Top 10 Things Japan Does Best

As I leave Japan after almost 3 years, this is my top 10 list.

Many know that Japan excels in a variety of products and technology such as trains, cars, cuisine (www.eatintokyo.com – my food blog) , and whiskey. But there are more. After living here three years – and departing tomorrow – I’ve discovered some less obvious things that the Japanese do exceptionally well. I’d like share my top

10.Loyalty Points — Every store and shop has a loyalty point system and the points are converted to real discounts.

9. Hiking/Skiing Accommodation — Mountain resorts, skiing, hiking / camping facilities are top notch and well looked after. Even in the most remote areas, one feels safe.

7. Ball pens — Due the extensive use of writing kanji, Japanese ball pens are made with very fine tips ranging from .3 to 1mm. It feels like gliding over the paper, without a worry of any smudges.

6. Roller Coasters: Japan has more thirty seconds of thrill roller coasters than anywhere I know. They are in Fuji Q Highland, Tokyo Dome, Yokohama, Disney World. Some of the fastest, highest, and most creative coasters on earth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJRMM1f1KLQ

5. Mixed cocktails — Using just the right amount of subterfuge, mixes, and flavors, Japanese bartenders make the best cocktails in the world — bar none. Try Mixology and Gen Yamamoto.

4. Knives — Using the same technology from samurai swords, a Japanese knife can cut through a thick slice of cheese like cutting through ice cream.

3. Camera Technology — This may be more obvious but the innovation is leading edge. Sony makes the best mobile camera sensors used in iPhones and most OEMs. They also innovated the mirrorless cameras which are the top cameras of the year. Then there is Canon, Nikon, Epson, Olympus, Panasonic, and Pentax. Ricoh just launched the Theta S a 360 camera. Olympus makes the best underwater camera. The Japanese keep buying more of them as do I!

2. Halloween costumes — No country in the world does Halloween better than Japan. It is a time when ‘Cos Play’ is at its peak and the Japanese attention to detail is at its finest. It is worth seeing.

1. Fireworks — The most spectacular display of fireworks I’ve ever seen are during the Japanese summertime. They get better every year.