Why Japan Still Surprises Me
I was born and raised in Tokyo. Yet even now, I continue to be surprised by small cultural details and subtle social behaviors. This blog is where I try to capture those moments of rediscovery, both personal and cultural. The purpose of this blog is twofold. First, to preserve my thoughts as written text rather than leaving them floating in the neural circuits of memory. Through writing, I hope to understand myself more clearly. Second, to share my reflections with others. I aim to explore various aspects of Japanese culture, whether obscure or widely known. In my view, culture is made up of behaviors that people perform unconsciously—how they eat, dress, greet others, walk, speak, move their eyes or hands during conversation, nod, maintain physical distance in social settings, or how shopkeepers treat customers. These patterns, often unnoticed, are passed down through generations—unless they pose an existential threat. Many of the people I describe in this context are na...