My Impression of Japan

My first visit to Japan was when I was just seven, so I barely remember much from that trip except seeing the polar bears at Ueno Zoo and feeding the deers of Nara. Fast-forward over thirty years, and I am back in Japan. I look forward to experiencing Japan “for the first time.” Since I grew up in Taiwan, I did not experience the same cultural shock as many other first-time visitors from the West. That said, Japan’s unique cultural traditions and pursuit of perfection would leave a deep impression on every first-time visitor.

The lanterns at Kyoto’s Nishiki Tenmangu Shrine.

Based on my observation, I suspect Japan’s safety and cleanliness are the first things that impressed visitors. Japan is easily the easiest place to travel since everything is punctual and maintained to the highest standard possible. The only risks tourists would encounter are gluttony and overspending on souvenirs. From sashimi vending machines to out-of-control mascots everywhere, Japan has no shortage of “oddities” to confuse and delight visitors.

Japanese Overtourism

Since Japan opened its pandemic-era restrictions, foreign tourists have been streaming into the Country with a vengeance. In March this year alone, the country recorded 3 million foreign arrivals. For context, the country only received 6.2 million foreign visitors for the entire year of 2011. Japan may always be a desirable but expensive destination. However, with the Japanese yen at a historic low against the American dollar nowadays, there has never been a better time to visit Japan. For the past year, many articles have been written about Japan’s popularity, including headlines such as “Why it feels like everyone in the world is heading to Japan right now?”

Japan’s popularity directly translates to concerns for overtourism. Like other countries grappling with the same issues, the problem was not the number of tourist arrivals but that everyone was going to the same few places. In Japan, most visitors visit the so-called “Golden Triangle,” which is made up of Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. Meanwhile, places like Sendai or Niigata barely receive any foreigners. This uneven distribution of visitors strains local resources during peak tourist season and drives up the cost of living.

To the annoyance of locals, city buses from Kyoto Station to Kiyomizu-dera Temple are chronically packed with foreign tourists.

Of all the places, overtourism hits Kyoto particularly hard. Reports of outrageous behaviors, such as grabbing geisha for selfies and trespassing on private properties. Just a few months ago, Kyoto instituted the first-ever “tourist” ban in certain back alleys of the Gion district. The impacts of over-tourism are most acute in places like Arashiyama and Higashiyama District, but it could be felt across the entire metropolitan area. One prime example is the Kyoto municipal bus system; popular routes running from Kyoto Station to the historic district are busting to the seam. The locals, especially the elderly, are now jockeying for space with foreign tourists daily. Based on my first-hand observation, the acrimony is real.

Unlike places like Italy or Thailand, Japan’s overtourism is particularly tricky because of the country’s conformist culture. When confronted with foreigners’ rude behaviors, most Japanese would grin and bear it. Consequently, few misbehaving tourists are informed of the third misdeed. To make matters worse, some scrupulous YouTubers, such as Logan Paul, deliberately cause trouble by violating social norms to generate clicks. They shamelessly abused the good-heartedness of the Japanese people. We only hope people recognize them for the asshole they are.

Food Obsession

Dining out in East Asia is a joy compared to just about everywhere else. From convenience stores’ onigiri rice balls to a feast of grilled eels, the food offerings in Japan are varied but always high quality. It took me a while to figure out what made the Japanese so special. The key to understanding Japan’s food obsession is hyper-local specialties. With the encouragement of local producer associations, each prefecture or city considers energy when developing its specialty products, meibutsu (名物). One prime example of meibutsu would be the dizzying arrays of Japanese wagyu beef. Kobe beef may be the most well-known Wagyu internationally. Still, Japan has more than two dozen famous local beef varieties, such as Tamija, Matsusaka, Hida, and Omi.

Hida beef at a local butcher shop in Kanazawa.

One reason for meibutsu’s popularity is the Japanese custom of omiyage (お土産). Roughly translated as “local souvenirs,” omiyage are commonly purchased by travelers as gifts to families or coworkers back home. This widespread practice is considered a social obligation and a show of gratitude. Giving edible souvenirs to pet sitters or colleagues is commonplace as an apology for causing them inconvenience due to one’s absence. Omiyage is a big business in Japan; almost every tourist site has at least an omiyage stand, and they are always impeccably packaged.

Japan’s fondness for regional specialties also extends to foreign food imports. Perhaps the most famous example is Japanese KitKats! This venerable British chocolate brand was introduced in Japan in 1973. It became tremendously popular because the name “KitKat” sounded like the phrase “You will surely win!” in Japanese. The treat became a good luck charm that was popular with students. Over the years, the company rolled out more than 300 regional and seasonal flavors, such as Yūbari melon, edamame, and Okinawan sweet potato. These special-edition KitKats may be the most popular souvenirs for foreign visitors.

Japanese Car Culture

Until very recently, Japan was the world’s top exporter of automobiles. Global brands like Toyota, Nissan, and Subaru have been known for their reliability and affordability. However, Japan's domestic cars are incredibly uninspiring for a country known for its automobile industry. There is remarkable conformity regarding cars’ colors, sizes, and aesthetics. Because of Japan’s urban density and narrow streets, American-style SUVs and pickup trucks are rare. Most cars are boxy, and nothing is not very sexy in design. Like Japanese fashion, cars in Japan are mostly black, white, or varying shades of gray. Standing out is certainly not a virtue in Japan.

Much to our surprise, these boxy vehicles are very comfortable inside. The only spatial compromise would be the trunk space. Without question, the best way to enjoy these cars is Japan’s taxi service. In a stereotypically Japanese way, the level of service is always exceptional. Drivers always wear white gloves and handle every piece of luggage with extreme care. To top it off, passenger doors are always automatic, making the experience extra special. Japan’s taxis are notoriously expensive. But thanks to the falling yen, it was only marginally more expensive than public transportation under some circumstances.

This is a lot of signage for a single spot of parking.

Interestingly, it took me a while to notice that roadside parking is surprisingly rare in the cities. Perhaps this is just one reason why Japanese cities appear so tidy. However, plenty of parking lots are sprinkled across the city, and the metered rates are surprisingly reasonable. I am particularly fond of metered parking lots with only space for one single car. It was amazing these lots still have their pay station, signage, and surveillance camera, all for just a single car. That was ver Japanese if you asked me.

Where Are The Crowd At Night?

From lively izakaya to karaoke bars, the nightlight in Japan is supposed to be legendary. Since I was not much of a drinker and karaoke was not my thing, I had quite a lot of time to explore the city after dark. Much to my disappointment, most shops tend to close right after sunset. Even major department stores in Kyoto and Tokyo usually close at seven or eight o’clock. This was particularly unfortunate as many host great restaurants and food courts. Considering that most Japanese people work very long hours, I am surprised that stores do not bother to stay open late.

Modern shopping districts aside, I was surprised to discover most of Japan’s historic districts are deserted after sunset. In much of the world, the historic center of a city would be mobbed with tourists day and night. It seemed bizarre that businesses there chose not to capitalize on the crowds after dark. Very few dinner restaurants are in busy areas like Kyoto’s Higashiyama or Kanazawa’s Higashi Chaya. You would think these would be the best places to open a bar or a Michelin-star restaurant. I could not believe there were hardly any pedestrians when we visited around eight in the evening. While it may be a disappointment, the empty streets were a welcomed contrast to the shoulder-to-shoulder crown in the afternoon. In retrospect, the serenity in the evening transports us back to the Edo period.

Peace and tranquility of Shirakawa-go after dark.

Early closure also applies to tourist hotspots in rural areas. At Shirakawa-go, the main visitor parking closes at 5 pm., roughly an hour before the sunset. I found it bizarre that such a widely popular place like Shirakawa-go effectively shut down this early. It was not until later that, at least in the case of Shirakawa-go, the early closure provided the much-needed respite for the locals. As Shirakawa-go remains a living village with permanent residents, I suspect the early closure of the parking was intentional. However, I doubt many residents are left in touristy places like Kyoto’s Higashiyama District.

Japanese Inefficiency & Rigidity

From high-speed bullet trains to bidet washlets, Japan has had a solid reputation as a technological powerhouse since the 1990s. Rightly or not, foreign visitors arrived with sky-high expectations. Consumer brands from Japan set global standards for innovation until about the early 2000s. As we traveled the world, I was often surprised by how highly prized Japanese products are in the developing world. Brands like Toyota or Sony may not be very sexy, but they are known for their values and dependability. Indeed, Toyota is so popular that people have even named a nine-month war in Africa after the brand.

Japan may have a long history of global innovation, but I suspect most of us would have difficulty naming a single invention from the country in the last decade. At the same time, Japan has been slow to adopt the newest technology, such as mobile payment, digital signatures, and the gig economy. The Japanese technology landscape is quite bizarre. While rideshare apps like Uber and DiDi struggled to gain traction here, antiquated internet brands like Yahoo! still strive.

My experience with Japanese inefficiency started when we arrived at Narita Airport. I pre-booked Keisei Skyliner Express train tickets to Ueno Station; it gave me a QR code for ticket pickup. When I arrived at the ticketing area, I was told I had to pick up my ticket reservation from one of the two dedicated ticket kiosks, and there were over thirty people in line for these kiosks. I would have been much faster if I just purchased the tickets on the spot. It took us over thirty minutes to reach the front of the line. The line was moving so slowly because these kiosks were operated manually by a single staff member. I can’t help wondering exactly what the point of advanced ticket reservation was.

Kiosk for reserved tickets to Keisei Skyliner Express at Narita Airport.

One thing that stood out during the episode was how inflexible the Japanese could be. When confronted with frustrated customers, the Japanese could be inept at problem-solving. Because they are so accustomed to standard operating procedures, businesses are terrible at accommodating special requests or substitutions. At a restaurant in Takayama, Brian asked the waiter whether he could substitute the included beverage with a set meal from iced tea to hot tea. Even though both items were on the restaurant menu at the same price, the waitress indicated such a substitution could not be honored. Such inflexibility is common and stems from Japan’s obsession with rules and procedures.

With decades of wage stagnation and population decline, Japan started to debate how to balance innovation with traditions. By some accounts, the Japanese are one-third less productive than Americans per capita. Some openly question how long Japan could hold on to its ways. Japan’s rigidity and inefficiency may frustrate travelers, but this insistence on rules and cultural traditions makes Japan special. From the reverence for traditional crafts to over-politeness, the ritualization of life here could be quite intoxicating.

Japanese Politics

As a political junky, I always looked out for political and campaign posters during my travel. Growing up in Taiwan, I am accustomed to a vibrant and colorful political scene. During the election season, Taiwanese cities would be covered in seas of election posters and banners. While many foreign visitors may find it interesting, I do not enjoy all the chaos and waste. In contrast, Japan’s political scene is very buttoned-up and muted. Except for a few years, the country has been ruled by a dominant party. From everything I read, people are more apathetic about politics than in Taiwan or the United States.

Campaign posters for the Japan Communist Party in Kyoto.

Even though the Liberal Democratic Party is the dominant force in the country, we saw plenty of campaign posters from wide arrange of political parties. In particuar, I was surprised to see how many posters for the Japanese Communist Party. I was surrpised that the Communists actually holds ten seats in the House of Representative. It led me to look into the party’s platforms more closely. I was surprised by how agreeable their political positions are; I suppose Japanese Communists has more similarity to Scandivania’s Social Democrats than the Chinese Communist Party.

Campaign poster for a Komeito party candidate in Inuyama.

Going around the city, I was fascinated with the graphic of the campaign posters. Not only do they always feature headshots of the candidates but they very often showcase energetic poses. Since the Japanese politicians tend to be very conservative, it was interesting to see the palyful side of politics. Humors seemed to be an effective way to connect with the rlectorate.; the “running”pose with one arm out front seems especially popular. True to Japan’s obsession with tidiness, nearly all the posters are either nailed or adhered to walls with neatly applied stickers. I imagine the way these posters are hung is a reflection of the candidates.

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