I’ve always been fascinated by Japan.
Japanese culture is so different than American culture. Here are just a few examples that capture my imagination:
- In Tokyo, living and shopping spaces bring efficiency to levels never achieved in the USA.
- Artisan culture is expressed in fascinating ways, such as extreme pour over coffee methods that have migrated back to the USA. (See this article at Boutique Japan.)
- One person’s trash is another person’s treasure… more than twenty years ago, my friends Eric and Sheryl, who lived in Japan for at least a year, told me of how their neighbors would put perfectly good stereo equipment on the curb to be picked up by the garbage collectors after they bought newer and better equipment.
- Even though the salaryman concept is losing ground, Japan’s often unquestioning commitment to work lives on. (See this article at The Lily.)
- When I was in college, I picked up a photo calendar featuring Japan’s beautiful and rugged mountains. I think Japan has more mountains per square kilometer than my beloved Colorado. (Check out Kamikochi.)
- Japan loves bizarre little cars that will never find their way to the States, such as the Honda N-WGN and the Nissan Roox. I’d love to feature one in my driveway.
Even post-pandemic (if we ever get there), I may never get to visit. But it’s nice to dream.
Photo courtesy of bantersnaps on Unsplash. Used by permission via a Creative Commons license.
