“Back home, ‘cute’ isn’t really something people use as a standard, so you don’t see many things designed to be kawaii. But in Japan, cute music, characters, and manga seem to be everywhere!”

That’s how Samantha, a student from the United States, described it. She was struck by how often cheerful, cute music plays in shops, supermarkets, drugstores, and even offices, something she rarely encountered back home.

And she has a point. Japan’s kawaii culture extends far beyond character goods and pop culture. Even police departments, hospitals, and local governments often use cute mascots and designs in their services. From regional yuru-chara mascots to everyday signage, “kawaii” is something people of all ages, backgrounds, and genders can enjoy, making it a surprisingly distinctive part of daily life in Japan.

Japanese convenience store chains have expanded overseas in recent years, but several people told us they only realized just how convenient Japan’s konbini really are after experiencing them firsthand.

Anil from Canada was especially surprised by how many there were.

“There’s one 7-Eleven where I live, but it’s not very big and the selection is pretty limited. You’ll find soft drinks, snacks, and some fast food. In Japan, though, there seemed to be three convenience stores within a few minutes’ walk, and they sold everything from groceries and alcohol to beauty products, pet food, and even clothes. I stayed in Japan for six months and went to one almost every day.”

According to the Japan Franchise Association, Japan had more than 55,000 convenience stores as of October 2023, many offering an impressively wide range of products and services.

For visitors used to much simpler convenience stores back home, Japan’s combination of sheer numbers, variety, and genuinely useful services can feel like a whole different level.

Every country has its own food culture, tastes, and regional specialties. But Japan seems to stand out not only for its culinary skills, but also for the incredible attention paid to how food is presented.

From sushi and tempura to takoyaki, sukiyaki, soba, yakitori, and onigiri, Japanese food comes in an enormous variety of flavors, textures, and appearances.

“I fell in love with mochi. And yakitori with shochu? Amazing,” said Lou from the United States, who became a big fan of Japanese food.

Magda, a food lover from Canada, was especially impressed by the care Japanese restaurants put into presentation, right down to the tableware.

“Where I live, restaurants tend to serve everything in big portions. In Japan, I loved how carefully the food was arranged, with different colors and textures combined so beautifully that each dish looked almost like a work of art. Even the plates, bowls, and cutlery were fun to look at.”

After returning home, she felt she missed some of that attention to presentation and detail. It may be deeply rooted in Japanese culture and dining traditions, but it is also something many visitors clearly notice and appreciate.

One topic that constantly comes up among people who have visited or lived in Japan is the difference in toilets and bathroom etiquette. For many international visitors, Japan’s toilets earn especially high marks for being both remarkably clean and packed with useful features.

“It took me a while to get used to the toilets back home again, especially public ones,” said Linda from New Zealand.

John from Scotland felt much the same way.

“In Scotland, I don’t think many people would brave a public toilet unless they had no other choice. They have a pretty bad reputation. After seeing how clean public toilets were in Tokyo, I was disappointed by the ones back home.”

But cleanliness isn’t the only reason Japan’s toilets get so much praise. Visitors are also impressed by everything from clean sinks and doors to heated seats, bidet functions, and lids that open automatically.

They can be so comfortable and convenient that even some Japanese travelers joke about wishing they could take a Japanese toilet with them overseas. It’s one piece of Japanese technology we wouldn’t mind seeing spread around the world.

Bowing plays an important role in everyday life in Japan. It is used for everything from greeting friends and neighbors to showing respect in business situations.

At hotels, shops, tourist attractions, meetings, and even when saying goodbye after drinks, bowing becomes so natural that many people do it without even thinking.

And for international visitors who spend a long time in Japan, that habit can be surprisingly hard to shake.

“After visiting Japan a few times, I started bowing back home without even realizing it,” said Chris from the Cook Islands.

He is far from alone. Some people said they caught themselves bowing in situations where it looked a little unusual.

“I kept bowing to my grandmother,” said Steffi from Germany.

Manuel from the United States was also surprised to find himself bowing when letting someone pass.

Once bowing becomes second nature, apparently it is not so easy to switch off. Come to think of it, Japanese travelers probably do the exact same thing overseas and immediately give themselves away.

This article was originally published in 2021 and has been edited and republished.