I knew there would be something

[kodalai]

I miss....

...karaoke.

...conbinis.

...hyaku-en stores.

...scarab water bottles.

...single-person portion sizes of groceries.

...a thousand and one clever little conveniences that Japan thought of and America never did. (ie., single plug switches.)

...making $30,000 a year.

...biking everywhere, and everyone else biking everywhere, and knowing that bicycles were a normal and expected mode of transport, and the infrastructure accommodating this.

...JR.

...riding somewhere on a train, in the summertime, and the hills all around so green that they hurt your eyes.

....Japan.

Comments

[brinylon.livejournal.com]

I miss japan, and that after only a 2 week vacation. I really clicked with the place.

[askerian]

*clings* ;__;

[diatomacearth.livejournal.com]

Aw, pookie.

What's a hyaku-en store?

[kodalai.livejournal.com]

100 yen store -- like a dollar store, but better. (On the up side, I found a Dai-sou in downtown seattle, so there is still hope!)

[meritjubet.livejournal.com]

*hugs* single-person portion sizes of groceries. I always have to get too much and it is such a waste :/

[orion117.livejournal.com]

Awww. I could find some of the phrases I didn't know the meaning of on Google, but not the scarab water bottles.

[kodalai.livejournal.com]

XD Well a scarab water bottle isn't an official name -- that's just what I call'em. Basically hot water bottles, which are considered a dainty lil medical device in the US, are considered major home heating accessories in Japan. They're huge things, made of hard plastic not soft, shaped like scarabs (hence the name) and you can pour boiling water directly into them. They are lovely things...

[maypirate.livejournal.com]

I think it's notable that you're listening to Bic Runga, and that particular song, which is one I always associate with Japan, particularly Osaka.

I wish I could tell you that it gets better, but the truth is that for how much I complained, how much I wanted to go home, how much Japan changed everything and not always for the better, and even though I don't know that I could ever live there again, I miss it every single day of my life.

I was only there for eight months, and I left pieces of myself there that I'll never get back. It only makes sense that you, who were there so much longer, would be missing so much more.

Over time you get used to it always being out of reach, and if you ever want to talk about it, I'm more than happy to. For now, I hug you and squeeze you and tell you that it'll somehow be all right.

[kodalai.livejournal.com]

*hugs* I can understand you a lot better on the issue of Japan now. I wish it wasn't so hard ;_;

Funny that this is a song you associate with Japan, because it is for me as well in a way -- The singer was recommended to me by a friend who was living in Japan at the time, and ended her JET tenure at about the time I started.

[velvet-mace.livejournal.com]

I've found Uwajimaya to help me with my occasional longings for Hawaii.

It's weird how much you miss food you took for granted.

[girl-starfish.livejournal.com]

*snugs *

Hit me up on gchat or something anytime!