Through my experiences from traveling around the world, I want to assist foreign tourists in Japan

How Japanese people differ from the individuals I encountered during my world journey

I think friendliness is the biggest difference.

During my round-the-world journey, people in the streets would always greet me, a complete stranger, and start conversations like, “Where are you from?” This was such a positive experience because if I ever had a problem, I could easily talk to someone for help. In fact, I often ended up making friends or having my issues resolved thanks to these interactions.

This is completely different from the Japanese way of thinking. In Japan, it’s almost unheard of for strangers to strike up a conversation unless it’s for business-related solicitation. Even if you were to greet someone you didn’t know, they would probably just find it suspicious.

Why I Want to Support Tourists

It’s simply wonderful to hear your native language in a faraway place like Japan.

To put it simply, this is what it all comes down to.

Of course, behind these words lies my hope that tourists can enjoy their time in Japan, even in a country where English isn’t widely understood, and my desire to give back the kindness I received during my round-the-world journey.

But more than that, imagine traveling all the way to this far corner of Asia and being greeted, not just in English but in your own native language—how heartwarming that would be.

At the very least, I was deeply moved when people in Europe, Africa, South America, and many other places greeted me in Japanese with a simple “arigato” or “konnichiwa.” Even if their pronunciation wasn’t perfect, it left an unforgettable impression on me.

This experience is the reason I want to support and welcome tourists, and it has inspired me to learn languages from around the world.