The Japanese, as a culture, are polite people. They are respectful, patient, soft spoken and gentle in all that they do. They are an orderly people. Everything is immaculately clean. There is no trash in any of the public places, even with almost no trash cans. I found myself putting my gum wrappers in my pocket to follow protocol.
They wait in line to board the local train, with no one cutting the lines. The trains are packed like sardines, but there is no pushing and shoving. Everyone is buried in their phone, and that is a global phenomenon.
Tokyo is ridiculously expensive, and has historically been designated as one of the most expensive cities in the world. Psychologically, it does not help that everything is listed in thousands of Yen. The locals live outside the city due to sky high rents for match box homes.
Most of the Shinto and Buddhist shrines are beautiful, ancient places for quiet reflection. There is much to learn here – to quiet the mind, to be respectful of our environment, and of each other, and to take a softer approach to life in general. I feel a deep sense of gratitude for spending time here. A polite thank you for this incredible experience, or as they say in Japanese — Arigatou Gozaimasu.
About Hemant Rustogi