Essay What's good about Japan? By David Parmer	フレームで見る  英文をプリントする  脚注をプリントする
私が日本を好きな理由 「禅と武術」をはじめとした「日本的なるもの」にひかれて、70年代に日本にやってきた筆者。 四季折々の風物が楽しめること、届け物が約束どおり届くこと、交通機関が時間どおり動くこと、そして清潔なことが、日本を好きな理由なのだそうだ。

I have lived in Japan most of my adult life. Sometimes when I tell people this, they are surprised, even astonished. And I am surprised at their surprise. Why is it more strange to live in Tokyo rather than in Barcelona, Buffalo or Birmingham?

I came here in the 1970s for the usual reasons. I was interested in "things Japanese": Japanese history and culture, Zen and martial arts. I had a chance to train long and hard in the martial arts. Over the course of time I have made a life in Japan. Even today, I often catch myself marveling about something Japanese, and I realize that after all these years I am still delighted by Japan.

Here are a few of the things that I like:

The seasons. Japanese people will tell you Japan has four seasons. Foreigners are often surprised by this since most countries have four seasons. What I think Japanese people mean is that the seasons are observed in Japan. There are all kinds of seasonal markers, like the kadomatsu at New Year's, the plum blossoms in February, the cherry trees in April, the sunflowers in summer and the susuki in October.

Speaking of kadomatsu, my second favorite thing about Japan is Oshogatsu. In late December, people finish up their work for the year, clean up their houses and then celebrate. It is a time of energy and excitement. For a week, the spirit of old Japan is here. Everyone is given the chance for a fresh start, and the bonenkai is the party to forget the old year. Wonderful. Personally, though, I prefer shinnenkai where people celebrate the beginning of a new year.

By nature, I am an orderly person, so my next favorite thing is the way things work smoothly in Japan. Schedules are made and things go according to schedule. You buy a couch at a department store and they say that they will deliver it next Tuesday before noon. And at 11:45 on Tuesday there is a knock at your door and your couch is there. Showing up on time and doing what is promised is not the exception in Japan; it is the rule. And I appreciate it.

I also value the transportation system in Japan. I haven't owned a car for 30 years, and haven't needed one. I can get anywhere in Japan by well-maintained and modern trains. Also, the trains run on time. The 9:07 Shinkansen from Tokyo station leaves at 9:07, not 9:08 or 9:09. What about rush hour? Well, rush hour is rush hour. All cities have a rush hour, but the Japanese transportation system manages to move millions of people daily in an efficient manner.

And finally, I like the way Japan is clean. Once you arrive at Narita, you can see this. Come from any industrialized country to Japan and you will see the difference: clean streets, clean buildings, clean trains. I wonder if Japanese people take this for granted; I certainly don't.

Are there some frustrating things about living in Japan? Certainly. But I think each particular place has its pluses and minuses. And one has to balance them. I have done the balancing with Japan, and I am very happy to be here.

Shukan ST: Sept. 14, 2007

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