Quit Gawking

I'm not in an incredibly great mood today. After Japanese, Ashlie and I tried to go find Yasukuni Shrine -- the infamous shrine where certain WWII class A war criminals (including Tojo) are honored for their military service to Japan. The shrine's website says that it's a 10 minute walk from the Iidabashi station on the Chuo line, same line that I take to school. The site's map is a bit confusing, but if it's that close to the station then I figured it would be on a map by the exit (all the train stations have maps listing landmarks, hospitals, government offices, etc.).

We walked around for close to two hours and did not find the damn shrine. It wasn't listed on any maps for the area, and we looked at about 10 maps. There are two stations closer to the shrine according to the website, so I guess I'm forced to go to one of those to try to find the shrine.

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Yesterday, I was in a fairly good mood. If I had been in the mood I'm in now, I'm not sure what I would have done. Standing on the train platform going home, two obnoxious Nihonjin boys, probably Jouichi boys, were gawking at my tattoo. I'm used to people trying to read it or glancing, but these guys... I almost went over there to gaijin-smash their faces. I probably should have. I gave them some dirty looks and they stayed away from me.

On the train home from Ikebukuro, I found myself complaining about a child. But oh, not a Japanese child! Honestly, Japanese children are perfect and obedient and quiet 90% of the time and I am rarely irritated by them. This child was an American, with her American mother, who reminded me why I shall never have children of my own.

By American standards, this little girl was well-behaved enough. In Japan standards are (thankfully) much higher. Kids are expected to be quiet and sit still when on the train. There was a little Japanese girl the same age down the car, and she sat in the same spot for the entire time she was on the train. This American kid, however, was fidgety and could not sit still for whatever reason -- she had to be leaning over her mom, looking at the novel mom was reading, wanting this, wanting that. There was one seat open when they got on the train and mom gave it to the daughter, but daughter whined that she needed mom to sit next to her. MOM GAVE IN squeezing some poor older woman into the end of the seat. When the squished woman got off and they had two proper seats, daughter decides she wants to sit on mom's lap so she does. GOOD GOD.

Maybe that's what's wrong with parenting in America, giving in too easily (among other cultural and social circumstances). "No" isn't a horrible swear word that you can't use with children. I admit I used to pull stuff like that, and I don't know why my parents let me get away with it.

If tomorrow weren't my long day, I'd go do something spectacular. Friday evening I'm supposed to go drinking with my Japanese class, teachers included. Should be interesting and expensive.