Every country is weird in its own way. For example, Japan, not known as a banana…

Every country is weird in its own way. For example, Japan, not known as a banana producer, has a banana auction system called “banana tataki”, where bidders bid to the beat of a drum for a bunch. This apparently goes back to the Edo era, when bananas were a rare commodity. So if you’re in a market and see someone surrounded by bananas banging a drum, just shout out any random bid. They’re just bananas, after all. (Such an event recently took place at Ueki Ichi on Shirakawa next to the train station. If you haven’t visited yet, you should. The horumon - horse tripe stew - is much better than last year.) - William