During our stay in Japan, the differences between Japanese culture and ‘Western' cultures made a great impact on us.

It was not so much the obvious that made the most impression. We make the comparison of Japanese and ‘Western', but in many ways, and certainly the most visual ways (if you ignore the more basic elements, such as skin colour and language) Japanese culture appears remarkably Western: clothes, cars, buildings, restaurants, the way people organise and go about their daily lives etc. This is, in part, due to the rapid adoption of Western concepts following the opening of Japan 1868. Since then it seems that the Japanese have seized every innovation the world has produced, and enhanced, adapted and sometimes simplified it for both its own use and export. The world is also becoming a smaller place every year – more and more, the distinctions between what were once wildly different cultures and places have been blurred, and, more than by others influences, by a familiar ‘Western' brush.

Dig beneath the surface, however, and much of traditional Japanese culture still governs everyday life, and shocks the ‘Western' visitor. For us, we think, the most important difference between what we are used to and what we found in Japan, is that which is not said. The Japanese leave much communication to intuition. This intuition has been passed down through the generations and is reflected in the Japanese language. With it goes any number of customs and reciprocal actions, but it is that which is not said is the most difficult to overcome as a foreign visitor. On a more basic level, this exemplifies itself in everyday life: the streets are relatively silent, nobody talks on the metro, Sapporo even seems like a small town for the lack of urban commotion that it generates.

Some further thoughts:

- the Japanese are very sincere and extremely honest - more than once, we found out subsequently that we had apparently 'promised' to do something, but not fulfilled that commitment - "maybe not" means "no" and "yes" most definitely means "yes!"

- contrary to many Westerners' perceptions, not all Japanese look the same!

María and I found great amusement in very basic differences that we noted. Below we list some of the ways in which the Japanese do things that confused us!

	•  The Japanese shower outside the bath tub (seated on a little stool on the floor) and then soak in clean water in the bath – come to think of it, this seems a much cleaner way to bathe than ours, as we wallow in our own dirt!
	•  Mixer taps are turned on by pushing the tap lever down; we were frequently soaked by an unexpected torrent of water from the tap turned fully on!
	•  The Japanese loos are like the old French ones, except that you squat facing the other way! (i.e. facing the wall as you enter, not the door!)
	•  Doors open into the corridor rather than into the room – not surprising given the size of Japanese flats and rooms!
	•  Power switches: On is “O”, Off is “I” !!!
	•  Dinner place settings (mats, cuttlery, glasses, chops sticks etc.) are sold in packs of 5, rather than 6 or 8 in Europe; we were told that traditionally in Japan there is always one set for the master and one for each of his four aides!
	•  The Japanese use a futon, rather than a bed. Convenient, as to air their beds, they simply hang the futon out of the window in the morning!
	•  Books, newspapers and magazines have their spine on the right hand side – perhaps the sports news is so important in Japan that newspapers start with it?!
	•  In supermarkets, the cashiers pack your bags for you as they pass the bar codes; we even paid by credit card and they asked for neither i.d. nor a signature!
	•  Multistorey carparks are obviously multistorey: they are built upwards rather than down into the ground (and include a nifty rotating base so that cars leave facing the right way)
	•  Taxis that are free for hire show an illuminated red light – if occupied, this turns white!
	•  Just what Barcelona needs!! Diagonal zebra-crossings at crossroads - how often in Europe do we have to wait for the traffic twice just to walk 20 metres?!
	•  The buses: you get on at the back and pay as you leave from the front! (you pay according to where you get on the bus, not where you get off!)
	•  Petrol pumps fall down from the roof of the petrol station
	•  Car indicator levers are on the right hand side of the steering-wheel; every time we wanted to turn, we switched on the windsreen wipers!
	•  The Japanese drive on the left! OK, María added this one!