Channel Selector Channel P Japan Index  A Year in Tokyo

Classes started at 9:40, so I was able to get at around 9am, for a whole year. Bliss. Mind you, it became a habit that is proving hard to break. I studied Japanese (language), the Japanese economy and financial system and then did some literature in Japanese. The then prime minister, Hashimoto, was pushing his "Big Bang" deregulation then, and so it was a great time to be in Japan studying their financial system. One of our economics lecturers was an American. It was good to get to see an American perspective on the issues.

The courses I did there didn't contribute to my studies in London, so I didn't feel any pressure at all - which meant I was able to really enjoy the course, and learn loads. I don't see the point in going abroad if you're going to spend your whole time in a library, and so I didn't. I went a lot of the time. I had so much fun. Right at the beginning I went out to a bar, and met this guy called Rui. He introduced me to a couple of his friends and we all got on. I was so lucky to have met him. He can speak English, but is really shy - so we only ever spoke in Japanese, which is the best way to learn a language.

In the first week when I was there, Gianna and I met Ayako, who we knew from London. She used to be Stuart's girlfriend, and lived in London, but was she was in Tokyo on holiday. So we went out to dinner with her, and Ama, her best friend. Ama is such a great guy - he doesn't speak any English either, so we had to speak Japanese with him too. But since we really got on, I really wanted to make the effort and speak. At the beginning of my stay, speaking Japanese felt like a whole big effort, and I was always very self-conscious, so having friends with whom I wanted to speak was exactly what I needed. I guess I saw him every week or so for most for most of my stay. Ama hadn't had any foreigners as friends before he met Gianna & me, so he also wanted to know lots from us, and was often full of questions at the beginning.

The great thing that I found about making Japanese friends, is that once you've become proper friends, you can just go out and have fun. At the beginning you do lots of sight-seeing and try to understand things, but once you've been there for a while, it's good to just go out and do normal things, and that is much easier when you're with someone who lives there. Going to their local restaurant and bar, which for them might seem boring, is actually one of the most fun things for me. I loved just "vegging-out" at home with a few drinks and a few friends. When I was able to do that with Japanese friends, I felt that Tokyo had become my home, rather than just some place I happened to be staying.

For the first few months I had an American neighbour called Steve, who was studying law, and is now a lawyer. He was a lot of fun. He doesn't know how to dress, wears funny hats, but is such an excellent chap. He's really sharp, and intelligent but really down to earth and VERY funny. He always makes everyone laugh. I remember we used to joke at the differences in our English, and he used to sing songs and play the guitar. He plays ultimate frisbee, which is apparently a team sport which is popular in the States. Now I didn't know that, and when he told be he went to play frisbee in the park, I assumed he went and played on his own, or maybe with one other person. I thought it was so weird that he would do that at his age. I couldn't believe it when he told me it was a team sport. Well, I still think it's a funny team-sport, but much better than throwing one around on your own!

OK OK, so I made friends and went to university, but what was it like? I can't give you a short answer, because it's difficult trying to verbalise my thoughts. I guess it's really a gut feeling. It just feels good when I'm in Japan. For a start, I love the excitement and pace of life of Tokyo. Japan is also a very convenient country in which to live. There is a huge amount of attention to detail, and everything is thought through. There are vending machines which sell drinks, cigarettes (no, I don't smoke), beer and ice-cream in the street. Everywhere. On my 3 min walk to university I'd walk past 12 vending machines. 12! And that would be totally normal. You never need to be thirsty in Japan. Never. The number of times when I walk back home from the station here in London, and think I'd like a drink. I have to say to myself that I can have one just as soon as I get back. But that's not the point. In Japan I'd just pop my yen in the machine and out would come a hot canned tea. Lovely. In London, I have to wait till I get home, then put the kettle on, wait, find the sugar, mix, wait, and then I can drink it. By which time I've already warmed up. No, warm sweet (or not sweet, you have the choice) tea (or coffee) in a can in a vending machine is perfect for when you're outside.

Sure, not having hot canned tea and coffee is not such a big deal, but everything in Japan seems to have that level of convenience. Take convenience-stores (24 hours store). We hardly have any in London. I had 3 I could walk to in a couple of minutes. Selling food, drinks, fruit, stationary and magazines all day, all night. Very useful. And all the shop doors would open automatically. Why doesn't that happen here on a normal high-street? Go to a newsagent, and you have to open the door yourself. Fine, except of course if you've been shopping - which, let's face it, you're likely to be doing when you're ACTUALLY IN A SHOP. No, for some reasons, our shops are actually not designed for people to shop in. People go on and on about the death of the high street. Well, I say: Let them die. If they fail to provide for us, why should they survive. It is possible to design a shop for shoppers, and you don't need more space either. There is nearly always a double-door, one half of which doesn't open because it's locked. You know what I mean don't you? Why have a double door, if one's going to be locked. Better to have one automatic sliding door. Why, for instance, is there a step to get into shops. Haven't they noticed there's no need for them? A shop floor can be at the same level as street level. There's not a single reason for there to be step. Do people in prams appreciate the step? How about wheel chairs? No, they don't. They hate them. And the rest of us? Well, we sure as hell don't need them either. As I was saying, let them go bustE

And everything works properly in Japan: the trains, the subways, and the lifts. All on time, all of the time. And people too: very reliable. Delegating isn't a problem because people meet deadlines. It really removes so much of the stress from life. Things work, people do what they say they will do: everyone is happy. It makes such a difference. It really does. People are helpful too. They go out of their way to help others. You don't need to ask, people offer. Oh, and Japan is SO safe. When I was in Sapporo, an old lady gave me her bank card and told me her pin-code, and asked me to withdraw some money for her because she had forgotten her glasses and couldn't read the ATM. A total stranger asked me, a foreigner to withdraw some money. You'd have to be mad to do that. Or live in Japan. Sure, I was in the outer suburbs of a minor city then, but still.

I love Japanese food too, and it's so healthy. So going back to what I liked: The people, the lack of stress because of the efficiency of everything and everyone, the safety, and on top of all of that, it's a really fun place. There's so much to do, so much choice. Really, what else is important? What do we worry about in our lives? About our health, about stress, and safety. What do we want? To have fun, to have choice, to enjoy life. Well, Japan in mind comes closest to satisfying that. The big exception is if you like space - because there isn't an awful lot of itEWhich I suppose is why Japanese products are the world leaders in miniaturisation.

It was such a fun way to improve my language skills. I look back at that year and think how luck I am to have been able to go and do what I did. It didn't take long for me to feel that Tokyo was my home.