Like most, if not all societies, there are many things to dislike or criticize about Japan. However, there are also many things we can learn. I have lived in Japan for about 10 years altogether.
Here are 12 useful things to learn from Japan that quickly come to mind.
My favourite thing about Japan is the lack of public fighting. In fact, it is extremely rare to hear a Japanese even criticizing another person publicly, let alone pushing or hitting someone. This is not because they do not have feelings–of course they do! It is mainly because they do not want others that might be watching or listening to feel uncomfortable.
Kaizen is the concept of continual, regular improvement. It was actually introduced to Japan in the 1950′s by a Ford Motors executive and has been embraced in a way that America never has.
The standard Japanese fridge is not very big and contains foods that would be unfamiliar to most of us in the Western world. The Japanese talk of live foods and dead foods, foods with prebiotic and probiotic qualities. Kimchee (Korean fermented cabbage, but very much a Japanese staple, too), Natto (fermented soya beans which are eaten for breakfast with raw egg and mustard), Tofu, and a variety of delicious pickles are just a few examples.
4. Shopping habitsMost Japanese live in small accommodations, so when they shop they usually just buy what they need for that day. Many houses have just a tiny freezer and very little cupboard space. So if you feel like tucking into some ice cream or biscuits as a midday or midnight snack, they are simply not around to tempt you.
Burglaries, theft, public assaults, and other such crimes are kept to a minimum by a system, whereby police boxes (Koban) housing 2 or 3 policemen or women are strategically placed on corners all around town. You are never far from being able to contact or be seen by the police, and people know exactly where they are. At night, volunteers stroll around neighbourhoods banging sticks together just to let people know there is someone around.
My daughter started walking to school at 6 years old in the very centre of one of the world’s most populated citie. Not by herself, but tied to other kids her age and slightly older from her apartment block and neighbourhood. About 5 kids in each group. This works a treat. Seriously!
The Japanese mastered recycling as a necessity during World War 2. They had no natural resources, and no one was selling them any, so they had to do with what they had. Now they have a different rubbish day for every one of six days; a glass day, a food scraps day, a cardboard day, a plastics day, a metal day, and a paper day. This is strictly adhered to for the general good.
Even in the busiest Tokyo street or in the middle of a rural backwater, there are endless shrines and temples which are oases of peace and tranquility. Of course some stunning buildings and gardens, but many more humble. They are almost everywhere, and these places bring a balance to the community and society in general.
In the area I lived in I would get a letter every January with a time and date for my free medical check-up. This entailed about 2 hours of comprehensive testing to make sure I was still in great shape; heart, eyes, fat/body ratio, dental, blood test, reactions, the works. Love this, because it keeps the whole community pretty much healthy.
10. Kids alcohol vending machinesLike temples and shrines, another thing you cannot go far at all in Japan without seeing is a vending machine selling you alcohol. So any kid, at any time of day, can buy alcohol. Whiskey even. Extremely cheap, as there seems to be no taxes or customs duties on anything but beer, so there is no teenage binge drinking like in nearly all Western societies. Maybe all the Japanese kids tried it at 11 years old, got terribly sick, and decided that it was not for them!
Smallest, fastest, funkiest design, lightest, uniquely coloured or contoured. If it can be made the Japanese want it first.
If you want to get somewhere on time, get a train. If they say they will arrive or leave at, say, 10:31am, they will. So having a car is an unnecessary luxury in most parts of the country. The trains are super smooth and I guess because so many people use them, very reasonably priced, clean, constantly updated, air conditioned or heated and a generally great experience. This gives you so much more time in your day, as you can leave home at say 10.25 am, get that 10.31 am train, get some work done online for 15 minutes, reach the other side of town, get a quick burst of 5-10 minutes walking exercise, and be at your meeting point by 11 am. And know that you will be able to do that 99% of the time. So no leaving too early, no stress and cheap. Awesome!
As you can see, I love Japan! Of course, I could write 12 more things I love about it, and I will in the future.
Featured image courtesy of Marc Veraart, dreamingyakker via Creative Commons.
Michael Q Todd is an author and International speaker. Please contact him on skype: michaeltoddshoot 72. All his social profiles are here: XeeMe
I totally agree, but recycling in Japan is bit different.
It was started in Edo era (17- mid 19 century).
There was no rubbish on roads in Edo, because all of them were recycled.
Paper could be recycled at least 5 times!!
Starting from strong paper for screen, paper could be recycled until it became tissue paper (it was called Asakusa-gami in Edo era).
Recycling rate was almost 100%, that is why no rubbish was seen on roads in Edo.
Nice article Michael. Thank you. Could you recommend a forum for American expats in Japan? I would like to learn more about living in Japan. Thank you.
Recommending good things after having experiances must be shared with as many as possible to bring awareness in own country for improvement. Thanks for educating me.
1. is very true and usually appreciated but of course my Japanese co-workers are also the masters of back-stabbing.
I'm sure this is all true of where most international visitors go in Japan. When you say 'Japan', it sounds like you're talking mostly about Tokyo (or maybe other big cities), rather than the more rural areas.
This is an eye opening list. I already knew about the Ford portion, but most of it is new to me. That is a great wrtie up.
I've been to Taiwan twice, but I never made it to Japan. Yet that is the one country I've always wanted to visit. Of course, I would also love to set foot in the Kodokan.
Amazing how putting temptations like alcohol in full view, with unrestricted access, seems to take care of the societal problems associated with those temptations...
Michael, I absolutely love this.I have many Japanese friends, my brother is studying for his black belt there, and even still I learned a lot from this list. Some of it is so brilliant, I am stunned it has not been embraced over here, strictly for quality of life purposes!
