Osaka

N700 Shinkansen

I'm now sitting on an N700 shinkansen (bullet train) returning to Tokyo from a very brief visit to Osaka, Japan's second city. I never fail to be impressed with the smoothness and swiftness of the shinkansen - utter delight! I only wish Britain could look at Japan and learn some lessons....

As I gaze from my wide window, I can see glinting rice fields flit by, convex bushes growing green tea, lush green forests, and monstrously ugly electricity pylons. Japan still has the power to interest me.

Why did I only spend 1 evening in Osaka? Well, the reason was to attend a seminar on karoshi, or death induced through overwork. A few years ago, one of my Japanese colleagues at Weathernews Inc killed himself by hanging after working unbelievable hours in the office. Some months he worked over 200 hours of overtime (so including regular working hours, I guess he worked nearly 400 hours some months)! More information on the suicide at Weathernews Inc (in Japanese) at this link.

At the end of the seminar, I was lucky enough to meet and talk to the brother of my dead colleague. He recognises that karoshi is an increasing danger to the Japanese workforce and is doing his best to fight back and leave a worthwhile legacy after the death of his brother. I wish him well.

Visiting Osaka reminded me the intense summer heat will soon arrive in Tokyo. I'm doing my best to hold off using my air conditioner until July - electricity supplies are still limited after the nuclear disaster in Fukushima last year. The Japanese have been warned that unless consumption is reduced, blackouts may occur at the peak of the summer heat.

Although I didn't manage to see the famous sights of Osaka, it was still a very worthwhile trip. The Belgian bar I visited last night was a nice place to chill out after a busy day. I actually visited Osaka some years ago with Shimogo Junior High School, so managed to see all the sights of Osaka and Kyoto then. I'm sure I'll visit Osaka again some day.