Japan and Consistency

On my last visit to Japan, a place I worked and lived for half a decade, I had a new insight.

A little background, as a Chinese-Hong Kong descendant growing up in Canada, I always wondered what made Japan different amongst Asian countries, beyond just language.

There are numerous reasons and I will slowly get into them over time - on this last trip, a new insight that came to me on a quality that differentiates Japanese people beyond Asians or even Western cultures:

Consistency

Throughout Japan’s history, in its culture, the arts, the science, the language, the highs, the lows, - one pervasive thread through everything Japanese that I see is this.

Japanese people have consistency ingrained into their culture.

• Trains run on time because of: consistent schedules.
• Japanese products are high quality because of: consistent quality.
• Employment for life because of: consistent work.

Or something - these are just the start of a thread on this topic for me.

As a person that lived there, worked there, having a partner that is Japanese - I want to understand what makes Japanese people, Japanese - even when they are outside of Japan (like my wife).

Japanese consistency is something they strive for in every aspect of their society and a key differentiator compared to other societies that I know of.

I will revisit my experiences, observe through this new lens, and think more - consistently.

😅