Impressions of Tokyo

Though I was prepared for squat toilets, I'm still not sure what "charm" bins are. (Sorry, no pics. I was too busy trying not to lose my balance.)

Unconsidered conventions are also catching me off guard. Of course a "drive right" society is also a "walk right" society (in the sense of "stand left, walk right" on escalators, for example). But it came as a surprise to me that the reverse was also true. God love the Japanese for installing signage to this effect absolutely everywhere. I keep forgetting, but at least I can self-correct. (It occurs to me that I was constantly walking into people the last time I was in Ireland, and now I know why.)

Also, there are rumble strips everywhere. I wasn't sure what they were for, initially, but I'm pretty sure that while the sidewalk strips may well be to separate cyclists and pedestrians, in the subway they provide direction for the visually impaired.

And for all you train and/or transit lovers out there, it absolutely is as good as they say. (The cycling culture ain't half bad either.) While the whole complex interconnected system is overwhelming at first, every single thing is designed to help you find your way. I kept discovering more and more clues as I got acclimatized.