Three Reasons to Love Japan

With the experience of learning Japanese for several years, and the chances to study and travel, Japan became a dream destination. The 3Cs are some of the reasons on the list.

Character. Japanese are well-known for their warm hospitality. During my first visit in Kyoto, an old man offered to walk me for 15 minutes to my hotel, when he was meant to be going home, in a completely opposite direction. I will never forget how helpful the locals are.

Not to mention how enthusiastic the students are. During the study in Fukuoka, the students organized cultural events for us, namely the aikido, tea ceremony, ikebana and Japanese anime. You really get an understanding of how much they treasure their traditional culture.

The idea of consistency is considered as an extremely impressive personality trait. Once I went to “Menbakaichidai” in Kyoto, a Fire Ramen restaurant. I am subject to great food, service and even a fire performance, only if I am patient enough for a 2 hour waiting time.

It only serves 8 customers at a time. The chef apologized for the late service, but explained that maintaining good quality within a small number of customers in a consistent manner is crucial in Japan. They put more emphasis on the service, rather than commercial efficiency.

Community. It is estimated that the travel and tourism sector contributed USD 359 billion to Japanese GDP. It is the third largest market in the world, after the US and China. While many governments deliberately establish tourist spots, Japan is a different case.

Take shrines as an example. In Japan, Shinto is the biggest religion, and Shrines are where believers pray to their God regularly. As a result, the residents set up booths and shops selling traditional food and products. A small community is therefore established.

Once I traveled to Takeo, many of them were local tourists. Takeo Shrine, a 3000-year-old camphor tree; Mifuneyama Rakuen, a flower-laden site under a huge ship; City Library, a modern building incorporating the flow of wind; and the Onsen Romon, the oldest hot spring.

They are something more than tourist spots. Even the top-ranked attractions have been considered as part of their community. Visitors are able to fully experience the culture, making you not only a traveler, but also a local Japanese, even if it is just for a day or two.

Culture. In Japanese, they have two separate writing systems: ‘hiragana’ and ‘katakana.’ The former one, along with the Chinese writing system, is used as a traditional expression; while the latter one is used as a foreign or modern expression.

Namely, rice is in “hiragana” while chocolate is in “katakana”. As a result, the Japanese are able to distinguish that rice is a traditional food, while chocolate is a foreign snack. The pronunciation of chocolate also imitates the English one, making them a fast learner too.

Under the era of globalization, striking the balance between the preservation of tradition and the adaptation to foreign culture becomes a headache. Yet, Japan has a good mastery of this balance, even their living style illustrated the inclusive personalities.

Currently, Washitsu still exists in most of the Japanese houses, even though they adapted the modern style. The room consists of several tatami and antique displays. It serves as a multipurpose room, for daily conversation and guest reception, such as friends and relatives.

Character, community and culture are just a few of the many reasons why Japan is one of the greatest countries in the world. The longer you immerse yourself in Japanese culture, the more you will discover how fascinating and adorable this country is.