There is a very simple reason for all of this: at some point in the past hair got caught in pool filters. Filters are better now but the solution, swim caps, was never modified and no one ever challenges a rule. I challenged one rule at a local pool a lo and behold, the rule was changed. The way to change things in Japan is to do it the the Japanese way - complain long, and continually, in writing preferably. Japanese complain about everything - a veritible culture of complainers. Join the crowd.
It amuses us Tim (as some may call you)(holy grail reference). Japanese culture is facinating. Closed despite being "open". A people that invented an entire alphabet to signify, "yeah we use it but we want a permament reminder that it is NOT Japanese."
Great article! I used to take my tennis racket and hit against the concrete outer walls of a typically empty sports facility in Setagaya koen. I knew I had about 20 minutes before someone discovered me and a man in some kind of uniform would shoo me out of there. I wasn’t hurting anything and there were no occupants in the building. I knew better than to argue— I’d just apologize, bow deeply — and come back a couple weeks later!
There is a very simple reason for all of this: at some point in the past hair got caught in pool filters. Filters are better now but the solution, swim caps, was never modified and no one ever challenges a rule. I challenged one rule at a local pool a lo and behold, the rule was changed. The way to change things in Japan is to do it the the Japanese way - complain long, and continually, in writing preferably. Japanese complain about everything - a veritible culture of complainers. Join the crowd.
Oh, what was that rule? And yes, you’re right. Complaining about it on Substack won’t do much…
It amuses us Tim (as some may call you)(holy grail reference). Japanese culture is facinating. Closed despite being "open". A people that invented an entire alphabet to signify, "yeah we use it but we want a permament reminder that it is NOT Japanese."
Yes, call me Tim! The only thing I can think of is ministry of silly walks... who knows why. And yes! It's Japanese! But it's not! But it is!
Great article! I used to take my tennis racket and hit against the concrete outer walls of a typically empty sports facility in Setagaya koen. I knew I had about 20 minutes before someone discovered me and a man in some kind of uniform would shoo me out of there. I wasn’t hurting anything and there were no occupants in the building. I knew better than to argue— I’d just apologize, bow deeply — and come back a couple weeks later!
Oh damn, you got caught too :( Yeah, sometimes you just have to make it look like you’re not doing anything, because most of the time you aren’t!
Reads like AI
Like your comment does?