Tokyo encounters and expat reflections The other day, while eating a matcha ice cream, I found myself reflecting on the extraordinary global rise of matcha. It’s everywhere now. Matcha lattes. Matcha KitKats. Matcha cocktails. Matcha facial products. At this rate, someone is probably developing a matcha-flavoured matcha. Japan, meanwhile, can barely keep up with demand. Exports continue to hit record highs as the world collectively decides that bright green powder is the answ

Final reflections on two disciplined cultures 📢 Public Serenading Switzerland treats public announcements like a medical report: neutral, concise, and 100% emotion-free. The train is late? Delivered in a neutral, matter-of-fact tone, as if reporting the weather. Lost luggage? A swift update, no drama, no sympathy – just facts delivered at Swiss efficiency speed. Meanwhile, Japan has decided that announcements should be full of sensory experience. Train stations bust into che

More insights into Swiss–Japanese cultural order 🐶 Animal Priorities Switzerland worships cows, and their right to roam fields freely is practically sacred. Swiss cows are local celebrities; annual cow parades celebrate their return from summer grazing, complete with bells, flower crowns, and more enthusiasm than most human festivals receive. And if the cowbells in the field next to your house keep you up all night? Tough luck. They are an important part of Switzerland's tra

Swiss traditions collide with Japanese celebrations February in Switzerland is carnival season. Which means that for a few glorious days each year, the Swiss are officially permitted to lose control. This may not sound remarkable if you come from cultures where public enthusiasm is a daily occurrence. But Switzerland runs on restraint. On order. Emotional moderation calibrated to within acceptable tolerances. Carnival is the exception. This is when otherwise respectable banke

Wildlife, culture, and unexpected comparisons The other day, my wife suddenly looked up from her morning coffee and asked a perfectly reasonable question: 'Where have all the crows gone?' This may not sound like a big deal. But if you’ve ever lived in Tokyo, you’ll understand the gravity of the situation. For years, our mornings weren’t greeted by the delicate chirping of sparrows, but by the full-volume cawing of crows that sounded like they were holding an emergency meeting

Continuing the cultural comparison of two tidy nations 🚗 Driving Culture Switzerland treats speed limits as sacred laws, written in metaphorical stone and enforced by hidden speed cameras lurking like highly trained snipers. Step even slightly over the limit, and you've instantly won yourself a surprise photo souvenir courtesy of Swiss law enforcement. It's efficient, relentless, and guarantees that every Swiss driver develops a built-in speedometer through sheer fear alone.

Japan’s festive feasts and cultural abundance After living roughly half my life in Switzerland and half in Japan, I’ve learned one crucial thing about New Year celebrations: Switzerland and Japan are celebrating the same holiday – just facing in completely opposite directions. In Switzerland, New Year’s Eve is the main event, with a long meal (often meat fondue, which has become somewhat of a tradition), good wine, and fireworks. New Year’s Day exists mainly for recovery and

Japan’s unique Christmas traditions explained The KFC near our house has finally re-opened after months of refurbishment. I haven’t stepped inside yet, but peeking through the door I spotted the shiny new self-ordering machines, which are on the rise wherever you look. Because nothing says ‘holiday cheer’ quite like tapping a screen to beg for fried chicken while a robot silently judges your choices. But with staff shortages and rising cost, it’s the world we live in. You wan

Japan’s festive season through Swiss eyes Every December, my inner Swiss wakes up and begins reminiscing about a very specific childhood ritual: the annual hunt for the perfect Christmas tree. We would head to the supermarket or the village square, where hundreds of trees were lined up like contestants in a beauty pageant. Tall, short, skinny, round, slightly wonky – all waiting to be chosen as someone's living-room centrepiece. And if you were feeling extra rustic, you would

Seasonal traditions compared between Japan and Switzerland Halloween is firmly behind us, and the ghostly costumes and plastic pumpkins are packed away. And now – in countries like Switzerland and Japan, where Thanksgiving doesn't exist to provide a buffer – nothing stands between us and the overwhelming, glittery dominance of Christmas. Well, almost nothing. First, we must navigate that seasonal no-man’s-land where society collectively debates: Is it socially acceptable to p

Deepening the comparison of two disciplined cultures 🗻 Mountains: A Matter of Ownership and Space Sure, the Swiss Alps are world-famous, but here's a surprising fact: Switzerland only owns 14% of them. But in true Swiss efficiency, that 14% covers 60% of the country, which really drives home how compact Switzerland actually is. Say "Japanese mountains", and Mt. Fuji immediately jumps to mind, although the gloriously symmetrical volcano is by no means the only peak in the lan

Drinking culture differences between Japan, Britain and Switzerland Summer has kicked off in earnest, temperatures are soaring, and hydration has become a competitive sport. Health experts are telling us to drink lots of fluids, so naturally, many of us are reaching for ice-cold beverages – some of which may contain more alcohol than hydration, but they, it's the thought that counts, right? As I sit here with a frosty glass by my side (non-alcoholic, I swear – after all, it's

More cultural contrasts between Switzerland and Japan 🌿 Obsession with Botanical Beauty Swiss and Japanese homeowners treat gardens like tiny works of art, but the expectations come with different levels of pressure. Japanese gardens strive for zen-like tranquility, featuring rock arrangements, koi ponds, and perfectly raked gravel that looks too flawless to be accidental. But of course, these serene wonders require space, and that is a rare commodity in metropolitan areas –

Comparing Swiss and Japanese orderliness At first glance, Switzerland and Japan seem like long-lost cousins – both obsessively clean, absurdly punctual, and so devoted to their train schedules that make the rest of the world feel a twinge of envy. But dig a little deeper, and you’ll find that beneath their polished efficiency lies a delightful clash of logic, tradition, and quirks that make their differences as entertaining as their similarities. 🏳️ Flags: Minimalist and Bol

Returning to Switzerland after years in Japan Last month, I found myself jetting back to Switzerland to take care of family matters. In just six brief days, I had the chance to reacquaint myself with Switzerland's approach to customer service, a world apart from what I've grown used to in Japan. While Japan spoils you with customer service akin to royal treatment, Switzerland prefers more of a ‘meh’ approach. Here’s a few examples: Fondue Night and the Battle of the Bre

Comparing sports culture in Switzerland and Japan Every weekend, I stroll along the Tamagawa River separating Tokyo from Kanagawa, where locals are passionately engaged in baseball. As a European, I watch in bewilderment, pondering why anyone thought a round bat would be a good idea — it seems designed to make hitting the ball as challenging as possible. To be honest, the charm of the sport is a bit lost on me. But in my defence, European countries simply don't have a history

More surprising parallels between Swiss precision and Japanese harmony In a previous post, I established how mountains feature heavily in the landscape of both countries, with the tiny difference that the Swiss tend to put up a flag at the top of their peaks, while the Japanese don't. That brings me to the next topic: What shows the identity of a nation more than anything else? Its national flag, of course. Another common theme between Switzerland and Japan. Their shapes may

Two orderly nations compared through culture, habits, and quiet quirks Well, two countries in completely different parts of the world, one an island nation sitting between the Japan Sea and the Pacific Ocean, while the other is a landlocked country neatly tucked away in the middle of Europe, with its southern-most point 160 km from the nearest coast. One with a population of 8.7 million, growing by 0.7% each year, while the other boasts 15 times as many inhabitants, but is s