Long ago, people believed that dead people came back to life on October 31. This day is called Halloween. Nowadays, people go to parties or “trick or treat” on Halloween. They dress up in costumes as ghosts, scary skeletons, or their favorite anime characters. Then, they walk around in their neighborhood, knock on doors, and ask for sweets. If their neighbor does not give anything, the trick-or-treaters will play harmless tricks on the family.

Although Halloween started in Europe, now people across the world enjoy it as one of their annual events. Even people living in Japan do so too. But some people complain about this new custom. They say people joining this event tend to behave rudely on the street and leave a lot of trash in the neighborhood.

In Japan, if you do something wrong, your parents lock you out of the house. You might have the experience of being told, “Get out of the house!” In the States, however, you are forbidden to leave the house. We call this ” being grounded.” This cultural difference suggests a deeply embedded concept of what a “house” represents. Locking children out suggests that home is a place where they want to be, a place of safety and solace. The outside world is a dangerous place where children must face their punishment for breaking the rules. By contrast, forbidding a child to go outside suggests that being confined to the house is distressing. A difference in culture is a difference in perspective.

Hi Eric,

Sorry that I haven’t replied to you sooner. I just got assigned to a big project this week. I worked three hours of overtime yesterday and still had to get up at six this morning. You’d think that after ten years of working in Tokyo, I’d be used to this lifestyle, right? But guess what, I’m not! But I have something to look forward to now. There’s this cute girl who just started working with us, but I’ll tell you more about her some other time. Anyway, enough about me.

How are you doing? You know, I think I’ll have a little more time next week. So hopefully I’ll be able to meet you for a coffee or something. When will you be available next week? Please let me know.

Cheers,

Tom

In America, the legal smoking age differs from state to state. The most common smoking age is 18, but in some states you can’t smoke until you’re 19. Some states used to allow smoking at age 16. The price of cigarettes is usually higher in America than in Japan. In New York city, a pack of cigarettes costs more than ten dollars. Furthermore, smoking is mostly prohibited in public areas. Even in Japan, there are rules for smokers. Japanese people are not allowed to smoke in train stations, or while they walk along the street.

Many Americans new in Japan are changing their diets for the better. They are trading in a high-carbohydrate, high-fat American diet for something more “Japanese”. The first big change, for many, is their increased consumption of fish. “I never ate this much fish back in America,” said Jim Benson, an American who moved to Japan recently. Soy products and seaweed are next on this list for many Americans. These products are known to reduce the risk of heart disease and high blood pressure. “Japanese meals in general look and taste nice and are healthier, I think,” said Benson. Benson wants more Americans to know about the health benefits of Japanese food. When he tries an especially healthy Japanese dish, he features it on his blog, “Eating Healthy in Japan.”

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Some people find it strange that Japanese people celebrate Christmas. Japanese people seem less likely than Americans to be celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Indeed, the Christian population in Japan is said to be less than one percent. Then why is it that we see so many Christmas decorations and hear many Christmas songs during the holiday season? For one, many people in Japan spend their Christmas not with family but with a boyfriend or girlfriend. In a way, Christmas is just another “special occasion” in Japan, a reason to buy gifts or eat special food. In America, however, people spend their time with family on Christmas. To show respect and understanding for other religions, many Americans simply say “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas.”