They’re just super thourough. Straight razor shave, massage, scrap the hunk out of your ears, trim your scraggly long eyebrows.

Plus, tourists don’t get haircuts very often so it’s a uniquely pure look into the culture. I also got haircuts and shaves in Vietnam and India. And Korea but I lived there so that doesn’t really count. Weirdest experience was in Korea because it was actually a prostitution joint disguised as a barbershop. I guess all the locals knew that.

I'm trying to figure out if you banged the sexworker or angered them by getting a haircut and leaving.

Sounds intriguing.
I'd love to get my head shaved with a straight razor some time.

^ Nice photo, Raime, which really brings out your sense of unease. But at least you're getting good advice from Batlord and OH.
Also, to quote Basil Fawlty, "Whatever you do, don't mention the war."

Raime, cool coat :cool:

https://i.imgur.com/v4qDxPn.jpg

Went to a Buddhist temple with them, but it was pretty intense as they were borderline zealots. My friend had a conversation with them on the origins of Buddhism, and their sect of it. Basically, they believe Japanese Buddhism came first and every other version of it branched off it.

Are they Soka Gakkai International?

Yeah, actually. It was enlightening, but never again. Definitely got cultish vibes.

They’re cultish but as far as wacky religions go they’re actually really cool. You going to Kyoto and Nara? If you do, the hiking is great, you can see Kyoto’s Kitayama-sugi (a type of giant sequoias) and it’s easy to meet people on the hikes and there’s really cool temples and shrines everywhere. You’re likely to hear the monks chanting as well.

That girl in the back was a serious hottie btw.