My passion for Japan began with the first trip I took as a
child. It would be difficult to describe this country today
with the same view that I had on my first visit. Nevertheless,
Japanese society has its own customs and rules that remind
me everyday of why I decided to come and live here, and that
incite me to encourage everybody to come and discover the
country beyond the stereotypes.
The first thing you notice with pleasure upon arriving in
Japan is the sense of service and welcome that you find rarely
to the same degree in other countries. Signs with the word
yokoso (welcome in Japanese), hostesses ready to guide
you with a smile through the often complicated corridors of
the airport—the first signs of Japanese hospitality are felt as
soon as you leave the plane.
These impressions are reinforced upon arriving in the city,
even if only when taking the subway between districts. The
stations, with their large size and multiple lines in the heavily frequented
areas, are a real headache at the beginning. In
fact, the simple act of buying a ticket can seem rather complex
because it’s necessary to verify the price corresponding to
the destination as indicated on information signs above the
numerous automatic ticket machines. Fortunately, in addition
to the instructions in English for non-Japanese speaking
visitors, it is always possible to ask one of the numerous
station employees recognizable by their uniform and always
ready to assist with any problem. With practice, buying your
ticket quickly becomes an almost pleasant ritual, even if
it’s more practical today to use a rechargeable IC card that
allows you to pass directly through the automated gates,
often avoiding lengthy lines at ticket machines.
Once on the platform, you appreciate the electronic
message boards showing the precise arrival time of each
train as well as their terminus. Delays, relatively rare, are
always announced apologetically and as politely as possible
by a station platform attendant.
Another detail that might seem minor but greatly
contributes to passengers’ comfort—the presence of
markings on the floor indicating where the doors will open,
around which passengers line up with surprising discipline
to allow other passengers to get off before getting on
themselves.
Japanese subways are known for being incredibly
crowded during peak times with numerous salariman, a
popular term for employees dressed in dark suits and white
shirts, going to work. It’s true that you can sometimes find
yourself pressed between fellow passengers to the point that
it’s impossible to move. Nevertheless, in these situations you
really appreciate the air conditioning that most trains have
to help you stay cool, despite the crowds. These conditions
might seem rather extreme for some people, but the women only
cars during rush hours are specifically designed to avoid
embarrassing situations.
After spending several days in a city like Tokyo, you
quickly realize the overwhelming presence of rail lines in
the Japanese urban landscape. Kilometres of tracks form
a vast network that contributed to the urban expansion of
the large conurbations, where the stations became veritable
district centres. As a result, there is nearly always a heavy
concentration of stores, restaurants and other places for
recreation and leisure near stations, and it is common to
find shopping malls attached to the station itself. Moving
away from the station, there are fewer people and stores
are gradually replaced by residential buildings. This urban
contrast, accentuated by the lack of uniformity in the general
architecture of the buildings, could give the impression of
a chaotic and charmless city, but something that is always
felt while walking through Tokyo’s streets is the constant
impression of safety and order. Practically everyone, respects
a common set of social rules, contributing to collective wellbeing
and facilitating day-to-day life.
Coming back to the districts around stations, it is striking
to see how the restaurant business is much more developed
in Japan than in many European countries. Whether for large
franchises or small independent businesses, the restaurant
signs are as numerous as they are varied in concept. It is
possible to find somewhere to eat at almost any hour of
the day or night for a reasonable price. Even people who
are not fond of Japanese cuisine will be surprised to find
almost any type of food in Japan, although some recipes
are slightly modified to suit the Japanese palate. But it would
be altogether unfortunate to completely by-pass Japanese
gastronomy with a quality and variety incomparable to
versions found in so-called Japanese restaurants elsewhere
in the world.
After a long week at work, people often get together with
colleagues and friends in izakaya, places for both eating and
drinking. Forget about the traditional starter, main course,
and dessert sequence in western restaurants; the Japanese
principle is based on sharing several small dishes in the
middle of the table rather than each person ordering their
own. The types of dishes enable each person to easily take
a piece with chopsticks and place it in their own small plate,
often without the need to cut. Cold Japanese beer or a small
glass of slightly stronger alcohol such as nihonshu (rice
wine) or shochu liquor often accompanies the meal and contributes to the friendly atmosphere.
Service in restaurants is exemplary. If there is a country
that adheres to the customer is king concept, it is Japan.
Waiters are always ready to respond to the smallest requests.
For example, any hashi chopstick that falls to the ground will
be immediately replaced by a new pair without asking. There
is no lengthy wait for the food, and sometimes the dishes
arrive so quickly that the table is overwhelmed. Finally, the
client is always treated politely with their arrival and departure
acknowledged by several members of the restaurant staff
with a respectful salutation.
Seen through my eyes, there are so many aspects
characterizing the charm of life in Japan that you quickly get
used to the small details that make life so pleasant here and
may even experience reverse culture shock when returning
to your own country!
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