Monsters, Combinis, and Safety at Midnight: Life in Japan

I have lived in Japan for over 40 years and there are a number of things that I like about this country. They may be a little bit out of the norm, but then maybe so am I. Perhaps it was because of the 250 years of Sakoku (isolation policy), in which any poor foreigner who happened to land on Japanese shores was imprisoned or summarily murdered, but Japan has certainly developed a rather unique character.

Of course, this all came to an end in 1853. Commodore Perry literally and figuratively blew the doors open when he sailed his black ships into Tokyo Bay and opened the country to international commerce and cooperation. The Japanese were extremely quick to rise to the occasion and adopted a variety of other countries’ systems and cultural inputs. The leaders favored the German political, educational, and health care systems, but Italian and French art and food also had serious influence. Still, the uniqueness of the country was certainly not erased.

The people here are generally shy but easy to get along with. They work together well, and they work hard. When I set up the business here, I never had any issues trusting employees to do their jobs or worrying about wasting their time. Foremost among them, of course, was my wife, who enthusiastically got involved with her husband’s crazy business ideas and helped them flourish.

Japan has also created amazing icons that have permeated cultures around the world. I love Japanese monsters—not only Godzilla and Mothra, but the whole crew. Monsters say a lot about a country. They are indicative of many things in society. At first, they were breathing fire and destroying cities, but over time they became protectors of humanity, reflecting our growing awareness of the planet and the need to defend it. In a way, they’ve become symbols of fighting back against mankind’s own tendency to cause harm—helping us take on the new “monsters” that threaten the environment.

The Japanese are not terribly religious people, which also suits my sensibilities. Religious activities generally revolve around New Year’s, when everyone goes to the temple for about 10 minutes. People may visit a few temples to pray for their family and businesses and buy a bunch of religious ornaments, which they use in small shrines in their homes and companies. On celebratory occasions like matsuri or festivals, they carry around shrines in their neighborhoods, draw crowds into local communities, and everyone parties and drinks until late. Most other major religious moments revolve around children: when they are born, and when they are 3, 5, and 7 years old, they wear their best clothes to celebrate.

Unsurprisingly, one of the great qualities of this country is the safe nature of its society. I have three daughters, and there is no place in Tokyo at virtually any hour of the day or night where they fear to walk—which is fairly extraordinary for a modern city. Japan also has great health care and it is very reasonably priced. The basic roles of a government—maintaining a strong education system, excellent health care, and a free press—make for a system that a lot of countries should envy.

The only real problem I have here is the crowds. There are an awful lot of people, and it gets a little crazy sometimes. And I feel sorry for people who have to take the trains for hours a day. That said, trains are a safe and secure environment, where you will even find children who barely come up to my waist, dressed in their navy blue outfits, commuting across town to school every day by train—alone.

Last but not least, how can I not mention Japanese food culture, which has invaded the entire world—led by sushi, but including meat dishes like tonkatsu or yakitori, or noodle dishes like ramen or soba. And how can food in Japan be discussed without mentioning the convenience stores? “Combinis” are everywhere, and the quality is unsurpassed compared to convenience stores practically anywhere else in the world. Anthony Bourdain once said the egg salad sandwich at 7-Eleven in Tokyo was the best sandwich he had ever eaten. It costs less than $2.

Ken Arbour

CEO Tokyo Orientations