Gone, but never forgotten. Human’s adaptability is what has made us the surviving species, and it is the reason why so many of us love to journey out of our comfort zone. You don’t need to live long in a place to pick up on the cultural habits or sink into the daily routine of the locals. Only once you leave, you realise what it was about the place that you liked so much. Two years on, I still catch myself comparing little every-day habits to the unconventional life that I lived in Japan. Like why the toilets seats don’t automatically flip up and great me? Or why road signs aren’t shaped like Pokémons? Yes, two years after living in Japan, I still miss it. And summarising it in a top 10 isn’t easy – but here goes nothing!
1. Hot springs
A warm pool of skin-soothing, vitalising mineral water, in scenic surroundings…it is Onsen. Naturally found throughout the country, the many hot springs of Japan equips the people of the nation with the opportunity to relax and destress completely. In a busy London-life, trying to balance both school, work and living, this is definitely what I miss the most!
Going to a spa just doesn’t compare. Onsen comes in all varieties. Some I have visited have been in a small stone garden belonging to a 200-year-old Japanese house, secretly hidden away in a small mountain village. Others have covered 4 floors and a rooftop with a view of Yokohama harbour. Some are private (and if you were lucky like me, filled with colourful roses as part of a Valentine’s Day promotion), others are communal and even unisex. And if you are from Oita Prefecture in the South, like my host father, you are surrounded by so many Onsen that most likely, it is all you have ever bathed in.
For more on Onsen and bathing, click here.
2. Cat cafes and beyond!
Game centres, all-night karaoke bars, capsule hotels and cosplay! The first and foremost thing Japan has to offer the world is it’s quirky pop culture. Vast and beyond comprehension, it never fails to impress, baffle and surprise. And although much of it has now spread to the West, it will never quite be as extensive and distinguished as in its original surroundings. Being young in Japan is fun because ‘a day out’ can involve basically anything. Whereas we here in the West know ‘hanging out with friends’ to be movie, dinner, drinks or similar, Japanese youth can indulge in all sorts of quirky entertainment, 24/7, 7 days a week! Thanks to six-storey game centres, 24-hour karaoke clubs and overall late opening hours for both retail and restaurants, the fun never ends. And always at affordable prices. Most places in Japan operate on nomi-houdai (all you can drink), tabe-houdai (all you can eat) or tabe-nomi-houdai (you guessed it, all you can eat and drink!) services. This usually means 2-3 hrs of all you can eat and/or drink at a price ranging ¥2000-5000 pp (£15-40/$20-50).Affordable, even on a student budget!
How about a robot café?
3. Riding the bullet train
The first time I rode the Shinkansen, I looked out the window and thought to myself “this must be what time travel looks like.” Fields, trees, mountains, people and animals were passing by with such speed I thought I was seeing our Earth’s lifetime flash before my eyes. In no more than three hours we had completed the 583.4 km journey (according to Google) between Fukuoka and Kobe, approximately the same distance between Brighton and Newcastle. Besides the occasional ear popping, the ride was comfortable, smooth and without the loud engine noise you normally get in engine-run trains. These massive bullet trains bring travellers to destinations, workers to business meetings, families to relatives and lovers together, and they accommodate all the space needed for it. In fact, Japan was the first country in the world where I could stretch my legs on the train! So, going back to overcrowded carriages, dysfunctional air conditioning and the horrible noise and air polluting that accompanies Danish, as well as British trains, was…depressing. Even now, the one thing I recommend anyone travelling to Japan, is to at least once step on board the Shinkansen. One journey is all it takes to be swayed. And if you want to maximise the experience, all you need to do is purchase an ekiben before boarding. Formed by taking the word “eki” (station) and combining it with the beginning of the word “bento” (lunch box), the tradition of purchasing ekiben before your journey goes as far back in Japanese history as the train itself. Which brings me to the next point on the list.
4. Obento
With the risk of deeply hurting my mother’s feelings, I must first explain my initial image of a lunch box. Growing up in Denmark, it was most often two slices of thinly cut meat, maybe some salad, squeezed between two loafs of dark, rye-bread and then casually wrapped in tin foil and dumped in a plastic bag. Lunch packs needed to be quick, easy and cost-wise, and sometimes it was simply easier to give a handful of coins to purchase a hot meal at the school cafeteria. Compared to this, the Japanese bento can only be described as an art form. First of all, they come in all shapes an sizes, some accommodated for warm soups, some for sushi, and most for a bit of everything. 
They are colourful, content is varied to accompany a balanced diet, and for many, they are a fun and creative way of spending the morning. My host mother would get up before me every day to make my lunch box, either by reusing leftovers from the day before or by cooking something completely new in the morning. Throughout my 10 months exchange stay in Japan, I’ve had sushi bento, fruit-sushi bento (i.e. with strawberries!), sandwiches, homemade pizza rolls, rice balls, soup, noodles, meat and vegetable rolls…you name it! Everyday, lunch consisted of social ritual of gathering around each others bento to spy on the colourful, almost magical content inside. Going from rice, to meat, to vegetables and then from mains to sides, with sauces and spices varying with each dish, the act of eating itself became an adventurous journey for the palate. This is why (as mentioned earlier) any train travel in Japan can only be perfected if accompanied by a bento.
5. Prioritising social responsibility
One of my most distinct memories from when I was an exchange student was an early autumn day riding my bike to school. Turning down a small side road, I saw a group of Japanese men neatly dressed in business suits, sweeping up red, brown, gold and amber leaves from the side walk. I knew that uniforms in Japan is highly valued, to the point that some bus drivers even wear gloves; but I Armani suits for street cleaners? I found it highly unlikely.
And it was. What I had seen was an example of unique nature of Japanese social ethics. The ones cleaning leaves that day were all Japanese businessmen from a small company on the street. Rather than hiring street cleaners, each company, business or retailer take 1 hour of employees time in the morning to clean up the street in front of their business. Why? Because it is their duty to do so for the sake of everyone. This strong sense of community is arguably also the reason why Japan is so clean. One thing that annoyed me immensely in the beginning, was the fact that I could never find a waste bin! Yet I never found rubbish, cigarette buds or food waste in the streets. When consulting my Japanese friend on the matter, she told me “I was taught always to take it with me; never to throw it on the street!” Indeed, thinking about I can’t recall ever seeing someone throw rubbish in the street. And even though there’s the odd youngster trashing their cigarette buds now and then, the portable ashtray is an invention out of Japan. People are quick to criticise Japan for being “too neat and clean”. But simply it is the manifestation of the the Japanese’s rudimental respect for the society they live in. And this is something we should learn from.
6. Counter-eating, everywhere!
I miss Japanese food. But even more so, I miss how it’s consumed. In a busy every-day life, it is far too easy to grab a sandwich on the go. However, as demonstrated with the obento, the Japanese eating culture is solely built around the experience of a meal. Sushi itself is an aesthetic, culinary experience with the goal of satisfying not just the palate but the eyes as well. Making food and eating an experience is at the heart of most Japanese cafe, restaurant or cafeteria, which is why the country is home to so many thematic and quirky restaurants with a completely normal menu. To me, counter-eating is the epiphany of this. Incorporating the exquisite Japanese hospitality, the idea of facing your chef and engaging in conversation is probably the most revolutionary ordeal in restaurant experience since the doggy bag. Just as one might sit at a bar and engage with a bartender, the experience of sitting down, taking your time to enjoy a meal as well as conversation is a nice alternate to the otherwise stressful tasks we face in our modern day lives. This style of service has already made it to Europe and the US via teppanyaki and robatayaki, but the potential of counter seating is yet to be fully explored by Western countries. This is also why sushi outside of Japan will never quite be the same. You can obtain the skills, knowledge, even produce to replicate any great, Japanese sushi. But the experience remains with the nation. Any good sushi chef will first and foremost ask his/her customer for their preferred flavour, and then go on to recommend sushi based on fish, season, vegetables, sauces, drinks pairing etc. And even if the chef isn’t talkative, the counter-seats will ensure that guests are entertained by the process of preparing the food. And before you know it, three hours have gone by in good company.
7. A Konbini that’s actually convenient!
Konbini is the Japanese word for convenient store, “cleverly” taken from the Japanese’s way of pronouncing ‘convenient’. Because that’s exactly what it is. Open 24/7, the Japanese Konbini stock everything from milk, rice, cooking oil and drinks, to tape, make-up, first-aid kits and even white shirts, underwear and socks for the business man on the go. You can actually go down and buy salt for your egg in the middle of the night. The different konbini’s (under names such as Family Mart, Ministop, Lawsons and 7-eleven) also cooperates with banks and sometimes post offices, so you can take out cash, send a letter and even pay your bills there! But what distinguishes them the most is the food. Were you to walk into a similar place in the UK, the selection of hot meals and take-aways would probably be limited to hot dogs, pizza and the occasional scotch egg now and then. However, in Japan you will be instantly met by noodle soups, katsu curry, oden (vegetables and tofu dishes served in a warm broth) during winter, meat-packed buns, big-bite fried chicken and freshly made sushi. You will also be able to shop for you daily vegetables, dairy products, and even eggs for the breakfast omelette. And guess what – it’s all locally produced to support the community and sustainable farming.
8. Electric toilets and general gadgets
One thing I really miss: not freezing my bum stuck on the toilet seat in winter time. In Japan, a heated toilet seat is anything but an indicator of the length of prior users visit. It is the manifestation of the Japanese’s innovative nature and drive towards making life easier, better and more comfortable. Why settle for cold, dirty bums when you can be warm, clean and even engage in conversation whilst enjoying your toilet time!? 
Admitted, talking toilets isn’t half as sociable an activity as it sounds. However, the robotic technology of Japan has paved the way for loads of creations that not only lift the burden on a busy household, but also makes it easier for elderly or people with disabilities to do every-day tasks.When an inter-phone system allows you to fill the bath, all whilst the rice cooker prepares dinner, making time for yourself no longer becomes an issue. Voice activating systems, cameras and sensors can enable blind to move around, disabled to do chores, and prevent burglars from entering the house by first showing who is actually ringing your door. Not to mention the exciting joy of trying out new gadgets at home. My first thought trying out gadgets in Japan?
“This is what being Batman must feel like!”
9. World’s most immaculate service
Even before my body finished passing the sliding bamboo doors I was greeted loudly with an ‘Irrasshaimase!’ and staff bowing towards the entrance. Upon sitting down, the waitress placed a piping hot towel in my hands, offered us the menu and put down a greeting starters on the house. Welcomed; that’s how you feel in Japan.
The level of service in Japan is not just something I’ve learned a lot from (and continue to use in my work as a bartender), it is something I miss greatly. When I lived in Japan on a Working Holiday visa, I worked for ZARA Japan as a sales assistant. I will never forget my first lessons on the job: “Stand with legs straight, feet slightly apart, left hand always on top of the right one, always joined together in front around the belly, and then bow in a 45 degree angle.” Perfection. Why the hands? you might ask. It derives from the very first honourable servant in Japanese history: the samurai. A warrior’s Katana (single-edged blade) would always be drawn by the right hand, and so the covering of the right hand in clear view is a signal of peace. Everything from the back straightened in a humble bow, to the tiny gesture of facing the handle of a coffee cup towards the guest rather than away from. These are just a number of ways the Japanese have employed the Samurai’s act of humble servitude on every day life, and perfected it. Obtaining it is easier than we might think. It is simply the act of putting the needs of the one you’re serving first; in everything. Once you step into the job or the role of the one providing a service, you leave your own worries behind. Japan is often criticised for this two-faced existence – the personal and the professional – but it is, essentially, what keeps the level of Japan’s hospitality industry milestones above that of others.
10. The never ending adventures
Last, but not least, what I miss about Japan is that every step out of my front door was the beginning of an adventure. Whether by foot or on my little, blue bicycle, there was always a quest to complete. Every neighbourhood in Japan will have their own shinto shrine, 
there might be a buddhist temple, a hidden public bath house or a tiny, family-owned ramen shop that’s been around for generations. Japan’s neighbourhoods are filled with human stories and findings. The iceberg analogy is greatly overused, but only because it fits so perfectly. All the great and weird that Japan throws at you initially is only the visible 10%. Everything else below the surface will take a lifetime to uncover. But it will be a lifetime well spent.
In My Japan 