A Few Key Differences

I never noticed how many glaring differences there are between Filipino and Japanese culture until the day after we arrived. We have to walk several blocks every day, where in the Philippines, we simply take the jeepney or tricycle even if the destination was two blocks away. They’re also very conscious about the time. This is particularly noticeable when dealing with the trains, as they leave and arrive at such specific times that it never fails to amaze me.

Another difference that I’ve noticed is how safe it is here. At night, even though I walk alone in the dark, there’s no fear or dread washing over me despite no one in sight. I see kids travelling my themselves to school every morning on the train. There are policemen roaming the area after a certain hour. If someone lost something, it can be returned within five minutes without anything missing. It was a little jarring at first, after being used to having to trust no one in public in the Philippines, but then I realized something. This is how every country should feel in public. No one should be afraid of walking in the dark, of public transportation, of feeling as if everyone around you was going to jump you the minute they see you.

These simple practices show how organized, precise, and trustworthy the Japanese are. It’s fascinating to see them work so efficiently and smoothly; it feels as if everyone was connected to each other through the same mindset.

Japan was already something that I had looked up to. But now that I’ve experienced how they live their lives firsthand, it truly is something commendable, and I hope that one day, the Philippines will be able to reach this level of efficiency.