I wake up today just absolutely miserable. I just don't seem to be getting better, so I decide I'm taking the day off. One of the curious things I came across the last couple of days is how the Japanese really get into Christmas, considering that the majority of Japanese are either Shinto or Buddhist. So I did a little research on the subject.
Christmas is not widely celebrated in Japan as not many people there are Christians. However, several customs have come to Japan from the USA such as sending and receiving christmas cards and presents. In Japan, Christmas in known as more of a time to spread happiness rather than a religious celebration. Christmas eve is often celebrated more than Christmas Day. Christmas eve is thought of as a romantic day, in which couples spend together and exchange presents. In many ways it resembles Valentine's Day celebrations in the UK and the USA. Young couples like to go for walks to look at the Christmas lights and have a romantic meal in a restaurant - booking a table on Christmas Eve can be very difficult as it's so popular!
Christmas is not a national holiday in Japan, so schools and businesses are normally open on December 25th. In Japanese Happy/Merry Christmas is 'Meri Kurisumasu'. Parties are often held for children, with games and dancing. Japanese Christmas Cake is a sponge cake decorated with trees, flowers and a figure of Santa. In Japan Santa is known as santa-san (Mr Santa). Another Japanese gift bringer is Hoteiosho, a Japanese god of good fortune from Buddhism and not really related to Christmas.
Fried chicken is often eaten on Christmas Day. It is the busiest time of year for restaurants such as KFC and people can place orders at their local fast food restaurant in advance. The traditional Japanese christmas food is christmas cake, but it's not a rich fruit cake, but is usually a sponge cake decorated with strawberries and whipped cream.
I sleep most of the day but I need to find some different meds. I look up a pharmacy and one is about 1/2 mile from me. I take a quick shower, that actually made me feel a bit better. I find the store which is very tiny but I do see the typical pharmacist behind the counter. Also in the pharmacy is an older lady and a young man, maybe 20 years old, "Watashi o tasukete", which I looked up as I was walking which means, help me. They don't speak any English so I do my best demonstration of a miserable person with bronchitis. They returned the interpretation with hand and vocal expressions of pain, nasal congestion, temperature and aches. I wish someone would have video taped this scene, because I was even laughing while we were trying to communicate. I was given a box of something that looked like it might be Contac. They gave me instructions and as I go to pay, the young man brings me three packets of kleenex, honey throat lozenges and two wet facial mask. There was no charge for these items, I think they were just trying to help me with a few things to help me feel better. I don't remember CVS ever doing that for me. The mask has a wet pad that smells like menthol and I must say this helped a lot. As I was paying my cell phone was laying on the counter and a picture of my granddaughter Sophia seemed to have appeared. The older lady noticed it and I think I was able to have her understand that it was my grand daughter. She held up one finger as to have me wait a minute. She came back with a little Hey Kitty writing pad and motioned that I should give this to her. I'm really liking all these kind gestures by people here and it makes me want to try and be that kind of a person in the future.
I get back to my place, take my new medicine and try to catch up on sleep. I'm suppose to go to the largest fish market in the world, Tsukiji Fish Market, but I have to be there around 5AM...we will see.
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