Japan pictures

I just posted some pictures I took when my family was here, and when we went to Japan.

I went to Kyoto with my family for 3-4 days, so I got to see a lot. It's reputation is true, it's a beautiful city. Japan seems more westernized than Korea and more accomodating to tourism (especially Kyoto). I think there are more high rise apartments in Korea. I stayed with my family in a hotel, so I didn't have the opportunity to make too many cultural generalizations, or try the Japanese nightlife. Like Korea, it seems like drinking is heavily involved with social occasions.

One thing that caught me by surprise is the way some Japanese people say "yes." It's "hie" in Japanese and is sometimes sharply shouted, contrasting with the Korean yes, which is "ney" and is often softly and much more slowly pronounced.

"How would you like your steak?"
"Medium, please"
"HIE!"
[momentary pause and startled look on my face where I want to ask if that is okay before I remember the waitress said yes]