"I'm amazed at Japanese! I can't believe they use three systems of writing - hiragana, katakana, and kanji - properly. I'm from an English-speaking country [so it's a lot simpler to read and write]. And I'm impressed that even small children use them properly. Kanji is especially really tough.”

However, this Australian guy also admits to being addicted to studying kanji. His favorite is the kanji character for "run/走". The reason? "It looks fast! While writing it, it's kind of fun to imagine if you are really running!" Perhaps that's really so!

"I've never seen a toilet in Australia with a function to wash your bum! It's really quite nice. I wonder how others back home might think about them however."

It is said that people are particularly surprised when they visit Japan and use the heated Washlets for the first time. It may not be understandable for many Japanese people, how foreign visitors can be impressed with something so commonplace, but maybe we take it for granted.

Indeed, Washlets seem hardly ever found overseas, and many foreigners are unaware of or have never used warm water flush toilet seats. So when people visit Japan for the first time, they seem suitably impressed. Plus, tourists also seemed impressed that they not only found these kinds of "advanced" toilets in peoples' homes, but in public restrooms as well!

"The kinds of suits and clothes worn by Japanese businessmen and women seem so boring. They all look the same and they look so uncomfortable especially in the heat of summer. We're more casual in Australia. T-shirts and jeans are OK in IT companies, for example. I think it's probably better that way."

Foreign tourists may not have noticed, but such "boring" attire is begun even before becoming a working adult. When I was in the process of job hunting, I wore the "uniform" for that - I always wore a black suit, a white shirt and black shoes.

When you become a member of society, your workplace fashion reflects that: suits and other business attire. Basic conservative colors such as black, dark blue, and gray tend to grow in your wardrobe. However, this can depend on your role in a company, and in the industry as well. For instance, more casual and "loud" clothing can be found in Japanese IT companies, media, and creative occupations.

In Japan, since people are usually required to show respect to others, it is often necessary to wear much more formal clothing.

"I don't feel like winters are as cold as Japanese people seem to. Sometimes people around me are wearing thick jackets - but I think it's weird."

This seems to be an opinion aired by many visitors to Japan. Conversely, it might seem strange to many Tokyoites to see a tourist wearing shorts and a long-sleeved shirt in winter. But when we take a step back and think about the situation, we might consider that Tokyo might actually be comparatively warmer - even in winter - than a visitor's home country.

When you think of Australia, many people have the image of a warm sunny country, but in fact, some states face a winter that's colder than Tokyo's. For that reason, it may be that they don't feel cold in Japan's winter, but don't mind wearing lighter clothes.

"The vending machines in Japan are great, I use them every day! I love that they're everywhere. When I went to Gunma, I was surprised to find udon vending machines!"

From a Japanese perspective, it is natural that vending machines are everywhere. However, vending machines are probably not as common in the world as Japan!

Coming from a country with a different food culture, Aussie guys seemed to be impressed with one of Japan's daily foods: the humble rice ball. Why?

"I ate Japanese food in Australia and there were sushi restaurants, but I can't forget when I ate onigiri (rice balls) for the first time in Japan. My favorite type is salmon! The balance between sweetness and saltiness is exquisite."

Hidden in the shadow of sushi and tempura, rice balls are also representative Japanese dishes. We're so glad our Aussie mates grew fond of their taste!