3RD INSIGHT ABOUT LIFE IN JAPAN

TIME

There are other cultural aspects or behaviors that I´ve been able to notice as I sit and relax in the train on my way to work. It usually takes me about 20 minutes to get to Shibuya; the neighborhood where my office is located. So I think this is a good enough amount of time for me to collect data. And TIME - specially being ´On Time´- is one of those important and easily defined aspects of the Japanese psyche, because being ´on time´ is, as my beautiful wife has repeatedly explained to me, the most important thing ever!!! 🙀😯

Being of Colombian descent, I was brought up and I kind of learned to see things in a different way, you know, a ´que será será´ mentality, right? ´C'est la vie´. And the truth is, I like living life like this, at a slow pace. I enjoy very much using my writer´s mind at a different speed, where analysis and thought and creativity and beauty are what drive me.

Of course, this in turn always ends up getting me in trouble, specially with my wife.🤣😂 Check the following example,

WIFE

Baby, we gotta go.

ME

What? Right now? I´m in the middle of writing this.

WIFE

Yesh, buy my parents are waiting for us at the restaurant.

ME

That´s today?

WIFE

Yes. You forgot?

ME

No, I just... you know, I didn´t. Let´s go.

I stand up. She stares at me.

WIFE

Are you going like that?

I look at myself.

ME

Ah, yes. What´s wrong with this?

WIFE

(Disappointed)

Just go and change. And fix your hair.

I hurry.

ME

Yes, baby.

WIFE

And brush your teeth.

Quickly I´m ready. She waits for me at the front door. She looks at her watch.

WIFE (CONT)

We´re late again.

ME

(I smile)

Just a little.

WIFE

That doesn´t exist in Japan. If you are late, you´re late.

BUT THIS IS TOKYO

The truth is, everything in this city moves and runs smoothly, like clockwork. And even though I have only lived in Tokyo, I would pretty much imagine this is a similar characteristic anywhere in the country. Anyway, since this is a topic based on my experience with trains and something that I´ve been doing for about 5 months now, I can simply say in a completely amazed attitude, that they are never late. Yes, you heard me. Never! 😯🙀 Which is crazy, if you ask me, but it is the truth. In NY and Bogotá I always found myself praying to all the gods to bring a train or a bus, not only on time, but al least to just

show up! 🤣😂

But this is Japan. You can time everything perfectly by just using the train schedule. So for example, I know in a very precise manner that once I get to Omotesando Station, I have 1 minute and 45 seconds to walk briskly from the lowest level of the station, climb two sets of stairs to the first level, and then reach the number 4 platform, in order to catch the train that´s just arriving on the Ginza Line that will take me all the way into Shibuya. If I can do this in under a minute forty five, I´m golden. Now sometimes, depending on the amount of people crisscrossing the station, a couple of steps delayed here and there, and I will miss it buy this much. 🤏🏽🤏🏽

Hell yeah, it is that precise. So as you can see, depending on the moment, I do care about this ´move fast´ spirit. Maybe this means that some of that ´time is important´ stuff is rubbing off on me. 😜😜 Well,

I think it´s a very good thing because lately the number of times my wife gets mad at me for being late has decreased. 😂🤣

That´s it for this post. Thanks again for coming and for reading. Abrazos.