Ashikaga-shi

By Japanese standards, Ashikaga is considered "countryside". But with a population of over 160,000 it hardly resembles anything remotely close to the American concept of "countryside". Although the city is surround by mountains and forests, it is impossible to tell where Ashikaga ends and the next city begins. The development and urban sprawl of one city bleed over into the next and vice versa.


While exploring I headed North and found the dodgy side of town. Some little old lady mad dogged me, I mad dogged her back, she flinched and immediately looked away.

Robzilla:1 Little Old Ladies:0


It is difficult for me to draw accurate conclusions about Japan because all of my experiences have been confined to Ashikaga. If Ashikaga is considered the "countryside", I am amazed by the degree and extent of westernization. I can only speculate that it is even more drastic in larger cities. However, because I don't speak the language, work exclusively with people who speak English, and usually frequent restaurants and shops that look "westerner-friendly", I could be way off base. Only time will tell.


As far as day to day living, I have been getting by pretty well despite my very limited Japanese vocabulary. Amazingly I have had zero communication problems. When I go to restaurants I usually just point to a picture on the menu. Shopping is even easier, I just hand the cashier the correct amount of money and say arigato afterwards. However, I'm starting to feel like a retarded 5 year old because I can't read anything. Although there is English almost everywhere, it is usually only a word or two, so it often doesn't help me understand anything. The picture above is a prime example. It's time to start studying.