P2 Japan: Konnichiwa!

Big surprise in a Japanese hotel and some mysteries in Japan.

Toyoko Inn

We nested at hotels belonging to the Toyoko Inn chain while we were in Japan. It’s a kind of no-frills hotel with prices that won’t make you cry. Their locations were always nifty for travelling, i.e. near the train station or the subway. The room was pretty cramped, but I didn’t go to Japan to lounge in my room.

Their breakfast buffet made me forget about the room’s size. It was simple yet scrumptious. Those who craved western style got bread, butter, jam, sausage and bacon. Japanese food lovers could pick from different types of sushi, a few salads, and miso soup. I especially loved Inari sushi (sushi wrapped in fried tofu) and miso soup. These were two ideal dishes to start the day with a warm tummy and full of zest.

The distinctive feature of Toyoko Inn was the world of women. That’s how I would describe the staff. And they were not young women, but more mature ones, mostly over thirty. It turned out they had a policy supporting married and older women. In 2013, Toyoko Inn started a project to open 100 hotels in Vietnam. Unfortunately, they abandoned the project later. If they could achieve it, there would be more work opportunities for Vietnamese women.

The women who ran the show for breakfast were all in their sixties or seventies. No wonder why the dishes had such a homey taste. They were a cheerful, welcoming and hospitable group. They didn’t speak a word of English, but they had a mind-blowing sixth sense for the guests. 

Once I saw all Inari sushi quickly vanished and was feeling blue. Out of nowhere a staff member appeared, waving for me to hang on. I smiled and nodded, but I was a bit baffled about what she had in mind. Next thing I knew she brought me a plate of Inari sushi. Maybe they had observed me attentively and knew it was my favourite. I was overjoyed with gratitude and truly amazed by their dedication and thoughtfulness.

The very first Japanese mysteries

The first one was a real head-scratcher. I bet every foreigner who visits Japan has to deal with it at some point. It’s a mystery from a Japanese toilet.

I was confused when I saw the toilet with no flush button. Instead, there was a panel full of buttons and Japanese characters next to the toilet. Did the hotel expect me to be fluent in their language before using the bathroom?

After spending 15 minutes on Google, I managed to figure out the buttons for basic functions like spraying water, flushing and changing the seat cover. Thank God, they did have some explanations for the Japanese toilet on the Internet. For the more advanced functions, like adjusting spray angle, water temperature, seat height, and so on, I gave up. I decided to save them for another day. Honestly, it felt like I had bought a fancy massage chair and only used the shoulder massage function.

I had a brilliant idea for Toyoko Inn. They should make a handy guide in English with pictures of the Japanese buttons, and stick it in the bathroom. That would make life so much easier! If I suggested that to them, what would they do? Maybe they would reward me with a coupon for a free massage and their massage chair would have more Japanese instructions than the Kyoto subway map. That would be more challenging. No problem, I had my smartphone and Google.

Then my friend stumbled upon the next mystery of our trip: why were there more vending machines than people on the streets? Everywhere we turned, we saw gleaming metal contraptions offering us snacks and drinks. We tried hard to crack this code.

My friend speculated that the Japanese were so disciplined and respectful that they never stole the goodies or damaged the machines, so the owners could just plop the machines down anywhere they wanted. I added that the Japanese were so busy and hardworking that they needed these machines to keep them fueled and hydrated, and also  to spare them some precious minutes when they were on the run. Either way, we both had a crush on Japanese culture and couldn’t help thinking of their good deeds.

The final mystery also emerged from the streets. How come the Japanese streets were so spotless, yet there were no public trash cans in sight? Where were we supposed to dump our soda cans, water bottles, and candy wrappers that the vending machines had seduced us into buying? 

Emi, our lovely tour guide in Kyoto, enlightened us with the answer. She said that after a terrorist group unleashed sarin gas on the Tokyo subway station, the government decided to get rid of the public bins to prevent similar attacks. Besides, Japanese people are trained from childhood not to litter on the streets. The government also hopes that this will make people more aware of how much waste they carry and produce.

I couldn’t help asking a silly question. “So where do you guys toss the trash in your hands?” Emi’s answer amazed me: they took it home, and sorted it out before throwing it into the rubbish bins at home. Considering the habits of Southeast Asians (except Singaporeans), this practice seems unbelievable. Well, I guess the magic only happens in Japan!

Konnichiwa Japan! I can’t wait to see the wonders you have in store for me on this adventure.

mlefood