Mary in India

Which got me thinking, there is only one place (so far) in the world where I feel that way, and it's Japan. When I go to Japan I feel like I am coming home. I feel a happiness, a tranquillity, and a genuine love. When returning home to California, I also feel happy, but it doesn't compare to the comfort Japan brings me. In fact, my old roommate in SF once told me, "Mary, deep down inside I picture you a teenage Japanese girl." I laughed, because it's so true!

Before you read my list, I want to say this: I'm not going to go into details on all the BAD things Japan has done. I am not taking into account government policies or decisions made in the past. I am talking in a general sense, my personal experiences, human to human, place to place.

1) The people. Japanese people are wonderful, polite, conscientious, and compassionate. I would dare say they have probably the highest integrity you'll find out of any culture. We're talking the same society that produced the samurai here, they have a deep rooted desire to follow a code of conduct for the soul. So often I have been helped when looking confused in the subways of Tokyo and many Japanese people will go out of their way to guide you in the right direction...without even being asked. This type of kindness can be found everywhere, even at lower level jobs. A clerk running a AMPM Store will offer you high quality service, he will smile and remain professional. In Japanese culture, you're encouraged to take pride in your work, it is a reflection of your inner self. For them, it's not what job you have but how you do it that earns respect.

2) Cleanliness. Again, this comes back to the people. They care and respect their environment, their homes, and their cities. These are reflections of them as well. Every day you'll see little old ladies washing their shop windows or sweeping their front steps. Even the younger generation doesn't drop trash on the ground, you will rarely find litter anywhere in Japan, even their largest cities are almost spotless. They don't tag their subways with permanent markers, nor do they scratch their names on the windows. Their subway rides are peaceful with most people sitting quietly reading or texting. I love this, I truly do. Though most people may find the colorful rides of the Muni in San Francisco fun and exciting, after taking the 19 every day to work with crackheads, I would have given anything for even just one peaceful ride like the ones in Tokyo. To be able to read a book or listen to music without being harassed, heck...I'd love to have one ride without the rancid smells.

3) Future Tech. Well, not much needs to be said in this regard except that any country that as a whole, cares about the latest Square Enix release is the country for me! They immerse themselves in it. Posting ads in every subway station, dominating the Tokyo skyscrapers with enormous posters, even selling a popular drink named after it. Japan understands where the future is headed because they're the ones dragging everyone else (sometimes kicking and screaming) behind them. Video games in Japan are looked at as they should be...not just some toy for kids, geeks, or teenage males, but the very future of entertainment as we know it.

4) Food. I once had an Indian driver tell me he had a man he was driving offer to take him to a sushi restaurant. I would say it's safe to assume 90% of India has never had Japanese food, so to him it was a big deal. I asked him how he liked it, he scoffed and said "Oh it was so bad! The taste was so boring! I did not like it." In India, where nothing is even tasted unless it burns your lips for a good while afterwards, I can understand why he would feel this way. To those not accustomed to Japanese food, they may feel the same with their first sushi encounter. For me, coming from San Francisco where sushi is on every corner, it's important to remember not everyone has this luxury. Sushi is a subtle flavor, it is an art form to make, and when you begin to distinguish the flavors you begin to understand it better. Sushi is only the beginning though, there are so many flavors of Japan, it's many different regions, specialities, and ancestry are what make their food so amazing. Again it comes back in taking pride in preparations, the use of high quality ingredients, and never cutting corners.

5) The cutness factor. Last but not least, the cuteness. Japan's culture embraces without fear everything that is cute. Charms on your cellphone, collectable toys, hair clips, purses, shoes, T-shirts, earrings, necklaces, dog leashes, shoe laces, fake nails, sun glasses, hoodies with animal ears...you name it and they have it cute x1000. Even their musicians are done up to be either sexy or cute, or cute-sexy. The songs may even on occasion be about cute things. Their ads are cute, with cute logos of animals or a cute little song. Their children's cartoons are oozing with cuteness that as an adult you can't help but sometimes watch. Most television shows include cute stuff, talk shows or game shows are filled with something that makes you gasp "Awww, that's so cute!" Heck, even their subway warning signs ("Do not lean against the door") are done up with a cute mascot.

If that doesn't sell you on Japan, I don't know what will. :)

Now, you might look at some of the things I have mentioned as a little material or downright silly but that is ME, Japan fits me, it's where I belong, and I would live there if they'd let me!

Perhaps westerners who fall in love with India are more spiritual than me, I don't know. India is hard, and it can break your heart every day if you let it. I am very sensitive, seeing all these issues and knowing that politicians here pocket most of the money meant for city improvements is disheartening. Though India is growing up fast, they're still stuck in ancient ways, too many taboos, too much corruption, and way too much communalism which holds them back. They can keep building malls and setting up Prada stores all they want...but they aren't fixing the real issues here, and that bothers me.