Life in Nihon

"Nihon no Seikatsu"




I had a lot of misconception about Japan before coming here. It is not a shocking difference but the images were more or less wrong. The life here in Japan is definitely different. Everything around seems to be so organized that I found myself totally out of place as a disorganized individual.
Life starts everyday with my alarm making the nuisance. I don’t know but all the alarm tones are really irritating noises when u r in the climax of a dream … then it’s a tug of war between thoughts getting out of my rajayi and the urge to go back to the sweet dream. The morning dampness and the chill of the air conditioner adds fuel to the thought of going back to the dream. Finally the face of my onsite coordinator flashes in my mind if we reach late to office, which will win the tug of war and I’ll be out of my bed. First thing, to put morning raga song on my lap top to make morning cheerful (Please note: Morning means 9:00 am for me). Once all set, it’s time to wait for my turn for the restroom. We four are staying in a monthly mansion which is meant for two guys. So people have to adjust. By the time our famous cook ( Mr HOD, or Mr T) will give me hot strong red label Tea.
Sipping my tea, I’ll be busy with my pending mails in all my mail accounts, also with scraps in my orkut. Internet and lap top is getting to be an integral part of my routine. Refreshing up, it’s time to get into suit-boot-coat. Here even the cab driver will be in a three piece suit. So people like me working in a client place, I have to be in full formal attire. It really bugs me to tuck-in itself, so u know how it is to wear a full formal suit and accessories like tie and formal shoes…. But client is god here and no chance for a memorandum to change it. But we got lucky to get our working timing as 11 to 8. Most of the time breakfast is just an apple or a piece of bread. Apples we get here is very big and one will be enough. Next is a five minutes walk to our railway station ( Nakano). Usually it’s a run as we are always late.
Climate here is very much like what we have in India. No dust, less windy. Here we have tremors!!! The streets are very quiet and people seldom talks to each other. If some one comes straight opposite to you, even if u gave them way or they are giving way, they will nod, not a big wish but a small node to acknowledge kindness. I really liked it. On the way to railway station there is a two storied cycle stand. Yes it’s not a mistake two storied CYCLE stand. So many people here use cycles. It’s really nice to watch people with their kids on the carrier, food on the front carrier and a pet dog running around the cycle ….it’s a usual scene here which I love to watch.
Entering to the railway station is another intrigue part. Getting the rite train is another puzzle to solve. Altogether Tokyo has 9 public lines and 3 private lines. Each goes on its own way and they have a map which looks like a closely woven knit. Fortunately my friends had sorted out which line, which platform and time to go. There are automatic ticket machines and the checking machine is also automatic. We have to just put in the ticket; it will come out with a hole. When u put the same ticket at the exit at the destination, the counter takes it. If the ticket is not enough, it makes a noise and the gates will close on you. Then you can go to a fare adjustment system and put in the additional charge required. We got monthly pass now, so it’s just push in and collect. No fair adjustment
Inside the train people usually sleep or listen to music on their ipods or iaudio or iriver, many things which play music, video games, TV and lot many things which I have only seen, couldn’t understand. One thing they are never gonna talk anything. I used to count the station as the 10th station was mine to get down. The escalators here are all crowded. Here they usually walk even in the escalator, because all are in a hurry. The rule is like this, those in the left line can stand and the right lane for busy people to walk forward.
My starting station is ‘Nakano’ and destination is ‘Nihonbashi’. ‘Bashi’ in Japanese means bridge and we have a big bridge rite next to our office. I’m happy that the place names are easy when compared to other station like’ Takadanobaba’ and ‘Oteimachi’.

When inside the train I have a feeling like being in the matrix movie. On a busy Monday morning inside the train all u can see people like Smith in the movie matrix. I mean Japanese smith sleeping wearing black coat. The trains have announcement in English and Japanese. On all stations, just before the station we will get an announcement which station is next. The train in these subway movies pretty fast that one can feel the air pumped into our ear drums when it gains speed.
From Nihonbashi railway station I have a walk of three minutes to my client place. On the way there is a bakery named ‘Maison Kaiser’. Everyday we get a mesmerizing aroma of butter baked sweet bread. But as we will be hurrying through, we will never get a chance to get a taste of the bread. After getting this aroma I started to believe their can be aromas which can mesmerize u for!
In my client place every day we wish to two guys in the gate, one security and one security officer. They stand in the same pose even when we go out for lunch, even when we leave to home. I wonder whether these people get bored standing and smiling at everyone coming into office. All they say is ‘Ohayo Gozaimasu’ and ‘Osthukara samadesu’. First one is good morning and second one is a wish saying ‘it’s hard for u, u better go home’.
In the client office, there is nothing worth writing up here. It’s all technical. That’s what we say when we don’t want to say what actually happens there. On my way back, I usually sleep or read some novel. I probably get seats by our 3rd station and by the time we reach our station one among us will have a good sleep day. I started swimming after coming here. U must be thinking what happened to me to go for swimming at 8:30 after a tiring day in office. But it really helps to keep me fit and keep me refreshing.
It’s two minutes walk to ‘Sunplaza’ gym. On the way there is a silent street where there will be guys practicing skate board. They do so many things which we cannot even dream about doing on a skate board. Then there might be fellows in the near by park playing his saxophone or trumpet or just playing jazz. They just sit alone and practice music (sometimes it is worst than me, which gave me idea to try out my weapon also there). It’s a nice feeling to listen to the non rhythm music and walk alone thinking about nothing. I feel so empty in my mind and now a day I began to enjoy that emptiness. Whole through the 1 km swimming, I’ll be having a free mind. The night will be the same damp one when I walk back at 10:30 pm local time. Like smooth background music, walking through the empty street with hungry stomach.
Once back, my supper will be prepared. We will finish it off and cleaning the vessels will be my job. We divide work among us like that and because of my swimming schedule I seldom cook. So I wash vessels. Then the next one is to check the download status of some movie in my torrent, open it and watch it until sleep take over. Weekends are more or less sleeping washing, watching movies. Exploring Japan is in top priority which will have lot more entries here…..

Many of the things I have written here must be silly and usual things for u, but I felt it’s a little different for me or different from what I expected in Nihon