Japan: A Brief Reflection

I’ve just returned from my trip to Japan, having had the most incredible time. I have so much I want to write about, I knew I couldn’t fit it all in one post, so I’ve got several on the horizon that will break down some of what most stood out to me from this trip.

To open, though, I wanted to briefly touch on what about this trip stood out to me. Japan is unlike anywhere else I’ve ever been. Culturally, it was so appealing.

Everything was clean, orderly, deliberate and simply made sense. While places like Tokyo were enormous and busy, there were still always pockets of calm to find. Even in busy places such as trains and restaurants, people were respectfully quiet, and this carried over into how my husband and I interacted with each other. This atmosphere created opportunities for actual connection while amongst a crowd.

Accessibility also stood out to me. I was never at a loss for a place to grab food (whether a restaurant or to-go from a convenience store). Vending machines for drinks were everywhere, and public restrooms were not only accessible but also incredibly clean and, dare I say, pleasant.

Finally, the thoughtfulness and care that were put into just about everything I experienced and observed. Whether it was the presentation of food, the wrapping of a purchase or the genuine respectfulness that seemed to exist in interactions.

All of this is just a brief snapshot of my reflections on our time in Japan, my future entries will be more in-depth on some of the areas I wanted to highlight. Coming up, I’ll have posts on some of my favourite experiences, the incredible food, a kimono repurposing project, a couple of day trips we took and our Goshuin quest.