Studying Japanese can be a time consuming process.  Sometimes it even becomes a chore if one is not using it everyday.

I like to view Memrise.com as a game.  I’m always competing against myself and others for a better score.  All the while, I’m learning and retaining the Japanese words and kanji needed to help further my business Japanese.  I can create my own lists or choose from any of the others in the Memrise community.  So far, I’ve found no other lists from other users that will benefit me in my quest to retain and use relevant Japanese.  That said, it’s still a young community.  There will be more and more folks adding lists in any number of languages in the near future.

Like with any other language learning tool, the user needs to be very clear on the goal.  Do you want to learn Japanese to pass the JPLT test?  Do you want to learn Japanese to hit on women?  Do you want to learn Japanese to help further your professional trajectory?  This very simple question is usually the more difficult to ask and answer.  If the language learner identifies the “why”, then Memrise and any other tool will prove to help language learning immensely.

Here’s how I use Memrise.com:

1. Identify what I specifically want to get out of Memrise
2. Create an account on Memrise.com
3. Create a spreadsheet to compile words and phrases that are relevant to my goal
4. Create 4 columns in the spreadsheet:  Japanese, Furigana, translation, use (business only, casual, guys only, etc)
5. Compile approximately 10 rows at a time on the spreadsheet
6. Login to Memrise.com
7. Add the words and test yourself a few times immediately

I’d love to hear how some of you are utilizing Memrise.com in for your Japanese studies.  Do you have any tips you can share?

A few weeks ago I was in Tokyo for business and had a free Sunday on my hands.  I’m an avid disc golf player and manage to squeeze in a few rounds per week.  I have heard that disc golf has a quite a small, loyal following in Japan.  Additionally, I’ve heard that there are disc golf courses in or near Tokyo.

I was staying in the Ginza area was so excited to learn that there was a disc golf course approximately 4 stops away on the Yurakucho line (subway line).  At the stop called 辰巳 (tatsumi), there is a huge sporting complex that houses a small 9 hole disc golf course.  It’s so close to the belly of Tokyo that you’ll be slapping yourself for not going sooner.

You can bring your own discs, but don’t bother.  It’s a short 9 hole that doesn’t allow for much more than the use of an Aviar putter from Innova.  You can rent a disc at the park office, assuming you go there during business hours.  They’ll be open on weekends too.  They can rent you an Innova Condor.  It’s more like a frisbee and less like a hard core driver or mid range disc.

Here’s how to get there:

1. Identify where you are in Tokyo and then look at a subway map for the Yurakucho line.

2. Take the Yurakucho line East-bound and get off at Tatsumi Station.

3. Exit for the sports park, etc

4. After you exit, you’ll see a pedestrian bridge and a giant dragon head made of rocks.  Walk that bridge.

5. After to walk the bridge you’ll see a giant asphalt cone.  Walk past that and then make a right down the LONG tree lined walking path.

6. Walk approximately .5 miles and you’ll see an opening or exit to the left.  You’ll see a convenience store on the corner.  It’s the only one around.  This is where you’ll purchase your water if it’s a hot day.

7. Walk past the convenience store and past the tall apartment complex

8. Go into park entrance on left.  When you walk down the path, you’ll see a small park office where you can rent very basic discs and frisbees

9. Don’t make the mistake of thinking the first tee for the disc golf course is outside of that building.  Continue walking down the path.  Just as it begins to gently wind to the right, you’ll see the tiny disc golf course on the left.

Below you’ll see the map of the 9 hole disc golf course.  If you want to play like the locals do, you can play in a skip style.  Incorporating a skip style in 9 hole disc golf on short courses requires you to keep your numbers straight.  For example, on the Tatsumi disc golf course in Tokyo, you’d tee off on #1 and aim for the #3 basket.

]]> http://www.brendondavid.com/2011/08/disc-golf-in-tokyo-closer-than-you-may-think/feed/ 0 http://www.brendondavid.com/2011/07/business-trip-to-tokyo-in-the-summertime-what-to-bring/ http://www.brendondavid.com/2011/07/business-trip-to-tokyo-in-the-summertime-what-to-bring/#comments Mon, 18 Jul 2011 03:43:10 +0000 admin http://www.brendondavid.com/?p=1218

Heading to Tokyo or a different part of Japan for a business trip?  Heading there in the summer time?  Get ready for some hot times.  It’s going to be “jungle hot” or “swamp hot”.  Can you say, “humid”?  Actually, you should probably learn how to say that.  It will be a great conversation started with your Japanese counterparts.

“mushi atsui desu neh.” – It’s hot and humid, huh?

Here is a short list of things I bring on summertime business trips.

1.  It will be in high 88F most days and feel like 95F due to insane humidity (or hotter, depending on when you go)

2.  Be prepared for potential rain

3.  You’ll have no issues with electrical outlets if traveling from the USA

4.  Enable the international capability on your cell phones or research how to rent cell phones from Narita Airport

5.  Bring a snack that can be shared by teams as a gift.  NO CHOCOLATE or COFFEE (too hot for chocolate and they both have free or heavily subsidized coffee/drink vending machines).  Must be wrapped and inside a nice bag.  Or at least in a nice bag with nice tissue paper.

6.  No neck ties (if you are going to meet with existing clients that have already expressed that you shouldn’t bother with them)

7.  Dress nice on the very 1^st day, since you may meet new team members that you’ve not met in person before.  Then follow their lead for the following days of meetings

8.  On other days, dress in short sleeve button-ups with super nice denim or cotton pants.  (be aware of swamp-ass since you’ll be sitting on hot trains walk quite a bit and the offices may not have much AC)

9.  You can’t purchase deodorant there.

10.  No flip flops

11.  Bring stack of business cards (at least 30)

12.  Bring more cash than you think you need or feel comfortable walking around with in your home country.  Don’t rely on credit cards.  I bring about $700-800 USD for a week’s trip to Japan

Stuff Brendon typically brings:

1.  tiny travel umbrella (or buy one there)

2.  at LEAST 1 undershirt for each work day (M-W) day I’m there.

3.  short sleeve (starched) button up from Ross or Marshalls for work days

4.  at LEAST 1 pair of socks for each day we’re there in Japan

5.  Shoes that can “stand up” to rain travel and slogging from meetings to cabs to restaurants, etc

6.  Very light rain jacket/shell

7.  handkerchief (3-4)

8.  shoulder bag for night time and off days (for camera, passport, umbrella, food, water, trash, etc)

Remember that it get’s really hot in Tokyo during the summer time.  It has what is called the “heat island” effect.  Since there is very little vegetation, the heat simply radiates off of the cement and buildings.

We all know the trauma associated with the Earthquake, Tsunami and Nuclear Disaster (東北関東大震災) that occurred in Fukushima, Japan.  We’ve seen the destruction on television and the Internet.  What many people have not seen is what is referred to as the “Fly-jin” phenomenon.  A spin-off of the term used for foreigners in Japan (Gaijin), this word “Fly-jin” was coined to wrap a name around the mass exodus of white-collar professionals following the tragic natural and nuclear disaster.  Some say that as much as 40% of the foreign white-collar of the workforce have left Tokyo since March.

I came to know this term while having lunch on a hot, steamy day near Shibuya this past week.  Sharing a dish of broiled fish and cold wheat tea, a colleague told of his experience during the disaster.  In part of his story, he mentioned the word “Fly-jin”.  What a genius term.

His experience, like millions of others in the Tokyo and greater Kanto region of Japan during this disaster, was something out of the movies.  It goes a little something like this…

He and his clients, with which he was about to finalize a deal, were at the coat check on the top floor of the Hilton in Shinjuku when it all happened.  The walls began to shimmer and then everybody was thrown to the floor and against the walls.  It was beyond vertigo and feeling queezy.  This was more like being thrown around like a rag doll.  By the time they could get to a side door it had already become jammed.

While the Shinjuku Hilton was a hotel with which he was familiar, that was the only exit he knew on that floor.  They opted to run (as best they could) down the hall past employees cowered on the floor covering their heads and not responding to shouts of “Where are the stairs?!  Where is the exit?!”  Luckily, they were able to find the exit and stumble down the stairs.  With the surrounding buildings still shaking and people in shock in the streets, he ran to the large Chuo Park across the street.

As the aftershocks began to strike, people began to become more terrified.  He took that as his queue to begin his journey to the middle of the park so that he could be away from any potential falling poles or building pieces.  With each aftershock he could hear the sizzle sounding of the sakura tree buds as they shimmered against one another.  This was the icing on the cake for a very real and traumatic situation.

After leaving the Shinjuku area and heading towards Shibuya station, he continued his walk home along the actual rail tracks and sidewalks leading to his family.

He, like so many millions of others, trudged for hours along the somber pathways to their friends, family and loved ones.  This was before anything about the nuclear disaster.  In their minds, the earthquake was bad enough.  It wasn’t until everyone made it home and turned on the TV that that they learned of the true horror of the disaster.

For many of the foreign white-collar professionals, it was time to leave Japan as soon as they could.  Everything from Coca Cola to global financial firms began to see their foreign employees jump on the first out of the country that they could find.  “Fly-jin” had begun.

Now, a few months later, people are still leaving and jobs opportunities are abound.  Nobody knows if we’ll see a reversal of “Fly-jin” and what the true effect will be on the international business community in Tokyo.  Let’s hope that it doesn’t leave too much of a mark.

What most people don’t realize is that there is so much to see in Tokyo that does not revolve around the JR Yamanote line.  Next to Shibuya and Meguro, this little gem is where you want to go to feel like you are in an odd hybrid of Japan + Paris.  The area around Setagaya park is where I suggest you go to take a load off and sip a coffee, grab a vegan meal, wash it all down with an organic Japanese beer and go pick-up a fresh loaf of Parisian style bread for the ride home.

Here are some of the great things near the Setagaya Park in Tokyo.  One of them is arguably the coolest and most relaxing Tokyo vegan restaurants.

Olu Olu Cafe (Vegan Cafe)

This is the place you want to go for a great, relaxing vegan meal or snack.  They walls are open-air so on nice days you get the perks of eating outside without the noise of the neighborhood.  They have organic beer and wine.  It’s a casual sort of place.  It feels downright tropical.  Don’t be surprised if you hear some reggae music piped through the speakers.  The proprietors are quite nice and always ready to smile.  Here is the Olu Olu Cafe entry on Tabelog.

Setagaya Park 世田谷公園　 (5 minute bus ride from Shibuya Station)

This park is great.   If you have kids (kids the age that still like playgrounds), do yourself the favor and spend a morning here.  You and your kids will be so happy.  Hey, grab a vegan snack from Olu Olu Cafe and eat at the park.  This park has everything: tons of trees, tennis, baseball, archery, skateboarding, mini-train for young kids, DIY playground.  The playground is the sort of place that everybody wishes they had growing up.  It is all hand made with plywood and lumber.  There is no plastic and no metal.  It’s like a huge fort complex.  It’s completely shaded in dense forest and is flush with Tarzan rope swing, mock food stands, etc.

Nozy Coffee Shop

This is one of the cooler coffee shops I’ve seen in Tokyo.  While it’s not worth a bus ride just for the coffee shop, it is definitely worth the stop while in the area.  It’s minimalist-meets-nordic-meets-Japanese style.  There are a few stools near the window on the upper level.  If it’s too crowded, act like a local and take your coffee to go or to the Setagaya Park.  Here is the Nozy Coffee entry on Tabelog.

H Tokyo

This is the hippest handkerchief boutique you’ve never heard of.  Do yourself the favor and go check this place out.  If you go to Tokyo and don’t have a handkerchief, you’ll soon realize that you’ll need one ASAP.  H Tokyo has a great concept.  They use the same textiles that fashion companies use for dress shirts.  That carries a much bigger cool factor in Tokyo where the average young businessman looks like he just stepped off a boat from Paris.  They also have some custom pieces that are like artwork.   Apparently, this place has been receiving a lot of press in the fashion magazines in Japan.  Pricey, but can one really put a price on coolness?  Here is the H Tokyo website.

How to get to the Setagaya Park area:

1. Get to Shibuya Station

2. Take the West Exit (follow the yellow signs)

3. When you exit you you will see a small bus depot

4. Walk across and go to the bus stand for Buses 21, 22 or 23.  They all go the same direction.  Cost: 210 Yen

5.  You’ll be on a main road for approximately 5-10 minutes (depending on traffic)

6.  Get off at “Mishuku” stop (pronounced: Mee-shu-ku).  That’s on the corner of a well known area called Minshuku Crossing

7.  When you get off the bus, you’ll take a right and walk the direction the bus travels after it drops you off.  Walk 2 blocks and you’ll Olu Olu cafe on your left after the police stand on the corner.

TIP: You can tell/ask the bus driver “Mishuku Kosaten” (pronounced:  Mee-shuku Koh-sah-ten).　三宿交差点

Tips:

1. Gather a few words you use in your normal life in English (don’t pick lame book vocab…pick stuff you actually say in your native tongue)
2. This of a scenario recently where you planned “A”, but “B” happened.
3. Write down some simple situations. Ex: “I planned to go to the party, but it was canceled.”
4. Find the Japanese translation

ところが　- Connector phrase for situations when something contradictory happens.  “A” was planned, but “B” happened.

NOTE: it can be a good situation or a bad situation. Must always follow the “ta” form of the verb…regardless of tense.  The tense of the sentence will be dictated by the main clause/point.

Bad Situations

例１：

I went to Ginza Ramen Shop, but it was already closed.

銀座ラメン屋に行ったところが,もう閉まっていた。

例２：

I planned on sending the email to Mr. Kobayashi, but my Internet access crashed.

小林さんにメールを送くるつもりと思っていたところが、インタネット・アクセスがクラッシュしてしまった。

Good Situations

例３：

I wasn’t expecting much, but the food was great.

あまり期待していなかったところが、食べ物は美味しかった。

例４：

Although I was expecting a bad traffic, it only took 10 minutes to get to the restaurant.

光津渋滞を期待して思てったところが、レストランへは10分かかった。

This a book that you should read if you are a fan of Japan, mob stories, Tokyo, saitama, kabukicho, snack bars, hostess bars or anything related to the yakuza.  Jake Adelstein did a great job of “pulling back the kimono” on the mysteriousness for which Japan is known.  On the surface, it appears to be an autobiography about the yakuza and not much more.  However, if approached the way one would approach Japanese culture then the subtleties that fill in the cracks are what make this book what it is.

The book is divided into 3 main sections:  college grad wants to be a reporter in Japan, young reporter finds himself in the middle of yakuza, reporter grows and understands how the police and yakuza truly work.

Adelstein, like many exchange students living in Japan, wanted to grow his language skills as quickly as possible.  He decided to combine his journalistic skills with his Japanese ability.  He did what no foreigner ever does.  He signed himself up to take the entrance examination for the Japanese media.  The catch was that he was a foreigner and the test was 100% in Japanese.  He passed and was offered a job at the Yomiuri newspaper covering the police beat.  Most, if not all, rookies are placed on the police beat when they begin their journey into the complex and sometimes nonsensical waters of Japanese journalism.

Adelstein goes on to spend most of his time in Saitama and Tokyo.  As he grows as a journalist, he befriends prostitutes, policemen, pimps and all sorts of folks that have dealings with the underworld or what is called the “Water Trade”.  Though Adelstein is never fully sucked into the shady world of the Water Trade, he works with the key players to get more information for ongoing stories.

These connections place his path right in the way of the yakuza.  Over the years, Adelstein holds many meetings and conversations with key mobsters that keep him alive.  Adelstein wins their respect because he understands Japanese culture and because he takes major risks that the average person wouldn’t take with high ranking yakuza.

There are many other tidbits about this book that really make it a wonderful read, but I won’t spoil it here for you.  Grab the audiobook or paperback and you’ll not be disappointed.

Allison day of SushiDay.com and Brendon David of BrendonDavid.com at WordCamp LA 2010. photo by Bryan Villiran

This past weekend, LMU hosted the 2nd annual WordCamp LA.  Like 2009, WordCamp LA 2010 was an undeniable success.  Of the many great sessions I attended, Allison Day’s session was the type of lecture I love to see at events like this.  All too often many perspective attendees opt not to attend due to the intimidation factor.  The truth is, that many felt WordCamp LA was going to be too advanced.  I can think of 3 different associates that decided against attending for those very reasons.

Day’s session was the perfect type of session for a person new to using WordPress:  Web Development for Beginners: Decoding the Code Behind Your WordPress Theme. She did a masterful job of  presenting a topic that scared the crap out of most of us when we first began blogging.  I wish I was able to attend this lecture years ago when I was spinning with confused thoughts of PHP, HTML and CSS.  Sometimes all it takes is a professional or expert to explain things in simple, digestible terms.  Day did *just* that.

WordCamp LA is designed for all folks.  Whether one be a super techie guru or a new blogger that just wants to write about yoga or travels, this event is worth attending.  In addition to all of the great lectures, the attendees are as diverse, interesting and engaging as you’ll find at a computer event.

To all of you that told me you were thinking about attending WordCamp LA 2010 and didn’t, you missed out.  This was the session you should have attended.  If you’re lucky she’ll be presenting at WordCamp 2011.

On a side note, she just returned from a trip to Tokyo, Japan.  Check out her site and see the photos from that Tokyo adventure.  She and Son did a great job of capturing a lot of the subtleties of Japan through fantastic photography.

This is what I like to call the Shibuya Loop.

This a fun way to see the busiest intersection in the world just out side of the Shibuya stn and to walk through the Shibuya Senta Gai (series of narrow walking streets filled with bars, shops, stores and anything else you can imagine.  Not too many foreigners in this area.  Then it you’ll head to Harajuku and see all of that craziness.  You’ll wander around the back streets of Harajuku for a while, then you can work your way back to Omotesando Subway station (purple line station that you transferred to from the green Chiyoda line that will take you back to Akasaka).  Super easy.

This is the ultimate, fastest and most epic way to make use of your vacation time in Tokyo.  The truth is that when most people are visiting Tokyo they don’t realize that they have to plan and stick to that plan because there is so much time and money tied to traveling via subway and train.

SHIBUYA – ( http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2976604 )

• From the Akasaka subway station (which is the forrest green Chiyoda Line) take that a few stops up to the Omotesando station.
• Transfer to the Hanzomon line (purple) and get off at Shibuya station.  Look at the yellow signs above and on the walls to find the “Hachiko Exit”.  Shibuya station is MASSIVE with a zillion different train lines and levels and stuff.  Don’t let that throw you off.  Hachiko is a VERY well known exit.  You’ll find it easily by just saying “Hachiko?” and people can point you in the right direction if you miss all of the signs.
• Once you exit the station, you’ll be facing a massive intersection (busiest in the world) with a huge 2 story Starbucks staring at you from across the street.
• Go that direction and continue past the Starbucks on the left side down the walking streets.
• Just hang out down there and take random turns down alleys and stuff.  Really cool.
• THEN,

• Go back to Shibuya station and get on the Green JR Yamanote line.  This is the above ground line that forms an oval around Tokyo.  
• Take this to the next station called Harajuku.  If you are good with maps and walking you can easily walk there, but if you aren’t so hot with maps, then just jump on the train and you’ll be at Harajuku station within 3 minutes
• When you exit, you have two options:  1)  go see Meiji Shrine  or 2) skip shrine and continue through Harajuku.  I strongly suggest you go to the Meiji Shrine first.  Really major shrine in Tokyo and beautiful.   
• For Meiji Jingu, take a right out of the station and walk just a short way and you’ll see all of the trees surrounding the shrine and you’ll see a lot of kids loitering in front of it.  That’s a main hangout spot for gothic kids.
• After you’re done with Meiji Shrine, walk back towards the JR train station you left from and pass it.  You’ll come to a big walking street on the right with a McDonalds.  Take that right.  (you’ll see on the map it’s like a 3 min walk from the entrance of the Meiji Shrine)
• Walk that way and cruise down this very famous area.  You’re going to see all sorts of young fashion and funny stuff
• Once that ends at the main street, cross to the opposite side of street
• Once you’ve spent enough time rolling back there, go back to the boulevard with the trees.  Go LEFT
• After about 1/2 mile or 1 mile, you’ll see the Omotesando station (purple line) and you’ll be able to jump right back on the forest green Chiyoda Line back to Akasaka

The challenge in locating Daikanyama is that the train line that serves that area is off the radar for most tourists and travelers.  The best way to get there is to walk.  Speaking of walking, you’re going to do a large amount of it while in Japan.  Bring comfortable shoes.

The easiest way to get to Daikanyama is to exit Shibuya Station from the Hachiko Exit.  Though this exit puts you on the opposite side of the station, it’s the easiest to locate in Shibuya Station’s maze of exits.  Below you’ll find a link (in the blue text below) that will enable to you visually see how to get there and back.  If you’d like the step by step version in text, we tossed that in there too.

The Saiko Daikanyama Loop

1.  Get to Shibuya Station.  Look at the yellow signs above and on the walls to find the “Hachiko Exit”.  Shibuya station is MASSIVE with a zillion different train lines and levels and stuff.  Don’t let that throw you off.  Hachiko is a VERY well known exit.  You’ll find it easily by just saying “Hachiko deguchi wa?” and people can point you in the right direction if you miss all of the signs.

2.  When you exit that, look for the police box and giant map to the right.  Can’t miss it.  Pass it and take a right.  That will take you under a shaded rail line.

3. At the main street signal about 100 meters up, take a right and take that all the way down.

4.  Walk down for about a mile or so, then turn right where the map tells you to above

Once you feel like your in the belly of the area (you’ll know when) begin to make turns down the alleys and side streets.  That’s where all of the hippest shops are located.

Hiroko Fukuda has brought us a fantastic book for learning Japanese called Jazz Up Your Japanese with Onomatopoeia.  If you’re like us and have had a challenging time learning another language, then you know the suffering and pain associated with conjugations, specialized vocabulary and not sounding like a total loser.

Not only does this book cover words that you’d never learn studying for the JPLT Level 2 or the JETRO test, it provides natural situations in which they can be used.  Genius!

We’ve included the 1st situation below to give you a taste of what they offer.  Have fun.

“A New Lease on Life”　ｂｙ：福田ひろこ

Takahashi of the Marketing Department at Heiwa Securities and his boss, Section Cheif Sato, drop by a bar after work. The beer has just arrived.

高橋　「今日は参りましたね、課長。もうへとへとですよ。」

佐藤　「がんがん飲もう。俺がおごるよ。」

高橋　「はあ。有難う御座います。まあどうぞ。」
（課長のグラスにビールを注ぐ。ビールがあふれそうになって。）

佐藤　「おうっとっと。。。。ぎりぎりすることばっかりで、喉もからからだな。」

高橋　「全くですね。一日中どたばたして、ぺこぺこ頭をさげまわって。」
（佐藤さんにビールを注ぎながら）

佐藤　「ま、こういうときにはじたばたしたって駄目なもんだよ。」

高橋　「はあ、どうも。 （注がれたビールを一口飲んで）うまい。冷えている。やっぱり すかっとします ね、ビールは。

佐藤　「ちびちび飲んでないで、ぐうっといこうよ、ぐうっと。」
（さらに高橋さんにビールを注ぐと、高橋さんはいきいよく飲み干して）

高橋　「課長こそどんどんいきましょう。」
（佐藤課長、このところ目立ってきたおなかをさすりながら）

佐藤　「どんどんはいいけど、水を飲んでも太る体質でね。まあいいか、今日のところは。」 　
（課長にビールを注ぎ終えたところに、注文したおつまみがくる。）

店員　「へい、お待ちどう、焼き鳥５人前。」

—————————————————————-
Vocabulary
へとへと- worn out, completely tired, exhausted
がんがん- extremely strong or violent action
きりきり- stress or tension or pain due to haste and hard work…tightly wound person
からから- completely dry…containing no moisture
とたばた- rushing around from place to place wildly (when used for oneself, it’s humble)
ぺこぺこ- bow one’s head in a fawning or groveling manner
したばた- to panic or become flustered when confronting imminent problem
すかっと- clear, refreshing…free from bad feelings
ちびちび- action done slowly and steadily
ぐっとう- action done with all one’s energy and focus
どんどん- action done continuously and vigorously…w/out hesitation or delay

ISBN 4-7700-2956-X

Gropers in Tokyo get a monkey wrench thrown in their plans after the JR train line launches “women only” train cars.  Japan has many things that make it endearing and unique.  However, one of the sleazier sides of the country are the perverts that grope and talk dirty to innocent women on the crowded trains in Tokyo and other major cities.

The sad truth is that Tokyo and it’s surrounding bedroom communities are overcrowded.  This becomes painfully clear each morning and evening when business people are commuting.  Like a bacteria in a stagnant pond, this is where the perverts thrive.

Finally, Japan Railways (JR) is beginning to do something about it.  This has been serious problem for so many years that they finally created a “females only” car on one of the busiest train lines (Chuo Line) for commuters to Tokyo that passes through the busiest train station in the world called Shinjuku Station.  Fortunate women who can get a space on the special “female only” car are able to be crammed like sardines like the rest of the commuters, but without mystery hands grabbing for their unmentionables.

Though perverts, “chikan”, prey primarily on Japanese women, ex-patriot females have been known to fall victim to the groping hands.  Women are told bits of advice here and there.  Sometimes conductors will announce over the loud speaker to be careful of gropers.

One way to ensure a groper thinks twice before whispering low perverted phrases or grabbing a woman at a future date is to get aggressive.  You can grab his wrist,  jerk his hand in the air and then scream “chikan!”  This employs the embarrassment tactic that is a highly effective angle in Japan.