Sheyna’s 5 Can’ts for Surviving Japan

So, I haven't been very good at posting the past 2 weeks. My friend Sheyna is here visiting from Philadelphia. She is inspiring me to keep writing. In honor of her visit, I'm giving her a guest Blog Spot in "Mangos in Japan". Here are Sheyna's 5 Can'ts for Japan:

1. Can’t have a sensitive palate…
because you will starve in japan. NOTHING, or rather very few things, will taste the way you expect them. For example, I went to a coffee shop and a bought a Danish (it actually said “Danish” in English on the package) thinking it would have some weird fruit jelly inside. I wasn’t thinking far enough outside the box; it had potato, mayonnaise and ham-type paste inside. It wasn’t bad, but it really didn’t compliment my cappuccino.

2. Can’t be offended by porn…
seriously. It’s everywhere in the big cities. And not just your regular Jenna Jamison type stuff either. Apparently the men here also get off on cartoon porn.

3. Can’t have stage fright…
otherwise you will miss out on one of the best cultural experiences Japan has to offer – the onsen. Onsens are the natural hot spring spas scattered all over the country where many people used to bathe (and some still do in the rural areas). From sea salt scrubs to the sauna to the springs themselves, it is by far one of the most serene experiences you’ll ever have. And, it’s cheap! There’s only one catch – you have to go naked. Yeah, I did it.

4. Can’t be a sourpuss…
well, you can be if you’re fluent in Japanese. For the rest of us, however, this is a key element to getting where you need to go. The Japanese people are extremely helpful and even more POLITE. So you will have to do a lot of smiling, nodding, bowing and puppy-dog faces.

5. Can’t have bad knees…
unless you plan on staying in Tokyo. Otherwise, you may die of a bladder infection or something slightly worse. The Japanese-style bathrooms, which are very common once you leave the cities, are holes in the ground, literally. That’s all I have to say about that. You’ll also want to carry a pack of tissues with you, always.