A change in scenery, a change in perspective

I love to travel for many different reasons. A change of scenery and routine is always nice and it allows me to refresh and recharge. But I also love to travel because I learn so much about others; I break out of my bubble and see how other people do things, how they approach the world and what’s important to them. This was definitely the case during my recent trip to Japan.  

Bucket List Location  

Japan has always been a place I wanted to visit, though, admittedly, I didn’t know much about the culture or history.  As part of my Year of What’s Next, my husband and I booked a trip to Japan and traveled there last month, during cherry-blossom season. Like the best travel, it was an eye-opening experience.  

It was our first trip to Asia, and though I’m not sure I ever really got over the jetlag, it was an amazing experience. Japan is a wonderous, fascinating, clean and lovely place that showed us a truly memorable time, and as I reflect on it, one word keeps coming to mind: harmony. 

Harmony, or Wa  

The concept of harmony, or wa, is a fundamental principle in Japanese culture, with an emphasis on collective well-being over personal desires. It appears that people value rules not as a form of restriction, but as a shared commitment to maintaining social harmony.

If you’ve been to Japan or know about its culture, you know what I’m talking about. It’s an incredibly populated country with lots of people in small spaces, yet it is incredibly orderly and clean. Everyone follows and respects the many rules and systems put in place that results in a harmonious way of life.  

For example, the subway system in Tokyo. To an outsider like myself, it is at first very confusing and intimidating. The sheer number of people on the trains and in the stations can cause a mini panic attack. But, the systems in place, which everyone adheres to, make it run like a well-oiled machine. There are markers that indicate where to stand when the subway approaches and a tune that plays to tell you it’s time for you to step onto the train. And, if you’re exiting the station, a sound like chirping birds indicates that you need to step down or step up.  Despite the sheer number of people in the subway station, it is calm and controlled.  

Even the sidewalks in the big cities create order by providing grooves to put a walking stick or cane for easier mobility and when you approach the corner, the concrete becomes bumpy to signify an upcoming crossing. Unlike in the U.S. where a robotic male voice screams “WALK” when it’s time to cross, you hear a lovely chiming sound as your cue to make your way across the street in Japan.  

And then there’s something as simple as buying food at an outdoor market. Unlike here where you might buy and graze as you stroll past other vendors, there you buy, stand and eat, all while staying near the vendor that sold you the food.   

Life in Japan, while certainly not slower than life in the U.S. just seems a bit calmer and I attribute it to how people there go about living their lives in a harmonious way.  

One Perspective 

We met a tour guide named Tony who told us he came to Japan from New Zealand 36 years ago with the goal of making money. At the time, Japan was a leader in innovation with companies like Sony, Toyota and Panasonic leading the way. In EOS-speak, Japan was a country of visionaries.  

Today, that isn’t necessarily the case. Since the 1990s, the Japanese yen has weakened significantly and the pace of innovation has slowed to a crawl compared to other countries. While Japan traditionally excelled in manufacturing and hardware, it has struggled with software and digital innovation. All we have to do is look at Sony and Panasonic, two companies which once dominated consumer electronics. But both failed to quickly adapt to the smartphone revolution and as a result, they both missed out.  

This change happened in front of everyone’s eyes over time, yet the population remained compliant and continued to follow the rules. They stuck to the guiding principle of harmony and as a result, at least according to Tony the tour guide, today the country is dominated by implementers rather than by visionaries. 

That’s not to say it’s all bad in Japan because it’s absolutely not. The country has serious strengths in robotics, semiconductors and is pushing hard into AI. The country still continues to post economic gains and remains the second-largest economy of the G7 countries with a GDP of around $4.2 trillion, according to the World Economic Forum. But it’s not the economic powerhouse it once was.  

Lessons Learned 

I am grateful for the time I got to spend in Japan and the experiences it afforded me. I learned so much, not only about the country as it is today, but also about its rich history.  

My time in Japan also opened my eyes to the realization that big changes that happen over time, right under our noses, create lasting results. This is especially true as we look at all the changes happening around us today. We can’t pretend they aren’t happening because they are. Rather than bury our heads in the sand, we need to be aware of and receptive to what those changes are and the potential outcomes they could produce. Otherwise, the results could have a lasting, negative impact.