外国人から見た日本

　レナート・ヨハンソンさんは、日本とも長く関わりを持つ、親日、知日のスウェーデン人で、地球元気塾のミャンマー支援にも関わりを持たれている方です。そのヨハンソンさんから、私たちの国「日本」について、大変嬉しく胸が温かくなるような素晴らしいお言葉をいただきました。

​私たちが日頃、あたりまえのように通り過ぎてしまう身の回りの景色や、さりげない暮らしの作法、そうした何気ない営みの中に息づく「美しさ」や「思いやりの心」を、みずみずしい目線で​異なる文化の鏡に映し出された日本の姿はとても新鮮で私たち自身の心をも豊かに耕してくれるようです。言葉の垣根をこえて、互いの良いところを認め合い、健やかに響き合っていける交わり（まじわり）に、深い感謝の念が湧いてまいります。

　世界から集う仲間が寄せてくれた心に染み入る温かいメッセージをここにみなさまへお届けいたします。今回は英文原本で掲載となります。

A WALK THROUGH THE DIFFIRENT CULTURAL ASPECTS IN JAPAN

The cultural differences might differ depending as where you live or in how many different countries you have lived. At the bottom line, you will be amazed.

If we imagine that you have just arrived at Narita Airport from a distant destination, you are a little tired as you have gone through the passport control as well as the customs. There, at the customs you will experience your first contact with the Japanese culture, it is called, courtesy, politeness and kindness. In a polite way you will be asked as, where did you start your trip as well you might be asked if you have packed your luggage yourself or if you have any illegal drugs packed in your suitcase. During the verbal engagement the tune is correct and includes a smile. Politeness and smiles will always follow you during your journey through Japan. That would be your first encounter with the Japanese culture. Finally, you enter the arrival hall and you decide to go for a coffee. As the logo of Starbuck is well visible you head for it where you order a cup of coffee which will help you to overcome your jet lag. You take out your wallet and pay, it might be in cash or with a card. Moment later you get your cup of whatever. As you start to walk away from the coffee shop you hear suddenly a voice behind you, you turn and you see a person running towards you with your wallet in her hand. Through this incident you have experienced your third contact with the Japanese culture. So far you have accounted the following factors that are the part of the culture.

･ Politeness.
･ Smile.
･ Honesty

After drinking your cup and being happy and relief to be in possession of your wallet you continue your trip towards your hotel which is located in whatever part of Tokyo you had decided to stay for your first nights. You enter the hotel, and if not received by a robot you will be welcomed by a human who will ask you the traditional questions. You enter your room and will be impressed by the cleanness of the room. Here you encounter the next Japanese cultural factor:

･ Hospitality

This variable is an important part of the Japanese culture, and this you will experience it regardless if you stay at 5- stars hotel, 1-star hotel, or regardless of your geographical location in Japan the service level will always be above average.

Well, you had your first night in Tokyo and you are ready to discover Tokyo. You might have an old-fashioned map or use your phone in order to navigate yourself to your first tourist destination of the day. But…………………. Your map blows away or you forgot your phone so there you stand without any navigation tools. But do not despair, there will always be somebody who will come out of the bleu and help to reach your destination.

Sometimes the person will escort you all the way to your destination. Below you have encountered the next cultural variable which is:

･ Assistance

Through my many years in Japan, I have never had to stand long time (looking lost) before somebody came asked you if you needed any assistance in finding your direction.

Now, on the other hand, the following factor is in a few situations not clearly understood by visitors.

We queue, regardless of the situation. That is a rule that should never be broken, this together with patience are important factors of the Japanese culture. Do you remember when the last big earthquake hit Tokyo. On our first working day, a big part of the public transport was not running as there were not enough electricity. Everybody was queuing, even though it took, in some cases up to three hours to get a train. Further according to my experience, nobody did ever raise their voices. Below you will find some of the virtues of the Japanese culture.

･ Queuing
･ Patience
･ Calm

Finally, In cities like Paris or other cities in Europe, we do have the same rules for pedestrians. Red means of course do not cross regardless if there is any traffic or not, and green means that you are authorized to cross the street. This is strictly followed in Japan while in Europe shall we say there is more flexibility, for the pedestrians but not from the legal point of view but more from the individual point of view.

The key word is rules.

･ Rules

But ... what might confuse visitors to Japan are the traffic rules. In most of Europe, the traffic is on the right, and we do not ride our bicycle on the pavement. For example, in Denmark Copenhagen, the cycle lanes are clearly marked (it is estimated that around 30% of the population of Copenhagen cycle to their work) Even if there are rules or laws regarding the right to cycle on the pavement, the traffic law is not clear as it is or not allowed.

As times flies, it is time for the tourist to fly back home. Hopefully he or she will have learnt a lot about the different cultural differences that are in place between their home country and Japan.

日本でともに過ごす外国人の仲間（Lennart Johansson氏）より