Note: The text below is the transcript of the YouTube video above.
Hi everyone. I’m Satomi Takayama. I’m a Japanese artist based in London.
Today I want to share five things I love about Japan from my own perspective.
I was born and raised in Japan, and moved to the UK in my twenties. After living in London for eight years, I’ve been back in Japan for a while now. I’ve also stayed in different countries for a month or more at a time, so I’ve got a lot to compare Japan to. Coming back with fresh eyes, I started noticing things I never saw before, like “oh, that’s what makes Japan so special. ” So today I want to share those things with you.
Today’s video is more casual than usual, so just grab some coffee and hang out with me. By the way, in the Behind the Story section at the end, I’ll share even more specific things I love about Japan, so stick around until the very end.
Seasonal Sensibility & Finding Beauty in Inefficiency
So first, I want to talk about Japan’s unique aesthetic values. There are many aspects to Japanese aesthetics, but what I particularly love is the “sense of seasons.”
Japan has four very distinct seasons. That’s why appreciating each season is something that’s been deeply rooted in Japanese culture since ancient times.
Take Japanese gardens, for example. They’re designed to enjoy all four seasons. I feel like this sensitivity to the four seasons has been passed down through generations of Japanese people.
Also, Japan has so many seasonal events. I think there’s something happening every single month, honestly. February has Setsubun, March has Hinamatsuri and so on. Each event has its own unique customs, and by celebrating them every year, you can feel the seasons. Cherry blossom viewing, autumn leaf viewing, moon viewing… there’s this sense of elegance in all of these traditions.
And this seasonal sensibility really shows up in food culture, too. Even at a small countryside izakaya restaurant in Japan, you’ll find seasonal dishes using ingredients that are in season. When you go to the supermarket, seasonal ingredients are displayed right at the front.
Different foods are delicious at different times of year. In summer, I crave cold noodles called Sohmen, in autumn it’s sanma, in winter I want hot pot and crab. The list just goes on and on in Japan. I didn’t realize until I lived abroad that this idea of “eating certain foods at certain times” had naturally become my yearly routine. That’s how I felt the seasons.
From what I’ve seen, London supermarkets don’t really change with the seasons like in Japan – they tend to have the same ingredients all year round. So I do miss Japan’s seasonal ingredients and dishes. Plus, eating seasonal foods is actually better for your health. Among Japanese people I know who don’t want to live abroad, food is the main reason.
For example, osechi, the New Year’s food, has meaning in each little dish. We eat soba noodles on New Year’s Eve too. These detailed customs could be dismissed as pointless, but Japan has cherished these things. Finding joy in slowly enjoying the seasons.
If you’re living a life focused purely on efficiency, none of this is necessary, right? If you just want to fill your stomach, you can eat anything. Beautiful presentations of food that express the seasons aren’t efficient at all!
But if Japan had only pursued efficiency, this culture wouldn’t have survived. I think this culture emerged because Japan has historically been blessed both spiritually and materially. The fact that it continues today is really thanks to people in the past who tried not to let it die out. These are values born over many years that Japan should be proud of.
And it’s not just the food itself. This unique Japanese sense of seasons shows up in design too. It’s something you don’t see in other countries this much. Start paying attention to it. For example, Japanese department store basement floors are packed with food, and the package designs there perfectly showcase this seasonal sensibility.
Take kimono, for example. I touched on this a bit in my previous video, but seasonality is really important. You choose ones with seasonal flowers or motifs, or you change the design depending on the season. This sense of seasonality was cultivated within the imperial court culture starting from around the late 8th century, and I think that aesthetic sense is still passed down in today’s kimono culture.
So yeah, all of this – the seasonal food, the design, the traditions – exists because people in old Japan found value even in inefficient things. I think this way of spending time makes life richer.
Unique Traditional Arts (Tea Ceremony, Ikebana, Gardens etc)
Second is definitely Japan’s traditional arts. Tea ceremony, ikebana, gardens, and so on…these traditional arts have an appeal you don’t really find in other countries. I really love them, including their spiritual aspects.
When I think about why such a unique culture was born in Japan and continued without being interrupted, I think one of the reasons is that Japan is an island nation.
Historically, Japan wasn’t invaded by foreign countries very much. Many other countries constantly faced external enemies or threats of invasion. But Japan had the luxury of time to carefully nurture its own culture, thanks to its geographical features.
Of course, continental influence was huge at first, but ancient Japanese people were really good at adapting things to the Japanese style. Things that came from China and Korea were uniquely developed to match Japan’s climate and sensibility. That’s become today’s traditional Japanese culture.
What’s interesting is that many Japanese traditional arts have “do” at the end. Sado (tea ceremony), kado (flower arranging), kodo, judo… The word “do” means “way,” so it’s not just about learning skills but also about cultivating yourself as a person and your spirituality. So you can learn values that are important as a human being, or at least as a Japanese person. Japan has influenced me so much. That’s why I’ve gradually come to feel grateful that I was born Japanese.
I talk about traditional arts in detail on this channel, so please subscribe if you’re interested.
Bath Culture & Japanese Cleanliness
Third is bath culture and Japanese cleanliness.
I really love taking baths. Has anyone experienced Japanese hot springs? Being able to soak in a bath in that kind of spacious environment is incredibly relaxing and amazing. Bath culture is probably the thing I miss most when I’m overseas.
Statistics say about 50% of Japanese people soak in the bathtub every day. I’m one of them. I even read books and come up with new ideas while in the bath, and that’s where I wash away the day’s stress, so it’s an important time for me. Also, because bath culture is so established, everything around the bath is really convenient. The tub fills automatically and stops by itself, and a lot of places are designed to be very bath-culture friendly. And in Japan, having the bathtub and shower separate is standard, which is the best.
In Europe, there are so many bathroom mysteries for me, haha.
Sometimes showers are mounted on the wall above the bathtub and you can’t move them. What is up with that? For me, and I’m really sorry to say this, but it feels a bit unsanitary when I bathe in that setting. I’m always wondering, how would you clean the bathtub properly?
Also, when I stayed at a place in the Cotswolds once, it was an old house from medieval times, very pretty, and there was a bathtub in the middle of the wooden room. But there wasn’t a shower curtain or anything around the bathtub, so I ended up crouching and taking a shower in the bathtub, and the floor got all wet, haha. I still haven’t figured out how you’re supposed to take a shower in that kind of setting.
Japanese bathing culture is not just about washing the body but has also been associated with cleansing the mind and spirit, rooted in ancient practices of purification.
Speaking of cleanliness, in Japan, taking off your shoes at the entrance is essential. I was raised being told that it would bring bad luck to walk into the house with your shoes on. This is important for me to truly relax at home, and it’s a culture I love.
It’s not just about not bringing in dirt from outside. I think there’s been this sense of the entrance as a kind of “barrier” that separates the outside world from the inside world since ancient times. Similarly, in Shinto practice, there’s something called morijio where you pile salt at the entrance. The belief is that this salt absorbs bad luck coming from outside and allows sacred energy to flow into the house. My parents do this too. Also, when guests are coming, people sprinkle water at the entrance called uchimizu. That also has the meaning of purifying the space to welcome guests. But it’s not like people believe in it religiously. I think it’s more unconsciously rooted in the Japanese sensibility.
Also, I feel like Japanese people have a stronger awareness of keeping toilets clean compared to other countries. Even public toilets and toilets in slightly run-down-looking restaurants are cleaner than in many other countries. When I see Japan, I feel like it’s a really livable country for mothers with babies or small children. The idea of keeping water areas clean is mixed with feng shui thinking, too.
You might have heard the saying ‘God is in the details.’ As far as I know, it’s originally from a German art historian, but I think this sensibility is deeply rooted in Japanese culture too. Carefully maintaining even the smallest details. Paying attention to the little things. That’s what creates beauty in anything—design, architecture, food, you name it.
Keeping public spaces clean isn’t just about yourself. There’s this sense of caring for the next person who will use it. With baths too, there’s this feeling that you should be clean because it would be rude to meet people the next day if you’re dirty.
The culture of everyone trying to maintain cleanliness, the culture of purification… that’s one of the things I like about Japan.
Quietness & Ma (Negative Space)
Next, number four. This might be the first thing I felt when I came back to Japan. It’s “quietness and negative space.”
For example, I feel that there are many places in Japan where you can experience a sense of quiet, even in a large city like Tokyo. Although Tokyo has one of the highest population densities in the world, there are still spaces where you can enjoy calm. There’s a shared understanding that public spaces should be quiet, and on top of that, many places in the city are designed with quietness in mind. That’s one of the things I like about Japan.
For example, in London, basically Zone 1 is about 45 square kilometres. Most of the tourist spots and shopping areas are concentrated in that small area, so there are lots of people, and in my experience, there aren’t as many places where you can relax as in Tokyo.
I mean, I love London’s atmosphere because it’s energetic and gives me energy. So there are pros and cons for sure. But when you just want some quiet time, I feel those spots are quite hard to find in the city.
Even in my flats in London, the buildings were old, so there was always something going on—water leaks, the ceiling falling down, mice showing up. The landlord was constantly on my case, and the conversation never stopped. In that sense, it wasn’t nearly as comfortable and peaceful as living in Japan, haha. I was really like, “Please just let me relax.” Maybe I just had bad luck with flats, though, because I preferred old ones like Georgian and Victorian over modern ones, because they’re more charming.
Quietness isn’t just about the absence of sound. I think it has a deeper meaning. Like having mental space. Uninterrupted time, time to face yourself. I feel like it’s easier to find that mental calm in Japan, even in the middle of the city.
That’s actually why I want to create this kind of space abroad in the future—somewhere people can experience this sense of Japanese quietness, and simply pause to think and be creative.
And it’s not just about physical quietness. I’m also drawn to negative space in design—the idea of appreciating empty space without filling everything in. I talked about this in my video on Japanese gardens as well.
I think there’s an opportunity for self-reflection within that negative space. This sense of finding meaning in nothingness… that’s something I really love.
Culture of Respect & Safe Society
Finally, number five is “culture of respect and a safe society.”
Can you imagine what the Japanese sense of showing respect to others feels like? If you’ve visited Japan, you might have sensed it a little.
To explain the Japanese culture of respect, the Japanese language is one important element. Even within formal Japanese, there are various forms… respectful language (keigo), humble language(kenjogo), polite language (teineigo). You change your words depending on who you’re talking to and the situation. In English, you can certainly express things politely, but in Japanese, there are even words specifically for humbling yourself. You have to learn this in Japanese class from elementary school. So at the language level, the philosophy of “respecting others” is built in. You show respect to people who are older or seniors who are already established in a field. When you talk to them, you naturally elevate them in conversation.
So when I moved to the UK and was learning English myself, I was a bit confused about how to translate some Japanese expressions into English. There were several expressions that don’t exist in English, so I sometimes wondered in the beginning if it was okay to say something so directly to the other person.
If you really want to understand Japanese culture, I think studying the language is really important. The essential Japanese sensibility is packed into it.
Also, what’s good about Japanese is that it serves as a reminder to always live humbly. When you’re speaking Japanese, I feel like you kind of automatically avoid being too arrogant. That mindset is just built into the language. Of course, I can still be a bit too direct sometimes, but I think the language generally acts as a brake.
So my personality when I’m speaking Japanese versus when I’m speaking English is quite different.
That said, honestly, the Japanese language system is something I love but find challenging at times. It’s complicated. I also love how English breaks down barriers that exist in Japanese. Being able to talk to anyone as equals without drawing a line, being able to express your feelings more directly… I think that’s really what’s great about English. I know it varies slightly in different English-speaking countries, but for me at least, English feels more casual than Japanese.
The truth is that because you have to be so careful about choosing the right words in Japanese, young people sometimes find it harder to voice their opinions. This makes it harder for society to innovate quickly and might be holding back Japan’s economic growth. So not everyone thinks this is all good. But at the same time, I think this sense of “respecting others” also supports Japanese society.
For example, moral education. I feel that educational standards are well-maintained everywhere you go in Japan. Whether in cities or rural areas, basically everyone has similar moral values. I think that’s because they learn to respect others from a young age at school.
Respecting people, taking care of public spaces, and following rules. These basic morals are shared throughout society. That’s why Japan is safe; lost items are returned, and you can walk alone at night. After travelling to various countries, I learned that this is actually quite rare.
That’s one of the things I really value about Japan. Of course, as Japan becomes more globalised, I think it will face various challenges. Recently, there’s a lot of talk about immigration policy and such. While I want Japan to become more diverse and vibrant, I also think this culture of respect and a high level of safety are important things Japan should protect. So I sincerely hope that people who move to Japan will live here with some understanding of Japan’s original culture.
Having said that, again, living according to all the unspoken rules in Japan definitely has its downsides, too. People tend to have similar mindsets and avoid expressing their opinions, and it can be harder for unique individuals to emerge… I think that’s a big problem on the flip side. But this background is also what creates a safe Japan, and I think that’s why I can calm down and relax when I come back to Japan.
Summary
Okay, so today I talked about five things I love about Japan from my perspective.
I’m sure there were parts you related to and parts you didn’t, but I’d appreciate it if you could just take this as one Japanese person’s opinion.
Today I mainly talked about the good things about Japan. But I mean, I left Japan and moved to the UK, so obviously there are aspects of living in Japan that I find difficult too, as I briefly mentioned.
Every country has good and bad points, and Japan is no exception. But when I think about it overall, I really do think Japan is one of the most wonderful countries. If people are interested, maybe I can talk about the difficult aspects of living in Japan someday.
In the “Behind the Story” that follows, I’ll talk about even more specific things I love about Japan, so if you’re interested, please keep watching.
On my YouTube channel, I share inspiration for my creative work going forward. I’m also learning about various aspects of Japanese culture right now, so if you’re interested, please subscribe.
Also, I don’t want this channel to be just one-way with me talking. I hope it becomes a place where people can talk with each other, share experiences, and we can all learn from each other. So please feel free to leave comments.
In the next video, I visited the workshop of Takatori-san, a craftsman of Takatori-yaki, which is one of my favourite styles of pottery in Japan. I’m always fascinated by the spirituality of Japanese craftsmen like him, who devote their entire lives to quietly and consistently facing the improvement of their craft. I want to talk about that, so stay tuned.
See you next time.
BEHIND THE STORY
Thank you so much for watching until the very end.
Today’s content was lighter than my usual videos, wasn’t it?
In today’s Behind the Story, I want to talk about even more specific things I love about Japan that I couldn’t talk about in the main part.
So I mentioned that Japan has a culture of consideration for others, and that’s reflected in Japanese service too. There are many things I’m grateful for. What I’m most thankful for are the delivery services here. They come at the exact time slot you specify, and they handle packages carefully. In some countries, I’m scared to use delivery because things might break or get lost.
But sometimes I worry that Japanese customer service pushes employees too hard, and there are still inconvenient aspects, especially on the digital side, so it’s not perfect. But overall, I still think the service in Japan is pretty great.
Another thing is that the tourism industry is well developed in Japan. Do you know what the passport ownership rate is in Japan? It’s only about 17%.
Because Japanese people don’t go abroad as much, domestic travel is popular, so tourist destinations are well developed and fun to visit. I mean, completely wild, undeveloped places can be nice too, but I prefer browsing shops that sell local products and things like that. In that sense, I think Japan has endless places to visit. Each region has something different to offer, from food and crafts to onsen, which is really fun to explore.
Also, I really love that dinner times are early. When I was in Spain, sometimes we ate at like 10 PM. In Italy, at 8 PM. Thinking about health, if you eat early, your stomach can rest when you sleep. So I prefer not to eat right before bed. So when late dinners continue like that, it gets pretty tough on my body. The culture of early dinners is something I love about Japan. Sometimes I eat as early as 5:30, but recently it’s between 6:00 and 7:00 pm.
AND this is partly because I lived in London, but Japan has sun! This is really important for my mood. So ideally, I’d like to balance and move between different countries.
Also, I love the water quality here. I’ve heard that Japan has some of the best water quality in the world. Because of the good water, I can enjoy delicate Japanese cuisine. Also, when I wash my clothes in the washing machine in Japan, they come out so soft! And my hair doesn’t get rough either. I think my skin condition is much better now too. It might also be because of the skincare products or food I eat here, but I still think water affects my skin condition.
I think that’s about it. If you’ve ever been to Japan, what did you love most about it? Let me know in the comments.
If you liked today’s video, I think you’ll definitely enjoy these Japanese garden videos too, so please check it out.
Thanks for watching until the end. See you in the next video.
