Sometime last year I stumbled upon a clickbait article: 16 Life-Changing Lessons I Learned After Living in Japan For a Year. As the title suggests, the author goes through 16 aspects they find amazing in Japan. The issue is, as apparent in the comments already, is that most of them are superficial or simply not true.

Now it must be stated that Japan is a great place if you are a guest. Most of the article’s statements are true if you are not a part of any social group – or at least not of the social group that you’re interacting with. These are formalities that you are expected to show off towards people you want to impress. These are manners you can use to feel people indebted to you. And mostly, it’s something you only do if you want to be specifically nice.

Every year, the Japanese Self Defense Force (called the roundabout way since the constitution’s chapter 9 doesn’t allow an army) holds a very impressive firepower demonstration at the ground forces’ base near Fuji. That means that if you’re “lucky” to have clear weather (as clear weather means scorching August sun), then you get to see the various tanks thunder and choppers zoom up and down with the backdrop of the famous mountain. And obviously the purpose of the whole show is to charm youngsters into joining the surprisingly unpopular service of the SDF, so the scenery’s extra memorability just adds to the effect.

The popularity of Akihabara, “heaven of nerds” is beyond me. I see people go there without any voiced reason, and after every Comiket, torrents of people rush there to… I don’t even know what.

Sure if you’re out to buy some dojin porn or rare anime goods, it’s a good spot to find those. Tech gadgets? Sure thing. I’ve been to Akiba to buy airsoft gear myself too. But most people aren’t going there for the maid or catgirl cafes with their magically delicious meals, nor are they shopping up on high-end audio gear or tentacle porn.

Is this the same as women “going to the mall shopping”, just walking around the place without any intent or willingness to buy anything? Someone explain to me.