I don’t know where to start when it comes to posting about Japan.  

It is such an interesting place to visit.  So much to share.  I have already done a post about the meaning of Cherry Blossom Season and another one about the Kimono Rental business. 

This blog post is a mix of odd, interesting and quirky things things I experienced in Japan.   Yes, it is a bit random, but I hope it communicates something about this fascinating culture.   

1. Taxis are impeccable.  I loved them.   The seats are covered in lace.    Drivers sometimes wear gloves.  They are spotlessly, no make that obsessively clean. The drivers open the doors with a button from the inside.  I was told this is so that you don’t open the door in an unsafe spot, but another theory is that the drivers don’t want passengers making smudges on the shiny handles.  I believe both.  

The Japanese are obsessed with cleanliness. 

2.  There are Mini Police Stations in Tokyo where you can go for help.  According to Metropolitan Tokyo Police Department’s web page: “Japan is known for its low crime rates, and one of the reasons for that is “Koban,” or neighborhood police outposts, which have been developed for many years in Japan. Originating in Japan, “Koban” have been internationally recognized as an effective policing system that is deep-rooted in the local communities.” How reassuring.

3. The toilets are amazing.  Really.   I’ll refer you to Kate’s blog post.  The toilets of Japan

4. In Harajuku—teenagers dress up in costumes representing video game characters.  According to WikiHow, “Harajuku isn’t its own style, but rather a popular meeting ground in Japan for a number of street styles. It can have a playful, colorful mix of girly and punk styles popular among Japanese teenagers. This street style originated from a postwar combination of American and Japanese culture and formed around the Harajuku district in Shibuya.”

Capturing images of these kids wasn’t easy. I tried.  Would be fun as a photographer to hang around this area for longer than I did.

5. Japan has a lot of  quirky cafes.   We didn’t go in any, unfortunately.  Can’t do everything, but maybe I will get to go back to Japan and visit one of the weird ones someday.   I am certainly curious.  Turns out that Japan has long been at the forefront of themed cafes and restaurants including the cat cafe.  Here’s a link to an article about some of the stranger ones: https://www.ranker.com/list/weird-japanese-themed-cafes/tamar-altebarmakian

6. Kaiseki—food artistry—was one of the most wonderful surprises of the trip for me.  I had no idea that this existed.  Of course, I knew about sushi, but Kaiseki is a fixed menu that is truly an art form.  The food is fresh, beautifully presented and planned very carefully.  Kate Dernoceour did a blog post about food in Japan. Here are some photos of my experiences. Too lovely to eat, but I did. 

7. Addresses are very confusing.  Fortunately I never had to figure one out on my own. But after learning about the Japanese system I did some research and read this blogger.   “ One of the first things you will no doubt notice when coming to Japan is that most of the streets don’t have names, the building numbers don’t go in any kind of order, and you can’t possibly imagine a time before your cabbie had access to GPS. Welcome to the Japanese address registration system. It’s a doozy.”  Jalopnik.

Here’s a link to an interesting article about the address system in Japan. https://jalopnik.com/the-insanely-confusing-world-of-japanese-addresses-1778165230

8. The “new era” of the Emperor was announced while we were there.  It was fascinating to see people taking pictures of the announcement on a storefront in the Ginza.   

What is this all about?  Well, Emperor Naruhito was crowned on May 1 and now rules during will be known as the Reiwa (pronounced “ray-wha”) period, meaning “beautiful harmony.”

The name of the era can be seen on Japanese driver’s licenses, dates on newspapers and publications. The periodization system was first established by Emperor Kōtoku in 645. A new era is declared and named with each new emperor. 

Apparently it is a big deal with a very long history.

9.  Everyone knows about the shoes, I suspect.  You take your shoes off pretty much everywhere in Japan.  Most times slippers are available to put on.  Sometimes there are even special slippers to switch into when you use the toilet. I noticed that often our shoes were straightened into neat and tidy rows for us when we were inside a temple, restaurant, gallery or building. 

I was glad I brought the cute socks a lovely friend had given me.

10 Vending machines  aren’t just for snacks and drinks.  They are everywhere and you can buy all kinds of stuff in them.  

Can’t resist adding this photo from a buffet in a lovely hotel. I love stuff like this.

The trip to Japan was wonderfully organized by Tiny World Tours.

Come back to DesignDestinations for more about Japan.  I have photos of gardens, temples and lots of art venues.  It was a visual feast for me.

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Typically we post every Monday.  Come back and enjoy seeing the world with us. My guest bloggers and I do this purely for the fun and pleasure of sharing our experiences with you. We hope you enjoy.