For my eyes only?

I just got back from Tsukuba, a lovely university town 45 minutes from Tokyo, and am finding it difficult getting back into capital city mode. In Tsukuba the streets are clean, the trees are green, everything is spacious and people look pleased to see you. In old Tokes, fascinating and wonderful as it is, things are a bit cramped and the multitudes look crowded and under slept.

Maybe it's because of this non stop crowding that the Japanese are very keen on protecting their privacy. I first noticed this in a book shop- I was at the till paying for a Kanji guide, when the shop keeper held up what looked like a pretty floral paper bag and asked me if I'd like one for my book. When I said yes he took the paper and oh-so-neatly folded it around the cover so that noone could see what I was reading. I left the shop blushing and feeling more like I'd bought a copy of 'Tits, Norks and Bouncy Bumps' than 'Kanji Master Volume One'. This practice, however, is not at all unusual. On my way home I looked around the train and almost every book was wrapped in a paper cover. In the same vein, you can also buy stickers to put on the front of your phone which render the display invisible unless you're directly facing it.

I can see why these precautions would be popular but unless someone plans to steal my identity, I have few problems with people seeing what I'm reading or writing. If someone wants to share with me the delights of Kanji Master Volume One, they're quite welcome.