The kindness of the Japanese

This is something we do not like to hear, but it is unfortunately undeniable that, in the minds of many foreigners, Australians can be very dry or even rude. Well, the Japanese, unlike us, leave the best impression that can exist. Tourists are always amazed by the friendliness of the Japanese and for good reason: you will never stay in the middle of the street more than 2 minutes with your card wide open without a good soul coming to help you.

A wide variety of landscapes: from skyscrapers to Zen gardens

Japan has an immense variety of breathtaking landscapes. Some will love Tokyo: the city that never sleeps. Others will prefer the more traditional Japan: Kyoto. For example, Kyoto is known for its tranquility, temples and narrow streets that take you back in time. Thanks to the various "matsuri" festivals organized all year round and throughout the country, you will be able to discover the best of Japanese culture. Not to mention the Onsen: natural hot springs that sometimes offer unique panoramas for an extraordinary experience.

Not speaking Japanese is not a real problem

It is not on the pretext that you are going to travel to a foreign country that you should learn the local language. In Japan, speaking Japanese is an undeniable advantage, but it is not an insurmountable obstacle. Indeed, although many Japanese people are shy or do not feel very confident when they speak English, you will always find someone ready to help you. And as in all major cities, Tokyo has tourist information centres where you can find all kinds of information in several languages.

Some terms and expressions that are good to know to show your good will 🙂 are: "Hello" (konnichowa), "thank you" (arigato), "Please" (onegaishimasu) or "goodbye" (sayonara).

 Cleanliness and punctuality

It may sound trivial, but if you take a flight to Japan with a majority of Japanese passengers, you will notice that, even after 12 hours of flight, the bathrooms are still very clean on arrival. Have you ever ventured into the subway toilet in Australia...? In Tokyo, don't hesitate: it's cleaner than at home. In 6 years of life in Japan: not a single food poisoning, the hygiene of restaurants is impeccable. Friends users of Australian buses, did you think it was possible to have buses that run without ever being late? In Japan it is easy to travel with a JAPAN RAIL PASS. You can rely on all the public transport schedules: the driver apologizes even if he is 30 seconds behind the initial schedule... These are only a few examples, but they reflect these 2 Japanese qualities.

The diversity of Japanese cuisine

We often have in mind that in Japan, we only eat strange dishes. However, Japanese cuisine is absolutely extraordinary and delicious. The cuisine is so diverse that it is easy to find a dish that we like. You can also find very good vegetarian dishes.

The beauty of Japanese traditions