One month of life in Japan has confirmed two generalizations about the country I will be studying in for the next year: in many ways Japan adheres to old-fashioned customs; however, it also has innovative measures that promote a fast-paced way of thinking. Coming from an American perspective, where the words “freedom” and “liberty” find their way into any kind of conversation, society in Japan consists of an endless amount of nuanced rules, both defined and assumed. Of course, every country has its own set of laws and social norms, and perhaps it is easier to recognize those rules that stand out in a different cultural context than one’s own country.
For example, in Japan, it is looked down upon to eat or drink while walking, talking loudly or on the phone, while riding on public transportation, and, in many ways, doing anything that could potentially “impose” on anyone around you. However, you should not be surprised when your offer to give up a non-reserved seat on a public train to a standing elderly person is rejected politely, or to hear an assortment of loud slurps and vocalizations when dining at a ramen shop.
While being aware of these rules or social manners, I do admit to often breaking them, eating ramen silently (adhering to Western manners) and occasionally scarfing down an onigiri while running to class or walking around Shibuya. Nobody ever stopped me to tell me I was being an impolite, or culturally insensitive, gaijin (foreigner).
The rules that I have found particularly cumbersome while being in Japan have been those relating to more official matters. The processes of applying to a dormitory before my arrival, setting up a Japanese bank account, and purchasing a SIM card contract for my phone (surprisingly the most complicated of these issues) were all weighed down by old-fashioned methods that have not been changed in a long time. I came face-to-face with many systemic difficulties, from having to physically mail forms that could easily have been accepted online, to seeing a friend have to re-do a bank account application form nine times in one sitting (I myself only had to do so four times) because the bank tellers kept realizing last-minute particularities that were "necessary" to carry through for proper processing. Furthermore, many of these hurdles seem to be unjustified; my application for a department store credit card was rejected after a simple application process, simply because “the system says so.” Situations like these are clearly common in this society, which still prefers cash over cards.
Despite the many rules and expectations that make firsthand Japan feel old-fashioned and slow-paced, a wide variety of conventions for fast-paced living are also in place. One facet of Japan that illustrates this is that there are vending machines at every corner (quite literally), which provide instant access to beverages, cold and hot, whenever one desires. Speeding bullet trains, conveyor belt sushi, and the huge variety of conbini (convenience stores) all facilitate lifestyles where every bit of time is valuable. In a society saturated with highly demanding jobs and extensive public transport commute times, an absence of these amenities would inconvenience simple, everyday undertakings.
Overall, despite the time it has taken me to adjust to some of the subtle rules in Japan, the vastly established presence of “convenience culture” had provided a certain balance to my everyday experiences. I still have much to learn, but for now I can at least take advantage of the surplus of vending machines wherever I go.
Opens in a new window