I have a confession. A first time visitor from a small European town to a Japanese city last millennium, it was raining and a department store had buckets with

I have a confession. A first time visitor from a small European town to a Japanese city last millennium, it was raining and a department store had buckets with mostly white or transparent umbrellas by the door. How civilized, I thought, that a company would provide free umbrellas to shoppers when it rains, and so I took one. Turns out that's where you out your umbrella when entering the store...