Japan can feel like a cold country sometimes, especially for those who don't speak the language. Many expats here will be able to tell you what it feels like to sit on a train/street-car/bus and have people choose to stand for the whole journey rather than sit next to a foreigner. Stories like that are common so I've decided to post a positive little missive to provide contrast.
Less than 3 hours ago I was eating lunch with a friend in one of our regular little haunts, Nakau (click for photos). The food was cheap and tasty as usual although a group of 8 office girls in their early to mid 20's wouldn't stop staring at us and giggling which makes it a tad difficult to eat. We finished up and took off in the afternoon winter sunshine. A few blocks away we heard the sound of hurried footsteps approaching us from behind so we spun around. There in front of us was a very flushed Nakau staff member clutching 580 Yen in her outstretched hand.
"You left some money!" she told my friend in Japanese while politely bowing.
No sooner had my friend accepted the money when the staff bowed again and took off at top speed back towards the restaurant. It definitely gives you a warm feeling to know that people in this country will not only NOT take your money when given the opportunity, but they will run a good 300m or so to return it to you!
On a very related note, this same friend left their ipod in a netcafe connected to a computer. A staff member caught up to them a good 500m away from the netcafe while my friend was waiting to cross a busy street. Out of breath but no less polite, the staff member dutifully returned the ipod to my startled friend. I assume being a 185cm tall white woman certainly helps these staff members in tracking down forgetful foreigners.
