I remember the first few minutes of stepping out of the airport doors of Narita airport. Upon feeling the cool air brush upon my face, I felt this relieving sensation of finally entering cold weather. And I thought to myself, this is not so bad.
Well, who knew I would immediately have my first culture shock minutes later.
As we headed to the bank to exchange some currency, Mother Nature called and demanded my attention. So where did I go, if you would ask? The restroom of course.
And guess what I encountered? Well, you guessed it; the bidet.
I heard many stories from social media regarding its usefulness, and I initially thought it was quite peculiar to rave about a toilet. Until I experienced it myself.
And I would like to apologize on behalf of my old self; it was beyond my forethought to expect a device way advanced against its time and the effectiveness it proves of cleaning what’s ‘down there’. Honestly, can you imagine a random girl inside a bathroom cubicle in Japan, utterly shocked because of a technologically advanced toilet?
Yeah, I would be more concerned than weirded out if I was the person waiting outside. (good thing no one was there though)
But the whole point of this anecdote centers on the impact of Japan’s daily routine on a tourist like me. Despite the wonders of its culture, the simplest details of their lifestyle become an asset that makes them stand out from other parts of the world. And to understand the overhype from people who have traveled to Japan requires experiencing it oneself.
To be honest, I was only there for the cherry blossoms and good food from 7/11. But the entire country itself took me by surprise, and in many elements.
Tokyo’s Train System:
This was the most challenging yet interesting aspect that taught me a lot about Japanese everyday life. The most reliable commuting source for the country shared an essential concept of timeliness in their daily routines. From people rushing to their destination, the quiet but swift pace of their footsteps when reaching their trains, and this muscle memory of their actions on which route to take never fails to inspire me on how versed they are with a system quite complicated for a first-timer.
Seeing the ease in their demeanor and knowing which way to go inspired me to educate myself learning its functions and some proper etiquette while partaking in the experience. I would admit, I was quite intimidated by how everyone looked like they knew what they were doing, while I was just sitting there with my boyfriend, looking like lost chickens because we never had train stations at home (we live on an island btw).
But to witness from a spectator’s point of view became a crucial life lesson of seeing different perceptions of life. How a regular day of commuting to work somehow became a thought-provoking philosophy on how people from opposite sides of the same world view things in distinct ways.
Time is of the Essence:
Mostly prominent in their train stations, time becomes a valuable commodity in the lives of many residents in Japan. From committing to timely attendance in lobby meetings with my boyfriend’s father, the hustle and bustle of people rushing towards their scheduled train ride, to arriving an hour before our scheduled reservation, time is of a golden essence in the riveting life of Tokyo.
And of course, it’s no surprise for a city advanced in its ways. The commitment to follow through with a precise routine despite the rush hours and possible delays makes their tenacity against the rigorous hours quite admirable. For a small girl who came from the island, the laid-back mindset was something that I had to place aside for a culture quite the polar opposite. Even though it was another culture shock, it was still a meaningful constructive criticism of my sense of productivity.
Their Pride in Hospitality:
As they recently opened their doors to the world, Japan emphasizes their mastery of hospitality. Their obligatory polite customs and graceful manners epitomize the idea of respect towards people and the environment. The principle of making their guest feel valued and comfortable becomes a respectable trait that makes them admired globally.
The acts of service pose as a prominent thing in their intentions, besides the fact that it is part of their job. The consideration to go out of their way to make someone feel comfortable shares a lot of moral perceptions they may exhibit within their personal lives. In some ways, I feel that sense of familiarity in their culture, knowing that we do the same thing on the islands.
It’s quite wholesome and admirable to know that they implement such a mindset in anything that they do.
However, I am aware that several tourist have recently taken advantage of their kindness. It irks me to know the narrowness of some people, but I may save that discussion for later.
Role Models in Mindfulness
Parallel to their acts of hospitality, mindfulness is a prominent aspect of their everyday. You may be quite aware of the various social posts and blogs regurgitating the dos and don’ts while traveling in Japan in big, bold letters. Although most of these points may be true, several may be quite overly exaggerated since it is mostly common sense. For instance, before boarding a train, it's of great importance to line up at the side to leave the center open for people inside the train to get out. To make things easier, the stations provided markers for the passengers to follow along, thus creating the organized formation you would see in social media posts.
(wahh sugioo ne..)
Such things are quite essential to follow. Since Tokyo is a busy place and time is of the essence, it makes sense to adhere to the rules so others can fulfill their duties on time and avoid unnecessary inconveniences along the way.
Helping others is also another form of mindfulness that many residents exhibit. While workers provide accessible services for those who need the help, several good samaritans would offer a hand when someone encounters a minor problem (bags fell, forgot a valuable item, having trouble walking up the stairs), and would commonly ask you if you’re okay (daijoubu desu ka?). I remember one time when I was shopping at the airport, and I struggled to move through the aisle with the amount of shopping bags I was holding. I accidentally dropped one of them, and then another, until many items fell on the floor.
Quite embarrassing if you ask me.
But instead of giving me the dirty eye and ignoring me, a few customers and the staff went up to me and asked if I was okay. Although I was able to manage on my own, I was appreciative of their compassion, even if some of them had other duties to attend to.
Daily life in Japan may seem quite admirable for the spectator who is new to their bustling yet organized lifestyle. The ability to sustain a productive environment while remaining in an orderly fashion becomes a respectable trait. But this and more factors to their culture share the prominent reason why social media holds this country in high regard.
This story consists of two sections; part two will be posted soon.
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