I think that Japan is often very misunderstood as a nation. Too often I hear people mocking parts of their culture, or just disregarding them, simply because they don’t understand. And it can be easy to do this, Japan is very much a mono-culture, but different doesn’t mean wrong. If we take a step back and look at stereotypical Japan we see hundreds of high rise buildings, a massive population, and a plethora of weird/cute/creepy things {such as プリクラ}. So let’s break it down, and you’ll see why I love this country a lot.

Sure, in the city, there are a lot of buildings, and sometimes you feel as if you are indeed in the maze runner – but Japan in unique is a really special way. Where I live, certain areas indicate certain entities; the city has tall building, but if you walk down the road a little bit there is a large park, etc. You would think that this rule would also apply in Japan, but I can assure you that this is not the case. Where else in the world could you find a truly incredible pond in the middle of the urban sprawl? Or an amazing shrine, right next to the 7/11. Japan is full of pockets of nature, if you look for them – and stumbling across one unexpectedly is always the highlight of my day. Look at the picture below, taken at 東大, 20 metres away there are buildings so tall you have to crane your neck to see the top.

So the second stereotype is that Japan has a massive population, which is somewhat true. In urban areas, there are millions of people – just try riding a train in the morning. But visiting Saga showed me that this population density does not stretch the whole nation, as one might assume. There is nothing more amazing than standing in a rice field with only four other people and watching the sunset. Look to the left and the next house is 2 km away. And I know, the same can go for other countries too, if you know where to look.

Finally, the weird factor. I guess this really is the result of Japanese mono-culture, but it is so fun to embrace. The fashion and entertainment is so obscure and crazy, that you just need to let go and roll with it. Sure, you might not like everything, but I think the real issue that people have with odd stuff in Japan is that it is so different from what they are used to. To those people, I ask, why escape your hometown if you aren't willing to embrace the difference {perhaps you shouldn’t have left!}?

The mix of tradition and future technology merges seamlessly in to everyday life, and you’d be a fool not to take advantage of it. If you accept the quirks with an open mind, you might find that someone else’s reality makes a lot of sense.

-H