Konnichiwa, Japan! - My Personal Anecdotes As A Tourist In Japan

    

Imagine a country where six year olds can go to school on their own, without any hesitation! Imagine a country where a robot helps you catch the right train at a railway station, or serves you food at a cafe! Imagine a country where people will walk for almost a mile with you to show you the correct place if you're lost! Well, this thought might look a little too dreamy for an entire country, right? But ask those who have visited Japan!

    If you'd ask a wanderlust like me about the best country I have ever visited till now, I would definitely say Japan. Japan is a country one can easily fall in love with. Not only because of its scenic, breathtaking sites, but also because of its cultures and lifestyle. 

    In this blog, I will be sharing what every person must learn from this country. Using my personal anecdotes, I'll talk about how I fell in love with Japan and how its people have inspired me so much!

1- Kindness

    The Japanese people are super kind.  I remember, there was this one time where we had caught the wrong train (the Japanese railway system is one of the most complicated in the world, so it was obvious for us first timers to lose our way). We realized this much later when we had already caught the train. Once we did, we immediately rang the telephone in the train itself that was basically a helpline. Through this, we could directly speak to the driver of the train. However, most Japanese do not understand English. Hence, there was a lot of miscommunication since we couldn't understand Japanese, and he couldn't understand English. 

    Giving, up we decided to get off the train on the following stop and then figure out things. However, something happened, that was really unanticipated. The train stopped midway, and after a few moments, we were actually visited by the driver of the train , who was carrying a map along with him. He then asked us where we were headed to and then pointed out the rail route on the map and helped us catch the right train. And believe me, no passenger minded their the delay of their train at all!

    Once, an old lady (she seemed to be in her late 70s) walked for almost half a mile to help us get to the location we were trying to find!

    That was when we gained immense respect for the Japanese. In another incident at Tokyo Disneyland, we weren't able to find a particular ride. When we asked the on ground staff and helpers, they actually walked 20 minutes along with us to get to the ride. 

Fun Fact- In Japanese schools, kids, no matter how big or small, cook lunch and clean the school toilets! This happens in every school to teach the Japanese children to be helpful and kind. Moreover it teaches them equality and the fact that no person in big or mall. Mad respect for them!

    I really admire the way everyone is so benevolent and hospitable for all the tourists there. I can guarantee you, if you ever land yourself in some trouble in Japan, the locals will be there to help you, ALWAYS! These small acts of kindness brings a smile on everybody's face!

2- Punctuality

    This one in crazy! Every train in Japan arrives at the precise minute and at the very precise second it says it will. In fact, if a Japanese train is late, the passengers are actually issued a 'delay certificate' for delays of more than 5 minutes. This dedication and punctuality is what makes Japan an amazing country. Never once, we had to wait for a train because it was delayed.

3- Safety 

    In both the cities I visited (Osaka and Tokyo), I felt safe, always, even during nights. In fact, Japan is probably one of the only countries where kids as young as six years old go to school alone! They are given priorities and extra safety in trains and buses, and nobody ever has to worry about them! 

    Also, if you lose a valuable in Japan, don't worry! You will find it exactly where you last kept it, even in the middle of a street! Once, I saw a wallet lying on the railway platform and nobody, I repeat, no body picked it up and took anything away from it. I saw a man taking that wallet with him and depositing it at the inquiry counter without even peeking inside! Hats off the Japanese.

    Also, even if you're a tourist, you can freely roam throughout the city at any time of the day! My mom and I being curious wanderlusts often went for walks around the downtown area near our apartment in Tokyo at midnights. Even though it's not safe for women to step out late at night, in Japan it's completely safe. Even though we were unfamiliar with the area and directions, we freely sauntered though the streets without any worry, and we felt absolutely safe.

4- Language And Culture.

     Everybody in Japan speaks Japanese. However, very few people speak English. But there's always Google Translate that can help you! What I admired about the Japanese is how they preserve their culture and languages throughout. Japan believes in 'modernizing' instead of 'westernizing'. It has perfectly understood the difference between travelling with time (correction, travelling ahead of time!) rather than being Western. 

    While the rest of the world takes pride in neglecting their own language and adopting English, Japan is incredibly different! The Japanese take pride in their language and cultures. All shops have Japanese names and all restaurants have Japanese menus (unless they belong to a brand, of course). When I walked into a Starbucks cafe, at Osaka, I was surprised to see a Japanese menu! Even though it had its English translation at the bottom, I was astonished to see the way they are still deeply rooted to their culture despite being the fourth largest economy in the world!

    Japan is a country, where you'll find a beautiful monastery with every single person wearing the traditional kimono and also find a tall glass skyscraper pumping growth and activities, on the very same street! 

    So, these were the lessons I learnt from a delightful holiday in Japan. Japan is a country I will recommend each and every person to visit at least once in their life! From picture-worthy sceneries, to tall skyscrapers; kindness, culture, amazing food, Japan has it all. If you liked this blog, drop down your comments below! Would love to hear your perspectives about the same. Stay tuned for more blog! Sayonara!

Signing off,

Khanak Vipin Saboo ✨