Even after all my years in Japan, I can’t help but agree
Through my personal, informal survey of what visitors to Japan find the most stand out and memorable, I have compiled this list of Japan’s top 10 awesome characteristics.
#10 — Polite drivers
Speed limits are low. Car safety inspections are mandatory, as is registered proof of a private parking place for your vehicle. Cars are generally not allowed to park on the side of the street.
Penalties for drinking and driving are so severe that they rarely, if ever, happen.
For example, if I were to get into my car after drinking even a tiny bit, and I were caught by the police, I would lose my license, and not only me but each licensed driver in my car would be severely fined and liable to be imprisoned for up to 3 years.
It is a rare person, indeed, who dares to drive after drinking.
Elderly people and people who have been driving for less than one year are required to put special magnetic stickers on their cars to let other drivers know to watch out for them.
Cars stop for people if they see them approach a crosswalk. Pedestrians wait at red crossing lights, even if there are no cars on the road. And the blare of a car horn is rarely heard.
In short, people show courtesy and follow safety rules which help to keep safety standards high.
#9 — Temples, shrines, and nature
Because the indigenous Japanese religion, Shinto, reveres many natural objects as kami or deities, shrines are often found in places of natural beauty, like this one in Yufuin, Oita.
Buddhist temples are places where one can take time to appreciate beautiful works of art and architecture, like this 14th-century pagoda within an ancient forest on Mount Haguro.
Natural beauty fills the country from the otherworldly landscapes of the far northeastern island of Hokkaido all the way to the distant tropical islands of Okinawa just west of Taiwan.
#8 — Art and Culture
Katsushika Hokusai and his “Great Wave Off Kanagawa” is perhaps the most iconic and well-known piece of Japanese art, but there are scores of outstanding artists who have been creating breathtaking masterpieces for centuries, and all are worthy of your time and appreciation.
Aside from visual arts, the ancient practice of tea ceremony continues, glimpses of geisha can still be caught along the backstreets of Gion in Kyoto, and Kabuki and Noh theater continue as they have for generations.
Shinto festivals also offer a wonderful and lively look into customs that have endured for centuries.
#7 — Politeness and kindness
Comments from recent first-time visitors to Japan.
“I was trying to find a restaurant and was completely lost. I had taken a screenshot of the front of the restaurant from google maps, so I went into a convenience store and showed it to a young couple. The young man recognized it and walked with me the two blocks to the restaurant, went in, and talked to the manager to be sure I could be served as it was near after-lunch closing time.”
“I love to watch the train inspector and food trolley woman bow to the passengers before leaving the train car.”
#6 — Punctuality
Trains depart promptly as scheduled. If some unforeseen delay causes a train to be even 30 seconds late, people can get a paper from the train station explaining the delay which they can present to their overseer at work in case of tardiness.
If an event is going to start at 7 PM, it will start at 7 PM.
If I make an appointment with someone at 10 AM two months from now, it will happen at 10 AM two months from now.
#5 — Cleanliness
“Everything seems to be sparkling clean! The attention to detail is astounding!” a visitor exclaimed.
Each person in Japan is responsible to keep their area clean. Shopkeepers sweep the sidewalk in front of their shops each morning before opening. People keep the sidewalk in front of their houses clean. Residents gather to clean their neighborhood parks and streets in the early morning of one Sunday each month.
Students clean their classrooms and their school buildings. There are no janitors at Japanese public schools — the responsibility to keep the school clean falls on the shoulders of the students.
One recent visitor I was guiding on a tour went back to the ladies’ room at the highway rest stop to take a photo of the fresh-cut flowers near the sinks, saying, “We sure don’t see that kind of thing along the Jersey Turnpike!”
#4 — Onsens
Japan is located on the ring of fire, and as such is a land rich in thermal springs. There are many natural onsens, or hot spring baths, both indoor and outdoor, perfect for de-stressing and relaxing after a busy day.
Onsens are often situated in beautiful locations where one can soak in both the health-giving mineral waters and the surrounding natural beauty.
#3 — Food
Great food is inexpensive and delicious. You can hardly go wrong when eating out in Japan. And there is no tipping.
Tokyo is home to the most Michelin-starred restaurants in the world — 212. But great food is available all throughout the country, with each region priding itself in its own specialties. It’s no wonder that Japanese cuisine, or Washoku, was chosen as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.
#2 — Bullet trains
There are not enough superlatives to describe Japan’s Shinkansen bullet trains. These trains are smooth, fast, quiet, comfortable, and scrupulously clean.
You can book tickets online, and some areas offer discount tickets when purchased online. International visitors can use hugely discounted rail passes to explore the country.
The trains are on time, and on the more popular segments, are staffed by uniform-clad women pushing trolleys selling snacks, cold beer, and delicious ice cream.
There are trash receptacles near the doors, so you don’t need to carry your snack wrappers home with you.
These trains epitomize convenience and comfort.
#1 — Toilets
By far, the feature that is most commonly remarked upon by visitors to Japan is its toilets.
These sparkling clean engineering miracles come with:
- heated seats with temperature selection
- three bidet types that can be adjusted for the temperature of the water and strength of the spray
- a button to produce courtesy sounds of rushing water and sometimes even birdsong
- deodorant function
- your choice of large or small flush, and often, automatic flush
- newer models come with sensor-activated lid opening and closing
Would that all toilets be Japanese toilets! — and you can buy them in the US, too!
That list includes four of the five things I love about Japan.
Have you visited or do you live in Japan? What do you like about the country and culture? I’d love to hear!
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If you have questions about Japan or suggestions for articles, please add them in the comments. For more photos and information on Japan, follow me on instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/more_than_tokyo/
