A few observations that I realize I touched upon but never wrote about in great detail:

1) white glove service – the taxi drivers and people at the hotel all wear white gloves. even the people who handle the baggage.

2) bowing – I saw some bowing, but not a ton or maybe I’ve grown immune to it?  Definitely not in the office. More of a Japanese to Japanese person custom. But in places where people are performing a service it’s more likely: the ticket taker before boarding the bus to the airport, department store and hotel employees. Even when the bus arrived at the airport, there were luggage attendees waiting for the bus and bowing upon its arrival, and departure from the terminal.

3) taxis – the door is controlled by the driver so that one’s hands do not interact with someone else’s germs. And they do not open the door until the payment transaction is complete. Not because they are afraid someone will run out on a bill, but because it would be impolite to rush.

4) currency – not sure if I mentioned it before, but this is a very cash-centric culture. I was warned the day before departing home that I would need more cash than I expected, so to be cautious I doubled the amount of cash I planned to travel with. Good thing that I did as that amount lasted me until yesterday (see ATM excursion.) In addition to 1, 5, 10 yen coins, Japanese currency includes 50, 100 and 500 yen coins, so I was carrying around more coins than usual. Halfway through the trip I dumped out all of my change with the hotel’s cashier desk just to make things lighter and exchange for some bills!

5) silence – Japanese are very comfortable with silence. People will collectively sit and think in meetings. Reminds me of a phrase that I love: you have two ears and one mouth for a reason.

The 1 hour bus ride between the airport and city center was completely full, and extremely silent. No one talking on their phones or even to each other. No rustling of newspapers or the sound of music coming out from someone’s headphones. There’s a small bell on a gift that I am bringing back for Marianna, and it’s stashed in a bag within a bag within a bag in the overhead. And, the bus is so silent that occasionally I hear the bell chime. Looking around, I’m the only gaigin (foreigner) on the bus so it’s obvious that I am the one causing a disturbance in their otherwise orderly commute. Oh well!

6) saying no – the Japanese do not use the word “no.” Body language used to communicate “no” or “I disagree” would be someone dipping their head down a little bit and thinking. (sort of like how Buswell looks when we scold him). Or it could be someone looking up towards the sky. Or there are several types of grunts. Verbally, they would not disagree but instead use phrases to indirectly communicate their position on a topic. “yes that might work” means “no way.” “it is a good thought” means “you are an idiot for even proposing such a thing.” This provides an added element of complications in the workplace.

7) crime – I do not know the statistics, but Japan has a very low crime rate. You do not need to clutch your purse on the subway or fear pickpockets….even at tourist attractions. It would bring shame to the Japanese people if their country was perceived as having crime and was unsafe. There’s a lot of national pride here. Crime just doesn’t exist here like it does in other parts of the world. Yes, there is a Japanese mafia, but that’s the extent of it. School children ride the subways, alone, at all hours of the day and night. I think the safety factor is part of what ingratiates visitors to this country. Despite not knowing any of the language, and the food is a palate change for many, the safety of it all makes things that much easier.

All that being said, one of the leading causes of death is suicide. The pressure for perfection? The long hours in the office resulting in no family life and lack of work / life balance? The masking of one’s emotions? The widespread inability to say “no” ? The combined forces can grate on a person.

Food report: breakfast at narita airport. Ham, egg and cheese sandwich (with a smattering of ketchup on the bread), plain yogurt with fruit cocktail pieces in it and a dollop of jam on top, and a cup of American coffee. Price: 850 yen.

In preparation for this trip, I read somewhere that the Japanese do not regularly use the phrase most Americans know: “sayonara.” I recall the book saying that “sayonara” has a finality to it that the Japanese are not comfortable with. They prefer to leave their farewells open-ended and use some other phrase instead. So, I am not saying “sayonara” to Japan. Instead, I’ll use one of the few phrases that I think is more appropriate: arigato goizaimas — thank you very much.