Ice cream truck? Hisashiburi ni Japanese quirks

I've lived in Japan for four years, and I'm rarely amazed these days at some of the Japanese peculiarities that I come across in daily life, but a couple of days ago was a pleasant and unusual exception. I was sitting in my room in front of my PC when I suddenly heard a melody playing outside, becoming louder and louder, instantly reminding me of an old-fashioned ice cream truck that I remember we used to have in Holland. So I went out on the balcony to look where the sound came from but I couldn't see anything yet. It took a long time until the car where the music came from finally came into view. And it wasn't an ice cream truck...

(Be sure to turn on the audio to listen to the funky beat.)

So... why oh why does a gasoline truck go around in a residential area to deliver fuel to people's houses? Well, nobody here has central heating, so I am guessing that a lot of people will need fuel for their gas-powered heaters for the coming winter. Just leave it to Japan to be: 1. so convenient that the fuel truck stops in front of your doorstep, and 2. plays a happy melody while doing it. Sasuga desu ne...

And while we're on the topic of Japanese quirks, another typically Japanese thing happened to me today at the convenience store. I went there two days ago to buy a bunch of stuff, and apparently they forgot to put the package of cheese that I bought into my bag. (Yes, I'm Dutch, I require cheese to live, even conbini cheese will do). I didn't notice that they forgot to put it in cause I also bought a lot of other things, but today when I entered the store again one of the crewmembers approached with a tiny plastic bag with my previously forgotten bag of cheese inside! I ask you, in which other country can you expect service like this? Amazing.

Posted in Japan

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