Hi, I’m Sam, and I’m a Brit living in London. I love to travel and I’ve always wanted to go to Japan!
I cast my mind back to my pre-COVID trip and put together a list of occasional observations about Japan/Tokyo that I thought were worth mentioning.
1.
There are these lorries that play loud music, probably for promotional purposes.
2.
There are some restaurants where you can order through a vending machine!
3.
You can buy sandwiches with the crusts already cut!
4.
You often get a little basket at a restaurant to store your things while you sit and eat.
Love this idea- all restaurants/coffee shops in Japan provide you with a basket to place your wallet or sit down to shop safely and neatly.
Gen
If you didn’t already know, Japan likes to keep things ~neat~.
5.
The traffic cones we saw were more exciting than ours.
6.
Some places have special slippers to wear in the toilet for hygiene reasons. I’m told people do the same at home!
7.
People just don’t take theirs Dogs for walks!
8.
Most stores in Tokyo will clip your shopping bag with tape as proof of purchase.
9.
People ride bicycles on sidewalks and roads.
10.
Convenience stores have a truly wild array of drinks, including this fluorescent green watermelon soda that I was addicted to.
11.
The whole country is obsessed with cute things – for example, kittens, puppies, rabbits, mice.
12.
The train seats can be turned in the direction of travel for your pleasure.
13.
There are these flat wooden flip-flops called “geta” (similar to clogs) that Japanese people sometimes wear.
14.
You can’t smoke anywhere – there are these designated cages on the street for smokers.
15.
Ninety-five percent of toilets are ~super~ fancy, with lots of buttons to enhance your toilet experience!
16.
There are these “maid cafes” where young women dress up in maid clothes and serve you food and drink.
17.
And finally, when the train pulls into a tube station, an adorable little jingle plays over the tannoy.
18.
Bonus – I had to add this point about masks I wrote back in 2019: And everyone wears masks for a variety of reasons, whether it’s to avoid air pollution, allergens or germs, or to cover up space. Or stigma!
Anyway, hope to see you again soon, Japan!!! 🇯🇵♥️🇯🇵♥️🇯🇵
Have you ever been to Tokyo or elsewhere in Japan and noticed something unusual or wonderful? Let us know in the comments below!
