I returned 3 days ago from a trip to Japan. I decided to make a list of things I like about Japan. Over 7 days I visited Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Nagoya and Himeji and I made the following 10 general observations:
1) The kindness and thoughtfulness that the people show is very gentle and graceful. I like the greeting that people in stores have when they make eye contact by pausing to smile and bow in acknowledgement to customers even at convenience stores.
2) Their long term loyalty they show to their employers and friends is powerful. There is very much of a work hard and then play hard after work mentality.
3) They fully accept nature’s soft impacts and can make a moss garden look great. I grew up thinking that moss was really bad for your lawn until I arrived in Japan and watch them cultivating moss gardens that looked amazingly beautiful, see attached photos.
·4) They love cherry blossom season and I often enjoyed watching many locals have picnics under cherry blossom trees.
5) They willingly helpful and honest to tourists. As a tourist you really feel safe in Japan and no one bothers you.
6) Their attention to design and detail, is thoughtful and practical. The Japanese are clean and there are hardly any public garbage cans since most people take their garbage home and carefully recycle.
7) Their modern and hygienic toilets are extremely innovative. I admire the pride and cheerfulness I saw even in older citizens in there workmanship – from the taxi drivers to the gardeners. I am amazed by the reliable technology put into many of their products – the Japanese philosophy of Kaizen which means continuous Improvement is very much engrained in their business practices.
8) I love the tasty yummy foods – not all of it is good for you but – it tastes great!
9) I like “onsen” the Japanese hotspring bath house.
10) The high speed trains and the public transportation system is the best I have seen, it is usually accurate with in the minute and very safe. I like there fair and consistent pricing you feel as a customer, even with vending machines which seem to be on every street corner.
Tanoshimimasu!
