Shubuya Square in Tokyo — its the wild massive busy place where they shot the movie Lost in Translation.
Despite the fact that while they say many things are also in English, you have to dig hard to find them. They don’t even have the word EXIT in English in the subway. The only thing that is in English is the train stops next to the Japanese, everything else is in Japanese. It’s very confusing, yet everything is efficient and the people are so friendly, they’ll go out of their way to help you regardless of what they’re doing. Everything is so foreign and it is most evidenced in Shubuya’s main square. Some of the cultural differences are so unique that you almost have to pinch yourself and ask “is this real?”
Random first observations and first impressions:
- There is a great deal of order and respect in Japan. Its almost like one big playground really and you don’t need to stress about anything (theft, etc).
- People smile a lot so it really doesn’t feel stressful despite its confusion because of the language barrier.
- Many places have smoking, so you have to bear that in mind before going in.
- No one locks their bikes up in the middle of the city.
- There are loads of small unattended children roaming around.
- It’s not as expensive as everyone says. My first meal came to $14 including tip tonight for six mini sushi plates, a beer and a green tea and one way on the subway is only $1.70.
- Friendliness is through the roof. When I left the hotel, there were five people who escorted me into a taxi, told me no taxi driver would rip me off because of honor and then as the taxi drove off, all 5 of them waved to me as if I were leaving my cousin’s house, not some random hotel in the middle of a big city.
- Follow through – after working out in the gym of my hotel, a woman custodian brought me two towels and hung them up for me and followed me around afterwards to make sure I had everything I needed.
- If you have confident issues, the Japanese will take you out of it because they’re so caring that you somehow feel worthy because even strangers take time to make sure you’re okay.
- Haircuts are half the cost as they are in the states.
- Surprised – 20 year olds were wearing pixie skirts with dock marten like pumps and wedges. They seem to love bling and cutsy, very pink or very baby blue hair clips and accessories.
- Men are attentive – at my hotel pool, all the grown women were floating around inside those goofy looking inflatable tubes and their boyfriends and/or husbands were pushing them around as if they were children. If they weren’t using an inflatable, the girl was hanging onto her partner’s back as he would push her around the pool. It was romantic.
- Then there’s the umbrellas. Because it’s hot, most of the women carry around these beautiful umbrellas to keep the sun off their face – they all seem to wear hats as well to cover their very white, pure skin.
- Soda and juice machines EVERYWHERE, on every corner it appears – dispenser machines so for about $1.00-2.50, you can get something to drink just about anywhere.
- They still have cigarette dispensing machines on the streets.
First photo credit: Japan Guide.com.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
