The Real Gem in Japan

by Annisa Bunga Nafara (Indonesia)

I didn't expect to find Japan

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When I was a child, I always see Japan as a discipline and clean country. But how could it be in reality? I found out until I travelled to Japan. Instead of being amazed by the discipline and clean place, there was something that made me amazed just more. There was one night, me and my brother walked on the street. We went to a grocery store to get some foods, then after few blocks, we found an interesting spot for taking pictures. It was just a regular street, not an attraction. It was so quiet, only me, my brother and a man who is cleaning his shop’s terrace. We put our food on the side street and took pictures in another place nearby. We moved to take a better capture and silly us, we forgot that our food is still at the same place. So we went back to get our food, and I couldn’t believe what I see. The man who cleaned his terrace was waiting for us and guarded our foods! “Oh my God, thank you it’s really not necessary but sorry to make u do this because we left our food” I said. The Japanese man seems didn’t talk in English, replied me in Japanese language and in hand gesture saying “it’s all fine, I worry if there is a dog or someone took your food”. It leaves me speechless. Even if there is no one guarding my belongings, I believe no one will ever steal in here, knowing that Japan has the lowest criminal rate in the world. That was not the only thing that made me amazed of the kindness of Japanese people. When I lost my way, I tried to ask someone about the direction. Unfortunately, less Japanese people can speak English. But if the one that I was talking to couldn’t speak English, he didn’t leave us just like that. Instead, he walked us to the information center or anywhere I can found help, or he would ask someone to help us communicate. At the first glance, Japanese people look individualistic. Because they mostly walk alone and doesn’t really talk to other people. But if someone needs their help, they will do as much as they can. Another gold character of Japanese people is their tolerance of differences. When I visited Japan, it was the Fasting month, Ramadhan. I was Fasting. I went to the Tokyo Camii Mosque. I was amazed about the culture, that the Mosque also accepted non-muslims who came and eat together in Iftar time. The Mosque also provided them the same food (Turkish menu) and sit with us on the same table. Some of them covered their hair just to respect the muslims, some of them didn’t, and they are all the same, treated equally, and both muslims and non-muslims were happy with each other enjoying the meal. There was a couple of grandpa and grandma on my table. They were so nice that I had a nice talk with them. They even tried to fast to experience how muslims feel during fast and during Iftar. On the other day, my Japanese friend invited me to had dinner together. He wasn’t fasting. But when food was ready in our table, instead of eating it, he also wait for the Iftar time (time to break the fast), to respect me. This is a beautiful example of unity in difference. If only other countries or other places are as peaceful as here in Japan, we could make a better place for everyone. This is the thing that I didn’t know before I arrived Japan. The world keeps emphasizing the discipline (which is right) and the cleanliness in Japan (which is also true. It is hardto find a dustbin, and yet you will not see trashes anywhere. I made a joke, ‘did they eat their own trashes?’), but kindhearted people is one of the rare thing you can found. So when someone asked me what did u get from Japan, I would say, Kindness. This is the real gem in Japan.