So I was invited to give a talk at Rakuten – one of Japan’s leading tech companies. I had worked with Rakuten back in 2011 when Agile Samurai came out. So this wasn’t my first visit to Japan.
But I was looking forward to the trip, as I had recently read a book recommended by Bill Gates on the companies founder and their father.
Which basically talks about the challenges Japan has if it is to integrate more successfully into the world economy, along with some structure changes their government needs to take in order for it’s companies to better compete.
I won’t give away the gist of the book, but it’s basically getting the country to:
– embrace english
– liberalize the movement of labor (meaning don’t work your whole life for the same company)
– have the government get out of the way and deregulate more
I took a midnight flight and thought I would just take it easy the first day there but instead changed my mind and found myself wondering the streets of Tokyo before I knew it, just trying to stay awake.
But it quickly came back to me why I had so many found memories of this place. It is is clean.
Everything is literally spotless. No litter. No garbage. I heard one reason it’s so hard to find a garbage can in Japan is because people take their garbage home with them. They are that much into cleanliness.
So I started wandering the streets on a Sunday at 7am. Not much was open. Except a Starbucks where I got a really nice tea.
So I kept walking. Past some really interesting buildings.
And eventually found my self in a beautiful park.
It was really neat seeing all the people give their prayers to the Shinto spirits. Here were some things you could pray for.
I think you can learn a lot about a people by listening to what they pray for. I don’t know how many kids pray for ‘Improved Academic Performance’ or dads wishing for ‘Secure Employment’ but I think it’s a good insight into some Japanese culture.
Sensing it was time to leave I started heading out of the park back onto the streets
And started to get really hungry. That’s when I found this place!
I was just walking by when I saw some locals lining up and I said to myself: “If it’s good enough for the locals it’s good enough for me!”
And I wasn’t disappointed. The way you order food in a lot of these noodle shops if you pick when you want from a vending machine
pay up front, and then they bring it to you.
Now I don’t know if it’s because I was really hungry, or it was just really that good, but this was one of the best bowls of noodle soup I had ever had. I ate drop.
So I keep on walking, but things are starting to open up now
And I come across this massive 7 floor arcade.
This place has everything. Vending machine. Brand new arcade games that were just built and designed last your. And really serious arcade equipment. These guys are pros at arcades and they are still going strong.
And don’t think this is just guys in there playing these things. They are girls too. Lot’s of them.
Good thing I was wearing my Flynn’s arcade shirt. I fit right in.
After that it was back on the street. Another thing these guys are masters at is the display of fake food. It’s looks so real you just want to eat it.
Now things are getting a bit busier.
At that’s when I see them. It’s Mario and crew!
Apparently these guys race around town in go-carts dressed as Nintendo characters.
I turned around and saw a whole bunch of people taking pictures of this cute little guy. Apparently this was a loyal dog how stayed by his masters side even in death till the day he died. Japanese honour loyalty above all things. So it’s no surprise they made a statue to honour the dog.
By this time I was exhausted. I hopped on one of the uber clean trains, where they tell you where to stand when you load.
Checked in to my hotel. I saw this beautiful view of the city.
Well that’s all for now. After a shower it was time for bed at 5pm. And I slept like a baby until 3am. When I got up and started thinking about Disney land. But that’s another story.