by Palak Desai
At Sharada Prabha, we encourage travelers to share their experiences to help children appreciate diverse cultures and broaden their perspectives. We invite you to read this travelogue of Japan, a country that has profoundly influenced thinkers and leaders like Rabindranath Tagore and Subhas Chandra Bose—figures who have played a pivotal role in shaping modern India. A video of this travelogue can be found on Sharada Prabha’s YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/cdMHyylY2zs
1. Communication:
1. Non-verbal communication – How do you greet someone? In Japan, people greet each other by bowing down.
Despite the language barrier I faced, communication was possible through nonverbal cues. It felt like people there had a natural instinct to help. They were extremely helpful and even if they didn’t speak English, they would drop everything to help you. Whether it was to figure out which bus to take, or finding out the fare for transportation, or counting foreign currency, or finding directions to a place, help was always available. They used both their hands to receive and give money.
2. Use of technology – Google translate came to rescue. It helped translate English to Japanese and Japanese to English.
3. Bowing down: hi/hello, sorry, thank you, excuse me – Politeness is integral to Japanese culture. One place where this was most evident was in trains and in shops. Whenever a conductor entered a coach, he would enter and exit with a gentle bow before attending to passengers. You can’t mention Japanese culture without mentioning respect. The cultural custom of bowing just felt right to me, very similar to the Indian greeting of “Namaskara.” It makes us feel “I am not above you.”
2. Trains:
1. Convenience – The rail network there is extensive, comfortable and convenient. I saw four kinds of trains there: local, metro, bullet and sky trains.
2. Punctuality – The trains are incredibly fast and on time. They arrive dot on time and depart dot on time. It shows that they value punctuality. There is respect for time.
3. Thoughtfulness – People line up in an orderly manner before boarding trains at the designated spot of entry. They are considerate of others. For instance, I noticed that people allowed others to exit in full before boarding, and allowed the elderly, travellers with children, or those with heavy baggage to board first; they offer their seats to them as well. I did not see anyone pushing, rushing to get in first or trying to be first in line.
4. Cleanliness – Passengers are careful about where they throw the trash or how they use the washrooms.
3. Mt. Fuji:
1. Iconic – Just like India has the Himalayas, Japan has Mt. Fuji.
2. Active volcano – Mt. Fuji has erupted in the past and possesses the potential of eruption in the future as well.
4. Public Spaces:
1. Controlled voice volume and other external noises – What is the capital of Japan? Tokyo. Even on the busiest street of Tokyo, I did not hear anyone shouting or talking loudly. I did not hear cell phones ringing as well. They did not seem to have the distinction between inside voice and outside voice.
2. Conscious of garbage disposal – People there mostly prefer to sit and eat at one spot. I did not see many trash cans on the streets. If there a is a piece of trash they hold on to it until they find the right place to dispose it. This shows tolerance.
5. Homes:
1. Minimalistic – Traditional homes are made of wood are called “Minka.” They prefer wood due to frequent earthquakes in Japan. They use straw to build roof and bamboo for flooring, windows and doors. Tatami mats are spread in living rooms and bedrooms. They sleep on futons. They use neutral shades of colour, not bright colours. They bring the outdoors inside their rooms; for example, bon-sai. Like us, they also remove their shoes before stepping in the house. They don’t fill their spaces with many artifacts and wall hangings. Dim lights are used to make the space warm and cozy.
2. Warm and welcoming – They treat their guests respectfully.
3. Tidiness – The homes are kept clean. They make their beds each morning.
6. Clothing:
1. Simplicity – Modesty has been an important cultural value of Japan. People want to look refined, sophisticated, and “professional”, so this means they use light colours, well-pressed and well-fitted clothes. People are well groomed and this represents respect for oneself and those around you.
2. Grace – They carry themselves gracefully, whether it is a modern outfit or a traditional kimono. Similar to saree for women here, they have kimono for women there. Their walk in kimono is graceful, similar to how we walk when we are in sarees.
7. Art:
1. Paintings – Enso is an art made by one simple brush stroke. It’s something that is thought to be made when the mind is liberated and free to create what it wants to. It also symbolizes minimalism.
2. Pottery – Broken pots are mended or repaired and painted golden. Kintsugi helps us embrace our imperfections and mistakes. Kintsugi reminds us that challenges and obstacles will occur in life; what we can choose to do is accept, adapt and improvise.
3. Literature – Haiku are short, simple poems, composed in the moment.
4. Dance – One of the traditional dances performed on stage is Nihon buyo. It is typically slow and gentle with soft music, symbolizing elegance. It involves controlled movement and exhibits persistence. The female artists are known as Geisha.
5. Architecture – Japan has a mix of modern and traditional architecture. Traditional structures are made of wood and modern structures are made of concrete.
6. Gardens – Zen gardens are made of white stone beds with patterns. The act of raking the white gravel into a pattern depicts waves or rippling water. Zen priests practice this raking to help improve concentration. Our idea of a garden includes many trees, plants, green grass and flowers. Zen gardens have a different concept and it might not match our idea of a garden, but the more we sit with it, the more it sinks in.
8. Shrines:
2. Clean spaces – The architecture and structure were simple and clean, not too decorated. The surrounding area was serene and peaceful. Minimizing clutter outside helps declutter thoughts inside, which helps improve focus.
3. More about the feeling and less about the offering – At some shrines, people offered their dearest thing – their toy, or a piece of accessory. The feeling behind the offered item is valued more than the item. Praying with feeling is more important to them that blindly offering several flowers, fruits, sweets packed in plastic, etc.
9. Food:
1. Chopsticks – The staple food there is noodles and rice with vegetables and meat. They use chopsticks to eat their meals. There is a method and an etiquette to use chopsticks: they cannot be pointed at anyone, they cannot be played with and they have to be placed appropriately.
2. Tea ceremony – Just like we have chai in India, they have green tea in Japan. The tea ceremony is a means to create bonding with others. There is a pattern to the tea ceremony: from displaying the special tea cups to which hand you hold it in, they think of every little detail. The posture in which they sit to drink tea is very similar to Vajrasan. Drinking chai together is a time of bonding for us; similarly, drinking tea is a time of bonding for them, except they observe silence while sipping on the tea, as opposed to our “chai pe charcha.”
3. Mindful posture – Most homes have a traditional low seated table. They believe in sitting down with their family for meals. They are conscious about their posture while having their meals.
4. Eating rules – It is considered disrespectful to eat or drink in public transport or while you are walking on streets.
5. Less consumption of Western food – Because I am a vegetarian, food was a challenge for me there. When I looked for snacks, I had a hard time finding them. I realized they do not consume a lot of bread, butter, cheese, ketchup or chips. They take pride in their traditional Japanese food.
This blog was published on Japan’s National Foundation Day, 11 February 2025.