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Sumiko, an old friend of mine, spent the last three years
working for a Japanese bank in London. She came back
to Tokyo about two months ago. We got together last
night for a drink. She told me about some of the cultural
differences between living in Japan and in England. One
big difference is that very few people in England carry a lot of cash; they write
checks, or get money from automatic bank machines whenever they need it. She
also said that she didn't enjoy English food very much. That
didn't matter, because there are many cheap Italian, Chinese, and Indian restaurants
that serve great tasting food. It was also difficult
for her to find clothes for small women; she often had to buy children's clothing
and footwear. Instead of using her hanko, she used
her signature at work and at the bank. Sumiko said
that she enjoyed her time in London, but was also happy to be back in Japan with
her friends and family. | 
