A Two Part Blog

I was going to spread these two topics out within the week, but then again I am terrible about keeping things in, so you get two topics today!

1. Christmas time in Japan
Hmm. Well. They definitely love Christmas here. Or should I say, the concept of Christmas. And when I say concept, I mean "commercialize the heck out of your country in the tackiest way possible." I mean, Japan is already notorious for being one of the most consumer focused countries (or did you already know that?), so it isn't really a huge surprise to see what direction they go in terms of this holiday especially considering there is pretty much no religion here, so that whole concept is lost immediately. Everywhere you go, you will see TONS of...blue and white (are the Japanese Jewish???) lights...I especially love the underground shopping tunnels that look like a disco club on the ceiling. But the way they are strung up in trees/underground/wherever remind me of the way my dad once hung our Christmas lights...with one strand connecting from the roof to the tree so there was literally one line of icicle lights dangling in midair (sorry, Dad, but you may never live that one down). Anyway, that is kind of how they look to me. But OK, lets give them some credit, at least I am getting Christmas lights! There are also tons of interior decorations everywhere you go. And, every single store has the same exact satelite radio station playing carols. Except this station sucks in that it literally plays about 5 carols on loop. Which is a bummer as my school plays it as well, and I am now starting to despise Mariah Carey carols and I really liked those!

So great, right? I get Christmas, although mostly commercial, in Japan! Except...here is the thing. Like I said, they love the concept of Christmas. However, pretty much no one actually celebrates it. That's right. They hang up tons of lights, drown their ear drums in carols, and sell tons of Christmassy things. Yet if you ask anyone, "What are your plans for Christmas?" they look at you strangely and reply, "I am working. Probably overtime as well. Duh." (Well they don't actually say duh). Oh wait, they do eat "Christmas cake" on December 23 or something like that, whatever that is/means. So, due to this, this holiday feels rather empty to me. It just doesn't have that feeling you get back home. Therefore, especially since our Christmas party already happened (almost one month before the actual holiday), it may as well be over for me. Sad, but true. And, of course I am working.

2. A small comment on fashion
I could actually write a novel about the fashion here. Some of it is really inspiriring, some of it is confusing, but today I am going to just focus on one look that amuses me. Long story short, the hooker look is way in fashion here. Everywhere you go shopping, you can find a plethora of hooker clothes. Think "Pretty Woman" thigh high boots. Or if boots aren't your thing, think stripper heels (~6 inches) covered in glitter. Think the shortest shorts you can imagine. Think fishnets. Think beehive hairdos. Think heavy heavy makeup. All of that combined=one of the biggest fashions here that all the "cool girls" wear. It amuses me in that if anyone were to wear that back home, they would be arrested in about 10 seconds. However, it is kind of scandalous here to show your shoulders! Therefore, I must be considered quite the hussy in summertime!

Oh, and the actual hookers here wear high school style prom/homecoming dresses.

No I am not making this up!