What do you like about Japan and Japanese people?

[dogman]

I'll go for safety.....

 

[Maciamo]

I split the debate about nature here.

 

[DangerousBob]

First thing that comes to my mind when I hear Japan is anime, giant robots, video games, Godzilla, and lots of small cars.

 

[Taiko666]

Music! (not J-Pop)

Without a doubt, the one thing that keeps me in Japan, and keeps me relatively sane, is the music scene here. I'm not talking about the J-Pop trash you see on TV (of course).

In Japan there are thousands of small, dedicated gig venues (livehouses.) Ok, other places have gig venues, but no so many, and not places dedicated to music (as opposed to bars/pubs which sometime have live bands.) At these livehouses you can catch an amazing variety of superb music performed by amazing musicians. If you want to see an all-girl excellent thrash-metal band, a 20s style jazz trio, some dreadlocked dude blowing on a dijiridu, a beautiful girl at piano, a blues old-timer, an Okinawa twang-fest... it's not too difficult to find.

These livehouses fuel a network of friendly, talented and hard-working musicians. I'm in 3 bands in Tokyo, and everybody else is Japanese, so it's really helped in my Japan experience. Ok, there's also a thriving music scene in London, my hometown, but in Tokyo there just seems to be so much more of it, and it's easy to get involved- the musicians aren't as aloof and precious. And fresh, wacky ideas are everywhere- totally different to the safe, soulless image of Japanese music I had before I came to Japan.

And the rehearsal studios here put British ones to shame. Clean, cheap, reliable, sociable, great equipment, friendly staff, cafes... couldn't be more different from London flea-pits.

Plus- busking, although illegal, is widespread and varied. That's how I became involved- I chatted to a busker in Shibuya, and was soon playing in her band.

 

[Goldiegirl]

Perfection. Maybe it's all fake or for show, but I'll take it. I loved the order and that nothing was overlooked, even at the convenience store the cashier took the time to make sure I had a spoon for my snack and a napkin etc.

 

[Jpstw]

ill tell you what honestly like, that there not Americans.(please excuse me if i am to offend anyone)

this place gets worse everyday, at least where i reside.

 

[japantvhost]

Compared to other countries, this is still one of the safeest places on earth

 

[loquela]

Damn, you really chose strange qualities for Japan. I could have thought of dozens of good things about Japan, but none are in the list : tasty and cheap food, good service, reliable trains, huge department stores, mild and dry winters (in Tokyo at least), peaceful people, clean streets, low taxes, near absence of monotheistic religions, cute girls with a real sense of fashion...
But in your list I find more to criticise than to praise....My emphasis

Man, Maciamo. What IS your problem? I truly do not believe I have encountered such a negative and cynical entity in my entire existence. In this world or the previous.
You say you could have thought of dozens of positive things about Japan but they are not in the list. You even mention them. So why didn't you elaborate? No, no. Instead, you just systematically picked out points to attack! One by one vilifying and destroying the good intentions of Taehyun. Why? Why? Why?

Why not just just focus on the points you 'could have thought of' and shared them with the rest of us? While busy battling your personal demons of your very private and tormented experience of Japan, did you happen to forget the original point of this discussion?

I take the liberty to remind you:

My question is basically one of balance - we can all think of the bad stuff - but can anyone tell me the GOOD?

Sir Craftsman, I do not know you but I know this. You are a noble man indeed.

There are many 'bad things' I could point to about Japanese culture and people when comparing them with my own culture and people. It would be a very easy thing to do for me.
At first in Japan I used to get upset and even angry when I came across something which appeared rude or racist etc, but then as the years went on I began to actually understand that it was my misunderstanding of the culture and people that was the real problem. For me ignorance bred negativity and I had started to dislike the country so I left for a while.
Now I am contented in my little piece of Japan. I do not make negative general statements about the Japanese - 'they do this' or 'they do that' - because I know better. I know how varied and diverse the people really are.

These are very wise words indeed and everybody on this forum would do well to at least take a moment to consider them. Not least Mr Maciamo.
I think we should now return to the points that Maciamo so mysteriously neglected for I for one agree that they are great points about Japan (perhaps not in every case, in my opinion)

• tasty and cheap food
  Absolutely fantastic! Coming from England, the ubiquity of good, cheap food is a blessing)
• good service
  Jaw-droopingly satisfactory. I remember once spilling a class of red wine down my wife's white dress in a restaurant and within microseconds we had at least three waiters in attendance apologising and assisting with repairs!
• reliable trains
  Set my watch by them daily.
• huge department stores
  Not for me. But if you like that sort of thing you are in kaimono heaven in Japan.
• mild and dry winters (in Tokyo at least)
  Of course, again, coming from the UK this is very nice.
• peaceful people
  I was brought up in Manchester, UK. I always felt very much in control in Japan. In London I would be more nervous.
• clean streets
  Oh yes (buildings, maybe not. But we are focusing on positives here.)
• low taxes
• near absence of monotheistic religions
  Ahhh. Breath of fresh air. A community capable of developing and living by a set of morals and standards in spite of the absence of a threat of hellfire, brimstone or purgatory.
• cute girls with a real sense of fashion...
  The girls are very cute (in my view too cute - I married a prison guard)

 

[Amos]

The best thing about Japan......

There were lots of obvious things that sprang mind - efficient and clean public transport, 24hr culture that somehow manages to stay fresh and safe, beautiful natural scenery, amazing buildings (both old and new) adhereance to festivals (and nice festivals) general respect for others and manners. All of these are very admirable characteristics.

But, i think one thing stands out above the rest. Perhaps it is because I come from England, where we are being dragged down by the yob/chav culture, but the thing I like the most is the PRIDE that japanese people have.

This manefests itself across the board. Workers take pride in their jobs, no matter what they are. I first noticed this when arriving at Narita airport. The route I'd taken to get there was Heathrow - Frankfurt - Narita. I found the contrast of the airport workers between heathrow and Narita very striking. Heathrow's were, as a gerneralisation, untidy and looked terrible. On contrast, those at Narita were clean, smartly dressed and crisp. I felt ashamed on returning to England that foreign visitor's first impressions of my country were scruffy airport ground crews and immigration officials!

This pride makes the country strong. People want to do their best (obviously there will always be exceptions). If you ask for help, they will go out of their way to help.

I know Japan has it's downsides, but what country doesn't? But for me, the positives outweigh the negatives.

 

[geishaboy]

Didn't vote in poll due to there being no "Delicious food, cheap smokes and booze" option

But seriously, (here comes the cliche train, Woo Woo!) I think it's the people that make Japan great, so friendly, but at the same time most will tell you when you're stepping out of line

 

[Cheery Cherry]

Totally agree with Japanese people comment. If I miss anything about Japan, it's the people...well, I miss the food too .

Didn't vote in poll due to there being no "Delicious food, cheap smokes and booze" option

But seriously, (here comes the cliche train, Woo Woo!) I think it's the people that make Japan great, so friendly, but at the same time most will tell you when you're stepping out of line

 

[AlliX]

I've never been to Japan. But I would like to. ^^
There're a lot of points, I like about Japan. For example the humor or the food. ^^ I like Mangas( I don't know why, but I don't like the german Mangas! ._.) and also the music. I like the japanese gardens and the clothes, the people wear( well, not everything.. lol.. people have different styles, but there're more people with good taste, as here. [ In the TV and magazines it looks like. I don't know, if it is really like this. But I think so! ._.]). And the people are so beautiful! *.* So much prettier than the people in Germany. -.-' In my opinion, it's the most handsome nation on earth! *_*
And, I heard, Japan would be very clean?! ^^ That's a very important point for me.! ^_^
Sure, there're much more good things to say about Japan. But I can't talk about something, I just know from the TV and the magazines. So I stop here. ^^
Ah, it's really hard to write in english. xP

 

[tampopo]

positive things... ++++

I've come to this thread several times and it shows I've voted in the poll but no posting. I've read page one a few times and am now skipping to the end. I posted on the things I hate about Japan, so it's time I got on here. I've only been three times, all in the summer, so that forms my opinions too

Best thing is simple enough, the hot wet towel everywhere you go. As soon as you get on the JAL or any flight from Europe, and they hand out the hot towel, I know I'm on to a good thing.

The variety of food. Everywhere you go, there's something different.
I like okonomiyaki the best I suppose. I had it in Kyoto first I suppose, or Hiroshima!

Things are organised, I suppose you have to, having so many people in the one spot.
Yeah, it's good in the short visits I make there. More later....