Going to town on the pearly whites

There are certain things that one takes for granted in Japan after a while. What may seem curious at best on first viewing is rapidly regarded as par for the course after the third or fourth encounter. Some examples include: buying ready-made peanut butter sandwiches with the crusts already lopped off (a possible reason for the lack of hairy chests in Japan); the wearing of a white medical mask if you are ill in order to prevent those around from becoming ill too; a special pair of toilet slippers to don for your trip to the porcelain throne; and who could forget the communal public baths where everything is left to hang out.
Today’s visit to Elementary School brought one such matter to mind – synchronised tooth brushing. I don’t brush after lunch – I’m a morning and night guy and all my teeth haven’t fallen out yet. I’m not suggesting that my dental habits are better than anyone else’s, but they have stood me in good stead and given me the winning smile I have today. My students all brush after lunch. At Junior High School this left to the students’ discretion, but at Elementary School they have a brush-in-time-to-the-music method.
After the post-lunch “gochisousamadeshita!” (it was a feast!) cry, the students reach for their brushes like a samurai would his trusty sword. Then, a designated kid hits play on the CD player and we’re off. Rest assured that it’s a suitably upbeat rhythm we dance to here, no room for slouches. The same kid who got the party started then dashes over to grab a massive cardboard arrow and wheels out an equally massive map (if you like) of a good, healthy set of nashers and guides everyone through the two minute drill, thrusting the arrow from molar to canine with the grace of a daddy longlegs. The kids don’t understand why Colin Sensei doesn’t join in with the fun, but I am here to add the “international” element to their school experience…