[Edit] Due to a combination of the lack of an auto-save feature from WordPress and a hectic work schedule, this post is coming roughly 3 weeks late…

After spending almost a week in Japan, I’ve got a much better feel for the country, and feel comfortable making observations beyond my immediate financial needs. There really is a plethora of fantastic aspects of Japan. In the wise words of Sarah:

Man, Japan has like, super everything!

Here are the top 5 aspects of Japan that I find the most super:

Respect for Nature
It seems like the Japanese have much stronger conservationist tendencies than other Western cultures that I’ve seen. Perhaps it stems from the early influence of Shinto. It’s easy to see why the religion was so widely accepted - the views from the coastline and mountainous regions are absolutely breathtaking. Even in the hustle and bustle of the mega-city, you can always find peace and relative solitude in beautifully landscaped parks and ancient shrines.

Methodical Mentality
There’s definitely a strong emphasis placed on tradition and ritual within Japanese society. This influence permeates every aspect of Japanese life, from the way they wash their hands before entering the temple to the method in which they pray. Back in the secular world, there’s a strictly defined ritual for distributing and accepting business cards. While this might sound restricting, in instances that call for precise timing, it works to their advantage. Tokyo’s metro system is outstanding for this very reason - every train comes frequently and the locals become angry when its even a couple of minutes late.

Minimalist Aesthetic
Whether the minimalism is a necessity for life in ultra-crowded cities, or whether its more deeply rooted in a national aesthetic, its like a breath of fresh air, especially when compared to the consumer culture of the West. It seems completely counter-intuitive, but out here, bigger is not better.

Fashion & Tech Forward
While there are other Asian countries that are rapidly developing, Japan stands out as the single Eastern culture that has truly caught up to the West. However, the technologies have developed on a track slightly independent of the US. The net effect is the country is just familiar enough to give the traveler a bizarro-world effect. Many establishments have Western style toilets, but the toilets themselves are miniature robots an entire panel of options. The taxis look similar, except they talk to you, and the doors open and close automatically. Businessmen or “salary men” will go out for drinks when meeting with partners or customers. However, they take it one step further, and spend virtually every night in drunken revelry.

Obsession with Water
Having grown up on the beach, I definitely appreciate Japan’s love of water. This seems like an obvious development in an island-nation, but its pleasant all the same. Whether its the strong SoCal surfer culture in Kamakura, or the different mineral waters available as hot springs in Hakone, the Japanese have refined enjoying water to an art form.