You brought up another point I find confusingly intriguing. In regards to your friend breaking off an engagement with a man she had a 3 year relationship. To which I find this to me more to her fault (no offense to your friend) than to her mate's. Because I can't fathom how she could be with this man for that long and not realize or believe to change his traditional ways. I think her situation is one that occurs in America often as well. For both career minded men and women whom aspire to influence their mate to settle out of their career. I'm curious though. Do you know whether this man of hers was traditional in other ways too or was it only in his ideas of her staying at home?

Good advice on the language studies. I have put quite a bit of time into it already. Anything from movies, college textbooks, reference books, audio tapes, rosetta stone, videogames, and movies. I'm trying to surround myself as much as possible with the language. Which it all combined still isn't even a fraction as useful as actually being immersed in the culture. Yet it's helping as a basic guideline for grasping the language. Plus I'm confident I can get around town in Japan without having to speak English. The language studies have been contributing to why I've learned so much about the culture and have arised with the questions I do. Books such as and of the ilk of "Japanese in Mangaland" tell a bit about the culture of Japan and set me on a personal path to fill in the blanks for what it doesn't answer upon.

Thanks again Chidoriashi. You have been doing a great job of putting my mind at ease. I'm not going to try and trap you in a chain reaction of questioning. Yet, any tips on what to expect, say, or do (in general of course) for picking up a girl at an izakaya? Is that even such a place for meeting girls at or would I just have to stick with clubs?

Oh yeah. Slightly unrelated question. What's the deal with most Japanese women not liking irezumi (tattoos?) Is it a Yakuza thing? I have 2 tattoos and am hoping it won't be an issue with deterring women.