Japan Totemo-ii


What to say about Japan...
well if you haven't already guessed, I absolutely loved my time there.
At the airport, I didn't want to go...and had the same feeling of mild sadness that I get when I have to leave Singapore.

Maybe because the place reminded me so much of Singapore, but the people were so much more warm, friendly, generous, complimentary and selfless.
I was never lost for long because I could always count on a Japanese to drop whatever they were doing, and walk me all the way to my destination, rain or shine.
From the variety of good food (some odd), to heated toilet seats and sound effects to help you pee. From little strokes of creative inventiveness you see just walking anywhere, to the safety you feel walking around at night. From the cute illustrations everywhere, to the hilarious philosophical one-liners they put on products. From the 100yen shop (Daiso), huge Muji outlets, all the best stationery in the world (I found a pen that you can completely erase with its end) to black sesame ice-cream.
In less than 2 weeks, I had fallen in love with the place.

No doubt, I was surprised by the lack of creative shoe designs and moisturizing creams on offer and hand-dryers (or soap) in toilets...everywhere I looked, I felt at home.
Their tastefulness was something I identified with, and I kept wishing I could speak Japanese.
Of course I am a city girl, but sometimes there were just too many people.
At the same time, there was a respect, politeness and no pushing amongst all pedestrians.

Japan has a very small percentage of Christians, but I did come across a church in my area.
I only wished I could have visited them.
I wasn't expecting to like the country this much.
Of course, I enjoyed Israel and other lovely place I've been, but other than Singapore, I've never wanted to visit a country again; until now.