Repost: Why Japanese People Lie?

Aoi Ikke, Hokkaido (Blue Pond)

On our way to Kyoto, my husband discreetly pointed to a group of Japanese employees saying goodbyes in the station. He said they look "too polite" and their voices are "too pleasing." He said they look unnaturally cordial. Even without looking at them, I perfectly understood what he was talking about. Japanese employees are like that. He also noticed how the cashiers would say a lot of things in a polite way but they wouldn't really look at you. He compared them to robots, like everything they do and say were programmed to please the customers. 

His remarks reminded me of an insightful post, Why Japanese People Lie? on  Japanese Rule of 7. It may help explain why Japanese people act in a seemingly unnaturally polite way.   

Here's an excerpt:

Two Things All Japanese People Know

Japanese people are imparted at birth with two pieces of knowledge. The first is fanatical customer service. At school and at home, they’re drilled for years in how to walk, how to stand, how to greet people, how to bow. Year in and year out, they march in formation around school yards, in the sun, rain, and snow, responding on command in loud voices to their senseis. Visitors often remark on the polite customer service of the Japanese, and you better believe it didn’t just happen by accident. It took years of military-style training, preparing a nation of children to be the world’s best waiters, cooks, and convenience store clerks.

The Amazing Japanese Woman

photo credits: http://vividscreen.info

There's a picture circulating on social media about how clean the floods are in Japan. They look like swimming pool. I personally haven't seen a flooded area in Japan but I can attest that the rain water on the roads look really clean.

But do you know what's more amazing than the clean flood waters? It's how a Japanese woman remains so put together come hell or high water.

(Guest Post) Battle Scars: 7 Signs You've Survived Japan

This is a guest post by Claire Lovesti, a travel nut who has been to 48 cities in 26 countries on 4 continents! Read more about her on Traveltio. 

In the meantime, let me share her post which I totally agree with. It made me realize, I'm surviving Japan! Read on and see if you have survived Japan, too. 

The land of Sailor Moon, Hayao Miyazaki and those deliciously surreal Murakami novels is every bit as fascinating as you can imagine. From the top of Mount Fuji to the waves at Shirahama Beach, it’s not just manga series and sumo wrestling; Japan is a veritable smorgasbord of ancient tradition and modern technology, and it’s definitely worth a trip.

If you’ve been, nothing on this list will shock you in the least, and if you haven’t, this list might just shock you enough into buying a two-way (or even a one-way) ticket to the Land of the Rising Sun because surviving a trip to Japan is really all play and no work.

I’ll get reminiscing and you can get travelling!

1. You love culture shock.

I don’t think it matters where you hail from, be it London or a small town in North Dakota, the first time you experience Tokyo, Hokkaido, or Okinawa, you’re going to be jolted into a sea of incredible food, fashion, architecture, art and customs—it’s just going to happen. From the amazing (and ancient) live auction fish markets at 4:00 am to an evening with the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra, there’s excitement around every corner by way of neon-lit city streets or snow-topped ski slopes, and it won’t be long before you fall in love with the traditions and diversity of this Pacific nation.  

2. You can’t eat sushi anymore.

Amendment: You can’t eat sushi not made in Japan anymore. All of those great eats I used to frequent during college, and then with my friends to reminisce about college...yeah, those days are gone. I’m like a new person, a culinary connoisseur if you will, after tasting the best of the best in Japan. After hitting up Sukiyabashi Jiro (If you haven’t eaten here or seen Jiro Dreams of Sushi you need to get on that, instantly), or even just the street side sushi restaurants in Tokyo with it’s mind-blowingly fresh seafood and perfectly vinegared rice, there’s just no continental comparison. And this will never be clearer until you get home and try to grab nigiri—it’s a very sobering wake-up call.