GETTING BACK TO JAPAN

The real culture shock comes when you get back to Japan from overseas

PUTTI VEGGIES

Japanese potatoes NZ's potatoes are nearly 3 times larger than Japanese ones. And they are unbelievably cheap.

And in Japan, I've never seen huge pumpkins which I saw in NZ are larger than the my head.

Japanese veggies looks like miniatures and are troublesome to peel.

GIANT APPLES

a Japanese apple Contrary to the veggies, NZ's apples are much smaller than the Japanese apples.

While a Japanese apple is too large to eat just by yourself and you need to cut it into some pieces and share with others, a NZ's one is the right size for biting.


NZ's apples taste more sour, and much cheaper.

BIG CROWD EVERYWHERE

HACHI in jammed people Japanese population is over 120 million while NZ's is less than 4 million. There is no doubt the number of sheep is much larger than KIWI.

While in NZ, you'll see few house out of towns and sometimes you won't come across others for hours even on highway 1, you can't avoid others everywhere in Japan.

EVERYBODY IS IN COZY CLOTHING

In NZ, nobody cares other's outfit. This may be because it's the agricultural and farming country. No one cares if clothes are secondhand or a little bit worn out.

Those who have got used to live in NZ will suddenly realize that they are out of fashion in Japan.
-Japanese residents in NZ-
japanese boy staying long in NZ
  • lost 5 kg
  • no hair cut
  • unshaved
  • tanned
  • worn out sweat sheet
  • worn out jeans
  • sandals
japanese girl staying long in NZ
  • gained 10 kg
  • tanned
  • heavily permed
  • no make up
  • $2 secondhand jersey
  • $3 skirt from flee market
  • sandals

EVERYONE IS SKINNY(15/07/2004)

Am I fat? Japanese people are skinny in Kiwi's standard. Did you look skinny in NZ? Nobody knows you still look skinny in Japan.

WALKING SPEED IS FAST

HACHI taken over Oh my! everybody takes over me...

Definitely, those who are back from NZ are slow walkers in Japan.

EVERYBODY SEEMS BUSY

HACHI and busy doggies What the hell makes you so busy?

COSTLY LIFE

HACHI giving up ice cream Almost everything is expensive such as veggies, meats, dairy products and eating out... Good-bye ice-cream...

But paper products such as toilet tissues are cheaper in Japan.

SKY

HACHI looking at the sky I miss the clear blue sky in NZ...

WEATHER FORECASTERS APOLOGIZE

Dumn! Japanese people watch weather report very seriously. Weather forecast is important because we dry our Futon(Japanese style bedding) under the sun, have to walk to the nearest station to commute, and have to go to supermarket by pushbike.

Then, people really get angry if it's rain despite of the forecast of 100% sunny day. Some people even call to Meteorological Agency or TV stations to complain.

Therefore, you'll see weather forecasters apologizing on TV!

backnext

home