Japan, as Seen from the Eyes of an Australian

Lisa Clark

I visited Japan for the first time on a home-stay program arranged by the Japan-Australia Student Union Association. It was not only my first visit to Japan, but also my first trip overseas and so the three weeks were most memorable ones.

Before coming to Japan, my Japanese language professor at my university had explaned something of the country's daily life to me and so I knew how to take a bath and about the usage of the "futon" (Japanese mattress). I was also prepared, if neeed be, to eat raw fish. Despite all these psychological preparations, there were still many things that took me by surprise.

One of them was the automatic vending machine. In Australia, there are not as many as there are here. In Japan, they can be found all over the place from in the middle of paddy fields to in front of large supermarkets. At first, I thought they were very convenient until I bought a can of drink, and here again, I was made to realize the difference between the two countries. Unlike in Australia, people in Japan do not normally drink as they walk. And, should you do so contrary to Japanese custom, you will soon dicover that there is nowhere to discard the empty can as there are very few trash cans on the streets.

Another area in which the countries differ are the gasoline stations. While driving around, I dropped by a gasoline station and discovered that there is not only one clerk to fill up your car with gasoline, but another to wash the windows and windshield, while yet another stood correctly by the entrance to welcome custmers. In Australia, we fill our car ourselves and then go to the cash register to pay. An average gasoline station would normally have from one to two persons working. I believe that however hard you look anywhere in the world, you will not find a gasoline station such as the ones in Japan.

My experiences in Japan were most valuable ones. Through customs such as these and the more important cultural and social differences, I was able to learn much not only about Japan but also about my country. In other words, by going to a foreign land and experiencing a totally different culture, you are able to look at your own country's culture through objective eyes.

This year, I am once again in Japan, this time to work as a participant of the Japan Exchange Teaching Program. Although I am more or less used to the daily life of Japan, each day still brings new discoveries. As I understand more about Japanese culture, I am also understanding more about Australian culture but from a new perspective.