Tokyo stuff

Men in uniform
Everywhere in Tokyo there are people in elaborate uniforms. At first it seemed like there were police everywhere but in fact they are just government employees or private employees. Often you will see a person in a full officers coat and officers hat complete with ceremonial shoulder rope and sewn on crests and white gloves and their only job is to wave cars in and out if a carpark. Also there will be not one but three people employed to this. In Tokyo there is always a man or women dressed like a French army officer from the 1st world war who's sole job it is to help people use the ticket machines or stand outside a construction site.

Speedy food
The food in tokyo always comes extremely quickly. Even in a fancy cafe we have never waited more than ten minutes for food and at cheap places it often comes much quicker!

Subway etiquette
The subway in Tokyo is huge, literally hundreds of times the size of the Sydney subway and every train is packed with commuters. To avoid the trains being a madhouse a kind of code of politeness is observed on the train. People don't talk very loudly if at all and people look at either the floor or the advertisements on the ceiling at first this seemed bizarre but soon you get used to it. Anyone who is sick wears a face mask and you can't talk on your mobile phone. ( in fact talking on your mobile is considered rude in many places in japan including shops and restaurants).

From Luci