Hello, my name is Sam and I am a Brit living in London. I love to travel and have ALWAYS wanted to go to Japan!
I recalled my pre-COVID trip and made a list of occasional Japan/Tokyo observations that I thought were worth mentioning.
1.
There are these trucks driving noisily playing music, presumably for promotional purposes.
2.
There are some restaurants where you can order via a vending machine!
3.
You can buy sandwiches with the crusts already cut!
4.
You often get a small basket at a restaurant to store your things while you sit down and eat.
I love this idea – in Japan every restaurant/cafe provides you with a basket when you are seated to store your purse or do your shopping safely and securely.
jenn
If you didn’t already know, Japan likes to keep things ~neat~.
5.
The traffic cones we saw were way more exciting than ours.
6.
Some places have special slippers to wear in the washrooms for hygienic reasons. I am told that people do the same at home!
seven.
People don’t just take their dogs for a walk!
8.
Most stores in Tokyo will tie your bag with tape as proof of purchase.
9.
People pedal on the sidewalk as well as on the road.
ten.
Convenience stores have a really crazy line of drinks, including this fluorescent green melon soda, which 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 enjoyment.
13.
There are those flat wooden flip flops called “geta” (similar to clogs) that the Japanese sometimes wear.
14.
You can’t smoke anywhere – there are these designated cages on the street for smokers.
15.
Ninety-five percent of the toilets are ~super~ sophisticated, with plenty of buttons to enhance your bathroom experience!
16.
There are these “maid cafes” where young women dress up as maids and serve you food and drink.
17.
And finally, when a train pulls into a metro station, a cute little jingle plays on the tannoy.
18.
Bonus – I HAD to include this point about masks, which I wrote in 2019: And of course, everyone wears face masks, for reasons as diverse as wanting to avoid air pollution, allergens or germs or even wanting to cover a stain or defect!
Anyway, hope to see you again soon, Japan!!! 🇯🇵♥️🇯🇵♥️🇯🇵
Have you ever been to Tokyo or anywhere else in Japan and noticed anything unusual or amazing? Let us know in the comments below!