Things I like about Japan

• The train seats are heated, so your backside is nice and toasty in winter, if you can get a seat on the train.
• People queue up to get on the train, but they step aside and let passengers off first before getting on themselves. AMAZING! This could never happen in Sydney.
• People generally respect the rule of not speaking on your mobile phone on the train.
• I like seeing Indians and Middle-Eastern people speak Japanese. Turns my brain upside-down.
• I like receiving little freebies or gifts with my purchases. Doesn't happen all the time, but I like it when it does!
• I like Japanese drugstore cosmetics and skin care products. So accessible, affordable and such good quality.
• Transport is clean, efficient and on time.
• They have an excellent transport card system: put money in the card, use it at the ticket gates and at the shops.
• They have awesome convenience stores everywhere. I like them much better than the Sydney ones.
• Japan embraces cute. Hence, lots of cute mascots around. You will see men with cute soft toys dangling off their bag (okay, I only saw one, but you would NEVER see that in Sydney!).

 Other thoughts about Japan:

• It's interesting being in a monocultural society. It's so much easier to pick out the foreigner. It's so different to being in a multicultural society, where you're used to everyone being different.
• There's a lot of Chinese tourists in Japan. Saw what I thought were Japanese women in kimonos in Kyoto - WRONG. Just Chinese tourists dressing up. Don't be fooled!
• I really love the culture of cute in Japan, but it's not something I can bring back to Sydney. By cute, I mean Sanrio characters printed on everything, the fashion, the makeup, everything!) I can't do cute during business hours - that's not the image I want to convey at work. And I can't do cute in personal hours - just doesn't work in a Sydney context. I'm too old for cute. I love cute nonetheless!