LIfe after Japan: Things I Miss About Japan

 This time last year, I found myself typing out a list of things I missed about the UK.

I had been in Japan for a couple of months and the cravings for Walkers Salt and Vinegar crisps were kicking in.

This time, however, I'm back with a list of things that I miss about Japan.

And of course, we'll gloss over the obvious bits, like family, friends, and Shooters Sports Bar & Grill Nagoya, and get straight into the oddly specific things that I wouldn't have expected to be thinking about so much.

Zima, and those flavoured bottles of Smirnoff Ice

Listen, I know I'm in my first year of university now and VKs should be my life, but when it comes to alcopops, Smirnoff Ice will always hold a special place in my heart and the flavours that Japan sells are super exciting. Zima tastes great and I haven't found anything similar in the UK. Oh, while we're at it, I miss Sauza Cooler, all the chu-hai, and, not getting weird looks when I ask for a cassis orange.

Heated toilet seats

In the UK, if your toilet seat feels warm, then it's an obvious sign that you've sat down way too soon after the last person left. In Japan most toilets are heated, so there's no cause for concern. And boy, when you wake up in the middle of the night, still groggy but desperate for the loo, there's nothing worse than the cold jolt of a chilly toilet seat on your arse.

Irasshaimaseeee!!

As terrifying as hearing endless cries of 'irasshaimase' echo as you walk down a shopping street is, it's still something I miss a lot. Honestly, there's nothing like being eagerly welcomed into a shop you never planned on, and never will, enter. Also, I miss trying (and failing) to shout louder than my coworkers when someone entered our bar.

Decent customer service

Something that strikes you on returning to the UK is how miserable every shop assistant and restaurant servers are. Of course, having worked in these situations I can understand why, and perhaps the issue lies with how the general public treat those in these roles. That said, Japan excels when it comes to customer service and I miss that a lot.

Random people calling me 'kawaii' 

Listen, maybe Japan went to my head a bit but I do really miss being considered an extra level of pretty. Like, people would stop in the street to call me cute or customers would ask for photos of me. The narcissist in me misses that a lot.

Weird people roaming the streets

I don't mean like very high teenagers or drunks. I mean the homeless lady who used to amuse herself by moving people's bikes a meter from where they parked them and watch the owners of the bikes get confused. And they guy who used to roam around dressed as a power ranger. And the old man who dressed as a fairy. Just odd sights that are pretty common and fairly harmless.

Japanese kids

Why are English children so loud? Why are youths who've consumed 10 Monster energy drinks so damn scary? And why are they allowed to infest the streets alone and behave like this? I'll never understand, especially when I'm used to polite, well behaved Japanese kiddos, who you'll never see throw a tantrum in public.

Public transport that actually works

You'll be lucky if your bus turns up in Bristol. In Japan, you get an announcement and apology if your train is 5 minutes late. Not to mention public transport is clean and affordable, unlike here in the UK.

Vending machines, everywhere

Life is so much easier in Japan. On every street you'll encounter a couple of vending machines, so you'll never feel thirsty. Sure, occasionally you'll stumble across a vending machine in the UK, but they're nowhere near as common.

Konbinis 

If you can't see a vending machine, then it's probably because you're at a convenience store (or 'konbini') anyway. Often open 24 hours, Japanese convenience stores are faaar better than anything you'll find in the UK, with such a range of decently priced, good quality products, from fresh ready meals to portable chargers, you can find most things there.

24 hour everything 

While we're on the topic of convenience, so much stuff in big cities in Japan happens to be 24 hour. From the aforementioned konbinis and Denny's restuarants to karaoke booths and internet cafes, so much is available at any time.

Night life

Sure, heading home at 3a.m. is probably better for my health, but you know what's fun? Being able to sit in a bar until 9a.m. on a Saturday after you and all your coworkers finally finish work at 3.30a.m. Also it's nice to not have to pay extortionate prices for cloakroom and just dump your bag in a corner with no fear of anything being stolen.

I could go on thinking of more and more things I miss but honestly, we'll be here quite a while as I keep thinking of things and I'll probably just end up making myself sad. On the bright side, in the UK we have fish and chips.