Welcome To The Real Japan.

In the land of the rising sun, not everybody lives in a small house and eats sushi. These are just two of the myths propagated by those who in fact have very little or no experience of living in Japan. In fact, these perceptions of what Japan is really like are so far wide of the mark, it would take a library of books to explain how much more there is to Japan. So we have to be very careful of sweeping generalizations. Personally, I prefer to keep an open mind and speak as I find.

Amongst the many things which I have discovered by living here for a number of years are the national characteristics of pragmatism and efficiency. And it is the former of those two conditions that gives rise to the latter.

By way of example, the removal of outdoor shoes before entering the interior of the home. It is a given, that shoes will be removed not only upon entering your home but also when you visit the homes of others. Indeed, a great many restaurants also apply the same rule. This means that a lot less cleaning of interior floors is needed.

In the UK, which is where I am from, and in Spain, where I lived for twenty-five years, no such rule exists. The consequence is that for the British and the Spanish, the mopping of floors is a necessary daily routine. Here in Japan, the mopping of floors with hot water and detergent can be as little as once a month. And the floors are always sparkingly clean! So the pragmatic, practical application of that rule, makes for a more efficient lifestyle.

Another example of pragmatism can be found in how the Japanese deal with home security. In the UK, it is quite common for homeowners to have security alarms installed. In Spain, homeowners and the owners of commercial premises, like shops, etc, prefer to fit very strong wrought iron security grills on every window and door. In the UK people try to deter breaking and entering. In Spain, they try to prevent it from happening, by making it difficult. In Japan, like everything else, it is different.

"Perhaps the most important reason why Japan has such a low crime rate is Japanese culture and the Japanese “kokuminsei,” or national character. It is well known that the Japanese value social harmony, observe hierarchy, and prefer to avoid conflict."

In a nutshell, the Japanese take personal and communal responsibility for their own civil obedience as a matter of course. It is in everybody's interest to obey the law. I once read in some book or other that there is an old Japanese law against misbehavior in public. This included drunkenness, physical fighting, or even loud arguing. Disobedience was punishable up to execution! As far as I am aware, that antique law is still on the statute.

In general, the Japanese are a quiet, polite, and law-abiding nation of people. Again, it is all about helping to create social harmony and to avoid conflict.

It is also a country that does not tolerate or allow guns or drugs. You can count the annual number of shootings in Japan on one finger! In the United States, the figures are completely off the scale. By way of comparison, take note of the figures below.

In 2021, in the United States, there were 48,830 gun-related deaths. In the same year in Japan, there was one! Let that sink in a for few moments. I'll say it again, ONE! And no, it is not a misprint.

Where my wife and I live is not too far from Tokyo, about an hour or so drive in the car, obeying all speed limits. It is a semi-rural area with a thriving population. And I seriously have not seen, in eight years of living here, not one single act of civil disobedience or act of aggression.

For the Japanese, efficiency is something everybody strives to attain and maximize. And they succeed in doing that by the practical application of common sense solutions. And the wonderful by-product of that way to be is peace and harmony, for everybody.

As for the small houses and sushi, well we hardly ever eat sushi, much as we love the aquatic delicacy. The fact of the matter is that Japanese cuisine presents an incredibly wide variety of delicious food, of which sushi is one small part.

And the small house? We live in a very nice, spacious, comfortable apartment, surrounded by big detached properties with very large gardens. And our choice of an apartment is down to considerations such as cost, as well as efficient maintenance. The fewer rooms there are, the less there is to keep clean.