"John W." wrote:

> Ed wrote:
>
> > Japanese are not kind.
> >
> Coming to this conversation late, but suprised it took twelve years.
> When our son was six or so months old my wife went to back to Japan for
> a few months to be with her family. She said not once did anyone bother
> to hold open a door for her when she'd go out with our son in the
> stroller. In fact, one instance stands out clearly for her. She was
> struggling in a very chilly rain (very light) one morning, holding an
> umbrella, opening the door to the Sanyo in Himeji, trying to push the
> stroller with her leg, when a man pushed through in front of her. Bad
> enough that he didn't help out, didn't hold the door or something, but
> he actually pushed his way through like she was holding the door for him.
>
> One sign of the more or less pervasive 'lack of kindness' is the lack of
> escalators going in both directions, if they exist at all. The system
> was built and designed for young healthy workers; no consideration was
> given for the elderly or handicapped.

Same for the much of the rest of the city or society. It's as if people with
physical disabilities including many elderly, are simply meant to stay at
home if they can't manage alone. Whoever came up with the "Japanese toilet"
did not have people with poor balance or weak legs in mind at all, much less
the elderly or handicapped, yet they are so prevalent even today in public
places such as stations in cities. How women in kimono managed, I do not
know.

--
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