I, A Brit, Went To Tokyo, And Here Are 18 Things I Noticed That Are Pretty Effing Different From The UK
Yes, that is a rabbit on a lead.
Hi, I'm Sam, and I'm a Brit living in London. I love to travel, and I've ALWAYS wanted to go to Japan!
Back in early 2019, I FINALLY got to visit Tokyo, which was my last vacay before the world went to shit. While I was there, I noticed a ton of things that were either unusual, weirdly practical, or just plain amazing to me.
I cast my mind back to my pre-COVID trip and put together a list of casual observations about Japan/Tokyo that I thought were worth mentioning.
1. There are these lorries that drive around loudly playing music, presumably for promotional purposes.
Check out this singing mouse that's gotten so hammered, he's passed out and lost his wig — what an icon!
2. There are certain restaurants where you can order via a vending machine!
The faster way to dine for any misanthrope.
3. You can buy sandwiches with the crusts already cut off!
TBH, I was not mad at these.
4. You often get a little basket in a restaurant to store your belongings in while you sit and eat.
Love this idea- in Japan all restaurants/coffee shops supply you with a basket when seated to put your handbag or shopping in safely and tidily.
If you didn't already know, Japan likes to keep things ~neat~.
5. The traffic cones we saw were wayyy more exciting than ours.
Some light up, and some are even painted with faces and designs, like these Fuji-inspired cones at Kawaguchi station.
6. Some places have special slippers to wear in the toilet for hygiene reasons. I'm told people do the same at home!
What happens in the bathroom stays in the bathroom.
7. People don't just take their dogs for a walk!
It's actually called a "hop" when it's a rabbit.
8. Most stores in Tokyo will clip your shopping bag together with tape as a proof of purchase.
No, ma'am, you cannot wear this out of the store.
9. People cycle on the pavement as well as on the road.
My anxiety was at 110% for most of the trip.
10. Convenience stores have a truly wild range of drinks, including this fluorescent green melon soda, which I became addicted to.
Other delectable beverages I enjoyed include cold milk tea, matcha latte, plum wine, and ALL OF THE CHU-HI — a flavoured highball cocktail made with a Japanese liquor called shōchū.
11. The whole country is obsessed with cute things — e.g., kittens, puppies, rabbits, mice.
I mean, I guess we already knew that, but I cannot stress enough how many adverts, products, and services are plastered with ~kawaii~ characters!
12. Train seats can be rotated in the direction of travel for your pleasure.
Say sayōnara to travel sickness!
13. There are these flat wooden flip-flops called "geta" (similar to clogs) that Japanese people sometimes wear.
You can't move very fast in them, but they are surprisingly comfortable!
14. You can't smoke just anywhere — there are these designated cages on the street for smokers.
Smoking apparently isn't cool in Japan, guys.
15. Ninety-five percent of the toilets are ~super~ fancy, with lots of buttons to enhance your toilet-going experience!
Options include seat heating, bidet, karaoke, and ejector seat.
16. There are these "maid cafés" where young women dress up in maid outfits and serve you food and drink.
They're densely located in the anime district of Akihabara, and girls will tout for customers on the street, which is...interesting.
17. And finally, when a train pulls into a tube station, an adorable little jingle plays over the tannoy.
Depending on what line you're on, the jingle changes!
18. Bonus — I HAD to include this point about masks, which I wrote back in 2019: And of course, everyone wears face masks, for reasons as diverse as wanting to avoid air pollution, allergens, or germs or even wanting to cover up a spot or blemish!
#TBT when masks were a huge novelty!
Anyway, hope to see you again soon, Japan!!! 🇯🇵♥️🇯🇵♥️🇯🇵
