Japan is a very special, unique little place. Well- it’s not THAT little. Especially when it holds a population of around 127 million. But what makes Japan so great? Because as soon as you step on their soil, you know there is something wonderful about the place. I’ve compiled a list of interesting characteristics about Japan and its people that have captured my love for this foreign, hello-kitty loving, beautiful place.
- CUSTOMER SERVICE.
I haven’t been somewhere that has such great customer service. They will literally run to get you what you asked for, or run around to try and make sure that the customer is happy. I once asked about a product in the grocery store and they ran to the back of the store, bagged up what I needed, and ran it back to me in under two minutes.
2. CUSTOMER SERVICE IN RESTAURANTS
The customer service in restaurants is quite different than in the U.S. Typically, they have a button at the table that you press when you are ready to order, they don’t check on you throughout your meals unless you flag someone down, you leave your table to go checkout instead of waiting for the bill there, and there is not tipping. (What?!?) I like this form of service for some reason… it just seems logical to me.
3. YOU DON’T GET PERSONAL SPACE
This was kind of weird to me at first, because I’m used to saying sorry immediately after bumping into someone. They don’t. They just go about their days, bumping into you, squeezing past you, standing really close to you- and it’s normal. They aren't trying to be rude, that’s just how the culture is. It still seems kind of strange to me, but I’m getting used to it.
4. THEIR SWEETS ARENT NEARLY AS SWEET
The desserts, pastries, and candies here aren't nearly as sweet as the ones in the U.S at all. So when they try our candy, everyone is shocked at how sweet it is! Having a giant sweet tooth, I really just like all candy, everywhere, any kind. But I wonder if that’s why they are a much healthier country than us.
5. FAMILY ORIENTED
I have noticed that Japan is pretty family oriented. Families will live together or near each other all of their lives. They will spend a lot of time together, and maybe even live next door to each other. I think it’s pretty cool. I know there are some families in the U.S that do this too, i just don’t think it’s as frequent or in such close quarters (may be good! ;))
6. SLOW PACE
I’m pretty sure it’s only this way here in Okinawa, but I haven't been up North in mainland yet so I’m not sure if it’s similar. I know Tokyo is not slow paced at all, but here in Okinawa- everything seems to move a little slower. Something about being on a tropical island surrounded by a beautiful ocean might be the cause of this. This is great, but takes me to my next point.
7. DON’T RUN LATE
Due to the slowness of the lifestyle here, if you are running late to a meeting or an event that you have to drive to, then just plan on arriving late. No, you can’t beat traffic and somehow get to where you going very quickly- you will not make it. The drivers here tend to drive slower than normal (I mean- the typical speed here is 60kph, about 37 mph). They also like to pull over randomly on the side of the road, even when there is no shoulder to pull over onto. There is about a million stoplights (or so it seems), that tend to turn red inconsistently so don’t plan on every hitting 5 green lights in a row. I’ve learned to appreciate the slow nature of the road, but I just have also learned to not run late.
8. THEY ARE SMALL
I can’t decide if thats offensive, because I’m really not trying to be. But Japanese people are a lot smaller than Americans. And if you’re tall like I am- you will stand out. You will also not fit in their clothes. That’s why they have created a “Super Size Store” (that’s what it’s called), for people like me. Makes me feel even bigger….
9. VERY FEW KNOW ENGLISH
Japanese schools typically require the children to learn English for a couple years when they are younger. However,without consistent practice and like any language someone is trying to learn- you can lose it quickly. I thought more people would know English when coming over, but very few actually do. You can definitely get by without knowing much Japanese through hand gestures and pointing to things, but don’t assume that they will understand you. Also- yelling in English doesn't make someone understand you better. Just saying. Which brings me to my final point.
10. THEY ARE VERY FRIENDLY
The Japanese people are very nice whenever you go to a restaurant or a store. Even if you don’t know their language, they will help you and they will be friendly towards you. That being said, I do think that it’s respectful that if you are coming to their country, that you at least try to learn some basic phrases. I know they appreciate any effort.
Japan is a wonderful place but I can’t speak for the whole country. I’ve only been here in Okinawa but all of these facts ring true here. I really love it here, sometimes for odd reasons. It’s beautiful and the people are lovely. The culture is very different from the U.S, but so wonderful in its own way.
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