The Country of Convenience

Japan just makes sense. Everything here works so well, and everything is convenient. Ergo, Japan makes sense. Everywhere you look there are extra amenities or pieces of technology or services that make your life a little easier. I am not exaggerating either – it’s everywhere you look. Here are some examples:

- Buy a SUICA card in the Tokyo area and you can use it on the trains, subways, convenience stores, and some shops. You literally just hold the card over the card reader to get into the stations, or to buy things at stores.
- Cell phones that do everything – internet, camera (good cameras – not like ones in America), you can use to buy tickets on the train and subway or use it in convenience stores (it acts like your SUICA card), dictionary, translating tool, email, and of course making phone calls.
- One time my friends and I were shopping at Yodobashi Camera and we had to use the restroom. When we walked in my friend Jon said that it would be great if they had some place to put or bags, or some hooks… sure enough – they did!
- Anytime you buy something that is usually given as a gift (chocolates, jewelry, toys, etc) they will offer to wrap it for you on the spot for free.
- If you buy jeans anywhere in Japan, even if you buy the cheapest stuff at UNIQLO, they will cut them and size them for you and have them ready in a few days, free of charge.
- When you purchase a drink or a cup of yogurt at a convenience store or grocery store, they provide you with a straw or spoon in the bag, or they tape it on the item you bought. I bought some chicken nugget type things at the convenience store the other night, and they taped on a tooth pick so I could eat them… they think of everything.
- I did my laundry at a coin laundry place several weeks ago. I was able to put start my laundry in the machine and then type in my cell phone information so it would notify me when it was done – again amazing.
- Every price displayed when purchasing something is the price WITH tax included. Again America, get it right.
- Every cell phone company’s cell phones use the same charger (i.e. all AU phones use the same charger, thus if you forgot your cell phone charger and your friend had AU as well – you could use theirs. The same is also true for Softbank, DoCoMo, etc.)

Honestly – the list goes on and on. Japan has thought of everything when it comes to convenience, and what I love most about it all – you DON’T pay extra for it. Almost all services I have encountered have been free, its part of the Japanese service industry that I have discussed before. I love this country.