After a month being a Kyoto resident, I felt it timely, to have this writing done. In fact you could say I had to rise to the challenge of enduring some time away from
Facebook addiction.
I have been impressed again and again by the Japanese…. kinda cliché you would say…, but it’s true, so true. I’ve heard so many stories, so many renditions, but to experience it all on my own, before my very own eyes, certainly took me to a higher platform of deep admiration for this beautiful country and its people.
First, the Japanese are very artistic. Ever heard of that? Yes, they present art in so many forms. They could live with so little space around them by making everything in miniature forms. Small iron, small ironing board, compact book cases, small lockers! I was indeed very pleasantly surprised when my supervisor said he would try to find me a locker, and …. it turned out to be just 6 cm wide! Even my Deuter notebook backpack couldn’t fit into that. When you purchase things, you would be rest assured that each individual item will be gift wrapped and care is given to make them look beautiful and presentable.
My friend, Yokobe san took us to a traditional Japanese cookies house and I had the opportunity to witness the most artistic cookie making in the process. Since it was autumn close to winter time, the 2 types of cakes in the offering were made to look like autumn leave and a snow capped mountain. Simply marvelous! We had ‘matcha’ green tea which is usually served during tea ceremony with the cakes. The whole experience was just so beautiful!
The most useful word in Japan would be “Sumimasen” which I would loosely translate into “excuse me”, or “I’m sorry to bother you” or “please forgive me”. You could hear “sumimasen” everywhere whether someone wants to pass you, or need your help, or even when in the elevator when they need to get out before you do (i.e I’m so sorry for taking your time, but I need to get on this floor before you). Even when they need to ask for help, after saying “Arigato gozaimas” (Thank you very much), they would end with the infamous “Sumimasen” i.e I thank you for your help, please forgive me for taking your time.
The courtesy reaches out to the time when you ride the escalator. Usually one line would form on the escalator (depends on the right or left, I’m still confused), this is so that whoever is in a hurry could pass you easily and be on their way faster. This courteous attitude is their Holy Grail, you would see them forming queues everywhere! Have you ever seen 2 lines formed in front of a lift?
Like any other advanced countries, Japan’s public transport is exceptionally efficient and cheap. The fast bullet train “shinkansen” connects the major cities. The rapid trains include the limited express airport trains the “haruka”, and the intercity local and special rapid trains, depending on the number of stops each make. The subway trains are very convenient city traveling albeit less panoramic and slightly more expensive.
The standard rate for all city buses is 220 yen for adults and 110 for children. You always board through the back door and get down the front door where you drop your coins in the fare machine. Since they don’t have small change, you can change your 1,000 yen note or 500 yen coin at the machine before you pay.
The city buses are quite small with limited seats, needless to say are reserved for the needy i.e elderly, handicapped, pregnant women and ladies with children, these seats are called “Priority Seats” and often times those not belonging to the group when they board a bus will not take these seats but prefer to be standing instead. And if you think their elderly uncles and aunties would simply accept your offer, think again! The writer’s goodwill offer to give up her seat has been declined numerous times with “arigato gozaimas” and saying something like “my stop is just the next station”.
Must be their stubborn pride at admitting that they are old and need the seat more than the next person. My husband jokingly said it was the prominent tummy and my pregnant appearance! I wasn’t, by the way. On the occasions that my offer was accepted, I was flooded with continuous “arigato gozaimashi ta!” (I thank you for what you have done), all the way before and after and on the way getting down, that often embarrassed me.
I think this is one country that is truly handicapped-friendly, especially to the blind, seeing from an eye doctor’s POV. At the stations, pedestrian walkways and bus stops, there are indicators on the surface of the roads to signal impending stops, lifts, turns, etc. All lifts are equipped with Braille coded indicators to the up, down, open, close, number of floors, etc. If a blind man wants to cross a street, there’s a button on the side which could be pressed, I think it provides some kind of signaling.
Once a blind man boarded a bus that I boarded, what a spectacle to witness! First the bus driver said something, may be she announced that a handicapped person is on board, then a whole row of people were standing up, wanting to give up the seats, what a scene!
The best thing is, even the digital toilet is Braille-coded for bidet, flushing, cleaning, flushing sounds, etc. Just amazing!
The samurai spirit is still entrenched in their sub-cortical zones, despite hundreds of years have passed. I don’t need to elaborate how serious they are with their job. They are so dedicated to fulfilling a given task to the best of their ability, such is the “Gambate” spirit, which is loosely translated as “Strive hard” or “Fight till the end”.
Here you would hear “Hait” (yes!) whenever an instruction is given and everyone shuffles and runs at every corner, as time is the essence and a job must be done quickly and accurately. Right until now I’m still carried away with my “yeay, huh huh?, okay….” And a litany of relaxed expressions which are associated with the western culture, but nay, here they would hail “Hait!” in a very firm and convincing way. The other famous words you often hear out of students or co-workers would be “wakarimas ta!” which means “I can understand that!” often following some kind of instructions given and you will be presented with a 90-degree bow and be assured that it would be done to the best of their ability.
The supermarket worker feels the company she/he works for is part of theirs, that they would even stop from doing their chore and wishes you “Arigato gozaimas” and series of words of graciousness for stopping by at their outlets and picking/purchasing their goods. Nobody feels irritated or cumbersome to show a “Guanjin”(an outsider or foreigner) where a carton of milk is located, all smiles and “Arigato gozaimas!!”. At the end of the day, they will ‘lelong’ their perishables like some scene at pasar borong, all smiles, cheerful and encouraging you to have a look, a taste and hopefully buy them!
At the cashier, they will not take your money from your hand, instead you must put down your notes on the table. Then they will make a statement like “2,300 yen out of a given 5,000 yen. And the balance is 2,700 yen…” first they will count the notes, “1,000, 2,000 yen and cents 700… “ and show to you the exact counting of the money, and this is practiced everywhere I go, it’s really an eye opener.
And hey, did I mention nobody slouches in a seat here? They even sleep in an upright position on the train and on the bus! No decent ladies would cross their legs too, instead they will sit straight with legs keep tight. Everyone sits rigidly to show awareness and respect. All doctors welcome and bow to patients and in return, all patients young or old bow until they get out of sight or the room.
Trustworthiness? My friend dropped her very expensive mobile phone on the beach. We went back there 2 times looking for it, I was feeling hopeless by then. But hey, 2 weeks later she received a letter asking her to collect the phone at a police station! Valuable things can be seen untouched in the most open spaces, old ladies with sling bags or hand bags walking like jaybirds happily on the street, you can see very expensive cameras being put on a sling on a shoulder everywhere without being threatened half to death by snatch thieves. The most important thing is - everyone feels safe here.
Cleanliness? I think this is another trait deeply implanted in their psyche. No littering, no spitting and they just clean their litters away. I once witnessed an old lady eating a salted egg at a café. The egg is actually cooked with salt that you could see the salt crystals outside the egg shell. First she put a piece of serviette paper on a plate, then she brushed the salt debris so that it all falls on the tissue paper. Then she cracked the egg shell, she took a few bites and rub on the salt for eating. After finishing she folded the paper into four then eight and put it all away, carried her bowls and glass back to the counter! It was like some kind of a ritual!
Another admirable practice I have witnessed here are the umbrella plastic covers that are usually supplied at the entrance of any building during the rain. Needless to say, this protects the floor from the water dripping from the umbrella which frequently cause the floor to become slippery and unsafe for others, and also dirty. This practice helps the cleaners happy, they can do other meaningful job save mopping the floor over and over again. Pretty smart, don’t you think?
The young generation sport highly fashionable hairdos and dressing. Their street fashion could compete with any European dress code and put them to shame. You rarely see unbecoming plain t-shirts, tattered jeans or overlarge tees around here. Their youth pay exceptional and meticulous attention to their appearance.
One thing I noticed amiss here on the buses or trains was the constant ringing of hand phones which thoroughly bugged me back home. Not forgetting those who speak so loudly over the receiver narrating to everyone their itinerary! Talking loudly on the phones, listening to loud music and doing anything which is considered disturbing to other passengers are just not visibly done here, although I failed to find any signs of restriction. I think this is just another demonstration of showing consideration towards others, which seems to be the utmost importance in this country.
To sum up all this admiration and the feeling of awe I have in me at the moment towards Japanese, I need to mention here that they do not have a particular religion. By their own admission, they are not a religious population. But culture and long standing tradition have made them a very civilized and highly advanced country. And at the throngs of success and the highest and sophisticated technology, they still display good moral values and remain ordinary, courteous and respectful.
Bakiah: Still learning their traits and tricks….
