And here are 11 reasons why:

*Everyone is SUPER friendly.  I’m not sure people always feel like being friendly but regardless the country’s friendliness is through the roof.  Whether you are buying groceries, asking for directions or talking to someone on the street, the people are so smiley, kind and warm.

*The word for “yes” in Japanese is “hai” pronounced “hi.” Walking around it just sounds like everyone is greeting one another. I found it to be wonderful but confusing.
Me: “Excuse me sir?”
Stranger: “Hai.”
Me: “Oh hi. Um, is this the right direction for the Himeji castle?”
Stranger:”Hai.”
Me: “Oh hi. I mean, okay great thanks.”
Stranger: Hai.”

*Sushi! Duh!

*No one steals. This was told to us early on, but it didn’t change our behaviors much.  I have a purse that I keep strapped across me mostly at all times.  It was quite entertaining though to see how much trust this culture puts in one another.  A very common way to save a seat at a coffee shop, was to  put all one’s most trusted valuables on the seat (I’m talking a stuffed wallet on top of an iPhone, on top of a Mac Book pro) and walking away for 10-15 minutes, completely trusting that all the items would be exactly where they were left.  It just boggled my mind.  Women would leave huge purses in the Starbucks at the mall, walk out, and go to the bathroom down the hall.  It was unbelievable to me because I have been on such high alert with my possessions for so many months.

*Speaking of money, people take credit cards.  I don’t mean to belabor a point on the whole money thing,  but it’s so incredibly nice when traveling to have a country that takes credit cards.  Most times I have cash on me when traveling, but sometimes using a card is necessary.  When Julia and I were in China we stopped at a Dairy Queen for ice cream.  Neither of us had money, but I told her I was sure they took a card because they were a large establishment.  We order, got the goods, went to pay, and the cashier shook her head.  Sorry no cards.  I was so annoyed. I left fuming. Julia said “Wow, you need to calm down.”  Ha ha sisters.  They know how to talk you off a ledge.  I was mostly put off because I wanted ice cream but also because it was the principle of the matter!  You are Dairy Queen, a chain, you should take a credit card!!  Mom and Pop shops?  No. I get it.  Those stores have to pay a fee with card transactions and for the little places it’s most likely not worth it.  But chains, yes.  You are a huge corporation.  Take the darn card.  Japan takes the card.

* The convenience store food is super delicious.  Sure it’s not the best Japanese food you’ll ever have, but for about $3 you can get a delicious bento box (the brown paper bag lunch of Asia) or yummy sushi rolls.  It’s affordable and delicious!

*Things work.  They just do.  Trains are on time, ATMs always dispense money, trash is conveniently separated (recycling, non-receyling, liquid, paper,) even the way food is wrapped is thought out (pull this tab, which opens this sealed packaged with minimal effort.)  Things just work.

*You know when you walk into a sushi place in the states and the chefs behind the counter all greet you?  I thought that was just a thing they did at sushi places.  No, this is a Japanese thing.  You walk into any restaurant, bar, store, or even gas station for that matter and everyone greets you by yelling out some type of hello and welcome.  Sure, they may not lift their eyes up from the shelf they are stocking or the money they are counting, but it’s still just so cute.  Japanese shoppers seem to totally ignore it when it happens, opting to continuing going about their usual business.  Me? I gave a big smile and a wave like these people were my best friends.

*The toilets.  The toilets in Japan are unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.  They are have everything.  Some standard accessories on your average toilet may included: heated seats, music (yes, I’m serious,) water spray of varying degrees, and automatic seat sanitizer.  Unfortunately, everything is written in Japanese, so it can be a bit of Russian roulette when pressing buttons.  Or as Julia said one day after exiting the toilet, “The heated seat was nice, but I do feel a bit violated.”  I didn’t ask for more details.

*School children.  They may, in FACT, be THE cutest things ever.

Japan, I loved you.