On Japan and the physical
Lets talk about bodies; the physical manifestation of humanity. As someone who did a cross between social and biological anthropology at university, I of course am extremely interested in the body, both from a social and biological perspective, and how these two things overlap to create the human experience of the body (which is different everywhere because culture, but you should know that). Being here for four months now, I have become aware of Japanese physicality, my own physicality in contrast, as well as how foreigners (including myself) pick up 'Japanese' physical habits or behaviours. These experiences, and differences, in experience range from the my perceived difference in expectations of how someone else exists in their body, such as when other foreigners display outwardly Japanese bodily behaviours, or the noting of obviously different Japanese bodily habits, the importance placed on certain bodily 'chores', such as washing hands, and how my own physicalit...