Some memorable things about Japan, in no particular order:

1) Vending machines. In Japan, if you need a coffee, or a bottle of water, or cigarettes, or a soft drink, you don't need to look far. Ever. There are vending machines all over the place. And I'm not talking about just in the urban areas. I mean everywhere. I'm a huge fan of this. Especially because the stores and restaurants close pretty early - 9:30 or 10:00 - but because of these you can still pick up necessities. Namely, caffeine (which I need on a fairly regular basis) and nicotine (which I no longer need, but with it pushed in my face all the time, it was pretty hard to resist). Interestingly, not many of the machines have food.

2) Okay, now where do I put this stuff? In contrast to the ubiquitous vending machines, trash cans are surprisingly difficult to find. Surprising because Japan is so damn clean. The subway. The streets. The constructions sites. Tidiness is everywhere. And yet just try to find a simple trash can. What's a salary man to do when he's done slurping down his can of coffee in the morning? The answer is he has to pack that trash, buddy. You know, like when you're hiking. And when you go to throw it away, don't just toss it in the bin. Separate that shit, man. Now you're thinking Japanese. Before people got off the shinkansen, I saw them packing up their trash and then they'd put it neatly in the appropriate bin, separated by paper, plastics, etc. I didn't get a chance to find out if the movie theaters were the same way.

3) Girl's fashion. By American standards, many girls in Japan dress a little like - how can I put this nicely - porn stars. And yet, somehow they carry it off innocently. Like it's your sister or something. You feel bad looking. But come on. The high heels, black or white stockings that go up just above the knee, short skirts that stop just below the . . . crotch. (Gulp.) A bit of bare thigh in between. The affected pigeon-toed walk. It doesn't matter what age or orientation you happen to be. You'd have to be dead or blind not to turn your head. Actually, I think even the blind could hear these outfits. I guess this is why there are special subway cars in the morning that are for women only. Apparently there is a 'groping problem.'

4) The incongruities. Japan's culture is full of contradictions. It's architecture is a conflicting mix of old and new, a battle between dirty urban sprawl and manicured parks. Peaceful elegant shrines and castles minutes from gaudy neon lights and boring office buildings. High and low fashion worn side by side. A teen wearing Gucci sunglasses underneath a baseball cap that says Lynard Skynard. Or pearls and high heels while playing a game of catch in the park. It's a culture of politeness, where each time a server comes to your table she literally says, "I commit a rudeness," where people will say nothing and look at their feet rather than tell you you are wrong, where the word "no" is rarely spoken. And yet in the subway or on the bus people have absolutely no problem pushing and shoving each other like elementary school kids running for the playground. I guess that it's universal: being on time trumps manners any day.

5) Acupuncture. You don't necessarily need to speak the same language to get good medicine.

6) Fish auction. If you missed it before, here's the video and a few shots.

7) The shinkansen. Do not dilly-dally when boarding or exiting the shinkansen. If you do, it will leave without you . . . or with you. It doesn't care, either way.

8) Breakfast at the ryokan in Hakone. I love breakfast. It's my favorite meal. I love waking up and making coffee and having eggs or pancakes or biscuits or cereal. It doesn't really matter what you feed me. At least I thought that was the case. But I have to admit that when I woke up to this, egg in miso, big salty fish, seaweed . . . well, it put my breakfast stomach to the test. But I still ate it all. Or most of it, anyway. I think there was one thing I passed on. I'm unable to describe exactly what it was. Really.

Okay. That's it. And here's another gallery for Hakone and Kyoto.

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