Mitchy-Matchy
This weekend, I visited Osaka! Something I was really excited for was visiting Universal Studios. I’ve been to Universal Studios in Florida twice, but I was excited to see the differences between the two parks. The first thing I noticed was that many park visitors dressed to theme. There were many Minions, Snoopy’s, and Hogwarts students. However, there were a lot of guests who matched the person they came with.
A lot of couples–whether it’s romantic or strictly platonic–match their clothing, even down to the shoes. While it’s cute to match in the U.S., here it almost seems like an expectation. Could this be due to Japan’s communal attitude? The Japanese seem to be comfortable living as parts of the whole. Whether it’s on a small scale (family) or on a larger scale (business), Japanese people seem to embrace their fit in the puzzle that makes up their community.
Servant Hearts
Japanese people always let you go first. The Japanese seem to pride themselves on their selflessness. They are extremely helpful and most will try to help you, even if their English is very broken. When I first came to Japan, I didn’t know the worth of each coin, so at checkouts, the cashiers would have to help me count out. Luckily, I had it down within the first week. Any time my friends and I need directions, locals will always point us in the right direction.
Viscosityย
In class, we watched a YouTube video on The Rules that Rule Japanย and it essentially covered everything I had already noticed. For example:
- People walk on the left-hand side
- People stand on the left side of the escalator, but walk up the right side if they are in a hurry
- Crosswalks are used by almost all citizens (Jaywalking is rarely seen)
- People drive on the left side
*The first two bullets are not followed in Osaka.
These rules allow for everyone to flow and live in harmony.