How 2 Weeks in Japan will influence my life

I should start this with a disclaimer: this writing is the results of two weeks in Japan. I don’t pretend to have fully understood this culture, but what I managed to take away will be enough to influence few parts of my everyday.

Now, I am one lucky guy that got a chance to travel to Japan for work.

This means that, over traveling for free, I got a chance to have my Japanese colleagues introducing me to various aspects of this country and culture that I would not probably had a chance to see/experience by myself.

I decided to try summarising some key facts and learnings, with the romantic illusion that these might come handy to some of you out there.

1. Japan taught me rules are cool. If there is a line, people line up . If the neighbourhood is non-smoking, people don’t smoke. Respecting the rules is cool, and you wont find anyone (not even the teenagers or youngsters trying to prove themselves to the world) breaking them. I admit it’s easier to respect rules in a world where everyone does, but someone should start back home too right?
2. Good Service is not just great, it is the only way to do it. If you’re doing something, wether your job is being a waitress, taxi driver, street cleaner why not do it perfectly?
3. The other side of the same coin: if you are paying for something, you should get it right. Got the wrong metro ticket getting confused at the machine? Return it. Paid for a train that should leave at 4.03? The train will leave at 4.03. I know “client is always right” is big in the US too but the fact that you need to write it down and make it explicit, while in Japan it’s simply the only way of doing it, tells you a lot.
4. Silence is okay. People here don’t panic or get embarrassed if your group talk or presentation go silent for 10 seconds. It’s better to shoot 10 well thought of words rather than 1000 random ones to fill the gap and don’t face silence.
5. Not knowing something is not a reason to neglect help to someone. I mean, seriously. Almost nobody speak good english in this country, but try approaching someone with a map and your finger pointing to a specific place and Japanese people would try to help you however they can. At any time.
6. Your passion is a cool passion. No need to hide the fact you are a gaming nerd who likes to spend nights playing rather than going out. No need to avoid inviting your friend to join you to a cosplay festival. Go for it.
7. Be real, it’s enough. Don’t try to impress with extra numbers, crazy stories or facts at all times. Japanese people would believe you 100% if you tell them you can catch a shark with your bare hands while swiping on tinder on a surfboard. And they will hold you accountable for it. Go with your own real stories, you will still be amazing and original to someone, somewhere.
8. Say thank you. A lot. You won’t appear weak if you appreciate something or someone. Now, I am not saying this should be used at all levels, from church to board meetings, but show your gratitude for small things as for big things. You will rarely go wrong (apart from using it as an answer to “I love you” . There you’re in trouble)
9. You can respect other people and other people space, even without space yourself. I mean, 10M people live Tokyo literally on top of each other. But still they make it possible, more than possible: they are the most personal-space respectful people I met.
10. Care about younger generations, they are the country’s future. Tokyo has a musical jingle that plays everyday just before sunset starts, as a memo for all kids that is time to go back home. I was explained this is not because Tokyo is not safe in terms of criminality, but rather in terms of traffic. True that the country is getting older so this focus is a real need rather than just another good-practice, but I could not hold it and appreciate it. I wish I’d see way more signals like this, even small things, back home

Yes, I know to some of you this will sound all a bunch of cliché, generalization and stereotype.

But still, Medium is free, I like writing, and your brain benefits from reading. So take a read, and I am happy to hear what you think of this.