I wish I had photos, but it just didn’t feel right- I already felt like I was privy to a sight not meant for outside eyes, and I didn’t want to mark myself as a tourist any more than I already was (picture dressing to meet an old friend for drinks at a bar by a train station, and then ending up at a board meeting). The club was extravagant, from the gilded and art-laden walls to the private reserve bourbons filling the crystal cabinets. Everything screamed opulence. The tables are scattered around a carpeted floor, surrounded by posh leather sofas and chairs.

If you’ve read a couple-dozen blogs or so on Japan, you’ve likely seen more than a few posts about someone’s favorite ramen here, particularly in Tokyo. Hell, there’s a whole blog dedicated to one person’s lifelong (maybe) ramen tour of the Kanto area. You may have heard of it; it’s called Ramen Tokyo. Well, rest assured that I won’t be starting my own ramen tour for the sake of having a series here at 7:10 called “Recommended Ramen.” But, if I do come across an amazing bowl of noodles every …

How people move about in public spaces varies from one society to the next. What’s the “right” way in Japan?

Living abroad isn’t always easy. Culture shock is one thing, but finding a place for yourself in a strange land can prove difficult at best.

A big issue that is rarely addressed in Tokyo, as well as all of Japan, is looking at how much we drink. Anyone who spends any amount of time in Tokyo will notice that there are a hell of a lot of bars here. You can get a drink at any time day or night in Tokyo. It is very easy to have a stiff shot of Jack at four in the morning; I know because I have done this. It would seem that getting drunk is a way of …

On the surface, Tokyo is overwhelming at first. Avenues lined with neon-clad buildings give the major areas a futuristic look while back alleys and shotengai give the place either a run-down look or a local feel. During rush periods, Shinjuku and Ikebukuro Stations take most foreigners, even those of us from big cities, to a new level of survival-of-the-fittest living; We learn quickly that nobody stops for anyone else. I’ve gotta get to my train so don’t get in my way or I’ll run your ass down. Finding your way …

Jason at j2fi.net posted something recently about overly negative foreigners living in Japan and it reminded me of a conversation I had with a friend over some beers last year. I remember commenting on how lucky I thought he was for thoroughly enjoying his working stay here in Tokyo. It’s not that I wasn’t enjoying my situation at the time; it was just that he seemed so much more jacked-in as far as having a fulfilling Japan experience. Anyway, upon hearing my comment, he replied with a question. “Which Japan …