Maori Bay Boy in Japan – Part 2 

Drinking
In New Zealand, it is illegal to consume alcohol in public however in most places in Japan, it isn’t. It’s common to see people on their way home from work having a quiet drink on the train, or at the park or beach having a BBQ and beer.  There is however, a zero tolerance towards drink driving and you can’t have a single drop of alcohol if you are going to drive.

People

The Japanese people are some of the most polite people you will ever come across. At restaurants, they leave you be until you call out “sumimasen” (excuse me) at which point they are at your table, attentive and smiling, ready to take your order. As soon as you walk into a store, you will be greeted by nearly every member of staff with a warm welcome (“Irasshaimase”). Also, if you ever as someone to point you in the right direction, be prepared to have them walk you through town until you find where you are going. 

Onsen (hot springs)

Bathing naked in a beautiful natural setting next to a bunch of other men isn’t as bad as it sounds. It is surprisingly freeing and good for the wairua.  

Nature 

The manicured trees and gardens are a sight to see, especially in spring for cherry blossom season. There are also beautiful golden sand beaches to swim and surf which was something I certainly didn’t picture.

Cleanliness

For the number of people living in the large cities in Japan, the streets are surprisingly clean. Rather than throwing trash on the ground or looking for a bin, most people just take their rubbish home and recycle it.

Biking

When biking in Japan, cars are respectful towards you and you are not bound to stick to the same rules that we have in place in New Zealand. Most people don’t wear helmets and will bike in designated lanes on the footpath. You can also almost be sure that your bike will never get stolen even if it is left unlocked.

Nomihoudai / Tabehoudai 

This translates to ‘all you can drink/eat’ and is a concept that is very common over here. 1hr of all you can drink for $10 is pretty cheap if you ask me, or you will find all you can eat restaurants for $20.

Lost Items

It is not uncommon to hear stories of people losing their wallet or phone, only to find it has been handed over to the police station the next day with all the cash and belongings still inside. I have even left my phone outside on a bench seat overnight and it was still sitting in the same spot the next day!

 

As you have read, there are some rather unique things that I have encountered in my time spent over here. With all of my travels and places I have lived, Japan is an experience and culture like no other. I would highly recommend adding Japan to your bucket list destination and getting amongst it.

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Maori Bay Boy in Japan – PART 1 

Living in Japan is an experience that is hard to appreciate until you have done it for yourself. It’s difficult to explain to people back home just some of the crazy, bizarre, exciting and fantastic things this country has to offer. There is so much going on over here that everywhere you go there is something new or different to experience.

I am heading into my fourth season of rugby in Japan so I thought I would share with you some of the things that I have come to love about this country.  

Vending Machines

Japan has the most vending machines per capita in the world, somewhere around one machine for every 23 people. This is both crazy and convenient, with machines being stocked with cold drinks in the summer and warm drinks in the winter. Have you ever found yourself in the middle of a bush walk and thought “I wish there were a nice cold coke around the corner”? Well someone has, because in Japan that’s exactly what you get as you near the top of Mount Fuji. Who the lucky person is that has to stock the machine is another matter altogether.

Vending machines are on nearly every corner block, down alley ways, at parks, in front of shops and residential areas.  They also stock anything from food, drinks, toys and even cigarettes.

Transport

The public transport system over here is so reliable and convenient that there is no need for me to own a car.  I’m able to get around easily enough relying on buses, trains and even a good ol’ push bike. Travelling to Tokyo central city from my local stop, there is a train departing every ten minutes and you can bet your bottom dollar it is running on time. 

If you are travelling further within Japan, there are bullet trains called Shinkansen. These bullet trains have maximum operating speeds of 320 km/h and you can almost guarantee they also run spot on to the timetable.

The only thing to be aware of if travelling on trains in Japan in peak hour is that you will need to be prepared to be jammed in by a professional ‘pusher’!

“Konbini” – Convenience store

The corner dairy back home just doesn’t cut the mustard after a few years of going to the convenient local store in Japan. When ever I ask Japanese “where can I get this or do that?” the answer is often “Konbini.”  You can pay your bills (TV, internet, power, gas etc.), buy fresh meals, get most of your groceries, purchase concert tickets, pick up online orders and also buy alcohol. In the city, Konbini’s are basically on every corner and in the countryside, you don’t have to travel too far to find one.

Toilets

Toilets and technology = genius!

Toilet talk is usually frowned upon in general conversation; however you can’t avoid loving some good Japanese toilet chat.

In winter, you don’t have to fear the chilly feeling of a cold toilet seat as most of them are HEATED by a flick of the switch! If you are worried that people will hear the effects of last nights curry, why not play some music simply by pressing a button on the side? If your toilet paper just isn’t cutting it, you can use the water spray option followed by a quick blow dry.

You can even wash your hands at the back of the toilet to save water waste (below).  

Food, food, and more food

I could go on forever about the many different and amazing foods in Japan. Ramen, Sushi, Udon, Soba, Yakiniku, Yakitori, Kare, Karage, Okonomiyaki.. the list goes on.

My favourite food here is Japan would have to be Ramen; a wheat noodle soup usually in a meat or fish-based broth. Ramen can be found all over Japan and has various styles (with Tonkotsu being my favourite).  Although it is considered to be fast food, it takes chefs around 12 hours to make and the depth of flavour that is packed into the one bowl is incredible. If you’re ever here in Japan, put ramen near the top of your to-do list and go more than once as if just continues to grow on you. 

PART 2 TO BE SHARED NEXT THURSDAY 31st AUGUST – #TOKITALKS

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“Keep your spine in-line – it will keep your body in check.” – Jacob Ellison

This weeks #TOKITALKS blog Toki Scrum Coaches, Former Manu Samoa Prop Kas Lealamanua and Former Maori All Black Jacob Ellison share some great knowledge on scrum training in the gym – and how that transfers to the rugby field.

Key tips when training:

1. Tight-head props – keep your neck short.
2. Important when we work in the gym that we don’t try to compensate our bodies to what doesn’t hurt – get comfortable being uncomfortable.
3. Keep your spine in-line – it will keep your body in check.
4. As soon as you move your hips, your whole body moves and becomes out of line we then become compromised.
5. Practice your bind high – Keep your elbow pointed to the sky. It will encourage your body to stay strong and keep your chest wide, broad and strong.

Spanish translation/Traducción Española:

1. Pilares de lado derecho – mantener cuello corto.

2. Es muy importante cuando estemos entrenando en el gimnasio, de no compensar nuestro cuerpo para evitar el trabajo duro. Hay que acostumbrarse a estar incomodo para obtener resultados.

3. Mantén la espalda recta para mantener el cuerpo y cuello en posicion.

4. Cuando las caderas se desalinean, todo tu cuerpo se mueve y se expone a una posicion para tu oponente aprovechar la oportunidad de ganar.

5. Practica el “tomar” de tu brazo alto en el scrum, con tu codo mirando hacia el cielo. Esto hará que tu cuerpo se mantenga fuerte y mantenga tu pecho ancho y fuerte.

FEEL FREE TO SHARE OR COMMENT ON OUR BLOG POST!

Kas Lealamanua playing history:
– Manu Samoa Test Prop 
– Wellington Lions NPC
– Hawkes Bay NPC
Current role: Toki Services Head Scrum Coach

Jacob Ellison playing history:
– Wellington Lions NPC
– Hurricanes 
– Highlanders
– Sanix Blues Top League
– Kurita Water Industires
– Maori All Blacks 
Current role: Toki Services Director, Toki Scrum Coach

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“My passion rugby really grew the more I played, but the real catalyst was Sonny Bill Williams, being a famous rugby player as well as being Muslim. He became such a role for me growing up and even to this day.” – Hamza Dean 

                                    

“To have a room full of strangers cheering you on to push past your perceived limits is pretty special and I’d only found this kind of camaraderie in the tight knit rugby teams I’d played for over the years.” – Semesa Manulevu