A lot of love for Nihon

They say time flies and looking at how the past 10 months have flown by I can't say I disagree! Since I've been here long enough now to hopefully not be considered a tourist (although there are many times when I still feel like one) I thought I'd write about some of my favourite things about Japan.

So without further ado and in no particular order let the list begin...

1. Safety: With a famously low crime rate it's not surprising that I feel so safe. No matter how late it is I still feel safe if I decide to go for a run/walk on my own in the dark and I'm less stressed about carrying lots of cash/valuables than I would be back in England. On top of this if you happen to drop/ lose anything of value you can pretty much guarantee that it will be handed in or returned to you, yay for honest people! 

Yakiniku

2. Food: Japanese food is oh so good, well most of it ( ahem raw horse meat, natto: fermented soy beans and whale don't really appeal to me..) I was always a fan but since living here I have (obviously) tried so much more, my particular favourites at the moment are mochi aisu, yakiniku and of course yakitori! The best thing about food in Japan though is (like many other countries) there's a choice of many different international cuisines. So there's something for everyone.

3. Alcohol: Now I run the risk of sounding like an alcoholic here, buuuut I love that in this country it's pretty much acceptable to drink anywhere, and there's always plenty of places to drink at too. I mean there's even alcohol vending machines! Japan also has some great alcoholic beverages that I have yet to find elsewhere, Chuhais, Umeshu, Sake/Nihonshu etc..

Festival Lanterns

4. Festivals and Celebrations: Japan is a country full of tradition and history, and with that comes celebrations which in this country usually means celebrating with a festival. Throughout the year there are many festivals and national holidays (yay to time off!) which allow cultural insight and experience for us non Japanese! Depending on the festival is for there is normally a performance to represent what's being celebrated, sometimes a fireworks display and there is always plentyyy of super yummy street food!





5. Best of both Worlds: When I say the best of both worlds what I am referring to is the opposing countryside and city experiences that Japan has to offer. Most people (including myself once upon a time) think of Japan being a super metropolitan country, but in actual fact even just outside of the cities Japan is pretty rural and mountainous. So this means you can explore and enjoy city life and also experience the beautiful scenery that Japan's countryside has to offer.

6. Vending Machines: No matter where you are, however remote it may be, you can guarantee that there will be at least one vending machine around you. Vending machines are literally everywhere, so much so that you probably can't walk 5 metres without encountering one! They are a pretty convenient thing to have, with most of them being drinks vending machines (both hot and cold) one will never go thirsty, but there are even ice cream, beer, hot food and cigarette vending machines! Handy! This is definitely something that I think England needs to adopt, as when I was home recently I had vending machine withdrawal symptoms, I mean who wants to go through the effort of going into a shop, find a drink and then have to go pay at a till.


7. Train Stations: Right so this probably sounds like a really weird thing to like but let me explain. When I say train stations I am primarily referring to the city train stations (my small town's train station is fine but definitely not something to write home about). These stations are absolutely huge and offer you more than a mode of transport. They are filled with numerous shops of all kinds, restaurants, bars and some even have cinemas and hotels! And when I say filled I mean filled to the point that you could spend your whole day there and still not get through everything! However the size of them does also mean it's extremely easy to get lost!

Kii-Chan, one of Wakayama's mascots 

8. Kawaii things: Japan is a lover of all things kawaii so it's no surprise that you can buy lots of cute things. Be it something that is a typically mundane purchase like a washing up sponge or something completely unnecessary, you will always be able to find something ever so cute to purchase. In a similar regard Japan is also a fan of having cute mascots for each prefecture but also for various
companies. These mascots will feature on many different things and are oh so cute to look at!






9. 100 yen shops: Omg I love 100 yen shops so much! In essence they are kind of like a pound shop (but slightly cheaper) only here the quality and spectrum of things you can buy is sooooo much better. There are a few different chains to choose from but all offer many different products, ranging from the essential to the most random, with pretty much everything for 100 yen (ok 108 yen with tax but still!) I have made many a good purchase in 100 yen shops, although I must admit I often end up buying things I most definitely did not need, but hey a few 100 yen is not exactly going to break the bank! 

Shrine in my town

10. Rich and accessible culture: As I said before Japan has lots of cultural history and tradition, and you can find historical sites in many places. The country has worked hard to preserve it's history and so there are countless shrines, temples, gardens, castles, museums etc. that you can visit, and most of the time it's either free or at a reasonable price. And while some may think it's boring to visit similar things again and again, each area is unique and has different history behind it.




So there we have it, 10 things (one for each month I've lived here!) that I love about the wonderful Japan!