some japanese american traditions

Today we discovered some of the many ways that Japan is similar to America, and a few ways that they are different. The day started with a visit to a huge department store in the Ginza area, Mitsukoshi. We wanted to show the kids what we saw when Jon and I went last year - the opening of the store. This is quite the occasion. All the staff meet in straight lines to hear the orders of the day. Then they return to their posts as the door is opened and the public comes in. As the public walks by them, they bow to everyone, welcoming them into the store.

The store itself is a 12 story building. The bottom floor is filled with treats, pastries, fruit and foods. The top two floors are filled with a variety of sit down restaurants. The remaining floors include clothes, electronics and home goods. We went to the bottom floor and chose things for breakfast - freshly squeezed juice, fruit and french pastries with a Japanese twist. Love those pastries! People in Japan do not walk around eating. Because of that, they do not need garbage cans on every corner like we do. In fact, there are no garbage cans in sight. You need to bring your garbage with you until you either are in a bathroom, or you are home. So when we buy breakfast at the department store, we then have to go up to another "eating" floor to enjoy it. This is where we ate our breakfast.

After browsing the department store, we went to this toy store. This has four floors of little trinkets, toys and fun items. (This is where we got our lightsaber chopsticks last time we were here.) We all had fun looking around - Lauren especially enjoyed looking for very funny items to bring back to friends.

On the top floor of the toy store, there was this huge electronic car track. Like an arcade game, you inserted coins and then could drive a car of your choice around the track. The kids loved this and we spent a long time here racing cars.

After shopping and eating a tempura lunch, we took the train to the Tokyo Giants vs Hanshin Tigers baseball game. It was at the Tokyo Dome.

Keeping with the American vibe that usually accompanies baseball, we got a kick out of the concessions and restaurants available at the game. Here is a restaurant right outside of the stadium called "Vicky's" that served hamburgs. (No, that is not a typo, they just say hamburgs. Oh, and they don't come in a bun....and they taste like meatballs.)

This is the part of Vicky's we most enjoyed seeing - Look at the sign...."It is the soft and juicy handmade hamburg steak which shut up the taste of beef. Since you place an order, it is the hamburg Steak of the boast roasted carefully. The dish which put and made the heart - the time of one (pleasant at Vicky's) - pleasing." It is fun how they want to use English, but it doesn't make a lot of sense. It really is endearing.

This is their mascot. They have many of them which entertain at the game.

Here is another twist of American tradition - at their baseball games they have cheerleaders. They dance during inning breaks.

This stadium was amazing. First of all, it was INSIDE which made it an amazing activity on a very hot day! One whole half of the stadium were Giants fans and the other, Tiger fans. It just so happened that the tickets we got were on the side of the Tigers fans. It did not take long for Matthew to change his allegiance and cheer for the Tigers as well. Each side had a music section which played non stop chanting which the entire half of the stadium joined in. It switched according to who was up to bat. 

Speaking of bats, almost every fan came equipped with little plastic bats which they hit together in rhythmic patterns with the music. Matthew and Andrew joyfully participated. Little did we know when we bought the little bats, that the cheering continued nonstop throughout the whole game. We made it through five innings and then the jet lag caught up with us. It was fun to get a feel for Japanese baseball and the culture surrounding it.

Could I share a few more food items? Here is what the hot dog stand looked like.

And here is the fast food stand.

This was fun to see....These were the concession girls. They dressed in bright neon colors and have a keg of beer as a backpack. When they walked by, if someone wanted a drink, they would pour them one right from the fountain on their back. Each brand of beverage had a different color of outfit on. What a workout to carry those backpacks around the stadium!

One last take on American, Japanese similarities. We all enjoyed this sign on a building near the shopping malls. It is for BVD underwear. It says "BVD - the REAL American underwear. Since 1876." I had no idea we were not wearing real American underwear. Perhaps ours is made in China.