I haven’t been home around this time of the year for the past few years, but if my memory serves me right, many stores have already put up holiday decorations, encouraging you to start thinking about buying gifts and decorations. Well, Christmas is here in Japan as well — encroaching earlier and earlier every year. Tokyu Hands has a huge display of Christmas stuff as does Daiso, everybody’s favorite 100 yen shop, and convenience stores, which are starting to sell winter candy (white chocolate, tiramisu flavors…). It almost reminds me of home… except for the fact that Christmas is a commercial holiday here. Couples and children celebrate it, but I doubt many of them can tell you the meaning of Christmas.

I realize that most people would probably argue that Christmas is commercial in the U.S. as well, but as a Christmas-connoisseur, I have to say that it’s not the same.

Number portability has begun today in Japan. This is the rule that took effect in the U.S. too about three years ago that allows you, the customer, to take your phone number with you when you switch service providers. The rule is supposed to make it easier for unhappy customers to leave their existing services, thereby increasing competition. Japanese operators have been preparing for this for the last two years.

I wrote about this in the U.S. three years ago, and while I was in Japan by the time the rule actually took effect, I heard complaints that the entire transaction took days initially partly because operators weren’t keen on making it easy for customers to leave. By that standard, changing services is super-speedy in Japan, where it’s unthinkable to disobey a rule. I just saw a television program in which they measured how long it would take to switch services. The verdict 1 hour and 40 minutes. AND they were complaining.

Those who’ve been to Japan know about the Japanese love for packaging. Candies, chocolates and cookies are individually wrapped and sealed in a bigger bag at grocery stores. At department stores, you find individually wrapped snacks in bags in fancy tin boxes, wrapped in a beautiful paper and then placed in a bag before they hand it to you. It’s all quite ridiculous. I’ve yet to reconcile this behavior with the Japanese almost-obsession with envirnomental issues. But that’s another issue.

Given this propensity for packaging, I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised when my forwarded mail came packaged by the post office after I moved. Mail that was sent to my old address gets placed in a clear plastic envelope. A sticker with my new address is neatly placed in the center. It’s really amazing.

The past two nights, I`ve been woken up by a mistaken phone call from The Obituary Store of all places. I know this even though they just hung up without saying anything the first night because we have caller ID. While I’m sure they had no clue that they called up a Chicago VoIP line on the other side of the world, it was definately jarring to see “Obituary Store” on your phone at 3 a.m.. But as annoyed as I was, curiosity got to me. I’d never heard of an obituary store.

A quick search on Google pulled up the Web site. The store was apparently started by a former insurance agent, who discovered a talent for writing obituaries when he wrote one for his late uncle.
According to a National Examiner article on the Web site, the store sells obituaries from $95 to $800 for a laminated life story with photos. But wait! If you register today (you have to register even if it’s just to check out the online store), you can buy a memorial plaque for $29.95!

Who knew there was a business in this.