Japan - Juxtaposed

After living here in Japan for the past few months, we can't help but notice that it is a country of opposites. Here are some of the most prominent dichotomies:

The Japanese are known as a very respectful culture, to the point that even the language reflects an attitude of humility when speaking of oneself. Oddly enough, this same nation has a huge problem with men getting, shall we say, "too friendly" with the ladies on the trains. In fact, there are "women only" train cars during rush hour when the crowds of passengers are likely to invite problems. Similarly, the camera noise on cell phone cameras can not be turned off in Japan in order to deter wandering digital eyes. The women could wear longer skirts, but that would stand in the face of "kawaii", meaning "cute" or rather, the very essence of being cute, which will likely come up in a later post.

Face masks are commonly worn in order to prevent the spread of disease, and yet smoking is not rare. Our favorite scene witnessed so far was a man pulling down his face mask so he could smoke a cigarette.

If there is any discernible amount of roadway hazard, a uniformed attendant will be there to direct traffic. For example, if there is construction on the side of a road, a very professional-looking person will be there guiding bicyclists around the hazard. Similarly, if a parking garage exits onto a busy street, an attendant (or a siren) is there to make sure no one gets hit. Strangely, despite all of these safety precautions, the native Japanese do not seem to wear bike helmets, or put them on the children strapped in the bucket seats on their bicycles.

Japan is super techy, right? Well, yes (Remember the heated toilet seats?), however this doesn't seem to apply to its monetary systems. The country operates mostly on a cash system and many establishments do not take credit cards. In a nation where countless things are automated for convenience, this seems a bit unusual to us. If you decide to come visit, you can look forward to the best bathroom experience of your life, but do remember to bring Yen :-).

Digital map showing which toilets are free at a rest stop.