Here we asked the opinions of a Chinese woman who visits Japan almost once every month, both for work and private travel. One of the her reasons to visit Japan is to come to a Japanese beauty salon.

“If you go to a beauty salon, everything is impeccably 'Japanese'. In China, you might happen upon hairdressers who do not have a proper license or background in their trade, and at times the kinds of technology used is not particularly good. But in Japan, it's straightforward: you consult with your hairdresser about hair quality, cut and perm. And then it’s great to have a massage...it’s just a perfect experience (laughs). Plus the beauty salon I go to has a staff member who understands English so I can communicate well. ”

Recently, there is also an interpretation service specializing in beauty, and the hurdles for foreign visitors to head to a Japanese beauty salon are becoming increasingly low. In the future, more people may be able to experience Japanese beauty salon technology and services.

“Speaking of Japanese services, the beauty advisors for cosmetics in department stores are absolutely outstanding. I only go there once every six months, yet the staff always remembers my face and greets me. I have no idea how they do it. I think Japanese cosmetics are high quality but the sales service is very good."

Japanese cosmetics are valued overseas, but something easy to overlook is that the people selling those cosmetics offer impeccable service as well. Because cosmetics are not particularly cheap products, it seems that part of the price is in ensuring you have superb service, too!

"Japanese buses are much safer than South Korea. Korean buses are fast and sometimes you ride them with that worry in the back of your head about what to do if you have an accident! Not so in Japan. I think that the number of eco-friendly vehicles such as eco buses is also increasing, which is amazing."

In Japan, regulations and safety checks are getting stricter year by year to ensure the safety of public transportation such as buses and trains. Thanks to that, you can ride with confidence.

“I was surprised by the convenience stores in Japan. There are a lot of foods and a lot of hot foods. There are also many kinds of desserts. I have even seen that the variety of healthy lunch choices, with more vegetables and health foods, has expanded too. Korean convenience stores have a wide variety of drinks, but there isn't at all the kind of rich food selection as you'd find in Japan.”

One of the spots that surprises many foreign visitors, not just Koreans, is convenience stores. Many people are surprised by the variety of types of bento, such as chicken, meat buns and even soups. In Korea as well, it seems that the convenience store has a certain utility to it - you can pay bills there and there are photocopier services too, but while the range of drinks are more substantial in Korea than in Japan, it seems Japan focuses on variety of food.

“When I went to a restaurant in Japan, I experienced a pleasant touch of hospitality. Of course, the food was delicious and our server was polite, but what was the meaning of each ingredient? It was the first time for me to hear a brief story about it, and I really enjoyed that approach."

Visit an upscale restaurant in any country, it is natural that the food is delicious and the hospitality and service are excellent. Meanwhile, in Japan it's often the case that even at a simple restaurant, the staff treat guests as royalty, often explaining carefully the auspicious meanings contained in each the ingredients used in a given dish. As a result, both your tummy and heart are filled, and you'll have learned something curious and new - a novel piece of trivia. Our respondent noted she was very satisfied that she was able to receive hospitality beyond her expectation and that it helped deepen her experience in Japan.

In addition to this, there were a few opinions that stuck out and surprised me as a Japanese.

“Go to a bank, and before you reach the teller, there's an attendant who will help guide you to where you want to go. When I was confused about where to line up, they approached me and asked what's up and helped me get to where I wanted to go. So kind, and I liked their taking the initiative." (Korea / teens / woman)

"There are a lot of vending machines in various places. I think it's super convenient." (China / 20s / woman)

“I'm glad that there are shops that offer free shopping bags. In Korea, you have to pay extra for shopping bags.” (Korea / 20s / woman)

Hearing these, it certainly sounds Japan is a convenient place to visit!