Japan

The wife of my neighbour will move to Switzerland, because she got a new job there. He will stay in Germany because he owns a company. They own a house, have a dog and are pretty busy all the time. They also have 4 children. The children will move with her.

The dog stays with him, but it was her who wanted the dog by any means two years ago. I´do not know how they feel and if they are happy. I wouldn´t be.



This morning I realised that I am addicted to the onsen in the evening. It´s really strange. I figured out, that when I´m not going to the onsen in the evening following will happen:

- I don´t sleep tight
- some muscle is aching next morning (every time a different one)
- I feel kind of melancholic

My theory: Onsen, chocolate, body contact and other well known things will cause the production of endorphines in my body. Since I have not very much chocolate here in Japan and have not very much body contact (not to talk about the other well known things) I have to go to the onsen.

During the first weeks in Japan I realised that public body contact (like hugging) is not very common in Japan. So I´m really glad whenever I see a couple hugging. It´s not only my experience. Also other people have the same thoughts. In Germany for example its very common to hug a person If you like her/him and when you are good friends. It somehows shows that you will be there for him or her. In Japan it seems to be different.
Now my theory. I experienced that the onsen helps me to be happy and to relax. Most of the Japanese like onsen. Now guess why....

Onsen is the japanese chocolate.

I spoke with a some people (who have been to Japan or living there) about the hugging situation in Japan and all seem to be sure that a little bit more body contact may be helpful in having a closer relationship to other people. I remembered that I saw a long time ago a website from the free-hug movement. The basic idea is, that a hug shows you how valuable you are and to give a good time.
I wondered if this movement is popular in Japan. The shortest way to an answer was to google. Really there are some vids you find under youtube.com. Very reserved at first but after a while it seems like this really works over the borders of different societies.

http://youtube.com/results?search_query=hug+japan&search=Search

Most of the people I tell about the free hug movement are excited. I am too. But I never went onto the street with a big label around my neck saying: "free hugs".
Maybe it´s time to do so.