School, Construction, and Sleep

School like usual and headed home.

While generally Japan is known for efficiency there are many examples where they are far from efficient. The best example of this is the Road system in Japan. Every year they get a certain amount of money from taxes and typically it is more then they need and will proceed to repave roads that do not need repaving.

Right now in front of my apartment they are repaving the main walkway. This is pavement that did not need replacing, the only cars that drive on it are the occasional moving van or the garbage truck.

One job that is common in construction is the job of the guy in the first picture. His job is to stand around and when people walk by he motions to walk where they were headed in the first place. I guess by doing this it prevents a complete idiot from walking into the paving equipment. Sometimes with road construction you'll see a life size painted cartoon character with a moving arm to do the same job that real people are hired for.

The second picture here is a of a guy sweeping the ground down pavement with a broom that looks like it's made from straw or something. Often in Tokyo you'll see a city worker with a similar broom sweeping up fallen leaves or bits of trash.