Last night...

Last night a strange thing happened. I had just had a shower and was in my dressing gown (picture if you will: smoking jacket, slicked back hair, dry sherry, cigarette in long cigarette holder) and was about to sit down and watch another episode of 24 (what a great show). My doorbell rang. It was a neighbour of mine, who lived across the road.

He was clutching a sixpack of beer and some bar snacks. He asked me if I was busy.

I had absolutely no idea what in the world to say. What exactly was going on here? I took the beers and the bar snacks which he offered me giving me some more time before presenting an answer. After a few seconds of giving off a vacant/bemused stare, I told him that I wasn't busy.

So he came into my apartment, plonked himself down in front of my television, told me to crack open the beers, and then began asking the usual questions like 'Where do you come from'.

What made the whole situation particularly strange was that I really didn't know this guy from a bar of soap. I had seen him a couple of time (a couple of times!!!) in the past year, but we had never got passed saying 'Konnichiwa' or a polite nod when passing in the street.

We talked for a few hours and got merry with me still in my dressing gown throwing back the beers. However, our conversation consistently return to the subject of dogs. He was very proud to tell me that he had a prize British Bulldog, costing in excess of 1000,000 yen (it may even have been ju-hyaku man but really can't remember). I suppose through his dog, me and my neighbour had something in common - the dog and I were both British.

Since being in Japan this is never happened before.

So I am wondering - is this an aspect of Japanese custom I have never encountered before, or just a very friendly neighbour?!