If there is one thing that I always look forward to when traveling, it has to be learning about different cultures and being able to draw the similarities and differences between what I know and what I am immersed in. The sheer experience of forming the network of practices, habits, and customs in my head is a never-ending puzzle that I continue to enjoy piecing together. For me, especially with regards to Japan, my amazement continues to grow with each piece of history and pop culture I learn. So in memory of my travels to Japan (can you tell I miss it), a few aspects of Japan that you might find interesting, courtesy of all my wanderlusting friends’ inputs as well!

1. Timeliness

As a friend once said, “if you’re early, you’re on time and if you’re on time, you’re late.” That might as well be the slogan of the general Japanese culture. You know how the New York City subway system is sometimes excruciatingly late? That doesn’t often happen in Japan, which can also sometimes suck if you happen to be running late and a late train would have been a lifesaver. It was also in Japan that I (mostly) cured myself of my terrible lack of ability to keep time. We all know when we hang out with friends, there are those people who you most definitely know are going to be late, so you start taking it easy. Nu-uh, not in Japan. Not to mention the sheer size of the subway system! Apparently, some subway stations can have over 24 exits (incredible!)

2. Convenience Store Heaven

From 7-11 to Circle K, from Lawson to FamilyMart, Japan is essentially convenience store HQ. The contrast between what is standard for convenience stores in the US and that in Asia are like night and day. As far as those in the CIty go, convenience stores are usually classified as local mom-and-pop shops that are independent and run every street. In Asia (what I know from being in Japan and Taiwan), these places are a-mazing. Imagine a convenience store with so much food, drink, magazines, stationery and cute items, but incredibly organized and high quality. The pre-packaged food is delicious and quite affordable. In fact, in Japan, it is not uncommon for employees to purchase a prepared lunch box from a convenience store. As delicious as they are, I can tell you from experience that your favorite set of curry rice or soumen noodles can get tiring after a few weeks.

3.Dearth of Garbage Cans (and beyond)

You’re walking along a busy street in a rather metropolitan area, finishing up a drink. When you finish a drink, you naturally want to dispose of it before you continue on your way. You don’t see one, so you continue walking, and walking, and walking...that’s Japan. Well besides the fact that you don’t see many people simultaneously consuming and walking, there’s a reason behind the lack of garbage bins. In ‘95, Tokyo found itself in a hard place with a cult group having placed toxic gas in bins throughout the city. The incident shook the government and the country’s civilians to their cores, thereby eradicating all the garbage cans. Another interesting side note is that recycling is much more respected there than it generally is in the States. Relative to Japan, we are well behind with our 3 R’s.

4. Walking on Different Sides of the Street

Japan drives with the steering wheel on the right, and while that is different from how we drive in the States, it’s nothing big - at least it’s consistent. Walking, however, depends on where you are at any given city. The first time I went to Japan, I was placed in Osaka. At the time, I didn’t realize, but people generally kept to their right. Like here, you walk on the right and you pass people on their left. What I didn’t know was in Tokyo, the opposite holds true! So you have two cities, a few hours away from each other, and you have to make this change in orientation! This summer, I resided in Ishikawa. I attempted to ascertain a definite (or majority) side that people walked on, but perhaps in Ishikawa, free-for-all is the way.

5. Amount of Porn

Probably the most jolting for many foreigners is the seemingly smooth and easy access to different types of pornography within the country. You walk into the sixth floor of a bookstore and oh, there’s a huge poster! You stop by the convenience store and there, lined up along the wall, sitting pristinely in the white wired slots, are rows of magazines ready to be flipped through. Perhaps another instance, you walk into a store and see teenage boys pilfering through these sections quite casually. While there could be a whole book regarding this contrast between the stigma of porn in different countries, I’ll keep it easy for now and say that it’s incredibly accessible, and it’s kind of cool (though at times a little disturbing)!

6. Owl cafes

You’ve heard of the famous cat cafes that are taking American cities by storm: they’re small, filled with adorably spoiled cats, and a pain to get into due to the high volume of people trying to visit the felines. While there are plenty of those in Japan as well, have you ever heard of an owl cafe? What about a hedgehog cafe? Rabbit cafes? This animal cafe trend is a whole business section of its own, and it continues to grow. Although I don’t agree with some of these ideas (especially the owl cafe), Japan proves again that if you can dream it, you can do it, and turning fantasies into realities are quite possible.

7. Free Sides With Ramen

You didn’t think I would finish this without talking about food, did you? While I did see this at a few restaurants in Ishikawa, I'll stick to talking about Ippudo because that's what we know. You might've heard of Ippudo NYC, which is a super popular ramen joint in Manhattan - long lines, no reservation...yet so good. While I was in Japan, I came across the authentic Japanese Ippudo; not only are the bowls of ramen cheaper, but come with FREE, UNLIMITED sides! Foodie me was crying from joy.