Tokyo is all about convenience.
Vending machines are just about everywhere and if the oppressive summer heat gets to you and you think "I could really do with a chilled can of grape and aloe juice" then the chances are that you are standing next to 3 or 4 such vending machines beckoning you with their flashing lights. Surprisingly there are very few vending machines that sell snacks, according to the Japanese people I have asked this is because Japanese people believe it is impolite to eat in public places. Needless to say, I hid my half eaten chocolate bar behind my back.
24hr convenience stores or "kombini" are fantastic, they do a lot more than your typical corner shop back in the UK. It's standard to find your usual range of drinks and snacks; ready made meals; ATMs; scanning and faxing facilities; stationery; stamps; phone chargers and memory cards. Whats more, kombini are everywhere. I was wandering through the mountains of Hakone on one of my overnight trips and I felt truly lost with not a soul in sight, I turned the corner to find two kombini stores where they were more than happy to help me find my way and fill my bag with Calpis (my favorite Japanese soft drink).
The Suica or PASSMO card is what impressed me most. Primarily used for traveling by train or bus this card allows you to pass through ticket barriers with one touch. Its use has been extended to some of the vending machines and kombini mentioned above and you can charge it at any station. It really speeds up your day and with train stations like Shinjuku passing through 3.60 million people everyday you can see why its a necessity.
Manga kissa: 24 hour internet and Japanese manga comic cafes are found near almost any train station. They are quite expensive but the hourly fee includes unlimited drinks, access to an impressive range of comics, internet access, a television AND a Playstation 2. You can pay a high value overnight fee and while away the wee morning hours while waiting for the first train home. So far manga kissa have been my only means of communicating with my family and friends back home and on one or two occasions I missed the last train home and would have been on the street if it wasn't for these cosy havens.
Generally speaking Japanese customer service is amazing. Down to the smallest of details you can expect help and assistance. A good example is a book store, along with the extremely polite Japanese used by all shop staff in Japan you can also expect to have your books wrapped perfectly in crisp paper to protect them from damage. Then the books are placed in a pretty paper bag and sealed with tape. You place your money in a leather tray waiting on the table and your change is rapidly returned, counted out in front of you and then neatly aligned on the tray. The staff then wait patiently while you fumble with your wallet, return your change and otherwise compose yourself before even looking at the next customer. It is a deep bow that sends you on your way.
The simplest of things are turned into a clearly defined procedure with an attention to detail that makes even buying books feel like an art form. The lady at the register turned bright red when I couldn't contain my excitement over something as trivial as wrapping books in paper.
Japanese food is famous the world over for it's high quality presentation and taste. When you get to Japan though, you discover that the Japanese are just as enthusiastic about the cuisine of other countries as we are about theirs. The range of international options in Tokyo is awe inspiring and you can wander around the bottom floor of most department stores for hours sampling all the world cuisine on offer. When I'm in a rush I usually go for gyudon which is one of the cheapest and fastest dishes I've ever eaten. I set my stopwatch and discovered that I had sat down, been served a glass of water, ordered and received my food in 1 minute. I don't think you even get fish and chips that fast in Britain!
A few days ago Japanese morning television informed me that the rainy season is officially over. The Japanese efficiency can often seem quite funny to outsiders: on a sunny day everyone is out in shorts and t-shirts and then as soon as it rains they magically produce umbrellas from nowhere. In the morning there is a program dedicated to morning exercises. Earthquakes appear at the top of the screen, usually seconds after the building you are in has ceased to shake. Trains run on time (shock!) to the second, you can set your watch the train timetables.
My list goes on: mobile phones offer email as standard allowing cheap global network communication for next to nothing. Taxi doors open and shut automatically which caused me a lot of embarrassment during my first taxi ride. Department stores that engulf you, you can spend all day in them whether you like it or not. Then there is Roppongi Hills, a futuristic city within a building. Offices, apartments, shops and entertainment all in a single tower with 54 floors. Everything is at arms reach. Unfortunately the prices for living here are almost as tall as the building itself.
I've always been inspired by the Japanese way of life but when I arrived I realized that I had only touched the surface. The attention to detail, the super-efficiency and the passion with which the Japanese people embrace all areas of life is something that I want to take home with me and has made a powerful impression on me from the moment I stepped off the plane. I am looking forward for my first day at Toshiba when I can begin to embrace the next level: Japanese work life.
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