Who knew... #3?

...that Japanese moms take the temperature of their child EVERY day?  On swimming days, we have to write down the kids' temperature in order for them to be allowed in the pool.  As a time-saving measure, I typically "estimate" their temperature ... 36.2 degrees Celsius usually sounds about right.  It will be an awkward day when Ethan or Ryan ask me how I know what temperature to write on their swimming cards without using the thermometer.  Busted... I will be so busted.

... that blood type in Japan is a predictor of personality?  Almost like the horoscope signs... I have never been asked about my blood type as often as I have here.

... that the largest quantity of milk you can buy here is ONE LITER?  We can finish that in one sitting.

Lunch Tasting at Higashine

... that school lunches are cooked fresh on-site and are even prepared with a spiciness level in direct correlation to grade level?  There was a "lunch tasting" at Ethan's school and we got to taste the "mild" 1st-2nd grade curry as well as the "medium" 3rd-4th grade curry and the "hot" 5th-6th grade curry?  Pretty impressive.

... that you have 2 choices when buying a loaf of bread - 6 slices or 8 slices?  Whaaaaat?  Again, that's not even enough for a single meal for us.

... that you don't even have to show ID at all when flying within Japan?  Nothing, nada, I coulda been anyone and they never would have known.  I even got my ID out (my precious alien registration card) when we were checking in for our flight to Hokkaido but the woman told me she didn't need to see it.  Whaaaaat???

See - bottom left corner-
"Gargling."

... that the Japanese gargle multiple times a day? When they wake up in the morning, when they get to work, when they get home from work.... At Ryan's yochien, they gargle every time they come inside from playing.  And they think everyone else does it, too.  I have now asked 5 Japanese people about gargling and they all look at me in disbelief, as if I'm some pubic health menace, when I tell them that we don't gargle.  And according to my extensive research (ala Google), Japan appears to be the only country with a daily love and fascination with gargling.

Ryan's pool at yochien.
Elementary schools have "real" pools
but I don't have a picture.

... that most (all?) Japanese elementary schools in Tokyo have a swimming pool on-site and that swimming lessons are part of gym class?  Yochiens even have a "pool" and kids have swimming several times/week.

















... that the tooth fairy does not come to Japan, BUT when a child loses a bottom tooth, they throw the tooth on the roof?  When a child loses a top tooth, they bury it in the ground.  The thought process is that by throwing the bottom tooth UP, you are hoping that the adult tooth grows up straight and strong and by burying a top tooth in the ground, you are hoping that the adult tooth grows down straight and strong.  At least it makes more sense than the mystical tooth fairy.  When Ethan lost his first tooth (courtesy of the dentist as his adult teeth were coming in behind the baby teeth), he was overjoyed by the 100yen the tooth fairy left for him AND he threw his tooth on the roof after the tooth fairy came.  Guess that makes him bi-cultural, at least in terms of lost teeth.

In case you thought I was exaggerating about the price!

... that you can buy a square OR a triangle shaped watermelon at our local grocery store for the low, low price of 15,000 JPY or $195?  Yep, you read that right - one hundred and ninety-five DOLLARS.  We bought one of each (I am sooooo kidding).  And by the way, these watermelons are not at a fancy gourmet food shop or an imported goods shop, they are at a store that's basically the Japanese version of Target.

... that December 22 and 23 and 24 there is no school, followed by school on Christmas Day, and then the school's Winter Break starts on December 26?  OK, putting aside the fact that Christmas Day is on December 25 as Japan is only about 1% Christian (but still has a Santa event at Ryan's public pre-school), WHY OH WHY would a school calendar have THREE days off of school, ONE day at school, and then TWO WEEKS off of school?  Again, is there something I'm missing?  At this point, I'm anticipating that both Ethan and Ryan will be "sick" on December 25.  Just a random prediction...

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Kid Quote of the Day

Ethan:  I think I like America better than Japan.

Me:  Really?  What is it about America that you like better?

Ethan:  The toilets

There you have it folks, cross-cultural comparative studies through the eyes of a  6 year-old.

(His answer perplexed me until I realized that he had just gotten home from school and was referring to the fact that he is not a fan of the porcelain pop-a-squat toilets that they have at school as compared to the western-style toilets we have at home.)