As a fervid student of Japan (more frozen crab vending machines per capita than any country on earth!), I have long sought to understand the conduct and habitat of the Japanese commuter. One example of this is the Kanto/Kansai escalator phenomenon. You may have heard about regional differences in escalator usage: Which side is for standing, and which side is for allowing self-important corporate poseurs to bound up the steps three at a time?