Japan: Land of quirks and a thousand conveniences
TOKYO — Heated toilets that spray users clean, train seats that revolve so passengers can admire the scenery and a convenience store on every corner: welcome to Japan, where hospitality and customer service form part of the country’s DNA.
Visitors readying to flock to Tokyo for the 2020 Olympics can expect a dizzying array of services in Japan where quirky, futuristic gadgets and everyday conveniences ease the passage through the stresses of daily life.
“Attention to others is at the root of Japanese culture,” said Kazuhiro Watanabe, a consumer trends analyst at Nikkei BP consulting group.
It even has its own word in Japanese — omotenashi — or a focus on hospitality.
Don’t believe it? How about these typical experiences during a day in Tokyo.
The alarm goes off. Blearyeyed, you head to the washroom. It’s chilly but don’t worry: the toilet seat is heated.
Enjoyed by foreign celebrities and legions of tourists alike, Japan’s multifunction toilets have an astonishing range of other features too, from jets to wash yourself, deodorizers or a flushing noise button to cover up embarrassing sounds.
But what if you’re alone with a child and nature calls? Many public toilets (spotlessly clean, of course) have infant seats inside the stall. Park baby in the holder and you’re good to go.
Back at home, you’re late for work and there’s no time for breakfast.
So you head to the konbini — Japan’s ubiquitous convenience stores — for some food. While you’re there, why not pay that electricity bill and pick up fresh socks or underwear while you’re at it.
Eating out in Japan is also an exercise in convenience. Most restaurants come with realistic plastic versions of the meals in the windows so the hapless tourist can just point.
On the move, order and service smooth the journey even through the most packed station.
Commuters line up politely and wait for their train. What’s the rush when they are always on time and there is always another one about to arrive.
“Japanese are very pragmatic — comfort and practicality are paramount,” said Muriel
People cannot do what they want — that’s the other side of the coin.” Kazuhiro Watanabe, consumer trends analyst at Nikkei BP consulting group
Jolivet, a sociologist who has lived in Japan for four decades.
The country famously has its share of quirky objects too: a book-pillow that lets you catch a few winks in between reading, a shirt fan for those broiling summers, and pocket heaters for winter.
Does all this make Japan the perfect place to live? Maybe not. There are rules, rules and more rules.
“People cannot do what they want — that’s the other side of the coin,” Watanabe said.
And perfection has a price, Jolivet said. “There is a psychorigidity underneath all this. Mistakes are not tolerated.”