Things I Will Miss About Japan
A few months ago, I moved back to Australia after living in Japan for more than 2 years. When I left, I was planning to write a post about all the things I loved about the place and what I’d miss the most after leaving. Between the chaos of last-minute PCR tests, flights that may or may not take off and the damn Olympics making everything twice as hard, I never got around to writing that post.
Better late than never, I suppose. This is in no way a comprehensive list, and I’m sure I’ve already forgotten some things since they’re no longer fresh in my mind. But here are, in no particular order, a few things I will miss about Japan:
The speed of construction (and destruction) - Walking around my old neighbourhood, I’d often see a building being torn down and a new one taking its place within a couple of months. With more efficiency in construction and less restrictive zoning laws, there is just an expectation that things can be built and built quickly, which is definitely not the case in Australia and a lot of other Western countries.
How life sprouts outwards from every train station - I’ve always thought that If you’d never been to Tokyo before and someone were to teleport you there, then let you out at almost any train station and tell you that you’re in Shinjuku or Shibuya, you’d believe them. Even a middle-of-the-road 駅 on the outskirts of the metropolitan area has an entire ecosystem around it of banks, department stores, restaurants, high-rise buildings, pachinko parlours, neon signs, and whatever Blade Runner-y image that comes to when you picture “urban Tokyo”.
Izakayas, restaurants, bars - And food/drink culture in general. As traditionalist as it might seem from the outside, there’s a great willingness to import, adapt and, well, appropriate elements from different cuisines and cultures, creating a never-ending array of dining and entertainment options.
Hard-Offs — Not nearly as dodgy as their name would suggest, these secondhand stores are all over the country, are stocked with all kinds of electronics, musical instruments and assorted geekery, plus they don’t make you feel as icky as a typical pawn shop or Cash Converters might.
The colours of the sky - Especially in late afternoons in the summertime.
How it contains multitudes - Whatever niche interest you have or subculture you belong to, there is a like-minded group of people out there who are cool as hell and take it very, very seriously. And it’s not just the things you’d expect, like aikido or manga. You’ll just as likely to find it with indie rock or photography or fashion design or coffee making. People have very distinct hobbies and interests, and they regularly surprise you with their tastes.
Its 7-Elevens - And its Family Marts. And its Lawsons. Even its Mini Stops. A Japanese konbini is one of the 7 Wonders of the Anthropocene.
Japan Post - Maybe it’s not fair to compare it to an obvious punching bag like Australia Post, but I love the fact that if you’re not at home when a package is being delivered in Japan, they leave a notice and you can then have it re-delivered the following day at a time of your own choosing. They also come and collect packages from your house that you want to send out (again, at a time of your choosing). Meanwhile, I’m pretty sure at this point if I wanted to send a parcel from Melbourne to Sydney, it would get there quicker if I just walked it there than if I sent it by Australia Post.
Its beauty - That’s it. Japan is just a gorgeous country. It has all four seasons, in the most stereotypical “children’s picture book” image of seasons: winter is cold and snowy, spring is bright and colourful, summer is hot and green, autumn is cool and has bright red leaves that sway in the breeze as you walk by. There are mountains and rivers and beaches and ancient temples and cobblestone streets and quaint cafes and Brutalist buildings and pretty young people dressed in kimonos, going out to watch fireworks displays on warm, clear nights. It’s a lot of stuff that can seem obvious and cheesy, but the fact that you can find it all in one place is damn special.