The culture of old and new, the mix of traditional and modern, the festivals and high-tech events… These are the beautiful contradictions of Japan. I always say to my friends: “No matter what kind of traveller you are, there’s something for you to love about Japan”.
So I’ve said 30 things that I’ll miss about Japan so far (from food edition to winter edition to ladies edition), here’s another 10 to complete the list: 10 very Japanese things that makes me miss Japan so much. And this particular list mostly talks about Tokyo – my favourite city in the world – although I’m sure you can find resemblance in other parts of Japan too… Here we go:
1. Elvis-inspired rockabilly at Yoyogi Park
This rates highly on my list of things to do when I first visited Japan back in 2012. And after 4 visits now, I have never once missed watching the Elvis of Harajuku. Right in front of one of the entrances to Yoyogi Park, a bunch of highly energetic people (mostly men, but there are also women and a young boy) would dance their way to rockabilly songs in their fancy jeans and leather attires and waxed up hair. They are totally kakkoi (cool) in my eyes.
I even had a chance to take a photo with them, as one of the ladies approached me and asked if I would like to do so. As a fan girl, it was an achievement unlocked.
2. Walking along hipster neighbourhood & back alleys
If you’re not the kind of traveller who likes busy overly-touristy popular spots, you might not enjoy places like Harajuku or Shinjuku (but seriously, they’re awesome and there’s a reason why they’re so popular). So where does that leave you? Don’t worry, there are heaps of other neighbourhood around Tokyo to satisfy your inner hipster…
In case you’re looking for hipster suburbs to visit while in Tokyo, here are some names: Shimokitazawa, Kichijoji, and Koenji.
3. Queueing in an orderly manner
As much as I don’t like queues, I can say that when done in an orderly manner, it is the best way to ensure a fairer system. In Japan, you will see plenty of queues for food, for amusement parks, for temple visits, etc. Weirdly enough, I kinda miss queueing up (rather than fighting your way through a messy crowd)…
4. Amusement centres & claw machines
The Japanese love their game centres. That’s one thing that I’ve concluded after seeing the many amusement centres flourish in various places in Japan. During our honeymoon visit to Japan, my hubby and I were pretty much intrigued by this that we spent hours watching people grab some cute toys from claw machines and waste their money on jackpots (but unlike the adult casino version, these ones don’t give you money back, only coins).
5. Festivals
No matter which time of the year you decide to visit Japan, you can probably find a festival or a cultural event happening somewhere. From summer fireworks to winter ice sculptures to local temple or float festivals; Japan has got you covered!
I pretty much plan my days based on which festivals I want to go to, that’s how much I love Japanese festivals (and miss it, now that I’m not there)…
6. Lights and billboards everywhere
Bright lights and billboards. A familiar sight of Tokyo, even for those who have yet to visit Japan.
Yes, Tokyo is pretty much a whole lot of “noise pollution” no matter where you go, with advertisements glaring from buildings, trucks and people on the streets. But somehow, even the lights and sounds “pollution” of Tokyo were sorely missed by me!
7. Batsu game & game shows on TV
If you’ve been to Japan and watched TV, you would’ve encountered some of their hilarious & over-the-top game shows. Usually featuring famous TV hosts or celebrities, Japanese game shows have different sub-genres within it… from pranks to “punishment” batsu game to celebrity challenges to competitions (competing in pretty much anything under the sun).
In our last Tokyo trip (2014/2015), we watched heaps of Japanese TV and were highly amused. Yes, there’s the language barrier, but really, when a lot of what they do are so action-focused, you don’t even need to know much Japanese to enjoy it! Plus, you can really learn about a culture from its media, right?! ;)
8. Gachapon haven
Yes I know I’ve mentioned amusement centres and claw machines and all the fun game-related things you can find in Japan, but one thing that amuses me is still the number of gachapon (or gashapon) in street corners, tech stores, or otaku zones. And you can pretty much grab the randomest things too, not just anime-related stuff.
I always make it a point to waste some of my ¥ in these machines when I visit. It’s an experience in itself.
9. The weird and the bizarre
I personally love Japan because it is both weird and beautiful. We’ve seen some really bizarre things and phenomenon and people… and I still can’t get enough of it! Some have made me chuckle, others confused me, and some others I couldn’t even begin to express.
Whether it is a disturbing gachapon selling used lingerie (and another selling school girl panties) in Nakano… Or a lady casually walking her pet meerkat (I assume it’s a meerkat?) in Ueno Park… Or a man confidently walking around Akihabara with a melon hat… Japan offers such a unique culture for you to explore.
10. Japanese hospitality
Most of all, the one thing that I have really missed from Japan is the Japanese hospitality. Their kindness and courteousness and spirit of omotenashi (background work) truly made every stay in Japan enjoyable.
Here’s a recent tourism ad from Japan that makes me really really want to go back to Japan (not just because it features the Arashi boys)…
If you have yet to visit Japan, I really hope that one day you get to experience the beauty of Japan the way that I have. Seriously, you totes won’t regret it!
For Japan lovers, what is the one Japanese trend & culture that you wish you can bring back to your home country?