The next few years will be filled with new experiences and observations. As someone explained to me … the 1st year in Tokyo is filled with confusion, the 2nd with a sense of understanding and the 3rd is when expats fall in love with the city and will have to be dragged away with tears in their eyes.

My first observations….

• It is the only place in the ENTIRE WORLD where I have not had a taxi driver fight me on using American Express.
• On the topic of taxis: The doors automatically open and close. Takes you by surprise the first couple times.
• I don’t think that there is anyone in Japan who is obese other than foreign business people and tourists. Seriously. According to the article Global weight gain doing more damage than growing numbers (BBC), “The Japanese example is quite strong. Average BMI (Body Mass Index) in USA in 2005 was 28.7. In Japan, it was 22. You can be lean without being really poor, and Japan seems to have pulled that off. (Japanese people have a low average BMI but high standards of living)”
• Maybe that is because I saw only 1 fast food joint as I made my way around the city: McDonalds.
• The food is spectacular. Everything is fresh. I am looking forward to a culinary adventure in the city with the most Michelin stars in the world. I only ate one thing I did not like, urchin. Tastes like the bottom of a dirty sink (I had to try it).
• On the topic of food, I have never tasted beef like Japanese beef. Unlike NA beef which is lean, their beef is very fatty. They find our beef tough and chewy. Which means that it is very high in fat and you do not eat it like you would a Canadian steak. You eat a small portion, sliced. I was blown away, the most flavourful piece of beef I have ever tried.
• Tokyo is VERY VERY VERY clean. I did not see any litter (funny, I didn’t see anyone cleaning up either, maybe they come out at night?).
• I happened up on a GROM. Awesome.

July is the official cut-over, cannot wait.