Look, everyone loves negatives. If you don’t believe it, please take 5 seconds to review any news sites.
Don’t worry. Tomorrow, we’ll go over the good stuff. There was plenty of that too.
Now I tried connecting it to a song, but the jet lag got your Trashdweller (name in progress) Hz on mental support so here it is.
This one is by accountant turned fratbro John Summit.
Love or hate him, this album was a good listen and he’s definitely got some talent.
This is the lead song, it’s very reminiscing of Deadmau5, especially in the intro part.
Njoy.
(If you want to learn more about Japan you can do so after the song, lol.)
Genre: House
Alright, on to the list.
Heat.
You'd think a Floridian would not complain about this, but WOW, it was BAD.
For all the good things Japan has, having air conditioning is definitely a privilege, considering the airport didn’t have one.
It was so bad we had heat advisories almost every day, lol.
Hz Recommends: DO NOT go in the summer.
But if you - for whatever reason- go, buy an umbrella day 1. It won’t stop the sweat, but ultra-intense UV light won’t bombard you.
No paper
Both economically and literally.
Napkins and tissues are nonexistent. In restaurants, they give you wet wipes and actual towels; in the rare cases “napkins” exist, they are this weird plastic “paper” thing that just feel rough to use.
It makes for an interesting eating experience, but it does have a positive which will be revealed tomorrow.
Hz recommends: BYON (Bring your own napkins)
Trains
I’m sure this is just a tourist thing, but the problem with trains is that there are TOO MANY ROUTES.
It’s a case of miss a stop = doomed. And while google maps was a “reliable” option, it kinda crapped the bed a couple times.
Hz recommends double-check the train you’re getting on or asking the train driver; they’re usually very helpful.
No breakfast
Another American-tier complaint, but the fact breakfast rice and soup is considered breakfast was a very interesting thing to process as someone who constantly sees “Egg sandwich” as a breakfast staple.
They do eat eggs, but it’s also a lunch staple, very peculiar.
Hz Recommends: Get the rice balls with stuff in them, phenomenal breakfast.
If rice isn’t your game, you’re doomed. But get the boiled eggs. They’re great.
Malls
I've never seen money leave my wallet THAT fast.
And that’s because they are huge, efficient, and a very cool experience.
The worst offender will have to be Don Qujote, which is the Japanese equivalent of Walmart.
Unlike all of Japan, they have this interesting philosophy of “You will get lost, and it will be hard for you to find what you want to find. And by the time you leave, you WILL have purchased crap you don’t need.”
Which is the antithesis of Japanese stores. Maybe they learned it form America?
Hz Recommends: AVOID unless you want to burn a hole in your wallet.
Car ownership is a privilege
Now look, I don’t know what your opinions are on car ownership, but personally, having the convenience of a car is unmatched (Even though it also comes with it’s huge issues)
Japan is a walkable city first and foremost, you can get anywhere you need without a car. Parking also seems like a very expensive endeavor.
But hey, maybe that’s just the American experience, lol
This does lead into…
Driving SUCKS.
You'd think with fewer cars on the road, the traffic would be better…
Except there’s 2-3 lanes in most of the city (highways included), and there are traffic lights every 5-10 seconds (I counted).
Bus drivers also drive like absolute animals. We used the bus a couple of times and it was like entering a zoo.
And in triple whammy fashion goes into…
Buses.
If you're anything past 5.8ft, A V O I D.
We had to take some buses, and the seats were so small I had to compress myself into a tuna can (Not fun).
Again, the number of close calls these bus drivers had with random cars on the roads was… concerning.
Hz Recommends: Stick to trains. If you have to walk, walk. Your knees will thank you.
Crowded
This is the introvert speaking. But on weekends, the entirety of Japan gets PACKED.
Trains, malls, tourists spots, everywhere. It becomes increasingly complicated to navigate.
Of course, this is a given in any city, but WOW does it suck.
Hz Recommends: Tune out your brain and shut off your surroundings.
No American version of sushi
This one was a huge disappointment. Who doesn’t love a good Dynamite roll with 5 different kinds of fish and avocado?
The Japanese don’t.
You'd think there'd be plenty, but I asked for a California roll and they looked at me weird, as if I asked for a sacrilegious thing.
Hz Recommends: Eating everything you see, the rolls were NOT missed at all.
Magazines have tape on them
Okay this one isn’t the “Worst” thing per se, but it was just PECULIAR to not grab a maggie to read on the line to see the one good article (Except instead of celebrity news, they have uhhh… barely clothed people.)
In Japan, you actually have to buy them to read whatever is inside.
That should be how it works, but come on, news about the royal family or Kim Kardashian was never that interesting.
Hz Recommends: To stop reading the news; if something is important, someone else will tell you.
P0-rn areas.
There’s no real way to soften the blow on this one.
A couple of stores have these 18+ areas where you can buy ALL sorts of s3x stuff; I'm talking fleshlighs, triple-headed dildoes and a concerning amount of P3nis Pill concoctions.
I can’t imagine grabbing an item like that, going halfway across the store to the cashier, and checking out like it was nothing.
Different culture on that regard for sure.
Hz Recommends: Avoid unless you’re really into it. It’s very uncanny.
And last but not least…
Too many things to do.
We spent 2 weeks in that gorgeous country, and it doesn’t feel like we even got close to SCRATCHING the surface.
It certainly leaves you with this FOMO that makes you want to go back.
Hz Recommends: Get 5-10 non-negotiables you must absolutely do and stick to them.
You won’t get to do everything, but as long as you get the important stuff done, the FOMO will go away.
And that’s it. If you want to know the actual GOOD things, that’s what tomorrow is for.
If you have questions, give a reply, Hyperoxia or I should have an answer.
Always Negative Forward
Hz
P.S. If you actually read it all, congratulations, you just read 900 words, this is by far our longest email yet, lol.
Post-Email Backstage
-Got this sent by a friend? Join them and start getting your daily song by signing up here.
- #VibeFind: Need a song for a special moment? Need to find the right tune for the vibe? Reply with #VibeFix and we’ll get your sorted.
- Song Requests: Want to get your favorite song featured? Reply back with it and a short story of what makes it special and we’ll send it!
-Can't concentrate to screeching sounds or good vocals? Brain.fm will fill the electronic void while doubling your focus. Get the first month FREE by clicking here
Reply