Japan - Final Thoughts

The first and last impressions of Japan are its distinct aesthetic. Wood is celebrated everywhere. Pics 9, 12-14. Vertical and horizontal lines add emphasis.

Ceramics pervade the culture. From bowls to sake cups, even the least expensive eating establishment has unique ceramics, and they often don’t match at a table setting. Two places we ate at had trays of sake glasses for customers to choose from with different cups assigned to different sakes.

Cleanliness. It’s a great source of relief, as a tourist, to know that any bathroom you go in will be spotless. It was quite a shock to go into the airport bathroom in LAX and see overflowing trash bins with trash on the floor.

And not just bathrooms. Streets are clean. Train stations. Metro. Don’t look for gender neutral bathrooms though.

Toilets. And don’t forget to view my awesome toilet video! They really know how to take bathroom etiquette to the next level.

Lack of crime. It just seems that everywhere you go, women or man, there is no fear of crime. Richard, our one time tour leader, said that each neighborhood has its open beat police person and, that, combined with frequent alarm stations, and the strictness of the school environments, is why there is so little crime.

Lack of homeless and drug use. Use of drugs carries stiff fines in Japan. Schooling is strict. The safety net appears strong. All of these factors contribute to small numbers of homelessness.

—————- Tourist Info ——————

Well, first off, Tokyo and Kyoto are very tourist friendly. Metro, buses and general navigation are straight forward. Service people are friendly and speak hesitant English. Google translate goes s long way. Most importantly, we often found that folks had a great sense of humor.

Reservations for eating out is a must. Most eating establishments have 8 seats in a bar style. Our one Michelin starred restaurant was bar style, as are all ramen, yakitori and isakaya establishments. See, Pic 1. Establishments with tables exist but are not the rule unless they are very casual - like a coffee shop or food court.Lue lisää