Overall summary of Japan trip (December 2023)
It was a 10/10 trip
I got lost everyday but it was fun exploring the various places in Japan.
Some things I loved is good public transportation that comes on time and not half an hour late. Trains with seat warmers.
-It's a very beautiful and clean country compared to Los Angeles or Berkeley. It's beautiful with both it's night neon and LED signs blasting advertisements to it's quiet and serene forests and shrines. I also loved eating delicious food at decent prices. I paid 1000 yen or 8 USD for a huge ramen bowl with everything. No extra tax or extra tip. In the US, that would be $20 or more.
-Japan is also a very safe country with very nice people. I didn't have to worry about getting robbed or killed like I do at night time in Berkeley with all the Warn Me emails.
-It's also a very quiet and relaxing place. I rarely heard people speak in public except in large crowds.
As a tourist I have nothing negative to say about my trip to Tokyo.
It was painful though because I have never walked so much in the span of 6 days. Everyday, me and my best friend, Canyon, walked for hours everyday going from places to places. My legs were hurting every night. It was worth it though. Next time, I will prepare beforehand by walking long distances before a trip.
However, I also like to compare countries and see how we can improve. One thing I didn't like about Japan is the working culture there. It is brutal. Compared to the US, you have to work harder and longer for lower hourly pay compared to the U.S. That's not healthy for yourself or for your family. As a kid, it sucked being alone in my home almost every weekday night. I met my friend in Japan who is currently working in Universal Studios Japan in the marketing division for Nintendo World. He makes good money but I could see in his eyes, how tired he was. I was planning to meet him originally on Saturday but he had to go to the office to do extra work so we met on Sunday instead.
Also, Japan's economy isn't good right now and hasn't been good for some time. Their GDP hasn't grown that much consistently. Its declining birth rates with high suicide rates is not great for the youth as well.
Lastly, this is from a foreigner's perspective. I have lived my whole life as a foreigner. Both in Nepal and Hong Kong, I felt like a foreigner. There was always something about me that stood out. In the U.S. that seems to be the norm. It's a country full of misfits trying to find a way to work together. I think that's beautiful. If I try to move to Japan, it will be hard for me to make new friends and settle in properly. In the U.S., specifically in Los Angeles, they have Chinatown, Koreatown, Little Tokyo, Little Ehtiopia, Filipino Town, Thaitown, etc. It's hard to find something like that in another country.
