Everyday routines revealing Japan’s culture, quirks, and how it's changing Japan is changing. Not everywhere. Not all at once. But occasionally, small experiences make you stop and wonder whether something is quietly shifting beneath the surface. At the same time, some things stubbornly hold onto the past. Some desired change doesn't happen. And sometimes you get it without asking for it. The other day, I visited our usual dry cleaner. It requires a ten-minute drive, but for

Japanese customer service at its most astonishing I've had to pay a few visits to my Mazda dealer lately (the latest one to get my Sat Nav updated, so as not to get lost on Tokyo's streets). Every visit reminds me of the high-quality customer service we enjoy here in Japan, although it can come with its quirks! From the moment I pull up, the adventure begins. As I back into a parking space (because nobody parks forward in Japan), a representative comes sprinting out like an O