Completely Gross: the copper-haired, shaggy, sloppy suited, mushy-mouthed, perpetually smoking twenty-something boys who hang out outside departo and train stations hassling women to be in amateur porn. Fascinating to me is that they all look and act exactly the same way, in every train station and at every departo. Even the nasty sukibe fringe must follow a rigorous code of dress and conduct, I suppose. It is Japan, after all.

Completely Amazing: Women who literally hobble or drag their feet in 4 inch heels all day long. What's worse, there's practically no sitting in Japan. Hiroko says it is because Japanese women take exactly what is in Vogue and translate it into everyday wear. Well, yeah -- that is what makes everyday Japanese fashion so kickass. But someone should tell these poor girls that those models are wearing those shoes for like a minute, and then throwing on ugly Sienna Miller furry boots or a pair of sneakers to actually wear out. Plus, you don't look good if you're hobbling, or scraping your poor Jimmy Choos along the cobblestone. There is a huge phenomenon of highheel hobbling and foot-dragging in Japan, and at first I thought it was that many women didn't know how to walk in stilettos. I realize now that it is because of pain. Next life: Japanese podiatrist

NP: Bauhaus Live In Berlin 2006. Don't go waving your pretentious love.