Not so strange after all: The real Japan up close

Thu, 03/15/2012 - 00:55 — Anonymous by Matt AltYou hear it all the time
from tourists and journalists visiting for the first time: "Japan is so
WEIRD! What's that all about?" Different it may be, but as a wise man
once said, "when the going gets weird, the weird turn pro." Sure, a lot
of Japanese custom seems offbeat when viewed through the lens of a different
culture. Taking potshots is easy. But when you approach things on their own
terms, in their own contexts, most of Japan's supposed "strangeness"
transforms into -- well, everything that's great about the country. And in
that spirit, here's our list of supposedly "weird Japan" things that
just might make your next trip even more fun.read more