To those only-in-Japan moments

It’s proved harder than we thought to come up with an only-in-Japan moment, at least not the kind that might make for a quirky sound bite or a trending hashtag.

Maybe there have been too many of such moments over the years. Or maybe there have been too many years in-country for us to realize an only-in-Japan moment when we see it anymore. 

It’s been both wonderful and refreshing, then, to read the blog posts that have been submitted through the “Only in Japan Moments” theme that has been (and is currently) doing the rounds on City-Cost. 

We were reminded once again of the convenience of convenience stores in Japan, something so easily taken for granted. This member of the City-Cost team has been transported to rice fields, humming with the sound of frogs, surrounding a school I once worked at in rural Saitama. In the warm sludge I joined the students for a class or two of taue rice planting, although I confess to having worn my rubber boots for the task. 

Robot cats delivering pamphlets in a shopping mall sounded suitably only-in-Japan, and felt it too when, recently, in a family restaurant near home my doria was delivered to the hands of wait staff by something that resembled a sleek vacuum cleaner. Quick question, when you’re moving between tables are you supposed to give way to the “robots,” or is it the other way round? 

In its purest form though, only-in-Japan is surely only to be found in the experience of the beholder, which in turn makes the experiences even more interesting to read about. So let me recount a moment that, for whatever reason, has emerged from somewhere in the recesses of my conscience.

I’m taken back to Fukui Prefecture and the stunning town, well street really, of Kumagawa-juku. We were in “town” with a film crew to shoot a video with myself on narrator duty. The video was supposed to be weather and season neutral, as much as possible. 

Except it was snowing. Heavily. And freezing cold. Kumagawa-juku, in its icy white coating, looked magical though. Heartbreaking almost. 

The director wanted to press on with the shoot. The camera person, along with thousands of dollars worth of kit, was buried somewhere underneath a coat. The rest of the Japanese crew were shuffling about trying to keep warm and the resident population of Kumagawa-juku was indoors waist deep in a warm kotatsu. We were the only people outside.

I was asked to do this scene in which I casually walk down the street taking in the beautiful townscape, as if on a fine day. My jacket was unzipped to try and give some semblance of seasonal neutrality but I was about frozen solid and could barely see for all the snow blasting in my eyes. I had to be careful with my footing not to slip on the icy sludge underfoot, and careful not to laugh at the situation.

It was absurd and clearly we were not going to get the required footage. (We didn’t, and had to go back weeks later for re-shoots.) But I loved every minute of it. I mean, I was giddy with happiness. Despite the pointless endeavor, the adverse conditions, and the miserable cold, the location was stunning and oh-so Japan, the crew good-humored and committed. 

Shooting that sequence, there was nowhere else in the world I would have rather been. And I guess that’s why I’m still in Japan, for moments like that which remind me that there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.      

No doubt since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus many of us have likely identified some new only-in-Japan moments -- revealed through this country attempting to get to grips “with corona” in its own way. In this extraordinary context, the carrying out of the Summer Games may have thrown in a few more for good measure. 

As much as life with corona may have presented new moments for us to pour over though, it has probably been denying more than a few of us of those recurring only-in-Japan moments that, whether we are acutely conscious of it or not, have been quietly reminding us of the pleasures of life on these shores.  

In this way it might be said that the moment has gone then, but we would prefer to say “passed” and that one day, in the not-too-distant future, it will come around once more.

Below is just a taste of some of the posts published through the theme.  Other posts from the theme will be displayed here over the coming weeks.

You can find all of the “only in Japan moments” published through the blogging theme collated here: <ONLY IN JAPAN MOMENTS>