I have been in Japan for six days

And have travelled far

I have leaned many things

Firstly how tall I am in comparison

To the average Japanese person

I am just over six tall which is not unusual

In most European countries

The second is usually not discussed in polite company

But I had assumed that Japanese women were shaven

Given their resemblance to porcelain dolls

But that is not the case as Izumi told me

When I chatted to her whilst bathing

It appears that the natural look is favoured

As it is seen as more feminine

I thought about Japan as I travelled on the Shinkansen

The bullet train that has been in service for over sixty years

Izumi is travelling with me although we are mostly silent

The theatre of this beautiful journey

Have made our conversations slowly redundant



Joe 2023