Last week, I had a ten-day trip to Japan. The trip was amazing. It was my first time in Japan. While the country was quite different from my imagination, I fell in love with the Land of the Rising Sun and enjoyed my trip so much. There are 10 things I love about Japan.

First of all, let’s talk about Japanese people.

1. Politeness. Japanese people are very polite. They say ‘sorry’ even when you bump into them. They don’t eat or drink on public transportation. They keep quiet in public places and always line up everywhere, such as at convenience stores, subway stations, etc.

2. Friendliness. I supposed that Japanese people are very shy and introverted. However, it turned out that they were more friendly and helpful than I imagined. When I was finding the train and got very confused, a Japanese woman came to me and asked to help. I also had some nice conversations with local people. They are super friendly and smile a lot.

3. Cuteness. Japan is well-known for its anime and cute things. Indeed, everything, from metros to manhole covers, has a cute design.

4. Cleanliness. No garbage on the street. Furthermore, I was always surprised at the cleanliness of Japan’s public toilets.

5. Affordable prices. Before going to Japan, I thought it was one of the most expensive countries in the world. In reality, if you know ways to save money, for example, using public transportation instead of taking a taxi, staying in a hostel, eating at small restaurants, and buying groceries at a supermarket. You won’t break the bank in Japan. Japan is much more affordable than I thought. This fact blew my mind. It implies that perhaps other developed countries, such as the US and European countries, are not that expensive.

6. Flower. Maybe I’m quite lucky going to Japan in late March, one of the best times in a year to go to Japan. Everything was so lovely. Flowers bloomed everywhere.

7. Weather. It was not too cold or too hot and rained only one day out of the ten days I was there. It was the perfect weather for traveling and exploring the country.

8. Public transportation. If you travel to Japan, just follow Google Maps. It will save your life. The public transportation system in Japan is super convenient with many choices and routes. I can reach everywhere you want to go at an affordable price and in a short time. The information about the transportation is very clear and exact. If Google Maps tells you, the bus will arrive at 8.05 am, at exactly 8.05 the bus arrives.

9. Safety. My friend said that she left her bag at the bus station. A few hours later, she came back to pick it and it was still there. People often leave their cell phones on tables at restaurants without worrying that someone will take them.

10. Food. It’s tough to choose only 10 things. And it’s a huge mistake not to mention Japanese cuisine. I was super full every meal because Japanese food is so yummy, from sushi, sashimi, ramen, grilled eel, and takoyaki to snacks, such as mochi, matcha ice cream, cheesecake. Talking about them makes my mouth water.