published

As part of the Japan Tour we all had to write an article about it. They were all published in Nytt Rom magazine. There's an article in AHO's website about it. The title of my article is on the cover. It is as follows:

Things I’ve learned about Japan.

I’ve learned there aren’t garbage bins in the streets. I’ve learned there are specific places for each and every thing. I’ve learned that “Lost in Translation” was a genius choice for a title.

There are some things one takes for granted. And usually one would only expect their quality and quantity to change not their inherent essence. But what if they were replaced with completely different things?

Well, garbage bins are unnecessary because Japanese cultures makes it so. And streets are speckless. For one, drinking without eating is considered impolite as it is eating while walking. That makes it so that litter is reduced. It also makes cup covers at the 722 Starbucks present in the country irrelevant. Also, smoking in intersections while waiting for the green light is forbidden as it is throwing cigarette buts in the ground. So it’s not common to smoke while walking as there are specific places with ashtrays in the street where smokers are forced to remain if they are not to carry the buts with them. Still the anti-smoking hysteria has not arrived in Japan yet, and smoking is still relatively popular. The smoking rate among adult men is almost 50%, and packs of cigarettes cost ca 15 NOK.
On the other hand a girl wearing a mini skirt as short as it can be is considered quite normal.

This contrast is essential considering that one of the largest and the native religion is Shinto, a religion based on nature and its elements. Japanese culture is on the other hand filled with social, civic and hierarchical rules which every citizen must follow without questioning and which have little of natural to them. Just like Japanese gardens which are completely man made but try to mimetically imitate nature.