be even a|member of a gangster group. 01:58:57:10, 01:58:59:22, So that legislation actually really... 01:59:00:13, 01:59:03:23, ...took a lot of power away|from the gangsters because – 01:59:03:23, 01:59:06:19, – they could no longer operate in public. 01:59:08:12, 01:59:10:21, When I first came to... 01:59:10:21, 01:59:13:15, ...Japan, and first came to Kyoto as well... 01:59:14:22, 01:59:17:23, ...they were very publicly|present, the gangsters. 01:59:59:18, 02:00:04:08, In Japan, usually when they prepare|food, the food comes in whole. 02:00:04:15, 02:00:09:05, You know, complete with|the head, and the eyes, and... 02:00:09:19, 02:00:12:03, ...yeah. Other things, you know... 02:00:12:03, 02:00:16:04, There's no mistaking what it|is and where it came from. 02:00:16:13, 02:00:18:20, Japanese sake, which I'm drinking... 02:00:19:01, 02:00:22:00, ...really inexpensive sake, you|can get it at a corner store. 02:00:22:23, 02:00:25:22, It's OK, it's not too bad, but... 02:00:26:12, 02:00:30:23, ...really, it was surprising to me how good|sake can be if you get to know it. 02:00:30:23, 02:00:32:15, We've had some... 02:00:32:15, 02:00:34:23, ...very memorable and amazing... 02:00:34:23, 02:00:38:03, ...and delicious...and unusual... 02:00:38:03, 02:00:40:16, ...meals that we wouldn't|have had anywhere else. 02:00:41:02, 02:00:47:10, We went to an end-of-year party with my work mates and this place was famous for its squid. 02:00:48:05, 02:00:53:10, And they brought a whole|squid...on to the table. 02:00:55:04, 02:00:58:04, So, it was cut up in pieces. 02:00:58:04, 02:01:00:05, So it was complete. A whole squid. 02:01:00:05, 02:01:03:12, You could see the eyes and|it was cut up all around. 02:01:04:12, 02:01:08:12, And one of the teachers asked the lady: 02:01:08:12, 02:01:10:24, "So, is it fresh?" 02:01:10:24, 02:01:12:16, And she said "Yes." 02:01:12:16, 02:01:18:02, And she took her chop-sticks and she touched the tentacles, and they started moving. 02:01:18:13, 02:01:19:17, I screamed! 02:01:19:17, 02:01:25:06, I didn't expect the food that was|already on the plate, to be moving. 02:01:26:04, 02:01:29:01, All chopped up but moving.| I was just like "Wow!" 02:01:45:00, 02:01:47:01, I eat very well. 02:01:48:05, 02:01:51:05, I like that. I like the| sophistication of the cuisine. 02:02:35:07, 02:02:39:22, Japanese are meticulous about|perfecting what they do. 02:02:39:22, 02:02:41:09, There's a tremendous work ethic here. 02:02:42:02, 02:02:47:01, And so they create a world in which|work is efficient and things go well. 02:02:47:03, 02:02:51:01, Usually in Colombia, for one experiment,|you have for example two plates. 02:02:51:10, 02:02:55:15, Here people make experiments with 20 plates, 50 plates, and they have no problem. 02:02:56:07, 02:02:58:20, From the first one to the last one is perfect 02:02:58:22, 02:03:02:03, They are just amazing, in the way... 02:03:02:14, 02:03:03:24, ...way they focus. 02:03:04:12, 02:03:06:16, People here focus on... 02:03:07:00, 02:03:10:11, Just they can take one small|thing and focus it to perfect it. 02:03:10:11, 02:03:11:23, And it's... 02:03:11:23, 02:03:12:18, ...it's nice. 02:03:13:00, 02:03:15:12, It's a nice change to what|you see a lot over seas - 02:03:15:12, 02:03:17:11, - where everybody's a little bit 'tekitou' with it. 02:03:18:16, 02:03:20:05, If it's good enough, yeah it'll do. 02:03:20:05, 02:03:21:23, But here they're trying... 02:03:21:23, 02:03:24:14, ...try to make it work, perfectly. So... 02:03:24:14, 02:03:26:20, It's a nice environment to be around. 02:03:27:18, 02:03:30:01, Makes you wanna work harder. 02:03:30:01, 02:03:34:18, Working with Japanese people who helped|us to build up this place was amazing. 02:03:35:15, 02:03:38:16, It was a great experience of... 02:03:38:16, 02:03:43:20, Everything was so fast, so precise, so efficient. 02:03:43:20, 02:03:46:23, I really missed in Italy|when I used to work there. 02:03:48:04, 02:03:53:01, In my image before, I think|Japanese work very hard. 02:03:53:06, 02:03:57:03, But in fact, not so. 02:03:57:16, 02:04:00:04, The entertainment industry| is very different here. 02:04:00:04, 02:04:03:04, It's all about the customer,|and it's not about getting tips. 02:04:03:07, 02:04:05:21, Coming from North America you do|something because you're a big tipper. 02:04:06:07, 02:04:08:11, Better service, she's a big tipper. 02:04:08:11, 02:04:09:10, Smile a little more. 02:04:09:13, 02:04:10:12, Here it's just... 02:04:10:22, 02:04:14:06, When you're hired to do something, you|make sure the customer goes home happy. 02:04:22:14, 02:04:24:08, This is my house, right. 02:04:24:12, 02:04:29:00, This is an ad I got. This is|before and after reformation.| 02:04:29:15, 02:04:31:23, This is before.| 02:04:32:09, 02:04:35:19, I had a romantic idea about 'minkas',|the traditional farm houses – 02:04:35:19, 02:04:37:16, – which I thought were absolutely beautiful. 02:04:37:17, 02:04:41:00, And my students and friends would laugh at me. 02:04:41:05, 02:04:44:20, "Why do you live in a ramshackle|old farm house?" 02:04:45:11, 02:04:47:19, "Don't you wanna have a|cement condominium?" 02:04:47:22, 02:04:51:20, When I first came to Japan I had this|dream of living in an old Japanese house. 02:04:52:20, 02:04:54:06, You know, the really old type. 02:04:54:06, 02:04:55:23, The Tanizaki... 02:04:56:16, 02:04:58:02, ..."In Praise of Shadows" type house. 02:04:58:02, 02:05:03:05, And we actually found that house|and lived in it for 20 years, and... 02:05:04:01, 02:05:09:16, It's very beautiful and very Japanese,|and I'm sure if you're Junichiro Tanizaki – 02:05:09:16, 02:05:12:03, – you're gonna love it, but... 02:05:12:12, 02:05:16:16, It's a very, very hard life style|living in one of those old houses. 02:05:16:16, 02:05:19:04, And this time of year it's just completely dark. 02:05:20:24, 02:05:22:08, And... 02:05:22:08, 02:05:24:05, ...depressing. Very depressing. 02:05:24:05, 02:05:28:02, One can still find that tradition in Japan|but you have to look hard and fast – 02:05:28:02, 02:05:29:24, – and only 'gaijin' are interested. 02:05:30:08, 02:05:32:05, The Japanese say it's too cold... 02:05:32:16, 02:05:34:13, ...it's too dirty, it's... 02:05:34:13, 02:05:35:10, ...too hard. 02:05:35:14, 02:05:37:17, Still there are many, but... 02:05:38:11, 02:05:40:09, After the war Kyoto was... 02:05:40:14, 02:05:42:09, ...almost entirely made up of... 02:05:42:09, 02:05:43:17, ...wooden houses. 02:05:43:17, 02:05:48:01, The Japanese embrace their past. They|respect it, they love it but they don't – 02:05:48:01, 02:05:50:04, – understand how to preserve it. 02:05:50:04, 02:05:52:20, In a sense that perhaps the Europeans would – 02:05:52:20, 02:05:56:16, – preserve their central down town area,|to have a consistent architectural theme. 02:05:56:16, 02:06:00:00, The traditional old Japanese|buildings are made of wood. 02:06:00:12, 02:06:07:20, And, until now most of them just burned|down, or fell down during an earthquake. 02:06:08:02, 02:06:13:22, So these concrete buildings make sense.|They are very stable against earthquakes. 02:06:13:22, 02:06:16:16, So almost nothing can happen.|They are ugly but they are safe. 02:06:18:11, 02:06:22:11, I'm standing in an old street|in Nishijin in Kyoto. 02:06:23:15, 02:06:26:05, Narrow streets with old houses. 02:06:26:05, 02:06:29:14, The house I'm standing in front|of is about 80 years old. 02:06:30:05, 02:06:33:20, Maybe older. And almost identical|to the house that was next door. 02:06:33:20, 02:06:36:09, Until a few months ago, it was torn down. 02:06:36:19, 02:06:39:08, This is a photograph of the house next door. 02:06:39:16, 02:06:42:05, From this point on. 02:06:43:11, 02:06:45:24, I tried to buy this house... 02:06:45:24, 02:06:47:18, ...that was was torn down next door. 02:06:47:18, 02:06:53:04, And last year, in the early|spring I couldn't get the loan. 02:06:53:04, 02:06:55:13, And it broke my heart. 02:06:55:13, 02:06:58:12, The owner wanted to sell the property. 02:06:58:12, 02:07:03:07, It was bought by a developer, was torn|down, and then a new house was built. 02:07:04:10, 02:07:07:19, I suspect that... 02:07:09:06, 02:07:10:11, ...the new house... 02:07:11:09, 02:07:12:22, ...will be gone... 02:07:13:08, 02:07:14:17, ...in the future. 02:07:14:21, 02:07:17:11, And this old house behind|me may still be standing. 02:07:17:11, 02:07:19:21, If somebody buys it and preserves it. 02:07:19:21, 02:07:25:15, So what I wanted to do...my dream was to...|to buy a traditional Kyoto 'machiya'. 02:07:29:03, 02:07:31:03, Plastic. 02:07:32:08, 02:07:39:21, If you listen, you can hear the|sound of silk loom weaving. 02:07:39:21, 02:07:42:06, Mechanical weaving loom, down the street. 02:07:42:06, 02:07:44:09, One of the houses similar to this house. 02:08:17:20, 02:08:20:13, I don't know any foreigners here|that work as English teachers... 02:08:20:13, 02:08:21:23, I know one who is doing well. 02:08:21:23, 02:08:22:22, One! $HorzAlign = Right 02:08:24:15, 02:08:27:23, He has about 400 students and 3 schools. 02:08:28:16, 02:08:31:00, In Osaka, and he's doing very well! $HorzAlign = Center 02:08:31:00, 02:08:34:00, But he worked very hard to get to that level. 02:08:34:16, 02:08:37:16, Whereas a lot of these others complain about... 02:08:37:21, 02:08:39:23, ...how these schools like Nova and so forth – 02:08:39:23, 02:08:43:00, – but to get to any level like|that you have to work hard! 02:08:43:00, 02:08:47:18, You can not sit on your as and|expect it to happen for you. 02:08:48:11, 02:08:50:20, And I don't know why a|lot of these people here – 02:08:50:20, 02:08:54:00, – seem to get bitter by the fact|that it doesn't work for them. 02:08:54:02, 02:08:59:14, We live in a city with 1 600 temples, 400 shrines, 17 Unesco World Heritage sites... 02:08:59:17, 02:09:00:16, That's just Kyoto! 02:09:01:09, 02:09:04:18, One of the things I found though when I|was living in the temple, is that I missed... 02:09:04:24, 02:09:06:21, ...a feminine principle. 02:09:07:06, 02:09:12:18, It was very stoic. In Japan all the gods|are male, all the deities are male. 02:09:13:02, 02:09:14:16, And they have one, who's Kannon – 02:09:14:16, 02:09:18:16, – who's the one for grace and love,|but that's actually a transvestite. 02:09:18:16, 02:09:23:18, It's a male god from India that they added breasts and include babies sometimes. 02:09:24:09, 02:09:28:03, I missed the Mary aspect|of theology, I missed the... 02:09:28:03, 02:09:29:00, ...the warmth. 02:09:29:00, 02:09:33:03, So I said: "Basically I need a woman".|And...found one. 02:09:33:03, 02:09:35:21, Made two babies and I've been here ever since. 02:09:36:07, 02:09:39:02, The details when you do tea ceremony... 02:09:39:02, 02:09:42:20, Your hand has to wave|in a certain fashion – 02:09:42:20, 02:09:45:08, – and you have to bow so many times and – 02:09:45:08, 02:09:47:12, – you have to do it in a certain fashion. 02:09:47:12, 02:09:51:01, So every small movement has... 02:09:51:10, 02:09:54:18, ...a very specific way in which you should do it. 02:09:55:20, 02:09:58:02, It's quite fun, very typical Japanese. 02:09:58:24, 02:10:00:07, Straight. 02:10:00:07, 02:10:02:11, There is like a sense of... 02:10:02:11, 02:10:05:08, ...looking for a way to recognize... 02:10:05:08, 02:10:08:11, ...your difference in very specific patterns. 02:10:08:11, 02:10:12:22, Every prefecture has to have it's special food. 02:10:13:19, 02:10:15:17, It's special landmark – 02:10:15:17, 02:10:19:00, – and everyone in Japan will|refer to those specific things. 02:10:19:01, 02:10:25:01, So everybody in Kyoto|knows those special temples. 02:10:25:09, 02:10:31:18, And it's polite, if somebody's from Kyoto,|to ask about those specific temples. 02:10:31:18, 02:10:34:12, And about specific Kyoto dialectical phrases. 02:10:34:22, 02:10:40:02, You don't want to embarrass anybody asking them about a temple they might not have seen or heard of. 02:10:41:00, 02:10:45:01, They go through a lot of trouble here in| Japan not trying to get anybody embarrassed. 02:10:45:22, 02:10:48:10, People are... 02:10:48:10, 02:10:52:16, ...generally considerate of other people, and... 02:10:53:12, 02:10:54:22, ...try not to... 02:10:54:22, 02:10:58:16, People try not to bother each other,|they make an effort to do that, and... 02:10:58:24, 02:11:02:18, ...there's not much aggression really, and... 02:11:02:24, 02:11:04:04, ...I think that's nice. 02:11:04:04, 02:11:07:08, Owning an establishment,|I don't have to have the – 02:11:07:08, 02:11:11:20, – top security of the world exactly.|I have a latch on my door. 02:11:12:13, 02:11:15:24, I know no-one's gonna break|it down and bust in and... 02:11:16:10, 02:11:18:16, Even my establishment,|we don't have a bouncer. 02:11:18:19, 02:11:21:05, My wife is, what...5'4. 02:11:21:05, 02:11:22:23, Pretty tough but, you know... 02:11:22:23, 02:11:26:21, ...not as tough as a 6'4, 280 pound|bouncer would be, so... 02:11:27:11, 02:11:32:01, And that's one reason why, a lot of the places|in Kyoto especially are by introduction only. 02:11:32:01, 02:11:34:24, For security reasons. Not so... 02:11:35:03, 02:11:36:10, ...for snobby reasons. 02:11:36:10, 02:11:38:24, We don't accept credit cards here. 02:11:39:24, 02:11:41:16, We know the person,|we send the bill on the mail. 02:11:41:16, 02:11:43:12, We know they gonna pay it back. If they don't... 02:11:43:12, 02:11:46:01, The person who gave them the|introduction will be responsible. 02:11:46:09, 02:11:48:07, 'Ichi gensa no kotawari' is what they call it. 02:11:48:07, 02:11:50:03, First time visitors are refused. 02:11:50:08, 02:11:54:06, I think Japan has affected how I think and act. 02:11:54:17, 02:11:58:15, Much more probably than I recognize. 02:11:59:03, 02:12:04:00, At home I told to my parents: "You are|too aggressive. I can not stand you." 02:12:04:00, 02:12:07:13, Then I went to Bologna and I found the same... 02:12:07:13, 02:12:12:16, ...so I thought OK, it's not just my parents who are aggresive, all the Italians are like that! 02:12:13:13, 02:12:16:18, I do find westerners... 02:12:16:18, 02:12:21:11, ...obnoxiously loud and|ridiculously self-centered. 02:12:22:12, 02:12:26:12, I love my life here.|I really love my life here. It's... 02:12:26:12, 02:12:28:19, I think coming to Japan was the – 02:12:28:19, 02:12:31:20, – best decision I could have|made at that time in my life. 02:12:31:22, 02:12:33:11, I have a friend who said: 02:12:33:11, 02:12:35:11, "Japan been good to me."| 02:12:35:11, 02:12:39:10, And...I would just have to|echo that. That would be... 02:12:39:10, 02:12:44:17, That would be how I would summarize my experience here: "Japan been good to me."|. 02:12:44:17, 02:12:46:11, Although we... 02:12:46:18, 02:12:51:16, ...we survive and we function|perfectly in our daily lives... 02:12:52:02, 02:12:52:24, ...there's this... 02:12:53:18, 02:12:58:06, ...vast undercurrent of activity|that we will never know... 02:12:59:03, 02:13:01:14, ...what is happening. 02:13:13:01, 02:13:15:11, Somehow you can be part of it, but... 02:13:15:11, 02:13:20:05, But you're still the foreigner, so|there's still, like a bit of a wall. 02:13:21:08, 02:13:23:04, Some... 02:13:24:21, 02:13:28:06, ...non-Japanese people here... 02:13:29:02, 02:13:30:16, ...can't stand that. 02:13:30:16, 02:13:34:01, They leave because of that, I think. 02:13:35:10, 02:13:40:15, They need to know what's|going on and have some grasp of... 02:13:42:07, 02:13:45:04, ...the deeper parts of society. 02:13:45:09, 02:13:47:12, And when they realize... 02:13:47:19, 02:13:49:10, ...that they're not gonna get that. 02:13:49:10, 02:13:50:23, Then, time to leave.