From Gringo to Gaijin: December 2009

On our way to New Zealand this sight of a 3.776 meter tall beauty captured our eyes awaking the desire to reach the top someday.

In Japan

......you must never touch the door handle when entering or exiting a taxi. The taxi driver will magically open the door for you.
...you can buy cucumber Pepsi in the supermarket.
...you can buy a toupe for your dog.
...the kitchens normally don't have ovens.
...some farmers grow square watermelons.
...the bathroom is not where the toilet is found in the private homes.
... a Watermelon can cost hundreds of Dollars.
...the green traffic light is called 'blue'.
..the two most common last names are Sato and Suzuki.
...the most popular topping for pizza is squid.

Books read related to Japan

Hiroshima notes - Kenzaburo Oe
After the Quake - Haruki Murakami
Out - Natsuo Kirino
The Ginger Tree - Oswald Wynd
The Tale of Genji (Manga version) - Waki Yamato
The Essence of Shinto - Motohisa Yamakage
The Burma Road - Donovan Webster
The Rape of Nanking - Iris Chang
SHO, Japanese Calligraphy - Chrisopher J. Earnshaw
Princess Masako, Prisoner of the Chrysanthemum Throne, The Tragic True Story of Japan's Crown Princess - Ben Hills
Geisha, A Life - Mineko Iwasaki
Zen in the Art of Flower Arrangement - Gustie L. Herrigel
Tokyo - Mo Hayder
Yakuza moon, memoirs of a gangster´s daughter - Shoko Tendo
Dai-Sho - Marc Olden
Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
South of the Border, West of the Sun - Haruki Murakami
A Wild Sheep Chase - Haruki Murakami
The Wind-Up bird Cronicle - Haruki Murakami

Cities visited in Japan

From Gringo to Gaijin