What I, a Taiwanese, felt in Japan (Lifestyle)

Hello! Hello! Hello everyone!

I came to Japan in September 2022, lived in Osaka for six months, and joined the company this April as a mid-career hire. I
'm Lee-chan, originally from Taiwan, and currently work in sales in the Systems Development Department in Yokohama

A year has passed in the blink of an eye since I came to Japan, and I've experienced Japan's "spring, summer, autumn, and winter" for the first time!
As a Taiwanese person, I wanted to share even just a little bit of what's unusual with everyone, so I wrote this blog!

*The content of this blog is purely my opinion and is not absolute

Traffic is going in the opposite direction?!

I think the first thing that surprised me when I came to Japan was the direction of traffic

In Taiwan,the right side of the road is for going, and the left sideis for going back. Also,the steering wheel ison the left side, which is the exact opposite of Japan. I found it strange that the direction of traffic in Japan is the exact opposite of Taiwan, and that the steering wheel is on the right side.

Once, I meant to get into the passenger seat, but accidentally opened the door on the other side, making the driver laugh out loud, "Do you want to drive?" (laughs)

What surprised me even more was that no matter where you go in Japan, if a pedestrian wants to cross a crosswalk,they are always given priority and allowed to pass!

Even if you are far away from the crosswalk, they will usually stop and wait for you!

In Taiwan, pedestrians generally stop when a car is coming, and when crossing the road, it is common to wait until the car has passed before crossing

 

So when I first came to Japan, there were many times when a car would come and both of us would be stopped, which was awkward. In fact, this still happens to me today

What? The restaurant doesn't offer that service!

When I go out to eat or drink with friends or seniors in Japan, I sometimes feel a sense of discomfort when I see food left behind

I later realized that in Japan, there is no culture of taking home leftover food after a meal

After investigating the cause, we found that restaurants are concerned that leftover food can deteriorate when it is taken home, which could lead to food poisoning and affect the health of customers. Therefore, while they do offer takeout, they generally do not offer a service to take home leftovers if you are eating in the restaurant

Another thing that surprised me was that the staff crouched down to take orders.
My friend and I were both amazed when we first encountered it!

I felt it was hard for the waiter to bend down to take our order. To be honest, I felt a bit sorry for them and a bit pressured to take our order (lol)

 

 

 

This may be sudden, but I'd like to share an interesting cultural experience with you

The timing for using wet tissues varies

In Taiwan, they are usually used after meals or to wipe hands that have been soiled by food. In Japan, people wipe their hands with an oshibori before eating

Toilets are amazing! 🚻

One of the great things about living in Japan is that toilets have toilet paper!

In Taiwan, department stores and restaurants provide these, but most common areas don't, so I always bring tissues with me when I go out

* I always carry a pack with me, but that's just a personal habit. (embarrassed)
So, having toilet paper in the bathroom is just the best!

Also, I feel like there are more Western-style toilets than Japanese-style toilets in Japan

There's one more feature that initially confused me the most... and that'sthe "Sound Princess" function!

When I first saw it,, "What is Otohime? Is it a princess for the toilet?"and looked it up on Google.
When I learned, "Wow! So that's how it's used!", I thought Japan is really strange.

 

 

summary

These are my thoughts and experiences living in Japan.
Thank you for reading to the end!