Traveling to Japan

Kate in Kyoto

How do I even begin to describe what it’s like to travel in Japan?

It is an experience. It surrounds you. Every moment of every day is filled with new discoveries and cultural difference and utter delights. I can’t describe it beyond that, but everyone who has been knows exactly what I’m talking about.

If there were a word to describe Japan as a whole, it would be reverent. This is a nation where every action displays a culture of deference, respect and obedience. It encompasses daily life.

Women in KimonosSome examples?

Reverence of food. The food here is prepared and delivered with such deep respect and meticulous care, even in fast food joints. Anything else would be anti-Japanese. I didn’t have a single bad meal in Japan.

Reverence of manners. Japan has a longstanding reputation of politeness. One place where this was most evident was on trains. Whenever a conductor entered a car, he would enter and exit the car with an energetic yet crisp bow before attending to passengers.

Reverence of nature. Nature receives the utmost respect here, and you’ll often find that everything from architecture to food plays into an overall respect of the natural environment of Japan.

Non-FReverence of rules. Japan is a rules-based culture. There are lots of written and unwritten rules – the Japanese wouldn’t dream of throwing recyclables in the trash, or acting rude to a stranger, or dressing like a slob. The list of taboos here is extensive.

Yes, most than anything else, it’s reverence that defines Japan. But beyond that, here are a few of the idiosyncrasies I noticed in the Land of the Rising Sun:

AkihabaraEnglish is used for style, not function.

See English lettering somewhere? Chances are it’s not used for the purpose of communicating with non-Japanese speakers. Again and again, I noticed that English was used for little more than decoration.

On our first night in Tokyo, Mario and I were looking for a restaurant in a mall and I was delighted to find a pamphlet emblazoned with Mall Directory in ornate script. I opened it up…and it was all in Japanese. The English was just used for stylistic purposes.

Sex is overt — except when it’s not.

If there’s any neighborhood you must visit in Tokyo, make it Akihabara. Mario and I planned to check out the electronics stores, seeing the newest innovations years before they hit the western market.

Tendon (Tempura Bowl) Japanese Muscle Man Fishmonger Automatic Sushi Woman in Tokyo
See also:
Japanese Holidays: The BEST time to travel to JAPAN
Japanese Holidays: The BEST time to travel to JAPAN ...
Travel to Tokyo, Japan
Travel to Tokyo, Japan
Travel Guide To Japan
Travel Guide To Japan
summer season in japan: Guidebook for new generation who loves traveling to Japan, presenting it with simplified graphic pictures but packed with essential information.
eBooks (duckablestudio)
JAPAN ADVENTURES: Travelling to Japan
JAPAN ADVENTURES: Travelling to Japan
JAPAN Adventures! | Traveling to Japan, the Hotel, and
JAPAN Adventures! | Traveling to Japan, the Hotel, and ...
Preparing to Travel to Japan!
Preparing to Travel to Japan!
Popular Q&A
avatar
What is traveling to japan like?

14 hours is how long it takes to travel to Japan on an airplane. Then you land in Tokyo! Check out some of the food... YUM

Related Posts