Alien in Japan - Part III - Conclusion

What was my impression of Japan at the end of the trip? I have always travelled to West for tourism, France, Italy, Germany. So my first time in an Eastern country was bound to be very different. And of course I had certain ideas about Japan. But the reality I found was like nothing else. I sincerely think that Japan is at least 10 years ahead of Western countries on areas like public services and city planning. Not to mention technological advances. The most basic example; the train system in Japan was jaw-droppingly impressive to me. No delays, clean carriages with air conditioning, everything designed with a durable simplicity in mind. And it works so smooth. Travelling on Shinkansen was a revelation and it's a 10-year-old system. The difference was made more obvious on my return to London; there was no underground trains from Heathrow and people were expected to take buses to the next station. Thinking Heathrow express, which is supposed to be a fast train to the centre of London at a premium ticket price, would be a better solution was also proved wrong when I realised that those trains were running with 10 minute delays as well. Maybe this sound like nitpicking but I really felt dismayed at the time- actually I still do.

Another major difference; the people. Westerners, including myself, blame Japanese of being cold and distance. Even insincere. However, I also think that this is not entirely correct. It's true that although they are almost always polite, it's a rather impersonal politeness. They are not being polite for you but for themselves. But it still makes a huge difference. In summary, I found with my tourist eyes the Japanese people charming and civilized. This, however, is a sentimental view. I cannot fully explain this. But a small thing like not having people playing loud music on their mobile phones inside the train carriages was enough to impress me.

However, there is one very important point. The attitude of Japanese people towards foreigners changes drastically if you speak Japanese. Because Aysun speaks Japanese rather fluently, she was my point of contact with Japanese people. We would go into a shop together and the moment they realised she could speak Japanese, I would be ignored. Aysun would become the point of attention. I would only register if Aysun referred to me during the conversation, which is obviously not very polite. But strange at the same time. They get really nervous if they think they will need to try to speak English and it comes as a real relief if they don't have to. Also, I found it rather funny that the only tourist they could think of is Americans. In London, I got mistaken for being Italian, Spanish or Greek but in Japan there is only one option.

Shouldn't forget to mention about the food. Himm, the food. OK, I like sushi. No problem. But do I like it that much to eat everyday for 2 weeks? I found out the answer is no. After the novelty of the first a couple of days worn off, I started to long for a bit of western style food. Breakfasts in particular become a bit problematic. Eating a tuna rice ball for breakfast got some getting used to. OK, it's virtually fat free and very healthy but after a while I was looking for croissants and toasted sandwiches. On the contrary, dinner time was easier - I don't mind sushi or noodles at that time. I had one particularly weird eating experience in Shibuya. A friend of Aysun's took us to a sushi bar for lunch. There was a queue outside the place, a good sign. However, we soon realised that the queue continues inside the restaurant as well. In fact, the queue is part of the experience. You do the chatting during this time, waiting for your place at the bar. And when you sit down to eat, there is only minimal talking because you cannot stay more than half an hour in the restaurant due to it being very popular. So you eat as much as you can and if any time is left you talk a bit and then you leave. However, I have to admit that the sushi was extraordinary - extremely fresh and done on the spot so you don't leave the place unsatisfied. However, coming back to the health issue, there is no denying that Japanese cuisine is better than the Western ones. Low fat, low calorie and fish are the best thing you can eat. Have to admit that I have grown rather fond of boiled rice myself.

As a result, my first impressions of Japan were all good. I have even taken a decision to make an effort to learn more about the culture. It's a welcome change from the years somewhat forced Western culture. Also should promise myself another Tokyo trip. 3 days was not enough for that city.