(*The blog is based on the personal opinion and experience of one of the members participating in the training trip in Japan)

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In this article, I would like to share my thoughts about Japan. In early 2023, I had the opportunity to visit Tokyo - Japan which was organized by my company on the occasion of IVC's 20th anniversary of establishment . This was the first time I came to the Land of Cherry Blossoms, so there were a lot of surprises, and I had a chance to experience some "culture shocks" there.

Tokyo's So Darn Clean

I have heard many people talk about cleanliness in Japan, but I was still very surprised when I saw it with my own eyes. Not only the streets but also the rivers are also so clean - no trash, no plastic bags, no dust, no bad smell… It is so clean that I think you don't need to worry about getting your clothes dirty while sitting on the street ^^.  It's hard to find garbage on the streets, even though there were no garbage cans on the street, because the Japanese took their trash home. This is a habit, a rule, and also the tradition of the Japanese people.

Vending Machines Everywhere and Have Everything

In Tokyo, there are many vending machines and it is so easy to find them. You could buy anything there, from sushi to ramen or sandwiches, from hot coffee to cool water… The tour guide said that there are over 4 million vending machines around Japan, and there is approximately one vending machine per 100 meters. Normally, I could see two or three vending machines placed side by side. It's very simple to use them. I tried to buy a hot coffee, and it was not difficult to pay by coins. Besides paying in cash, vending machines also allow payment with Pay Pay, LINE Pay, Rakuten Pay, or a credit card. It's really convenient.

(Vending Machines - source of image: Japan-house website)

Tokyo - So Crowded City

(Shibuya crossing - source of image: Pexels.com website)

In Tokyo, the stations or intersections are very crowded. Most people walk, and they walk very fast. Sometimes, there are a few cyclists. Shibuya crossing is the biggest and busiest crossing in Tokyo, where sometimes 3000 or more people cross the intersection at once. You could easily find long queues of people waiting in front of the stores to buy something. According to Wikipedia, with 37.19 million people, Tokyo is the most populous city in the world today.

Above are the three points that impressed me the most when coming to Tokyo. Besides, public transportation systems, high-tech washlets, and many other things are special points in Japan. If you have a chance, come to Tokyo once, there are many surprises waiting for you there. Or  you can consider to apply for IVC employee to have the opportunity visiting Japan in the future.