It's been a while since I've updated my blog, I realize I'm worse at this then I thought. But first thing first I wanted to close off Japan since I've been in Thailand for a while now.
First off, they are incredibly polite, especially to strangers, even to people who are familiar there’s still a sense of politeness. They have great respect for their elderly and disabled, our western culture could learn something from this, although it goes both ways in our culture. Su-mi-ma-sen is how you pronounce it, you use it to get someone’s attention, when you want to pass someone who is in the way, or in a store. Ari-ga-tou go-sai-mas, that’s how it’s pronounced, is thank you in Japanese and you’ll hear this the most, the Japanese will thank you for most things and they will keep thanking you.
Second, there’s no public transportation as good in the world as the Japanese one, every train is on time. Even here sometimes trains get a defect or just don’t run, but usually nobody will really notice it, in Tokyo the circle line, which is a train that constantly circles trough Tokyo, almost departs every 5 minutes in the morning, every 10 to 15 minutes when it’s more quiet. Tokyo also has a massive subway track and private trainrails, you can usually get day passes at the tourist information, or just get a ticket from the machine, there’s a button for English guide. The conductors in the train will bow every time they enter your cart and thank you for riding with them. The trains are comfortable and so clean that you basically can eat of the floor. I understand why so many Japanese use public transportation as means to get around their country. If you plan on traveling a lot through Japan I'd suggest to get in your home country a Japan-rail pass, they have 7, 14 and 21 days. They are a little expensive, but if you use the train a lot you'll find this well worth the money.
Third, I said it already I think, but the Japanese are a very clean population, they clean their hands before every meal restaurants usually give you a wet wipe or wet towel before your meal so you can clean your hands. Their toilets are AMAZING! Pre-warmed seats, a spray for your front, a spray to clean your backside, adjustable pressure of the sprays. Sure there’s still a few public bathrooms where you have to squat while doing your business but those are few. I even found one public bathroom that was so luxurious that they had a button you could press so music would start playing and then nobody would be able to hear you. I love their toilets!
Fourth, they have a thing for vending machines, they are everywhere, cold drinks, warm drinks, Cigarets and so on. Most hotels always have vending machines as well.
Fifth, if you are a smoker you are going hate and love Japan at the same time, for they have smoking seats in a lot of restaurants and bars. But usually they don’t smoke outside, it’s an unwritten rule to not smoke in the street unless there’s an astray of sorts. Kyoto has even non-smoking zones where you’ll be fined if they see you smoking here out of the designated smoking areas. For me it’s good I made it a sport to find a smoking area and it makes me smoke a lot less. Maybe 10 cigs a day, which is about one-third of what I used to smoke a day.
Sixth, the Japanese carry a lot of cash on them and as a foreigner it’s kind of difficult to find atm’s. Most big train stations have 2 atms that accept foreign cards, I know Dutch cards don’t add an fee for using an atm in Japan, be sure to check if you are going. So if the atm asks if you are okay with the fee for using the atm say yes, because in my case it doesn’t cost any money. Also all 7 elevens in Japan have an atm that accepts foreign cards.
There’s so much more to tell, but there are things that you just have to see for yourself. If you are a fan of seeing culture on your trip then Japan is an amazing country to go to, even with children.
First off, they are incredibly polite, especially to strangers, even to people who are familiar there’s still a sense of politeness. They have great respect for their elderly and disabled, our western culture could learn something from this, although it goes both ways in our culture. Su-mi-ma-sen is how you pronounce it, you use it to get someone’s attention, when you want to pass someone who is in the way, or in a store. Ari-ga-tou go-sai-mas, that’s how it’s pronounced, is thank you in Japanese and you’ll hear this the most, the Japanese will thank you for most things and they will keep thanking you.
Second, there’s no public transportation as good in the world as the Japanese one, every train is on time. Even here sometimes trains get a defect or just don’t run, but usually nobody will really notice it, in Tokyo the circle line, which is a train that constantly circles trough Tokyo, almost departs every 5 minutes in the morning, every 10 to 15 minutes when it’s more quiet. Tokyo also has a massive subway track and private trainrails, you can usually get day passes at the tourist information, or just get a ticket from the machine, there’s a button for English guide. The conductors in the train will bow every time they enter your cart and thank you for riding with them. The trains are comfortable and so clean that you basically can eat of the floor. I understand why so many Japanese use public transportation as means to get around their country. If you plan on traveling a lot through Japan I'd suggest to get in your home country a Japan-rail pass, they have 7, 14 and 21 days. They are a little expensive, but if you use the train a lot you'll find this well worth the money.
Third, I said it already I think, but the Japanese are a very clean population, they clean their hands before every meal restaurants usually give you a wet wipe or wet towel before your meal so you can clean your hands. Their toilets are AMAZING! Pre-warmed seats, a spray for your front, a spray to clean your backside, adjustable pressure of the sprays. Sure there’s still a few public bathrooms where you have to squat while doing your business but those are few. I even found one public bathroom that was so luxurious that they had a button you could press so music would start playing and then nobody would be able to hear you. I love their toilets!
Fourth, they have a thing for vending machines, they are everywhere, cold drinks, warm drinks, Cigarets and so on. Most hotels always have vending machines as well.
Fifth, if you are a smoker you are going hate and love Japan at the same time, for they have smoking seats in a lot of restaurants and bars. But usually they don’t smoke outside, it’s an unwritten rule to not smoke in the street unless there’s an astray of sorts. Kyoto has even non-smoking zones where you’ll be fined if they see you smoking here out of the designated smoking areas. For me it’s good I made it a sport to find a smoking area and it makes me smoke a lot less. Maybe 10 cigs a day, which is about one-third of what I used to smoke a day.
Sixth, the Japanese carry a lot of cash on them and as a foreigner it’s kind of difficult to find atm’s. Most big train stations have 2 atms that accept foreign cards, I know Dutch cards don’t add an fee for using an atm in Japan, be sure to check if you are going. So if the atm asks if you are okay with the fee for using the atm say yes, because in my case it doesn’t cost any money. Also all 7 elevens in Japan have an atm that accepts foreign cards.
There’s so much more to tell, but there are things that you just have to see for yourself. If you are a fan of seeing culture on your trip then Japan is an amazing country to go to, even with children.