Tokyo, Kyoto, Chiba, Hiroshima, Matsuyama

TLDR: Went during cherry blossom season in April – overall, VERY cool. Quality standards in Japan are higher in terms of food, cleanliness, and transportation. I was able to eat every breakfast from convenience stores, and all other meals out for $7-$10. It’s a country that is easy for any American/Westerner to navigate with comfort, as all train and bus lines are timely, efficient, and translated into English. There were vending machines around every corner, and it felt extremely safe regardless of the time of night. I learned that if you go out and miss the last/midnight train home, most people will stay up until 4 am for the next one!

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Culturally, Tokyo was very different. In Tokyo, fashion seems quite uniform and homogenous, with 80% of men in work suits and women in long dresses and pea coats, reflecting a sense of professionalism and unity in appearance. Most people will walk on the agreed-upon side of the sidewalk (left in Tokyo), and I never saw anybody J-walk, which shows a deep respect for the rules of the city. The streets are orderly, and there’s an unspoken understanding that everyone plays their part in maintaining the flow of pedestrian traffic.

There is also no talking on public transit. Even at Costco, you could barely hear other conversations—a stark contrast to the constant chatter in many other urban centers. People seem fully absorbed in their own worlds, either focused on their phones or quietly reflecting. My favorite part of the transit system was how riders always let others off the train before boarding—a simple act of consideration that I wish were more common elsewhere (cough, America).

Politeness and formality feel like the social glue. I enjoyed it, but I was also told that this politeness functions as a way to maintain space and uniformity among strangers. If you don’t align with the unwritten rules, you risk being looked down upon. Even those of Japanese descent—or expats returning from abroad—are often held to especially high standards when it comes to fitting into this uniform culture.

One night, I got a firsthand look at how cultural norms play out when I joined Midnight Runners, an international running group with chapters around the world. One of their signature elements is that a run leader carries a large speaker and blasts music as the group moves through the city. Let’s just say… this was not embraced by the neighbors who yelled at us, nor by the police officers who asked us to clear public areas and street corners. I’m genuinely curious to see how this group adapts to Japanese norms—it would make a great business case study someday.

I would 100% return. Sakura (cherry blossom) season was stunning. The history is fascinating—like how the U.S. once brought a miniature train to Japan to demonstrate the benefits of trade. You can stay in a castle. Mount Fuji looks absolutely enormous from a distance. The A-bomb museum in Hiroshima made me cry. And I already miss the food and the matcha desserts!